my little lady like to stifle, with both
hands over her mouth to hide her smiles, and her blue eyes dancing a
very Barley Break o' mirth among the yellow sheaves o' her tresses.

Then there was much parley o'er the fitting o' the shoe, as both damsels
did straightway sit down upon their feet, neither for a long time would
they move an eyelash, till his lordship, with a twink o' his eye at me,
did suggest corns and bunions as a reason for their 'havior--and, Lord!
then 'twas pretty to mark how like little chicks beneath their dam's
feathers, first one little foot and then the other did steal out from
the rich lace o' their petticoats. And ere one could cry "Oh!" for a
pinch, he had slipt the shoe on my little lady's wee foot, and had
kissed her right heartily. Moreo'er, what I did most marvel at, was that
she neither cuffed nor sought to cuff him, but dropt down her head until
her hair made a veil before her face, and moved that foot whereon he had
set her shoe, gently back and forth as though the leather was stiff to
her ankle, and I saw that she looked at it from under her heavy hair.
But Mistress Marian still held aloof, and chewed upon her dark locks
like a heifer on its cud. And her eyes were every whit as dark and
solemn as a very cow's. Then the young lord laughed again, and cried
out, "Ha! the ox-eyed June!" or some such apery, and went and kneeled
before her in mock fashion, as before a queen, and quoth he, "Fair
goddess" (for 'twas afterwards explained to me what manner of being was
a goddess, namely, some kind of a foreign fairy)--"Fair goddess," quoth
he, "show me how I may dispel thy wrath." And still she scowled on him,
but spoke no word. And he continued, and said, "I prithee, fair lady,
cast but one smile upon thy humble knight" (thou mind'st their pretty
foolery has stuck i' my old pate unto this day).

Then she answered and saith, "Thou silly lad, how can I be a goddess and
a lady both in one? Thou hast not even enough wit to make a good fool.
So!" (for Mistress Marian had a sharp tongue at times).

But he was not so much as ruffled, and laughed even again, most
heartily. And he said, "I do perceive that thou art not fashioned either
as goddess or lady, therefore be my comrade, and we will fight together
for the weal o' yon fairy princess." All at once she laughed too, and
yielded him her hand, and said, "I like thee. What is thy name?"

He said, "My name is Ernle; and I like thee too; therefore, I pr