TheTalkofTwoWomenConcerningRalphButwhendinnerwasdone，cameDavidandamanwithhimbringingRalph’swargear，andbadehimdoiton，whilethefolkwerefencingthelists，whichtheyweredoingwithsuchstuffastheyhadattheTower；andtheLordhadbeencallingforOtterthathemightcommandhimwhatheshouldtelltothemarshalsofthelistsandhowallshouldbedulyordered，whereforehewentupuntotheTowerwhithertheLordhadnowgone。
SoRalphdidonhisarmour，whichwasnotrightmeetfortilting，beingoverlightforsuchwork；andhisshieldinespecialwasbutatargetforasergent，whichhehadbroughtatCheapingKnowe；buthedeemedthathisdeftnessandmuchuseshouldbearhimwellthrough。
Now，theLadyhadabidedinherpavilionwhenherLordwentabroad；
anonaftershesentallherwomenaway，saveonewhomsheloved，andtowhomshewaswonttotelltheinnermostofhermind；thoughforsoothshemishandledheratwhiles；forshewashotoftemper，andover-readywithherhandswhenshewasangry；thoughshewasnowisecruel。
Butthewomanaforesaid，whowasslyandsleek，andsomewhatpastherfirstyouth，tookbothhercaressesandherbuffetswithpatience，forthesakeofthegiftsandlargessewherewiththeywerebought。
Sonowshestoodbytheboardinthepavilionwithherheaddroopinghumbly，yetsmilingtoherselfandheedfulofwhatsomightbetide。
ButtheLadywalkedupanddownthepavilionhastily，asonemuchmoved。
Atlastshespakeasshewalkedandsaid：“Agatha，didstthouseehimwhenmyLordpointedhimout？”“Yea。”saidthewomanliftingherfacealittle。
“Andwhatseemedhetothee？”saidtheLady。“OmyLady。”
quothAgatha，“whatseemedhetothee？”Theladystoodandturnedandlookedather；shewasslenderanddarkandsleek；
andthoughherlipsmovednot，andhereyesdidnotchange，asmileseemedtostealoverherfacewhethershewouldornot。
TheLadystampedherfootandliftedherhandandcriedout。
“What！dostthoudeemthyselfmeetforhim？”
Andshecaughtherbythefoldsoverherbosom。ButAgathalookedupintoherfacewithasimplesmileasofachild：
“Dostthoudeemhimmeetforthee，myLady——heathrall，andthousogreat？”TheLadytookherhandfromher，butherfaceflamedwithangerandshestampedonthegroundagain：
“Whatdostthoumean？”shesaid；“amInotgreatenoughtohavewhatIwantwhenitliethclosetomyhand？”
Agathalookedonhersweetly，andsaidinasoftvoice：
“Stretchoutthinehandforitthen。”TheLadylookedathergrimly，andsaid：“Iunderstandthyjeer；thoumeanestthathewillnotbemovedbyme，hebeingsofair，andIbeingbutsomewhatfair。
Wiltthouhavemebeatthee？Nay，IwillsendtheetotheWhitePillarwhenwecomehometoUtterbol。”
Thewomansmiledagain，andsaid：“MyLady，whenthouhastsentmetotheWhitePillar，ortheRed，ortheBlack，mystripeswillnotmendthematterforthee，orquenchthefearofthineheartthatbythistime，sinceheisagrownman，helovethsomeother。Yetbelikehewillobeytheeifthoucommand，eventothelyinginthesamebedwiththee；forheisathrall。”
TheLadyhungherhead，butAgathawentoninhersweetclearvoice：
“TheLordwillthinklittleofit，andsaynothingofitunlessthouangerhimotherwise；orunless，indeed，hebemindedtopickaquarrelwiththee，andhathbaitedatrapwiththisstripling。
Butthatisallunlike：thouknowestwhy，andhowthatheloveththelittlefingerofthatnew-comethrallofhis(whomyeleftathomeatUtterbolinhisdespite)，betterthanallthybody，forallthywhiteskinandlovelylimbs。Nay，nowIthinkofit，Ideemthathemeaneththisgifttomakeanoccasionforthestayingofanyquarrelwiththee，thathemaystopthymouthfromcryingoutathim——well，whatwiltthoudo？heisamightyLord。”
TheLadylookedup(forshehadhungherheadatfirst)，herfaceallredwithshame，yetsmiling，thoughruefully，andshesaid：
“Well，thouartdeterminedthatifthouartpunisheditshallnotbefornaught。Butthouknowestnotmymind。”
