It was the finest thing I ever saw, my lord.' The marquis turned again to Dorothy, and stared without speech or motion.
'Mean you-- ?' he said at length, addressing lord Charles, but still staring at Dorothy; 'Mean you-- ?' he said again, half stammering, and still staring.
'I mean, my lord,' answered his son, 'that mistress Dorothy, with self-shown courage, and equal judgment as to time and order of attack, when Tom Fool had fled, and poor Shafto, already evil torn, had swooned from loss of blood, came to the rescue, stood her ground, and loosed dog after dog, her own first, upon the animal.

And, by heaven! it is all owing to her that he is already secured and carried back to his cage, nor any great harm done save to the groom and the dogs, of which poor Strafford hath a hind leg crushed by the jaws of the beast, and must be killed.' 'He shall live,' cried the marquis, 'as long as he hath legs enough to eat and sleep with.

Mistress Dorothy,' he went on, turning to her once more, 'what is thy request?
It shall be performed even to the half of--of my marquisate.' 'My lord,' returned Dorothy, 'it is a small deed I have strewn to gather such weighty thanks.' 'Be honest as well as brave, mistress.

Mock me no modesty.' said the marquis a little roughly.
'Indeed, my lord, I but spoke as I deemed.

The thing HAD to be done, and I did but do it.