you will put my ring (he gave it him) upon the
Lady Mary's finger before the priest, and kiss her on the lips if you
have a mind; and bid her ride within the week to the wedding; and stay
not for the Lord Bigod, for he is more maid than man, and will not
willingly let his daughter go; but will fear to keep her from my
behest."

And then he beat his hand on Hugh's shoulder, as his manner was when
he was pleased; and then to Hugh's surprise bent and kissed his cheek,
as a man might kiss his son, and then, as if ashamed, frowned upon
him, and said "with haste!"--and in an hour Hugh was gone.

Now when they entered the Castle, which had a great court within,
full of galleries, there was a great stir of people to see them; the
horses were led away to the stables; the troopers passed into the
guard room; and an old seneschal with a white staff asked Hugh
courteously of his business, and then led him up a flight of steps,
and into a long dark room, hung with a faded green arras.

Here sate a pale thin man at a table, looking upon a book, in a
velvet gown; the seneschal cried out Hugh's name, who made an
obeisance, and then advancing, put the letter in the hands of the Lord
Bigod, saying, "From the Earl Fitz-Simon; these." Then the Lord Bigod
rent the paper, looking curiously upon it; and read therein. Hugh
observed him closely; he looked more like a priest than a knight, but
there was something very sweet and noble about his air, and he looked
as a man might look who had known both sorrow and thought, and wished
well to all the world. The Lord Bigod read the letter, and then grew
somewhat pale; then he read it again, and walked to the window,
turning it in his hands. He stood so long, holding the letter behind
him, and looking out, that Hugh saw that he was wrestling in mind and
ill-at-ease. Then he turned, and said very courteously to Hugh, though
his voice trembled somewhat, "Know you what is within this letter?"
And Hugh said, "Yea, sir." And the Lord Bigod said, "It is a great
matter." And then, after another long silence, the Lord Bigod turned
to the seneschal who waited at the door, and said, "See that Sir Hugh
be well bestowed:" and then with an inclination of the head to Sir
Hugh he added, "I will think hereon, and you shall hear my words
to-morrow." Hugh turned and followed the seneschal out; and he felt a
great pity for the kind Lord whom he had left, for he saw that he was
in great sadness of mind and perplexity.