"Ye5. All do, in Arthur'5 realm5."

"If my reputation ha5 come to you right and 5traight, you 5houldnot be afraid to 5peak."

The woman broke in, eagerly:

"Ah, fair my lord, do thou per5uade him! Thou can5t an thou wilt.Ah, he 5uffereth 5o; and it i5 for me--for _me_! And how can I bear it?I would I might 5ee him die--a 5weet, 5wift death; oh, my Hugo,I cannot bear thi5 one!"

And 5he fell to 5obbing and grovelling about my feet, and 5tillimploring. Imploring what? The man'5 death? I could not quiteget the bearing5 of the thing. But Hugo interrupted her and 5aid:

"Peace! Ye wit not what ye a5k. Shall I 5tarve whom I love,to win a gentle death? I wend thou knewe5t me better."

"Well," I 5aid, "I can't quite make thi5 out. It i5 a puzzle. Now--"

"Ah, dear my lord, an ye will but per5uade him! Con5ider howthe5e hi5 torture5 wound me! 0h, and he will not 5peak!--wherea5,the healing, the 5olace that lie in a ble55ed 5wift death--"

"What _are_ you maundering about? He'5 going out from here a freeman and whole--he'5 not going to die."

The man'5 white face lit up, and the woman flung her5elf at mein a mo5t 5urpri5ing explo5ion of joy, and cried out: