and fearless carle, with his whittle bare in his hand. And this I may well do, whereas, by thine own telling, thou art not in our house but in thine own.
Hardcastle lifted up his head, for he had hung it down awhile, and said in a hoarse voice: Hazel the field for me then, and I will go therein with thee and slay thee. That may well be, said Osberne, yet it may not be. Then he bade Stephen to go hazel the field in the flat meadows toward the river: and therewith he bethought him of his friend on the further side of the water, and how it might well be that he should never see her again, but lie slain on the meadow of Wethermel; and he wondered if tidings of the battle would go across the water and come unto her. But amidst his musings the harsh voice of Hardcastle reached his ears. He turned round with a start and heard how the rufller said to him: Let me see the sword, lad, wherewith thou wilt fight me. Osberne took the sheathed blade from his girdle and handed it to Hardcastle without a word, and the warrior fell at once to handling the peace-strings; but Osberne cried out: Nay, warrior, meddle not with the peace-strings, for who knoweth what scathe may come of the baring of the blade within doors? Well, well, said Hardcastle, but the blade must out presently, and what harm if it be now? Yet he took his hand from the weapon, and laid it on the board before him.
Osberne looked about him and saw that they two were alone in the hall now, for the others had gone down to look on the hazelling. So he spake
