But now no shout went up for the stranger, but an angry murmur was heard among the crowd, so easily had he won the match. 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.”