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Maid Marian.
baron's hand, "do not harm the friar: he means not to offend you. My gaiety never before displeased you. Least of all should it do so now, when I have need of all my spirits to outweigh the severity of my fortune."
As she spoke the last words, tears started into her eyes, which, as if ashamed of the involuntary betraying of her feelings, she turned away to conceal. The baron was subdued at once. He kissed his daughter, held out his hand to the friar, and said: "Sing on, in God's name, and crack away the flasks till your voice swims in canary." Then turning to Sir Ralph, he said: "You see how it is, sir knight. Matilda is my daughter; but she has me in leading-strings, that is the truth of it."
