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"Be careful," she cried. "Do not let him fear or be much hurt. Oh, poor Brian. He will not understand. If only I could make him understand." |
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"It is as well he does not. He would do himself a far greater hurt to serve Lady Joanna than I will do him." The huntsman was much more cheerful. He had thought of an expedient that would work very well and do Brian very little harm. |
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Edwina waited, her knuckles pressed nervously to her lips. In a few minutes there was a single loud yelp. Another few minutes passed and the huntsman came back, staggering under the dog's great weight. Edwina gasped. Brian's neck, ribs, and haunch were soaked with blood and his head hung limply. |
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"You have killed him," she cried. |
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"Fool!" the huntsman grunted. "I have stunned him, made three thin slits in his hide, and near drowned him in the blood of three hares. Quick before he rouses. This ox will not even realize he is hurt and will lick off all the blood with high pleasure." |
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They went into the keep and up to Joanna's chamber, the huntsman lagging behind and breathing in gasps from lugging Brian up the stairs. |
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"Madam," Edwina cried, "oh, madam, Brian is hurt. He is near dead, I think. My lady, look to Brian. |
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Joanna did not even turn her head. |
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"Brian is dying, my lady," Edwina shrieked. |
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The terror in her voice, which came from the apparent failure of this last hope, penetrated. Slowly Joanna's head lifted, and the huntsman staggered in, dropping the dog, who was already regaining consciousness and was whimpering a little with fear at the unusual sensation of being carried. As he struck the ground at Joanna's feet, Brian uttered a piteous yelp. Joanna's eyes fixed on the bloodied body, took in the dog's pathetic, ineffectual efforts to riseineffectual owing to the fact that the huntsman had his foot firmly planted on the overlap of Brian's collar. |
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"No! No!" Joanna whimpered. "He is all I have left of |
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