"
The knight was silent a while and then he said: "Well, it may be so;
but into this town they come not, for the tale of them is over long
for honest men to hearken to."
Even as he spake, a man-at-arms somewhat evilly armed shoved through
the barriers, thrusting aback certain of his fellows, and, coming up to Ralph,
stood staring up into his face with the tears starting into his eyes.
Ralph looked a moment, and then reached down his arms to embrace him,
and kissed his face; for lo! it was his own brother Hugh.
Withal he whispered in his ear: "Get thee behind us, Hugh, if thou
wilt come with us, lad." So Hugh passed on quietly toward the band,
while Ralph turned to the knight again, who said to him, "Who is that man?"
"He is mine own brother," said Ralph. "Be he the brother of whom he will,"
said the knight, "he was none the less our sworn man. Ye fools,"
said he, turning toward the men in the barrier, "why did ye not slay him?"
"He slipped out," said they, "before we wotted what he was about."
Said the knight, "Where were your bows, then?"
Said a man: "They were pressing so hard on the barrier,
that we could not draw a bowstring. Besides, how might we
shoot him without hitting thee, belike?"
The knight turned toward Ralph, grown wroth and surly,
and that the more he saw Stephen and Richard grinning; he said:
"Fair sir, ye have strengthened the old saw that saith, Tell me
what thy friends are, and I will tell thee what thou art.
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