“Yea，Lady。”saidAgatha，smilingindespiteofherself，“thatmaywellbe。”
NowtheLadyturnedfromher，andwentandsatuponastoolthatwasthereby，andsaidnothingawhile；onlycoveringherfacewithherhandsandrockingherselftoandfro，whileAgathastoodlookingather。Atlastshesaid：
“Hearken，Agatha，Imusttelltheewhatliethinmineheart，thoughthouhastbeenunkindtomeandhasttriedtohurtmysoul。
Now，thouartself-willed，andhot-blooded，andnotunlovely，sothatthoumaysthavelovedandbeenlovederenow。
ButthouartsowilyandsubtlethatmayhappenthouwiltnotunderstandwhatImean，whenIsaythatloveofthisyoungmanhathsuddenlyenteredintomyheart，sothatIlongforhimmorethisminutethanIdidthelast，andthenextminuteshalllongstillmore。
AndIlongforhimtoloveme，andnotalonetopleasureme。”
“Mayhappenitwillsobetidewithoutanypushingthematter。”saidAgatha。
“Nay。”saidtheLady，“Nay；myhearttellsmethatitwillnotbeso；
forIhaveseenhim，thatheisofhigherkindthanwebe；asifhewereagodcomedowntous，whoifhemightnotcasthisloveuponagoddess，woulddisdaintoloveanearthlywoman，little-mindedandinwhomperfectionisnot。”Therewiththetearsbegantorunfromhereyes；
butAgathalookedonherwithasubtlesmileandsaid：“OmyLady！
andthouhastscarceseenhim！AndyetIwillnotsaybutthatI
understandthis。Butastothematterofagoddess，Iknownot。
Manywouldsaythatthousittingonthineivorychairinthygoldenraiment，withthyfairbosomandwhitearmsandyellowhair，wertnotilldonefortheimageofagoddess；andthisyoungmanmaywellthinksoofthee。
Howeverthatmaybe，thereissomethingelseIwillsaytothee；
(andthouknowestthatIspeakthetruthtothee——mostoften——
thoughIbewily)。Thisistheword，thatalthoughthouhasttimeandagaintreatedmelikethethrallIam，Ideemtheenoillwoman，butrathersomethingovergoodforUtterbolandthedarklordthereof。”
NowsattheLadyshakenwithsobs，andweepingwithoutstint；butshelookedupatthatwordandsaid：“Nay，nay，Agatha，itisnotso。
To-dayhaththisman’seyesbeenacandletome，thatImayseemyselftruly；andIknowthatthoughIamaqueenandnotuncomely，Iambutcoarseandlittle-minded。Irageinmyhouseholdwhenthewhimtakesme，andIamhot-headed，andmasterful，andslothful，andshouldbelikebeuntrueiftherewereanyforcetodrivemethereto。
AndIsuffermyhusbandtogoafterotherwomen，andthisnewthrallisespecial，sothatImaytakemypleasureunstayedwithothermenwhomIlovenotgreatly。Yes，Iamfoolish，andempty-headed，andunclean。
Andallthishewillseethroughmyqueenlystate，andmygoldengown，andmywhiteskinwithal。”
Agathalookedonhercuriously，butsmilingnomore。Atlastshesaid：
“Whatistodo，then？ormustIthinkofsomethingforthee？”
“Iknownot，Iknownot。”saidtheLadybetweenhersobs；
“yetifImightbeinsuchcasethathemightpityme；belikeitmightblindhiseyestotheillpartofme。Yea。”shesaid，risingupandfallingwalkingtoandfroswiftly，“ifhemighthurtmeandwoundmehimself，andIsolovinghim。”
SaidAgathacoldly：“Yes，Lady，Iamnotwilyfornaught；andIbothdeemthatIknowwhatisinthineheart，andthatitisgoodforsomething；
andmoreoverthatImayhelptheesomewhattherein。SoinafewdaysthoushaltseewhetherIamworthsomethingmorethanhardwordsandbeating。
Onlythoumustpromiseinallwisetoobeyme，thoughIbethethrall，andthoutheLady，andtoleaveallthewholematterinmyhands。”
QuoththeLady：“Thatiseasytopromise；forwhatmayIdobymyself？”
ThenAgathafellponderingawhile，andsaidthereafter：
“First，thoushaltgetmespeechwithmyLord，andcausehimtoswearimmunitytome，whatsoeverIshallsayordoherein。”
SaidtheLady：“Easyisthis。Whatmorehastthou？”
SaidAgatha：“Itwerebetterfortheenottogoforthtoseethejousting；
