It seems strange to Tristan to treat Robena so unfairly, as there were plenty of [i]fair[/i] reasons to treat her unkindly. She has many true and nameable faults: Why criticize her beyond the real?  

"She said it would be true [i]if the Saxons invade[/i]." Tristan corrects Hector. "I think her answer was quite humble. She spoke of doing a small good that cannot be perverted or undone, comparing it to your [i]great[/i] good of more obvious worth. A fair answer to your question of what could make such a small thing valuable."

No, that's not enough. A weed must be pulled from its root. Tristan pauses, thinks. "Which is missing the point. You are choosing to forget your own question, and to whittle down her answer until your prior offense is justified. It may be! You likely know her better. But what has she done - what has she [i]been[/i] - that offends you so much? Would you have been satisfied by any answer she had to give, if she were the one to give it?"