And, in verity, I to show
my human heart in this thing; for you likewise to want that I think your
Maid to have been just so dear, and the more so. And indeed we ever to
be going these ways; and to have good comradeship of understanding,
because that we have all loved and suffered joy and had utter belief in
a dear One. And surely a defyingness to come presently into the way that the Maid
did go, and she to walk a little offward from me; and truly I lookt at
her, both with love and yet with somewhat that did be to reprove her
gently, and all in the same moment that she to make my heart stirred
with her sweet naughtiness. And she to look sudden at me; and to be that she half to intend to run
to kiss me; but also that she be minded in the same moment that she set
herself up impertinently against me. And, in verity, she made me to
harden my nature a little, as manhood doth make a man to do; and this
because of the rebellion that I knew to be in her; and she likewise to
know. But she hid her eyes, when that I shook my head, half with play
and half with earnest; and was then impudent unto me; and gone from that
in a moment to her pretty singing, and her naughty walking apart. But
she no more to sing an olden love-song. Now, in a while, we past a basin of rock, in a place among the trees;
and there was a warm spring bubbling in the rock, and the basin to be
full of water, very warm and with some smelling of chemistry. And the Maid told me that she would wash, and I to think it a good place
for that end. And when I had tasted the water, I found that it did seem
smooth and proper for our intent, as that there did be a verity of an
alkali in it. And truly we washed, and after that I was done, the Maid bid me that I
turn my back; and I to do this, and she to mock me very naughty whilst
that I could not see her, and to seem very quiet; for indeed, I heard no
splashings of water, though I stood off from her a long while, and she
alway to say naughty things unto me, as that she did mind truly to have
me angered; for, indeed, she did have a plain intent that she mock at
me, and to ease not her wit. And surely, after that I had stood a great
while, I askt the Maid when that she did be like to be done; but she to
say that she was nowise ended of her toilets. And I knew very sudden
that she made foolishness upon me also in this matter; and I turned
upon her, and lo! she did be sitting upon a little rock, very sedate,
even as when she had bid me turn from her; and to have made no more
forward, but only to have been there at ease, that she keep me turned
away to please her naughty mood, and all the while have a double liberty
to have impudence upon me. And, in verity, I did be a little angered; but scarce that I did know
it; for I did love her very great, and was stirred inwardly with her
dearness and that she did look just that-wise that I knew not whether I
to need to kiss her, or to shake her; and truly, how should I know; for
my heart did ache that I have her to mine arms; but my brain to say that
she did go over-far in the joke; and truly you to see that I did not be
unreasonable, neither to be lacking of grace; for indeed I do think that
I was swayed all-ways, because that I saw all the dear way that her
pretty nature did work; and to conceive of her mood and to understand
and be stirred; but yet to shape a little in my manhood unto hardening,
and in my judgement unto sternness. Yet, truly, I scolded Mine Own with no more than a little jesting, and
did be nice and gentle with her, because she did be so dear, and I to
know just-wise her mood and the cause and working of it. And I told her that I did love her, and that she hasten now and let us
again to the journey. But, indeed, she only to make a face at me, so
that I did be near like to shake her unto sedateness. And she then to be
both merry, and a rogue, as we do say, and to stop her ears and again to
sing very gleeful; and all so that she might not hear aught that I said. And surely she lookt a very dainty Rebellious One. And I went then straightway to her, and took her hands from her ears;
and I kist her pretty ears very gentle that I not to deafen her. And I
kist her lips as she did sing; and afterward shook her, that she be not
such a sweet Torment. But this to have no success that way; for she only
to put out her toes to be kist; for her foot-gear was off from her feet. And, indeed, I laughed, even as I made to frown; and truly I kist her
pretty toes, and tried then to coax her to go forward something speedy
with her hair, and to be ready to the journey. But she only to sing, and
to refuse to be sedate. And, in verity, in the end, I caught her up in mine arms, and had her
bundle in my hand, and so went off with her very sudden, with her hair
all loose upon me in a lovely and soft shining, and her feet bare as
they did be. And this action I made, because that I was grown truly a little stern
with Mine Own; for, indeed, she did half to need that she be whipt unto
properness, as you shall think, that have seen how she did be thiswise
only because that her nature did be stirred strangely, and her Womanhood
and her Maidenhood to be all unto war, and in part to make a rebellion
against me that she did know glad to be her true Master; but yet she to
be thus, even though she did be so glad. And this to act so that she did be in the same moment both sweet and
wise and yet to show a dainty foolishness and a true naughtiness that
did make me to feel somewhat of a real anger; but yet did have me to
know that all my being did be stirred by her; so that I did think with
one thought that she did be very foolish, and with another that she did
be lovely wayward. Now, when that I took the Maid up so quick, and made off with her, she
to give a little gasp and to submit to me with a quick humbleness; but
immediately, she to regain her courage, and to be outraged of me. But,
indeed, I took no heed, only that I was like to shake her; and did know
also that her hair did be wondrous pretty upon mine armour. And she soon
to lie very quiet and easy in mine arms, and to be demure. And I to have a half knowledge of somewhat amiss; but yet to have no
sureness, neither to think much upon this vague feeling. And when that I had gone a good mile, she to put up her lips to be kist;
and I to kiss her very loving, for she was so dear. And she then to say,
very ordinary like, that I should do wisely now if that I went back for
her foot-gear, which truly I had lacked thought to notice, when that I
did pick up the Maid. And I saw that she had known this thing all that while, and had made
that mile of carrying all a waste and a foolishness, because of the
naughty rebellion which did be in her. And lo! I set her instant to the
ground; and she gave out a little cry as she saw that I did be gone
somewise hard and stern with her.