" quoth Christopher.

"Yet," said the Earl, "I will have you go forth from the Castle clad in
your lordly weed, lest folk of mine say that I have stripped my Lady and
cast her forth: don ye your poor raiment when in the wood ye be."

Therewith he called to a squire, and bade him seek out that poor raiment
of the new-wedded youngling, and bow withal and shafts good store, and
do all on the sumpter; and, furthermore, he bade him tell one of my
Lady's women to set on the sumpter some of Goldilind's old and used
raiment. So the squire did the Earl's will, and both got Christopher's
gear and also found Aloyse and gave her the Earl's word.

She smiled thereat, and went straightway and fetched the very same
raiment, green gown and all, which she had brought to Goldilind
in prison that other day, and in which Goldilind had fled from
Greenharbour. And when she had done them in the chest above all the
other gear, she stood yet beside the horses amidst of the varlets and
squires who were gathered there to see the new-wedded folk depart.

Presently then came forth through the gate those two, hand in hand, and
Earl Geoffrey with them. And he set Goldilind on her horse himself, and
knelt before her to say farewell, and therewith was Christopher on his
horse, and him the Earl saluted debonairly.

But just as they were about shaking their reins to depart, Aloyse fell
down on her knees before the Earl, who said: "What is toward, woman?"

"A grace, my Lord, a grace," said she.

"Stand up on thy feet," said the Earl, "and ye, my masters, draw out of
earshot."

Even so did they; and the Earl bade her speak, and she said: "Lord, my
Lady is going away from Greenharbour, and anon thou wilt be going, and
I shall be left with the sleek she-devil yonder that thou hast set over
us, and here there will be hell for me without escape, now that my Lady
is gone. Wherefore I pray thee take me with thee to Meadhamstead, even
if it be to prison; for here I shall die the worst of deaths."

Earl Geoffrey smiled on her sourly, and said: "If it be as I understand,
that thou hast lifted thine hand against my Lady, wert thou wending
with me, thou shouldst go just so far as the first tree. Thou mayst deem
thyself lucky if I leave thee behind here. Nor needest thou trouble
thee concerning Dame Elinor; little more shalt thou hear of her
henceforward."

But Goldilind spake and said: "My Lord Earl, I would ask grace for this
one; for what she did to me s