uickly
beside her, and once more was the poor babe left in dire terror o' his
life, and he made up a piteous face, but the dog standing still, he fell
to rattling its collar, and soon waxed merry with the jingle o' th'
silver. So I looked again at my lady and Lord Radnor.

He had taken her about her waist with one arm, and with the other hand
he lifted gently upward her fair face, as doth a gardener a rain-beaten
flower, while his eyes looked down into hers. And slowly, slowly, almost
as rose-leaves unfurl i' th' sun, her white lids curled upward, and her
blue eyes peered softly from her yellow locks like corn-flowers through
ripe corn, there being a tear in each, as when a rain-bead doth tremble
i' th' real corn-flowers. And, to be the more like nature, there ran
big waves throughout her loosened tresses, like as when the wind doth
steal across a field o' grain on summer noons.

Then he bended down his tall head, and their lips met. God alone knows
what their first words would a been, for ere the kiss was well ended,
down falls the poor little rogue off of the hound's back, and lifts up
his voice loud enow to be heard across the sea by the red men i' the new
continent. And my lady runs and lifts him in her arms. Lord! such an ado
as they had a-comforting him! First my lady, then my lord, then my lady
again--and at last my lord tosses him to his shoulder, and saith he,

"Ho! thou little Jack Pudding! an thou art not still o' th' instant,
I'll swear thou art a girl, an' thou shalt ne'er have a sword such as
men have."

And as I live, the child stinted, and waxed as solemn as an owl! Not
another tear did he shed. My lord saith, "Now thou art a good lad,
therefore thou shalt have my sword to play with." And he unbinds it from
his side, scabbard and all, and holds it while the urchin gets astride
o't and pretends to ride. When my lord is tired o' stooping, he lifts
the child again to his shoulder, and so do they conduct him back to his
mother, the gardener's wife. From thence they return to the castle, and
are met by my lord and lady and all the servants, while I haste me in by
a side door to get on my Sunday kirtle and appear with the rest.

As time wore on, the three were as much together as when he was a little
lad and they lassies, and sometimes from a window, and sometimes from a
quiet coigne in the great hall (this very hall, ye mind, dears), I would
sit with my stitchery and mark them at their bright chatter.