52
Maid Marian.
at hand, she flies to the river, and finds her a mate, and so shall not you."
"But," said Matilda, "you may send with me any, or as many, of your grooms as you will."
"My grooms," said the baron, "are all false knaves. There is not a rascal among them but loves you better than me. Villains that I feed and clothe."
"Surely," said Matilda, "it is not villany to love me: if it be, I should be sorry my father were an honest man." The baron relaxed his muscles into a smile. "Or my lover either," added Matilda. The baron looked grim again.
"For your lover," said the baron, "you may give God thanks of him. He is as arrant a knave as ever poached."
"What, for hunting the king's deer?"
