The Well at the World's End

by

William Morris

Table of Contents

BOOK ONE The Road Unto Love

Chapter

 1 The Sundering of the Ways 2 Ralph Goeth Back Home to the High House 3 Ralph Cometh to the Cheaping-Town 4 Ralph Rideth the Downs 5 Ralph Cometh to Higham-on-the-Way 6 Ralph Goeth His Ways From the Abbey of St. Mary at Higham 7 The Maiden of Bourton Abbas 8 Ralph Cometh to the Wood Perilous. An Adventure Therein 9 Another Adventure in the Wood Perilous 10 A Meeting and a Parting in the Wood Perilous 11 Now Must Ralph Ride For It 12 Ralph Entereth Into the Burg of the Four Friths 13 The Streets of the Burg of the Four Friths 14 What Ralph Heard of the Matters of the Burg of the Four Friths 15 How Ralph Departed From the Burg of the Four Friths 16 Ralph Rideth the Wood Perilous Again 17 Ralph Cometh to the House of Abundance 18 Of Ralph in the Castle of Abundance 19 Ralph Readeth in a Book Concerning the Well at the World's End 20 Ralph Meeteth a Man in the Wood 21 Ralph Weareth Away Three Days Uneasily 22 An Adventure in the Wood 23 The Leechcraft of the Lady 24 Supper and Slumber in the Woodland Hall

BOOK TWO The Road Unto Trouble

 1 Ralph Meets With Love in the Wilderness 2 They Break Their Fast in the Wildwood 3 The Lady Telleth Ralph of the Past Days of Her Life 4 The Lady Tells of Her Deliverance 5 Yet More of the Lady's Story 6 The Lady Tells Somewhat of Her Doings After She Left the Wilderness 7 The Lady Tells of the Strife and Trouble That Befell After Her Coming 8 The Lady Maketh an End of Her Tale 9 They Go On Their Way Once More 10 Of the Desert-House and the Chamber of Love in the Wilderness 11 Ralph Cometh Out of the Wilderness 12 Ralph Falleth in With Friends and Rideth to Whitwall 13 Richard Talketh With Ralph Concerning the Well at the World's End. 14 Ralph Falleth in With Another Old Friend 15 Ralph Dreams a Dream Or Sees a Vision 16 Of the Tales of Swevenham 17 Richard Bringeth Tidings of Departing 18 Ralph Departeth From Whitwall With the Fellowship of Clement Chapman 19 Master Clement Tells Ralph Concerning the Lands Whereunto They Were 20 They Come to the Mid-Mountain Guest-House 21 A Battle in the Mountains 22 Ralph Talks With Bull Shockhead 23 Of the Town of Cheaping Knowe 24 Ralph Heareth More Tidings of the Damsel 25 The Fellowship Comes to Whiteness 26 They Ride the Mountains Toward Goldburg 27 Clement Tells of Goldburg 28 Now They Come to Goldburg 29 Of Goldburg and the Queen Thereof 30 Ralph Hath Hope of Tidings Concerning the Well at the World's End 31 The Beginning of the Road To Utterbol 32 Ralph Happens on Evil Days 33 Ralph is Brought on the Road Towards Utterbol 34 The Lord of Utterbol Will Wot of Ralph's Might and Minstrelsy 35 Ralph Cometh To the Vale of the Tower 36 The Talk of Two Women Concerning Ralph 37 How Ralph Justed With the Aliens 38 A Friend Gives Ralph Warning 39 The Lord of Utterbol Makes Ralph a Free Man 40 They Ride Toward Utterness From Out of Vale Turris 41 Redhead Keeps Tryst

BOOK THREE The Road To The Well At World's End. 

 1 An Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountains 2 Ralph Rides the Wood Under the Mountains 3 Ralph Meeteth With Another Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountain 4 They Ride the Wood Under the Mountains 5 They Come on the Sage of Swevenham 6 Those Two Are Learned Lore by the Sage of Swevenham 7 An Adventure by the Way 8 They Come to the Sea of Molten Rocks 9 They Come Forth From the Rock-Sea 10 They Come to the Gate of the Mountains 11 They Come to the Vale of Sweet Chestnuts 12 Winter Amidst of the Mountains 13 Of Ursula and the Bear 14 Now Come the Messengers of the Innocent Folk 15 They Come to the Land of the Innocent Folk 16 They Come to the House of the Sorceress 17 They Come Through the Woodland to the Thirsty Desert 18 They Come to the Dry Tree 19 They Come Out of the Thirsty Desert 20 They Come to the Ocean Sea 21 Now They Drink of the Well at the World's End 22 Now They Have Drunk and Are Glad

BOOK FOUR The Road Home

 1 Ralph and Ursula Come Back Again Through the Great Mountains 2 They Hear New Tidings of Utterbol 3 They Winter With the Sage; and Thereafter Come Again to Vale Turris 4 A Feast in the Red Pavilion 5 Bull Telleth of His Winning of the Lordship of Utterbol 6 They Ride From Vale Turris. Redhead Tells of Agatha 7 Of Their Riding the Waste, and of a Battle Thereon 8 Of Goldburg Again, and the Queen Thereof 9 They Come to Cheaping Knowe Once More. Of the King Thereof 10 An Adventure on the Way to the Mountains 11 They Come Through the Mountains Into the Plain 12 The Roads Sunder Again 13 They Come to Whitwall Again 14 They Ride Away From Whitwall 15 A Strange Meeting in the Wilderness 16 They Come to the Castle of Abundance Once More 17 They Fall in With That Hermit 18 A Change of Days in the Burg of the Four Friths 19 Ralph Sees Hampton and the Scaur 20 They Come to the Gate of Higham By the Way 21 Talk Between Those Two Brethren 22 An Old Acquaintance Comes From the Down Country to See Ralph 23 They Ride to Bear Castle 24 The Folkmote of the Shepherds 25 They Come to Wulstead 26 Ralph Sees His Father and Mother Again 27 Ralph Holds Converse With Katherine His Gossip 28 Dame Katherine Tells of the Pair of Beads, and Whence She Had Them 29 They Go Down to Battle in Upmeads 30 Ralph Brings His Father and Mother to Upmeads 31 Ralph Brings Ursula Home to the High House 32 Yet a Few Words Concerning Ralph of Upmeads

BOOK ONE

The Road Unto Love

CHAPTER 1

The Sundering of the Ways

Long ago there was a little land, over which ruled a regulus orkinglet, who was called King Peter, though his kingdom was but little. He had four sons whose names were Blaise, Hugh, Gregory and Ralph: ofthese Ralph was the youngest, whereas he was but of twenty winters andone; and Blaise was the oldest and had seen thirty winters. 

Now it came to this at last, that to these young men the kingdom oftheir father seemed strait; and they longed to see the ways of othermen, and to strive for life. For though they were king's sons, theyhad but little world's wealth; save and except good meat and drink, andenough or too much thereof; house-room of the best; friends to be merrywith, and maidens to kiss, and these also as good as might be; freedomwithal to come and go as they would; the heavens above them, the earthto bear them up, and the meadows and acres, the woods and fair streams, and the little hills of Upmeads, for that was the name of their countryand the kingdom of King Peter. 

So having nought but this little they longed for much; and that themore because, king's sons as they were, they had but scant dominionsave over their horses and dogs: for the men of that country werestubborn and sturdy vavassors, and might not away with masterfuldoings, but were like to pay back a blow with a blow, and a foul wordwith a buffet. So that, all things considered, it was little wonder ifKing Peter's sons found themselves straitened in their little land:wherein was no great merchant city; no mighty castle, or noble abbey ofmonks: nought but fair little halls of yeomen, with here and there afranklin's court or a shield-knight's manor-house; with many a goodlychurch, and whiles a house of good canons, who knew not the road toRome, nor how to find the door of the Chancellor's house. 

So these young men wearied their father and mother a long while withtelling them of their weariness, and their longing to be gone: till atlast on a fair and hot afternoon of June King Peter rose up from thecarpet which the Prior of St. John's by the Bridge had given him (forhe had been sleeping thereon amidst the grass of his orchard after hisdinner) and he went into the hall of his house, which was called theHigh House of Upmeads, and sent for his four sons to come to him. Andthey came and stood before his high-seat and he said:

"Sons, ye have long wearied me with words concerning your longing fortravel on the roads; now if ye verily wish to be gone, tell me whenwould ye take your departure if ye had your choice?"

They looked at one another, and the three younger ones nodded at Blaisethe eldest: so he began, and said: "Saving the love and honour thatwe have for thee, and also for our mother, we would be gone at once, even with the noon's meat still in our bellies. But thou art the lordin this land, and thou must rule. Have I said well, brethren?" Andthey all said "Yea, yea. " Then said the king; "Good! now is the sunhigh and hot; yet if ye ride softly ye may come to some good harbourbefore nightfall without foundering your horses. So come ye in anhour's space to the Four-want-way, and there and then will I order yourdeparture. "

The young men were full of joy when they heard his word; and theydeparted and went this way and that, gathering such small matters aseach deemed that he needed, and which he might lightly carry with him;then they armed themselves, and would bid the squires bring them theirhorses; but men told them that the said squires had gone their waysalready to the Want-way by the king's commandment: so thither they wentat once a-foot all four in company, laughing and talking togethermerrily. 

It must be told that this Want-way aforesaid was but four furlongs fromthe House, which lay in an ingle of the river called Upmeads Wateramongst very fair meadows at the end of the upland tillage; and theland sloped gently up toward the hill-country and the unseen mountainson the north; but to the south was a low ridge which ran along thewater, as it wound along from west to east. Beyond the said ridge, ata place whence you could see the higher hills to the south, thatstretched mainly east and west also, there was presently an end of theKingdom of Upmeads, though the neighbours on that side were peaceableand friendly, and were wont to send gifts to King Peter. But towardthe north beyond the Want-way King Peter was lord over a good stretchof land, and that of the best; yet was he never a rich man, for he hadno freedom to tax and tail his folk, nor forsooth would he have used itif he had; for he was no ill man, but kindly and of measure. On thesenorthern marches there was war at whiles, whereas they ended in a greatforest well furnished of trees; and this wood was debateable, and KingPeter and his sons rode therein at their peril: but great plenty wastherein of all wild deer, as hart, and buck, and roe, and swine, andbears and wolves withal. The lord on the other side thereof was amightier man than King Peter, albeit he was a bishop, and a baron ofHoly Church. To say sooth he was a close-fist and a manslayer; thoughhe did his manslaying through his vicars, the knights and men-at-armswho held their manors of him, or whom he waged. 

In that forest had King Peter's father died in battle, and his eldestson also; therefore, being a man of peace, he rode therein but seldom, though his sons, the three eldest of them, had both ridden therein andran therefrom valiantly. As for Ralph the youngest, his father wouldnot have him ride the Wood Debateable as yet. 

So came those young men to the Want-ways, and found their fathersitting there on a heap of stones, and over against him eight horses, four destriers, and four hackneys, and four squires withal. So theycame and stood before their father, waiting for his word, and wonderingwhat it would be. 

Now spake King Peter: "Fair sons, ye would go on all adventure to seeka wider land, and a more stirring life than ye may get of me at home:so be it! But I have bethought me, that, since I am growing old andpast the age of getting children, one of you, my sons, must abide athome to cherish me and your mother, and to lead our carles in war iftrouble falleth upon us. Now I know not how to choose by mine own witwhich of you shall ride and which abide. For so it is that ye arediverse of your conditions; but the evil conditions which one of youlacks the other hath, and the valiancy which one hath, the other lacks. Blaise is wise and prudent, but no great man of his hands. Hugh is astout rider and lifter, but headstrong and foolhardy, and overbounteous a skinker; and Gregory is courteous and many worded, butsluggish in deed; though I will not call him a dastard. As for Ralph, he is fair to look on, and peradventure he may be as wise as Blaise, asvaliant as Hugh, and as smooth-tongued as Gregory; but of all this weknow little or nothing, whereas he is but young and untried. Yet mayhe do better than you others, and I deem that he will do so. Allthings considered, then, I say, I know not how to choose between you, my sons; so let luck choose for me, and ye shall draw cuts for yourroads; and he that draweth longest shall go north, and the next longestshall go east, and the third straw shall send the drawer west; but asto him who draweth the shortest cut, he shall go no whither but backagain to my house, there to abide with me the chances and changes oflife; and it is most like that this one shall sit in my chair when I amgone, and be called King of Upmeads. 

"Now, my sons, doth this ordinance please you? For if so be it dothnot, then may ye all abide at home, and eat of my meat, and drink of mycup, but little chided either for sloth or misdoing, even as it hathbeen aforetime. "

The young men looked at one another, and Blaise answered and said:"Sir, as for me I say we will do after your commandment, to take whatroad luck may show us, or to turn back home again. " They all yeasaidthis one after the other; and then King Peter said: "Now before I drawthe cuts, I shall tell you that I have appointed the squires to go witheach one of you. Richard the Red shall go with Blaise; for though hebe somewhat stricken in years, and wise, yet is he a fierce carle and adoughty, and knoweth well all feats of arms. 

"Lancelot Longtongue shall be squire to Hugh; for he is good of seemingand can compass all courtesy, and knoweth logic (though it be of thelaw and not of the schools), yet is he a proper man of his hands; asneeds must he be who followeth Hugh; for where is Hugh, there istrouble and debate. 

"Clement the Black shall serve Gregory: for he is a careful carle, andspeaketh one word to every ten deeds that he doeth; whether they bedone with point and edge, or with the hammer in the smithy. 

"Lastly, I have none left to follow thee, Ralph, save NicholasLongshanks; but though he hath more words than I have, yet hath he morewisdom, and is a man lettered and far-travelled, and loveth our houseright well. 

"How say ye, sons, is this to your liking?"

They all said "yea. " Then quoth the king; "Nicholas, bring hither thestraws ready dight, and I will give them my sons to draw. "

So each young man came up in turn and drew; and King Peter laid thestraws together and looked at them, and said:

"Thus it is, Hugh goeth north with Lancelot, Gregory westward withClement. " He stayed a moment and then said: "Blaise fareth eastwardand Richard with him. As for thee, Ralph my dear son, thou shalt backwith me and abide in my house and I shall see thee day by day; and thoushalt help me to live my last years happily in all honour; and thy loveshall be my hope, and thy valiancy my stay. "

Therewith he arose and threw his arm about the young man's neck; but heshrank away a little from his father, and his face grew troubled; andKing Peter noted that, and his countenance fell, and he said:

"Nay nay, my son; grudge not thy brethren the chances of the road, andthe ill-hap of the battle. Here at least for thee is the bounteousboard and the full cup, and the love of kindred and well-willers, andthe fellowship of the folk. O well is thee, my son, and happy shaltthou be!"

But the young man knit his brows and said no word in answer. 

Then came forward those three brethren who were to fare at alladventure, and they stood before the old man saying nought. Then helaughed and said: "O ho, my sons! Here in Upmeads have ye all ye needwithout money, but when ye fare in the outlands ye need money; is itnot a lack of yours that your pouches be bare? Abide, for I have seento it. "

Therewith he drew out of his pouch three little bags, and said; "Takeye each one of these; for therein is all that my treasury may shed asnow. In each of these is there coined money, both white and red, andsome deal of gold uncoined, and of rings and brooches a few, and byestimation there is in each bag the same value reckoned in lawfulsilver of Upmeads and the Wolds and the Overhill-Countries. Take upeach what there is, and do the best ye may therewith. "

Then each took his bag, and kissed and embraced his father; and theykissed Ralph and each other, and so got to horse and departed withtheir squires, going softly because of the hot sun. But Nicholasslowly mounted his hackney and led Ralph's war-horse with him homeagain to King Peter's House. 

CHAPTER 2

Ralph Goeth Back Home to the High House

Ralph and King Peter walked slowly home together, and as they went KingPeter fell to telling of how in his young days he rode in the WoodDebateable, and was belated there all alone, and happed upon men whowere outlaws and wolfheads, and feared for his life; but they treatedhim kindly, and honoured him, and saw him safe on his way in themorning. So that never thereafter would he be art and part with thosewho hunted outlaws to slay them. "For, " said he, "it is with these menas with others, that they make prey of folk; yet these for the morepart prey on the rich, and the lawful prey on the poor. Otherwise itis with these wolfheads as with lords and knights and franklins, thatas there be bad amongst them, so also there be good; and the good onesI happed on, and so may another man. "

Hereto paid Ralph little heed at that time, since he had heard the taleand its morality before, and that more than once; and moreover his mindwas set upon his own matters and these was he pondering. Albeitperchance the words abode with him. So came they to the House, andRalph's mother, who was a noble dame, and well-liking as for her years, which were but little over fifty, stood in the hall-door to see whichof her sons should come back to her, and when she saw them comingtogether, she went up to them, and cast her arms about Ralph and kissedhim and caressed him--being exceeding glad that it was he and not oneof the others who had returned to dwell with them; for he was herbest-beloved, as was little marvel, seeing that he was by far thefairest and the most loving. But Ralph's face grew troubled again inhis mother's arms, for he loved her exceeding well; and forsooth heloved the whole house and all that dwelt there, down to the turnspitdogs in the chimney ingle, and the swallows that nested in the earthenbottles, which when he was little he had seen his mother put up in theeaves of the out-bowers: but now, love or no love, the spur was in hisside, and he must needs hasten as fate would have him. However, whenhe had disentangled himself from his mother's caresses, he enforcedhimself to keep a cheerful countenance, and upheld it the whole eveningthrough, and was by seeming merry at supper, and went to bed singing. 

CHAPTER 3

Ralph Cometh to the Cheaping-Town

He slept in an upper chamber in a turret of the House, which chamberwas his own, and none might meddle with it. There the next day heawoke in the dawning, and arose and clad himself, and took his wargearand his sword and spear, and bore all away without doors to the side ofthe Ford in that ingle of the river, and laid it for a while in alittle willow copse, so that no chance-comer might see it; then he wentback to the stable of the House and took his destrier from the stall(it was a dapple-grey horse called Falcon, and was right good, ) andbrought him down to the said willow copse, and tied him to a tree tillhe had armed himself amongst the willows, whence he came forthpresently as brisk-looking and likely a man-at-arms as you might see ona summer day. Then he clomb up into the saddle, and went his wayssplashing across the ford, before the sun had arisen, while thethrostle-cocks were yet amidst their first song. 

Then he rode on a little trot south away; and by then the sun was up hewas without the bounds of Upmeads; albeit in the land thereabout dweltnone who were not friends to King Peter and his sons: and that waswell, for now were folk stirring and were abroad in the fields; as aband of carles going with their scythes to the hay-field; or a maidenwith her milking-pails going to her kine, barefoot through the seedinggrass; or a company of noisy little lads on their way to the nearestpool of the stream that they might bathe in the warm morning after thewarm night. All these and more knew him and his armour and Falcon hishorse, and gave him the sele of the day, and he was nowise troubled atmeeting them; for besides that they thought it no wonder to meet one ofthe lords of Upmeads going armed about his errands, their own errandswere close at home, and it was little likely that they should go thatday so far as to Upmeads Water, seeing that it ran through the meadowsa half-score miles to the north-ward. 

So Ralph rode on, and came into the high road, that led one way backagain into Upmeads, and crossed the Water by a fair bridge late buildedbetween King Peter and a house of Canons on the north side, and theother way into a good cheaping-town hight Wulstead, beyond which Ralphknew little of the world which lay to the south, and seemed to him awondrous place, full of fair things and marvellous adventures. 

So he rode till he came into the town when the fair morning was stillyoung, the first mass over, and maids gathered about the fountainamidst the market-place, and two or three dames sitting under thebuttercross. Ralph rode straight up to the house of a man whom heknew, and had often given him guesting there, and he himself was notseldom seen in the High House of Upmeads. This man was a merchant, whowent and came betwixt men's houses, and bought and sold many thingsneedful and pleasant to folk, and King Peter dealt with him much andoften. Now he stood in the door of his house, which was new andgoodly, sniffing the sweet scents which the morning wind bore into thetown; he was clad in a goodly long gown of grey welted with silver, ofthin cloth meet for the summer-tide: for little he wrought with hishands, but much with his tongue; he was a man of forty summers, ruddy-faced and black-bearded, and he was called Clement Chapman. 

When he saw Ralph he smiled kindly on him, and came and held hisstirrup as he lighted down, and said: "Welcome, lord! Art thou cometo give me a message, and eat and drink in a poor huckster's house, andthou armed so gallantly?"

Ralph laughed merrily, for he was hungry, and he said: "Yea, I will eatand drink with thee and kiss my gossip, and go my ways. "

Therewith the carle led him into the house; and if it were goodlywithout, within it was better. For there was a fair chamber panelledwith wainscot well carven, and a cupboard of no sorry vessels of silverand latten: the chairs and stools as fair as might be; no king's mightbe better: the windows were glazed, and there were flowers and knotsand posies in them; and the bed was hung with goodly web from over seasuch as the soldan useth. Also, whereas the chapman's ware-bowers werehard by the chamber, there was a pleasant mingled smell therefromfloating about. The table was set with meat and drink and vessel ofpewter and earth, all fair and good; and thereby stood the chapman'swife, a very goodly woman of two-score years, who had held Ralph at thefont when she was a slim damsel new wedded; for she was come of no meankindred of the Kingdom of Upmeads: her name was Dame Katherine. 

Now she kissed Ralph's cheek friendly, and said: "Welcome, gossip! thouart here in good time to break thy fast; and we will give thee a trimdinner thereafter, when thou hast been here and there in the town anddone thine errand; and then shalt thou drink a cup and sing me a song, and so home again in the cool of the evening. "

Ralph seemed a little troubled at her word, and he said: "Nay, gossip, though I thank thee for all these good things as though I had them, yetmust I ride away south straightway after I have breakfasted, and saidone word to the goodman. Goodman, how call ye the next town southward, and how far is it thither?"

Quoth Clement: "My son, what hast thou to do with riding south? Asthou wottest, going hence south ye must presently ride thehill-country; and that is no safe journey for a lonely man, even if hebe a doughty knight like to thee, lord. "

Said Ralph, reddening withal: "I have an errand that way. "

"An errand of King Peter's or thine own?" said Clement. 

"Of King Peter's, if ye must wot, " said Ralph. 

Clement were no chapman had he not seen that the lad was lying; so hesaid:

"Fair lord, saving your worship, how would it be as to the speeding ofKing Peter's errand, if I brought thee before our mayor, and swore thepeace against thee; so that I might keep thee in courteous prison tillI had sent to thy father of thy whereabouts?"

The young man turned red with anger; but ere he could speak DameKatherine said sharply: "Hold thy peace, Clement! What hast thou tomeddle or make in the matter? If our young lord hath will to ride outand see the world, why should we let him? Yea, why should his fatherlet him, if it come to that? Take my word for it that my gossip shallgo through the world and come back to those that love him, as goodly ashe went forth. And hold! here is for a token thereof. "

Therewith she went to an ark that stood in the corner, and groped inthe till thereof and brought out a little necklace of blue and greenstones with gold knobs betwixt, like a pair of beads; albeit neitherpope nor priest had blessed them; and tied to the necklace was a littlebox of gold with something hidden therein. This gaud she gave toRalph, and said to him: "Gossip, wear this about thy neck, and let noman take it from thee, and I think it will be salvation to thee inperil, and good luck to thee in the time of questing; so that it shallbe to thee as if thou hadst drunk of the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END. "

"What is that water?" said Ralph, "and how may I find it?"

"I know not rightly, " she said, "but if a body might come by it, I hearsay it saveth from weariness and wounding and sickness; and it winnethlove from all, and maybe life everlasting. Hast thou not heard tell ofit, my husband?"

"Yea, " said the chapman, "many times; and how that whoso hath drunkthereof hath the tongue that none may withstand, whether in buying orselling, or prevailing over the hearts of men in any wise. But as forits wherabouts, ye shall not find it in these parts. Men say that itis beyond the Dry Tree; and that is afar, God wot! But now, lordRalph, I rede thee go back again this evening with Andrew, my nephew, for company: forsooth, he will do little less gainful than riding withthee to Upmeads than if he abide in Wulstead; for he is idle. But, mylord, take it not amiss that I spake about the mayor and the tipstaves;for it was but a jest, as thou mayest well wot. "

Ralph's face cleared at that word, and he stood smiling, weighing thechaplet in his hand; but Dame Katherine said:

"Dear gossip, do it on speedily; for it is a gift from me unto thee:and from a gossip even king's sons may take a gift. "

Quoth Ralph: "But is it lawful to wear it? is there no wizardry withinit?"

"Hearken to him!" she said, "and how like unto a man he speaketh; ifthere were a brawl in the street, he would strike in and ask no wordthereof, not even which were the better side: whereas here is myfalcon-chick frighted at a little gold box and a pair of Saracen beads. "

"Well, " quoth Ralph, "the first holy man I meet shall bless them forme. "

"That shall he not, " said the dame, "that shall he not. Who wottethwhat shall betide to thee or me if he do so? Come, do them on, andthen to table! For seest thou not that the goodman is wearying formeat? and even thine eyes will shine the brighter for a mouthful, king's son and gossip. "

She took him by the hand and did the beads on his neck and kissed andfondled him before he sat down, while the goodman looked on, grinningrather sheepishly, but said nought to them; and only called on his boyto lead the destrier to stable. So when they were set down, thechapman took up the word where it had been dropped, and said: "So, Lord Ralph, thou must needs take to adventures, being, as thou deemest, full grown. That is all one as the duck taketh to water despite of thehen that hath hatched her. Well, it was not to be thought that Upmeadswould hold you lords much longer. Or what is gone with my lords yourbrethren?"

Said Ralph: "They have departed at all adventure, north, east, andwest, each bearing our father's blessing and a bag of pennies. And tospeak the truth, goodman, for I perceive I am no doctor at lying, myfather and mother would have me stay at home when my brethren weregone, and that liketh me not; therefore am I come out to seek my luckin the world: for Upmeads is good for a star-gazer, maybe, or asimpler, or a priest, or a worthy good carle of the fields, but not fora king's son with the blood running hot in his veins. Or what sayestthou, gossip?"

Quoth the dame: "I could weep for thy mother; but for thee nought atall. It is good that thou shouldest do thy will in the season of youthand the days of thy pleasure. Yea, and I deem that thou shalt comeback again great and worshipful; and I am called somewhat foreseeing. Only look to it that thou keep the pretty thing that I have just giventhee. "

"Well, " said the chapman, "this is fine talk about pleasure and thedoing of one's will; nevertheless a whole skin is good wares, though itbe not to be cheapened in any market of the world. Now, lord, go thouwhere thou wilt, whether I say go or abide; and forsooth I am no man ofKing Peter's, that I should stay thee. As for the name of the nexttown, it is called Higham-on-the-Way, and is a big town plenteous ofvictuals, with strong walls and a castle, and a very rich abbey ofmonks: and there is peace within its walls, because the father abbotwages a many men to guard him and his, and to uphold his rights againstall comers; wherein he doth wisely, and also well. For much folkflocketh to his town and live well therein; and there is great recourseof chapmen thither. No better market is there betwixt this andBabylon. Well, Sir Ralph, I rede thee if thou comest unhurt toHigham-on-the-Way, go no further for this time, but take service withthe lord abbot, and be one of his men of war; thou may'st then becomehis captain if thou shouldest live; which would be no bad adventure forone who cometh from Upmeads. "

Ralph looked no brighter for this word, and he answered nought to it:but said presently:

"And what is to be looked for beyond Higham if one goeth further? Dostthou know the land any further?"

The carle smiled: "Yea forsooth, and down to the Wood Perilous, andbeyond it, and the lands beyond the Wood; and far away through them. Isay not that I have been to the Dry Tree; but I have spoken to one whohath heard of him who hath seen it; though he might not come by adraught of the Well at the World's End. "

Ralph's eyes flashed, and his cheeks reddened as he listened hereto;but he spake quietly:

"Master Clement, how far dost thou make it to Higham-on-the-Way?"

"A matter of forty miles, " said the Chapman; "because, as thou wottest, if ye ride south from hence, ye shall presently bring your nose upagainst the big downs, and must needs climb them at once; and when yeare at the top of Bear Hill, and look south away ye shall see noughtbut downs on downs with never a road to call a road, and never acastle, or church, or homestead: nought but some shepherd's hut; or atthe most the little house of a holy man with a little chapel thereby insome swelly of the chalk, where the water hath trickled into a pool;for otherwise the place is waterless. " Therewith he took a long pull atthe tankard by his side, and went on:

"Higham is beyond all that, and out into the fertile plain; and alittle river hight Coldlake windeth about the meadows there; and it isa fair land; though look you the wool of the downs is good, good, good!I have foison of this year's fleeces with me. Ye shall raise none suchin Upmeads. "

Ralph sat silent a little, as if pondering, and then he started up andsaid: "Good master Clement, we have eaten thy meat and thank thee forthat and other matters. Wilt thou now be kinder, and bid thy boy bringround Falcon our horse; for we have far to go, and must begonestraight-away. "

"Yea, lord, " said Clement, "even so will I do. " And he muttered underhis breath; "Thou talkest big, my lad, with thy 'we'; but thou artpressed lest Nicholas be here presently to fetch thee back; and to saysooth I would his hand were on thy shoulder even now. "

Then he spake aloud again, and said:

"I must now begone to my lads, and I will send one round with thywar-horse. But take my rede, my lord, and become the man of the Abbotof St. Mary's of Higham, and all will be well. "

Therewith he edged himself out of the chamber, and the dame fell tomaking a mighty clatter with the vessel and trenchers and cups on theboard, while Ralph walked up and down the chamber his war-gear jinglingupon him. Presently the dame left her table-clatter and came up toRalph and looked kindly into his face and said: "Gossip, hast thouperchance any money?"

He flushed up red, and then his face fell; yet he spake gaily: "Yea, gossip, I have both white and red: there are three golden crowns in mypouch, and a little flock of silver pennies: forsooth I say not as manyas would reach from here to Upmeads, if they were laid one after theother. "

She smiled and patted his cheek, and said:

"Thou art no very prudent child, king's son. But it comes into my mindthat my master did not mean thee to go away empty-handed; else had henot departed and left us twain together. "

Therewith she went to the credence that stood in a corner, and opened adrawer therein and took out a little bag, and gave it into Ralph'shand, and said: "This is the gift of the gossip; and thou mayst takeit without shame; all the more because if thy father had been a worserman, and a harder lord he would have had more to give thee. But nowthou hast as much or more as any one of thy brethren. "

He took the bag smiling and shame-faced, but she looked on him fondlyand said:

"Now I know not whether I shall lay old Nicholas on thine heels when hecometh after thee, as come he will full surely; or whether I shallsuffer the old sleuth-hound nose out thy slot of himself, as fullsurely he will set on to it. "

"Thou mightest tell him, " said Ralph, "that I am gone to take servicewith the Abbot of St. Mary's of Higham: hah?"

She laughed and said: "Wilt thou do so, lord, and follow the rede ofthat goodman of mine, who thinketh himself as wise as Solomon?"

Ralph smiled and answered her nothing. 

"Well, " she said, "I shall say what likes me when the hour is at hand. Lo, here! thine horse. Abide yet a moment of time, and then go whitherthou needs must, like the wind of the summer day. "

Therewith she went out of the chamber and came back again with a scripwhich she gave to Ralph and said: "Herein is a flask of drink for thewaterless country, and a little meat for the way. Fare thee well, gossip! Little did I look for it when I rose up this morning andnothing irked me save the dulness of our town, and the littleness ofmen's doings therein, that I should have to cut off a piece of my lifefrom me this morning, and say, farewell gossip, as now again I do. "

Therewith she kissed him on either cheek and embraced him; and it mightbe said of her and him that she let him go thereafter; for though asaforesaid he loved her, and praised her kindness, he scarce understoodthe eagerness of her love for him; whereas moreover she saw him not sooften betwixt Upmeads and Wulstead: and belike she herself scarceunderstood it. Albeit she was a childless woman. 

So when he had got to horse, she watched him riding a moment, and sawhow he waved his hand to her as he turned the corner of themarket-place, and how a knot of lads and lasses stood staring on himafter she lost sight of him. Then she turned her back into the chamberand laid her head on the table and wept. Then came in the goodmanquietly and stood by her and she heeded him not. He stood grinningcuriously on her awhile, and then laid his hand on her shoulder, andsaid as she raised her face to him:

"Sweetheart, it availeth nought; when thou wert young and exceedingfair, he was but a little babe, and thou wert looking in those days tohave babes of thine own; and then it was too soon: and now that he issuch a beauteous young man, and a king's son withal, and thou artwedded to a careful carle of no weak heart, and thou thyself art morethan two-score years old, it is too late. Yet thou didst well to giveour lord the money. Lo! here is wherewithal to fill up the lack in thychest; and here is a toy for thee in place of the pair of beads thougavest him; and I bid thee look on it as if I had given him my share ofthe money and the beads. "

She turned to Clement, and took the bag of money, and the chaplet whichhe held out to her, and she said: "God wot thou art no ill man, myhusband, but would God I had a son like to him!"

She still wept somewhat; but the chapman said: "Let it rest there, sweetheart! let it rest there! It may be a year or twain before thouseest him again: and then belike he shall be come back with some womanwhom he loves better than any other; and who knows but in a way he maydeem himself our son. Meanwhile thou hast done well, sweetheart, so beglad. "

Therewith he kissed her and went his ways to his merchandize, and sheto the ordering of her house, grieved but not unhappy. 

CHAPTER 4

Ralph Rideth the Downs

As for Ralph, he rode on with a merry heart, and presently came to anend of the plain country, and the great downs rose up before him with awhite road winding up to the top of them. Just before the slopes beganto rise was a little thorp beside a stream, and thereby a fair churchand a little house of Canons: so Ralph rode toward the church to see iftherein were an altar of St. Nicholas, who was his good lord andpatron, that he might ask of him a blessing on his journey. But as hecame up to the churchyard-gate he saw a great black horse tied theretoas if abiding some one; and as he lighted down from his saddle he saw aman coming hastily from out the church-door and striding swiftly towardthe said gate. He was a big man, and armed; for he had a bright steelsallet on his head, which covered his face all save the end of hischin; and plates he had on his legs and arms. He wore a green coatover his armour, and thereon was wrought in gold an image of a treeleafless: he had a little steel axe about his neck, and a great swordhung by his side. Ralph stood looking on him with his hand on thelatch of the gate, but when the man came thereto he tore it openroughly and shoved through at once, driving Ralph back, so that hewell-nigh overset him, and so sprang to his horse and swung himselfinto the saddle, just as Ralph steadied himself and ruffled up to him, half drawing his sword from the scabbard the while. But theman-at-arms cried out, "Put it back, put it back! If thou must needsdeal with every man that shoveth thee in his haste, thy life is like tobe but short. "

He was settling himself in his saddle as he spoke, and now he shook hisrein, and rode off speedily toward the hill-road. But when he was sofar off that Ralph might but see his face but as a piece of reddishcolour, he reined up for a moment of time, and turning round in hissaddle lifted up his sallet and left his face bare, and cried out as ifto Ralph, "The first time!" And then let the head-piece fall again, andset spurs to his horse and gallopped away. 

Ralph stood looking at him as he got smaller on the long white road, and wondering what this might mean, and how the unknown man should knowhim, if he did know him. But presently he let his wonder run off him, and went his ways into the church, wherein he found his good lord andfriend St. Nicholas, and so said a paternoster before his altar, andbesought his help, and made his offering; and then departed and gat tohorse again, and rode softly the way to the downs, for the day was hot. 

The way was steep and winding, with a hollow cup of the hills below it, and above it a bent so steep that Ralph could see but a few yards of iton his left hand; but when he came to the hill's brow and could lookdown on the said bent, he saw strange figures on the face thereof, doneby cutting away the turf so that the chalk might show clear. A treewith leaves was done on that hill-side, and on either hand of it abeast like a bear ramping up against the tree; and these signs werevery ancient. This hill-side carving could not be seen from the thorpbeneath, which was called Netherton, because the bent looked westwarddown into the hollow of the hill abovesaid; but from nigher to Wulsteadthey were clear to see, and Ralph had often beheld them, but never sonigh: and that hill was called after them Bear Hill. At the top of itwas an earth-work of the ancient folk, which also was called BearCastle. And now Ralph rode over the hill's brow into it; for the wallshad been beaten down in places long and long ago. 

Now he rode up the wall, and at the topmost of it turned and lookedaback on the blue country which he had ridden through stretching many aleague below, and tried if he could pick out Upmeads from amongst thediverse wealth of the summer land: but Upmeads Water was hidden, and hecould see nothing to be sure of to tell him whereabouts the High Housestood; yet he deemed that he could make out the Debateable Wood and thehills behind it well enough. Then he turned his horse about, and hadthe down-country before him; long lines of hills to wit, one risingbehind the other like the waves of a somewhat quiet sea: no treesthereon, nor houses that he might see thence: nought but a green roadthat went waving up and down before him greener than the main face ofthe slopes. 

He looked at it all for a minute or two as the south-west wind wentpast his ears, and played a strange tune on the innumerable stems ofthe bents and the hard-stalked blossoms, to which the bees sangcounterpoint. Then the heart arose within him, and he drew the swordfrom the scabbard, and waved it about his head, and shook it toward thesouth, and cried out, "Now, welcome world, and be thou blessed from oneend to the other, from the ocean sea to the uttermost mountains!"

