But truly, I was very nice with her;
yet to keep her now a little off from me in the spirit; and so to teach
her that-wise, that she was somewhat of a dear naughty maid; but also,
as I do think, I was this way, because that in part I would tease her,
in great love of her prettiness and her makings up to me; and so maybe
even that I make her to be the more defying of me. And this to be as
that I also lacked somewhat of reason; for I did strangely that I think
that she need to be whipt, and in the same time that I go to make her
the more deserving of the same. Yet, this to be the truth, as I know it; and surely to be the natural
waywardness of love. But yet, there did be also in the backward part of
my wisdom, an intent that I be wise and careful with Mine Own; and I
surely to have no full realisings that I did be like to set her further
unto perverseness than yet she did be. Now, after that I had shown well that I lacked to heed the Maid, I found
that I did be looking oft at her; and she to be so dear and pretty, and
to be all husht, that truly I could not bear that I be longer silent to
her advancements. And I ceased then from pretending, and would have had her into mine
arms; but she to be now in sweet dignity, and to keep me off with very
sober graces. And because of this, I to feel someway that I did be
someway in blame; and surely, now that I consider it, I can see that I
was something acted upon, even as had been the Maid; and so we two to
be; and a most human pair, as you to say; and somewhat both a-lack; but
indeed, we did be very wholesome, and in utter love each of the other;
and mayhap both then to perceive something of the sweet foolishness
within us that did be as yeast a-work in us; for I thought that Naani
did smile a little to herself. But, surely, this clear-seeing, to be but
for an odd time; and afterward we each again to earnestness in our way
with the other; but alway, even when we did make to show indifference,
we to be something troubled inwardly with sweet flashings of our
bewildered natures. Now, though I have shown you that I to know that I did be not utter free
of this most strange and natural foolishness; yet you to perceive that I
tell this only that I have utter truth of all things that did happen;
for, in verity, because that I was something subtly touched this way at
whiles, yet was this no full excusing of the Maid; though, in the same
moment, you to perceive, that there did be only the half of me to think
that she did need to be excused; for, in truth, mine understanding went
alway, in the main, with the workings of her nature; and had a natural
sympathy with her dear whimsies; but also, as you to know, I to be
stirred constant in my manhood by her naughty defyings; and to be
troubled in my Natural Sense, when that her whimsies made her to act
that she be likely to come unto aught of harm. And surely now you to see all the way of my heart, and to have
understanding in things that do follow. And alway you shall mind that I
did love her utter, and to crave alway that I be a shield unto her;
though truly, there doth be, mayhap, somewhat in me that doth act to
make me a little stern seeming in my love; but yet not oft so; as you do
know, that have gone with me in all my tellings. Now, we went then upon our journey; and the Maid to be somewhat before
me, and offward to the side, upon my right; and to have no speech with
me, but to make a good pace, and to be very dear and graceful as she
went. And now we did pass this thing of strangeness, and now that; and these I
did point out to her, and made some telling concerning the same, having
the memory of mine outward way, and how that I did see these things
then, when that I was all in suffering of so lonesome a doubt. And she to hark alway very intent, and to move her head nice and
intelligent, to show that she heard me; and once I saw that she lookt
sudden at me with a dear light in her eyes; but this to be done in a
moment, and she to be again silent-seeming and in her new perversity of
dignity. And surely she did seem so utter sweet in this new way of naughtiness;
but yet I did think, odd whiles, that I should like to shake her unto
dear humbleness and her usual way. And in the twelfth hour, we made halt again, and had our food and our
drink; and the Maid to serve me very clever and quiet, as that I did be
her Lord, and she an husht slave. And I saw that she made a constant and
naughty mock upon me; and truly, as I did half think, she to need that
she be in care that I not treat her sternly, as shall a slave-master,
and to give her that which she did ask for so mute and impudent. But
alway she did stir me mightily to have her to mine arms, and to love her
very dear. And presently, we did be again to our way; and to be yet silent; so that
I scarce knew whether to have patience with Mine Own, or whether that I
take her and speak seriously with her to cease this play, which did
begin a little to dispirit me somewhat strangely. And in the end I went over to her, as we did walk, and I put mine arm
about her, and she to yield to me without word, and to hark very quiet
to my speech of reasoning and gentle sayings, and to hide whether she
did be stirred inwardly, or not; though, indeed, my spirit to know that
her spirit did never be afar off from mine in all deep matters; but only
this thing to be to the top, and to set somewhat between us that did be
both a sweetness and a trouble. And alway, as I talked with the Maid, I saw that she did make naughtily
to act as that I did be a slave-master, and she but a chattel to me; for
she to be husht before me, and neither to yield her slender body willing
to mine arm, nor to resist me; but only to be still, as that she had no
saying in this matter; and as that I was like to beat her at my
pleasure, or to withhold my hand, all as might chance to be my desire. And this I perceived was the shaping of her actions, so that all her
dumbness and her quiet obedience did be but a way to say this thing to
me; and all to have come from her love of me and that she did be shaken
in her nature by my manhood, and so to be but a new form of her
naughtiness, that did have this change when that I whipt her. And all this, you to perceive, that have gone with me. And I saw that she would not cease from this perverseness, but made a
dumb and naughty and hidden mock upon me, very dainty and constant, and
scarce to be truly perceived, save by the inward sense. And truly, I
grew something angered afresh, and to feel that she did need that she be
shaken so stern that she come unto the reality that I did be her man and
natural master; yet alway in love. And surely I loosed her then, and went off a pace to her side; and we
again to go forward thiswise; yet she soon to have a greater distance
between us, which she made very quiet and natural; but, indeed, I saw
what she did.