ese
proud lips could (mayhap) grow soft and tender, these clear eyes that
met mine so fearlessly--

The staff was wrenched from my loosened grasp and Gregory, leaping to
his feet, fetched me therewith staggering blow on blow, shouting with
his every stroke:

"Ho--Peter! Roger! Will! Ho--hither, lads all! Loose the
dogs--hither to me, 'a God's name!" But, though mused with blows, I
rushed in blindly and, closing with the fellow, got him fairly by the
throat and shook him to and fro. And now was I minded to choke him
outright, but, even then, spied a cavalier who spurred his horse
against me. Hereupon I dashed the breathless Gregory aside and turned
to meet my new assailant, a spruce young gallant he, from curling
lovelock to Spanish boots. I remember cursing savagely as his whip
caught me, then, or ever he could reach me again, I sprang in beneath
the head of his rearing horse and seizing the rein close by the bridle
began to drag and wrench at the bit. I heard shouts and a woman's cry
of fear, but I strove only the fiercer, while up and up reared the
great roan horse, snorting in terror, his forelegs lashing wildly;
above tossing mane the eyes of his rider glared down at me as, laughing
exultant, I wrenched savagely at the bridle until, whinnying with pain
and terror, the great beast, losing his balance, crashed over backwards
into the dust. Leaping clear of those desperate, wild-thrashing
hooves, I found myself beset by divers fellows armed with staves, who
closed upon me, shouting; and above these, her eyes wide, her full, red
lips close-set, my lady looked down on me and I (meeting that look)
laughed, even as her fellows rushed at me:

"Go cosset your pretty springald, wench!" But even then, dazed and
half-blinded by a hail of blows, I staggered, sank to my knees,
struggled up again, smiting with bare fists. A flame seemed to flash
before my eyes, a taste of blood was on my tongue, and all sounds grew
faint and far away as, stumbling blindly, I threw up my arms, tripped
and plunged down and down into an engulfing darkness, and knew no more.

CHAPTER VI

OF MY SHAMEFUL SUFFERINGS AND HOW I WAS DELIVERED THEREFROM

I awoke with a sound in my ears like the never-ceasing surge and hiss
of waters, a sound that waxed ever louder. Hearkening to this, I
presently sought to move and wondered, vaguely uneasy, to find this
impossible: I strove now to lift my right hand, found it fast held,
tried my left