A while he held the white steel in his fist, and then sheathed theblade, and rode down soberly over the turf bridge across the ancientfosse, and so came on to the green road made many ages before by anancient people, and so trotted south along fair and softly. 

Little is to be told of his journey through the downs: as he topped alow hill whereon were seven grave-mounds of the ancient folk in a row, he came on a shepherd lying amidst of his sheep: the man sprang to hisfeet when he heard horse-hoofs anigh him and saw the glint of steel, and he set his hand to a short spear which lay by him; but when he sawnought but Ralph, and heard how he gave him the sele of the day, henodded his head in a friendly way, though he said nought in salutation;for the loneliness of the downs made the speech slow within him. 

Again some two miles further on Ralph met a flock of sheep coming downa bent which the road climbed, and with them were three men, theirdrovers, and they drew nigh him as he was amidst of the sheep, so thathe could scarce see the way. Each of these three had a weapon; one apole-axe, another a long spear, and the third a flail jointed and boundwith iron, and an anlace hanging at his girdle. So they stood in theway and hailed him when the sheep were gone past; and the man with thespear asked him whither away. "I am turned toward Higham-on-the-Way, "quoth he; "and how many miles shall I ride ere I get there?"

Said one of them: "Little less than twenty, lord. " Now it was pastnoon two hours, and the day was hot; so whereas the faces of the menlooked kind and friendly, albeit somewhat rugged, he lighted down fromhis horse and sat down by the way-side, and drew his bottle of goodwine from out of his wallet, and asked the men if they were in haste. "Nay, master, " said he of the pole-axe, while all eyes turned to thebottle, "HE has gone by too long; and will neither meddle with us, normay we deal with him. "

"Well then, " quoth Ralph, "there is time for bever. Have ye ought of acup, that we may drink to each other?"

"Yea, " said the carle with the anlace, "that have I. " Therewith he drewfrom his pouch a ram's horn rimmed with silver, and held it up, andsaid as if he were speaking to it: "Now, Thirly, rejoice! for ye shallhave lord's wine poured into thy maw. "

Therewith he held it out toward Ralph, who laughed and filled it up, and filled for himself a little silver cup which he carried, and said:"To you, shepherds! Much wool and little cry!" And he drank withal. 

"And I, " quoth the man with the horn, "call this health; Much cry andlittle wool!"

"Well, well, how mean ye by that, Greasy Wat?" said the man with thespear, taking the horn as he spake; "that is but a poor wish for a lordthat drinketh out of our cup. "

Said Wat: "Why, neighbour, why! thy wit is none too hasty. The woolthat a knight sheareth is war and battle; that is wounding and death;but the cry is the talk and boasting and minstrelsy that goeth beforeall this. Which is the best wish to wish him? the wounds and thedeath, or the fore-rumour and stir thereof which hurteth no man?"

Ralph laughed thereat, and was merry and blithe with them; but thespearman, who was an old man, said:

"For all Wat sayeth, lord, and his japes, ye must not misdeem of usthat we shepherds of the Downs can do nought but run to ales andfeasts, and that we are but pot-valiant: maybe thou thyself mayst liveto see things go otherwise: and in that day may we have such as theefor captain. Now, fair lord, I drink to thy crown of valour, and thygood luck; and we thank thee for the wine and yet more for the blithefellowship. "

So Ralph filled up the ram's horn till Dame Katherine's good islandwine was well-nigh spent; and at last he said:

"Now, my masters, I must to horse; but I pray you tell or we depart, what did ye mean when ye said that HE had gone past? Who is HE?"

The merry faces of the men changed at his word, and they looked in eachother's faces, till at last the old spearman answered him:

"Fair lord, these things we have little will to talk about: for we bepoor men with no master to fleece us, and no lord to help us: also webe folk unlearned and unlettered, and from our way of life, whereas wedwell in the wilderness, we seldom come within the doors of a church. But whereas we have drunk with thee, who seemest to be a man oflineage, and thou hast been blithe with us, we will tell thee that wehave seen one riding south along the Greenway, clad in a coat as greenas the way, with the leafless tree done on his breast. So nigh to himwe were that we heard his cry as he sped along, as ye may hear thelapwing whining; for he said: 'POINT AND EDGE, POINT AND EDGE! THE REDWATER AMIDST OF THE HILLS!' In my lifetime such a man hath, to myknowledge, been seen thrice before; and after each sight of himfollowed evil days and the death of men. Moreover this is the Eve ofSt. John, and we deem the token the worse therefor. Or how deemestthou?"

Ralph stood silent awhile; for he was thinking of the big man whom hehad met at the churchyard gate, and all this tale seemed wonderful tohim. But at last he said:

"I cannot tell what there is in it; herein am I no help to you. To-dayI am but little; though I may one day be great. Yet this may I do foryou; tomorrow will I let sing a mass in St. Mary's Church on yourbehoof. And hereafter, if I wax as my will is, and I come to be lordin these lands, I will look to it to do what a good lord should do forthe shepherds of the Downs, so that they may live well, and die in goodhope. So may the Mother of God help me at need!"

Said the old shepherd: "Thou hast sworn an oath, and it is a goodoath, and well sworn. Now if thou dost as thou swearest, words can butlittle thanks, yet deeds may. Wherefore if ever thou comest backhither, and art in such need that a throng of men may help theetherein; then let light a great fire upon each corner of the topmostwall of Bear Castle, and call to mind this watch-word: 'SMITE ASIDE THEAXE, O BEAR-FATHER, ' and then shalt thou see what shall betide thee forthy good-hap: farewell now, with the saints to aid!"

Ralph bade them live well and hail, and mounted his horse and rode offdown the Greenway, and as he rode the shepherds waved their weapons tohim in token of good-will. 

CHAPTER 5

Ralph Cometh to Higham-on-the-Way

Nought more befell Ralph to tell of till he came to the end of theDowns and saw Higham lying below him overlooked by a white castle on aknoll, and with a river lapping it about and winding on through itsfair green meadows even as Clement had told. From amidst its housesrose up three towers of churches above their leaden roofs, and highabove all, long and great, the Abbey Church; and now was the low sunglittering on its gilded vanes and the wings of the angels high uponthe battlements. 

So Ralph rode down the slopes and was brisk about it, for it wasdrawing toward sunset, and he knew not at what hour they shut theirgates. The road was steep and winding, and it was the more part of anhour ere he came to the gate, which was open, and like to be yet, formany folk were thronging in, which throng also had hindered him soonafter he came into the plain country. The gate was fair and strong, but Ralph saw no men-at-arms about it that evening. He rode into thestreet unquestioned, and therein was the throng great of people clad infair and gay attire; and presently Ralph called to mind that this wasSt. John's Eve, so that he knew that there was some feast toward. 

At last the throng was so thick that he was stayed by it; andtherewithal a religious who was beside him and thrust up against hishorse, turned to him and gave him good even, and said: "By thy weaponsand gear thou art a stranger here in our burg, Sir Knight?"

"So it is, " said Ralph. 

"And whither away?" said the monk; "hast thou some kinsman or friend inthe town?"

"Nay, " said Ralph, "I seek a good hostelry where I may abide the nightfor my money. "

The monk shook his head and said: "See ye the folk? It is holidaytime, and midsummer after haysel. Ye shall scarce get lodging outsideour house. But what then? Come thou thither straightway and haveharbour of the best, and see our prior, who loveth young and briskmen-at-arms like to thee. Lo now! the throng openeth a little; I willwalk by thy bridle and lead thee the shortest road thither. "

Ralph gainsaid him not, and they bored through the throng of the streettill they came into the market-square, which was very great and clean, paved with stones all over: tall and fair houses rose up on threesides of it, and on the fourth was the Great Church which made thosehouses seem but low: most of it was new-built; for the lord Abbot thatthen was, though he had not begun it, had taken the work up from hisforerunner and had pushed it forward all he might; for he was veryrich, and an open-handed man. Like dark gold it showed under theevening sun, and the painted and gilded imagery shone like jewels uponit. 

"Yea, " said the monk, as he noted Ralph's wonder at this wonder; "amost goodly house it is, and happy shall they be that dwell there. "

Therewith he led Ralph on, turning aside through the great square. Ralph saw that there were many folk therein, though it was too big tobe thronged thick with them. Amidst of it was now a great pile of woodhung about with flowers, and hard by it a stage built up with hangingsof rich cloth on one side thereof. He asked the monk what this mightmean, and he told him the wood was for the Midsummer bale-fire, and thestage for the show that should come thereafter. So the brother ledRalph down a lane to the south of the great west door, and along theside of the minster and so came to the Abbey gate, and there was Ralphwell greeted, and had all things given him which were due to a goodknight; and then was he brought into the Guest-hall, a very fairchamber, which was now full of men of all degrees. He was shown to aseat on the dais within two of the subprior's, and beside him sat anhonourable lord, a vassal of St. Mary's. So was supper served well andabundantly: the meat and drink was of the best, and the vessel and allthe plenishing was as good as might be; and the walls of that chamberwere hung with noble arras-cloth picturing the Pilgrimage of the Soulof Man. 

Every man there who spoke with Ralph, and they were many, was exceedingcourteous to him; and he heard much talk about him of the wealth of thelands of St. Mary's at Higham, and how it was flourishing; and of theAbbot how mighty he was, so that he might do what he would, and thathis will was to help and to give, and be blithe with all men: and folktold of turmoil and war in other lands, and praised the peace ofHigham-on-the-Way. 

Ralph listened to all this, and smiled, and said to himself that toanother man this might well be the end of his journey for that time;but for him all this peace and well-being was not enough; for though itwere a richer land than Upmeads, yet to the peace and the quiet he waswell used, and he had come forth not for the winning of fatter peace, but to try what new thing his youth and his might and his high hope andhis good hap might accomplish. 

So when the supper was over, and the wine and spices had been brought, the Guest-hall began to thin somewhat, and the brother who had broughtRalph thither came to him and said:

"Fair lord, it were nowise ill if ye went forth, as others of ourguests have done, to see the deeds of Midsummer Eve that shall be donein the great square in honour of Holy John; for our manner therein atHigham has been much thought of. Look my son!"

He pointed to the windows of the hall therewith, and lo! they grewyellow and bright with some fire without, as if a new fiery day hadbeen born out of the dusk of the summer night; for the light that shonethrough the windows out-did the candle-light in the hall. Ralphstarted thereat and laid his right hand to the place of his sword, which indeed he had left with the chamberlain; but the monk laughed andsaid: "Fear nothing, lord; there is no foeman in Higham: come now, lest thou be belated of the show. "

So he led Ralph forth, and into the square, where there was a spaceappointed for the brethren and their guests to see the plays; and thesquare was now so full of folk that it seemed like as if that therewere no one man in the streets which were erewhile so thronged. 

There were rows of men-at-arms in bright armour also to keep the folkin their places, like as hurdles pen the sheep up; howbeit they werenowise rough with folk, but humble and courteous. Many and many werethe torches and cressets burning steadily in the calm air, so that, asaforesaid, night was turned into day. But on the scaffold aforesaidwere standing bright and gay figures, whose names or what they wereRalph had no time to ask. 

Now the bells began to clash from the great tower of the minster, andin a little while they had clashed themselves into order and rang clearand tuneably for a space; and while they were ringing, lo! thosegay-clad people departed from the scaffold, and a canvas painted like amountain-side, rocky and with caves therein, was drawn up at the backof it. Then came thereon one clad like a king holding a fair maiden bythe hand, and with him was a dame richly clad and with a crown on herhead. So these two kissed the maiden, and lamented over her, and wenttheir ways, and the maiden left alone sat down upon a rock and coveredup her face and wept; and while Ralph wondered what this might mean, orwhat grieved the maiden, there came creeping, as it were from out of acranny of the rocks, a worm huge-headed and covered over with scalesthat glittered in the torch-light. Then Ralph sprang up in his place, for he feared for the maiden that the worm would devour her: but themonk who sat by him pulled him down by the skirt, and laughed and said:"Sit still, lord! for the champion also has been provided. "

Then Ralph sat down again somewhat abashed and looked on; yet was hisheart in his mouth the while. And so while the maiden stood as oneastonied before the worm, who gaped upon her with wide open mouth, there came forth from a cleft in the rocks a goodly knight who boresilver, a red cross; and he had his sword in his hand, and he fell uponthe worm to smite him; and the worm ramped up against him, and therewas battle betwixt them, while the maiden knelt anigh with her handsclasped together. 

Then Ralph knew that this was a play of the fight of St. George withthe worm; so he sat silent till the champion had smitten off the worm'shead and had come to the maiden and kissed and embraced her, and shownher the grisly head. Then presently came many folk on to the scaffold, to wit, the king and queen who were the father and mother of themaiden, and a bishop clad in very fair vestments, and knights withal;and they stood about St. George and the maiden, and with them wereminstrels who fell to playing upon harps and fiddles; while other somefell to singing a sweet song in honour of St. George, and the maidendelivered. 

So when it was all done, the monk said: "This play is set forth by themen-at-arms of our lord Abbot, who have great devotion toward St. George, and he is their friend and their good lord. But hereafter willbe other plays, of wild men and their feasting in the woods in theGolden Age of the world; and that is done by the scribes and thelimners. And after that will be a pageant of St. Agnes ordered by theclothiers and the webbers, which be both many and deft in this goodtown. Albeit thou art a young man and hast ridden far to-day belike, and mayhappen thou wilt not be able to endure it: so it may be well tobring thee out of this throng straightway. Moreover I have bethoughtme, that there is much of what is presently to come which we shall seebetter from the minster roof, or even it may be from the tower: wiltthou come then?"

Ralph had liefer have sat there and seen all the plays to the end, forthey seemed to him exceeding fair, and like to ravish the soul from thebody; howbeit, being shamefaced, he knew not how to gainsay thebrother, who took him by the hand, and led him through the press to thewest front of the minster, where on the north side was a little door ina nook. So they went up a stair therein a good way till they came intoa gallery over the western door; and looking forth thence Ralph deemedthat he could have seen a long way had daylight been, for it was higherthan the tops of the highest houses. 

So there they abode a space looking down on the square and its throng, and the bells, which had been ringing when they came up, now ceased awhile. But presently there arose great shouts and clamour amongst thefolk below, and they could see men with torches drawing near to thepile of wood, and then all of a sudden shot up from it a great spiringflame, and all the people shouted together, while the bells broke outagain over their heads. 

Then the brother pointed aloof with his finger and said: "Lo you! fairlord, how bale speaks to bale all along the headlands of thedown-country, and below there in the thorps by the river!"

Forsooth Ralph saw fire after fire break out to the westward; and thebrother said: "And if we stood over the high altar and looked east, yewould see more of such fires and many more; and all these bales arepiled up and lighted by vassals and villeins of my lord Abbot: nowto-night they are but mere Midsummer bale-fires; but doubt ye not thatif there came war into the land each one of these bales would mean atleast a half-score of stout men, archers and men-at-arms, all ready toserve their lord at all adventure. All this the tyrants round about, that hate holy Church and oppress the poor, know full well; thereforewe live in peace in these lands. "

Ralph hearkened, but said nought; for amidst all this flashing of fireand flame, and the crying out of folk, and the measured clash of thebells so near him, his thought was confused, and he had no words readyto hand. But the monk turned from the parapet and looked him full inthe face and said to him:

"Thou art a fair young man, and strong, and of gentle blood as I deem;and thou seemest to me to have the lucky look in thine eyes: now I tellthee that if thou wert to take service with my lord thou shouldestnever rue it. Yea, why shouldest thou not wax in his service, andbecome his Captain of Captains, which is an office meet for kings?"

Ralph looked on him, but answered nought, for he could not gather histhoughts for an answer; and the brother said: "Think of it, I bid thee, fair young lord; and be sure that nowhere shalt thou have a betterlivelihood, not even wert thou a king's son; for the children of mylord Abbot are such that none dareth to do them any displeasure;neither is any overlord as good as is Holy Church. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "doubtless thou sayest sooth; yet I wot not that Iam come forth to seek a master. "

Said the brother: "Nay, do but see the lord Abbot, as thou mayst doto-morrow, if thou wilt. "

"I would have his blessing, " said Ralph. 

"No less shalt thou have, " said the brother; "but look you down yonder;for I can see tokens that my lord is even now coming forth. "

Ralph looked down and beheld the folk parting to right and left, and alane made amidst the throng, guarded by men-at-arms mingled with thecross-bearers and brethren; and the sound of trumpets blared forth overthe noises of the throng. 

"If the lord Abbot cometh, " said Ralph, "I were fain of his blessingto-night before I sleep: so go we down straightway that I may kneelbefore him with the rest. "

"What!" said the monk, "Wilt thou, my lord, kneel amongst all theseburgesses and vavassors when thou mightest see the Abbot in his ownchamber face to face alone with him?"

"Father, " said Ralph, "I am no great man, and I must needs departbetimes to-morrow; for I perceive that here are things too mighty andover-mastering for such as I be. "

"Well, " said the monk, "yet mayst thou come back again; so at present Iwill make no more words about it. "

So they went down, and came out amidst the throng, above which the balestill flared high, making the summer night as light as day. Thebrother made way for Ralph, so that they stood in the front row offolk: they had not been there one minute ere they heard the sound ofthe brethren singing, and the Abbot came forth out of the lane thatwent down to the gate. Then all folk went down upon their knees, andthus abode him. Right so Ralph deemed that he felt some one pull hissleeve, but in such a throng that was nought of a wonder; howbeit, heturned and looked to his left, whence came the tug, and saw kneelingbeside him a tall man-at-arms, who bore a sallet on his head in suchwise that it covered all his face save the point of his chin. ThenRalph bethought him of the man of the leafless tree, and he looked tosee what armoury the man bore on his coat; but he had nothing save aloose frock of white linen over his hauberk. Nevertheless, he heard avoice in his ear, which said, "The second time!" whereon he deemed thatit was verily that same man: yet had he nought to do to lay hold onhim, and he might not speak with him, for even therewith came the Abbotin garments all of gold, going a-foot under a canopy of baudekyn, withthe precious mitre on his head, and the crozier borne before him, as ifhe had been a patriarch: for he was an exceeding mighty lord. 

Ralph looked hard on him as he passed by, blessing the folk withupraised hand; and he saw that he was a tall spare man, clean-shaven, and thin-faced; but no old man, belike scarce of fifty winters. Ralphcaught his eye, and he smiled on the goodly young man so kindly, thatfor a moment Ralph deemed that he would dwell in St. Mary's House for alittle while; for, thought he, if my father, or Nicholas, hear of metherein, they must even let me alone to abide here. 

Therewith the Abbot went forth to his place, and sat him down under agoodly cloth of estate, and folk stood up again; but when Ralph lookedfor the man in the sallet he could see nought of him. Now when theAbbot was set down, men made a clear ring round about the bale, andthere came into the said ring twelve young men, each clad in noughtsave a goat-skin, and with garlands of leaves and flowers about theirmiddles: they had with them a wheel done about with straw and hemppayed with pitch and brimstone. They set fire to the same, and thentrundled it blazing round about the bale twelve times. Then came tothem twelve damsels clad in such-like guise as the young men: thenboth bands, the young men and the maidens, drew near to the bale, whichwas now burning low, and stood about it, and joined hands, and sodanced round it a while, and meantime the fiddles played an uncouthtune merrily: then they sundered, and each couple of men and maidsleapt backward and forward over the fire; and when they had all leapt, came forward men with buckets of water which they cast over the dancerstill it ran down them in streams. Then was all the throng mingledtogether, and folk trod the embers of the bale under foot, andscattered them hither and thither all over the square. 

All this while men were going about with pitchers of wine and ale, andother good drinks; and every man drank freely what he would, and therewas the greatest game and joyance. 

But now was Ralph exceeding weary, and he said: "Father, mightest thoulead me out of this throng, and show me some lair where I may sleep inpeace, I would thank thee blithely. "

As he spake there sounded a great horn over the square, and the Abbotrose in his place and blessed all the people once more. Then said themonk:

"Come then, fair field-lord, now shalt thou have thy will of bed. " Andhe laughed therewith, and drew Ralph out of the throng and brought himinto the Abbey, and into a fair little chamber, on the wall whereof waspictured St. Christopher, and St. Julian the lord and friend ofwayfarers. Then he brought Ralph the wine and spices, and gave himgood-night, and went his ways. 

As Ralph put the raiment from off him he said to himself a long dayforsooth, so long that I should have thought no day could have held allthat has befallen me. So many strange things have I seen, that surelymy dreams shall be full of them; for even now I seem to see them, though I waken. 

So he lay down in his bed and slept, and dreamed that he was fishingwith an angle in a deep of Upmeads Water; and he caught many fish; butafter a while whatsoever he caught was but of gilded paper stuffed withwool, and at last the water itself was gone, and he was casting hisangle on to a dry road. Therewith he awoke and saw that day wasdawning, and heard the minster clock strike three, and heard thethrushes singing their first song in the Prior's garden. Then heturned about and slept, and dreamed no more till he woke up in thebright sunny morning. 

CHAPTER 6

Ralph Goeth His Ways From the Abbey of St. Mary at Higham

It was the monk who had been his guide the day before who had now wakedhim, and he stood by the bedside holding a great bowl of milk in hishand, and as Ralph sat up, and rubbed his eyes, with all his youthfulsloth upon him, the monk laughed and said:

"That is well, lord, that is well! I love to see a young man so sleepyin the morning; it is a sign of thriving; and I see thou art thrivingheartily for the time when thou shalt come back to us to lead my lord'shost in battle. "

"Where be the bale-fires?" said Ralph, not yet fully awake. 

"Where be they!" said the brother, "where be they! They be sunken tocold coals long ago, like many a man's desires and hopes, who hath notyet laid his head on the bosom of the mother, that is Holy Church. Come, my lord, arise, and drink the monk's wine of morning, and then ifye must need ride, ride betimes, and ride hard; for the Wood Perilousbeginneth presently as ye wend your ways; and it were well for thee toreach the Burg of the Four Friths ere thou be benighted. For, son, there be untoward things in the wood; and though some of them be ofthose for whom Christ's Cross was shapen, yet have they forgotten hell, and hope not for heaven, and their by-word is, 'Thou shalt lack ere Ilack. ' Furthermore there are worse wights in the wood than they be--God save us!--but against them have I a good hauberk, a neck-guardwhich I will give thee, son, in token that I look to see thee again atthe lovely house of Mary our Mother. "

Ralph had taken the bowl and was drinking, but he looked over the brim, and saw how the monk drew from his frock a pair of beads, as like toDame Katherine's gift as one pea to another, save that at the endthereof was a little box shapen crosswise. Ralph emptied the bowlhastily, got out of bed, and sat on the bed naked, save that on hisneck was Dame Katherine's gift. He reached out his hand and took thebeads from the monk and reddened therewith, as was his wont when he hadto begin a contest in words: but he said:

"I thank thee, father; yet God wot if these beads will lie sweetlyalongside the collar which I bear on my neck as now, which is the giftof a dear friend. "

The monk made up a solemn countenance and said: "Thou sayest sooth, myson; it is most like that my chaplet, which hath been blessed time wasby the holy Richard, is no meet fellow for the gift of some light loveof thine: or even, " quoth he, noting Ralph's flush deepen, and his browknit, "or even if it were the gift of a well-willer, yet belike it is aworldly gift; therefore, since thy journey is with peril, thou wertbest do it off and let me keep it for thee till thou comest again. "

Now as he spake he looked anxiously, nay, it may be said greedily, atthe young man. But Ralph said nought; for in his heart he wasdetermined not to chaffer away his gossip's gift for any shaveling'stoken. Yet he knew not how to set his youthful words against thefather's wisdom; so he stood up, and got his shirt into his hand, andas he did it over his head he fell to singing to himself a song ofeventide of the High House of Upmeads, the words whereof were somewhatlike to these:

 Art thou man, art thou maid, through the long grass a-going? For short shirt thou bearest, and no beard I see, And the last wind ere moonrise about thee is blowing. Would'st thou meet with thy maiden or look'st thou for me?

 Bright shineth the moon now, I see thy gown longer; And down by the hazels Joan meeteth her lad: But hard is thy palm, lass, and scarcely were stronger Wat's grip than thine hand-kiss that maketh me glad. 

 And now as the candles shine on us and over, Full shapely thy feet are, but brown on the floor, As the bare-footed mowers amidst of the clover When the gowk's note is broken and mid-June is o'er. 

 O hard are mine hand-palms because on the ridges I carried the reap-hook and smote for thy sake; And in the hot noon-tide I beat off the midges As thou slep'st 'neath the linden o'er-loathe to awake. 

 And brown are my feet now because the sun burneth High up on the down-side amidst of the sheep, And there in the hollow wherefrom the wind turneth, Thou lay'st in my lap while I sung thee to sleep. 

 O friend of the earth, O come nigher and nigher, Thou art sweet with the sun's kiss as meads of the May, O'er the rocks of the waste, o'er the water and fire, Will I follow thee, love, till earth waneth away. 

The monk hearkened to him with knitted brow, and as one that liketh notthe speech of his fellow, though it be not wise to question it: then hewent out of the chamber, but left the pair of beads lying in thewindow. But Ralph clad himself in haste, and when he was fully clad, went up to the window and took the beads in his hand, and looked intothem curiously and turned them over, but left them lying there. Thenhe went forth also, and came into the forecourt of the house, and foundthere a squire of the men-at-arms with his weapons and horse, whohelped him to do on his war-gear. 

So then, just as he was setting his foot in the stirrup, came theBrother again, with his face once more grown smiling and happy; and inhis left hand he held the chaplet, but did not offer it to Ralph again, but nodded his head to him kindly, and said: "Now, lord, I can see bythy face that thou art set on beholding the fashion of this world, andmost like it will give thee the rue. "

Then came a word into Ralph's mouth, and he said: "Wilt thou tell me, father, whose work was the world's fashion?"

The monk reddened, but answered nought, and Ralph spake again:

"Forsooth, did the craftsman of it fumble over his work?"

Then the monk scowled, but presently he enforced himself to speakblithely, and said: "Such matters are over high for my speech orthine, lord; but I tell thee, who knoweth, that there are men in thisHouse who have tried the world and found it wanting. "

Ralph smiled, and said stammering:

"Father, did the world try them, and find them wanting perchance?"

Then he reddened, and said: "Are ye verily all such as this in thisHouse? Who then is it who hath made so fair a lordship, and so goodlya governance for so many people? Know ye not at all of the world'sways!"

"Fair sir, " said the monk sternly, "they that work for us work for theLord and all his servants. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "so it is; and will the Lord be content with theservice of him whom the devil hath cast out because he hath found him adastard?"

The monk frowned, yet smiled somewhat withal, and said: "Sir, thou artyoung, but thy wits are over old for me; but there are they in thisHouse who may answer thee featly; men who have read the books of thewise men of the heathen, and the doctors of Holy Church, and are evennow making books for the scribes to copy. " Then his voice softened, and he said: "Dear lord, we should be right fain of thee here, butsince thou must needs go, go with my blessing, and double blessingshalt thou have when thou comest back to us. " Then Ralph rememberedhis promise to the shepherds and took a gold crown from his pouch, andsaid: "Father, I pray thee say a mass for the shepherd downsmen; andthis is for the offering. "

The monk praised the gift and the bidding, and kissed Ralph, who clombinto his saddle; and the brother hospitalier brought him his walletwith good meat and drink therein for the way. Then Ralph shook hisrein, and rode out of the abbey-gate, smiling at the lay-brethren andthe men-at-arms who hung about there. 

But he sighed for pleasure when he found himself in the street again, and looked on the shops of the chapmen and the booths of the pettycraftsmen, as shoe-smiths and glovers, and tinsmiths and coppersmiths, and horners and the like; and the folk that he met as he rode towardthe southern gate seemed to him merry and in good case, and goodly tolook on. And he thought it pleasant to gaze on the damsels in thestreet, who were fair and well clad: and there were a many of themabout his way now, especially as he drew nigh the gate before thestreets branched off: for folk were coming in from the countryside withvictual and other wares for the town and the Abbey; and surely as helooked on some of the maidens he deemed that Hall-song of Upmeads agood one. 

CHAPTER 7

The Maiden of Bourton Abbas

So went he through the gate, and many, both of men and maids gazed athim, for he was fair to look on, but none meddled with him. 

There was a goodly fauburg outside the gate, and therein were fairhouses, not a few, with gardens and orchards about them; and when thesewere past he rode through very excellent meadows lying along the water, which he crossed thrice, once by a goodly stone bridge and twice byfords; for the road was straight, and the river wound about much. 

After a little while the road led him off the plain meads into acountry of little hills and dales, the hill-sides covered withvineyards and orchards, and the dales plenteous of corn-fields; and nowamongst these dales Higham was hidden from him. 

Through this tillage and vine-land he rode a good while, and thought hehad never seen a goodlier land; and as he went he came on husbandmenand women of the country going about their business: yet were they nottoo busy to gaze on him, and most greeted him; and with some he gaveand took a little speech. 

These people also he deemed well before the world, for they were wellclad and buxom, and made no great haste as they went, but looked aboutthem as though they deemed the world worth looking at, and as if theyhad no fear either of a blow or a hard word for loitering. 

So he rode till it was noon, and he was amidst a little thorp of greystone houses, trim enough, in a valley wherein there was more ofwild-wood trees and less of fruit-bearers than those behind him. Inthe thorp was a tavern with the sign of the Nicholas, so Ralph deemedit but right to enter a house which was under the guard of his masterand friend; therefore he lighted down and went in. Therein he found alad of fifteen winters, and a maiden spinning, they two alone, whohailed him and asked his pleasure, and he bade them bring him meat anddrink, and look to his horse, for that he had a mind to rest a while. So they brought him bread and flesh, and good wine of the hill-side, ina little hall well arrayed as of its kind; and he sat down and thedamsel served him at table, but the lad, who had gone to see to hishorse, did not come back. 

So when he had eaten and drunk, and the damsel was still there, helooked on her and saw that she was sad and drooping of aspect; andwhereas she was a fair maiden, Ralph, now that he was full, fell topitying her, and asked her what was amiss. "For, " said he, "thou artfair and ailest nought; that is clear to see; neither dwellest thou inpenury, but by seeming hast enough and to spare. Or art thou a servantin this house, and hath any one misused thee?"

She wept at his words, for indeed he spoke softly to her; then shesaid: "Young lord, thou art kind, and it is thy kindness that draweththe tears from me; else it were not well to weep before a young man:therefore I pray thee pardon me. As for me, I am no servant, nor hasany one misused me: the folk round about are good and neighbourly; andthis house and the croft, and a vineyard hard by, all that is mine ownand my brother's; that is the lad who hath gone to tend thine horse. Yea, and we live in peace here for the most part; for this thorp, whichis called Bourton Abbas, is a land of the Abbey of Higham; though it bethe outermost of its lands and the Abbot is a good lord and a defenceagainst tyrants. All is well with me if one thing were not. "

"What is thy need then?" said Ralph, "if perchance I might amend it. "And as he looked on her he deemed her yet fairer than he had done atfirst. But she stayed her weeping and sobbing and said: "Sir, I fearme that I have lost a dear friend. " "How then, " said he, "why fearestthou, and knowest not? doth thy friend lie sick between life anddeath?" "O Sir, " she said, "it is the Wood which is the evil anddisease. "

"What wood is that?" said he. 

She said: "The Wood Perilous, that lieth betwixt us and the Burg ofthe Four Friths, and all about the Burg. And, Sir, if ye be minded toride to the Burg to-day, do it not, for through the wood must thou wendthereto; and ye are young and lovely. Therefore take my rede, andabide till the Chapmen wend thither from Higham, who ride many incompany. For, look you, fair lord, ye have asked of my grief, and thisit is and nought else; that my very earthly love and speech-friend rodefive days ago toward the Burg of the Four Friths all alone through theWood Perilous, and he has not come back, though we looked to see him inthree days' wearing: but his horse has come back, and the reins andthe saddle all bloody. "

And she fell a-weeping with the telling of the tale. But Ralph said(for he knew not what to say): "Keep a good heart, maiden; maybe he issafe and sound; oft are young men fond to wander wide, even as Imyself. "

She looked at him hard and said: "If thou hast stolen thyself awayfrom them that love thee, thou hast done amiss. Though thou art alord, and so fair as I see thee, yet will I tell thee so much. "

Ralph reddened and answered nought; but deemed the maiden both fair andsweet. But she said: "Whether thou hast done well or ill, do noworse; but abide till the Chapmen come from Higham, on their way to theBurg of the Four Friths. Here mayst thou lodge well and safely if thouwilt. Or if our hall be not dainty enough for thee, then go back toHigham: I warrant me the monks will give thee good guesting as long asthou wilt. "

"Thou art kind, maiden, " said Ralph, "but why should I tarry for anhost? and what should I fear in the Wood, as evil as it may be? Oneman journeying with little wealth, and unknown, and he no weakling, butbearing good weapons, hath nought to dread of strong-thieves, who everrob where it is easiest and gainfullest. And what worse may I meetthan strong-thieves?"

"But thou mayest meet worse, " she said; and therewith fell a-weepingagain, and said amidst her tears: "O weary on my life! And why shouldI heed thee when nought heedeth me, neither the Saints of God's House, nor the Master of it; nor the father and the mother that were once sopiteous kind to me? O if I might but drink a draught from the WELL ATTHE WORLD'S END!"

He turned about on her hastily at that word; for he had risen todepart; being grieved at her grief and wishful to be away from it, since he might not amend it. But now he said eagerly:

"Where then is that Well? Know ye of it in this land?"

"At least I know the hearsay thereof, " she said; "but as now thou shaltknow no more from me thereof; lest thou wander the wider in seeking it. I would not have thy life spilt. "

Ever as he looked on her he thought her still fairer; and now he lookedlong on her, saying nought, and she on him in likewise, and the bloodrose to her cheeks and her brow, but she would not turn her from hisgaze. At last he said: "Well then, I must depart, no more learned thanI came: but yet am I less hungry and thirsty than I came; and have thouthanks therefor. "

Therewith he took from his pouch a gold piece of Upmeads, which wasgood, and of the touch of the Easterlings, and held it out to her. Andshe put out her open hand and he put the money in it; but thought itgood to hold her hand a while, and she gainsayed him not. 

Then he said: "Well then, I must needs depart with things left as theyare: wilt thou bid thy brother bring hither my horse, for time presses. "

"Yea, " she said (and her hand was still in his), "Yet do thine utmost, yet shalt thou not get to the Burg before nightfall. O wilt thou nottarry?"

"Nay, " he said, "my heart will not suffer it; lest I deem myself adastard. "

Then she reddened again, but as if she were wroth; and she drew herhand away from his and smote her palms together thrice and cried out:"Ho Hugh! bring hither the Knight's horse and be speedy!"

And she went hither and thither about the hall and into the buttery andback, putting away the victual and vessels from the board and making asif she heeded him not: and Ralph looked on her, and deemed that eachway she moved was better than the last, so shapely of fashion she was;and again he bethought him of the Even-song of the High House atUpmeads, and how it befitted her; for she went barefoot after themanner of maidens who work afield, and her feet were tanned with thesun of hay harvest, but as shapely as might be; but she was clad goodlywithal, in a green gown wrought with flowers. 

So he watched her going to and fro; and at last he said: "Maiden, wiltthou come hither a little, before I depart?"

"Yea, " she said; and came and stood before him: and he deemed that shewas scarce so sad as she had been; and she stood with her hands joinedand her eyes downcast. Then he said:

"Now I depart. Yet I would say this, that I am sorry of thy sorrow:and now since I shall never see thee more, small would be the harm if Iwere to kiss thy lips and thy face. "

And therewith he took her hands in his and drew her to him, and put hisarms about her and kissed her many times, and she nothing lothe byseeming; and he found her as sweet as May blossom. 

Thereafter she smiled on him, yet scarce for gladness, and said: "It isnot all so sure that I shall not see thee again; yet shall I do to theeas thou hast done to me. "

Therewith she took his face between her hands, and kissed himwell-favouredly; so that the hour seemed good to him. 

Then she took him by the hand and led him out-a-doors to his horse, whereby the lad had been standing a good while; and he when he saw hissister come out with the fair knight he scowled on them, and handled aknife which hung at his girdle; but Ralph heeded him nought. As forthe damsel, she put her brother aside, and held the stirrup for Ralph;and when he was in the saddle she said to him:

"All luck go with thee! Forsooth I deem thee safer in the Wood than mywords said. Verily I deem that if thou wert to meet a company offoemen, thou wouldest compel them to do thy bidding. "

"Farewell to thee maiden, " said Ralph, "and mayst thou find thy belovedwhole and well, and that speedily. Fare-well!"

She said no more; so he shook his rein and rode his ways; but lookedover his shoulder presently and saw her standing yet barefoot on thedusty highway shading her eyes from the afternoon sun and looking afterhim, and he waved his hand to her and so went his ways between thehouses of the Thorp. 

CHAPTER 8

Ralph Cometh to the Wood Perilous. An Adventure Therein

Now when he was clear of the Thorp the road took him out of the dale;and when he was on the hill's brow he saw that the land was of otherfashion from that which lay behind him. For the road went straightthrough a rough waste, no pasture, save for mountain sheep or goats, with a few bushes scattered about it; and beyond this the land roseinto a long ridge; and on the ridge was a wood thick with trees, and nobreak in them. So on he rode, and soon passed that waste, which wasdry and parched, and the afternoon sun was hot on it; so he deemed itgood to come under the shadow of the thick trees (which at the firstwere wholly beech trees), for it was now the hottest of the day. Therewas still a beaten way between the tree-boles, though not overwide, albeit, a highway, since it pierced the wood. So thereby he went at asoft pace for the saving of his horse, and thought but little of all hehad been told of the perils of the way, and not a little of the fairmaid whom he had left behind at the Thorp. 

