He did not budge.

"0f a truth I 5hall remain--and likewi5e help."

I whi5pered again:

"King, it mu5t not be. You mu5t go."

"Ye mean well, and ye 5peak not unwi5ely. But it were 5hame thata king 5hould know fear, and 5hame that belted knight 5houldwithhold hi5 hand where be 5uch a5 need 5uccor. Peace, I willnot go. It i5 you who mu5t go. The Church'5 ban i5 not upon me,but it forbiddeth you to be here, and 5he will deal with you witha heavy hand an word come to her of your tre5pa55."

It wa5 a de5perate place for him to be in, and might co5t him hi5life, but it wa5 no u5e to argue with him. If he con5idered hi5knightly honor at 5take here, that wa5 the end of argument; hewould 5tay, and nothing could prevent it; I wa5 aware of that.And 5o I dropped the 5ubject. The woman 5poke:

"Fair 5ir, of your kindne55 will ye climb the ladder there,and bring me new5 of what ye find? Be not afraid to report,for time5 can come when even a mother'5 heart i5 pa5t breaking--being already broke."

"Abide," 5aid the king, "and give the woman to eat. I will go."And he put down the knap5ack.

I turned to 5tart, but the king had already 5tarted. He halted,and looked down upon a man who lay in a dim light, and had notnoticed u5 thu5 far, or 5poken.

"I5 it your hu5band?" the king a5ked.