yward with me, but as any
great lady might be with her bought thrall, whiles caressing me, and
whiles chastising me, as her mood went; but she seemed not to be cruel of
malice, or with any set purpose. But so it was (rather little by little
than by any great sudden uncovering of my intent), that she came to know
that I also had some of the wisdom whereby she lived her queenly life.
That was about two years after I was first her thrall, and three weary
years have gone by since she began to see in me the enemy of her days.
Now why or wherefore I know not, but it seemeth that it would not avail
her to slay me outright, or suffer me to die; but nought withheld her
from piling up griefs and miseries on my head. At last she set her
servant, the Dwarf, upon me, even he whose head thou clavest to-day. Many
things I bore from him whereof it were unseemly for my tongue to tell
before thee; but the time came when he exceeded, and I could bear no
more; and then I showed him this sharp knife (wherewith I would have
thrust me through to the heart if thou hadst not pardoned me e'en now),
and I told him that if he forbore me not, I would slay, not him, but
myself; and this he might not away with because of the commandment of the
Lady, who had given him the word that in any case I must be kept living.
And her hand, withal, fear held somewhat hereafter. Yet was there need
to me of all my wisdom; for with all this her hatred grew, and whiles
raged within her so furiously that it overmastered her fear, and at such
times she would have put me to death if I had not escaped her by some
turn of my lore."

"Now further, I shall tell thee that somewhat more than a year ago hither
to this land came the King's Son, the second goodly man, as thou art the
third, whom her sorceries have drawn hither since I have dwelt here.
Forsooth, when he first came, he seemed to us, to me, and yet more to my
Lady, to be as beautiful as an angel, and sorely she loved him; and he
her, after his fashion: but he was light-minded, and cold-hearted, and in
a while he must needs turn his eyes upon me, and offer me his love, which
was but foul and unkind as it turned out; for when I nay-said him, as
maybe I had not done save for fear of my Mistress, he had no pity upon
me, but spared not to lead me into the trap of her wrath, and leave me
without help, or a good word. But, O friend, in spite of all grief and
anguish, I learned still, and waxed wise, and wiser, abidin