ee nought; for when I look on thee mine eyes behold the beauty
of the world, and the body wherein is no lack."

She reddened and said: "If it be so, it is God's work, and I praise him
therefor. But how long will it last? For grief slayeth beauty."

He looked on her long, and said: "To thy friends I betook thee, and I
looked that they should cherish thee; where then is the wrong that I
have done thee?"

She said: "Maybe no wrong wittingly; since now, belike, thou art come
to tell me that all this weary sojourn is at an end, and that thou wilt
take me to Meadhamstead, and set me on the throne there, and show my
father's daughter to all the people."

He held his peace, and his face grew dark before her while she watched
it. At last he spake in a harsh voice: "Lady," he said, "it may not be;
here in Greenharbour must thou abide, or in some other castle apart from
the folk."

"Yea," she said, "now I see it is true, that which I foreboded when
first I came hither: thou wouldst slay me, that thou mayest sit safely
in the seat of thy master's daughter; thou durst not send me a man with
a sword to thrust me through, therefore thou hast cast me into prison
amongst cruel jailers, who have been bidden by thee to take my life
slowly and with torments. Hitherto I have withstood their malice and
thine; but now am I overcome, and since I know that I must die, I have
now no fear, and this is why I am bold to tell thee this that I have
spoken, though I wot now I shall be presently slain. And now I tell thee
I repent it, that I have asked grace of a graceless face."

Although she spake strong words, it was with a mild and steady voice.
But the Earl was sore troubled, and he rose up and walked to and fro
of the chamber, half drawing his sword and thrusting it back into the
scabbard from time to time. At last he came back to her, and sat down
before her and spake:

"Maiden, thou art somewhat in error. True it is that I would sit firm in
my seat and rule the land of Meadham, as belike none other could. True
it is also that I would have thee, the rightful heir, dwell apart from
the turmoil for a while at least; for I would not have thy white hands
thrust me untimely from my place, or thy fair face held up as a banner
by my foemen. Yet nowise have I willed thy death or thine anguish; and
if all be true as thou sayest it, and thou art so lovely that I know not
how to doubt it, tell me then what these have done with thee."

She said: "S