aced in his hand, anything more
than the very slightest pressure. She turned her face away from him,
and he was for an instant's space veiled in the flow of soft tresses
that fell down to her girdle. Then she put her horse into a gentle
canter. Thus they all rode on for a while, men and beasts refreshed by
their hour's repose, and even Geoffroy carried his head higher, as
though the red wine that Aigleta had given him in a cup garlanded with
flowers, had put new life into his veins, and inspired him with energy
to enjoy the bliss of the present hour.

La Vaquiera, which they reached early in the afternoon, was a
dairy-farm, beautifully situated between richest pastures and wooded
grounds; until late years in the possession of the house of Malaspina,
but staked and lost at play, by the Count to a neighbouring noble,
Pierre de Gaillac, who had, however, something else to do than to look
after herds of cattle and flocks of sheep in this quiet corner. The
farmer himself and his wife, who lived here with a troop of shepherds
and milkmaids, and whom Sir Hugo greeted as usual whenever he rode
past, had not a notion that they no longer held under him, and they
received his daughter--whom they well remembered in her childhood--with
all the reverence and attention due to their young mistress. They had
only a small house, as the servants slept in the stables, but they at
once gave up their one sleeping-chamber to the two girls, and
themselves found a resting-place in the kitchen. Geoffroy had to put up
with a loft reached by a ladder, fortunately an airy one having plenty
of fresh hay. It was late, however, when he betook himself to it, for
the best part of the starry night had been spent in such earnest and
serious converse, that his impetuous feelings were somewhat subdued,
and spite of the vicinity of Garcinde, he made up for the lost sleep
of the night before. The two girls, on the contrary, although they
too--what with the long ride and the strong wine--owned to being very
tired, yet enlivened themselves during their unrobing, by much of that
seeming confidential talk common to maidens who share the same couch,
and yet would fain conceal their heart's secrets from each other. For
girls believe there is no better way of holding their tongue on one
subject than letting it run on unguardedly on every other. "Why have
you been so little glad all day long, and are you sure you are not
still angry with me for all the nonsense I hav