there be spying
abroad."

Again, as she spoke, she turned very pale; but Walter said: "Since it
must be so, I pledge thee my word to thee as I love thee."

And therewith she knelt down, and did on her foot-gear, and then sprang
lightly over the rivulet; and then the twain of them went side by side
some half a furlong thence, and sat down, shadowed by the boughs of a
slim quicken-tree growing up out of the greensward, whereon for a good
space around was neither bush nor brake.

There began the maiden to talk soberly, and said: "This is what I must
needs say to thee now, that thou art come into a land perilous for any
one that loveth aught of good; from which, forsooth, I were fain that
thou wert gotten away safely, even though I should die of longing for
thee. As for myself, my peril is, in a measure, less than thine; I mean
the peril of death. But lo, thou, this iron on my foot is token that I
am a thrall, and thou knowest in what wise thralls must pay for
transgressions. Furthermore, of what I am, and how I came hither, time
would fail me to tell; but somewhile, maybe, I shall tell thee. I serve
an evil mistress, of whom I may say that scarce I wot if she be a woman
or not; but by some creatures is she accounted for a god, and as a god is
heried; and surely never god was crueller nor colder than she. Me she
hateth sorely; yet if she hated me little or nought, small were the gain
to me if it were her pleasure to deal hardly by me. But as things now
are, and are like to be, it would not be for her pleasure, but for her
pain and loss, to make an end of me, therefore, as I said e'en now, my
mere life is not in peril with her; unless, perchance, some sudden
passion get the better of her, and she slay me, and repent of it
thereafter. For so it is, that if it be the least evil of her conditions
that she is wanton, at least wanton she is to the letter. Many a time
hath she cast the net for the catching of some goodly young man; and her
latest prey (save it be thou) is the young man whom I named, when first I
saw thee, by the name of the King's Son. He is with us yet, and I fear
him; for of late hath he wearied of her, though it is but plain truth to
say of her, that she is the wonder of all Beauties of the World. He hath
wearied of her, I say, and hath cast his eyes upon me, and if I were
heedless, he would betray me to the uttermost of the wrath of my
mistress. For needs must I say of him, though he be a goodly m