The Forest Lovers

"Nay, lord," said the girl, "I must be hanged, for so the Lord Abbot

has decreed." And then she told him all that Galors had given her to

understand when he had her in the quarry.

Prosper heard her to the end: it was clear that she spoke as she

believed.

"Well, child," said he, "I see that all this is likely enough, though

for the life of me I cannot bottom it. But how then," he cried, after

a little more thinking, "shall I let you be hanged, and your neck so

fine and smooth!"

"Lord," she said, "let be for that; for since I was born I have heard

of my low condition, and if my neck be slim 'tis the sooner broke. Let

me go then, but only grant me this grace, to stand beside me at the

tree and not leave me till I am dead. For there may be a worse thing

than death preparing for me." Again she cried out at her own thoughts

"Ah, no, no, no, I dare not let thee wed me!" He heard the wringing of

her hands, and guessed her beside herself.

He stood, therefore, reasoning it all out something after this

fashion. "Look now, Prosper," thought he, "this child says truer than

she knows. It is an ill thing to be hanged, but a worse to deserve a

hanging, and worst of all for her, it seems, to escape a hanging. And

it is good to find death sweet when he comes (since come he must), but

better to prove life also a pleasant thing. And life is here urgent,

though in fetters, in this child's breast; but death is not yet here.

Yet if I leave her she gains death, or life (which is worse), and if I

take her with me it can only be one way. What then! a man can lay down

his life in many ways, giving it for the life that needeth, whether by

jumping a red grave or by means slower but not less sure. And if by

any deed of mine I pluck this child out of the mire, put clear light

into her eyes (which now are all dark), and set the flush on her grey

cheeks which she was assuredly designed to carry there; and if she

breathe sweet air and grow in the grace of God and sight of men--why

then I have done well, however else I do."

He thought no more, but took the girl's hand again in both of his.

"Well, Isoult," he said cheerfully, "thou shalt not be hanged yet

awhile, nor shall that worse thing befall thee. I will wed thee as

soon as I may. At cock-crow we two will seek a priest."

"Lord," she said, "a priest is here in this place."