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She was so sound that it appeared to me and Marian as though one longer breath might transform the mimicry into the actual thing death. But by-and-by awe fell from us, as it doth ever fall, even in the presence of that which hath awed us, and my wife and I did return to our discourse concerning my Lord Denbeigh. Quoth I to Marian, "But, wife, may not malice invent these tales?"
Quoth my lady, suddenly, "Nurse, didst thou see Lord Denbeigh ere he went?" And Marian said that she had seen him. "He hath a strange face, nurse." "How 'strange, my lady?" "Why, it seems to me that each feature in it doth contradict the other.
Now, I have ever had a woman-weakness for a goodly leg in man, and the splendid limbs of Lord Denbeigh did witch me into a steadier gaze than that which civility doth permit. This by-and-by he did notice, and so spoke to me. "At what art thou staring, ancient?" quoth he, not unkindly. So I told him, whereupon he laughed somewhat.
And again he was as pale as any girl. And he spoke again and said, "Thou wilt not go? Thou wilt be warned?" And again did the man answer, saying, "Impossible." Then saith my master, "Lord Denbeigh, if thou goest to London on the morrow, I will follow thee there. Nay, thou canst not prevent me.
The next morning I did relate to my lady all that had passed, but mentioning no names, as I saw that she wished it not. And when I was finished she bade me go straightway to London and find out the whereabouts of Lord Denbeigh.
What then?" At which she boxed my ears right soundly. But I could not blame her, for in the wrong I was, without doubt, although verily she had plagued me into it. So I sued for pardon, and got it, and a kiss into the bargain. But she would not leave me in peace concerning Lord Denbeigh.
Methought Marian would have split in sunder with importance, when Lord Denbeigh took to coming sometimes to Amhurste. 'Twas never for even an hour that he stayed; and 'twas always some question of business that brought him. But my lady and he touched hands full oft during a week, and always he would look at her with a different look from that which his eyes did wear at other times.
At this Lord Denbeigh only laughed; but as they went out into the street I marked that he kept the lad close at his side, almost as a mother keeps a child. The night was still and cold, and the sky full of little white clouds that lapped the one over the other, like shells on a seashore.
When that was done, Lord Denbeigh turns to my master, and saith he, "Hast thou thy dirk with thee?" and the lad answered that he had both sword and dagger. "Not that there is any danger," quoth the earl, "but that thou mayest feel easy." But the lad said, "There is danger, as I have told thee; and thou art putting thy life in jeopardy."
I was taken up with pondering as to why my lady should go in person to Dame Gobble's, seeing she might have sent me alone on Dumble as well. Be that as it may, as we rode along by a brook-side, under the thick leaves, whom should we come upon but my Lord Denbeigh. He was kneeling beside the water, and holding down his hand into the brook.
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