ss; and, credit me, he will give you little trouble. He lies as quiet
and calm as if he were in his shroud.'

With these words the woman in russet departed; and the damsel, treading
so softly that her footstep made not the slightest noise, moved about
the room in silent thought, now turning to gaze on the wounded squire,
now looking from the casement. Walter, now fully awake, began to
experience a strong feeling of curiosity; and turning his head directed
his gaze, not without interest, towards his youthful nurse. She was not
more than sixteen, and still more beautiful than young. She had features
exquisitely lovely in their delicacy and expression, deep blue eyes with
long dark fringes, and dark brown hair which, according to the fashion
of the period, was turned up behind and enclosed in a caul of network.
Her form was already elegant in its proportions; but it inclined to be
taller, and gave promise of great perfection. Her charms were set off by
the mourning dress which she wore, and by the robe called the quintise,
which was an upper tunic without sleeves, with bordered vandyking and
scalloping worked and notched in various patterns, worn so long behind
that it swept the floor, but in front held up gracefully with one hand
so as not to impede the step.

Walter was charmed, and a little astonished as his eye alighted on a
face and form so fascinating; and, in spite of his prostration and utter
weakness, he gazed on her with lively interest and some wonder.

'Holy Katherine!' exclaimed he to himself; 'what a lovely vision. I
marvel who she is, and where I am; and, as he thus soliloquised, the
girl turned round, and not without flutter and alarm perceived that he
was awake and watching her.

'Noble demoiselle, heed me not;' said Walter earnestly, 'but rather
tell me, since, if I understand aright, I owe my life to you--how am I
ever sufficiently to prove my gratitude?'

'Ah, sir squire,' replied she, 'you err in supposing the debt to be on
your side. It is I who owe you a life, and not you who owe a life to me;
and,' added she, struggling to repress tears, 'my heart fills when I
remember how you did for me, albeit a stranger, what, under the
circumstances, no other being on earth would have ventured to do.'

'By Holy Katherine, noble demoiselle,' said Walter, wondering at her
words; 'I should in truth deem it a high honour to have rendered such as
you any service. But that is a merit which I cannot claim; for, un