sword that she wore. But, making no motion, she only said--

"And thou, wherefore hast thou mocked at one who did thee no evil, and at
this damsel, thy master's daughter?"

"Gentle Maiden," I said, "listen to me for but a little moment. It may
be, when thou hast heard all, that thou wilt still be wroth with me,
though not for mockery, which was never in my mind. But the gentle
damsel, thy friend, will assuredly pardon me, who have already put my
life in peril for thy sake, and for the sake of our dear country of
Scotland and her good name."

"Thy life in peril for me! How mean you? I stood in no danger, and I
never saw your face before."

"Yet hast thou saved my life," I said; "but of that we may devise
hereafter. I am, indeed, though a gentleman by blood and birth, the
apprentice of the father of this damsel, thy friend, who is himself a
gentleman and of a good house, but poverty drives men to strange shifts.
This day I went with my master to the castle, and I was on the drawbridge
when thou, with the gentlemen thy esquires, passed over it to see the
King. On that bridge a man-at-arms spoke to thee shameful words,
blaspheming the holy name of God. No sooner hadst thou gone by than he
turned on me, reviling my native country of Scotland. Then I, not
deeming that to endure such taunts became my birth and breeding, struck
him on his lying mouth. Then, as we wrestled on the bridge, we both
struck against the barrier, which was low, frail, and old, so that it
gave way under our weight, and we both fell into the moat. When I rose
he was not in sight, otherwise I would have saved him by swimming, for I
desire to have the life of no man on my hands in private quarrel. But