And Naani, as I do think, to have loved the chafe of that rough garment
for love's sake, and to go very humble and loving, as I lookt at her;
but in verity to be never gone from the sweet naughtiness that did be
alway in her heart, and to plan even in that moment some new and secret
service unto me, that should be for her quiet joy, and to be hid from
me, until that my wit should come upon it to uncover it. And in verity a
young man doth want that he whip his maid and kiss her, and all in the
one moment. And, indeed, he to have delight in both. And she obeyed me that time, as alway when I did be earnest, without
more word. And surely that Naughty One did know how I loved her. And the Maid washt then her torn garments that did be in the bundle, and
had gotten soiled by the slime of the dark part of the Gorge. And she
put these to dry, and afterward washed mine armour and the scrip and the
pouch and the cloak-hold, and all such matters of our gear; and so to be
presently done. And she was heedful then that she turned the garments upon the hot
rock; and afterward did attend to my bruisings. And when she did rest, I
lookt to her pretty feet, and rubbed them very gentle and constant with
the ointment; and surely they did be pretty well; but I to _like_ that I
should tend them, and to have joy to feel their littleness within my
palms, and surely she did know how it did be with me; for presently she
took her feet inward under the cloak; and I, maybe, to look something
woeful; for she put one out presently, when that I did the least expect,
and slipt it very cosy into my hand; and surely I kist her naughty toes;
and she then to be very sedate. Now, presently, when Naani found the garments to be proper dry, she gave
those to me that were mine, and bid me to turn my back and be drest very
speedy. And lo! in a little time, when I was nigh done, she came over
and stood before me, and was drest again in the armour-suit, and to look
very slender and dainty. And she lookt at me, so that I put out my
hands, that I kiss her; but she went from me, very proper, and brought
mine armour, and gave me help with it, and alway very grave and quiet;
but yet to have naughtiness underneath, as I did believe. And when I was full armed, she took my hand, and set mine arm about her
waist, and she leaned her head against my breast, and put up her lips to
be kist, as that she did be a child maiden; yet when I kist her, she did
be a woman, and to kiss me very dear and loving, and to look at me then
from under her eye-lids; and sudden to make a dainty growling, and to
pretend that she did be a fierce thing that should be like to eat me;
and I to be utter feared, as you shall think, and to be scarce able that
I kiss Mine Own Pretty Fierce One, because that I did laugh so hearty,
and to be so taken with a surprise that the Maid did show this new
playfulness; and in the same moment to be stirred and waked anew that
she did be so lovely and graceful in mine arms, and to make her naughty
growling so pretty that I did be eager that she make it again; but she
to do this playing only as her mood did stir her. And she made then that she would go from me, and I to loose her, as
ever; and she bade me that I guard her the while that she washt the
outward part of the cloak; for the inward did be clean, and the cloak
proof to water; but the outward part to be something needful of washing. And surely, when this was made clean, it dried very quick, because that
the water went not into it; and whilst that it dried, I gave Mine Own an
aid upward unto the cave, and afterward I passed up the gear, and the
cloak when it did be dry; and so came upward also myself, and brought
with me a boulder, that I balanced very light in the mouth of the cave,
so that it should fall, if that anything toucht it; and this plan you do
know of; for I used it before, as I have told. And truly we did be utter wearied, and the time to be something beyond
three and twenty hours, since last we had slumber. And the Maid had the
scrip and the pouch set to be for my pillow, and the bundle of her torn
garment to be for her own. And she to have me to my pillow, and to tuck
the cloak about me, and the Diskos to my hand; and afterward to kiss me
very sedate upon the lips, and then to come in under the cloak, with a
quiet and lovely happiness, as I did know; and to be gone to slumber
very content and sweet. And I waked eight good hours after, with the fizzing of the water in
mine ears; and lo! Mine Own did be waked and to make ready our
breakfast; and I came upward upon mine elbow, to see whether that the
boulder did be unmoved; and indeed it was not touched. And Mine Own saw that I was come awake; and she ran to me, very dear and
glad, and kist my lips very eager and loving. And surely, as she kist
me, I did feel that she had taken again a naughty advantaging of my
slumber, and had kist me as I did sleep; but truly I said no word of my
thoughts; for I did mind that I should wake sudden one time, and so to
catch her in this, and to call her then Mine Own, and that she did be a
rogue; and all as you shall know, that have loved. And I scolded the Maid a little, in that she had not waked me; but I
said not that I would attend to the duties that she did heed to; for I
knew that she had joy of these things, in that she did love to do aught
that should be done unto me. And when I scolded her, she to make but a
little mouth at me, as we do say, and to put her tablets to my lips,
that I kiss them, and she to kiss mine; and so to our breakfast. And when we were done, we gat together our gear, and went downward from
the cave, and began again to journey. And we went eighteen hours that
day, and eat and drunk at every sixth hour, as ever. And in the fourteenth hour, I perceived that I did be like to overtravel
the Maid, though I made alway to have a less speed than did be natural
unto me. And surely then, I took her up into mine arms; and she to
refuse, and to be troubled that I should so carry her; for she did think
that I was like to be wearied by the task. And I to take no heed to her pretestings; but to laugh gently with her,
and to carry her, even as a babe in mine arms; and she to love that she
be in mine arms, if but she be able to have assuredness that I come not
to weariness through her. And truly it did be a dear love task, and to
be set unto the needing of mine especial heart. And I carried Mine Own then for four hours; and in the eighteenth hour
we were come to that part of the Gorge where did be the ledge where I
killed the spider, ere I slept, as you shall mayhap to mind. And here I
aided the Maid to climb, and we had the same ledge that night to be our
refuge; and did sleep very happy and unharmed, and alway with our
spirits set to warn us, if that harm did make to come nigh to us.