becausethouartnottobetrustedthatthoushownotthyloveopenlywhentheyounglingisinperil；andifthouputthylordtoshameopenlybeforethepeople，hemustneedsthwartthywill，andbefierceandcruel，andthenitwillgohardwiththydarling。
Sothoushaltnotgofromthepaviliontillthenightisdark，andthoumaystfeignthyselfsickmeantime。”
“SickenoughshallIbeifImaynotgoforthtoseehowmyloveisfaringinhisperil：thisatleastishardtome；butsobeit！
Atleastthouwiltcomeandtellmehowhespeedeth。”
“Ohyes。”saidAgatha，“ifthoumusthaveitso；butfearthounot，heshalldowellenough。”
SaidtheLady：“Ah，butthouwottesthowoftitgoeswithachancestroke，thatthepointpiercethwhereitshouldnot；nay，wherebylikeliheaditcouldnot。”
“Nay。”saidAgatha，“whatchanceisthereinthis，whentheyounglingknoweththewholemanneroftheplay，andhisfoemenknownaughtthereof？
ItisasthechancebetwixtGeoffreytheMinstrelandBlackAnselm，whentheyplayatchesstogether，thatAnselmmustneedsbematederehehathtimetothinkofhisfourthmove。Iwotofthesematters，myLady。Now，further，Iwouldhavethyleavetomarshalthymaidsabouttheseatwherethoushouldestbe，andmoreoverthereshouldbesomeoneinthyseat，evenifIsatinitmyself。”SaidtheLady：
“Yea，sitthereifthouwilt。”
“Woe’sme！”saidAgathalaughing，“whyshouldIsitthere？
Iamliketothee，amInot？”“Yea。”saidtheLady，“astheswanisliketotheloon。”“Yea，myLady。”saidAgatha，“whichistheswanandwhichtheloon？Well，well，fearnot；
IshallsetJoyceinthyseatbymyLord’sleave；
sheistallandfair，andforsoothsomewhatliketothee。”
“Whywiltthoudothis？”quoththeLady；“Whyshouldthrallssitinmyseat？”SaidAgatha：“O，thetaleislongtotell；
butIwouldconfusethatyoungman’smemoryoftheesomewhat，ifhiseyesfellontheeatallwhenyemete’ennow，whichistobedoubted。”
TheLadystartedupinsuddenwrath，andcriedout：
“Shehadbestnotbetooliketomethen，andstrivetodrawhiseyestoher，orIwillhavehermarkedfordiversitybetwixtus。
Takeheed，takeheed！”
Agathalookedsoftlyonherandsaid：“MyLady。Yefair-skinned，open-facedwomenshouldlooktoitnottoshowyourselvesangrybeforemen-folk。Foropenwrathmarrethyourbeautysorely。
Leavescowlsandfurytothedark-browed，whocanusethemwithoutwryingtheirfaceslikeathreemonths’babywiththecolic。
Nowthatismylastredeasnow。FormethinksIcanhearthetrumpetsblowingforthearrayingofthetourney。
WhereforeImustgotoseetomatters，whilethouhastbuttobequiet。
Andto-nightmakemuchofmyLord，andbidhimseemeto-morrow，andgiveheedtowhatIshallsaytohim。ButifImeethimwithout，now，asismostlike，Ishallbidhimintothee，thatthoumaysttellhimofJoyce，andhersittinginthyseat。
OtherwiseIwilltellhimassoonasheissetdowninhisplace。
Soothtosay，heislittleliketoquarrelwitheithertheeormeforsettingafairwomanotherthantheebyhisside。”
Therewithsheliftedthetentlapandwentout，steppingdaintily，andherslenderbodyswayinglikeawillowbranch，andcameatoncefacetofacewiththeLordofUtterbol，andbowedlowandhumblybeforehim，thoughherface，unseenofhim，smiledmockingly。TheLordlookedonhergreedily，andlethishandandarmgooverhershoulder，andaboutherside，andhedrewhertohim，andkissedher，andsaid：
“What，Agatha！andwhyartthounotbringingforththymistresstous？”
Sheraisedherfacetohim，andmurmuredsoftly，asoneafraid，butwithawheedlingsmileonherfaceandinhereyes：
“Nay，myLord，shewillabidewithinto-day，forsheisillatease；
ifyourgracegoethin，shewilltelltheewhatshewillhave。”
“Agatha。”quothhe，“Iwillhearher，andIwilldoherpleasureifthouaskmesotodo。”ThenAgathacastdownhereyes，andherspeechwassolowandsweetthatitwasasthecooingofadove，asshesaid：
“OmyLord，whatisthiswordofthine？”
Hekissedheragain，andsaid：“Well，well，butdostthouaskit？”
“Oyea，yea，myLord。”saidshe。
