id I, 'such
things are of no import.' And I spoke lightly, and strove to comfort
him. He changed not his mood for all that; but said: 'This is ill for
thee also; for thou wilt be worser without me than with me in these
lands.' Even so I deemed, and withal I was sorry for him, for though he
were uncouth and ungainly, he was no ill man. So against my will I
tumbled into the samelike mood as his, and we both fared along
drearily. But about sunset, as we came round a corner of the cliffs of
those mountains, or ever we were ware we happed upon a half-score of
weaponed men, who were dighting a camp under a big rock thereby: but
four there were with them who were still a-horseback; so that when Bull
Nosy (for that was his name) strove to flee away with me, it was of no
avail; for the said horsemen took us, and brought us before an
evil-looking man, who, to speak shortly, was he whom thou hast seen, to
wit, the Lord of Utterbol: he took no heed of Bull Nosy, but looked on
me closely, and handled me as a man doth with a horse at a cheaping, so
that I went nigh to smiting him, whereas I had a knife in my bosom, but
the chaplet refrained me. To make a short tale of it, he bade Bull
sell me to him, which Bull utterly naysaid, standing stiff and stark
before the Lord, and scowling on him. But the Lord laughed in his face
and said: 'So be it, for I will take her without a price, and thank
thee for sparing my gold.' Then said Bull: 'If thou take her as a
thrall, thou wert best take me also; else shall I follow thee as a free
man and slay thee when I may. Many are the days of the year, and on
some one of them will betide the occasion for the knife.'

"Thereat the Lord waxed very pale, and spake not, but looked at that
man of his who stood by Bull with a great sword in his fist, and lifted
up his hand twice, and let it fall twice, whereat that man stepped back
one pace, and swung his sword, and smote Bull, and clave his skull.

"Then the colour came into the Lord's face again, and he said: 'Now,
vassals, let us dine and be merry, for at least we have found something
in the mountains.' So they fell to and ate and drank, and victual was
given to me also, but I had no will to eat, for my soul was sick and my
heart was heavy, foreboding the uttermost evil. Withal I was sorry for
Bull Nosy, for he was no ill man and had become my friend.

"So they abode there that night, leaving Bull lying like a dog unburied
in the wilderness;