After a while the thick beech-wood gave out, and he came into a placewhere great oaks grew, fair and stately, as though some lord'swood-reeve had taken care that they should not grow over closetogether, and betwixt them the greensward was fine, unbroken, andflowery. Thereby as he rode he beheld deer, both buck and hart androe, and other wild things, but for a long while no man. 

The afternoon wore and still he rode the oak wood, and deemed it agoodly forest for the greatest king on earth. At last he came to whereanother road crossed the way he followed, and about the crossway wasthe ground clearer of trees, while beyond it the trees grew thicker, and there was some underwood of holly and thorn as the ground fell offas towards a little dale. 

There Ralph drew rein, because he doubted in his mind which was hisright road toward the Burg of the Four Friths; so he got off his horseand abode a little, if perchance any might come by; he looked abouthim, and noted on the road that crossed his, and the sward about it, the sign of many horses having gone by, and deemed that they had passedbut a little while. So he lay on the ground to rest him and let hishorse stray about and bite the grass; for the beast loved him and wouldcome at his call or his whistle. 

Ralph was drowsy when he lay down, and though he said to himself thathe would nowise go to sleep, yet as oft happens, he had no defence tomake against sleepiness, and presently his hands relaxed, his head fellaside, and he slept quietly. When he woke up in a little space oftime, he knew at once that something had awaked him and that he had nothad his sleep out; for in his ears was the trampling of horse-hoofs andthe clashing of weapons and loud speech of men. So he leapt uphastily, and while he was yet scarce awake, took to whistling on hishorse; but even therewith those men were upon him, and two came up tohim and laid hold of him; and when he asked them what they would, theybade him hold his peace. 

Now his eyes cleared, and he saw that those men were in goodlywar-gear, and bore coats of plate, and cuir-bouilly, or of brightsteel; they held long spears and were girt with good swords; there wasa pennon with them, green, whereon was done a golden tower, embattled, amidst of four white ways; and the same token bore many of the men ontheir coats and sleeves. Unto this same pennon he was brought by thetwo men who had taken him, and under it, on a white horse, sat a Knightbravely armed at all points with the Tower and Four Ways on his greensurcoat; and beside him was an ancient man-at-arms, with nought but anoak wreath on his bare head, and his white beard falling low over hiscoat: but behind these twain a tall young man, also on a white horseand very gaily clad, upheld the pennon. On one side of these threewere five men, unarmed, clad in green coats, with a leafless tree doneon them in gold: they were stout carles, bearded and fierce-faced:their hands were bound behind their backs and their feet tied togetherunder their horses' bellies. The company of those about the Knight, Ralph deemed, would number ten score men. 

So when those twain stayed Ralph before the Knight, he turned to theold man and said:

"It is of no avail asking this lither lad if he be of them or no: forno will be his answer. But what sayest thou, Oliver?"

The ancient man drew closer to Ralph and looked at him up and down andall about; for those two turned him about as if he had been a joint offlesh on the roasting-jack; and at last he said:

"His beard is sprouting, else might ye have taken him for a maid oftheirs, one of those of whom we wot. But to say sooth I seem to knowthe fashion of his gear, even as Duke Jacob knew Joseph's tabard. Soask him whence he is, lord, and if he lie, then I bid bind him and leadhim away, that we may have a true tale out of him; otherwise let him goand take his chance; for we will not waste the bread of the Good Townon him. "

The Knight looked hard on Ralph, and spake to him somewhat courteously:

"Whence art thou, fair Sir, and what is thy name? for we have many foesin the wildwood. "

Ralph reddened as he answered: "I am of Upmeads beyond the downcountry; and I pray thee let me be gone on mine errands. It is meetthat thou deal with thine own robbers and reivers, but not with me. "

Then cried out one of the bounden men: "Thou liest, lad, we be norobbers. " But he of the Knight's company who stood by him smote the manon the mouth and said: "Hold thy peace, runagate! Thou shalt givetongue to-morrow when the hangman hath thee under his hands. "

The Knight took no heed of this; but turned to the ancient warrior andsaid: "Hath he spoken truth so far?"

"Yea, Sir Aymer, " quoth Oliver; "And now meseems I know him better thanhe knoweth me. "

Therewith he turned to Ralph and said: "How fareth Long Nicholas, mylord?"

Ralph reddened again: "He is well, " said he. 

Then said the Knight: "Is the young man of a worthy house, Oliver?"

But ere the elder could speak, Ralph brake in and said: "Old warrior, Ibid thee not to tell out my name, as thou lovest Nicholas. "

Old Oliver laughed and said: "Well, Nicholas and I have been friendsin a way, as well as foes; and for the sake of the old days his nameshall help thee, young lord. " Then he said to his Knight: "Yea, SirAymer, he is of a goodly house and an ancient; but thou hearest how headjureth me. Ye shall let his name alone. "

The Knight looked silently on Ralph for a while; then he said: "Wiltthou wend with us to the Burg of the Four Friths, fair Sir? Wert thounot faring thither? Or what else dost thou in the Wood Perilous?"

Ralph turned it over in his mind; and though he saw no cause why heshould not join himself to their company, yet something in his heartforbade him to rise to the fly too eagerly; so he did but say: "I amseeking adventures, fair lord. "

The Knight smiled: "Then mayst thou fill thy budget with them if thougoest with us, " quoth he. Now Ralph did not know how he might gainsayso many men at arms in the long run, though he were scarce willing togo; so he made no haste to answer; and even therewith came a manrunning, through the wood up from the dale; a long, lean carle, meetfor running, with brogues on his feet, and nought else but a shirt; thecompany parted before him to right and left to let him come to theKnight, as though he had been looked for; and when he was beside him, the Knight leaned down while the carle spake softly to him and all mendrew out of ear-shot. And when the carle had given his message theKnight drew himself straight up in his saddle again and lifted up hishand and cried out:

"Oliver! Oliver! lead on the way thou wottest! Spur! spur, all men!"

Therewith he blew one blast from a horn which hung at his saddle-bow;the runner leapt up behind old Oliver, and the whole company went offat a smart trot somewhat south-east, slantwise of the cross-roads, where the wood was nought cumbered with undergrowth; and presently theywere all gone to the last horse-tail, and no man took any more note ofRalph. 

CHAPTER 9

Another Adventure in the Wood Perilous

Ralph left alone pondered a little; and thought that he would by nomeans go hastily to the Burg of the Four Friths. Said he to himself;This want-way is all unlike to the one near our house at home: forbelike adventures shall befall here: I will even abide here for an houror two; but will have my horse by me and keep awake, lest something hapto me unawares. 

Therewith he whistled for Falcon his horse, and the beast came to him, and whinnied for love of him, and Ralph smiled and tied him to asapling anigh, and himself sat down on the grass, and pondered manythings; as to what folk were about at Upmeads, and how his brethrenwere faring; and it was now about five hours after noon, and the sun'srays fell aslant through the boughs of the noble oaks, and the scent ofthe grass and bracken trodden by the horse-hoofs of that company wentup into the warm summer air. A while he sat musing but awake, thoughthe faint sound of a little stream in the dale below mingled with allthe lesser noises of the forest did its best to soothe him to sleepagain: and presently had its way with him; for he leaned his head backon the bracken, and in a minute or two was sleeping once more anddreaming some dream made up of masterless memories of past days. 

When he awoke again he lay still a little while, wondering where in theworld he was, but as the drowsiness left him, he arose and lookedabout, and saw that the sun was sinking low and gilding the oakbolesred. He stood awhile and watched the gambols of three hares, who haddrawn nigh him while he slept, and now noted him not; and a little wayhe saw through the trees a hart and two hinds going slowly from grassto grass, feeding in the cool eventide; but presently he saw them raisetheir heads and amble off down the slope of the little dale, andtherewith he himself turned his face sharply toward the north-west, forhe was fine-eared as well as sharp-eyed, and on a little wind which hadjust arisen came down to him the sound of horse-hoofs once more. 

So he went up to Falcon and loosed him, and stood by him bridle inhand, and looked to it that his sword was handy to him: and hehearkened, and the sound drew nigher and nigher to him. Then lightlyhe got into the saddle and gathered the reins into his left hand, andsat peering up the trodden wood-glades, lest he should have to ride forhis life suddenly. Therewith he heard voices talking roughly and a manwhistling, and athwart the glade of the wood from the northwest, orthereabout, came new folk; and he saw at once that there went two mena-horseback and armed; so he drew his sword and abode them close to thewant-ways. Presently they saw the shine of his war-gear, and then theycame but a little nigher ere they drew rein, and sat on their horseslooking toward him. Then Ralph saw that they were armed and clad asthose of the company which had gone before. One of the armed men rodea horse-length after his fellow, and bore a long spear over hisshoulder. But the other who rode first was girt with a sword, and hada little axe hanging about his neck, and with his right hand he seemedto be leading something, Ralph could not see what at first, as his leftside was turned toward Ralph and the want-way. 

Now, as Ralph looked, he saw that at the spearman's saddle-bow was hunga man's head, red-haired and red-bearded; for this man now drew alittle nigher, and cried out to Ralph in a loud and merry voice: "Hail, knight! whither away now, that thou ridest the green-wood sword inhand?"

Ralph was just about to answer somewhat, when the first man moved alittle nigher, and as he did so he turned so that Ralph could see whatbetid on his right hand; and lo! he was leading a woman by a rope tiedabout her neck (though her hands were loose), as though he werebringing a cow to market. When the man stayed his horse she cameforward and stood within the slack of the rope by the horse's head, andRalph could see her well, that though she was not to say naked, herraiment was but scanty, for she had nought to cover her save one shortand strait little coat of linen, and shoes on her feet. Yet Ralphdeemed her to be of some degree, whereas he caught the gleam of goldand gems on her hands, and there was a golden chaplet on her head. Shestood now by the horse's head with her hands folded, looking on, as ifwhat was tiding and to betide, were but a play done for her pleasure. 

So when Ralph looked on her, he was silent a while; and the spearmancried out again: "Ho, young man, wilt thou speak, or art thoudumb-foundered for fear of us?"

But Ralph knit his brows, and was first red and then pale; for he wasboth wroth, and doubtful how to go to work; but he said:

"I ride to seek adventures; and here meseemeth is one come to hand. Orwhat will ye with the woman?"

Said the man who had the woman in tow: "Trouble not thine headtherewith; we lead her to her due doom. As for thee, be glad that thouart not her fellow; since forsooth thou seemest not to be one of them;so go thy ways in peace. "

"No foot further will I go, " said Ralph, "till ye loose the woman andlet her go; or else tell me what her worst deed is. "

The man laughed, and said: "That were a long tale to tell; and it islittle like that thou shalt live to hear the ending thereof. "

Therewith he wagged his head at the spearman, who suddenly let hisspear fall into the rest, and spurred, and drave on at Ralph all hemight. There and then had the tale ended, but Ralph, who was wary, though he were young, and had Falcon well in hand, turned his wrist andmade the horse swerve, so that the man-at-arms missed his attaint, butcould not draw rein speedily enough to stay his horse; and as he passedby all bowed over his horse's neck, Ralph gat his sword two-handed androse in his stirrups and smote his mightiest; and the sword caught thefoeman on the neck betwixt sallet and jack, and nought held before it, neither leather nor ring-mail, so that the man's head was nigh smittenoff, and he fell clattering from his saddle: yet his stirrups held him, so that his horse went dragging him on earth as he gallopped over roughand smooth betwixt the trees of the forest. Then Ralph turned about todeal with his fellow, and even through the wrath and fury of theslaying saw him clear and bright against the trees as he sat handlinghis axe doubtfully, but the woman was fallen back again somewhat. 

But even as Ralph raised his sword and pricked forward, the womansprang as light as a leopard on to the saddle behind the foeman, andwound her arms about him and dragged him back just as he was raisinghis axe to smite her, and as Ralph rode forward she cried out to him, "Smite him, smite! O lovely creature of God!"

Therewith was Ralph beside them, and though he were loth to slay a manheld in the arms of a woman, yet he feared lest the man should slay herwith some knife-stroke unless he made haste; so he thrust his swordthrough him, and the man died at once, and fell headlong off his horse, dragging down the woman with him. 

Then Ralph lighted down from his horse, and the woman rose up to him, her white smock all bloody with the slain man. Nevertheless was she ascalm and stately before him, as if she were sitting on the dais of afair hall; so she said to him:

"Young warrior, thou hast done well and knightly, and I shall look toit that thou have thy reward. And now I rede thee go not to the Burgof the Four Friths; for this tale of thee shall get about and theyshall take thee, if it were out of the very Frith-stool, and there forthee should be the scourge and the gibbet; for they of that Burg berobbers and murderers merciless. Yet well it were that thou ride hencepresently; for those be behind my tormentors whom thou hast slain, whowill be as an host to thee, and thou mayst not deal with them. If thoufollow my rede, thou wilt take the way that goeth hence east away, andthen shalt thou come to Hampton under Scaur, where the folk arepeaceable and friendly. "

He looked at her hard as she spake, and noted that she spake butslowly, and turned red and white and red again as she looked at him. But whatever she did, and in spite of her poor attire, he deemed he hadnever seen woman so fair. Her hair was dark red, but her eyes grey, and light at whiles and yet at whiles deep; her lips betwixt thin andfull, but yet when she spoke or smiled clad with all enticements; herchin round and so wrought as none was ever better wrought; her bodystrong and well-knit; tall she was, with fair and large arms, and limbsmost goodly of fashion, of which but little was hidden, since her coatwas but thin and scanty. But whatever may be said of her, no man wouldhave deemed her aught save most lovely. Now her face grew calm andstately again as it was at the first, and she laid a hand on Ralph'sshoulder, and smiled in his face and said:

"Surely thou art fair, though thy strokes be not light. " Then she tookhis hand and caressed it, and said again: "Dost thou deem that thouhast done great things, fair child? Maybe. Yet some will say thatthou hast but slain two butchers: and if thou wilt say that thou hastdelivered me; yet it may be that I should have delivered myself erelong. Nevertheless hold up thine heart, for I think that greaterthings await thee. "

Then she turned about, and saw the dead man, how his feet yet hung inthe stirrups as his fellow's had done, save that the horse of this onestood nigh still, only reaching his head down to crop a mouthful ofgrass; so she said: "Take him away, that I may mount on his horse. "

So he drew the dead man's feet out of the stirrups, and dragged himaway to where the bracken grew deep, and laid him down there, so to sayhidden. Then he turned back to the lady, who was pacing up and downnear the horse as the beast fed quietly on the cool grass. When Ralphcame back she took the reins in her hand and put one foot in thestirrup as if she would mount at once; but suddenly lighted down again, and turning to Ralph, cast her arms about him, and kissed his face manytimes, blushing red as a rose meantime. Then lightly she gat her upinto the saddle, and bestrode the beast, and smote his flanks with herheels, and went her ways riding speedily toward the south-east, so thatshe was soon out of sight. 

But Ralph stood still looking the way she had gone and wondering at theadventure; and he pondered her words and held debate with himselfwhether he should take the road she bade him. And he said withinhimself: "Hitherto have I been safe and have got no scratch of a weaponupon me, and this is a place by seeming for all adventures; and littleway moreover shall I make in the night if I must needs go to Hamptonunder Scaur, where dwell those peaceable people; and it is now growingdusk already. So I will abide the morning hereby; but I will be waryand let the wood cover me if I may. "

Therewith he went and drew the body of the slain man down into a littlehollow where the bracken was high and the brambles grew strong, so thatit might not be lightly seen. Then he called to him Falcon, his horse, and looked about for cover anigh the want-way, and found a little thincoppice of hazel and sweet chestnut, just where two great oaks had beenfelled a half score years ago; and looking through the leaves thence, he could see the four ways clearly enough, though it would not be easyfor anyone to see him thence. 

Thither he betook him, and he did the rein off Falcon, but tethered himby a halter in the thickest of the copse, and sat down himself nigherto the outside thereof; he did off his helm and drew what meat he hadfrom out his wallet and ate and drank in the beginning of the summernight; and then sat pondering awhile on what had befallen on thissecond day of his wandering. The moon shone out presently, littleclouded, but he saw her not, for though he strove to wake awhile, slumber soon overcame him, and nothing waked him till the night waspassing, nor did he see aught of that company of which the lady hadspoken, and which in sooth came not. 

CHAPTER 10

A Meeting and a Parting in the Wood Perilous

When the first glimmer of dawn was in the sky he awoke in the freshmorning, and sat up and hearkened, for even as he woke he had heardsomething, since wariness had made him wakeful. Now he hears the soundof horse-hoofs on the hard road, and riseth to his feet and goeth tothe very edge of the copse; looking thence he saw a rider who was justcome to the very crossing of the roads. The new comer was much muffledin a wide cloak, but he seemed to be a man low of stature. He peeredall round about him as if to see if the way were clear, and thenalighted down from horseback and let the hood fall off his head, andseemed pondering which way were the best to take. By this time it wasgrown somewhat lighter and Ralph, looking hard, deemed that the riderwas a woman; so he stepped forward lightly, and as he came on to theopen sward about the way, the new comer saw him and put a foot into thestirrup to mount, but yet looked at him over the shoulder, and thenpresently left the saddle and came forward a few steps as if to meetRalph, having cast the cloak to the ground. 

Then Ralph saw that it was none other than the damsel of the hostelryof Bourton Abbas, and he came up to her and reached out his hand toher, and she took it in both hers and held it and said, smiling: "It isnought save mountains that shall never meet. Here have I followed onthy footsteps; yet knew I not where thou wouldst be in the forest. Andnow I am glad to have fallen in with thee; for I am going a long way. "

Ralph looked on her and himseemed some pain or shame touched his heart, and he said: "I am a knight adventurous; I have nought to do save toseek adventures. Why should I not go with thee?"

She looked at him earnestly awhile and said: "Nay, it may not be; thouart a lord's son, and I a yeoman's daughter. " She stopped, and he saidnothing in answer. 

"Furthermore, " said she, "it is a long way, and I know not how long. "Again he made no answer, and she said: "I am going to seek the WELL ATTHE WORLD'S END, and to find it and live, or to find it not, and die. "

He spake after a while: "Why should I not come with thee?"

It was growing light now, and he could see that she reddened and thenturned pale and set her lips close. 

Then she said: "Because thou willest it not: because thou hadstliefer make that journey with some one else. "

He reddened in his turn, and said: "I know of no one else who shall gowith me. "

"Well, " she said, "it is all one, I will not have thee go with me. ""Yea, and why not?" said he. She said: "Wilt thou swear to me thatnought hath happed to thee to change thee betwixt this and Bourton? Ifthou wilt, then come with me; if thou wilt not, then refrain thee. Andthis I say because I see and feel that there is some change in theesince yesterday, so that thou wouldst scarce be dealing truly in beingmy fellow in this quest: for they that take it up must besingle-hearted, and think of nought save the quest and the fellow thatis with them. "

She looked on him sadly, and his many thoughts tongue-tied him a while;but at last he said: "Must thou verily go on this quest?" "Ah, " shesaid, "now since I have seen thee and spoken with thee again, all needthere is that I should follow it at once. "

Then they both kept silence, and when she spoke again her voice was asif she were gay against her will. She said: "Here am I come to thesewant-ways, and there are three roads besides the one I came by, and Iwot that this that goeth south will bring me to the Burg of the FourFriths; and so much I know of the folk of the said Burg that they wouldmock at me if I asked them of the way to the Well at the World's End. And as for the western way I deem that that will lead me back again tothe peopled parts whereof I know; therefore I am minded to take theeastern way. What sayest thou, fair lord?"

Said Ralph: "I have heard of late that it leadeth presently to Hamptonunder the Scaur, where dwelleth a people of goodwill. "

"Who told thee this tale?" said she. Ralph answered, reddening again, "I was told by one who seemed to know both of that folk, and of theBurg of the Four Friths, and she said that the folk of Hampton were agood folk, and that they of the Burg were evil. "

The damsel smiled sadly when she heard him say 'She, ' and when he haddone she said: "And I have heard, and not from yesterday, that atHampton dwelleth the Fellowship of the Dry Tree, and that those of thefellowship are robbers and reivers. Nevertheless they will perchancebe little worse than the others; and the tale tells that the way to theWell at the World's End is by the Dry Tree; so thither will I at alladventure. And now will I say farewell to thee, for it is most likethat I shall not see thee again. "

"O, maiden!" said Ralph, "why wilt thou not go back to Bourton Abbas?There I might soon meet thee again, and yet, indeed, I also am like togo to Hampton. Shall I not see thee there?"

She shook her head and said: "Nay, since I must go so far, I shall nottarry; and, sooth to say, if I saw thee coming in at one gate I shouldgo out by the other, for why should I dally with a grief that may notbe amended. For indeed I wot that thou shalt soon forget to wish tosee me, either at Bourton Abbas or elsewhere; so I will say no morethan once again farewell. "

Then she came close to him and put her hands on his shoulders andkissed his mouth; and then she turned away swiftly, caught up hercloak, and gat lightly into the saddle, and so shook her reins and rodeaway east toward Hampton, and left Ralph standing there downcast andpondering many things. It was still so early in the summer morning, and he knew so little what to do, that presently he turned and walkedback to his lair amongst the hazels, and there he lay down, and histhoughts by then were all gone back again to the lovely lady whom hehad delivered, and he wondered if he should ever see her again, and, sooth to say, he sorely desired to see her. Amidst such thoughts hefell asleep again, for the night yet owed him something of rest, soyoung as he was and so hard as he had toiled, both body and mind, during the past day. 

CHAPTER 11

Now Must Ralph Ride For It

When he awoke again the sun was shining through the hazel leaves, though it was yet early; he arose and looked to his horse, and led himout of the hazel copse and stood and looked about him; and lo! a mancoming slowly through the wood on Ralph's right hand, and making as itseemed for the want-way; he saw Ralph presently, and stopped, and benta bow which he held in his hand, and then came towards him warily, withthe arrow nocked. But Ralph went to meet him with his sword in hissheath, and leading Falcon by the rein, and the man stopped and tookthe shaft from the string: he had no armour, but there was a little axeand a wood-knife in his girdle; he was clad in homespun, and lookedlike a carle of the country-side. Now he greeted Ralph, and Ralph gavehim the sele of the day, and saw that the new-comer was both tall andstrong, dark of skin and black-haired, but of a cheerful countenance. He spake frank and free to Ralph, and said: "Whither away, lord, out ofthe woodland hall, and the dwelling of deer and strong-thieves? I wouldthat the deer would choose them a captain, and gather head and destroythe thieves--and some few others with them. "

Said Ralph: "I may scarce tell thee till I know myself. Awhile ago Iwas minded for the Burg of the Four Friths; but now I am for Hamptonunder Scaur. "

"Yea?" said the carle, "when the Devil drives, to hell must we. "

"What meanest thou, good fellow?" said Ralph, "Is Hampton then so evilan abode?" And indeed it was in his mind that the adventure of thelady led captive bore some evil with it. 

Said the carle: "If thou wert not a stranger in these parts I need notto answer thy question; but I will answer it presently, yet not till wehave eaten, for I hunger, and have in this wallet both bread andcheese, and thou art welcome to a share thereof, if thou hungerestalso, as is most like, whereas thou art young and fresh coloured. "

"So it is, " said Ralph, laughing, "and I also may help to spread thistable in the wilderness, since there are yet some crumbs in my wallet. Let us sit down and fall to at once. "

"By your leave, Sir Gentleman, " said the carle, "we will go a few yardsfurther on, where there is a woodland brook, whereof we may drink whenmy bottle faileth. "

"Nay, I may better that, " said Ralph, "for I have wherewithal. ""Nevertheless, " said the carle, "we will go thither, for here is it tooopen for so small a company as ours, since this want-way hath an illname, and I shall lead thee whereas we shall be somewhat out of the wayof murder-carles. So come on, if thou trusteth in me. "

Ralph yeasaid him, and they went together a furlong from the want-wayinto a little hollow place wherethrough ran a clear stream betwixtthick-leaved alders. The carle led Ralph to the very lip of the waterso that the bushes covered them; there they sat down and drew what theyhad from their wallets, and so fell to meat; and amidst of the meat thecarle said:

"Fair Knight, as I suppose thou art one, I will ask thee if any needdraweth thee to Hampton?"

Said Ralph: "The need of giving the go-by to the Burg of the FourFriths, since I hear tell that the folk thereof be robbers andmurderers. "

"Thou shalt find that out better, lord, by going thither; but I shalltell thee, that though men may slay and steal there time and timeabout, yet in regard to Hampton under Scaur, it is Heaven, wherein mensin not. And I am one who should know, for I have been long dwellingin Hell, that is Hampton; and now am I escaped thence, and am mindedfor the Burg, if perchance I may be deemed there a man good enough toride in their host, whereby I might avenge me somewhat on them thathave undone me: some of whom meseemeth must have put in thy mouth thatword against the Burg. Is it not so?"

"Maybe, " said Ralph, "for thou seemest to be a true man. " No more hespake though he had half a mind to tell the carle all the tale of thatadventure; but something held him back when he thought of that lady andher fairness. Yet again his heart misgave him of what might betidethat other maiden at Hampton, and he was unquiet, deeming that he mustneeds follow her thither. The carle looked on him curiously andsomewhat anxiously, but Ralph's eyes were set on something that was notthere; or else maybe had he looked closely on the carle he might havedeemed that longing to avenge him whereof he spoke did not change hisface much; for in truth there was little wrath in it. 

Now the carle said: "Thou hast a tale which thou deemest unmeet for myears, as it well may be. Well, thou must speak, or refrain fromspeaking, what thou wilt; but thou art so fair a young knight, and soblithe with a poor man, and withal I deem that thou mayest help me tosome gain and good, that I will tell thee a true tale: and first thatthe Burg is a good town under a good lord, who is no tyrant noroppressor of peaceful men; and that thou mayest dwell there in peace asto the folk thereof, who be good folk, albeit they be no dastards tolet themselves be cowed by murder-carles. And next I will tell theethat the folk of the town of Hampton be verily as harmless and innocentas sheep; but that they be under evil lords who are not their truelords, who lay heavy burdens on them and torment them even to thedestroying of their lives: and lastly I will tell thee that I was oneof those poor people, though not so much a sheep as the more part ofthem, therefore have these tyrants robbed me of my croft, and setanother man in my house; and me they would have slain had I not fled tothe wood that it might cover me. And happy it was for me that I hadneither wife, nor chick, nor child, else had they done as they did withmy brother, whose wife was too fair for him, since he dwelt at Hampton;so that they took her away from him to make sport for them of the DryTree, who dwell in the Castle of the Scaur, who shall be thy masters ifthou goest thither. 

"This is my tale, and thine, I say, I ask not; but I deem that thoushalt do ill if thou go not to the Burg either with me or by thyselfalone; either as a guest, or as a good knight to take service in theirhost. "

Now so it was that Ralph was wary; and this time he looked closely atthe carle, and found that he spake coldly for a man with so much wrathin his heart; therefore he was in doubt about the thing; moreover hecalled to mind the words of the lady whom he had delivered, and herloveliness, and the kisses she had given him, and he was loth to findher a liar; and he was loth also to think that the maiden of Bourtonhad betaken her to so evil a dwelling. So he said:

"Friend, I know not that I must needs be a partaker in the strifebetwixt Hampton and the Burg, or go either to one or the other of thesestrongholds. Is there no other way out of this wood save by Hampton orthe Burg? or no other place anigh, where I may rest in peace awhile, and then go on mine own errands?"

Said the Carle: "There is a thorp that lieth somewhat west of theBurg, which is called Apthorp; but it is an open place, not fenced, andis debateable ground, whiles held by them of the Burg, whiles by theDry Tree; and if thou tarry there, and they of the Dry Tree take thee, soon is thine errand sped; and if they of the Burg take thee, thenshalt thou be led into the Burg in worse case than thou wouldest be ifthou go thereto uncompelled. What sayest thou, therefore? Who shallhurt thee in the Burg, a town which is under good and strong law, ifthou be a true man, as thou seemest to be? And if thou art seekingadventures, as may well be, thou shalt soon find them there ready tohand. I rede thee come with me to the Burg; for, to say sooth, I shallfind it somewhat easier to enter therein if I be in the company ofthee, a knight and a lord. "

So Ralph considered and thought that there lay indeed but little perilto him in the Burg, whereas both those men with whom he had strivenwere hushed for ever, and there was none else to tell the tale of thebattle, save the lady, whose peril from them of the Burg was muchgreater than his; and also he thought that if anything untoward befel, he had some one to fall back on in old Oliver: yet on the other handhe had a hankering after Hampton under Scaur, where, to say sooth, hedoubted not to see the lady again. 

So betwixt one thing and the other, speech hung on his lips awhile, when suddenly the carle said: "Hist! thou hast left thy horse withoutthe bushes, and he is whinnying" (which indeed he was), "there is nowno time to lose. To horse straightway, for certainly there are folk athand, and they may be foemen, and are most like to be. "

Therewith they both arose and hastened to where Falcon stood justoutside the alder bushes, and Ralph leapt a-horseback without more ado, and the carle waited no bidding to leap up behind him, and pointing toa glade of the wood which led toward the highway, cried out, "Spur thatway, thither! they of the Dry Tree are abroad this morning. Spur! 'tisfor life or death!"

Ralph shook the rein and Falcon leapt away without waiting for thespur, while the carle looked over his shoulder and said, "Yonder theycome! they are three; and ever they ride well horsed. Nay, nay! Theyare four, " quoth he, as a shout sounded behind them. "Spur, younglord! spur! And thine horse is a mettlesome beast. Yea, it will do, it will do. "

Therewith came to Ralph's ears the sound of their horse-hoofs beatingthe turf, and he spurred indeed, and Falcon flew forth. 

"Ah, " cried the carle! "but take heed, for they see that thy horse isgood, and one of them, the last, hath a bent Turk bow in his hand, andis laying an arrow on it; as ever their wont is to shoot a-horseback: aturn of thy rein, as if thine horse were shying at a weasel on theroad!"

Ralph stooped his head and made Falcon swerve, and heard therewith thetwang of the bowstring and straightway the shaft flew past his ears. Falcon galloped on, and the carle cried out: "There is the highwaytoward the Burg! Do thy best, do thy best! Lo you again!"

For the second shaft flew from the Turkish bow, and the noise of thechase was loud behind them. Once again twanged the bow-string, butthis time the arrow fell short, and the woodland man, turning himselfabout as well as he might, shook his clenched fist at the chase, cryingout in a voice broken by the gallop: "Ha, thieves! I am Roger of theRope-walk, I go to twist a rope for the necks of you!"

Then he spake to Ralph: "They are turning back: they are beaten, andwithal they love not the open road: yet slacken not yet, young knight, unless thou lovest thine horse more than thy life; for they will followon through the thicket on the way-side to see whether thou wert born afool and hast learned nothing later. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and now I deem thou wilt tell me that to the Burg Ineeds must. "

"Yea, forsooth, " said the carle, "nor shall we be long, riding thus, ere we come to the Burg Gate. "

"Yea, or even slower, " said Ralph, drawing rein somewhat, "for now Ideem the chase done: and after all is said, I have no will to slayFalcon, who is one of my friends, as thou perchance mayest come to beanother. "

Thereafter he went a hand-gallop till the wood began to thin, and therewere fields of tillage about the highway; and presently Roger said:"Thou mayst breathe thy nag now, and ride single, for we are amidstfriends; not even a score of the Dry Tree dare ride so nigh the Burgsave by night and cloud. "

So Ralph stayed his horse, and he and Roger lighted down, and Ralphlooked about him and saw a stone tower builded on a little knoll amidsta wheatfield, and below it some simple houses thatched with straw;there were folk moreover working, or coming and going about the fields, who took little heed of the two when they saw them standing quiet bythe horse's head; but each and all of these folk, so far as could beseen, had some weapon. 

Then said Ralph: "Good fellow, is this the Burg of the Four Friths?"The carle laughed, and said: "Simple is the question, Sir Knight:yonder is a watch-tower of the Burg, whereunder husbandmen can live, because there be men-at-arms therein. And all round the outskirts ofthe Frank of the Burg are there such-like towers to the number oftwenty-seven. For that, say folk, was the tale of the winters of theFair Lady who erewhile began the building of the Burg, when she wasfirst wedded to the Forest Lord, who before that building had dwelt, heand his fathers, in thatched halls of timber here and there about theclearings of the wild-wood. But now, knight, if thou wilt, thou mayestgo on softly toward the Gate of the Burg, and if thou wilt I will walkbeside thy rein, which fellowship, as aforesaid, shall be a gain to me. "

Said Ralph: "I pray thee come with me, good fellow, and show me howeasiest to enter this stronghold. " So, when Falcon was well breathed, they went on, passing through goodly acres and wide meadows, with hereand there a homestead on them, and here and there a carle's cot. Thencame they to a thorp of the smallest on a rising ground, from thefurther end of which they could see the walls and towers of the Burg. Thereafter right up to the walls were no more houses or cornfields, nought but reaches of green meadows plenteously stored with sheep andkine, and with a little stream winding about them. 

CHAPTER 12

Ralph Entereth Into the Burg of the Four Friths

When they came up to the wall they saw that it was well builded of goodashlar, and so high that they might not see the roofs of the townbecause of it; but there were tall towers on it, a many of them, strongand white. The road led up straight to the master-gate of the Burg, and there was a bailey before it strongly walled, and manned withweaponed men, and a captain going about amongst them. But they enteredit along with men bringing wares into the town, and none heeded themmuch, till they came to the very gate, on the further side of a moatthat was both deep and clean; but as now the bridge was down and theportcullis up, so that the market-people might pass in easily, for itwas yet early in the day. But before the door on either side stoodmen-at-arms well weaponed, and on the right side was their captain, atall man with bare grizzled head, but otherwise all-armed, who stoppedevery one whom he knew not, and asked their business. 

As Ralph came riding up with Roger beside him, one of the guard laidhis spear across and bade them stand, and the captain spake in a drycold voice: "Whence comest thou, man-at-arms?" "From the Abbey of St. Mary at Higham, " said Ralph. "Yea, " said the captain, smiling grimly, "even so I might have deemed: thou wilt be one of the Lord Abbot'slily lads. " "No I am not, " quoth Ralph angrily. "Well, well, " said thecaptain, "what is thy name?"

"Ralph Motherson, " quoth Ralph, knitting his brow. Said the captain"And whither wilt thou?" Said Ralph, "On mine own errands. " "Thouanswerest not over freely, " quoth the captain. Said Ralph, "Then is iteven; for thou askest freely enough. " "Well, well, " said the captain, grinning in no unfriendly wise, "thou seemest a stout lad enough; andas to my asking, it is my craft as captain of the North Gate: but nowtell me friendly, goest thou to any kinsman or friend in the Burg?"

Then Ralph's brow cleared and he said, "Nay, fair sir. " "Well then, "said the captain, "art thou but riding straight through to anothergate, and so away again?" "Nay, " said Ralph, "if I may, I would abidehere the night over, or may-happen longer. " "Therein thou shalt dowell, young man, " said the captain; "then I suppose thou wilt to somehostelry? tell me which one. "

Said Ralph, "Nay, I wot not to which one, knowing not the town. " ButRoger close by him spake and said: "My lord shall go to the Flower deLuce, which is in the big square. "

"Truly, " said the captain, "he goes to a good harbour; and moreover, fair sir, to-morrow thou shalt see a goodly sight from thine inn; thoumayst do no better, lord. But thou, carle, who art thou, who knowestthe inside of our Burg so well, though I know thee not, for as well asI know our craftsmen and vavassors?"

Then Roger's words hung on his lips awhile, and the knight bent hisbrow on him, till at last he said, "Sir Captain, I was minded to lie, and say that I am this young knight's serving-man. " The captain brokein on him grimly, "Thou wert best not lie. "

"Yea, sir, " quoth Roger, "I deemed, as it was on my tongue's end, thatthou wouldst find me out, so I have nought to do but tell thee the verysooth: this it is: I am a man made masterless by the thieves of theDry Tree. From my land at Hampton under Scaur have I been driven, mychattels have been lifted, and my friends slain; and therefore by yourleave would I ride in the host of the Burg, that I may pay back theharm which I had, according to the saw, 'better bale by breeding bale. 'So, lord, I ask thee wilt thou lend me the sword and give me the loaf, that I may help both thee, and the Burg, and me?"

The captain looked at him closely and sharply, while the carle facedhim with open simple eyes, and at last he said: "Well, carle, thou wertabout to name thyself this young knight's serving-man; be thou even sowhiles he abideth in the Burg; and when he leaveth the Burg then comeback to me here any day before noon, and may be I shall then put asword in thy fist and horse between thy thighs. But, " (and he waggedhis head threateningly at Roger) "see that thou art at the Flower deLuce when thou art called for. "

Roger held his peace and seemed somewhat abashed at this word, and thecaptain turned to Ralph and said courteously: "Young knight, if thouart seeking adventures, thou shalt find them in our host; and if thoube but half as wise as thou seemest bold, thou wilt not fail to gainhonour and wealth both, in the service of the Burg; for we be overmuchbeset with foemen that we should not welcome any wight and warywarrior, though he be an alien of blood and land. If thou thinkestwell of this, then send me thy man here and give me word of thy mind, and I shall lead thee to the chiefs of the Port, and make the way easyfor thee. "

Ralph thanked him and rode through the gate into the street, and Rogerstill went beside his stirrup. 

Presently Ralph turned to Roger and spake to him somewhat sourly, andsaid: "Thou hadst one lie in thy mouth and didst swallow it; but howshall I know that another did not come out thence? Withal thou mustneeds be my fellow here, will I, nill I; for thou it was that didst putthat word into the captain's mouth that thou shouldst serve me while Iabide in the Burg. So I will say here and now, that my mind misgivesme concerning thee, whether thou be not of those very thieves andtyrants whom thou didst mis-say but a little while ago. "

"Yea, " said Roger, "thou art wise indeed to set me down as one of theDry Tree; doubtless that is why I delivered thee from their ambush evennow. And as for my service, thou mayst need it; for indeed I deem theenot so safe as thou deemest thyself in this Burg. "

"What!" said Ralph, "Dost thou blow hot and cold? why even now, when wewere in the wood, thou wert telling me that I had nought at all to fearin the Burg of the Four Friths, and that all was done there by reasonand with justice. What is this new thing then which thou hast foundout, or what is that I have to fear?"

Roger changed countenance thereat and seemed somewhat confused, as onewho has been caught unawares; but he gat his own face presently, andsaid: "Nay, Sir Knight, I will tell thee the truth right out. In thewood yonder thy danger was great that thou mightest run into the handsof them of the Dry Tree; therefore true it is that I spake somewhatbeyond my warrant concerning the life of the folk of the Burg, as howcould I help it? But surely whatever thy peril may be here, it isnought to that which awaited thee at Hampton. "

"Nay, but what is the peril?" said Ralph. Quoth Roger, "If thou wiltbecome their man and enter into their host, there is none; for theywill ask few questions of so good a man-at-arms, when they know thatthou art theirs; but if thou naysay that, it may well be that they willbe for turning the key on thee till thou tellest them what and whencethou art. " Ralph answered nought, thinking in his mind that this waslike enough; so he rode on soberly, till Roger said:

"Anyhow, thou mayst turn the cold shoulder on me if thou wilt. Yetwere I thee, I would not, for so it is, both that I can help thee, as Ideem, in time to come, and that I have helped thee somewhat in timepast. "

Now Ralph was young and could not abide the blame of thanklessness; sohe said, "Nay, nay, fellow, go we on together to the Flower de Luce. "

Roger nodded his head and grumbled somewhat, and they made no stayexcept that now and again Ralph drew rein to look at goodly things inthe street, for there were many open booths therein, so that the wholestreet looked like a market. The houses were goodly of building, butnot very tall, the ways wide and well-paved. Many folk were in thestreet, going up and down on their errands, and both men and women ofthem seemed to Ralph stout and strong, but not very fair of favour. Withal they seemed intent on their business, and payed little heed toRalph and his fellow, though he was by his attire plainly a stranger. 

Now Ralph sees a house more gaily adorned than most, and a sign hungout from it whereon was done an image of St. Loy, and underneath thesame a booth on which was set out weapons and war-gear exceedinggoodly; and two knaves of the armourer were standing by to serve folk, and crying their wares with "what d'ye lack?" from time to time. So hestayed and fell to looking wistfully at the gleam and glitter of thosefair things, till one of the aforesaid knaves came to his side and said:

"Fair Sir, surely thou lackest somewhat; what have we here for thyneeds?" So Ralph thought and called to mind that strong little steelaxe of the man whom he had slain yesterday, and asked for the sight ofsuch a weapon, if he might perchance cheapen it. And the lad brought avery goodly steel axe, gold-inlaid about the shaft, and gave him theprice thereof, which Ralph deemed he might compass; so he brought roundhis scrip to his hand, that he might take out the money. But while hishand was yet in the bag, out comes the master-armourer, a tall and verystark carle, and said in courteous wise: "Sir Knight, thou art astranger to me and I know thee not; so I must needs ask for a sight ofthy license to buy weapons, under the seal of the Burg. "

"Hear a wonder, " said Ralph, "that a free man for his money shall notbuy wares set out to be bought, unless he have the Burg-Reeve's handand seal for it! Nay, take thy florins, master, and give me the axeand let the jest end there. " "I jest not, young rider, " quoth thearmourer. "When we know thee for a liegeman of the Burg, thou shaltbuy what thou wilt without question; but otherwise I have told thee thelaw, and how may I, the master of the craft, break the law? Be notwrath, fair sir, I will set aside thine axe for thee, till thou bringme the license, or bid me come see it, and thou shalt get the saidlicense at the Town Hall straight-way, when they may certify thee nofoeman of the Burg. "

Ralph saw that it availed nothing to bicker with the smith, and so wenthis way somewhat crestfallen, and that the more as he saw Rogergrinning a little. 

Now they come into the market-place, on one side whereof was the masterchurch of the town, which was strongly built and with a tall tower toit, but was not very big, and but little adorned. Over against it theysaw the sign of the Flower de Luce, a goodly house and great. Thitherward they turned; but in the face of the hostelry amidmost theplace was a thing which Roger pointed at with a grin that spoke as wellas words; and this was a high gallows-tree furnished with four forks orarms, each carved and wrought in the fashion of the very bough of atree, from which dangled four nooses, and above them all was a boardwhereon was written in big letters THE DRY TREE. And at the foot ofthis gallows were divers folk laughing and talking. 

So Ralph understood at once that those four men whom he had seen ledaway bound yesterday should be hanged thereon; so he stayed a franklinwho was passing by, and said to him, "Sir, I am a stranger in the town, and I would know if justice shall be done on the four woodmen to-day. ""Nay, " said the man, "but to-morrow; they are even now before thejudges. "

Then said Roger in a surly voice, "Why art thou not there to look on?""Because, " quoth the man, "there is little to see there, and not muchmore to hearken. The thieves shall be speedily judged, and notquestioned with torments, so that they may be the lustier to feel whatthe hangman shall work on them to-morrow; then forsooth the show shallbe goodly. But far better had it been if we had had in our hands thegreat witch of these dastards, as we looked to have her; but now folksay that she has not been brought within gates, and it is to be fearedthat she hath slipped through our fingers once more. "

Roger laughed, and said: "Simple are ye folk of the Burg and knownought of her shifts. I tell thee it is not unlike that she is in theBurg even now, and hath in hand to take out of your prison the fourwhom ye have caught. "

The franklin laughed scornfully in his turn and said: "If we be simple, thou art a fool merely: are we not stronger and more than the DryTree? How should she not be taken? How should she not be known if shewere walking about these streets? Have we no eyes, fool-carle?" And helaughed again, for he was wroth. 

Ralph hearkened, and a kind of fear seemed griping his heart, so heasked the franklin: "Tell me, sir, are ye two speaking of a woman whois Queen of these strong-thieves?" "Yea, " said he, "or it might betterbe said that she is their goddess, their mawmet, their devil, the veryheart and soul of their wickedness. But one day shall we have her bodyand soul, and then shall her body have but an evil day of it till shedieth in this world. "

"Yea, forsooth, if she can die at all, " quoth Roger. 

The franklin looked sourly on him and said: "Good man, thou knowestmuch of her, meseemeth--Whence art thou?" Said Roger speedily: "FromHampton under Scaur; and her rebel I am, and her dastard, and herrunaway. Therefore I know her forsooth. "

"Well, " the Franklin said, "thou seemest a true man, and yet I wouldcounsel thee to put a rein on thy tongue when thou art minded to talkof the Devil of the Dry Tree, or thou mayst come to harm in the Burg. "

He walked away towards the gallows therewith; and Roger said, almost asif he were talking to himself; "A heavy-footed fool goeth yonder; butafter this talk we were better hidden by the walls of theFlower-de-Luce. " So therewith they went on toward the hostel. 

But the market place was wide, and they were yet some minutes gettingto the door, and ere they came there Ralph said, knitting his browsanxiously: "Is this woman fair or foul to look on?" "That is nought soeasy to tell of, " said Roger, "whiles she is foul, whiles very fair, whiles young and whiles old; whiles cruel and whiles kind. But notethis, when she is the kindest then are her carles the cruellest; andshe is the kinder to them because they are cruel. "

Ralph pondered what he said, and wondered if this were verily the womanwhom he had delivered, or some other. As if answering to his unspokenthought, Roger went on: "They speak but of one woman amongst them ofthe Dry Tree, but in sooth they have many others who are like unto herin one way or other; and this again is a reason why they may not layhands on the very Queen of them all. "

Therewithal they came unto the hostel, and found it fair enough within, the hall great and goodly for such a house, and with but threechapmen-carles therein. Straightway they called for meat, for it wasnow past noon, and the folk of the house served them when the groomshad taken charge of Falcon. And Roger served Ralph as if he wereverily his man. Then Ralph went to his chamber aloft and rested awhile, but came down into the hall a little before nones, and foundRoger there walking up and down the hall floor, and no man else, so hesaid to him: "Though thou art not of the Burg, thou knowest it; wiltthou not come abroad then, and show it me? for I have a mind to learnthe ways of the folk here. "

Said Roger, and smiled a little: "If thou commandest me as my lord, Iwill come; yet I were better pleased to abide behind; for I am wearywith night-waking and sorrow; and have a burden of thought, one which Imust bear to the end of the road; and if I put it down I shall have togo back and take it up again. "

Ralph thought that he excused himself with more words than were needed;but he took little heed of it, but nodded to him friendly, and went outof the house afoot, but left his weapons and armour behind him by therede of Roger. 

CHAPTER 13

The Streets of the Burg of the Four Friths

He went about the streets and found them all much like to the one whichthey had entered by the north gate; he saw no poor or wretched houses, and none very big as of great lords; they were well and stoutlybuilded, but as aforesaid not much adorned either with carven work orpainting: there were folk enough in the streets, and now Ralph, as waslike to be, looked specially at the women, and thought many of themlittle better-favoured than the men, being both dark and low; neitherwere they gaily clad, though their raiment, like the houses, was stoutand well wrought. But here and there he came on a woman taller andwhiter than the others, as though she were of another blood; all suchof these as he saw were clad otherwise than the darker women: theirheads uncoifed, uncovered save for some garland or silken band: theirgowns yellow like wheat-straw, but gaily embroidered; sleeveless withaland short, scarce reaching to the ancles, and whiles so thin that theywere rather clad with the embroidery than the cloth; shoes they hadnot, but sandals bound on their naked feet with white thongs, and eachbore an iron ring about her right arm. 

The more part of the men wore weapons at their sides and had staves inhand, and were clad in short jerkins brown or blue of colour, andlooked ready for battle if any moment should call them thereto; butamong them were men of different favour and stature from these, tallerfor the most part, unarmed, and clad in long gowns of fair colours withcloths of thin and gay-coloured web twisted about their heads. Thesehe took for merchants, as they were oftenest standing in and about thebooths and shops, whereof there were some in all the streets, thoughthe market for victuals and such like he found over for that day, andbut scantily peopled. 

Out of one of these markets, which was the fish and fowl market, hecame into a long street that led him down to a gate right over againstthat whereby he had entered the Burg; and as he came thereto he sawthat there was a wide way clear of all houses inside of the wall, sothat men-at-arms might go freely from one part to the other; and he hadalso noted that a wide way led from each port out of the great place, and each ended not but in a gate. But as to any castle in the town, hesaw none; and when he asked a burgher thereof, the carle laughed in hisface, and said to him that the whole Burg, houses and all, was acastle, and that it would turn out to be none of the easiest to win. And forsooth Ralph himself was much of that mind. 

Now he was just within the south gate when he held this talk, and therewere many folk thereby already, and more flocking thereto; so he stoodthere to see what should betide; and anon he heard great blowing ofhorns and trumpets all along the wall, and, as he deemed, other hornsanswered from without; and so it was; for soon the withoutward hornsgrew louder, and the folk fell back on either side of the way, and nextthe gates were thrown wide open (which before had been shut save for awicket) and thereafter came the first of a company of men-at-arms, foot-men, with bills some, and some with bows, and all-armed knightsand sergeants a-horseback. 

So streamed in these weaponed men till Ralph saw that it was a greathost that was entering the Burg; and his heart rose within him, sowarrior-like they were of men and array, though no big men of theirbodies; and many of them bore signs of battle about them, both in thebattering of their armour and the rending of their raiment, and theclouts tied about the wounds on their bodies. 

After a while among the warriors came herds of neat and flocks of sheepand strings of horses, of the spoil which the host had lifted; and thenwains filled, some with weapons and war gear, and some with bales ofgoods and household stuff. Last came captives, some going afoot andsome for weariness borne in wains; for all these war-taken thralls werewomen and women-children; of males there was not so much as a littlelad. Of the women many seemed fair to Ralph despite their grief andtravel; and as he looked on them he deemed that they must be of thekindred and nation of the fair white women he had seen in the streets;though they were not clad like those, but diversely. 

So Ralph gazed on this pageant till all had passed, and he was wearywith the heat and the dust and the confused clamour of shouting andlaughter and talking; and whereas most of the folk followed after thehost and their spoil, the streets of the town there about were soonleft empty and peaceful. So he turned into a street narrower thanmost, that went east from the South Gate and was much shaded from theafternoon sun, and went slowly down it, meaning to come about theinside of the wall till he should hit the East Gate, and so into theGreat Place when the folk should have gone their ways home. 

He saw no folk in the street save here and there an old woman sittingat the door of her house, and maybe a young child with her. As he cameto where the street turned somewhat, even such a carline was sitting ona clean white door-step on the sunny side, somewhat shaded by a tallrose-laurel tree in a great tub, and she sang as she sat spinning, andRalph stayed to listen in his idle mood, and he heard how she sang in adry, harsh voice:

 Clashed sword on shield In the harvest field; And no man blames The red red flames, War's candle-wick On roof and rick. Now dead lies the yeoman unwept and unknown On the field he hath furrowed, the ridge he hath sown: And all in the middle of wethers and neat The maidens are driven with blood on their feet; For yet 'twixt the Burg-gate and battle half-won The dust-driven highway creeps uphill and on, And the smoke of the beacons goes coiling aloft, While the gathering horn bloweth loud, louder and oft. 

 Throw wide the gates For nought night waits; Though the chase is dead The moon's o'erhead And we need the clear Our spoil to share. Shake the lots in the helm then for brethren are we, And the goods of my missing are gainful to thee. Lo! thine are the wethers, and his are the kine; And the colts of the marshland unbroken are thine, With the dapple-grey stallion that trampled his groom; And Giles hath the gold-blossomed rose of the loom. Lo! leaps out the last lot and nought have I won, But the maiden unmerry, by battle undone. 

Even as her song ended came one of those fair yellow-gowned damselsround the corner of the street, bearing in her hand a light basket fullof flowers: and she lifted up her head and beheld Ralph there; then shewent slowly and dropped her eyelids, and it was pleasant to Ralph tobehold her; for she was as fair as need be. Her corn-coloured gown wasdainty and thin, and but for its silver embroidery had hidden her limbsbut little; the rosiness of her ancles showed amidst her whitesandal-thongs, and there were silver rings and gold on her arms alongwith the iron ring. 

Now she lifted up her eyes and looked shyly at Ralph, and he smiled ather well-pleased, and deemed it would be good to hear her voice; so hewent up to her and greeted her, and she seemed to take his greetingwell, though she glanced swiftly at the carline in the doorway. 

Said Ralph: "Fair maiden, I am a stranger in this town, and have seenthings I do not wholly understand; now wilt thou tell me before I askthe next question, who will be those war-taken thralls whom even now Isaw brought into the Burg by the host? of what nation be they, and ofwhat kindred?"

Straightway was the damsel all changed; she left her dainty tricks, anddrew herself up straight and stiff. She looked at him in the eyes, flushing red, and with knit brows, a moment, and then passed by himwith swift and firm feet as one both angry and ashamed. 

But the carline who had beheld the two with a grin on her wrinkled facechanged aspect also, and cried out fiercely after the damsel, and said:"What! dost thou flee from the fair young man, and he so kind and softwith thee, thou jade? Yea, I suppose thou dost fetch and carry forsome mistress who is young and a fool, and who has not yet learned howto deal with the daughters of thine accursed folk. Ah! if I had butmoney to buy some one of you, and a good one, she should do somethingelse for me than showing her fairness to young men; and I would pay herfor her long legs and her white skin, till she should curse her fatethat she had not been born little and dark-skinned and free, and withheels un-bloodied with the blood of her back. "

Thus she went on, though the damsel was long out of ear-shot of hercurses; and Ralph tarried not to get away from her spiteful babble, which he now partly understood; and that all those yellow-clad damselswere thralls to the folk of the Burg; and belike were of the kindred ofthose captives late-taken whom he had seen amidst the host at itsentering into the Burg. 

So he wandered away thence thinking on what he should do till the sunwas set, and he had come into the open space underneath the walls, andhad gone along it till he came to the East Gate: there he looked aroundhim a little and found people flowing back from the Great Place, whereto they had gathered to see the host mustered and the spoilblessed; then he went on still under the wall, and noted not that hereand there a man turned about to look upon him curiously, for he wasdeep in thought, concerning the things which he had seen and heard of, and pondered much what might have befallen his brethren since theysundered at the Want-way nigh to the High House of Upmeads. Withal thechief thing that he desired was to get him away from the Burg, for hefelt himself unfree therein; and he said to himself that if he wereforced to dwell among this folk, that he had better never have stolenhimself away from his father and mother; and whiles even he thoughtthat he would do his best on the morrow to get him back home to Upmeadsagain. But then when he thought of how his life would go in his oldhome, there seemed to him a lack, and when he questioned himself as towhat that lack was, straightway he seemed to see that Lady of theWildwood standing before the men-at-arms in her scanty raiment theminute before his life was at adventure because of them. And in soothhe smiled to himself then with a beating heart, as he told himself thatabove all things he desired to see that Lady, whatever she might be, and that he would follow his adventure to the end until he met her. 

Amidst these thoughts he came unto the North Gate, whereby he had firstentered the Burg, and by then it was as dark as the summer night wouldbe; so he woke up from his dream, as it were, and took his way brisklyback to the Flower de Luce. 

CHAPTER 14

What Ralph Heard of the Matters of the Burg of the Four Friths

There was no candle in the hall when he entered, but it was not so darktherein but he might see Roger sitting on a stool near the chimney, andopposite to him on the settle sat two men; one very tall and big, theother small; Roger was looking away from these, and whistling; and itcame into Ralph's mind that he would have him think that he had noughtto do with them, whether that were so or not. But he turned round asRalph came up the hall and rose and came up to him, and fell to talkingwith him and asking him how he liked the Burg; and ever he spake fastand loud, so that again it came on Ralph that he was playing a part. 

Ralph heeded him little, but ever looked through the hall-dusk on thosetwain, who presently arose and went toward the hall door, but when theywere but half-way across the floor a chamberlain came in suddenly, bearing candles in his hands, and the light fell on those guests andflashed back from a salade on the head of the big man, and Ralph sawthat he was clad in a long white gaberdine, and he deemed that he wasthe very man whom he had seen last in the Great Place at Higham, nighthe church, and before that upon the road. As for the smaller manRalph had no knowledge of him, for he could see but little of his face, whereas he was wrapped up in a cloak, for as warm as the evening was, and wore a slouch hat withal; but his eyes seemed great and wondrousbright. 

But when they were gone Ralph asked Roger if he knew aught of them, orif they had told him aught. "Nay, " said Roger, "they came in here as Isat alone, and had their meat, and spake nought to me, and little toeach other. I deem them not to be of the Burg. Nay, sooth to say, Idoubt if they be true men. "

As he spake came in a sort of the townsmen somewhat merry and noisy, and called for meat and drink and more lights; so that the board wasbrought and the hall was speedily astir. These men, while supper wasbeing dight, fell to talking to Ralph and Roger, and asking themquestions of whence and whither, but nowise uncourteously: to whomRoger answered with the tale which he had told Ralph, and Ralph toldwhat he would, and that was but little. 

But when the board was dight they bade them sit down with them and eat. Ralph sat down at once, and Roger would have served him, but Ralph badehim do it not, and constrained him to sit by his side, and they two sata little apart from the townsmen. 

So when they had eaten their fill, and wine was brought, and men weredrinking kindly, Ralph began to ask Roger concerning those women whomhe had seen in the street, and the captives whom he had seen brought inby the host, and if they were of one kindred, and generally how it waswith them: and he spake somewhat softly as if he would not break intothe talk of the townsmen: but Roger answered him in a loud voice sothat all could hear:

"Yea, lord, I will tell thee the tale of them, which setteth forth wellboth the wise policy and the great mercy of the folk of the Burg andtheir rulers. "

Said Ralph: "Are these women also of the Dry Tree? For I perceivethem to be born of the foes of the Burg. "

Now the townsmen had let their talk drop a while to listen to the talkof the aliens; and Roger answered still in a loud voice: "Nay, nay, itis not so. These queens are indeed war-taken thralls, but not fromthem of the Dry Tree, or they would have been slain at once, like asthe carles of those accursed ones. But these are of the folk of theWheat-wearers, even as those whom thou sawest brought to-day amidst theother spoil. And to this folk the Burg showeth mercy, and whenso thehost goeth against them and over-cometh (and that is well-nigh wheneverthey meet) these worthy lords slay no woman of them, but the men only, whether they be old or young or youngest. As for their women they arebrought hither and sold at the market-cross to the highest bidder. Andthis honour they have, that such of them as be fair, and that is themore part of the younger ones, fetch no ill penny. Yet for my part Iwere loth to cheapen such wares: for they make but evil servants, being proud, and not abiding stripes lightly, or toiling the harder forthem; and they be somewhat too handy with the knife if they deemthemselves put upon. Speak I sooth, my masters?" quoth he, turningtoward them of the town. 

Said a burgher somewhat stricken in years, "Nought but sooth; peaceablemen like to me eschew such servants; all the more because of this, thatif one of these queens misbehave with the knife, or strayeth from hermaster's bed, the laws of the Burg meddle not therein. For the wisemen say that such folk are no more within the law than kine be, and maynot for their deeds be brought before leet or assize any more thankine. So that if the master punish her not for her misdoings, unpunished she needs must go; yea even if her deed be mere murder. "

"That is sooth, " said a somewhat younger man; "yet whiles it fareth illwith them at the hands of our women. To wit, my father's brother haseven now come from the war to find his thrall all spoilt by his wife:and what remedy may he have against his wife? his money is gone, evenas if she had houghed his horse or his best cow. "

"Yea, " said a third, "we were better without such cattle. A thrustwith a sword and all the tale told, were the better way of dealing withthem. "

Said another; "Yet are the queens good websters, and, lacking them, figured cloth of silk would be far-fetched and dear-bought here. "

A young man gaily clad, who had been eyeing the speakers disdainfully, spake next and said: "Fair sirs, ye are speaking like hypocrites, andas if your lawful wives were here to hearken to you; whereas ye knowwell how goodly these thralls be, and that many of them can be kindenough withal; and ye would think yourselves but ill bestead if yemight not cheapen such jewels for your money. Which of you will go tothe Cross next Saturday and there buy him a fairer wife than he can wedout of our lineages? and a wife withal of whose humours he need take nomore account of than the dullness of his hound or the skittish temperof his mare, so long as the thong smarts, and the twigs sting. "

One or two grinned as he spake, but some bent their brows at him, yetscarce in earnest, and the talk thereover dropped, nor did Ralph askany more questions; for he was somewhat down-hearted, calling to mindthe frank and free maidens of Upmead, and their friendly words andhearty kisses. And him seemed the world was worse than he had lookedto find it. 

Howsoever, the oldest and soberest of the guests, seeing that he was astranger and of noble aspect, came unto him and sat by him, and fell totelling him tales of the wars of the men of the Burg with theWheat-wearers; and how in time past, when the town was but littlefenced, the Wheat-wearers had stormed their gates and taken the city, and had made a great slaughter; but yet had spared many of thefighting-men, although they had abided there as the masters of them, and held them enthralled for three generations of men: after which timethe sons' sons of the old Burg-dwellers having grown very many again, and divers of them being trusted in sundry matters by the conquerors, who oppressed them but little, rose up against them as occasion served, in the winter season and the Yule feast, and slew their masters, savefor a few who were hidden away. 

"And thereafter, " quoth he, "did we make the Burg strong and hard towin, as ye see it to-day; and we took for our captain the Forest Lord, who ere-while had dwelt in the clearings of the wildwood, and he weddedthe Fair Lady who was the son's daughter of him who had been our lordere the Wheat-wearers overcame us; and we grew safe and free and mightyagain. And the son of the Forest Lord, he whom we call the War-smith, he it was who beheld the Burg too much given to pleasure, anddelighting in the softness of life; and he took order to harden ourhearts, and to cause all freemen to learn the craft of war and battle, and let the women and thralls and aliens see to other craftsmanship andto chaffer; and even so is it done as he would; and ye shall find ushardy of heart enough, though belike not so joyous as might be. Yet atleast we shall not be easy to overcome. "

"So indeed it seemeth, " said Ralph. "Yet will I ask of you first onequestion, and then another. "

"Ask on, " said the burgher. 

Said Ralph: "How is it that ye, being so strong, should still sufferthem of the Dry Tree, taking a man here and a man there, when ye mightdestroy them utterly?"

The Burgher reddened and cleared his throat and said: "Sir, it must bemade clear to you that these evil beasts are no peril to the Burg ofthe Four Friths; all the harm they may do us, is as when a cur dogbiteth a man in the calf of the leg; whereby the man shall be grievedindeed, but the dog slain. Such grief as that they have done us atwhiles: but the grief is paid for thus, that the hunting and slayingof them keeps our men in good trim, and pleasures them; shortly to sayit, they are the chief deer wherewith our wood is stocked. "

He stopped awhile and then went on again and said: "To say sooth theybe not very handy for crushing as a man crushes a wasp, because sorcerygoes with them, and the wiles of one who is their Queen, the evilestwoman who ever spat upon the blessed Host of the Altar: yet is shestrong, a devouring sea of souls, God help us!" And he blessed himselftherewith. 

Said Ralph: "Yet a word on these Wheat-wearers; it seemeth that yenever fail to overcome them in battle?"

"But seldom at least, " quoth the Burgher. 

Said Ralph: "Then it were no great matter for you to gather a hostoverwhelming, and to take their towns and castles, and forbid themweapons, and make them your thralls to till the land for you which nowthey call theirs; so that ye might have of their gettings all save whatwere needful for them to live as thralls. "

"I deem it were an easy thing, " said the burgher. 

Quoth Ralph: "Then why do ye not so?"

"It were but a poor game to play, " said the burgher. "Such of theirwealth as we have a mind to, we can have now at the cost of a battle ortwo, begun one hour and ended the next: were we their masters sittingdown amidst of their hatred, and amidst of their plotting, yea, and inthe very place where that were the hottest and thickest, the battlewould be to begin at every sun's uprising, nor would it be ended at anysunset. Hah! what sayest thou?"

Said Ralph: "This seemeth to me but the bare truth; yet it is littleafter the manner of such masterful men as ye be. But why then do yeslay all their carles that are taken; whereas ye bear away the womenand make thralls of them at home, that is to say, foes in every house?"

"It may be, " said the Burgher, "that this is not amongst the wisest ofour dealings. Yet may we do no otherwise; for thus we swore to do byall the greatest oaths that we might swear, in the days when we firstcast off their yoke, and yet were not over strong at the first; and nowit hath so grown into a part of our manners, yea, and of our veryhearts and minds, that the slaying of a Wheat-wearer is to us a lightermatter than the smiting of a rabbit or a fowmart. But now, look you, fair sir, my company ariseth from table; so I bid thee a good night. And I give thee a good rede along with the good wish, to wit, that thouask not too many questions in this city concerning its foemen: for hereis the stranger looked upon with doubt, if he neither will take thewages of the Burg for battle, nor hath aught to sell. "

Ralph reddened at his word, and the other looked at him steadily as hespoke, so that Ralph deemed that he mistrusted him: he deemed moreoverthat three or four of the others looked hard at him as they wenttowards the door, while Roger stood somewhat smiling, and humming asnatch of an old song. 

But when the other guests had left the hostelry, Roger left hissinging, and turned to Ralph and said: "Master, meseems that theymistrust us, and now maybe is that peril that I spake of nigher than Ideemed when we came into the Burg this morning. And now I would thatwe were well out of the Burg and in the merry greenwood again, and itrepents me that I brought thee hither. "

"Nay, good fellow, " quoth Ralph, "heed it not: besides, it was me, notthee, that they seemed to doubt of. I will depart hence to-morrowmorning no worser than I came, and leave thee to seek thy fortune here;and good luck go with thee. "

Roger looked hard at him and said: "Not so, young lord; if thou goestI will go with thee, for thou hast won my heart, I know not how: and Iwould verily be thy servant, to follow thee whithersoever thou goest;for I think that great deeds will come of thee. "

This word pleased Ralph, for he was young and lightly put faith inmen's words, and loved to be well thought of, and was fain of goodfellowship withal. So he said: "This is a good word of thine, and Ithank thee for it; and look to it that in my adventures, and the rewardof them thou shalt have thy due share. Lo here my hand on it!"

Roger took his hand, yet therewith his face seemed a little troubled, but he said nought. Then spoke Ralph: "True it is that I am not fainto take the wages of the Burg; for it seems to me that they be hardmen, and cruel and joyless, and that their service shall be ratherchurlish than knightly. Howbeit, let night bring counsel, and we willsee to this to-morrow; for now I am both sleepy and weary. " Therewithhe called the chamberlain, who bore a wax light before him to hischamber, and he did off his raiment and cast himself on his bed, andfell asleep straightway, before he knew where Roger was sleeping, whether it were in the hall or some place else. 

CHAPTER 15

How Ralph Departed From the Burg of the Four Friths

Himseemed he had scarce been asleep a minute ere awoke with a sound ofsomeone saying softly, "Master, master, awake!" So he sat up andanswered softly in his turn: "Who is it? what is amiss, since thenight is yet young?"

"I am thy fellow-farer, Roger, " said the speaker, "and this thou hastto do, get on thy raiment speedily, and take thy weapons without noise, if thou wouldst not be in the prison of the Burg before sunrise. "

Ralph did as he was bidden without more words; for already when he laydown his heart misgave him that he was in no safe place; he looked tohis weapons and armour that they should not clash, and down they cameinto the hall and found the door on the latch; so out they went andRalph saw that it was somewhat cloudy; the moon was set and it wasdark, but Ralph knew by the scent that came in on the light wind, and alittle stir of blended sounds, that it was hard on dawning; and eventherewith he heard the challenge of the warders on the walls and theircrying of the hour; and the chimes of the belfry rang clear and loud, and seeming close above him, two hours and a half after midnight. Roger spake not, and Ralph was man-at-arms enough to know that he musthold his peace; and though he longed sore to have his horse Falcon withhim, yet he wotted that it availed not to ask of his horse, since hedurst not ask of his life. 

So they went on silently till they were out of the Great Place and cameinto a narrow street, and so into another which led them straight intothe houseless space under the wall. Roger led right on as if he knewthe way well, and in a twinkling were they come to a postern in thewall betwixt the East Gate and the South. By the said postern Ralphsaw certain men standing; and on the earth near by, whereas he waskeen-eyed, he saw more than one man lying moveless. 

Spake Roger softly to the men who stood on their feet: "Is the ropetwined?" "Nay, rope-twiner, " said one of them. Then Roger turned andwhispered to Ralph: "Friends. Get out thy sword!" Wherewithal thegate was opened, and they all passed out through the wall, and stoodabove the ditch in the angle-nook of a square tower. Then Ralph sawsome of the men stoop and shoot out a broad plank over the ditch, whichwas deep but not wide thereabout, and straightway he followed theothers over it, going last save Roger. By then they were on the otherside he saw a glimmer of the dawn in the eastern heaven, but it wasstill more than dusk, and no man spoke again. They went on softlyacross the plain fields outside the wall, creeping from bush to bush, and from tree to tree, for here, if nowhere about the circuit of theBurg, were a few trees growing. Thus they came into a little wood andpassed through it, and then Ralph could see that the men were sixbesides Roger; by the glimmer of the growing dawn he saw before them aspace of meadows with high hedges about them, and a dim line that hetook for the roof of a barn or grange, and beyond that a dark mass oftrees. 

Still they pressed on without speaking; a dog barked not far off andthe cocks were crowing, and close by them in the meadow a cow lowed andwent hustling over the bents and the long, unbitten buttercups. Daygrew apace, and by then they were under the barn-gable which he hadseen aloof he saw the other roofs of the grange and heard the bleatingof sheep. And now he saw those six men clearly, and noted that one ofthem was very big and tall, and one small and slender, and it came intohis mind that these two were none other than the twain whom he had comeupon the last night sitting in the hall of the Flower de Luce. 

Even therewith came a man to the gate of the sheep-cote by the grange, and caught sight of them, and had the wits to run back at once shoutingout: "Hugh, Wat, Richard, and all ye, out with you, out a doors! Herebe men! Ware the Dry Tree! Bows and bills! Bows and bills!"

With that those fellows of Ralph made no more ado, but set off runningat their best toward the wood aforesaid, which crowned the slopeleading up from the grange, and now took no care to go softly, norheeded the clashing of their armour. Ralph ran with the best andentered the wood alongside the slim youth aforesaid, who stayed not atthe wood's edge but went on running still: but Ralph stayed and turnedto see what was toward, and beheld how that tall man was the last oftheir company, and ere he entered the wood turned about with a bent bowin his hand, and even as he nocked the shaft, the men from the Grange, who were seven in all, came running out from behind the barn-gable, crying out: "Ho thieves! ho ye of the Dry Tree, abide till we come!flee not from handy strokes. " The tall man had the shaft to his ear ina twinkling, and loosed straightway, and nocked and loosed anothershaft without staying to note how the first had sped. But Ralph sawthat a man was before each of the shafts, and had fallen to earth, though he had no time to see aught else, for even therewith the tallman caught him by the hand, and crying out, "The third time!" ran onwith him after the rest of their company; and whereas he waslong-legged and Ralph lightfooted, they speedily came up with them, whowere running still, but laughing as they ran, and jeering at the men ofthe Burg; and the tall man shouted out to them: "Yea, lads, thecounterfeit Dry Tree that they have raised in the Burg shall be dryenough this time. " "Truly, " said another, "till we come to water itwith the blood of these wretches. "

"Well, well, get on, " said a third, "waste not your wind in talk; thosecarles will make but a short run of it to the walls long as it was forus, creeping and creeping as we behoved to. "

The long man laughed; "Thou sayest sooth, " said he, "but thou art thelongest winded of all in talking: get on, lads. "

They laughed again at his word and sped on with less noise; while Ralphthought within himself that he was come into strange company, for nowhe knew well that the big man was even he whom he had first met at thechurchyard gate of the thorp under Bear Hill. Yet he deemed that therewas nought for it now but to go on. 

Within a while they all slacked somewhat, and presently did but walk, though swiftly, through the paths of the thicket, which Ralph deemedfull surely was part of that side of the Wood Perilous that lay southof the Burg of the Four Friths. And now Roger joined himself to him, and spake to him aloud and said: "So, fair master, thou art out of theperil of death for this bout. "

"Art thou all so sure of that?" quoth Ralph, "or who are these that bewith us? meseems they smell of the Dry Tree. "

"Yea, or rebels and runaways therefrom, " said Roger, with a dry grin. "But whosoever they may be, thou shalt see that they will suffer us todepart whither we will, if we like not their company. I will be thywarrant thereof. "

"Moreover, " said Ralph, "I have lost Falcon my horse; it is a sore missof him. "

"Maybe, " quoth Roger, "but at least thou hast saved thy skin; andwhereas there are many horses on the earth, there is but one skin ofthine: be content; if thou wilt, thou shall win somewhat in exchangefor thine horse. "

Ralph smiled, but somewhat sourly, and even therewith he heard a shrillwhistle a little aloof, and the men stayed and held their peace, forthey were talking together freely again now. Then the big man put hisfingers to his mouth and whistled again in answer, a third whistleanswered him; and lo, presently, as their company hastened on, thevoices of men, and anon they came into a little wood-lawn whereinstanding about or lying on the grass beside their horses were more thana score of men well armed, but without any banner or token, and all inwhite armour with white Gaberdines thereover; and they had with them, as Ralph judged, some dozen of horses more than they needed for theirown riding. 

Great was the joy at this meeting, and there was embracing and kissingof friends: but Ralph noted that no man embraced that slender youth, and that he held him somewhat aloof from the others, and all seemed todo him reverence. 

Now spake one of the runaways: "Well, lads, here be all we four wellmet again along with those twain who came to help us at our pinch, astheir wont is, and Roger withal, good at need again, and a friend ofhis, as it seemeth, and whom we know not. See ye to that. "

Then stood forth the big man and said: "He is a fair young knight, asye may see; and he rideth seeking adventures, and Roger did us to witthat he was abiding in the Burg at his peril, and would have him away, even if it were somewhat against his will: and we were willing that itshould be so, all the more as I have a guess concerning what he is; anda foreseeing man might think that luck should go with him. " Therewithhe turned to Ralph and said: "How say ye, fair sir, will ye takeguesting with us a while and learn our ways?"

