The Forest Lovers
Page 120He reached his goal, shot the bolt, and turned, leaning against the
door. The heaped walls of that human sea had by this flowed over his
lane; now they stood eyeing him who faced them and wiped his blade
with a piece cut from the arras--eyeing him askance with silly,
shocked faces. Behind them a few grunted or sobbed; but for the most
part he had done his work only too well.
Having wiped exquisitely his sword and sheathed it, Prosper took a
step forward. The heap of men huddled again.
"Let one go to fetch Melot," he said softly.
No one stirred.
"Let one go to fetch Melot."
No motion, no breath.
"Ah," said he as if to himself, and laid hand to pommel. The heap
shuddered and turned on itself. It swarmed. Finally, like a drop from
"Seneschal," said Prosper, with a bow, "I am for the moment about to
ask a favour of you. Have the goodness to oblige me." He unbolted the
door and held it open for the man.
Master Porges gasped, looked once to heaven, thought to pray.
"In manus teas, Domine!" he sighed.
"Exactly," said Prosper, and kicked him out. The breathless audience
was resumed.
A timid knocking--a mere flutter--at the door ushered in as tip-toe a
couple as you might easily see. Master Porges fell to his knees and
prayers; Melot was too far gone for that. She simply did everything
she was told.
"Melot," said Prosper, "you will tell me the whole tale from the
beginning. It was you who first knew the Lady Isoult?"
"It was you who told the others?"
"Yes, Messire."
"Your mistress then saw the Lady Isoult?"
"Yes, Messire."
"What happened next?"
"My lady struck her, and pushed her into the corridor, Messire."
"Ah! And then?"
"And we were all there, Messire."
"Ah, yes. Waiting?"
"Yes, Messire."
"And then?"
"Then we had a procession, Messire."
"Who ordered it?"
"O Pudor! O afflicted liar!" prayed Master Porges.
But the tale went on. The afflicted liar forgot nothing except Master
Porges' syllogisms. These she took for granted. At the end Prosper
said to her-"Melot, you may go. I do not punish women, and you have only done
after your kind. Go to the others."
The pack opened and swallowed her up. Prosper turned to Master Porges,
who was gabbling prayers for his enemies.
"Master Seneschal," he said, "since it is you who have driven this
herd of hogs to do your work, now I shall drive them to do mine. And
in teaching you through them what it is to do villainy to ladies, I
teach them through you. They could not have a better guide than their
headman; and as for you, I will take care that you are well grounded
in what you have to teach."