Then there was much applause and wonder.  Men ran to lift the calf’s head, and the owner of the axe came up to examine the edge of his weapon.  I looked about.  The eyes of the Lady Ysolinde were aflame with pleasure, but, on the other hand, the Little Playmate was crimson with shame.  Tears stood in her beautiful eyes.

She marched straight up to meet me, and, clinching her hands, she said; “Oh, I hate you !”

And so went within to her chamber, and I saw her no more that night.  Now I take all to witness what strange things are the mind and temper of even the best of women.  And why Helene thus spoke to me I know not—­nay, even to this day I can hazard no right guess.  But as I have often said, God never made anything straight that He made beautiful, except only the line where the sea meets the sky.

And of all the pretty, crooked, tangled things that He has made, women are the prettiest, the crookedest—­and the most distractingly tangled.

Which is perhaps why they are so everlastingly interesting, and why we blundering, ram-stam, homely favored men love them so.

But the best entertainment must at long and last come to an end.  And the one in the inn of Erdberg lasted not so long as the telling of it—­for the matter, being more comfortable than that which came after, I have, perhaps, not hurried so much as I might.

When at last both supper and entertainment were finished, and the earthenware platters huddled away into the hall without, there arose a mighty clamor, so that Jorian went to the door and cried out to the landlord to know what was the matter.  The old brick-dusty knave came hulking forward, and, with greatly increased respect, he addressed the men-at-arms.

“What is your will, noble sirs?”

“I asked,” said Jorian, “what was the reason of this so ill-favored noise.  If your guests cannot be quiet, I will come among them with something that will settle the quarrels of certain of them in perpetuity.”

So with sulky recurrent murmurs the fray finally settled itself, and for that time at least there was no more trouble.  I went to the door of the Lady Ysolinde and the Little Playmate and cried in to them a courteous good-night.  For I had been sorry to have Helene’s “I hate you!” for her last word.  And the Lady Ysolinde came to the door in a light robe of silk and gave me her hand to kiss.  But though I said:  “A sweet sleep and a pleasant, Helene!” no voice replied.  Which I took very ill, seeing that I had done naught amiss that I knew of.

Then Jorian, Boris, and I made us comfortable for the night, and, being instructed by Boris, I set my straw, with the foot of my bundle to the door, which opened inward upon us.  Then, putting my sword by my side and my other weapons convenient to my hand, I laid me down and braced my feet firmly against the door, thus locking it safely.

Jorian and Boris did the same at the other entrances, and before the former went to sleep he arranged a tall candle that had been placed unlighted before a little shrine of the Virgin (for, in name at least, the folk were not wholly pagan) and lighted it, so that it shed a faint illumination down the long passage in which we were bestowed, and on the inner door of the ladies’ apartment.