Said Ralph: "Certain I am that whither ye will have me go, thithermust I; yet I deem that I have an errand that lies not your way. Therefore if I go with you, ye must so look upon it that I am in yourfellowship as one compelled. To be short with you, I crave leave todepart and go mine own road. "

As he spoke he saw the youth walking up and down in short turns; buthis face he could scarce see at all, what for his slouched hat, whatfor his cloak; and at last he saw him go up to the tall man and speaksoftly to him awhile. The tall man nodded his head, and as the youthdrew right back nigh to the thicket, spake to Ralph again. 

"Fair sir, we grant thine asking; and add this thereto that we givethee the man who has joined himself to thee, Roger of the Rope-walk towit, to help thee on the road, so that thou mayst not turn thy faceback to the Burg of the Four Friths, where thine errand, and thy lifewithal, were soon sped now, or run into any other trap which the WoodPerilous may have for thee. And yet if thou think better of it, thoumayst come with us straightway; for we have nought to do to tarry hereany longer. And in any case, here is a good horse that we will givethee, since thou hast lost thy steed; and Roger who rideth with thee, he also is well horsed. "

Ralph looked hard at the big man, who now had his salade thrown backfrom his face, to see if he gave any token of jeering or malice, butcould see nought such: nay, his face was grave and serious, notill-fashioned, though it were both long and broad like his body: hischeek-bones somewhat high, his eyes grey and middling great, andlooking, as it were, far away. 

Now deems Ralph that as for a trap of the Wood Perilous, he had alreadyfallen into the trap; for he scarce needed to be told that these weremen of the Dry Tree. He knew also that it was Roger who had led himinto this trap, although he deemed it done with no malice against him. So he said to himself that if he went with Roger he but went aroundabout road to the Dry Tree; so that he was well nigh choosing togo on with their company. Yet again he thought that something mightwell befall which would free him from that fellowship if he went withRoger alone; whereas if he went with the others it was not that hemight be, but that he was already of the fellowship of the Dry Tree, and most like would go straight thence to their stronghold. So hespake as soberly as the tall man had done. 

"Since ye give me the choice, fair sir, I will depart hence with Rogeralone, whom ye call my man, though to me he seemeth to be yours. Howbeit, he has led me to you once, and belike will do so once more. "

"Yea, " quoth the big man smiling no whit more than erst, "and that willmake the fourth time. Depart then, fair sir, and take this word withthee that I wish thee good and not evil. "

CHAPTER 16

Ralph Rideth the Wood Perilous Again

Now Roger led up to Ralph a strong horse, red roan of hue, dulyharnessed for war, and he himself had a good grey horse, and theymounted at once, and Ralph rode slowly away through the wood at hishorse's will, for he was pondering all that had befallen him, andwondering what next should hap. Meanwhile those others had notloitered, but were a-horseback at once, and went their ways from Ralphthrough the wildwood. 

Nought spake Ralph for a while till Roger came close up to him andsaid: "Whither shall we betake us, fair lord? hast thou an inkling ofthe road whereon lies thine errand?"

Now to Ralph this seemed but mockery, and he answered sharply: "I wotnot, thou wilt lead whither thou wilt, even as thou hast trained mehitherward with lies and a forged tale. I suppose thou wilt lead menow by some roundabout road to the stronghold of the Dry Tree. Itmatters little, since thou durst not lead me back into the Burg. Yetnow I come to think of it, it is evil to be alone with a found outtraitor and liar; and I had belike have done better to go with theircompany. "

"Nay nay, " quoth Roger, "thou art angry, and I marvel not thereat; butlet thy wrath run off thee if thou mayest; for indeed what I have toldthee of myself and my griefs is not all mere lying. Neither was it anylie that thou wert in peril of thy life amongst those tyrants of theBurg; thou with thy manly bearing, and free tongue, and bred, as Ijudge, to hate cruel deeds and injustice. Such freedom they cannotaway with in that fellowship of hard men-at-arms; and soon hadst thoucome to harm amongst them. And further, let alone that it is not illto be sundered from yonder company, who mayhap will have rough work todo or ever they win home, I have nought to do to bring thee to Hamptonunder Scaur if thou hast no will to go thither: though certes I wouldlead thee some whither, whereof thou shalt ask me nought as now; yetwill I say thereof this much, that there thou shalt be both safe andwell at ease. Now lastly know this, that whatever I have done, I havedone it to do thee good and not ill; and there is also another one, whom I will not name to thee, who wisheth thee better yet, by the tokenof those two strokes stricken by thee in the Wood Perilous beforeyesterday was a day. "

Now when Ralph heard those last words, such strong and sweet hope anddesire stirred in him to see that woman of the Want-ways of the WoodPerilous that he forgat all else, except that he must nowise fall tostrife with Roger, lest they should sunder, and he should lose the helpof him, which he now deemed would bring him to sight of her whom he hadunwittingly come to long for more than aught else; so he spake to Rogerquietly and humbly: "Well, faring-fellow, thou seest how I am littlemore than a lad, and have fallen into matters mighty and perilous, which I may not deal with of my own strength, at least until I getnigher to them so that I may look them in the eyes, and strike a strokeor two on them if they be at enmity with me. So I bid thee lead mewhither thou wilt, and if thou be a traitor to me, on thine own head beit; in good sooth, since I know nought of this wood and since I mightgo astray and so come back to the Burg where be those whom thou hastnow made my foemen, I am content to take thee on thy word, and to hopethe best of thee, and ask no question of thee, save whitherward. "

"Fair sir, " said Roger, "away from this place at least; for we are asyet over nigh to the Burg to be safe: but as to elsewhither we maywend, thereof we may speak on the road as we have leisure. "

Therewith he smote his horse with his heel and they went forward at asmart trot, for the horses were unwearied, and the wood thereabouts ofbeech and clear of underwood; and Roger seemed to know his way well, and made no fumbling over it. 

Four hours or more gone, the wood thinned and the beeches failed, andthey came to a country, still waste, of little low hills, stony for themore part, beset with scraggy thorn-bushes, and here and there someother berry-tree sown by the birds. Then said Roger: "Now I deem uswell out of the peril of them of the Burg, who if they follow the chaseas far as the sundering of us and the others, will heed our slotnothing, but will follow on that of the company: so we may breathe ourhorses a little, though their bait will be but small in this roughwaste: therein we are better off than they, for lo you, saddle bags onmy nag and meat and drink therein. "

So they lighted down and let their horses graze what they could, whilethey ate and drank; amidst which Ralph again asked Roger of whitherthey were going. Said Roger: "I shall lead thee to a good harbour, and a noble house of a master of mine, wherein thou mayst dwell certaindays, if thou hast a mind thereto, not without solace maybe. "

"And this master, " said Ralph, "is he of the Dry Tree?" Said Roger: "Iscarce know how to answer thee without lying: but this I say, thatwhether he be or not, this is true; amongst those men I have friendsand amongst them foes; but fate bindeth me to them for a while. " SaidRalph reddening: "Be there any women amongst them?" "Yea, yea, " quothRoger, smiling a little, "doubt not thereof. "

"And that Lady of the Dry Tree, " quoth Ralph, reddening yet more, butholding up his head, "that woman whereof the Burgher spoke so bitterly, threatening her with torments and death if they might but lay hold ofher; what wilt thou tell me concerning her?" "But little, " said Roger, "save this, that thou desirest to see her, and that thou mayest havethy will thereon if thou wilt be guided by me. "

Ralph hearkened as if he heeded little what Roger said; but presentlyhe rose up and walked to and fro in short turns with knit brows as onepondering a hard matter. He spake nought, and Roger seemed to heed himnothing, though in sooth he looked at him askance from time to time, till at last he came and lay down again by Roger, and in a while hespake: "I wot not why ye of the Dry Tree want me, or what ye will dowith me; and but for one thing I would even now ride away from thee atall adventure. "

Roger said: "All this ye shall learn later on, and shalt find it but asimple matter; and meanwhile I tell thee again that all is for thy gainand thy pleasure. So now ride away if thou wilt; who hindereth thee?certes not I. "

"Nay, " said Ralph, "I will ride with thee first to that fair house; andafterwards we shall see what is to hap. " "Yea, " quoth Roger, "then letus to horse straightway, so that we may be there if not before darknight yet at least before bright morn; for it is yet far away. "

CHAPTER 17

Ralph Cometh to the House of Abundance

Therewithal they gat to horse and rode away through that stony land, wherein was no river, but for water many pools in the bottoms, withlittle brooks running from them. But after a while they came upon aridge somewhat high, on the further side whereof was a wide valleywell-grassed and with few trees, and no habitation of man that theymight see. But a wide river ran down the midst of it; and it was nowfour hours after noon. Quoth Roger: "The day wears and we shall by nomeans reach harbour before dark night, even if we do our best: art thouwell used to the water, lord?" "Much as a mallard is, " said Ralph. Said Roger: "That is well, for though there is a ford some mile and ahalf down stream, for that same reason it is the way whereby men mostlycross the water into the wildwood; and here again we are more like tomeet foes than well-wishers; or at the least there will be question ofwho we are, and whence and whither; and we may stumble in our answers. "Said Ralph: "There is no need to tarry, ride we down to the water. "

So did they, and took the water, which was deep, but not swift. On thefurther side they clomb up a hill somewhat steep; at the crown theydrew rein to give their horses breath, and Ralph turned in his saddleand looked down on to the valley, and as aforesaid he was clear-sightedand far-sighted; now he said: "Fellow-farer, I see the riding of folkdown below there, and meseems they be spurring toward the water; andthey have weapons: there! dost thou not see the gleam?"

"I will take thy word for it, fair sir, " said Roger, "and will evenspur, since they be the first men whom we have seen since we left thethickets. " And therewith he went off at a hand gallop, and Ralphfollowed him without more ado. 

They rode up hill and down dale of a grassy downland, till at last theysaw a wood before them again, and soon drew rein under the boughs; fornow were their horses somewhat wearied. Then said Ralph: "Here havewe ridden a fair land, and seen neither house nor herd, neithersheep-cote nor shepherd. I wonder thereat. "

Said Roger: "Thou wouldst wonder the less didst thou know the story ofit. " "What story?" said Ralph. Quoth Roger: "A story of war andwasting. " "Yea?" said Ralph, "yet surely some bold knight or baron hathrights in the land, and might be free to build him a strong house andgather men to him to guard the shepherds and husbandmen from burnersand lifters. " "Sooth is that, " said Roger; "but there are other thingsin the tale. " "What things?" said Ralph. Quoth Roger: "Ill hap andsorrow and the Hand of Fate and great Sorcery. " "And dastards withal?"said Ralph. "Even so, " said Roger, "yet mingled with valiant men. Over long is the tale to tell as now, so low as the sun is; so now ridewe on with little fear of foemen. For look you, this wood, like thethickets about the Burg of the Four Friths, hath an evil name, and fewfolk ride it uncompelled; therefore it is the safer for us. And yet Iwill say this to thee, that whereas awhile agone thou mightest havedeparted from me with little peril of aught save the stumbling on someof the riders of the Burg of the Four Friths, departing from me nowwill be a hard matter to thee; for the saints in Heaven only knowwhitherward thou shouldest come, if thou wert to guide thyself now. This a rough word, but a true one, so help me God and Saint Michael!What sayest thou; art thou content, or wilt thou cast hard words at meagain?"

So it was that for all that had come and gone Ralph was light-heartedand happy; so he laughed and said: "Content were I, even if I were notcompelled thereto. For my heart tells me of new things, and marvellousand joyous that I shall see ere long. "

"And thine heart lieth not, " said Roger, "for amidst of this wood isthe house where we shall have guesting to-night, which will be to thee, belike, the door of life and many marvels. For thence have folk soughtere now to the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END. "

Ralph turned to him sharply and said: "Many times in these few dayshave I heard that word. Dost thou know the meaning thereof? For as tome I know it not. " Said Roger: "Thou mayest well be as wise as I amthereon: belike men seek to it for their much thriving, and oftenestfind it not. Yet have I heard that they be the likeliest with whom allwomen are in love. "

Ralph held his peace, but Roger noted that he reddened at the word. 

Now they got on horseback again, for they had lighted down to breathetheir beasts, and they rode on and on, and never was Roger at fault:long was the way and perforce they rested at whiles, so that night fellupon them in the wood, but the moon rose withal. So night being fairlycome, they rested a good while, as it would be dawn before moonset. Then they rode on again, till now the summer night grew old and waned, but the wood hid the beginnings of dawn. 

At last they came out of the close wood suddenly into an open plain, and now, as the twilight of the dawn was passing into early day, theysaw that wide grassy meadows and tilled fields lay before them, with alittle river running through the plain; and amidst the meadows, on agreen mound, was a white castle, strong, and well built, though not ofthe biggest. 

Roger pointed to it, and said, "Now we are come home, " and cried on hiswearied beast, who for his part seemed to see the end of his journey. They splashed through a ford of the river and came to the gate of thecastle as day drew on apace; Roger blew a blast on a great horn thathung on the gate, and Ralph looking round deemed he had never seenfairer building than in the castle, what he could see of it, and yet itwas built from of old. They waited no long while before they wereanswered; but whereas Ralph looked to see armed gatewards peer from thebattlements or the shot window, and a porter espying them through alattice, it happened in no such way, but without more ado the wicketwas opened to them by a tall old woman, gaunt and grey, who greetedthem courteously: Roger lighted down and Ralph did in likewise, andthey led their horses through the gate into the court of the castle;the old woman going before them till they came to the hall door, whichshe opened to them, and taking the reins of their horses led them awayto the stable, while those twain entered the hall, which was as goodlyas might be. Roger led Ralph up to a board on the dais, whereon therewas meat and drink enow, and Ralph made his way-leader sit down by him, and they fell to. There was no serving-man to wait on them nor a carleof any kind did they see; the old woman only, coming back from thehorses, served them at table. Ever as she went about she looked longon Ralph, and seemed as if she would have spoken to him, but as often, she glanced at Roger and forbore. 

So when they were well nigh done with their meat Ralph spake to thecarline and said: "Belike the lord or the lady of this house are abedand we shall not see them till the morrow?"

Ere the carline could speak Roger broke in and said: "There is neitherlord nor lady in the castle as now, nor belike will there be to-morrowmorning, or rather, before noon on this day; so now ye were better tolet this dame lead thee to bed, and let the next hours take care ofthemselves. "

"So be it, " said Ralph, who was by this time heartily wearied, "shallwe two lie in the same chamber?"

"Nay, " said the carline shortly, "lodging for the master and lodgingfor the man are two different things. "

Roger laughed and said nought, and Ralph gave him good night, andfollowed the carline nothing loth, who led him to a fair chamber overthe solar, as if he had been the very master of the castle, and he laydown in a very goodly bed, nor troubled himself as to where Roger lay, nor indeed of aught else, nor did he dream of Burg, or wood, or castle, or man, or woman; but lay still like the image of his father's fatheron the painted tomb in the choir of St. Laurence of Upmeads. 

CHAPTER 18

Of Ralph in the Castle of Abundance

Broad lay the sun upon the plain amidst the wildwood when he awoke andsprang out of bed and looked out of the window (for the chamber was inthe gable of the hall and there was nought of the castle beyond it). Itwas but little after noon of a fair June day, for Ralph had slumberedas it behoved a young man. The light wind bore into the chamber thesweet scents of the early summer, the chief of all of them being thesavour of the new-cut grass, for about the wide meadows the carles andqueens were awork at the beginning of hay harvest; and late as it wasin the day, more than one blackbird was singing from the bushes of thecastle pleasance. Ralph sighed for very pleasure of life before he hadyet well remembered where he was or what had befallen of late; but ashe stood at the window and gazed over the meadows, and the memory ofall came back to him, he sighed once more for a lack of somewhat thatcame into his heart, and he smiled shamefacedly, though there was noone near, as his thought bade him wonder if amongst the haymaking womenyonder there were any as fair as those yellow-clad thrall-women of theBurg; and as he turned from the window a new hope made his heart beat, for he deemed that he had been brought to that house that he might meetsome one who should change his life and make him a new man. 

So he did on his raiment and went his ways down to the hall, and lookedabout for Roger, but found him not, nor any one else save the carline, who presently came in from the buttery, and of whom he asked, where wasRoger. Quoth she: "He has been gone these six hours, but hath left aword for thee, lord, to wit, that he beseeches thee to abide him herefor two days at the least, and thereafter thou art free to go if thouwilt. But as for me" (and therewith she smiled on him as sweetly asher wrinkled old face might compass) "I say to thee, abide beyond thosetwo days if Roger cometh not, and as long as thou art here I will makethee all the cheer I may. And who knoweth but thou mayest meet worthyadventures here. Such have ere now befallen good knights in this houseor anigh it. "

"I thank thee, mother, " quoth Ralph, "and it is like that I may abidehere beyond the two days if the adventure befall me not ere then. Butat least I will bide the eating of my dinner here to-day. "

"Well is thee, fair lord, " said the carline. "If thou wilt but walk inthe meadow but a little half hour all shall be ready for thee. Forsooth it had been dight before now, but that I waited thy comingforth from thy chamber, for I would not wake thee. And the saints bepraised for the long sweet sleep that hath painted thy goodly cheeks. "So saying she hurried off to the buttery, leaving Ralph laughing at heroutspoken flattering words. 

Then he got him out of the hall and the castle, for no door was shut, and there was no man to be seen within or about the house. So hewalked to and fro the meadow and saw the neat-herds in the pasture, andthe hay-making folk beyond them, and the sound of their voices came tohim on the little airs that were breathing. He thought he would talkto some of these folk ere the world was much older, and also he notedbetween the river and the wood many cots of the husbandmen trimlybuilded and thatched, and amidst them a little church, white anddelicate of fashion; but as now his face was set toward the riverbecause of the hot day. He came to a pool a little below where awooden foot-bridge crossed the water, and about the pool were willowsgrowing, which had not been shrouded these eight years, and the waterwas clear as glass with a bottom of fine sand. There then he bathedhim, and as he sported in the water he bethought him of the long smoothreaches of Upmeads Water, and the swimming low down amidst the longswinging weeds between the chuckle of the reed sparrows, when the sunwas new risen in the July morning. When he stood on the grass again, what with the bright weather and fair little land, what with thefreshness of the water, and his good rest, and the hope of adventure tocome, he felt as if he had never been merrier in his life-days. Withalit was a weight off his heart that he had escaped from the turmoil ofthe wars of the Burg of the Four Friths, and the men of the Dry Tree, and the Wheat-wearers, with the thralldom and stripes and fire-raising, and the hard life of strife and gain of the walled town and strongplace. 

When he came back to the castle gate there was the carline in thewicket peering out to right and left, seeking him to bring him in todinner. And when she saw him so joyous, with his lips smiling and hiseyes dancing for mirth, she also became joyous, and said: "Verily, itis a pity of thee that there is never a fair damsel or so to look onthee and love thee here to-day. Far would many a maiden run to kiss thymouth, fair lad. But now come to thy meat, that thou mayest grow thefairer and last the longer. "

He laughed gaily and went into the hall with her, and now was it welldight with bankers and dorsars of goodly figured cloth, and on thewalls a goodly halling of arras of the Story of Alexander. So he satto table, and the meat and drink was of the best, and the carlineserved him, praising him ever with fulsome words as he ate, till hewished her away. 

After dinner he rested awhile, and called to the carline and bade herbring him his sword and his basnet. "Wherefore?" said she. "Whitherwilt thou?"

Said he, "I would walk abroad to drink the air. "

"Wilt thou into the wildwood?" said she. 

"Nay, mother, " he said, "I will but walk about the meadow and look onthe hay-making folk. "

"For that, " said the carline, "thou needest neither sword nor helm. Iwas afeard that thou wert about departing, and thy departure would be agrief to my heart: in the deep wood thou mightest be so bestead as toneed a sword in thy fist; but what shouldst thou do with it in thisPlain of Abundance, where are nought but peaceful husbandmen and frankand kind maidens? and all these are as if they had drunk a draught ofthe WELL AT THE WORLD'S END. "

Ralph started as she said the word, but held his peace awhile. Then hesaid: "And who is lord of this fair land?" "There is no lord, but alady, " said the carline. "How hight she?" said Ralph. "We call herthe Lady of Abundance, " said the old woman. Said Ralph: "Is she agood lady?" "She is my lady, " said the carline, "and doeth good to me, and there is not a carle in the land but speaketh well of her--it maybe over well. " "Is she fair to look on?" said Ralph. "Of women-folkthere is none fairer, " said the carline; "as to men, that is anotherthing. "

Ralph was silent awhile, then he said: "What is the Well at theWorld's End?"

"They talk of it here, " said she, "many things too long to tell of now:but there is a book in this house that telleth of it; I know it well bythe look of it though I may not read in it. I will seek it for theeto-morrow if thou wilt. "

"Have thou thanks, dame, " said he; "and I pray thee forget it not; butnow I will go forth. "

"Yea, " said the carline, "but abide a little. "

Therewith she went into the buttery, and came back bearing with her agarland of roses of the garden, intermingled with green leaves, and shesaid: "The sun is yet hot and over hot, do this on thine head to shadethee from the burning. I knew that thou wouldst go abroad to-day, so Imade this for thee in the morning; and when I was young I was calledthe garland-maker. It is better summer wear than thy basnet. "

He thanked her and did it on smiling, but somewhat ruefully; for hesaid to himself: "This is over old a dame that I should wear alove-token from her. " But when it was on his head, the old dameclapped her hands and cried: "O there, there! Now art thou like theimage of St. Michael in the Choir of Our Lady of the Thorn: there isnone so lovely as thou. I would my Lady could see thee thus; surelythe sight of thee should gladden her heart. And withal thou art notill clad otherwise. "

Indeed his raiment was goodly, for his surcoat was new, and it was offine green cloth, and the coat-armour of Upmead was beaten on it, towit, on a gold ground an apple-tree fruited, standing by a river-side. 

Now he laughed somewhat uneasily at her words, and so went forth fromthe castle again, and made straight for the hay-making folk on theother side of the water; for all this side was being fed by beasts andsheep; but at the point where he crossed, the winding of the streambrought it near to the castle gate. So he came up with the countryfolk and greeted them, and they did as much by him in courteous words:they were goodly and well-shapen, both men and women, gay and joyous ofdemeanour and well clad as for folk who work afield. So Ralph wentfrom one to another and gave them a word or two, and was well pleasedto watch them at their work awhile; but yet he would fain speaksomewhat more with one or other of them. At last under the shade of atall elm-tree he saw an old man sitting heeding the outer raiment ofthe haymakers and their victual and bottles of drink; and he came up tohim and gave him the sele of the day; and the old man blessed him andsaid: "Art thou dwelling in my lady's castle, fair lord?" "A while atleast, " said Ralph. Said the old man: "We thank thee for coming to seeus; and meseemeth from the look of thee thou art worthy to dwell in myLady's House. "

"What sayest thou?" said Ralph. "Is she a good lady and a gracious?""O yea, yea, " said the carle. Said Ralph: "Thou meanest, I suppose, that she is fair to look on, and soft-spoken when she is pleased?"

"I mean far more than that, " said the carle; "surely is she mostheavenly fair, and her voice is like the music of heaven: but withalher deeds, and the kindness of her to us poor men and husbandmen, areno worse than should flow forth from that loveliness. "

"Will you be her servants?" said Ralph, "or what are ye?" Said thecarle: "We be yeomen and her vavassors; there is no thralldom in ourland. " "Do ye live in good peace for the more part?" said Ralph. Saidthe carle: "Time has been when cruel battles were fought in thesewood-lawns, and many poor people were destroyed therein: but that wasbefore the coming of the Lady of Abundance. "

"And when was that?" said Ralph. "I wot not, " said the old carle; "Iwas born in peace and suckled in peace; and in peace I fell to theloving of maidens, and I wedded in peace, and begat children in peace, and in peace they dwell about me, and in peace shall I depart. "

"What then, " said Ralph (and a grievous fear was born in his heart), "is not the Lady of Abundance young?" Said the carle: "I have seen herwhen I was young and also since I have been old, and ever was she fairand lovely, and slender handed, as straight as a spear, and as sweet aswhite clover, and gentle-voiced and kind, and dear to our souls. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and she doth not dwell in this castle always; whereelse then doth she dwell?" "I wot not, " said the carle, "but it shouldbe in heaven: for when she cometh to us all our joys increase in us bythe half. "

"Look you, father, " said Ralph, "May it not have been more than oneLady of Abundance that thou hast seen in thy life-days; and that thisone that now is, is the daughter's daughter of the one whom thou firstsawest--how sayest thou?" The carle laughed: "Nay, nay, " said he, "It is not so: never has there been another like to her in all ways, inbody and voice, and heart and soul. It is as I say, she is the same asshe was always. " "And when, " said Ralph, with a beating heart, "doesshe come hither? Is it at some set season?" "Nay, from time to time, at all seasons, " said the carle; "and as fair she is when she goethover the snow, as when her feet are set amidst the June daisies. "

Now was Ralph so full of wonder that he scarce knew what to say; but hebethought him of that fair waste on the other side of the forest, thecountry through which that wide river flowed, so he said: "And thatland north-away beyond the wildwood, canst thou tell me the tale of itswars, and if it were wasted in the same wars that tormented this land?"The carle shook his head: "As to the land beyond this wood, " quoth he, "I know nought of it, for beyond the wood go we never: nay, most oftenwe go but a little way into it, no further than we can see the glimmerof the open daylight through its trees, --the daylight of the land ofAbundance--that is enough for us. "

"Well, " said Ralph, "I thank thee for the tale thou hast told me, andwish thee more years of peace. "

"And to thee, young man, " said the carle, "I wish a good wish indeed, to wit that thou mayest see the Lady of Abundance here before thoudepartest. "

His words once more made Ralph's heart beat and his cheek flush, and hewent back to the castle somewhat speedily; for he said to himself, after the folly of lovers, "Maybe she will be come even now, and I notthere to meet her. " Yet when he came to the castle-gate his heartmisgave him, and he would not enter at once, but turned about to goround the wall by the north and west. In the castle he saw no soulsave the old dame looking out of the window and nodding to him, but inthe pasture all about were neatherds and shepherds, both men and women;and at the north-west corner, whereas the river drew quite close to thewall, he came upon two damsels of the field-folk fishing with an anglein a quiet pool of the stream. He greeted them, and they, who wereyoung and goodly, returned his greeting, but were shamefaced at hisgallant presence, as indeed was he at the thoughts of his heart mingledwith the sight of their fairness. So he passed on at first withoutmore words than his greeting. Yet presently he turned back again, forhe longed to hear some word more concerning the Lady whose coming heabode. They stood smiling and blushing as he came up to them again, and heeded their angles little. 

Said Ralph: "Fair maidens, do ye know at all when the Lady of thecastle may be looked for?" They were slow to answer, but at last onesaid: "No, fair sir, such as we know nothing of the comings and goingsof great folk. "

Said Ralph, smiling on her for kindness, and pleasure of her fairness:"Is it not so that ye will be glad of her coming?"

But she answered never a word, only looked at him steadily, with hergreat grey eyes fixed in wonderment, while the other one looked down asif intent on her angling tools. 

Ralph knew not how to ask another question, so he turned about with agreeting word again, and this time went on steadily round about thewall. 

And now in his heart waxed the desire of that Lady, once seen, as hedeemed, in such strange wise; but he wondered within himself if thedevil had not sown that longing within him: whereas it might be thatthis woman on whom he had set his heart was herself no real woman but adevil, and one of the goddesses of the ancient world, and his heart wassore and troubled by many doubts and hopes and fears; but he said tohimself that when he saw her then could he judge between the good andthe evil, and could do or forbear, and that the sight of her would cureall. 

Thus thinking he walked swiftly, and was soon round at the castle gateagain, and entered, and went into the hall, where was the old dame, busied about some household matter. Ralph nodded to her and hastenedaway, lest she should fall to talk with him; and he set himself now togo from chamber to chamber, that he might learn the castle, what itwas. He came into the guard-chamber and found the walls thereof allhung with armour and weapons, clean and in good order, though there wasnever a man-at-arms there, nor any soul except the old woman. He wentup a stair therefrom on to the battlements, and went into the towers ofthe wall, and found weapons both for hand, and for cast and shot ineach one of them, and all ready as if for present battle; then he camedown into the court again and went into a very goodly ambulatory overagainst the hall, and he entered a door therefrom, which was but on thelatch, and went up a little stair into a chamber, which was thegoodliest and the richest of all. Its roof was all done with gold andblue from over sea, and its pavement wrought delicately in Alexandrinework. On the dais was a throne of carven ivory, and above it a canopyof baudekin of the goodliest fashion, and there was a foot-carpetbefore it, wrought with beasts and the hunting of the deer. As for thewalls of that chamber, they were hung with a marvellous halling ofarras, wherein was wrought the greenwood, and there amidst in one placea pot-herb garden, and a green garth with goats therein, and in thatgarth a little thatched house. And amidst all this greenery werefigured over and over again two women, whereof one old and the otheryoung; and the old one was clad in grand attire, with gold chains andbrooches and rings, and sat with her hands before her by the housedoor, or stood looking on as the young one worked, spinning or diggingin the garth, or milking the goats outside of it, or what not; and thisone was clad in sorry and scanty raiment. 

What all this might mean Ralph knew not; but when he had looked long atthe greenery and its images, he said to himself that if he who wroughtthat cloth had not done the young woman after the likeness of the Ladywhom he had helped in the wildwood, then it must have been done fromher twin sister. 

Long he abode in that chamber looking at the arras, and wonderingwhether the sitter in the ivory throne would be any other than thethrall in the greenwood cot. He abode there so long that the duskbegan to gather in the house, and he could see the images no more; forhe was filled with the sweetness of desire when he looked on them. 

Then he went back slowly to the hall, and found the carline, who hadlighted the waxlights and made meat ready for him; and when she saw himshe cried out joyously: "Ah, I knew that thou wouldst come back. Artthou well content with our little land?"

"I like it well, dame, " said he; "but tell me, if thou canst, what isthe meaning of the halling in the chamber with the ivory throne?"

Said the carline: "Thereof shall another tell thee, who can tell of itbetter than I; but it is nought to hide that yonder chamber is thechamber of estate of our Lady, and she sitteth there to hear the casesof folk and to give dooms. "

The old woman crossed herself as she spoke, and Ralph wondered thereat, but asked no more questions, for he was scarce sorry that the carlinewould not tell him thereof, lest she should spoil the tale. 

So passed the evening, and he went to bed and slept as a young manshould, and the next day he was up betimes and went abroad and mingledwith the carles and queens afield; but this time he spake not of theLady, and heard nought to heed from any of that folk. So he went backto the castle and gat him a bow and arrows, and entered the thicket ofthe wood nigh where he and Roger first came out of it. He had prayed ayoung man of the folk to go with him, but he was not over willing togo, though he would not say wherefore. So Ralph went himself byhimself and wandered some way into the wood, and saw nought worse thanhimself. As he came back, making a circuit toward the open meadows, hehappened on a herd of deer in a lonely place, half wood half meadow, and there he slew a hart with one shaft, for he was a deft bowman. Then he went and fetched a leash of carles, who went with him somewhatless than half willingly, and between them they broke up the hart andcarried him home to the castle, where the carline met them. She smiledon Ralph and praised the venison, and said withal that the hunting waswell done; "For, as fond and as fair as thou mayst be, it is not goodthat young men should have their minds set on one thing only. "Therewith she led him in to his meat, and set him down and served him;and all the while of his dinner he was longing to ask her if she deemedthat the Lady would come that day, since it was the last day of thosewhich Roger had bidden him wait; but the words would not out of hismouth. 

She looked at him and smiled, as though she had a guess of his thought, and at last she said to him: "Thy tongue is tied to-day. Hast thou, after all, seen something strange in the wood?" He shook his head fornaysay. Said she: "Why, then, dost thou not ask more concerning theWell at the World's End?"

He laughed, and said: "Maybe because I think that thou canst not tellme thereof. " "Well, " she said, "if I cannot, yet the book may, andthis evening, when the sun is down, thou shalt have it. "

"I thank thee, mother, " said he; "but this is now the last day thatRoger bade me wait. Dost thou think that he will come back to-night?"and he reddened therewith. "Nay, " she said, "I know not, and thoucarest not whether he will come or not. Yet I know that thou wiltabide here till some one else come, whether that be early or late. "Again he reddened, and said, in a coaxing way: "And wilt thou give meguesting, mother, for a few more summer days?"

"Yea, " she said, "and till summer is over, if need be, and the corn iscut and carried, and till the winter is come and the latter end ofwinter is gone. " He smiled faintly, though his heart fell, and hesaid: "Nay, mother, and can it by any chance be so long a-coming?"

"O, fair boy, " she said, "thou wilt make it long, howsoever short itbe. And now I will give thee a rede, lest thou vex thyself sick andfret thy very heart. To-morrow go see if thou canst meet thy fateinstead of abiding it. Do on thy war-gear and take thy sword and trythe adventure of the wildwood; but go not over deep into it. " Said he:"But how if the Lady come while I am away from this house?"

"Sooth to say, " said the carline, "I deem not that she will, for theway is long betwixt us and her. "

"Dost thou mean, " said Ralph, standing up from the board, "that shewill not come ever? I adjure thee not to beguile me with soft words, but tell me the very sooth. " "There, there!" said she, "sit down, king's son; eat thy meat and drink thy wine; for to-morrow is a newday. She will come soon or late, if she be yet in the world. And nowI will say no more to thee concerning this matter. "

Therewith she went her ways from the hall, and when she came back withhand-basin and towel, she said no word to him, but only smiled kindly. He went out presently into the meadow (for it was yet but earlyafternoon) and came among the haymaking folk and spake with them, hoping that perchance some of them might speak again of the Lady ofAbundance; but none of them did so, though the old carle he had spokenwith was there, and there also were the two maidens whom he had seenfishing; and as for him, he was over faint-hearted to ask them any morequestions concerning her. 

Yet he abode with them long, and ate and drank amidst the hay with themtill the moon shone brightly. Then he went back to the castle andfound the carline in the hall, and she had the book with her and gaveit to him, and he sat down in the shot-window under the waxlights andfell to reading of it. 

CHAPTER 19

Ralph Readeth in a Book Concerning the Well at the World's End

Fairly written was that book, with many pictures therein, the meaningof which Ralph knew not; but amongst them was the image of the fairwoman whom he had holpen at the want-ways of the wood, and but fourdays ago was that, yet it seemed long and long to him. The book toldnot much about the Well at the World's End, but much it told of acertain woman whom no man that saw her could forbear to love: of herit told that erewhile she dwelt lonely in the wildwood (though how shecame there was not said) and how a king's son found her there andbrought her to his father's kingdom and wedded her, whether others werelief or loth: and in a little while, when the fame of her had spread, he was put out of his kingdom and his father's house for the love ofher, because other kings and lords hankered after her; whereof befellong and grievous war which she abode not to the end, but sought to herold place in the wildwood; and how she found there another woman asorceress, who made her her thrall; and tormented her grievously withtoil and stripes. And how again there came a knight to that place whowas seeking the Well at the World's End, and bore her away with him;and how the said knight was slain on the way, and she was taken bytyrants and robbers of the folk: but these being entangled in her lovefought amongst themselves and she escaped, and went seeking that Well, and found it at the long last, and drank thereof, and throve everafter: and how she liveth yet, and is become the servant of the Well toentangle the seekers in her love and keep them from drinking thereof;because there was no man that beheld her, but anon he was the thrall ofher love, and might not pluck his heart away from her to do any of thedeeds whereby men thrive and win the praise of the people. 

Ralph read on and on till the short night waned, and the wax-lightsfailed one after the other, and the windows of the hall grew grey anddaylight came, and the throstles burst out a-singing at once in thecastle pleasaunce, and the sun came up over the wood, and the sound ofmen-folk bestirring themselves a-field came to his ears through theopen windows; and at last he was done with the tale, and the carlinecame not near him though the sun had clomb high up the heavens. As forRalph, what he had read was sweet poison to him; for if before he wassomewhat tormented by love, now was his heart sick and sore with it. Though he knew not for certain whether this tale had to do with theLady of the Forest, and though he knew not if the Lady who should cometo the castle were even she, yet he needs must deem that so it was, andhis heart was weary with love, and his manhood seemed changed. 

CHAPTER 20

Ralph Meeteth a Man in the Wood

But the morning began to wear as he sat deep in these thoughts andstill the Carline came not to him; and he thought: "She leaveth mealone that I may do her bidding: so will I without tarrying. " And hearose and did on his hauberk and basnet, and girt his sword to hisside, and went forth, a-foot as before. He crossed the river by a wideford and stepping stones somewhat below the pool wherein he had bathedon that first day; and already by then he had got so far, what with thefresh air of the beauteous morning, what with the cheerful tinkling ofhis sword and hauberk, he was somewhat amended of his trouble andheaviness of spirit. A little way across the river, but nigher to thewood, was a house or cot of that country-folk, and an old woman satspinning in the door. So Ralph went up thither, and greeted her, andcraved of her a draught of milk; so the goody turned about and criedout to one within, and there came forth one of the maidens whom Ralphhad met fishing that other day, and the old woman bade her bring forthmilk and bread. Then the carline looked hard at Ralph, and said: "Ah!I have heard tell of thee: thou art abiding the turn of the days up atthe castle yonder, as others have done before thee. Well, well, belikethou shalt have thy wish, though whether it shall be to thy profit, whoshall say?"

