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sary for fording streams with steep or muddy banks, did no one's temper any good. By the afternoon, Richard's patience was exhausted, and, when carts and men found themselves in particular difficulty in a deep and dangerous ford, he forgot himself and tried to shout orders. This split his lips anew, and Walter had considerable ado stanching the bleeding. |
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At this point Walter felt that he would like to murder Gervase and Marie bothalthough he blamed Marie less because she was only Richard's sister-by-marriage. The baggage wain was stuck in the middle of the ford; it was impossible for the men, thigh-deep in water and straining to keep the oxen from panicking and to prevent the wain from overturning, to see the way out for themselves. It was Gervase's duty, no matter what her feelings about him, to come and attend to her husband while Walter tried to help the men save the baggage. |
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Under the circumstances, Walter "did not see" Richard's negative shake of the head when he said he would summon Gervase. But Walter discovered that Richard had not been trying to avoid his wife's attentions, only to save Walter's time. When Walter told Gervase for what she was needed, she simply covered her face with her hands, shuddered, and said that she fainted at the sight of blood. This made Walter stare with surprise and wonder what she did about her fluxes. Did she remain in a faint all week? |
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Angrily, he turned back toward Richard but was waved urgently away toward the stream, where he arrived just in time to prevent a disaster. This was accomplished, however, only at the cost of getting soaking wet, since amid the sound of the water, the bellowing of the frightened oxen, and the shouting of the men, he could only make himself heard and seen by going back into the stream himself. There, despite being astride Beau, he was liberally splashed by the struggles to extricate the cart. |
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Wet or not, Walter had no desire to remove his armor and underclothing in the open on a cold, late November afternoon. A dry blanket was found to replace his soaked cloak, and they continued at the best speed the tired carriage teams could make. The swelling of Richard's face, which had diminished, was now almost as bad as it had been in the beginning, and Walter could have wept for his friend. Not only did he grieve for Richard's current discomfort, but he knew the earl was nearly starving, as the condition of his face prevented him |
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