William Morris

“ Thou art swift-foot indeed, said the carle, but belike thou shalt not often again run so fast as thou hast e'en now. But thou art breathed; wilt thou not sit down a while till thou come round? No, said Osberne shortly, I will on at once. Well then, said the carle with a grin, suffer me to carry thy bag. Take it, said Osberne, and reached it out to him. The carle handled the bag and said: Plump are the nobles, lord, if there be but two hundred herein. There is more in it, said Osberne, for there is the gift for thee. ”

“ There then lay Osberne between life and death a long while; but after a time he began to mend, and came to his right mind, and remembered the felon-strokes in the ghyll; but of Steelhead's being there he knew nothing, for Steelhead had charged the hermit to say no word of it to him. The hermit was a good and kind man and a well-learned leech, and after a while Osberne began to mend speedily. ”

“ Fair sir, said the hermit, I need neither promise nor threat, for God's love and Allhallows' I will heal him if it may be.
So he took Osberne from Steelhead's arms, and being a stark and big man got him on to the bed and did off his raiment. Then he searched his grievous hurts according to leechcraft, and presently looked up from the wounded man and said: Since this man is not yet dead, I deem not his hurts deadly, and I think to heal him with the help of the Holy Saints. Said Steelhead: Thou hast in thy mouth, my friend, a deal of holiness that I know nought of. ”