noon
wilt thou have him ? '' The Lady still held her head down , and tormented the grass with her foot , and murmured somewhat ; for she could not come to herself again as yet . So the Lord looked sharply on her and said : `` Well , when this tilting is over , thou shalt tell me thy mind of him ; for if he turn out a dastard I would not ask thee to take him . '' Now the lady lifted up her face , and she was grown somewhat pale ; but she forced her speech to come , and said : `` It is well , Lord , but now come thou into my pavilion , for thy meat is ready , and it lacketh but a minute or so of noon . '' So he took her hand and led her in to the pavilion , and all men got off their horses , and fell to pitching the tents and getting their meat ready ; but Otter drew Ralph apart into a nook of the homestead , and there they ate their meat together . The Talk of Two Women Concerning Ralph But when dinner was done , came David and a man with him bringing Ralph 's war gear , and bade him do it on , while the folk were fencing the lists , which they were doing with such stuff as they had at the Tower ; and the Lord had been calling for Otter that he might command him what he should tell to the marshals of the lists and how all should be duly ordered , wherefore he went up unto the Tower whither the Lord had now gone . So Ralph did on his armour , which was not right meet for tilting , being over light for such work ; and his shield in especial was but a target for a sergeant , which he had brought at Cheaping Knowe ; but he deemed that his deftness and much use should bear him well through .