ands, concerning whom I had read
in romances. Verily in the tale of my adventures hitherto there had been
more cuffs than crowns, more shame than honour; and, as to winning my
spurs, I was more in point to win a hempen rope, and in my end disgrace
my blood.

Now, as if these perils were not enough to put a man beside himself,
there was another risk which, even more than these, took up my thoughts.
Among all my dangers and manifold distresses, this raised its head
highest in my fancy, namely, the fear that my love should see me in my
outlandish guise, clad in woman's weeds, and carrying on my head a
woman's burden. It was not so much that she must needs laugh and hold me
in little account. Elliot laughed often, so that now it was not her
mirth, to which she was ever ready, but her wrath (whereto she was ready
also) that I held in awful regard. For her heart and faith, in a
marvellous manner passing the love of women, were wholly set on this
maid, in whose company I now fared. And, if the Maid went in men's
attire (as needs she must, for modesty's sake, who was about men's
business, in men's company), here was I attending her in woman's gear, as
if to make a mock of her, though in my mind I deemed her no less than a
sister of the saints. And Elliot was sure to believe that I carried
myself thus in mockery and to make laughter; for, at that time, there
were many in France who mocked, as did that soldier whose death I had
seen and caused. Thus I stood in no more danger of death, great as was
that risk, than in jeopardy of my mistress's favour, which, indeed, of
late I had been in some scant hope at last to win. Thus, on all hands, I
seemed to myself as sore bestead as ever man was, and on no side saw any
hope of succour.

I mused so long and deep on these things, that the thought which might
have helped me came to me too late, namely, to tell all my tale to the
Maiden herself, and throw me on her mercy. Nay, even when at last and
late this light shone on my mind, I had shame to speak to her,
considering the marvellous thing which I had just beheld of her, in the
fulfilment of her prophecy. But now my master's house was in sight, at
the turning from the steep stairs and the wynd, and there stood Elliot on
the doorstep, watching and waiting for the Maid, as a girl may wait for
her lover coming from the wars.

There was no time given me to slink back and skulk in the shadow of the
corner of the wynd; for, like a g