you,' she said--'and ye know me well--I seek a way to
bring these rumours to the King's ears.'

He said nothing, revolving these things in his mind.

'Goodly servant,' she began, and he knew from the round and silvery
sound she drew from her throat that she was minded to make one of the
long speeches that appalled and delighted him with their childish
logic and wild honour. 'If it were not that my cousin would run his
head into danger I would will that he came to the King. Sir, ye are a
wise man, can ye not see this wisdom? There is no good walking but
upon sure ground, and I will not walk where the walking is not good.
Shall I wed this King and have these lies to fear all my life? Shall I
wed this King and do him this wrong? Neither wisdom nor honour counsel
me to it. Since I have heard these lies were abroad I have at frequent
moments thought how I shall bring them before the King.'

He thrust his hands into his pockets, stretched his legs out, and
leaned back as though he were supporting the chimney-piece with his
back.

'The King knoweth how men will lie about a woman,' she began again.
'The King knoweth how ye may buy false witness as ye may buy herrings
in the market-place at so much a score. An the King were such a man as
not to know these things, I would not wed with him. An the King were
such a man as not to trust in me, I would not wed with him. I could
have no peace. I could have no rest. I am not one that ask little, but
much.'

'Why, you ask much of them that do support your cause,' he laughed
from his private thinking.

'I do ask this oath of you,' she answered: 'that neither with sword
nor stiletto, nor with provoked quarrel, nor staves, nor clubs, nor
assassins, ye do seek to stay my cousin's coming.'

He cut across her purpose with asking again: 'Ha' ye seen the King
rage jealously?'

'Knight,' she said, 'I will have your oath.' And, as he paused in
thought, she said: 'Before God! if ye swear it not, I will make the
King to send for him hither guarded and set around with an hundred
men.'

'Ye will not have him harmed?' he asked craftily. 'Ye do love him
better than another?'

She rose to her feet, her lips parted. 'Swear!' she cried.

His fingers felt around his waist, then he raised his hand and
uttered:

'I do swear that ne with sword ne stiletto, ne with staves nor with
clubs, ne with any quarrels nor violence so never will I seek thy
goodly cousin's life.'

He shook his head slow