"
But very little more did either he, his lady, and his three children wear,
as they trudged along the drove, in even poorer case than that
Robert of Coningsby,
Who came out of Normandy,
With his wife Tiffany,
And his maid Maupas,
And his dog Hardigras.
"For the love of heaven and all chivalry, joke me no jokes, Sir Ivo, but
give me and mine clothes and food! The barbarians rose on us last
night,--with Azer, the ruffian who owned my lands, at their head, and
drove us out into the night as we are, bidding us carry the news to you,
for your turn would come next. There are forty or more of them in West
Deeping now, and coming eastward, they say, to visit you, and, what is
more than all, Hereward is come again."
"Hereward?" cried Ivo, who knew that name well.
Whereon Sir Robert told him the terrible tragedy of Bourne.
"Mount the lady on a horse, and wrap her in my cloak. Get that dead
villain's clothes for Sir Robert as we go back. Put your horses' heads
about and ride for Spalding."
"What shall we do with the lass?"
"We cannot be burdened with the jade. She has cost us two good horses
already. Leave her in the road, bound as she is, and let us see if St.
Guthlac her master will come and untie her."
So they rode back. Coming from Deeping two hours after, Azer and his men
found the girl on the road, dead.
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