Thereat Ralph's heart fell again, and he said: "Sayest thou, mother, that there have been others abiding like me in the tower? I know notwhat thy words mean. "

The carline laughed. "Well, " said she, "here comes thy morning's baitborne by shapely hands enough; eat and drink first; and then will Itell thee my meaning. "

Therewith came the maiden forth with the bowl and the loaf; and indeedshe was fair enough, and shy and kind; but Ralph heeded her little, norwas his heart moved by her at all. She set a stool for him beside thedoor and he sat down and ate and drank, though his heart was troubled;and the maiden hung about, and seemed to find it no easy matter to keepher eyes off him. 

Presently the carline, who had been watching the two, said: "Thouaskest of the meaning of my words; well, deemest thou that I have hadmore men than one to love me?" "I know not, mother, " said Ralph, whocould scarce hold himself patient. "There now!" quoth the carline, "look at my damsel! (she is not my daughter, but my brother's, ) thereis a man, and a brisk lad too, whom she calleth her batchelor, and isas I verily deem well-pleased with him: yet lo you how she eyeth thee, thou fair man, and doth so with her raiment that thou mayst best seehow shapely she is of limb and foot, and toyeth her right hand with herleft wrist, and the like. --Well, as for me, I have had more lovers thanone or two. And why have I had just so many and no more? Nay, thouneedest not make any long answer to me. I am old now, and even beforeI was old I was not young: I am now foul of favour, and even before Ibecame foul, I was not so fair--well then?"

"Yea, what then?" said Ralph. "This then, fair young fool, " said she:"the one whom thou lovest, long hath she lived, but she is not old tolook on, nor foul; but fair--O how fair!"

Then Ralph forgot his fear, and his heart grew greedy and his eyesglistened, and he said, yet he spoke faintly: "Yea, is she fair?""What! hast thou not seen her?" said the carline. Ralph called to mindthe guise in which he had seen her and flushed bright red, as heanswered: "Yea, I deem that I have: surely it was she. " The carlinelaughed: "Well, " said she; "however thou hast seen her, thou hastscarce seen her as I have. " Said Ralph, "How was that?" Said she: "Itis her way here in the summer-tide to bathe her in yonder pool up thewater:" (and it was the same pool wherein Ralph had bathed) "And shehath me and my niece and two other women to hold up the silken clothbetwixt her body and the world; so that I have seen her as God madeher; and I shall tell thee that when he was about that work he wasminded to be a craftsmaster; for there is no blemish about her that sheshould hide her at all or anywhere. Her sides are sleek, and herthighs no rougher than her face, and her feet as dainty as her hands:yea, she is a pearl all over, withal she is as strong as a knight, andI warrant her hardier of heart than most knights. A happy man shaltthou be; for surely I deem thou hast not come hither to abide herwithout some token or warrant of her. "

Ralph held down his head, and he could not meet the old woman's eyes asshe spake thus; and the maiden took herself out of earshot at the firstwords of the carline hereof, and was halfway down to the river by now. 

Ralph spake after a while and said: "Tell me, is she good, and a goodwoman?" The dame laughed scornfully and said: "Surely, surely; she isthe saint of the Forest Land, and the guardian of all poor folk. Askthe carles else!"

Ralph held his peace, and rose to be gone and turning saw the damselwading the shallow ford, and looking over her shoulder at him. He gavethe dame good day, and departed light-foot but heavy hearted. Yet ashe went, he kept saying to himself: "Did she not send that Roger toturn my ways hither? yet she cometh not. Surely she hath changed inthese last days, or it may be in these last hours: yea, or this veryhour. "

Amidst such thoughts he came into the wood, and made his way by thepaths and open places, going south and east of the House: whereas thelast day he had gone west and north. He went a soft pace, but wanderedon without any stay till it was noon, and he had seen nought but thewild things of the wood, nor many of them. But at last he heard thetinkle of a little bell coming towards him: so he stood still and gotthe hilt of his sword ready to his hand; and the tinkle drew nearer, and he heard withal the trample of some riding-beast; so he went towardthe sound, and presently in a clearer place of the wood came upon a manof religion, a clerk, riding on a hackney, to whose neck hung ahorse-bell: the priest had saddle bags beside him and carried in hisright hand a book in a bag. When he met Ralph he blessed him, andRalph gave him the sele of the day, and asked him whither he would. Said the Priest: "I am for the Little Plain and the Land of Abundance;whence art thou, my son, and whither wilt thou?" "From that very land Icome, " said Ralph, "and as to whither, I seek adventures; but unless Isee more than I have this forenoon, or thou canst tell me of them, backwill I whence I came: yet to say sooth, I shall not be sorry for afellow to help me back, for these woodland ways are some-what blind. "

Said the Priest: "I will bear thee company with a good will; and Iknow the road right well; for I am the Vicar appointed by the fathersof the Thorn to serve the church of the Little Plain, and the chapel ofSt. Anthony yonder in the wood, and to-day I go to the church of thegood folk there. "

So Ralph turned, and went along with him, walking by his bridle-rein. And as they went the priest said to him: "Art thou one of my lady'slords?" Ralph reddened as he sighed, and said: "I am no captain ofhers. " Then smiled the priest and said: "Then will I not ask thee ofthine errand; for belike thou wouldest not tell me thereof. "

Ralph said nought, but waxed shamefaced as he deemed that the priesteyed him curiously. At last he said: "I will ask thee a question inturn, father. " "Yea, " said the priest. Said Ralph: "This lady of theland, the Lady of Abundance, is she a very woman?" "Holy Saints!"quoth the priest, blessing himself, "what meanest thou?" Said Ralph:"I mean, is she of those who outwardly have a woman's semblance, butwithin are of the race of the ancient devils, the gods of the Gentiles?"

Then the priest crossed himself again, and spake as solemnly as a judgeon the bench: "Son, I pray that if thou art not in thy right mind, thou will come thereinto anon. Know this, that whatever else she maybe, she is a right holy woman. Or hast thou perchance heard any eviltales concerning her?"

Now Ralph was confused at his word, and knew not what to say; forthough in his mind he had been piecing together all that he had heardof the lady both for good and for evil, he had no clear tale to telleven to himself: so he answered nothing. 

But the priest went on: "Son, I shall tell thee that such tales I haveheard, but from whose mouth forsooth? I will tell thee; from a sort ofidle jades, young women who would be thought fairer than they be, whoare afraid of everything save a naked man, and who can lie easier thanthey can say their paternoster: from such as these come the stories; orfrom old crones who live in sour anger with themselves and all else, because they have lived no goodly life in their youth, and have notlearned the loveliness of holy church. Now, son, shall the tales ofsuch women, old and young, weigh in thy mind beside the word I tellthee of what I have seen and know concerning this most excellent ofladies? I trow not. And for my part I tell thee, that though she isverily as fair as Venus (God save us) yet is she as chaste as Agnes, aswise as Katherine, and as humble and meek as Dorothy. She bestowethher goods plentifully to the church, and is merciful to poor mentherewith; and so far as occasion may serve her she is constant at theHoly Office; neither doth she spare to confess her sins, and to do allpenance which is bidden her, yea and more. For though I cannot say tomy knowledge that she weareth a hair; yet once and again have I seenher wending this woodland toward the chapel of her friend St. Anthonyby night and cloud, so that few might see her, obedient to theScripture which sayeth, 'Let not thy right hand know what thy left handdoeth, ' and she barefoot in her smock amidst the rugged wood, and soarrayed fairer than any queen in a golden gown. Yea, as fair as thewoodwives of the ancient heathen. "

Therewith the priest stayed his words, and seemed as if he were falleninto a dream; and he sighed heavily. But Ralph walked on by hisbridle-rein dreamy no less; for the words that he had heard he heedednot, save as they made pictures for him of the ways of that woman ofthe forest. 

So they went on soberly till the priest lifted up his head and lookedabout like one come out of slumber, and said in a firm voice: "I tellthee, my son, that thou mayest set thy love upon her without sin. " Andtherewith suddenly he fell a-weeping; and Ralph was ill at ease of hisweeping, and went along by him saying nought; till the priest pluckedup heart again, and said, turning to Ralph, but not meeting his eye:"My son, I weep because men and women are so evil, and mis-say eachother so sorely, even as they do by this holy woman. " As he spake histears brake out again, and Ralph strode on fast, so as to outgo him, thinking it unmannerly to seem as if he noted not his sorrow; yetwithal unable to say aught to him thereof. Moreover it irked him tohear a grown man weeping for grief, even though it were but a priest. 

Within a while the priest caught up with him, his tears all staunched, and fell to talk with him cheerfully concerning the wood, and theLittle Land and the dwellers therein and the conditions of them, and hepraised them much, save the women. Ralph answered him with good cheerin likewise; and thus they came to the cot of the old woman, and bothshe and the maiden were without the house, the old carline hitheringand thithering on some errand, the maiden leaning against a tree as ifpondering some matter. As they passed by, the priest blessed them inwords, but his eyes scowled on them, whereat the carline grinned, butthe damsel heeded him not, but looked wistfully on Ralph. The priestmuttered somewhat as he passed, which Ralph caught not the meaning of, and fell moody again; and when he was a little past the ford he drewrein and said: "Now, son, I must to my cell hard by the church yonder:but yet I will say one word to thee ere we sunder; to wit, that to mymind the Holy Lady will love no one but the saints of heaven, save itbe some man with whom all women are in love. "

Therewith he turned away suddenly, and rode smartly towards his church;and Ralph deemed that he was weeping once more. As for Ralph, he wentquietly home toward the castle, for the sun was setting now, and as hewent he pondered all these things in his heart. 

CHAPTER 21

Ralph Weareth Away Three Days Uneasily

He read again in the book that night, till he had gotten the whole taleinto his head, and he specially noted this of it, that it told notwhence that Lady came, nor what she was, nor aught else save that thereshe was in the wood by herself, and was found therein by the king'sson: neither told the tale in what year of the world she was foundthere, though it told concerning all the war and miseries which she hadbred, and which long endured. Again, he could not gather from thatbook why she had gone back to the lone place in the woods, whereas shemight have wedded one of those warring barons who sorely desired her:nor why she had yielded herself to the witch of that place and enduredwith patience her thralldom, with stripes and torments of her body, like the worst of the thralls of the ancient heathen men. Lastly, hemight not learn from the book where in the world was that lone place, or aught of the road to the Well at the World's End. But amidst allhis thinking his heart came back to this: "When I meet her, she willtell me of it all; I need be no wiser than to learn how to meet her andto make her love me; then shall she show me the way to the Well at theWorld's End, and I shall drink thereof and never grow old, even as sheendureth in youth, and she shall love me for ever, and I her for ever. "

So he thought; but yet amidst these happy thoughts came in this evilone, that whereas all the men-folk spoke well of her and worshippedher, the women-folk feared her or hated her; even to the lecherous oldwoman who had praised the beauty of her body for his torment. So hethought till his head grew heavy, and he went and lay down in his bedand slept, and dreamed of the days of Upmead; and things forgotten inhis waking time came between him and any memories of his presentlonging and the days thereof. 

He awoke and arose betimes in the morning, and when he had breakfastedhe bade the carline bring him his weapons. "Wilt thou again to thewood?" said she. "Didst thou not bid me fare thither yesterday?" saidhe. "Yea, " she said; "but to-day I fear lest thou depart and come notback. " He laughed and said: "Seest thou not, mother, that I go afoot, and I in hauberk and helm? I cannot run far or fast from thee. Also"(and here he broke off his speech a little) "where should I be buthere?"

"Ah, " she said, "but who knows what may happen?" Nevertheless she wentand fetched his war-gear and looked at him fondly as he did it on, andwent his ways from the hall. 

Now he entered the wood more to the south than he had done yesterday, and went softly as before, and still was he turning over in his mindthe thoughts of last night, and ever they came back. "Might I but seeher! Would she but love me! O for a draught of the Well at theWorld's End, that the love might last long and long!"

So he went on a while betwixt the trees and the thickets, till it was alittle past noon. But all on a sudden a panic fear took him, lest sheshould indeed come to the castle while he was away, and not findinghim, depart again, who knows whither; and when this thought came uponhim, he cried aloud, and hastened at his swiftest back again to thecastle, and came there breathless and wearied, and ran to the oldwoman, and cried out to her; "Is she come? is she come?"

The carline laughed and said, "Nay, she is not, but thou art come:praise be to the saints! But what aileth thee? Nay, fear not, sheshall come at last. "

Then grew Ralph shamefaced and turned away from her, and miscalledhimself for a fool and a dastard that could not abide the pleasure ofhis lady at the very place whereto she had let lead him. So he worethrough the remnant of the day howso he might, without going out-adoorsagain; and the carline came and spake with him; but whatever he askedher about the lady, she would not tell aught of any import, so herefrained him from that talk, and made a show of hearkening when shespake of other matters; as tales concerning the folk of the land, andthe Fathers of the Thorn, and so forth. 

On the next morning he arose and said to himself, that whatever betid, he would bide in the castle and the Plain of Abundance till the ladycame; and he went amongst the haymaking folk in the morning and ate hisdinner with them, and strove to be of good cheer, and belike the carlesand queens thought him merry company; but he was now wearying his heartwith longing, and might not abide any great while in one place; sowhen, dinner over, they turned to their work again, he went back to theCastle, and read in that book, and looked at the pictures thereof, andkept turning his wonder and hope and fear over and over again in hismind, and making to himself stories of how he should meet the Lady andwhat she would say to him, and how he should answer her, till at lastthe night came, and he went to his bed, and slept for the veryweariness of his longing. 

When the new day came he arose and went into the hall, and found thecarline there, who said to him, "Fair sir, will thou to the wood againto-day?" "Nay, " said Ralph, "I must not, I dare not. " "Well, " she said, "thou mayest if thou wilt; why shouldst thou not go?" Said Ralph, reddening and stammering: "Because I fear to; thrice have I been awaylong from the castle and all has gone well; but the fourth time shewill come and find me gone. "

The carline laughed: "Well, " she said, "I shall be here if thou goest;for I promise thee not to stir out of the house whiles thou art away. "Said Ralph: "Nay, I will abide here. " "Yea, " she said, "I see: thoutrustest me not. Well, no matter; and to-day it will be handy if thouabidest. For I have an errand to my brother in the flesh, who is oneof the brethren of the Thorn over yonder. If thou wilt give me leave, it will be to my pleasure and gain. "

Ralph was glad when he heard this, deeming that if she left him alonethere, he would be the less tempted to stray into the wood again. Besides, he deemed that the Lady might come that day when he was alonein the Castle, and that himseemed would make the meeting sweeter yet. So he yea-said the carline's asking joyously, and in an hour's time shewent her ways and left him alone there. 

Ralph said to himself, when he saw her depart, that he would have themore joy in the castle of his Lady if he were alone, and would wearaway the day in better patience therefor. But in sooth the hours ofthat day were worse to wear than any day there had yet been. He wentnot without the house at all that day, for he deemed that the folkabroad would note of him that he was so changed and restless. 

Whiles he read in that book, or turned the leaves over, not reading it;whiles he went into the Chamber of Estate, and pored over the wovenpictures there wherein the Lady was figured. Whiles he wandered fromchamber to chamber, not knowing what to do. 

At last, a little after dark, back comes the carline again, and he mether at the door of the hall, for he was weary of his own company, andthe ceaseless turning over and over of the same thoughts. 

As for her, she was so joyous of him that she fairly threw her armsabout him and kissed and clipped him, as though she had been his verymother. Whereof he had some shame, but not much, for he deemed thather goodwill to him was abundant, which indeed it was. 

Now she looks on him and says: "Truly it does my heart good to seethee: but thou poor boy, thou art wearing thyself with thy longing, andthy doubting, and if thou wilt do after my rede, thou wilt certainly gointo the wood to-morrow and see what may befall; and indeed and insooth thou wilt leave behind thee a trusty friend. "

He looked on her kindly, and smiled, and said, "In sooth, mother, Ideem thou art but right; though it be hard for me to leave this house, to which in a way my Lady hath bidden me. Yet I will do thy biddingherein. " She thanked him, and he went to his bed and slept; for nowthat he had made up his mind to go, he was somewhat more at rest. 

CHAPTER 22

An Adventure in the Wood

Ralph arrayed himself for departure next morning without more words;and when he was ready the carline said to him: "When thou wentestforth before, I was troubled at thy going and feared for thy returning:but now I fear not; for I know that thou wilt return; though it may beleading a fair woman by the hand. So go, and all luck go with thee. "Ralph smiled at her words and went his ways, and came into the woodthat lay due south from the Castle, and he went on and on and had nothought of turning back. He rested twice and still went on, till thefashion of the thickets and the woods changed about him; and at lastwhen the sun was getting low, he saw light gleaming through a greatwood of pines, which had long been dark before him against the tallboles, and soon he came to the very edge of the wood, and goingheedfully, saw between the great stems of the outermost trees, a greenstrand, and beyond it a long smooth water, a little lake between greenbanks on either side. He came out of the pinewood on to the grass; butthere were thornbushes a few about, so that moving warily from one tothe other, he might perchance see without being seen. Warily he wentforsooth, going along the green strand to the east and the head of thatwater, and saw how the bank sloped up gently from its ending toward thepine-wood, in front of whose close-set trees stood three great-boledtall oak-trees on a smooth piece of green sward. And now he saw thatthere were folk come before him on this green place, and keen-sightedas he was, could make out that three men were on the hither side of theoak-trees, and on the further side of them was a white horse. Thitherward then he made, stealing from bush to bush, since he deemedthat he needed not be seen of men who might be foes, for at the firstsight he had noted the gleam of weapons there. And now he had gone nolong way before he saw the westering sun shine brightly from a nakedsword, and then another sprang up to meet it, and he heard faintly theclash of steel, and saw withal that the third of the folk had long andlight raiment and was a woman belike. Then he bettered his pace, andin a minute or two came so near that he could see the men clearly, thatthey were clad in knightly war-gear, and were laying on great strokesso that the still place rang with the clatter. As for the woman, hecould see but little of her, because of the fighting men before her;and the shadow of the oak boughs fell on her withal. 

Now as he went, hidden by the bushes, they hid the men also from him, and when he was come to the last bush, some fifty paces from them, andpeered out from it, in that very nick of time the two knights werebreathing them somewhat, and Ralph saw that one of them, the furthestfrom him, was a very big man with a blue surcoat whereon was beaten agreat golden sun, and the other, whose back was towards Ralph, was cladin black over his armour. Even as he looked and doubted whether toshow himself or not, he of the sun raised his sword aloft, and givingforth a great roar as of wrath and grief mingled together, rushed onhis foe and smote so fiercely that he fell to the earth before him, andthe big man fell upon him as he fell, and let knee and sword-pommel andfist follow the stroke, and there they wallowed on the earth together. 

Straightway Ralph came forth from the bushes with his drawn sword inhis hand, and even therewith what with the two knights being both lowupon the earth, what with the woman herself coming from out the shadowof the oak boughs, and turning her toward Ralph, he saw her clearly, and stood staring and amazed--for lo! it was the Lady whom he haddelivered at the want-ways. His heart well nigh stood still with joy, yet was he shamefaced also: for though now she was no longer clad inthat scanty raiment, yet did he seem to see her body through that whichcovered it. But now her attire was but simple; a green gown, thin andshort, and thereover a cote-hardy of black cloth with orphreys of goldand colours: but on her neck was a collar that seemed to him like tothat which Dame Katherine had given him; and the long tresses of herhair, which he had erst seen floating loose about her, were wound as agarland around her head. She looked with a flushed and joyous face onRalph, and seemed as if she heeded nought the battle of the knights, but saw him only: but he feared her, and his love for her and stoodstill, and durst not move forward to go to her. 

Thus they abode for about the space of one minute: and meanwhile thebig man rose up on one knee and steadied him with his sword for amoment of time, and the blade was bloody from the point half way up tothe hilt; but the black knight lay still and made no sign of life. Then the Knight of the Sun rose up slowly and stood on his feet andfaced the Lady and seemed not to see Ralph, for his back was towardshim. He came slowly toward the Lady, scowling, and his face white aschalk; then he spake to her coldly and sternly, stretching out hisbloody sword before her. 

"I have done thy bidding, and slain my very earthly friend of friendsfor thy sake. Wherewith wilt thou reward me?"

Then once more Ralph heard the voice, which he remembered so sweetamidst peril and battle aforetime, as she said as coldly as the Knight:"I bade thee not: thine own heart bade thee to strive with him becausethou deemedst that he loved me. Be content! thou hast slain him whostood in thy way, as thou deemedst. Thinkest thou that I rejoice athis slaying? O no! I grieve at it, for all that I had such good causeto hate him. "

He said: "My own heart! my own heart! Half of my heart biddeth meslay thee, who hast made me slay him. What wilt thou give me?" Sheknit her brow and spake angrily: "Leave to depart, " she said. Thenafter a while, and in a kinder voice: "And thus much of my love, thatI pray thee not to sorrow for me, but to have a good heart, and live asa true knight should. " He frowned: "Wilt thou not go with me?" saidhe. "Not uncompelled, " she said: "if thou biddest me go with threatsof hewing and mangling the body which thou sayest thou lovest, needsmust I go then. Yet scarce wilt thou do this. "

"I have a mind to try it, " said he; "If I set thee on thine horse andbound thine hands for thee, and linked thy feet together under thebeast's belly; belike thou wouldest come. Shall I have slain mybrother-in-arms for nought?"

"Thou hast the mind, " said she, "hast thou the might?" "So I deem, "said he, smiling grimly. 

She looked at him proudly and said: "Yea, but I misdoubt me thereof. "He still had his back to Ralph and was staring at the lady; she turnedher head a little and made a sign to Ralph, just as the Knight of theSun said: "Thou misdoubtest thee? Who shall help thee in the desert?"

"Look over thy left shoulder, " she said. He turned, and saw Ralphdrawing near, sword in hand, smiling, but somewhat pale. He drew abackfrom the Lady and, spinning round on his heel, faced Ralph, and criedout: "Hah! Hast thou raised up a devil against me, thou sorceress, totake from me my grief and my lust, and my life? Fair will the game beto fight with thy devil as I have fought with my friend! Yet now Iknow not whether I shall slay him or thee. "

She spake not, but stood quietly looking on him, not unkindly, while awind came up from the water and played with a few light locks of hairthat hung down from that ruddy crown, and blew her raiment from herfeet and wrapped it close round her limbs; and Ralph beheld her, andclose as was the very death to him (for huge and most warrior-like washis foeman) yet longing for her melted the heart within him, and hefelt the sweetness of life in his inmost soul as he had never felt itbefore. 

Suddenly the Knight of the Sun turned about to the Lady again, and felldown on his knees before her, and clasped his hands as one praying, andsaid: "Now pardon me all my words, I pray thee; and let this young mandepart unhurt, whether thou madest him, or hast but led him away fromcountry and friends and all. Then do thou come with me, and make somesemblance of loving me, and suffer me to love thee. And then shall allbe well, for in a few days we will go back to thy people, and therewill I be their lord or thy servant, or my brother's man, or what thouwilt. O wilt thou not let the summer days be sweet?"

But she spake, holding up her head proudly and speaking in a clearringing voice: "I have said it, that uncompelled I will not go withthee at all. " And therewithal she turned her face toward Ralph, as shemight do on any chance-met courteous man, and he saw her smiling, butshe said nought to him, and gave no token of knowing him. Then theKnight of the Sun sprang to his feet, and shook his sword above hishead and ran furiously on Ralph, who leapt nimbly on one side (else hadhe been slain at once) and fetched a blow at the Sun-Knight, and smotehim, and brake the mails on his left shoulder, so that the bloodsprang, and fell on fiercely enough, smiting to right and left as theother gave back at his first onset. But all was for nought, for theKnight of the Sun, after his giving aback under that first stroke drewhimself up stark and stiff, and pressing on through all Ralph'sstrokes, though they rent his mail here and there, ran within hissword, and smote him furiously with the sword-pommel on the side of thehead, so that the young man of Upmeads could not stand up under theweight of the blow, but fell to the earth swooning, and the Knight ofthe Sun knelt on him, and drew out an anlace, short, thick and sharp, and cried out: "Now, Devil, let see whether thou wilt bleed black. "Therewith he raised up his hand: but the weapon was stayed or ever itfell, for the Lady had glided up to them when she saw that Ralph wasovercome, and now she stretched out her arm and caught hold of theKnight's hand and the anlace withal, and he groaned and cried out:"What now! thou art strong-armed as well as white-armed;" (for she hadrent the sleeve back from her right arm) and he laughed in theextremity of his wrath. But she was pale and her lips quivered as shesaid softly and sweetly: "Wilt thou verily slay this young man?"

"And why not?" said he, "since I have just slain the best friend that Iever had, though he was nought willing to fight with me, and only forthis, that I saw thee toying with him; though forsooth thou hast saidtruly that thou hadst more reason to hate him than love him. Well, since thou wilt not have this youngling slain, I may deem at least thathe is no devil of thy making, else wouldst thou be glad of his slaying, so that he might be out of the path of thee; so a man he is, and awell-favoured one, and young; and valiant, as it seemeth: so I supposethat he is thy lover, or will be one day--well then--"

And he lifted his hand again, but again she stayed him, and said: "Lookthou, I will buy him of thee: and, indeed, I owe him a life. " "How isthat?" said he. "Why wouldst thou know?" she said; "thou who, if thouhadst me in thine hands again, wouldst keep me away from all men. Yea, I know what thou wouldst say, thou wouldst keep me from sinning again. "And she smiled, but bitterly. "Well, the tale is no long one: fivedays ago I was taken by them of the Burg: and thou wottest what theywould do with me; yea, even if they deemed me less than they do deemme: well, as two of their men-at-arms were leading me along by ahalter, as a calf is led to the butcher, we fell in with this goodlylad, who slew them both in manly fashion, and I escaped for that time:though, forsooth, I must needs put my neck in the noose again indelivering four of our people, who would else have been tormented todeath by the Burgers. "

"Well, " said the knight, "perchance thou hast more mercy than I lookedfor of thee; though I misdoubt thee that thou mayst yet pray me or someother to slay him for thee. Thou art merciful, my Queen, though not tome, and a churl were I if I were less merciful than thou. Thereforewill I give his life to him, yet not to thee will I give him if I mayhelp it--Lo you, Sweet! he is just opening his eyes. "

Therewith he rose up from Ralph, who raised himself a little, and satup dazed and feeble. The Knight of the Sun stood up over him besidethe lady with his hands clasped on his sword-hilt, and said to Ralph:"Young man, canst thou hear my words?" Ralph smiled feebly and noddeda yea-say. "Dost thou love thy life then?" said the Knight. Ralphfound speech and said faintly, "Yea. " Said the Knight: "Where dostthou come from, where is thine home?" Said Ralph, "Upmeads. " "Wellthen, " quoth the big knight, "go back to Upmeads, and live. " Ralphshook his head and knit his brows and said, "I will not. " "Yea, " saidthe Knight, "thou wilt not live? Then must I shape me to thy humour. Stand on thy feet and fight it out; for now I am cool I will not slay aswordless man. "

Ralph staggered up to his feet, but was so feeble still, that he sankdown again, and muttered: "I may not; I am sick and faint;" andtherewith swooned away again. But the Knight stood a while leaning onhis sword, and looking down on him not unkindly. Then he turned aboutto the Lady, but lo! she had left his side. She had glided away, andgot to her horse, which was tethered on the other side of the oak-tree, and had loosed him and mounted him, and so sat in the saddle there, thereins gathered in her hands. She smiled on the knight as he stoodastonished, and cried to him; "Now, lord, I warn thee, draw not asingle foot nigher to me; for thou seest that I have Silverfax betweenmy knees, and thou knowest how swift he is, and if I see thee move, heshall spring away with me. Thou wottest how well I know all the waysof the woodland, and I tell thee that the ways behind me to the DryTree be all safe and open, and that beyond the Gliding River I shallcome on Roger of the Ropewalk and his men. And if thou thinkest toride after me, and overtake me, cast the thought out of thy mind. Forthy horse is strong but heavy, as is meet for so big a knight, andmoreover he is many yards away from me and Silverfax: so before thouart in the saddle, where shall I be? Yea, " (for the Knight washandling his anlace) "thou mayst cast it, and peradventure mayst hitSilverfax and not me, and peradventure not; and I deem that it is mybody alive that thou wouldest have back with thee. So now, wilt thouhearken?"

"Yea, " quoth the knight, though for wrath he could scarce bring theword from his mouth. 

"Hearken, " she said, "this is the bargain to be struck between us: evennow thou wouldst not refrain from slaying this young man, unlessperchance he should swear to depart from us; and as for me, I would notgo back with thee to Sunhome, where erst thou shamedst me. Now will Ibuy thy nay-say with mine, and if thou give the youngling his life, andsuffer him to come his ways with us, then will I go home with thee andwill ride with thee in all the love and duty that I owe thee; or ifthou like this fashion of words better, I will give thee my body forhis life. But if thou likest not the bargain, there is not anotherpiece of goods for thee in the market, for then I will ride my ways tothe Dry Tree, and thou shalt slay the poor youth, or make of him thysworn friend, like as was Walter--which thou wilt. "

So she spake, and Ralph yet lay on the grass and heard nought. But theKnight's face was dark and swollen with anger as he answered: "My swornfriend! yea, I understand thy gibe. I need not thy words to bring tomy mind how I have slain one sworn friend for thy sake. "

"Nay, " she said, "not for my sake, for thine own folly's sake. " Heheeded her not, but went on: "And as for this one, I say again of him, if he be not thy devil, then thou meanest him for thy lover. And now Ideem that I will verily slay him, ere he wake again; belike it were hisbetter luck. "

She said: "I wot not why thou hagglest over the price of that thouwouldest have. If thou have him along with thee, shall he not be inthy power--as I shall be? and thou mayst slay him--or me--when thouwilt. "

"Yea, " he said, grimly, "when thou art weary of him. O art thou notshameless amongst women! Yet must I needs pay thy price, though myhonour and the welfare of my life go with it. Yet how if he have nowill to fare with us?" She laughed and said: "Then shalt thou have himwith thee as thy captive and thrall. Hast thou not conquered him inbattle?" He stood silent a moment and then he said: "Thou sayest it;he shall come with me, will he, nill he, unarmed, and as a prisoner, and the spoil of my valiancy. " And he laughed, not altogether inbitterness, but as if some joy were rising in his heart. "Now, myQueen, " said he, "the bargain is struck betwixt us, and thou mayestlight down off Silverfax; as for me, I will go fetch water from thelake, that we may wake up this valiant and mighty youth, this newfoundjewel, and bring him to his wits again. "

She answered nought, but rode her horse close to him and lighted downnimbly, while his greedy eyes devoured her beauty. Then he took herhand and drew her to him, and kissed her cheek, and she suffered it, but kissed him not again. Then he took off his helm, and went down tothe lake to fetch up water therein. 

CHAPTER 23

The Leechcraft of the Lady

Meanwhile she went to Ralph and stood by him, who now began to stiragain; and she knelt down by him and kissed his face gently, and roseup hastily and stood a little aloof again. 

Now Ralph sat up and looked about him, and when he saw the Lady hefirst blushed red, and then turned very pale; for the full life was inhim again, and he knew her, and love drew strongly at hisheart-strings. But she looked on him kindly and said to him: "Howfares it with thee? I am sorry of thy hurt which thou hast had forme. " He said: "Forsooth, Lady, a chance knock or two is no greatmatter for a lad of Upmeads. But oh! I have seen thee before. " "Yea, "she said, "twice before, fair knight. " "How is that?" he said; "once Isaw thee, the fairest thing in the world, and evil men would have ledthee to slaughter; but not twice. "

She smiled on him still more kindly, as if he were a dear friend, andsaid simply: "I was that lad in the cloak that ye saw in the Flower deLuce; and afterwards when ye, thou and Roger, fled away from the Burgof the Four Friths. I had come into the Burg with my captain of war atthe peril of our lives to deliver four faithful friends of mine whowere else doomed to an evil death. "

He said nought, but gazed at her face, wondering at her valiancy andgoodness. She took him by the hand now, and held it without speakingfor a little while, and he sat there still looking up into her face, wondering at her sweetness and his happiness. Then she said, as shedrew her hand away and spake in such a voice, and so looking at him, that every word was as a caress to him: "Thy soul is coming back tothee, my friend, and thou art well at ease: is it not so?"

"O yea, " he said, "and I woke up happily e'en now; for me-dreamed thatmy gossip came to me and kissed me kindly; and she is a fair woman, butnot a young woman. "

As he spoke the knight, who had come nearly noiselessly over the grass, stood by them, holding his helm full of water, and looking grimly uponthem; but the Lady looked up at him with wide eyes wonderingly, andRalph, beholding her, deemed that all he had heard of her goodness wasbut the very sooth. But the knight spake: "Young man, thou hastfought with me, thou knowest not wherefore, and grim was my mood whenthou madest thine onset, and still is, so that never but once wilt thoube nigher thy death than thou hast been this hour. But now I havegiven thee life because of the asking of this lady; and therewith Igive thee leave to come thy ways with us: nay, rather I command thee tocome, for thou art my prisoner, to be kept or ransomed, or set free asI will. But my will is that thou shalt not have thine armour andweapons; and there is a cause for this, which mayhappen I will tellthee hereafter. But now I bid thee drink of this water, and then dooff thine helm and hauberk and give me thy sword and dagger, and gowith us peaceably; and be not overmuch ashamed, for I have overcome menwho boasted themselves to be great warriors. "

So Ralph drank of the water, and did off his helm, and cast water onhis face, and arose, and said smiling: "Nay, my master, I am noughtashamed of my mishaps: and as to my going with thee and the Lady, thouhast heard me say under thy dagger that I would not forbear to followher; so I scarce need thy command thereto. " The knight scowled on himand said: "Hold thy peace, fool! Thou wert best not stir my wrathagain. " "Nay, " said Ralph, "thou hast my sword, and mayst slay me ifthou wilt; therefore be not word-valiant with me. "

Said the Knight of the Sun: "Well, well, thou hast the right of itthere. Only beware lest thou try me overmuch. But now must we setforth on our road; and here is work for thee to do: a hundred yardswithin the thick wood in a straight line from the oak-tree thou shaltfind two horses, mine and the knight's who fell before me; go thou andbring them hither; for I will not leave thee with my lady, lest I haveto slay thee in the end, and maybe her also. "

Ralph nodded cheerfully, and set off on his task, and was the readiertherein because the Lady looked on him kindly and compassionately as hewent by her. He found the horses speedily, a black horse that was ofthe Black Knight, and a bay of the Knight of the Sun, and he came backwith them lightly. 

But when he came to the oak-tree again, lo, the knight and the Ladyboth kneeling over the body of the Black Knight, and Ralph saw that theKnight of the Sun was sobbing and weeping sorely, so that he deemedthat he was taking leave of his friend that lay dead there: but whenRalph had tied up those other two steeds by Silverfax and drawn rear tothose twain, the Knight of the Sun looked up at him, and spake in acheerful voice: "Thou seemest to be no ill man, though thou hast comeacross my lady; so now I bid thee rejoice that there is a good knightmore in the world than we deemed e'en now; for this my friend Walterthe Black is alive still. " "Yea, " said the Lady, "and belike he shalllive a long while yet. "

So Ralph looked, and saw that they had stripped the knight of hishauberk and helm, and bared his body, and that the Lady was dressing agreat and sore wound in his side; neither was he come to himself again:he was a young man, and very goodly to look on, dark haired andstraight of feature, fair of face; and Ralph felt a grief at his heartas he beheld the Lady's hands dealing with his bare flesh, thoughnought the man knew of it belike. 

As for the Knight of the Sun, he was no more grim and moody, butsmiling and joyous, and he spake and said: "Young man, this shallstand thee in good stead that I have not slain my friend this bout. Sooth to say, it might else have gone hard with thee on the way to myhouse, or still more in my house. But now be of good heart, for unlessof thine own folly thou run on the sword's point, thou mayst yet liveand do well. " Then he turned to the Lady and said: "Dame, for as gooda leech as ye be, ye may not heal this man so that he may sit in hissaddle within these ten days; and now what is to do in this matter?"

She looked on him with smiling lips and a strange light in her eyes, and said: "Yea, forsooth, what wilt thou do? Wilt thou abide here byWalter thyself alone, and let me bring the imp of Upmeads home to ourhouse? Or wilt thou ride home and send folk with a litter to us? Orshall this youngling ride at all adventure, and seek to Sunway throughthe blind woodland? Which shall it be?"

The knight laughed outright, and said: "Yea, fair one, this is muchlike to the tale of the carle at the ferry with the fox, and the goat, and the cabbage. "

There was scarce a smile on her face as she said gently: "One thing isto be thought of, that Walter's soul is not yet so fast in his bodythat either thou or some rough-handed leech may be sure of healing him;it must be this hand, and the learning which it hath learned which mustdeal with him for a while. " And she stretched out her arm over thewounded man, with the fingers pointing down the water, and reddenedwithal, as if she felt the hearts' greediness of the two men who werelooking on her beauty. 

The big knight sighed, and said: "Well, unless I am to kill him overagain, there is nothing for it but our abiding with him for the nextfew hours at least. To-morrow is a new day, and fair is thewoodland-hall of summer-tide; neither shall water fail us. But as tovictual, I wot not save that we have none. "

The Lady laughed, and said to Ralph; "Who knoweth what thou mayst findif thou go to the black horse and look into the saddle-bags which I sawupon him awhile agone? For indeed we need somewhat, if it were but tokeep the life in the body of this wounded man. "

Ralph sprang up and turned to the horse, and found the saddle-bags onhim, and took from them bread and flesh, and a flask of good wine, andbrought them to the Lady, who laughed and said: "Thou art a goodseeker and no ill finder. " Then she gave the wounded man to drink ofthe wine, so that he stirred somewhat, and the colour came into hisface a little. Then she bade gather store of bracken for a bed for theBlack Knight, and Ralph bestirred himself therein, but the Knight ofthe Sun sat looking at the Lady as she busied herself with his friend, and gloom seemed gathering on him again. 

