The Night Land - Page 4/100

And, truly, she made no ado; but named me frank by my lad's name, and

gave laughter and right to me to name her Mirdath, and nothing less or

more--at that time. And she bid me then to come up through the hedge,

and make use of a gap that was her own especial secret, as she

confessed, when she took odd leave with her maid to some country frolic,

drest as village maids; but not to deceive many, as I dare believe.

And I came up through the gap in the hedge and stood beside her; and

tall she had seemed to me, when I looked up at her; and tall she was, in

truth; but indeed I was a great head taller. And she invited me then to

walk with her to the house, that I meet her Guardian and give word to my

sorrow that I had so long neglected to make call upon them; and truly

her eyes to shine with mischief and delight, as she named me so for my

amissness.

But, indeed, she grew sober in a moment, and she set up her finger to me

to hush, as that she heard somewhat in the wood that lay all the way

upon our right. And, indeed, something I heard too; for there was surely

a rustling of the leaves, and anon a dead twig crackt with a sound clear

and sharp in the stillness.

And immediately there came three men running out of the wood at me; and

I called to them sharply to keep off or beware of harm; and I put the

maid to my back with my left hand, and had my oak staff ready for my

use. But the three men gave out no word of reply; but ran in at me; and I saw

somewhat of the gleam of knives; and at that, I moved very glad and

brisk to the attack; and behind me there went shrill and sweet, the call

of a silver whistle; for the Maid was whistling for her dogs; and maybe

the call was also a signal to the men-servants of her house.

Yet, truly, there was no use in help that was yet to come; for the need

did be then and instant; and I nowise loath to use my strength before

my sweet cousin. And I stepped forward, briskly, as I have told; and

the end of my staff I drove into the body of the left-ward man, so that

he dropped like a dead man. And I hit very sharply at the head of

another, and surely crackt it for him; for he made instantly upon the

earth; but the third man I met with my fist, and neither had he any

great need of a second blow; but went instant to join his companions,

and the fight thus to have ended before it was even proper begun, and I

laughing a little with a proper pride, to know the bewilderment that I

perceived in the way that the Lady Mirdath, my cousin, stood and

regarded me through the dusk of the hushed even.