to my lips,
that I kiss them, and she to kiss mine; and so to our breakfast.

And when we were done, we gat together our gear, and went downward from
the cave, and began again to journey. And we went eighteen hours that
day, and eat and drunk at every sixth hour, as ever.

And in the fourteenth hour, I perceived that I did be like to overtravel
the Maid, though I made alway to have a less speed than did be natural
unto me. And surely then, I took her up into mine arms; and she to
refuse, and to be troubled that I should so carry her; for she did think
that I was like to be wearied by the task.

And I to take no heed to her pretestings; but to laugh gently with her,
and to carry her, even as a babe in mine arms; and she to love that she
be in mine arms, if but she be able to have assuredness that I come not
to weariness through her. And truly it did be a dear love task, and to
be set unto the needing of mine especial heart.

And I carried Mine Own then for four hours; and in the eighteenth hour
we were come to that part of the Gorge where did be the ledge where I
killed the spider, ere I slept, as you shall mayhap to mind. And here I
aided the Maid to climb, and we had the same ledge that night to be our
refuge; and did sleep very happy and unharmed, and alway with our
spirits set to warn us, if that harm did make to come nigh to us.

And we went then through three days of eighteen hours' journey each;
and alway I did carry Mine Own, from the twelfth unto the eighteenth
hour of each journeying; and this to be very dear unto me, and to give
me a new rejoicing that I did be strong and easy to carry Mine Own; and
she to lie in mine arms very content, when that she perceived how that I
did be so glad to go thiswise and that I had no weariness by the
carrying.

And thus I did rest her feet, and wore not her dear and slender body
overmuch with the vigour of my going; and was abled to make a very good
speed.

And Mine Own, this time and that, to make sayings of impudence unto me,
and to hide her naughty lips, when that I should kiss them; and to have
quaint nestlings unto me, and odd whiles to kiss me very dainty when
that I did be going thoughtful of the way. And surely never did there be
so dear a maid as Mine Own; so that I did go many a mile, and to be
scarce that I knew that I was gone any way, because of the stirrings of
my heart and the content of my spirit.

And oft as we did go, there were great scorpions in t