and seemed to heed little that she was a captive and had shackles on her
feet after the custom of these men, though indeed her hands were unbound,
so that she might eat her meat; and the carle thief told me that he took
her but a little way from the garth, and that she made a stout defence
with a sword before they might take her, but being taken, she made
but little of it."

"Would he do her any hurt?" said Ralph. "Nay, surely," said the carle;
"doth a man make a hole in a piece of cloth which he is taking to market?
Nay, he was courteous to her after his fashion, and bade us give her the best
of all we had."

"What like was she?" said Ralph. Said the carle:
"She was somewhat tall, if I am to note such matters,
grey-eyed and brown haired, and great abundance of it.
Her lips very red; her cheeks tanned with the sun, but in such
wise that her own white and red shone through the sun's painting,
so that her face was as sweet as the best wheat-ear in a ten-acre
field when the season hath been good. Her hands were not like
those of a demoiselle who sitteth in a chamber to be looked at,
but brown as of one who hath borne the sickle in the sun.
But when she stretched out her hand so that the wrist of her
came forth from her sleeve it was as white as milk."

"Well, my man," said the carline, "thou hast a good memory for an old
and outworn carle. Why dost thou not tell the young knight what she
was clad withal; since save for their raiment all women of an age
are much alike?"

"Nay, do thou do it," said the carle; "she was even as fair as I have said;