"Lording," Falve answered, "I would not cut my mother's throat under the Pope's flag. But I know thee to be a great lord, master of all these walks of Morgraunt. If I were made free of thy company I could ask thee a mercy; and if I asked thee a mercy it would be that thou should'st order my mother to give me back my wife."
"How, thy wife, rogue?" said Galors, who was weary of the man.
"Lording, she was to have been my wife this day. But she lay last night with my mother, and by the show of a certain token, which unknown to me she wore about her, prevailed upon my mother to let her go. So now she has escaped into the forest, and I am beggared of her without thy help."
By this Galors was awake. He leaned forward in his chair, put chin to hand, and asked quietly—"How was she called, this wife of thine, my knave?"
"Lording," replied the poor eager rogue, "she was a boy at first, called Roy; then she revealed herself a maiden."
"I asked her maiden name, red fool."
"Her name, my lording, was Isoult la Desirous."
"Ah! At last!"
He got up from his chair, saying shortly, "Take me this instant to thy mother."
"But lord—"