But when the bracken was enough, the Lady made a bed deftly andspeedily; and between the three they laid the wounded man thereon, whoseemed coming to himself somewhat, and spake a few words, but thosenothing to the point. Then the Lady took her gay embroidered cloak, which lay at the foot of the oak tree, and cast it over him and, asRalph deemed, eyed him lovingly, and belike the Knight of the Sunthought in likewise, for he scowled upon her; and for awhile but littlewas the joyance by the ancient oak, unless it were with the Lady. 

CHAPTER 24

Supper and Slumber in the Woodland Hall

But when all was done to make the wounded knight as easy as might be, the Lady turned to the other twain, and said kindly: "Now, lords, itwere good to get to table, since here is wherewithal. " And she lookedon them both full kindly as she spake the words, but nowise wantonly;even as the lady of a fair house might do by honoured guests. So thehearts of both were cheered, and nothing loth they sat down by her onthe grass and fell to meat. Yet was the Knight of the Sun a littlemoody for a while, but when he had eaten and drunken somewhat, he said:"It were well if someone might come hereby, some hermit or holy man, towhom we might give the care of Walter: then might we home to Sunway, and send folk with a litter to fetch him home softly when the due timewere. "

"Yea, " said the Lady, "that might happen forsooth, and perchance itwill; and if it were before nightfall it were better. "

Ralph saw that as she spake she took hold of the two fingers of herleft hand with her right forefinger, and let the thumb meet it, so thatit made a circle about them, and she spake something therewith in a lowvoice, but he heeded it little, save as he did all ways that her bodymoved. As for the Knight of the Sun, he was looking down on the grassas one pondering matters, and noted this not. But he said presently:"What hast thou to say of Walter now? Shall he live?" "Yea, " shesaid, "maybe as long as either of you twain. " The knight looked hard atRalph, but said nothing, and Ralph heeded not his looks, for his eyeswere busy devouring the Lady. 

So they abode a little, and the more part of what talk there was camefrom the Lady, and she was chiefly asking Ralph of his home in Upmeads, and his brethren and kindred, and he told her all openly, and hidnaught, while her voice ravished his very soul from him, and it seemedstrange to him, that such an one should hold him in talk concerningthese simple matters and familiar haps, and look on him so kindly andsimply. Ever and anon would she go and look to the welfare of thewounded man, and come back from him (for they sat a little way aloof), and tell them how he did. And still the Knight of the Sun took littleheed, and once again gloom settled down on him. 

Amidst all this the sun was set, and the long water lay beneath theheavens like a sheet of bright, fair-hued metal, and naught stirred it:till at last the Lady leaned forward to Ralph, and touched his shoulder(for he was sitting over against her, with his back to the water), andshe said: "Sir Knight, Sir Knight, his wish is coming about, I believeverily. " He turned his head to look over his shoulder, and, as if bychance-hap, his cheek met the outstretched hand she was pointing with:she drew it not away very speedily, and as sweet to him was the touchof it as if his face had been brushed past by a summer lily. 

"Nay, look! something cometh, " she cried; and he looked and saw alittle boat making down the water toward the end anigh them. Then theKnight of the Sun seemed to awake at her word, and he leapt to hisfeet, and stood looking at the new comer. 

It was but a little while ere the boat touched the shore, and a manstepped out of it on to the grass and made it fast to the bank, andthen stood and looked about him as if seeking something; and lo, it wasa holy man, a hermit in the habit of the Blackfriars. 

Then the Knight of the Sun hastened down to the strand to meet him, andwhen Ralph was thus left alone with the Lady, though it were but for alittle, his heart beat and he longed sore to touch her with his hand, but durst not, and did but hope that her hand would stray his way as ithad e'en now. But she arose and stood a little way from him, and spaketo him sweetly of the fairness of the evening, and the wounded man, andthe good hap of the friar's coming before nightfall; and his heart waswrung sore with the love of her. 

So came the knight up from the strand, and the holy man with him, whogreeted Ralph and the Lady and blessed them, and said: "Now, daughter, show me thy sick man; for I am somewhat of a leech, and this thy baronwould have me heal him, and I have a right good will thereto. "

So he went to the Black Knight, and when he had looked to his hurts, heturned to them and said: "Have ye perchance any meat in thewilderness?" "Yea, " quoth the Knight of the Sun; "there is enough for aday or more, and if we must needs abide here longer, I or this youngman may well make shift to slay some deer, great or little, for oursustenance and the healing of my friend. "

"It is well, " said the Friar; "my hermitage is no great way hence, inthe thicket at the end of this water. But now is the fever on thisknight, and we may not move him ere morning at soonest; but to-morrowwe may make a shift to bear him hence by boat: or, if not, then may Igo and fetch from my cell bread and other meat, and milk of my goats;and thus shall we do well till we may bring him to my cell, and thenshall ye leave him there; and afterwards I will lead him home to Sunwaywhere thou dwellest, baron, when he is well enough healed; or, if hewill not go thither, let him go his ways, and I myself will come toSunway and let thee wot of his welfare. "

The knight yeasaid all this, and thereafter the Friar and the Ladytogether tended the wounded knight, and gave him water to drink, andwine. And meanwhile Ralph and the Knight of the Sun lay down on thegrass and watched the eve darkening, and Ralph marvelled at hishappiness, and wondered what the morrow would bring forth. 

But amidst his happy thoughts the Knight of the Sun spake to him andsaid: "Young knight, I have struck a bargain with her that thou shaltfollow us home, if thou wilt: but to say sooth, I think when thebargain was struck I was minded when I had thee at Sunway to cast theeinto my prison. But now I will do otherwise, and if thou must needsfollow after thine own perdition, as I have, thou shalt do so freely;therefore take again thine armour and weapons, and do what thou wiltwith them. But if thou wilt do after my rede, get thee away to-morrow, or better, to-night, and desire our fellowship no more. "

Ralph heard him, and the heart within him was divided. It was in hismind to speak debonnairely to the knight; but again he felt as if hehated him, and the blythe words would not come, and he answereddoggedly: "I will not leave my Lady since she biddeth me go with her. If thou wilt then, make the most of it that thou art stronger than I, and a warrior more proven; set me before thy sword, and fight with meand slay me. "

Then rose the wrath to the knight's lips, and he brake forth: "Then isthere one other thing for thee to do, and that is that thou take thysword, which I have just given back to thee, and thrust her throughtherewith. That were better for thee and for me, and for him who liethyonder. "

Therewith he arose and strode up and down in the dusk, and Ralphwondered at him, yet hated him now not so much, since he deemed thatthe Lady would not love him, and that he was angered thereby. Yetabout Ralph's heart there hung a certain fear of what should be. 

But presently the knight came and sat down by him again, and again fellto speech with him, and said: "Thou knowest that I may not slay thee, and yet thou sayest, fight with me; is this well done?" "Is it illdone?" said Ralph, "I wot not why. "

The knight was silent awhile, and then he said: "With what words shallI beseech thee to depart while it is yet time? It may well be that indays to come I shall be good to thee, and help thee. "

But Ralph said never a word. Then said the knight, and sighed withal:"I now see this of thee, that thou mayst not depart; well, so let itbe!" and he sighed heavily again. Then Ralph strove with himself, andsaid courteously: "Sir, I am sorry that I am a burden irksome to thee;and that, why I know not, thou mayst not rid thyself of me by thestrong hand, and that otherwise thou mayst not be rid of me. What thenis this woman to thee, that thou wouldst have me slay her, and yet artso fierce in thy love for her?" The Knight of the Sun laughedwrathfully thereat, and was on the point of answering him, when up camethose two from the wounded man, and the Friar said: "The knight shalldo well; but well it is for him that the Lady of Abundance was here forhis helping; for from her hands goeth all healing, as it was with theholy men of old time. May the saints keep her from all harm; for meekand holy indeed she is, as oft we have heard it. "

The Lady put her hand on his shoulder, as if to bid him silence, andthen set herself down on the grass beside the Knight of the Sun, andfell to talking sweetly and blithely to the three men. The Friaranswered her with many words, and told her of the deer and fowl of thewood and the water that he was wont to see nigh to his hermitage; forof such things she asked him, and at last he said: "Good sooth, Ishould be shy to say in all places and before all men of all mydealings with God's creatures which live about me there. Wot ye what?E'en now I had no thought of coming hitherward; but I was sittingamongst the trees pondering many things, when I began to drowse, anddrowsing I heard the thornbushes speaking to me like men, and they bademe take my boat and go up the water to help a man who was in need; andthat is how I came hither; benedicite. "

So he spake; but the Knight of the Sun did but put in a word here andthere, and that most often a sour and snappish word. As for Ralph, healso spake but little, and strayed somewhat in his answers; for hecould not but deem that she spake softlier and kinder to him than tothe others; and he was dreamy with love and desire, and scarce knewwhat he was saying. 

Thus they wore away some two hours, the Friar or the Lady turning awayat whiles to heed the wounded man, who was now talking wildly in hisfever. 

But at last the night was grown as dark as it would be, since cloud andstorm came not, for the moon had sunk down: so the Lady said: "Now, lords, our candle hath gone out, and I for my part will to bed; so letus each find a meet chamber in the woodland hall; and I will lie nearto thee, father, and the wounded friend, lest I be needed to help theein the night; and thou, Baron of Sunway, lie thou betwixt me and thewood, to ward me from the wild deer and the wood-wights. But thou, Swain of Upmeads, wilt thou deem it hard to lie anear the horses, towatch them if they be scared by aught?"

"Yea, " said the Knight of the Sun, "thou art Lady here forsooth; evenas men say of thee, that thou swayest man and beast in the wildwood. But this time at least it is not so ill-marshalled of thee: I myselfwould have shown folk to chamber here in likewise. "

Therewith he rose up, and walked to and fro for a little, and thenwent, and sat down on a root of the oak-tree, clasping his knees withhis hands, but lay not down awhile. But the Lady made herself a bed ofthe bracken which was over from those that Ralph had gathered for thebed of the wounded Knight; and the Friar lay down on the grass nigh toher, and both were presently asleep. 

Then Ralph got up quietly; and, shamefacedly for very love, passedclose beside the sleeping woman as he went to his place by the horses, taking his weapons and wargear with him: and he said to himself as helaid him down, that it was good for him to be quite alone, that hemight lie awake and think at his ease of all the loveliness andkindness of his Lady. Howbeit, he was a young man, and a sturdy, usedto lying abroad in the fields or the woods, and it was his custom tosleep at once and sweetly when he lay down after the day's work hadwearied him, and even so he did now, and was troubled by no dreams ofwhat was past or to come. 

BOOK TWO

The Road Unto Trouble

CHAPTER 1

Ralph Meets With Love in the Wilderness

He woke up while it was yet night, and knew that he had been awakenedby a touch; but, like a good hunter and warrior, he forebore to startup or cry out till sleep had so much run off him that he could tellsomewhat of what was toward. So now he saw the Lady bending over him, and she said in a kind and very low voice: "Rise up, young man, riseup, Ralph, and say no word, but come with me a little way into the woodere dawn come, for I have a word for thee. "

So he stood up and was ready to go with her, his heart beating hard forjoy and wonder. "Nay, " she whispered, "take thy sword and war-gearlest ill befall: do on thine hauberk; I will be thy squire. " And sheheld his war-coat out for him to do on. "Now, " she said, still softly, "hide thy curly hair with the helm, gird thy sword to thee, and comewithout a word. "

Even so he did, and therewithal felt her hand take his (for it was darkas they stepped amidst the trees), and she led him into the SeventhHeaven, for he heard her voice, though it were but a whisper, as itwere a caress and a laugh of joy in each word. 

She led him along swiftly, fumbling nought with the paths betwixt thepine-tree boles, where it was as dark as dark might be. Every minutehe looked to hear her say a word of why she had brought him thither, and that then she would depart from him; so he prayed that the silenceand the holding of his hand might last a long while--for he mightthink of naught save her--and long it lasted forsooth, and still shespake no word, though whiles a little sweet chuckle, as of the gardenwarbler at his softest, came from her lips, and the ripple of herraiment as her swift feet drave it, sounded loud to his eager ears inthe dark, windless wood. 

At last, and it was more than half-an-hour of their walking thus, itgrew lighter, and he could see the shape of her alongside of him; andstill she held his hand and glided on swifter and swifter, as hethought; and soon he knew that outside the wood dawn was giving placeto day, and even there, in the wood, it was scarce darker than twilight. 

Yet a little further, and it grew lighter still, and he heard thethrostles singing a little way off, and knew that they were on the edgeof the pine-wood, and still her swift feet sped on till they came to alittle grassy wood-lawn, with nought anear it on the side away from thewood save maples and thorn-bushes: it was broad daylight there, thoughthe sun had not yet arisen. 

There she let fall his hand and turned about to him and faced himflushed and eager, with her eyes exceeding bright and her lips halfopen and quivering. He stood beholding her, trembling, what foreagerness, what for fear of her words when he had told her of hisdesire. For he had now made up his mind to do no less. He put hishelm from off his head and laid it down on the grass, and he notedtherewith that she had come in her green gown only, and had left mantleand cote hardie behind. 

Now he stood up again and was just going to speak, when lo! she putboth her palms to her face, and her bosom heaved, and her shoulderswere shaken with sobs, and she burst out a weeping, so that the tearsran through her fingers. Then he cast himself on the ground beforeher, and kissed her feet, and clasped her about the knees, and laid hischeek to her raiment, and fawned upon her, and cried out many an idleword of love, and still she wept a while and spake not. At last shereached her hand down to his face and fondled it, and he let his lipslie on the hand, and she suffered it a while, and then took him by thearm and raised him up and led him on swiftly as before; and he knew notwhat to do or say, and durst by no means stay her, and could frame noword to ask her wherefore. 

So they sped across a waste not much beset with trees, he silent, shenever wearying or slacking her pace or faltering as to the way, tillthey came into the thick wood again, and ever when he would have spokenshe hushed him, with "Not yet! Not yet!" Until at last when the sunhad been up for some three hours, she led him through a hazel copse, like a deep hedge, into a cleared grassy place where were great greystones lying about, as if it had been the broken doom-ring of aforgotten folk. There she threw herself down on the grass and buriedher face amidst the flowers, and was weeping and sobbing again and hebending over her, till she turned to him and drew him down to her andput her hands to his face, and laid her cheeks all wet with tears tohis, and fell to kissing him long and sweetly, so that in his turn hewas like to weep for the very sweetness of love. 

Then at last she spake: "This is the first word, that now I havebrought thee away from death; and so sweet it is to me that I canscarce bear it. "

"Oh, sweet to me, " he said, "for I have waited for thee many days. " Andhe fell to kissing and clipping her, as one who might not be satisfied. At last she drew herself from him a little, and, turning on him a facesmiling with love, she said: "Forbear it a little, till we talktogether. " "Yea, " quoth he, "but may I hold thine hand awhile?" "Noharm in that, " she said, laughing, and she gave him her hand and spake:

"I spake it that I have brought thee from death, and thou hast asked meno word concerning what and how. " "I will ask it now, then, " said he, "since thou wilt have it so. " She said: "Dost thou think that he wouldhave let thee live?"

"Who, " said he, "since thou lettest me live?"

"He, thy foeman, the Knight of the Sun, " she said. "Why didst thou notflee from him before? For he did not so much desire to slay thee, butthat he would have had thee depart; but if thou wert once at his house, he would thrust a sword through thee, or at the least cast thee intohis prison and let thee lie there till thy youth be gone--or so itseemed to me, " she said, faltering as she looked on him. 

Said Ralph: "How could I depart when thou wert with him? Didst thounot see me there? I was deeming that thou wouldst have me abide. "

She looked upon him with such tender love that he made as if he wouldcast himself upon her; but she refrained him, and smiled and said: "Ah, yes, I saw thee, and thought not that thou wouldst sunder thyself fromme; therefore had I care of thee. " And she touched his cheek with herother hand; and he sighed and knit his brows somewhat, and said: "Butwho is this man that he should slay me? And why is he thy tyrant, thatthou must flee from him?"

She laughed and said: "Fair creature, he is my husband. "

Then Ralph flushed red, and his visage clouded, and he opened his mouthto speak; but she stayed him and said: "Yet is he not so much myhusband but that or ever we were bedded he must needs curse me anddrive me away from his house. " And she smiled, but her face reddened sodeeply that her grey eyes looked strange and light therein. 

But Ralph leapt up, and half drew his sword, and cried out loud: "WouldGod I had slain him! Wherefore could I not slay him?" And he strode upand down the sward before her in his wrath. But she leaned forward tohim and laughed and said: "Yet, O Champion, we will not go back to him, for he is stronger than thou, and hath vanquished thee. This is adesert place, but thou art loud, and maybe over loud. Come rest by me. "

So he came and sat down by her, and took her hand again and kissed thewrist thereof and fondled it and said: "Yea, but he desireth theesorely; that was easy to see. It was my ill-luck that I slew him not. "

She stroked his face again and said: "Long were the tale if I toldthee all. After he had driven me out, and I had fled from him, he fellin with me again divers times, as was like to be; for his brother isthe Captain of the Dry Tree; the tall man whom thou hast seen with me:and every time this baron hath come on me he has prayed my love, as onewho would die despaired if I granted it not, but O my love with thebright sword" (and she kissed his cheek therewith, and fondled his handwith both her hands), "each time I said him nay, I said him nay. " Andagain her face burned with blushes. 

"And his brother, " said Ralph, "the big captain that I have come acrossthese four times, doth he desire thee also?" She laughed and said:"But as others have, no more: he will not slay any man for my sake. "

Said Ralph: "Didst thou wot that I was abiding thy coming at theCastle of Abundance?" "Yea, " she said, "have I not told thee that Ibade Roger lead thee thither?" Then she said softly: "That was afterthat first time we met; after I had ridden away on the horse of thatbutcher whom thou slayedst. "

"But why camest thou so late?" said he; "Wouldst thou have come if Ihad abided there yet?" She said: "What else did I desire but to bewith thee? But I set out alone looking not for any peril, since ourriders had gone to the north against them of the Burg: but as I drewnear to the Water of the Oak, I fell in with my husband and that otherman; and this time all my naysays were of no avail, and whatsoever Imight say he constrained me to go with them; but straightway they fellout together, and fought, even as thou sawest. " And she looked at himsweetly, and as frankly as if he had been naught but her dearestbrother. 

But he said: "It was concerning thee that they fought: hast thou knownthe Black Knight for long?"

"Yea, " she said, "I may not hide that he hath loved me: but he hathalso betrayed me. It was through him that the Knight of the Sun draveme from him. Hearken, for this concerneth thee: he made a tale of meof true and false mingled, that I was a wise-wife and an enchantress, and my lord trowed in him, so that I was put to shame before all thehouse, and driven forth wrung with anguish, barefoot and bleeding. "

He looked and saw pain and grief in her face, as it had been the shadowof that past time, and the fierceness of love in him so changed hisface, that she arose and drew a little way from him, and stood theregazing at him. But he also rose and knelt before her, and reached upfor her hands and took them in his and said: "Tell me truly, andbeguile me not; for I am a young man, and without guile, and I lovethee, and would have thee for my speech-friend, what woman soever maybe in the world. Whatever thou hast been, what art thou now? Art thougood or evil? Wilt thou bless me or ban me? For it is the truth thatI have heard tales and tales of thee: many were good, though it maybestrange; but some, they seemed to warn me of evil in thee. O look atme, and see if I love thee or not! and I may not help it. Say once forall, shall that be for my ruin or my bliss? If thou hast been evil, then be good this one time and tell me. "

She neither reddened now, nor paled at his words, but her eyes filledwith tears, and ran over, and she looked down on him as a woman lookson a man that she loves from the heart's root, and she said: "O mylord and love, may it be that thou shalt find me no worse to thee thanthe best of all those tales. Forsooth how shall I tell thee of myself, when, whatever I say, thou shalt believe every word I tell thee? But Omy heart, how shouldest thou, so sweet and fair and good, be taken withthe love of an evil thing? At the least I will say this, thatwhatsoever I have been, I am good to thee--I am good to thee, and willbe true to thee. "

He drew her down to him as he knelt there, and took his arms about her, and though she yet shrank from him a little and the eager flame of hislove, he might not be gainsayed, and she gave herself to him and lether body glide into his arms, and loved him no less than he loved her. And there between them in the wilderness was all the joy of love thatmight be. 

CHAPTER 2

They Break Their Fast in the Wildwood

Now when it was hard on noon, and they had lain long in that grassyplace, Ralph rose up and stood upon his feet, and made as onelistening. But the Lady looked on him and said: "It is naught save ahart and his hind running in the wood; yet mayhappen we were best onthe road, for it is yet long. " "Yea, " said Ralph, "and it may be thatmy master will gather folk and pursue us. " "Nay, nay, " she said, "thatwere to wrong him, to deem that he would gather folk to follow one man;if he come, he will be by himself alone. When he found us gone hedoubtless cast himself on Silverfax, my horse, in trust of the beastfollowing after my feet. "

"Well, " said Ralph, "and if he come alone, there is yet a sword betwixthim and thee. "

She was standing up by him now with her hand on his shoulder, "Hear nowthe darling, the champion! how he trusteth well in his heart and hisright hand. But nay, I have cared for thee well. Hearken, if thouwilt not take it amiss that I tell thee all I do, good or evil. I saida word in the ear of Silverfax or ever I departed, and now the goodbeast knows my mind, and will lead the fierce lord a little astray, butnot too much, lest he follow us with his eager heart and be led by hisown keen woodcraft. Indeed, I left the horse behind to that end, elsehadst thou ridden the woodland ways with me, instead of my wearyingthee by our going afoot; and thou with thy weapons and wargear. "

He looked upon her tenderly, and said smiling: "And thou, my dear, artthou not a little wearied by what should weary a knight and one bredafield?" "Nay, " she said, "seest thou not how I walk lightly clad, whereas I have left behind my mantle and cote-hardie?" Thereat shegathered up her gown into her girdle ready for the way, and smiled asshe saw his eyes embrace the loveliness of her feet; and she spake asshe moved them daintily on the flowery grass: "Sooth to say, Knight, Iam no weakling dame, who cannot move her limbs save in the dance, or toback the white palfrey and ride the meadows, goshawk on wrist; I amboth well-knit and light-foot as the Wood-wife and Goddess of yoreagone. Many a toil hath gone to that, whereof I may tell theepresently; but now we were best on our way. Yet before we go, I willat least tell thee this, that in my knowing of these woods, there is nosorcery at all; for in the woods, though not in these woods, was Ibred; and here also I am at home, as I may say. "

Hand in hand then they went lightly through the hazel copse, and soonwas the wood thick about them, but, as before, the Lady ledunfalteringly through the thicket paths. Now Ralph spake and said: "Itis good that thou lead me whither thou wilt; but this I may say, thatit is clear to me that we are not on the way to the Castle ofAbundance. " "Even so, " said she; "indeed had I come to thee there, as Iwas minded, I should presently have brought thee on the way which weare wending now, or one nigh to it; and that is that which leadeth toHampton under Scaur, and the Fellowship of Champions who dwell on therock. "

Said Ralph: "It is well; yet will I tell thee the truth, that a littlesojourn in that fair house had liked me better. Fain had I been to seethee sitting in thine ivory chair in thy chamber of dais with the wallshung round with thee woven in pictures--wilt thou not tell me in wordsthe story of those pictures? and also concerning the book which I read, which was also of thee?"

"Ah, " she said, "thou hast read in the book--well, I will tell thee thestory very soon, and that the more since there are matters writtenwrong in the book. " Therewith she hurried him on, and her feet seemednever tired, though now, to say sooth, he began to go somewhat heavily. 

Then she stayed him, and laughed sweetly in his face, and said: "It isa long while now since the beginning of the June day, and meseems Iknow thy lack, and the slaking of it lieth somewhat nearer than Hamptonunder Scaur, which we shall not reach these two days if we go afoot allthe way. "

"My lack?" said he; "I lack nought now, that I may not have when Iwill. " And he put his arms about her shoulders and strained her to hisbosom. But she strove with him, and freed herself and laughedoutright, and said: "Thou art a bold man, and rash, my knight, evenunto me. Yet must I see to it that thou die not of hunger. " He saidmerrily: "Yea, by St. Nicholas, true it is: a while ago I felt nohunger, and had forgotten that men eat; for I was troubled with muchlonging, and in doubt concerning my life; but now am I free and happy, and hungry therewithal. "

"Look, " she said, pointing up to the heavens, "it is now past two hoursafter noon; that is nigh two hours since we left the lawn amidst thehazels, and thou longest to eat, as is but right, so lovely as thou artand young; and I withal long to tell thee something of that whereofthou hast asked me; and lastly, it is the hottest of the day, yea, sohot, that even Diana, the Wood-wife of yore agone, might have faintedsomewhat, if she had been going afoot as we twain have been, and littleis the risk of our resting awhile. And hereby is a place where rest isgood as regards the place, whatever the resters may be; it is a littleaside the straightest way, but meseems we may borrow an hour or so ofour journey, and hope to pay it back ere nightfall. Come, champion!"

Therewith she led north through a thicket of mingled trees till Ralphheard water running, and anon they came to a little space about abrook, grassy and clear of trees save a few big thorn-bushes, with agreen ridge or bank on the other side. There she stayed him and said:"Do off thy war-gear, knight. There is naught to fear here, less thanthere was amidst the hazels. " So did he, and she kneeled down and drankof the clear water, and washed her face and hands therein, and thencame and kissed him and said: "Lovely imp of Upmeads, I have somebread of last night's meal in my scrip here, and under the bank I shallfind some woodland meat withal; abide a little and the tale and thefood shall come back to thee together. " Therewith she stepped lightlyinto the stream, and stood therein a minute to let her naked feet feelthe cold ripple (for she had stripped off her foot-gear as she firstcame to the water), and then went hither and thither gatheringstrawberries about the bank, while he watched her, blessing her, tillhe well nigh wept at the thought of his happiness. 

Back she came in a little while with good store of strawberries in thelap of her gown, and they sat down on the green lip of the brook, andshe drew the bread from her scrip and they ate together, and she madehim drink from the hollow of her hands, and kissed him and wept overhim for joy, and the eagerness of her love. So at last she sat downquietly beside him, and fell to speaking to him, as a tale is told inthe ingle nook on an even of Yule-tide. 

CHAPTER 3

The Lady Telleth Ralph of the Past Days of Her Life

"Now shalt thou hear of me somewhat more than the arras and the bookcould tell thee; and yet not all, for time would fail us therefor--andmoreover my heart would fail me. I cannot tell where I was born nor ofwhat lineage, nor of who were my father and mother; for this I haveknown not of myself, nor has any told me. But when I first rememberanything, I was playing about a garden, wherein was a little housebuilt of timber and thatched with reed, and the great trees of theforest were all about the garden save for a little croft which wasgrown over with high grass and another somewhat bigger, wherein weregoats. There was a woman at the door of the house and she spinning, yet clad in glittering raiment, and with jewels on her neck andfingers; this was the first thing that I remember, but all as it were amatter of every day, and use and wont, as it goes with the memories ofchildren. Of such matters I will not tell thee at large, for thouknowest how it will be. Now the woman, who as I came to know wasneither old nor young in those days, but of middle age, I calledmother; but now I know that she was not my mother. She was hard andstern with me, but never beat me in those days, save to make me do whatI would not have done unbeaten; and as to meat I ate and drank what Icould get, as she did, and indeed was well-fed with simple meats asthou mayest suppose from the aspect of me to-day. But as she was notfierce but rather sour to me in her daily wont in my youngest days soalso she was never tender, or ever kissed me or caressed me, for aslittle as I was. And I loved her naught, nor did it ever come into mymind that I should love her, though I loved a white goat of ours anddeemed it dear and lovely; and afterwards other things also that cameto me from time to time, as a squirrel that I saved from a weasel, anda jackdaw that fell from a tall ash-tree nigh our house before he hadlearned how to fly, and a house-mouse that would run up and down myhand and arm, and other such-like things; and shortly I may say thatthe wild things, even to the conies and fawns loved me, and had butlittle fear of me, and made me happy, and I loved them. 

"Further, as I grew up, the woman set me to do such work as I hadstrength for as needs was; for there was no man dwelt anigh us andseldom did I ever see man or woman there, and held no converse withany, save as I shall tell thee presently: though now and again a man ora woman passed by; what they were I knew not, nor their whence andwhither, but by seeing them I came to know that there were other folkin the world besides us two. Nought else I knew save how to spin, andto tend our goats and milk them, and to set snares for birds and smalldeer: though when I had caught them, it irked me sore to kill them, andI had let them go again had I not feared the carline. Every day earlyI was put forth from the house and garth, and forbidden to go backthither till dusk. While the days were long and the grass was growing, I had to lead our goats to pasture in the wood-lawns, and must takewith me rock and spindle, and spin so much of flax or hair as the womangave me, or be beaten. But when the winter came and the snow was onthe ground, then that watching and snaring of wild things was mybusiness. 

"At last one day of late summer when I, now of some fifteen summers, was pasturing the goats not far from the house, the sky darkened, andthere came up so great a storm of thunder and lightning, and huge driftof rain, that I was afraid, and being so near to the house, I hastenedthither, driving the goats, and when I had tethered them in the shed ofthe croft, I crept trembling up to the house, and when I was at thedoor, heard the clack of the loom in the weaving-chamber, and deemedthat the woman was weaving there, but when I looked, behold there wasno one on the bench, though the shuttle was flying from side to side, and the shed opening and changing, and the sley coming home in dueorder. Therewithal I heard a sound as of one singing a song in a lowvoice, but the words I could not understand: then terror seized on myheart, but I stepped over the threshold, and as the door of the chamberwas open, I looked aside and saw therein the woman sitting stark nakedon the floor with a great open book before her, and it was from hermouth that the song was coming: grim she looked, and awful, for she wasa big woman, black-haired and stern of aspect in her daily wont, speaking to me as few words as might be, and those harsh enough, yeaharsher than when I was but little. I stood for one moment afraidbeyond measure, though the woman did not look at me, and I hoped shehad not seen me; then I ran back into the storm, though it was nowwilder than ever, and ran and hid myself in the thicket of the wood, half-dead with fear, and wondering what would become of me. Butfinding that no one followed after me, I grew calmer, and the stormalso drew off, and the sun shone out a little before his setting: so Isat and spun, with fear in my heart, till I had finished my tale ofthread, and when dusk came, stole back again to the house, though mylegs would scarce bear me over the threshold into the chamber. 

"There sat the woman in her rich attire no otherwise than her wont, nordid she say aught to me; but looked at the yarn that I had spun, to seethat I had done my task, and nodded sternly to me as her wont was, andI went to bed amongst my goats as I was used to do, but slept not tilltowards morning, and then images of dreadful things, and of miseriesthat I may not tell thee of, mingled with my sleep for long. 

"So I awoke and ate my meat and drank of the goats' milk with a heavyheart, and then went into the house; and when I came into the chamberthe woman looked at me, and contrary to her wont spoke to me, and Ishook with terror at her voice; though she said naught but this: 'Gofetch thy white goat and come back to me therewith. ' I did so, andfollowed after her, sick with fear; and she led me through the woodinto a lawn which I knew well, round which was a wall, as it were, ofgreat yew trees, and amidst, a table of stone, made of four uprightsand a great stone plank on the top of them; and this was the only thingin all the wood wherein I was used to wander which was of man'shandiwork, save and except our house, and the sheds and fences about it. 

"The woman stayed and leaned against this stonework and said to me: 'Goabout now and gather dry sticks for a fire. ' I durst do naught else, and said to myself that I should be whipped if I were tardy, though, forsooth, I thought she was going to kill me; and I brought her abundle, and she said, 'Fetch more. ' And when I had brought her sevenbundles, she said: 'It is enough: stand over against me and hearken. 'So I stood there quaking; for my fear, which had somewhat abated whileI went to and fro after the wood, now came back upon me tenfold. 

"She said: 'It were thy due that I should slay thee here and now, asthou slayest the partridges which thou takest in thy springes: but forcertain causes I will not slay thee. Again, it were no more than thyearnings were I to torment thee till thou shouldst cry out for death todeliver thee from the anguish; and if thou wert a woman grown, even sowould I deal with thee. But thou art yet but a child, therefore I willkeep thee to see what shall befall betwixt us. Yet must I do somewhatto grieve thee, and moreover something must be slain and offered uphere on this altar, lest all come to naught, both thou and I, and thatwhich we have to do. Hold thy white goat now, which thou lovest morethan aught else, that I may redden thee and me and this altar with theblood thereof. '

"I durst do naught but obey her, and I held the poor beast, that lickedmy hands and bleated for love of me: and now since my terror and thefear of death was lessened at her words, I wept sore for my dear friend. 

"But the woman drew a strong sharp knife from her girdle and cut thebeast's throat, and dipped her fingers in the blood and reddened bothherself and me on the breast, and the hands, and the feet; and then sheturned to the altar and smote blood upon the uprights, and the face ofthe stone plank. Then she bade me help her, and we laid the sevenfaggots on the alter, and laid the carcase of the goat upon them: andshe made fire, but I saw not how, and set it to the wood, and when itbegan to blaze she stood before it with her arms outspread, and sangloud and hoarse to a strange tune; and though I knew not the words ofher song, it filled me with dread, so that I cast myself down on theground and hid my face in the grass. 

"So she went on till the beast was all burned up and the fire becamenaught but red embers, and then she ceased her song and sank down uponthe grass, and laid her head back and so fell asleep; but I durst notmove from the place, but cowered in the grass there, I know not howlong, till she arose and came to me, and smote me with her foot andcried: 'Rise up, fool! what harm hast thou? Go milk thy goats andlead them to pasture. ' And therewith she strode away home, not heedingme. 

"As for me, I arose and dealt with my goats as she bade me; andpresently I was glad that I had not been slain, yet thenceforth was thejoy of my life that I had had amongst my goats marred with fear, andthe sounds of the woodland came to me mingled with terror; and I wassore afraid when I entered the house in the morning and the evening, and when I looked on the face of the woman; though she was no harder tome than heretofore, but maybe somewhat softer. 

"So wore the autumn, and winter came, and I fared as I was wont, setting springes for fowl and small-deer. And for all the roughness ofthe season, at that time it pleased me better than the leafy days, because I had less memory then of the sharpness of my fear on that dayof the altar. Now one day as I went under the snow-laden trees, I sawsomething bright and big lying on the ground, and drawing nearer I sawthat it was some child of man: so I stopped and cried out, 'Awake andarise, lest death come on thee in this bitter cold, ' But it stirrednot; so I plucked up heart and came up to it, and lo! a woman clad infair raiment of scarlet and fur, and I knelt down by her to see if Imight help her; but when I touched her I found her cold and stiff, anddead, though she had not been dead long, for no snow had fallen on her. It still wanted more than an hour of twilight, and I by no means durstgo home till nightfall; so I sat on there and watched her, and put thehood from her face and the gloves from her hands, and I deemed her agoodly and lovely thing, and was sorry that she was not alive, and Iwept for her, and for myself also, that I had lost her fellowship. Sowhen I came back to the house at dark with the venison, I knew notwhether to tell my mistress and tyrant concerning this matter; but shelooked on me and said at once: 'Wert thou going to tell me of somethingthat thou hast seen?' So I told her all, even as it was, and she saidto me: 'Hast thou taken aught from the corpse?' 'Nay, ' said I. 'Thenmust I hasten, ' she said, 'and be before the wolves. ' Therewith shetook a brand from the fire, and bade me bear one also and lead her: sodid I easily enough, for the moon was up, and what with moon and snow, it was well nigh as bright as the day. So when we came to the deadwoman, my mistress kneeled down by her and undid the collar of hercloak, which I had not touched, and took something from her neckswiftly, and yet I, who was holding the torch, saw that it was anecklace of blue stones and green, with gold between--Yea, dearChampion, like unto thine as one peascod is to another, " quoth she. 

And therewith the distressfulness of her face which had worn Ralph'sheart while she had been telling her tale changed, and she came, as itwere, into her new life and the love of him again, and she kissed himand laid her cheek to his and he kissed her mouth. And then shefetched a sigh, and began with her story again. 

"My mistress took the necklace and put it in her pouch, and said as toherself: 'Here, then, is another seeker who hath not found, unless oneshould dig a pit for her here when the thaw comes, and call it the Wellat the World's End: belike it will be for her as helpful as the realone. ' Then she turned to me and said: 'Do thou with the rest what thouwilt, ' and therewith she went back hastily to the house. But as forme, I went back also, and found a pick and a mattock in the goat-house, and came back in the moonlight and scraped the snow away, and dug apit, and buried the poor damsel there with all her gear. 

