And this to
be writ now, and you mayhap not to be born a great while yet; but in the
end to read and to have understanding with me, and to know how I did
love Mine Own. And so we to go forward again, the closer, in that we do
be the more knit in dear human sympathy. And surely the Maid kist me very nice on the lips, and did promise again
how that she should make me a great meal when that we did come to our
Mighty Home; and, indeed, as she to say, she to join with me, and we
both to be naughty gluttons for that once. And, surely, I laughed gently
at the Maid, because that she should be so dainty a glutton; but for my
part, I to feel that I could eat an horse, as we do say in this Age. And by that we had eat and drunk and talked awhile, and lookt oft about,
so that we know that no brutish thing came near, to our hurt, the Maid
to tell me that my garments did be dry; and she then to give me aid that
I dress very quick; and afterward she to help me with mine armour, the
which she did wipe after that we had eat and drunk; and she to have had
joy that she do this thing, and all things for me; and to have used a
part of her torn garments to this end. And so, truly, I to be clothed and armed very speedy, and to feel eased
and the more sure in my mind; for in verity, I was alway in unease, when
that I did not be ready that I be able to meet any horrid Brute that
should be like to come upon us. Now, when that I did be into mine armour again, the Maid to set the
scrip and the pouch upon me, and all the while I scarce to be loosed of
the Diskos, as ever. And we then to our way, which did be that we find a
place proper to our slumber. And when that we did be gone all-ways, and no cave proper to our sight,
we found a great tree, that did be set off alone, and had a plenty of
branches; but none that did be near to the bottom-part. And surely, I gave the Maid a lift, and held her up so far as mine arms
did go, so that she might stand upon the palms of my hands, and be
steady against the trunk of the tree; and she thiswise to have a hold
upon a branch, and so to go upward. And, truly, when that she was safe, I loosed one of the straps from the
pouch and the scrip, and I cast this up to the Maid, and she set it
strong about the branch. And when I had caught the downward end, I went
upward very easy; and afterward took loose the strap; and this way we
did be something safe, as you shall see. And we climbed upward then, and so came to a part of the tree where the
branches did be very thick together; and we made here a place for our
slumber, and the Maid set the cloak over the branches that did be so
close, and afterward we lay down; but first I set the strap about her
waist, and thence to a branch, and she to refuse sleep until that I be
likewise; so that we did be both very safe from any fall. And she kist me, and we then to our slumber, and very weary; for it did
be two and twenty hours, by this, since that we had sleep. Now we had eight hours in which we slept utter; and we both to awake, as
it did seem in the same moment; but truly, I to think that Mine Own did
be wakeful before that time; for, indeed, as she put her arms very
dainty about my neck, that she kiss me, I did have a quick and sudden
knowledge that I had been kist oft in my sleep, and this to have been
but a little while gone. And surely, it did seem to me that Mine Own did
have a sweet and contented Mischief inward of her eyes; but yet she to
be very sedate outward, and to kiss me loving and dear, and then we to
our breakfast, upon the cloak. And afterward, I climbed to the topmost branches of the tree, and lookt
well over the Country all about; but there was no brutish thing to my
sight in any place, neither near nor far. And I came down then to the Maid, and told her how that there was
quietness of life all about. And we had our gear together, and went
downward to the earth, and I to help Mine Own, and this way she to be
safe. Now, as we went forward upon our journeying, I perceived that the Maid
had a wayward air; and truly, I thought that she did have her heart all
set toward naughtiness and mischief; and in the same moment that I was
in this belief, I did know in mine understanding that this did spring
from the workings of my nature upon the nature of Mine Own Maiden. And Naani to walk, in the first, beside me, and to have no word for me,
because that she did be so filled with the stirrings of her naughtiness,
that did be in the same moment very sweet unto me, and yet to waken all
that did be masterful within me. And she to be that she did know, and
to delight, in her secret heart that she waken that which did be
masterful in me; but yet in the same moment to be strong determined that
she be not mastered by me. And surely this to seem contrarywise in the
words; but to be clear to the heart, if indeed you have ever been loved
by a dear maid of an high spirit. And above all this, the Maid did be filled with a love for me, that did
beat and dance in all her being; and this in truth to overweigh all; but
yet from this same thing her dainty naughtiness to be born, because, as
I did say, my manhood to stir all her nature up-wise in sweet trouble
that did be half of rebellion, and half that she did ache that she be
close unto me in mine arms. And, in verity, you to be with me in all these things, if that you have
had the love-days beside a dear and dainty maid, of an high and pure and
natural spirit; so that if you be old these days, even but the light
merriment of a passing maiden to bring a pain of wonderings and golden
memories upon your heart. And presently, I saw that Mine Own put a little space between us, as the
naughtiness did work in her, as my heart to know; and she to be offward
from me a little. And she still to have no speech with me; but in a
little to begin that she sing in a low voice; and to have her pretty
body very upright and lithesome, and to go forward with a wondrous
dainty swing, so that my heart told me that she did all be stirred with
small thrillings of defiance unto me, and with thrillings of love; and
she to have the triumph of her Maidenhood and of her Womanhood, as it
were both to contend in her and to thrill upon her tongue, and to show
out the lilting and pretty warfare of her spirit that did go dancing and
dearly naughty in her breast. And surely I went, very lifted in my heart, and astir; for it did be
wondrous to me that this lovely Maid did be so utter mine. And to see
but the way that she set her feet to the earth, and the way that she did
lift them sure and dainty; and the way that her body did be poised, and
the way of her head; and the way of her naughtiness and the sweetness
and the love that did be wrapt in with all, did make me want that I have
her in mine arms.