William Morris

“ There will be this profit, said the carline, that thou wilt set eyes on one of the fairest creatures that God ever made. Small profit therein, said Osberne, laughing again, if I set eyes on her beauty and am ensnared thereby; then maybe shall be another tale for this woodland. For belike thou deemest me old, but I am a young man, only I am haggard with the battle between life and death as I lay wounded yonder. Therewith he pulled aback his hood, and the carline came close up to him and looked him hard in the face, but said nothing. ”

“ Now, child, if I be somewhat later than I was looked for, yet I have brought the gift of a guest, seest thou; a good knight who hath of late been brought to death's door by felon's deed, but is now grown whole and fight-worthy again. So let us bestir us to get him meat and drink and all that he needeth.
So they fell to, while Osberne stood where he had first come in; and he scarce knew where he was, but looked down on the floor, as though the Sundering Flood of the Dales rolled betwixt him and the maiden; for indeed when his eyes first fell upon her he knew that it was Elfhild. ”

“ This stirred Osberne out of his dream, and he sat down on a stool nearer in than he had been. The Knight cried out: Ho, dame, I see thou hast one guest, and now here be three more for thee; we have stabled our horses in thy shed already, so thou hast nought to do save getting us our supper: dispatch I bid thee. ”