"Master," quoth Black Roger, "this day have ye shown me death yet given me new life, so beseech thee let me serve thee henceforth and aid thee in this thy vow."
Now hereupon Beltane smiled and reached forth his hand; then Black Roger falling upon his knee, touched the hand to lip, and forehead and heart, taking him for his lord henceforth, and spake the oath of fealty: but when he would have risen, Beltane stayed him: "What, Black Roger, thou hast sworn fealty and obedience to me--now swear me this to God:--to hold ever, and abide by, thy word: to shew mercy to the distressed and to shield the helpless at all times!"
And when he had sworn, Black Roger rose bright-eyed and eager.
"Lord," said he, "whither do we go?"
"Now," quoth Beltane, "shew me where I may eat, for I have a mighty hunger."
"Forsooth," quoth Roger, scratching his chin, "Shallowford village lieth but a bowshot through the brush yonder--yet, forsooth, a man shall eat little there, methinks, these days."
"Why so?"
"For that 'twas burned down, scarce a week agone--"
"Burned!--and wherefore?"
"Lord Pertolepe fell out with his neighbour Sir Gilles of Brandonmere-- upon the matter of some wench, methinks it was--wherefore came Sir Gilles' men by night and burned down Shallowford with twenty hunting dogs of Sir Pertolepe's that chanced to be there: whereupon my lord waxed mighty wroth and, gathering his company, came into the demesne of Sir Gilles and burned down divers manors and hung certain rogues and destroyed two villages--in quittance."
"Ah--and what of the village folk?"
"My lord, they were but serfs for the most part, but--for Sir Pertolepe's dogs--twenty and two--and roasted alive, poor beasts!"
But here Black Roger checked both speech and stride, all at once, and stood with quarter-staff poised as from the depth of the wood came the sound of voices and fierce laughter.
"Come away, master," he whispered, "these should be Sir Pertolepe's men, methinks."
But Beltane shook his head: "I'm fain to see why they laugh," said he, and speaking, stole forward soft-footed amid the shadows; and so presently parting the leaves, looked down into an open dell or dingle full of the light of the rising moon; light that glinted upon the steel caps and hauberks of some score men, who leaned upon pike or gisarm about one who sat upon a fallen tree--and Beltane saw that this was Giles the Bowman. But the arms of Giles were bound behind his back, about his neck hung a noose, and his face showed white and pallid 'neath the moon, as, lifting up his head, he began to sing: "O ne'er shall my lust for the bowl decline, Nor my love for my good long bow; For as bow to the shaft and as bowl to the wine, Is a--"