so leal, would
you make me disloyal?"

"Perdition seize me, but I forgot that," said Denys.

"No more then, but hie thee to bed, good Denys. Next to Margaret I love
thee best on earth, and value thy 'coeur d'or' far more than a dozen
of these 'Tetes d'Or.' So prithee call me at the first blush of
rosy-fingered morn, and let's away ere the woman with the hands be
stirring."

They rose with the dawn, and broke their fast by the kitchen fire.

Denys inquired of the girl whether the mistress was about.

"Nay; but she hath risen from her bed: by the same token I am carrying
her this to clean her withal;" and she filled a jug with boiling water,
and took it upstairs.

"Behold," said Gerard, "the very elements must be warmed to suit her
skin; what had the saints said, which still chose the coldest pool?
Away, ere she come down and catch us."

They paid the score, and left the "Tete d'Or," while its mistress was
washing her hands.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

Outside the town they found the snow fresh trampled by innumerable
wolves every foot of the road.

"We did well to take the old man's advice, Denys."

"Ay did we. For now I think on't, I did hear them last night scurrying
under our window, and howling and whining for man's flesh in yon
market-place. But no fat burgher did pity the poor vagabones, and drop
out o' window."

Gerard smiled, but with an air of abstraction. And they plodded on in
silence.

"What dost meditate so profoundly?"

"Thy goodness."

Denys was anything but pleased at this answer. Amongst his oddities you
may have observed that he could stand a great deal of real impertinence;
he was so good-humoured. But would fire up now and then where not even
the shadow of a ground for anger existed.

"A civil question merits a civil reply," said he very drily.

"Alas, I meant no other," said Gerard.

"Then why pretend you were thinking of my goodness, when you know I have
no goodness under my skin?"

"Had another said this, I had answered, 'Thou liest.' But to thee I say,
'Hast no eye for men's qualities, but only for women's.' And once more I
do defy thy unreasonable choler, and say I was thinking on thy goodness
of overnight. Wouldst have wedded me to the 'Tete d'Or' or rather to the
'tete de veau doree,' and left thyself solitary."

"Oh, are ye there, lad?" said Denys, recovering his good humour in a
moment. "Well, but to speak sooth, I meant that not for goodness; but
for friendship and tru