Then one of the judges,
a kinsman to William of the Scar, rose with trembling lip and baleful
look. Quoth he, "If thou hath slain that man it will go ill with thee,
let me tell thee, fellow." But the stranger answered boldly, "He took
his chance with me as I took mine with him. No law can touch me to harm
me, even if I slew him, so that it was fairly done in the wrestling
ring."
"That we shall see," said the judge, scowling upon the youth, while once
more an angry murmur ran around the crowd; for, as I have said, the men
of Denby were proud of stout William of the Scar.
Then up spoke Sir Richard gently. "Nay," said he, "the youth is right;
if the other dieth, he dieth in the wrestling ring, where he took his
chance, and was cast fairly enow."
But in the meantime three men had come forward and lifted stout William
from the ground and found that he was not dead, though badly shaken by
his heavy fall. Then the chief judge rose and said, "Young man, the
prize is duly thine. Here is the red-gold ring, and here the gloves, and
yonder stands the pipe of wine to do with whatsoever thou dost list.
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