But he said, smiling somewhat: "Was it then seemly for the King'sdaughter to kneel for this man's life, and go near to swooning for joy whenit was granted to her?"
"Yea," she said, "for I love him with all my body and soul; and I would have had him love me par amours, and then should I have been hismistress and he my servant; but now shall he be my master and I hisservant." And still was she very wroth.
Quoth the Earl: "As to the matter of my being King of Meadham,that will I be, whatever befall, or die in the place else. So if thou wilt notdo my rede, then must the varlet whom thou lovest die, and atGreenharbour must thou abide with Dame Elinor. There is no help for it."
She shrieked out at that word of his, and well nigh swooned, lyingback in her chair: but presently fell a-weeping sorely. But the Earl said:"Hearken, my Lady, I am not without warrant to do this. Tell me, hastthou ever seen any fairer or doughtier than this youngling?"
"Never," said she.
"So say we all," he said. "Now I shall tell thee (and I can bringwitness to it) that in his last hour the King, thy father, when he gave theeinto my keeping, spake also this: that I should wed thee to none save thefairest and doughtiest man that might be found: even so would I do now.What then sayest thou?"