. Go meet her, and we will tarry no longer than for thy taking the
leash in hand."

So Walter looked, and saw the Maid coming with two couple of great hounds
in the leash straining against her as she came along. He ran lightly to
meet her, wondering if he should have a look, or a half-whisper from her;
but she let him take the white thongs from her hand, with the same half-
smile of shamefacedness still set on her face, and, going past him, came
softly up to the Lady, swaying like a willow-branch in the wind, and
stood before her, with her arms hanging down by her sides. Then the Lady
turned to her, and said: "Look to thyself, our Maid, while we are away.
This fair young man thou needest not to fear indeed, for he is good and
leal; but what thou shalt do with the King's Son I wot not. He is a hot
lover forsooth, but a hard man; and whiles evil is his mood, and perilous
both to thee and me. And if thou do his will, it shall be ill for thee;
and if thou do it not, take heed of him, and let me, and me only, come
between his wrath and thee. I may do somewhat for thee. Even yesterday
he was instant with me to have thee chastised after the manner of
thralls; but I bade him keep silence of such words, and jeered him and
mocked him, till he went away from me peevish and in anger. So look to
it that thou fall not into any trap of his contrivance."

Then the Maid cast herself at the Mistress's feet, and kissed and
embraced them; and as she rose up, the Lady laid her hand lightly on her
head, and then, turning to Walter, cried out: "Now, Squire, let us leave
all these troubles and wiles and desires behind us, and flit through the
merry greenwood like the Gentiles of old days."

And therewith she drew up the laps of her gown till the whiteness of her
knees was seen, and set off swiftly toward the wood that lay south of the
house, and Walter followed, marvelling at her goodliness; nor durst he
cast a look backward to the Maiden, for he knew that she desired him, and
it was her only that he looked to for his deliverance from this house of
guile and lies.

CHAPTER XIV: THE HUNTING OF THE HART

As they went, they found a change in the land, which grew emptier of big
and wide-spreading trees, and more beset with thickets. From one of
these they roused a hart, and Walter let slip his hounds thereafter and
he and the Lady followed running. Exceeding swift was she, and
well-breathed withal, so that Walter wondered at