r-eyed," quoth he; "and
also I will tell thee in thine ear that this Lady may not be so great as
her name is great. Did she praise her life-days to thee?"

"Nay," said Christopher; "I mind me well, she called herself the poor
captive."

"She said but sooth," quoth the Earl; "and her going away from
Greenharbour is instead of her captivity; and I tell thee it is by that
only I may make her joyous. And now one word: thou that criest out For
the Tofts in battle art not altogether unfriended, meseemeth."

Christopher looked up proudly and fiercely: he said: "Forsooth, Lord, my
friends are good, though thou callest them wolf-heads and gallows-meat."

"Champion," said the Earl, laughing, "that may well be sooth; and there
are a many ups and downs in the world. Bethink thee that the time may
come when thou and thy friends may wend to my help, and may win the
names of knight and baron and earl: such hap hath been aforetime. And
now I crave of thee, when thou comest back to the Tofts, to bid Jack
fall upon other lands than Meadham when he rideth, because of the gift
and wedding that I give thee now. So, lad, I deem that thou hast chosen
thy part; but let not the tale thereof go out of thy mouth, or thou wilt
gab away thy wedding. Lo, thou, I leave this door open behind me; and
presently shall the smith come here to do away thine irons; and I shall
send a squire to thee to lead thee to a fair chamber, and to bring thee
goodly raiment, and do thou play amongst thy fellows as one of the
best of them; and show them, if thou wilt, some such feats in peace as
yesterday thou showedst them in battle. And to-morrow there will be new
tidings." And therewith he departed.

No worse than his word he was, and anon came the smith and the squire;
and he was brought to a chamber, and raiment of fine linen and silk and
embroidery was brought to him: and when he was new clad he looked like
a king's son, whereas aforetime he looked like a God of the Gentiles of
old. All men praised his beauty and his courtesy, and after dinner was,
and they had rested, they bade him play with them and show them his
prowess, and he was nought loth thereto, and did what he might in
running and leaping, and casting of the bar, and shooting in the
bow. And in all these things he was so far before everyone, that they
marvelled at him, and said it was well indeed that he had not been slain
yesterday. As to wrestling, therein he might do but little; for all
forbore h