Part 84 (1/2)
For answer, Giles, straddling the wall, laid finger to lip, then dropping cat-like to his feet, drew Beltane down an adjacent lane.
”Lord,” said he, ”yonder is the Reeve's garden and in the Reeve's garden cometh the Reeve to taste the sweet dawn, wherefore Giles doth incontinent vanish him over the Reeve's wall because of the Reeve; nevertheless needs must I bless the Reeve because of the Reeve's daughter--though verily, both in my speech and in the Reeve's garden is too much Reeve, methinks. As to this rose, now--ha!”
”How came you by the rose, Giles?”
”Why, in the first place, tall brother, I stole it--”
”Stole it!” repeated Beltane, and behold! his frown was gone completely.
”But, in the second place, brother, 'twas given to me--”
”Given to thee--by whom?” and immediately Beltane's frown was back again.
”And therefore, in the third place, brother, Giles this day would not change skins with any lord, duke, archduke, pope or potentate that e'er went in skin--”
”Who gave it thee?--speak, man!”
”Faith, lord, I had it from one as pure, as fair, as--”
”Aye, but what like is she?”
”Like unto this flower for sweetness, lord, and--ha, saints and martyrs! whence had ye that bloom, tall brother--speak!” and Giles pointed to the rose in Beltane's fingers.
”What like is she--answer me!”
”Alack!” sighed Giles, shaking gloomy head, ”she is very like a woman, after all, methinks--”
”Mean ye the Reeve's daughter?”
”Even so, lord!”
”Doth she wear ever a--a green veil, Giles?”
”Verily, lord, and with a most sweet grace--”
”And her shoes--”
”Her shoes, tall brother, O methinks her sweet shoe doth kiss the earth so sweet and light poor earth must needs love and languish as doth poor Giles! Her shoe--”
”Is it aught like to this, Giles?” and forthwith Beltane took out the little shoe.
”Aye, 'tis her very own, master!” groaned Giles. ”Ah, woe is me, for if she hath given to thee rose and therewith her pretty shoe--thou hast, belike, her heart also, and with her heart--”
”Nay, take it, Giles,--take it!” quoth Beltane, sighing. ”I did but find it in my going, and this rose--I found also, but this will I keep.
Methinks thy love is what thy heart telleth thee--a maid very gentle and sweet--so G.o.d prosper thy wooing, Giles!”
So saying, Beltane thrust the shoe upon bewildered Giles and, turning swiftly about, hasted away. But even then, while the archer yet stared after him, Beltane turned and came striding back.
”Giles,” quoth he, ”how tall is the Reeve's daughter?”