"
"Master," said the man hastily, "I knew not whom I was to slay. Matelgar
bade me follow Gurth yonder, and smite whom he smote."
"It would have mattered not--you would have slain me as well as any
other."
"Nay, master," the man said earnestly, "that would I not."
"You lie," I answered curtly enough; "like master like man. Tell me what
I bade you."
"Truly I lie not, Heregar," cried he, "for I love my mistress over well
to harm you."
Now at that mention of Alswythe the blood rushed into my face, for I had
held her false with the rest, and this seemed to say otherwise, unless
the plot had been hidden from such as this man. But I would fain learn
more of that, for the sake of the hope of a love I had thought true.
"What is your mistress to me?" I asked. "Ye are all alike."
I think the man could see well at what I aimed, for he spoke of the Lady
Alswythe more freely than he would have dared at other times, nor would
I have let him name her lightly.
"Our mistress has gone sadly since the day you were taken, master; even
asking me to tell her, if I could, where you were kept, thinking me one
of those who guarded you, mayhap. But I knew not till today what had
chanced to you. Men may know well from such tokens what is amiss.
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