ell now, I will
tell thee the way out of this thraldom, as thou wilt call it; and the
more to thee, bairn, because thou wilt become my man and wilt be bold
and deft, I doubt not; therefore thou shouldst learn early the
fashions of great and bold men. Hearken! Ever when I offer to some man
a lot that seemeth hard unto him, then I bid him, if it likes him not,
to pitch me the hazelled field hard by his house, and we to go
thereinto and see what point and edge may say to it; and if he slay me
or hurt me so much I must be borne off the field within the four
corners, then is he quit, and hath gained mickle glory of my body.
Moreover if he may not fight himself, yet will I meet any champion
that he may choose to do battle with me. Now this is a good and noble
custom of the bold, and hath been seemed so from long time agone. And
indeed I deem pity of it that here today the goodman may not fight nor
hath found any champion to fight for him. But three days' frist will I
give him to find such a champion-- Thou wretch," said he to Stephen,
"why wilt thou still skelly at me?"

"Because the champion is found," said Stephen in a snuffling voice.

Hardcastle snorted and his lip-beard bristled, but forth stood
Osberne, and he still smiling; and he said: "Thou warrior, three
things I offer thee to choose from, and the first is that thou depart
hence, thou and thy man; because thou hast not dealt with us as a
guest should, but hast smitten me and threatened all of us, and
brazened out thy wrong-doing. This is the best way out of thy folly.
What sayest thou to it?" But such fury was in the ruffler's heart now,
that he had no words for it, but rolled about in the high-seat
snorting and blowing. Said Osberne: "I see thou wilt not take this way
and that is the worse for thee. Now the next is that we hazel a field
and fight therein. Wilt thou have this?" The champion roared out:
"Yea, that will I! But in such wise that thou take sword and shield
and I a bunch of birch twigs; and if I catch thee not and unbreech
thee and whip thee as a grammar-master his scholar, then will I lay
down sword and shield forever."

Said Osberne coldly: "Thou seest not that I am girt with a sword, and
I tell thee it is a good one. Or wilt thou take Surly John's knife
this morning and do as I did with it last night? And I did it for a
warning to thee, but belike thou wert drunk and noted it not."

Hardcastle's face fell somewhat, for now he did remember the feat