He bowed before the majesty of the woman, and pressed his lips to
her hand. "You are like a star upon my path which guides me on
the upward way," said he. "Our souls are set together upon the
finding of honor, and how shall we hold each other back when our
purpose is the same?"
She shook her proud head. "So it seems to you now, fair lord, but
it may be otherwise as the years pass. How shall you prove that I
am indeed a help and not a hindrance?"
"I will prove it by my deeds, fair and dear lady," said Nigel.
"Here at the shrine of the holy Catharine, on this, the Feast of
Saint Margaret, I take my oath that I will do three deeds in your
honor as a proof of my high love before I set eyes upon your face
again, and these three deeds shall stand as a proof to you that if
I love you dearly, still I will not let the thought of you stand
betwixt me and honorable achievement!"
Her face shone with her love and her pride. "I also make my
oath," said she, "and I do it in the name of the holy Catharine
whose shrine is hard by. I swear that I will hold myself for you
until these three deeds be done and we meet once more; also that
if--which may dear Christ forfend! you fall in doing them then I
shall take the veil in Shalford nunnery and look upon no man's
face again! Give me your hand, Nigel."
She had taken a little bangle of gold filigree work from her arm
and fastened it upon his sunburnt wrist, reading aloud to him the
engraved motto in old French: "Fais ce que dois, adviegne que
pourra--c'est commande au chevalier.
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