e no show of defence, but
suffered them to lead him away, and he crossed the highway, where he
saw no token of the minstrel.

So they brought him to the pavilion, and made him dismount and led him
in. The dusk had fallen by now, but within it was all bright with
candles. The pavilion was hung with rich silken cloth, and at the
further end, on a carpet of the hunting, was an ivory chair, whereon
sat a man, who was the only one sitting. He was clad in a gown of blue
silk, broidered with roundels beaten with the Bear upon the Castle-wall.

Ralph deemed that this must be no other than the Lord of Utterbol, yet
after all the tales he had heard of that lord, he seemed no such
terrible man: he was short of stature, but broad across the shoulders,
his hair long, strait, and dark brown of hue, and his beard scanty: he
was straight-featured and smooth-faced, and had been no ill-looking
man, save that his skin was sallow and for his eyes, which were brown,
small, and somewhat bloodshot.

Beside him stood Morfinn bowed down with fear and not daring to look
either at the Lord or at Ralph. Wherefore he knew for certain that
when he had called him traitor even now, that it was no more than the
very sooth, and that he had fallen into the trap; though how or why he
wotted not clearly. Well then might his heart have fallen, but so it
was, that when he looked into the face of this Lord, the terror of the
lands, hatred of him so beset his heart that it swallowed up fear in
him. Albeit he held himself well in hand, for his soul was waxing, and
he deemed that he should yet do great deeds, therefore he desired to
live, whatsoever pains or shame of the passing day he might suffer.

Now this mighty lord spake, and his voice was harsh and squeaking, so
that the sound of it was worse than the sight of his face; and he said:
"Bring the man forth, that I may see him." So they brought up Ralph,
till he was eye to eye with the Lord, who turned to Morfinn and said:
"Is this thy catch, lucky man?" "Yea," quavered Morfinn, not lifting
his eyes; "Will he do, lord?"

"Do?" said the lord, "How can I see him when he is all muffled up in
steel? Ye fools! doff his wargear."

Speedily then had they stripped Ralph of hauberk, and helm, and arm and
leg plates, so that he stood up in his jerkin and breeches, and the
lord leaned forward to look on him as if he were cheapening a horse;
and then turned to a man somewhat stricken in years, clad in scarl