I would like right well to hear more of thy adventures.
But what didst thou say was thy name? I have forgot it again."
"It is Myles Falworth."
"Then we shall yclep thee Sir Myles, for thou art a soothly
errant-knight. And stay! Every knight must have a lady to serve. How
wouldst thou like my Cousin Alice here for thy true lady?"
"Aye," said Myles, eagerly, "I would like it right well." And then he
blushed fiery red at his boldness.
"I want no errant-knight to serve me," said the Lady Alice, blushing,
in answer. "Thou dost ill tease me, coz! An thou art so free in choosing
him a lady to serve, thou mayst choose him thyself for thy pains."
"Nay," said the Lady Anne, laughing; "I say thou shalt be his true lady,
and he shall be thy true knight. Who knows? Perchance he may serven thee
in some wondrous adventure, like as Chaucer telleth of. But now, Sir
Errant-Knight, thou must take thy leave of us, and I must e'en let thee
privily out by the postern-wicket. And if thou wilt take the risk upon
thee and come hither again, prithee be wary in that coming, lest in
venturing thou have thine ears clipped in most unknightly fashion."
That evening, as he and Gascoyne sat together on a bench under the trees
in the great quadrangle, Myles told of his adventure of the afternoon,
and his friend listened with breathless interest.
"But, Myles," cried Gascoyne, "did the Lady Anne never once seem proud
and unkind?"
"Nay," said Myles; "only at first, when she chid me for falling through
the roof of their arbor.
Pages:
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132