in the fray, forth to freedom, to keep his word to her.

Out in the wood, in spite of thunder and lightning, he made her to put on
Eppelein's weed and mount the nag. Thereafter he led her horse to the
brook, which floweth through the woods down to the meadow-land, and bid
her ride along in the water so far as she might, to put the hounds off
the scent. The bread in the saddle-bag would feed her for a few days,
and now it lay with her to escape pursuit. And this good deed of my
brother's had smitten the lost creature to the heart; when he was about
to help her to mount he dropped down on the wet ground from loss of
blood, but as he opened his eyes again, behold, his head was resting on
her lap and she kissed his brow. Despite her own peril she had not left
him in such evil plight, but had done all she could to bring him to his
senses; nay, she had gathered leaves by the glare of the lightning to
staunch the blood which flowed freely from the worst of his wounds. Nor
was she to be moved to go on her way till he showed her that in truth he
could walk.

Thus it befel that I long after thought of her with kindness; and indeed,
she was not wholly vile; and every human soul hath in it somewhat good
which spurs forth to love, inasmuch as it is love which can cast light on
all, and that full brightly; and what is bright is good; and that light
dieth not till the last spark is dead.

As to Herdegen, verily I have never understood how he could find it in
his heart to peril his life for the sake of keeping his word to a
vagabond hussy while, at the same time, he was breaking troth with the
fairest and sweetest maid on earth. Yet I count it to him chiefly for
good that he could risk life and honor to hinder those who fell upon him
so foully from escaping the arm of justice; and it is this upholding of