Christopher stood aside therewith, and sat down on a bench
and laughed, and said in a high voice: "Stout men-at-arms,
forsooth, to take a maid's kirtle to their shield."

But therewith the armed men poured into the hall, and a half
dozen of the stoutest came up unto Christopher where he sat,
and bound his hands with their girdles, and he withstood
them no whit, but sat laughing in their faces, and made as
if it were all a Yule-tide game. But inwardly his heart
burned with anger, and with love of that sweet Lady.

Then they made him stand up, and led him without the house,
and set him on a horse, and linked his feet together under
the belly thereof. And when that was done he saw them lead
out the Lady, and they set her in a horse litter, and then
the whole troop rode off together, with two men riding on
either side of the said litter. In this wise they left
Littledale.



CHAPTER XVII.

GOLDILIND COMES BACK TO GREENHARBOUR.


They rode speedily, and had with them men who knew the
woodland ways, so that the journey was nought so long thence
as Goldilind had made it thither; and they stayed not for
nightfall, since the moon was bright, so that they came