And I still to have no word for her; neither to show that I did watch
her with love and somewise a quaint pleasure of her perverseness, even
whilst that I did strive by silence and an aloofness that I bring her to
my side, as she did be in the first days; for truly I did ache that she
be near unto me, and to cease from her waywardness that did put a
distance of spirit between us, as you to perceive. And so we did go forward again, as I have told, and the Maid did strive
that she make me to give attention to her naughtiness, for she did walk
alway offward from me, and did sing aloud, and truly they did be songs
strange unto me, but yet to be of love, and much as the songs of this
Age; for, truly, there doth be but one song upon all the earth, and she
but to sing it in diverse ways. And she did oft to make little glancing toward me, and did pout very
pretty; and in a moment come something toward me, as that she did be
humble, and would be forgiven; but all to be in a naughty mockery; so
that, in verity, I lookt not at her, save odd whiles; but did go forward
alway, and made as that I had no heed of her doings. And surely this did presently to stir her to a new defying and to a
pretty anger; for she did sing other songs of impudence, that she did
fit very clever about me; and this way to have a constant impertinence. And so we did go, and I never to speak with the Maid, but to wonder when
that she cease, or how long it should be ere that I did run swift to her
and have her into mine arms, that I shake her and kiss her, all as my
heart did desire. And when that the twelfth hour did be come, we made halt again and eat
and drank; and the Maid to serve me very intent, and hand me the water,
the while that she went down upon her knee, as a slave; but when I would
have laughed gently at her mockings, and taken her into mine arms, she
went from me very sudden and cold, and was afterward silent and did sit
apart from me. Now I also did be silent, and in the first because that I was a little
pained, and also because that I did be new touched with the
love-foolishness that did trouble Mine Own. But afterward, I ceased from these feelings, and did be intent to
another matter; for it did seem to my spirit that there was some danger
anigh to us; and I had a thought of the Humpt Men, and lookt well about,
and did beckon the Maid to come nigh, because that the trees did be
plentiful thereabout, to hide any creature. But Mine Own came not over to me, so that I loosed the Diskos from mine
hip, and went that I be nigh to her. And she made that she saw me not;
but did set the gear together, and had it presently a-ready for the
journey, the while that I did look all-ways among the trees; but indeed
I saw naught. And when that I had the gear upon me, and the Maid her bundle, we went
forward again; and I to be very wary, and bid the Maid keep close to my
side; but indeed, she would not obey, and went offward among the trees,
so that I was all an-haunted with dread for her, and ran and caught her,
and talkt wisely with her; but indeed she did not hark to me; but did
run off in the moment that I loost her. And I caught her again, and I took one of the straps from around the
Scrip and the Pouch, and set it about her pretty waist, and the end I
held in my hand, and so had her to obey me in this thing which did be
needful to her safety. And the Maid to go with me very husht for two great hours, and I alway
to look well about. And in the end of that time, the Maid did begin to
sing impudently, and I did ask her that she be a quiet maid, lest that
she bring danger upon us; but she to be the more impudent. And lo! as I did strive that I look all-ways, lest any harm did come
upon us, and in the same moment to reason Mine Own from her pretty
folly, she did grow very husht, so that I lookt round upon her in an
instant. And truly, she had cut the strap with her belt-knife, and did
run away very swift among the trees. And surely my heart did slow a
little in my breast, because that there did seem something a-move in the
dark of the shadows, where the trees did grow thick, and the Maid did
run that way in her foolishness and waywardness. And I ran hard after the Maid, and did call her, not over-loud, lest I
bring somewhat upon her; but she to have no heed, and to run very light
and swift, so that I caught her not for the half of a minute, as it
might be; for she was gone ahead, and I did be a little cumbered with
mine armour. And lo! when I caught her, I shook her, and pointed inward among the
trees, for it did seem even then to me that something moved there; but
she to struggle in my hand a moment, and afterward to be still, and to
ask with an insolence and a defiance whether that I did mean to flog my
chattel, the which she did call herself in her naughtiness. And, in verity, ere I did know, she had twist from me, and did run with
a true wickedness straight toward that place where somewhat had seemed
to be a-move. And I ran then with all my strength, and with a fearful
and an anxious heart. And because I put all my strength to the matter, I
caught the Maid in a moment, ere she did be gone any way; and she again
to fight to be gone from me. But I took her into mine arms, very strong,
and I ran outward from that place where the trees made a darkness. And surely, when I was come again to where the trees did be more spare,
I saw that I was come nigh to that river which I crost on the raft, as
you shall mind; and truly I did be glad, and to feel safe in a moment. Yet I was firm now to my purpose; for I set the Maid to the earth upon
her feet, and kept my hold very sure upon her; for I did mean that I
whip her, before that her love-foolishness bring her needless unto
death. And I took the belt from her pretty waist, for it did be but a light
strap, and I whipt her very sharp over her shoulders with the belt. And,
truly, she did make to nestle unto me in a moment, as that other time
when that I whipt her; but I stayed her from this, and I set the belt
thrice more across her shoulders, very sharp, so that she to learn
wisdom at once, and I to be free for ever of this need to pain her,
which did hurt me very strange. And the Maid to stand very quiet, now that I did keep her from coming
unto me; and her head did be something bent, so that I knew not whether
I did mayhap have flogged her over-hard; for I did be something lacking
in knowledge whether that a maid be very easy hurt. And I stooped and lookt into her face; and lo! she did be smiling
naughtily, and kist me in a moment very saucy upon the mouth, ere I did
be aware; and afterward, she laughed and made try to make a bitter mock
upon me, and askt when that I should be pleased to cease from whipping
my chattel; for that then she should run away immediately into the wood,
and to trust the Humpt Men that they protect her from me.