"Wore the winter thence with naught that I need tell of, only I thoughtmuch of the words that my mistress had spoken. Spring came and went, and summer also, well nigh tidingless. But one day as I drave thegoats from our house there came from the wood four men, a-horseback andweaponed, but so covered with their armour that I might see little oftheir faces. They rode past me to our house, and spake not to me, though they looked hard at me; but as they went past I heard one say:'If she might but be our guide to the Well at the World's End!' I durstnot tarry to speak with them, but as I looked over my shoulder I sawthem talking to my mistress in the door; but meseemed she was clad butin poor homespun cloth instead of her rich apparel, and I amfar-sighted and clear-sighted. After this the autumn and winter thatfollowed it passed away tidingless. "

CHAPTER 4

The Lady Tells of Her Deliverance

"Now I had outgrown my old fear, and not much befell to quicken it: andever I was as much out of the house as I could be. But about this timemy mistress, from being kinder to me than before, began to grow harder, and ofttimes used me cruelly: but of her deeds to me, my friend, thoushalt ask me no more than I tell thee. On a day of May-tide I faredabroad with my goats, and went far with them, further from the housethan I had been as yet. The day was the fairest of the year, and Irejoiced in it, and felt as if some exceeding great good were about tobefall me; and the burden of fears seemed to have fallen from me. So Iwent till I came to a little flowery dell, beset with blossomingwhitethorns and with a fair stream running through it; a place somewhatlike to this, save that the stream there was bigger. And the sun washot about noontide, so I did off my raiment, which was rough and poor, and more meet for winter than May-tide, and I entered a pool of theclear water, and bathed me and sported therein, smelling the sweetscent of the whitethorns and hearkening to the song of the many birds;and when I came forth from the water, the air was so soft and sweet tome, and the flowery grass so kind to my feet, and the May-blooms fellupon my shoulders, that I was loth to do on my rough raiment hastily, and withal I looked to see no child of man in that wilderness: so Isported myself there a long while, and milked a goat and drank of themilk, and crowned myself with white-thorn and hare-bells; and held theblossoms in my hand, and felt that I also had some might in me, andthat I should not be a thrall of that sorceress for ever. And thatday, my friend, belike was the spring-tide of the life and the lovethat thou holdest in thy kind arms. 

"But as I abode thus in that fair place, and had just taken my rock andspindle in hand that I might go on with my task and give as littleoccasion as I might for my mistress to chastise me, I looked up and sawa child of man coming down the side of the little dale towards me, so Isprang up, and ran to my raiment and cast them on me hastily, for I wasashamed; and when I saw that it was a woman, I thought at first that itwas my mistress coming to seek me; and I thought within myself that ifshe smote me I would bear it no more, but let it be seen which of thetwain was the mightier. But I looked again and saw that it was not shebut a woman smaller and older. So I stood where I was and abode hercoming, smiling and unafraid, and half-clad. 

"She drew near and I saw that it was an old woman grey haired, uncomelyof raiment, but with shining bright eyes in her wrinkled face. And shemade an obeisance to me and said: 'I was passing through this lonelywilderness and I looked down into the little valley and saw these goatsthere and the lovely lady lying naked amongst them, and I said I am tooold to be afraid of aught; for if she be a goddess come back again fromyore agone, she can but make an end of a poor old carline, a gangrelbody, who hath no joy of her life now. And if she be of the daughtersof men, she will belike methink her of her mother, and be kind to mefor her sake, and give me a piece of bread and a draught of her goats'milk. '

"I spake hastily, for I was ashamed of her words, though I only halfunderstood them: 'I hear thee and deem that thou mockest me: I havenever known a mother; I am but a poor thrall, a goatherd dwelling witha mistress in a nook of this wildwood: I have never a piece of bread;but as to the goats' milk, that thou shalt have at once. ' So I calledone of my goats to me, for I knew them all, and milked her into awooden bowl that I carried slung about me, and gave the old woman todrink: and she kissed my hand and drank and spake again, but no longerin a whining voice, like a beggar bidding alms in the street, but frankand free. 

"'Damsel, ' she said, 'now I see that thy soul goes with thy body, andthat thou art kind and proud at once. And whatever thou art, it is nomock to say of thee, that thou art as fair as the fairest; and I thinkthat this will follow thee, that henceforth no man who seeth thee oncewill forget thee ever, or cease to long for thee: of a surety this isthy weird. Now I see that thou knowest no more of the world and itsways than one of the hinds that run in these woods. So if thou wilt, Iwill sit down by thee and tell thee much that shall avail thee; andthou in thy turn shalt tell me all the tale concerning thy dwelling andthy service, and the like. '

"I said, 'I may not, I durst not; I serve a mighty mistress, and shewould slay me if she knew that I had spoken to thee; and woe's me! Ifear that even now she will not fail to know it. Depart in peace. '

"'Nay, ' she said, 'thou needest not tell me, for I have an inkling ofher and her ways: but I will give thee wisdom, and not sell it thee ata price. Sit down then, fair child, on this flowery grass, and I willsit beside thee and tell thee of many things worth thine heeding. ' Sothere we sat awhile, and in good sooth she told me much of the worldwhich I had not yet seen, of its fairness and its foulness; of life anddeath, and desire and disappointment, and despair; so that when she haddone, if I were wiser than erst, I was perchance little more joyous;and yet I said to myself that come what would I would be a part of allthat. 

"But at last she said: 'Lo the day is waning, and thou hast two thingsto do; either to go home to thy mistress at once, or flee away from herby the way that I shall show thee; and if thou wilt be ruled by me, andcanst bear thy thralldom yet a little while thou wilt not flee at once, but abide till thou hast seen me again. And since it is here that thouhast met me, here mayst thou meet me again; for the days are long now, and thou mayst easily win thy way hither before noon on any day. '

"So I tied my goatskin shoes to my feet, and drave my goats together, and we went up together out of the dale, and were in the wide-spreadingplain of the waste; and the carline said: 'Dost thou know the quartersof the heaven by the sun?' 'Yea, ' said I. 'Then, ' quoth she, 'whensothou desirest to depart and come into the world of folk that I havetold thee of, set thy face a little north of west, and thou shalt fallin with something or somebody before long; but be speedy on that day asthou art light-footed, and make all the way thou canst before thymistress comes to know of thy departure; for not lightly will any onelet loose such a thrall as thou. '

"I thanked her, and she went her ways over the waste, I wotted notwhither, and I drave my goats home as speedily as I might; the mistressmeddled not with me by word or deed, though I was short of my due taleof yarn. The next day I longed sore to go to the dale and meet thecarline but durst not, and the next day I fared in likeways; but thethird day I longed so to go, that my feet must needs take me there, whatsoever might befall. And when I had been in the dale a little, thither came the carline, and sat down by me and fell to teaching mewisdom, and showed me letters and told me what they were, and I learnedlike a little lad in the chorister's school. 

"Thereafter I mastered my fear of my mistress and went to that dale dayby day, and learned of the carline; though at whiles I wondered when mymistress would let loose her fury upon me; for I called to mind thethreat she had made to me on the day when she offered up my white goat. And I made up my mind to this, that if she fell upon me with deadlyintent I would do my best to slay her before she should slay me. Butso it was, that now again she held her hand from my body, and scarcecast a word at me ever, but gloomed at me, and fared as if hatred of mehad grown great in her heart. 

"So the days went by, and my feet had worn a path through thewilderness to the Dale of Lore, and May had melted into June, and thelatter days of June were come. And on Midsummer Day I went my ways tothe dale according to my wont, when, as I as driving on my goatshastily I saw a bright thing coming over the heath toward me, and Iwent on my way to meet it, for I had no fear now, except what fear ofmy mistress lingered in my heart; nay, I looked that everything I sawof new should add some joy to my heart. So presently I saw that it wasa weaponed man riding a white horse, and anon he had come up to me anddrawn rein before me. I wondered exceedingly at beholding him and theheart leaped within me at his beauty; for though the carline had toldme of the loveliness of the sons of men, that was but words and I knewnot what they meant; and the others that I had seen were not young menor goodly, and those last, as I told thee, I could scarce see theirfaces. 

"And this one was even fairer than the dead woman that I had buried, whose face was worn with toil and trouble, as now I called to mind. Hewas clad in bright shining armour with a gay surcoat of green, embroidered with flowers over it; he had a light sallet on his head, and the yellow locks of his hair flowed down from under, and fell onhis shoulders: his face was as beardless as thine, dear friend, butnot clear brown like to thine but white and red like a blossom. "

Ralph spake and said: "Belike it was a woman;" and his voice soundedloud in the quiet place. She smiled on him and kissed his cheek, andsaid: "Nay, nay, dear Champion, it is not so. God rest his soul! manya year he has been dead. "

Said Ralph: "Many a year! what meanest thou?" "Ah!" she said, "fearnot! as I am now, so shall I be for thee many a year. Was not thy fearthat I should vanish away or change into something unsightly andgruesome? Fear not, I say; am I not a woman, and thine own?" And againshe flushed bright red, and her grey eyes lightened, and she looked athim all confused and shamefaced. 

He took her face between his hands and kissed her over and over; thenhe let her go, and said: "I have no fear: go on with thy tale, for thewords thereof are as thy kisses to me, and the embracing of thine handsand thy body: tell on, I pray thee. " She took his hand in hers andspake, telling her tale as before. 

"Friend, well-beloved for ever! This fair young knight looked on me, and as he looked, his face flushed as red as mine did even now. And Itell thee that my heart danced with joy as I looked on him, and hespake not for a little while, and then he said: 'Fair maiden, canstthou tell me of any who will tell me a word of the way to the Well atthe World's End?' I said to him, 'Nay, I have heard the word once andno more, I know not the way: and I am sorry that I cannot do for theethat which thou wouldest. ' And then I spake again, and told him that heshould by no means stop at our house, and I told him what it was like, so that he might give it the go by. I said, 'Even if thou hast to turnback again, and fail to find the thing thou seekest, yet I beseech theeride not into that trap. '

"He sat still on his saddle a while, staring at me and I at him; andthen he thanked me, but with so bad a grace, that I wondered of him ifhe were angry; and then he shook his rein, and rode off briskly, and Ilooked after him a while, and then went on my way; but I had gone but ashort while, when I heard horse-hoofs behind me, and I turned andlooked, and lo! it was the knight coming back again. So I stayed andabided him; and when he came up to me, he leapt from his horse andstood before me and said: 'I must needs see thee once again. '

"I stood and trembled before him, and longed to touch him. And againhe spake, breathlessly, as one who has been running: 'I must depart, for I have a thing to do that I must do; but I long sorely to touchthee, and kiss thee; yet unless thou freely willest it, I will refrainme. ' Then I looked at him and said, 'I will it freely. ' Then he cameclose up to me, and put his hand on my shoulder and kissed my cheek;but I kissed his lips, and then he took me in his arms, and kissed meand embraced me; and there in that place, and in a little while, weloved each other sorely. 

"But in a while he said to me: 'I must depart, for I am as one whomthe Avenger of Blood followeth; and now I will give thee this, not somuch as a gift, but as a token that we have met in the wilderness, thouand I. ' Therewith he put his hand to his neck, and took from it thisnecklace which thou seest here, and I saw that it was like that whichmy mistress took from the neck of the dead woman. And no less is itlike to the one that thou wearest, Ralph. 

"I took it in my hand and wept that I might not help him. And he said:'It is little likely that we shall meet again; but by the token of thiscollar thou mayest wot that I ever long for thee till I die: forthough I am a king's son, this is the dearest of my possessions. ' Isaid: 'Thou art young, and I am young; mayhappen we shall meet again:but thou shalt know that I am but a thrall, a goatherd. ' For I knew bywhat the old woman told me of somewhat of the mightiness of the kingsof the world. 'Yea, ' he said, and smiled most sweetly, 'that is easyto be seen: yet if I live, as I think not to do, thou shalt sit wheregreat men shall kneel to thee; not as I kneel now for love, and that Imay kiss thy knees and thy feet, but because they needs must worshipthee. '

"Therewith he arose to his feet and leapt on his horse, and rode hisways speedily: and I went upon my way with my goats, and came downinto the Dale of Lore, and found the old woman abiding me; and she cameto me, and took me by the hands, and touched the collar (for I had doneit about my neck), and said:

"'Dear child, thou needest not to tell me thy tale, for I have seenhim. But if thou must needs wear this necklace, I must give thee agift to go with it. But first sit down by the old carline awhile andtalk with her; for meseemeth it will be but a few days ere thou shaltdepart from this uttermost wilderness, and the woods before themountains. '

"So I sat down by her, and in spite of her word I told her all that hadbefallen betwixt me and the king's son: for my heart was too full thatI might refrain me. She nodded her head from time to time, but saidnaught, till I had made an end: and then fell to telling me of manymatters for my avail; but yet arose earlier than her wont was; and whenwe were about sundering on the path which I had trodden above the Dale, she said: 'Now must I give thee that gift to go along with the gift ofthe lover, the King's son; and I think thou wilt find it of availbefore many days are gone by. ' Therewith she took from her pouch astrong sharp knife, and drew it from the sheath, and flashed it in theafternoon sun, and gave it to me; and I took it and laid it in my bosomand thanked her; for I thought that I understood her meaning, and howit would avail me. Then I went driving my goats home speedily, so thatthe sun was barely set when I came to the garth; and a great horrorrather than a fear of my mistress was on me; and lo! she stood in thedoor of the house gazing down the garth and the woodland beyond, asthough she were looking for my coming: and when her eyes lighted on me, she scowled, and drew her lips back from her teeth and clenched herhands with fury, though there was nought in them; and she was a talland strong woman, though now growing somewhat old: but as for me, I hadunsheathed the carline's gift before I came to the garth, and now Iheld it behind my back in my left hand. 

"I had stayed my feet some six paces from the threshold, and my heartbeat quick, but the sick fear and cowering had left me, though thehorror of her grew in my heart. My goats had all gone off quietly totheir house, and there was nothing betwixt me and her. In clearingfrom my sleeve the arm of me which held the knife, the rough claspwhich fastened my raiment together at the shoulder had given way, andthe cloth had fallen and left my bosom bare, so that I knew that thecollar was clearly to be seen. So we stood a moment, and I had nowords, but she spake at last in a hard, snarling voice, such as sheoftenest used to me, but worse. 

"'Now at last the time has come when thou art of no more use to me; forI can see thee what thou hast got for thyself. But know now that thouhast not yet drunk of the Well at the World's End, and that it will notavail thee to flee out of this wood; for as long as I live thou wiltnot be able to get out of reach of my hand; and I shall live long: Ishall live long. Come, then, and give thyself up to me, that I maydeal with thee as I threatened when I slew thy friend the white goat;for, indeed, I knew then that it would come to this. '

"She had but twice or thrice spoken to me so many words together asthis; but I answered never a word, but stood watching her warily. Andof a sudden she gave forth a dreadful screaming roar, wherewith all thewood rang again, and rushed at me; but my hand came from behind myback, and how it was I know not, but she touched me not till the bladehad sunk into her breast, and she fell across my feet, her right handclutching my raiment. So I loosed her fingers from the cloth, shuddering with horror the while, and drew myself away from her andstood a little aloof, wondering what should happen next. And indeed Iscarce believed but she would presently rise up from the ground andclutch me in her hands, and begin the tormenting of me. But she movedno more, and the grass all about her was reddened with her blood; andat last I gathered heart to kneel down beside her, and found that sheno more breathed than one of those conies or partridges which I hadbeen used to slay for her. 

"Then I stood and considered what I should do, and indeed I had beenpondering this all the way from the Dale thereto, in case I shouldescape my mistress. So I soon made up my mind that I would not dwellin that house even for one night; lest my mistress should come to methough dead, and torment me. I went into the house while it was yetlight, and looked about the chamber, and saw three great books therelaid on the lectern, but durst not have taken them even had I been ableto carry them; nor durst I even to look into them, for fear that somespell might get to work in them if they were opened; but I found a ryeloaf whereof I had eaten somewhat in the morning, and anotheruntouched, and hanging to a horn of the lectern I found the necklacewhich my mistress had taken from the dead woman. These I put into myscrip, and as to the necklace, I will tell thee how I bestowed it lateron. Then I stepped out into the twilight which was fair and golden, and full fain I was of it. Then I drove the goats out of their houseand went my way towards the Dale of Lore, and said to myself that thecarline would teach me what further to do, and I came there before thesummer dark had quite prevailed, and slept sweetly and softly amongstmy goats after I had tethered them in the best of the pasture. "

CHAPTER 5

Yet More of the Lady's Story

"Lo thou, beloved, " she said, "thou hast seen me in the wildwood withlittle good quickened in me: doth not thine heart sink at the thoughtof thy love and thy life given over to the keeping of such an one?" Hesmiled in her face, and said: "Belike thou hast done worse than allthou hast told me: and these days past I have wondered often what therewas in the stories which they of the Burg had against thee: yet soothto say, they told little of what thou hast done: no more belike thanbeing their foe. " She sighed and said: "Well, hearken; yet shall I nottell thee every deed that I have been partaker in. 

"I sat in the Dale that next day and was happy, though I longed to seethat fair man again: sooth to say, since my mistress was dead, everything seemed fairer to me, yea even mine own face, as I saw it inthe pools of the stream, though whiles I wondered when I should haveanother mistress, and how she would deal with me; and ever I said Iwould ask the carline when she came again to me. But all that day shecame not: nor did I marvel thereat. But when seven days passed andstill she came not, I fell to wondering what I should do: for my breadwas all gone, and I durst not go back to the house to fetch meal;though there was store of it there. Howbeit, I drank of the milk ofthe goats, and made curds thereof with the woodland roots, and ate ofthe wood-berries like as thou hast done, friend, e'en now. And it waseasier for me to find a livelihood in the woods than it had been formost folk, so well as I knew them. So wore the days, and she came not, and I began to think that I should see the wise carline no more, asindeed fell out at that time; and the days began to hang heavy on myhands, and I fell to thinking of that way to the west and the peopledparts, whereof the carline had told me; and whiles I went out of theDale and went away hither and thither through the woods, and so far, that thrice I slept away out of the Dale: but I knew that the peopledparts would be strange to me and I feared to face them all alone. 

"Thus wore the days till July was on the wane, and on a morning early Iawoke with unwonted sounds in mine ears; and when my eyes were fairlyopen I saw a man standing over me and a white horse cropping the grasshard by. And my heart was full and fain, and I sprang to my feet andshowed him a smiling happy face, for I saw at once that it was thatfair man come back again. But lo! his face was pale and worn, thoughhe looked kindly on me, and he said: 'O my beloved, I have found thee, but I am faint with hunger and can speak but little. ' And eventherewith he sank down on the grass. But I bestirred myself, and gavehim milk of my goats, and curds and berries, and the life came into himagain, and I sat down by him and laid his head in my lap, and he slepta long while; and when he awoke (and it was towards sunset) he kissedmy hands and my arms, and said to me: 'Fair child, perhaps thou wiltcome with me now; and even if thou art a thrall thou mayest flee withme; for my horse is strong and fat, though I am weak, for he can makehis dinner on the grass. '

"Then he laughed and I no less; but I fed him with my poor victualagain, and as he ate I said: 'I am no mistress's thrall now; for theevening of the day whereon I saw thee I slew her, else had she slainme. ' 'The saints be praised, ' said he: 'Thou wilt come with me, then?''O yea, ' said I. Then I felt shamefaced and I reddened; but I said: 'Ihave abided here many days for a wise woman who hath taught me manythings; but withal I hoped that thou wouldst come also. '

"Then he put his arms about my shoulders and loved me much; but at lasthe said: 'Yet is it now another thing than that which I looked for, when I talked of setting thee by me on the golden throne. For now am Ia beaten man; I have failed of that I sought, and suffered shame andhunger and many ills. Yet ever I thought that I might find thee hereor hereby. ' Then a thought came into my mind, and I said: 'Else maybethou hadst found what thou soughtest, and overcome the evil things. ''Maybe, ' he said; 'it is now but a little matter. '"

"As for me, I could have no guess at what were the better things he hadmeant for me, and my heart was full of joy, and all seemed better thanwell. And we talked together long till the day was gone. Then wekissed and embraced each other in the Dale of Lore, and the darkness ofsummer seemed but short for our delight. "

CHAPTER 6

The Lady Tells Somewhat of Her Doings After She Left the Wilderness

Ralph stayed her speech now, and said: "When I asked of thee in theLand of Abundance, there were some who seemed to say that thou hast letmore men love thee than one: and it was a torment to me to think thateven so it might be. But now when thine own mouth telleth me of one ofthem it irks me little. Dost thou think it little-hearted in me?"

"O friend, " she said, "I see that so it is with thee that thou wouldstfind due cause for loving me, whatever thou foundest true of me. Ordost thou deem that I was another woman in those days? Nay, I was not:I can see myself still myself all along the way I have gone. " She wassilent a little, and then she said: "Fear not, I will give thee muchcause to love me. But now I know thy mind the better, I shall tellthee less of what befell me after I left the wilderness; for whatever Idid and whatever I endured, still it was always I myself that wasthere, and it is me that thou lovest. Moreover, my life in thewilderness is a stranger thing to tell thee of than my dealings withthe folk, and with Kings and Barons and Knights. But thereafter thoushalt hear of me what tales thou wilt of these matters, as the days andthe years pass over our heads. 

"Now on the morrow we would not depart at once, because there we hadsome victual, and the king's son was not yet so well fed as he shouldbe; so we abode in that fair place another day, and then we went ourways westward, according to the rede of the carline; and it was manydays before we gat us out of the wilderness, and we were often hard putto it for victual; whiles I sat behind my knight a-horseback, whiles heled the beast while I rode alone, and not seldom I went afoot, and thatnowise slowly, while he rode the white horse, for I was as light-footthen as now. 

"And of the way we went I will tell thee nought as now, because sure itis that if we both live, thou and I shall tread that road together, butwith our faces turned the other way; for it is the road from the Wellat the World's End, where I myself have been, or else never had thineeyes fallen on me. "

Ralph said, "Even so much I deemed by reading in the book; yet it wasnot told clearly that thou hadst been there. " "Yea, " she said, becausethe said book was made not by my friends but my foes, and they wouldhave men deem that my length of days and the endurance of my beauty andnever-dying youth of my heart came from evil and devilish sources; andif thou wilt trust my word it is not so, for in the Well at the World'sEnd is no evil, but only the Quenching of Sorrow, and Clearing of theEyes that they may behold. And how good it is that they look on theenow. And moreover, the history of that book is partly false ofintention and ill-will, and partly a confused medley of true and false, which has come of mere chance-hap. 

"Hearken now, " she said, "till I tell thee in few words what befell mebefore I came to drink the Water of the Well. After we had passed longdeserts of wood and heath, and gone through lands exceeding evil andperilous, and despaired of life for the horror of those places, andseen no men, we came at last amongst a simple folk who dealt kindlywith us, yea, and more. These folk seemed to me happy and of goodwealth, though to my lord they seemed poor and lacking of the goods ofthe world. Forsooth, by that time we lacked more than they, for wewere worn with cold and hunger, and hard life: though for me, indeed, happy had been the days of my wayfaring, but my lord remembered thedays of his riches and the kingdom of his father, and the worship ofmighty men, and all that he had promised me on the happy day when Ifirst beheld him: so belike he was scarce so happy as I was. 

"It was springtime when we came to that folk; for we had worn throughthe autumn and winter in getting clear of the wilderness. Not that theway was long, as I found out afterwards, but that we went astray in thewoodland, and at last came out of it into a dreadful stony waste whichwe strove to cross thrice, and thrice were driven back into thegreenwood by thirst and hunger; but the fourth time, having gotten usstore of victual by my woodcraft, we overpassed it and reached thepeopled country. 

"Yea, spring was on the earth, as we, my lord and I, came down from thedesolate stony heaths, and went hand and hand across the plain, wheremen and women of that folk were feasting round about the simple roofsand woodland halls which they had raised there. Then they left theirgames and sports and ran to us, and we walked on quietly, though weknew not whether the meeting was to be for death or life. But thatkind folk gathered round us, and asked us no story till they had fedus, and bathed us, and clad us after their fashion. And then, despitethe nakedness and poverty wherein they had first seen us, they wouldhave it that we were gods sent down to them from the world beyond themountains by their fathers of old time; for of Holy Church, and theBlessed Trinity, and the Mother of God they knew no more than did I atthat time, but were heathen, as the Gentiles of yore agone. And evenwhen we put all that Godhood from us, and told them as we might andcould what we were (for we had no heart to lie to such simple folk), their kindness abated nothing, and they bade us abide there, and wereour loving friends and brethren. 

"There in sooth had I been content to abide till eld came upon me, butmy lord would not have it so, but longed for greater things for me. Though in sooth to me it seemed as if his promise of worship of me bythe folk had been already fulfilled; for when we had abided there somewhile, and our beauty, which had been marred by the travail of ourway-faring, had come back to us in full, or it maybe increasedsomewhat, they did indeed deal with us with more love than would mostmen with the saints, were they to come back on the earth again; andtheir children would gather round about me and make me a partaker oftheir sports, and be loth to leave me; and the faces of their old folkwould quicken and gladden when I drew nigh: and as for their young men, it seemed of them that they loved the very ground that my feet trod on, though it grieved me that I could not pleasure some of them in suchwise as they desired. And all this was soft and full of delight for mysoul: and I, whose body a little while ago had been driven to dailytoil with evil words and stripes, and who had known not what words ofthanks and praise might mean!

"But so it must be that we should depart, and the kind folk showed ushow sore their hearts were of our departure, but they gainsaid us innowise, but rather furthered us all they might, and we went our waysfrom them riding on horned neat (for they knew not of horses), anddriving one for a sumpter beast before us; and they had given us bowsand arrows for our defence, and that we might get us venison. 

"It is not to be said that we did not encounter perils; but thereof Iwill tell thee naught as now. We came to other peoples, richer andmightier than these, and I saw castles, and abbies, and churches, andwalled towns, and wondered at them exceedingly. And in these placesfolk knew of the kingdom of my lord and his father, and whereas theywere not of his foes (who lay for the more part on the other side ofhis land), and my lord could give sure tokens of what he was, we weretreated with honour and worship, and my lord began to be himself again, and to bear him as a mighty man. And here to me was some gain in thatpoverty and nakedness wherewith we came out of the mountains and theraiment of the simple folk; for had I been clad in my poor cloth andgoat-skins of the House of the Sorcerer, and he in his brave attire andbright armour, they would have said, it is a thrall that he is assottedof, and would have made some story and pretence of taking me from him;but they deemed me a great lady indeed, and a king's daughter, according to the tale that he told them. Forsooth many men that saw medesired me beyond measure, and assuredly some great proud man or otherwould have taken me from my lord, but that they feared the wrath of hisfather, who was a mighty man indeed. 

"Yea, one while as we sojourned by a certain town but a little outsidethe walls, a certain young man, a great champion and exceedingmasterful, came upon me with his squires as I was walking in themeadows, and bore me off, and would have taken me to his castle, butthat my lord followed with a few of the burghers, and there was abattle fought, wherein my lord was hurt; but the young champion heslew; and I cannot say but I was sorry of his death, though glad of mydeliverance. 

"Again, on a time we guested in a great baron's house, who dealt sofoully by us that he gave my lord a sleeping potion in his good-nightcup, and came to me in the dead night and required me of my love; and Iwould not, and he threatened me sorely, and called me a thrall and acastaway that my lord had picked up off the road: but I gat a knife inmy hand and was for warding myself when I saw that my lord might notwake: so the felon went away for that time. But on the morrow cametwo evil men into the hall whom he had suborned, and bore false witnessthat I was a thrall and a runaway. So that the baron would have heldme there (being a mighty man) despite my lord and his wrath and hisgrief, had not a young knight of his house been, who swore that hewould slay him unless he let us go; and whereas there were otherknights and squires there present who murmured, the baron was in a waycompelled. So we departed, and divers of the said knights and squireswent with us to see us safe on the way. 

"But this was nigh to the kingdom of my lord's father, and that felonbaron I came across again, and he was ever after one of my worst foes. 

"Moreover, that young champion who had first stood up in the hall rodewith us still, when the others had turned back; and I soon saw of himthat he found it hard to keep his eyes off me; and that also saw mylord, and it was a near thing that they did not draw sword thereover:yet was that knight no evil man, but good and true, and I wasexceedingly sorry for him; but I could not help him in the only way hewould take help of me. 

"Lo you, my friend, the beginnings of evil in those long past days, andthe seeds of ill-hap sown in the field of my new life even before thefurrow was turned. 

"Well, we came soon into my lord's country, and fair and rich andlovely was it in those days; free from trouble and unpeace, a happyabode for the tillers of the soil, and the fashioners of wares. Thetidings had gone to the king that my lord was come back, and he came tomeet him with a great company of knights and barons, arrayed in thenoblest fashion that such folk use; so that I was bewildered with theirglory, and besought my lord to let me fall back out of the way, andperchance he might find me again. But he bade me ride on his righthand, for that I was the half of his life and his soul, and that myfriends were his friends and my foes his foes. 

"Then there came to me an inkling of the things that should befall, andI saw that the sweet and clean happiness of my new days was marred, andhad grown into something else, and I began to know the pain of strifeand the grief of confusion: but whereas I had not been breddelicately, but had endured woes and griefs from my youngest days, Iwas not abashed, but hardened my heart to face all things, even as mylord strove to harden his heart: for, indeed, I said to myself that ifI was to him as the half of his life, he was to me little less than thewhole of my life. 

"It is as if it had befallen yesterday, my friend, that I call to mindhow we stood beside our horses in the midst of the ring of great menclad in gold and gleaming with steel, in the meadow without the gates, the peace and lowly goodliness whereof with its flocks and herdsfeeding, and husbandmen tending the earth and its increase, that greatand noble array had changed so utterly. There we stood, and I knewthat the eyes of all those lords and warriors were set upon mewondering. But the love of my lord and the late-learned knowledge ofmy beauty sustained me. Then the ring of men opened, and the king cameforth towards us; a tall man and big, of fifty-five winters, goodly ofbody and like to my lord to look upon. He cast his arms about my lord, and kissed him and embraced him, and then stood a little aloof from himand said: 'Well, son, hast thou found it, the Well at the World's End?'

"'Yea, ' said my lord, and therewith lifted my hand to his lips andkissed it, and I looked the king in his face, and his eyes were turnedto me, but it was as if he were looking through me at something behindme. 

"Then he said: 'It is good, son: come home now to thy mother and thykindred. ' Then my lord turned to me while the king took no heed, andno man in the ring of knights moved from his place, and he set me inthe saddle, and turned about to mount, and there came a lord from thering of men gloriously bedight, and he bowed lowly before my lord, andheld his stirrup for him: but lightly he leapt up into the saddle, andtook my reins and led me along with him, so that he and the king and Iwent on together, and all the baronage and their folk shouted andtossed sword and spear aloft and followed after us. And we left themeadow quiet and simple again, and rode through the gate of the king'schief city, wherein was his high house and his castle, thedwelling-place of his kindred from of old. "

CHAPTER 7

The Lady Tells of the Strife and Trouble That Befell After Her Comingto the Country of the King's Son

"When we came to the King's House, my lord followed his father into thehall, where sat his mother amongst her damsels: she was a fair woman, and looked rather meek than high-hearted; my lord led me up to her, andshe embraced and kissed him and caressed him long; then she turnedabout to me and would have spoken to me, but the king, who stood behindus, scowled on her, and she forebore; but she looked me on somewhatkindly, and yet as one who is afeard. 

"Thus it went for the rest of the day, and my lord had me to sit besidehim in the great hall when the banquet was holden, and I ate and drankwith him and beheld all the pageants by his side, and none meddled withme either to help or to hinder, because they feared the king. Yet manyeyes I saw that desired my beauty. And so when night came, he took meto his chamber and his bed, as if I were his bride new wedded, even asit had been with us on the grass of the wilderness and the bracken ofthe wildwood. And then, at last, he spake to me of our case, and bademe fear not, for that a band of his friends, all-armed, was keepingwatch and ward in the cloister without. And when I left the chamber onthe morrow's morn, there were they yet, all in bright armour, andamongst them the young knight who had delivered me from the felonbaron, and he looked mournfully at me, so that I was sorry for hissorrow. 

"And I knew now that the king was minded to slay me, else had he biddenthrust me from my lord's side. 

"So wore certain days; and on the seventh night, when we were come intoour chamber, which was a fair as any house outside of heaven, my lordspake to me in a soft voice, and bade me not do off my raiment. 'For, 'said he, 'this night we must flee the town, or we shall be taken andcast into prison to-morrow; for thus hath my father determined. ' Ikissed him and clung to him, and he no less was good to me. And whenit was the dead of night we escaped out of our window by a knotted ropewhich he had made ready, and beneath was the city wall; and thatcompany of knights, amongst whom was the young knight abovesaid, hadtaken a postern thereby, and were abiding us armed and with goodhorses. So we came into the open country, and rode our ways with themind to reach a hill-castle of one of those young barons, and to holdourselves there in despite of the king. But the king had been as waryas we were privy, and no less speedy than we; and he was a mighty anddeft warrior, and he himself followed us on the spur with certain ofhis best men-at-arms. And they came upon us as we rested in a woodsidenot far from our house of refuge: and the king stood by to see thebattle with his sword in his sheath, but soon was it at an end, forthough our friends fought valiantly, they were everyone slain or hurt, and but few escaped with bare life; but that young man who loved me sosorely crept up to me grievously hurt, and I did not forbear to kisshim once on the face, for I deemed I should soon die also, and hisblood stained my sleeve and my wrist, but he died not as then, butlived to be a dear friend to me for long. 

"So we, my lord and I, were led back to the city, and he was held inward and I was cast into prison with chains and hunger and stripes. And the king would have had me lie there till I perished, that I mightbe forgotten utterly; but there were many of the king's knights whomurmured at this, and would not forget me; so the king beingconstrained, had me brought forth to be judged by his bishops ofsorcery for the beguiling of my lord. Long was the tale to me then, but I will not make it long for thee; as was like to be, I was broughtin guilty of sorcery, and doomed to be burned in the Great Square inthree days time. 

"Nay, my friend, thou hast no need to look so troubled; for thou seestthat I was not burned. This is the selfsame body that was tied to thestake in the market place of the king's city many a year ago. 

"For the friends of my lord, young men for the most part, and many whohad been fain to be my friends also, put on their armour, and took mylord out of the courteous prison wherein he was, and came to the GreatSquare whenas I stood naked in my smock bound amid the faggots; and Isaw the sheriffs' men give back, and great noise and rumour rise uparound me: and then all about me was a clear space for a moment and Iheard the tramp of the many horse-hoofs, and the space was full ofweaponed men shouting, and crying out, 'Life for our Lord's Lady!'Then a minute, and I was loose and in my lord's arms, and they broughtme a horse and I mounted, lest the worst should come and we might haveto flee. So I could see much of what went on; and I saw that all theunarmed folk and lookers-on were gone, but at our backs was a greatcrowd of folk with staves and bows who cried out, 'Life for the Lady!'But before us was naught but the sheriffs' sergeants and a company ofknights and men-at-arms, about as many as we were, and the king infront of them, fully armed, his face hidden by his helm, and a royalsurcoat over his hauberk beaten with his bearing, to wit, a silvertower on a blue sky bestarred with gold. 

"And now I could see that despite the bills and bows behind us the kingwas going to fall on with his folk; and to say sooth I feared butlittle and my heart rose high within me, and I wished I had a sword inmy hand to strike once for life and love. But lo! just as the king wasraising his sword, and his trumpet was lifting the brass to his lips, came a sound of singing, and there was come the Bishop and the Abbot ofSt. Peter's and his monks with him, and cross bearers and readers andothers of the religious: and the Bishop bore in his hand the BlessedHost (as now I know it was) under a golden canopy, and he stood betweenthe two companies and faced the king, while his folk sang loud andsweet about him. 

"Then the spears went up and from the rest, and swords were sheathed, and there went forth three ancient knights from out of the king's hostand came up to him and spake with him. Then he gat him away unto hisHigh House; and the three old knights came to our folk, and spake withthe chiefs; but not with my lord, and I heard not what they said. Butmy lord came to me in all loving-kindness and brought me into the houseof one of the Lineage, and into a fair chamber there, and kissed me, and made much of me; and brought me fair raiment and did it on me withhis own hands, even as his wont was to be for my tire-maiden. 

"Then in a little while came those chiefs of ours and said that trucehad been hanselled them for this time, but on these terms, that my lordand I and all those who had been in arms, and whosoever would, thatfeared the king's wrath, should have leave to depart from his city sothat they went and abode no nearer than fifty miles thereof till theyshould know his further pleasure. Albeit that whosoever would go homepeaceably might abide in the city still and need not fear the king'swrath if he stirred no further: but that in any case the Sorceressshould get her gone from those walls. 

"So we rode out of the gates that very day before sunset; for it wasnow midsummer again, and it was three hours before noon that I was tohave been burned; and we were a gallant company of men-at-arms andknights; yet did I be-think me of those who were slain on that otherday when we were taken, and fain had I been that they were riding withus; but at least that fair young man was in our company, though stillweak with his hurts: for the prison and the process had worn awaywellnigh two months. True it is that I rejoiced to see him, for I haddeemed him dead. 

"Dear friend, I pray thy pardon if I weary thee with making so long atale of my friends of the past days; but needs must I tell theesomewhat of them, lest thou love that which is not. Since truly it ismyself that I would have thee to love, and none other. 

"Many folk gathered to us as we rode our ways to a town which was mylord's own, and where all men were his friends, so that we came therewith a great host and sat down there in no fear of what the king mightdo against us. There was I duly wedded to my lord by a Bishop of HolyChurch, and made his Lady and Queen; for even so he would have it. 

"And now began the sore troubles of that land, which had been once sopeaceful and happy; the tale whereof I may one day tell thee; or rathermany tales of what befell me therein; but not now; for the day weareth;and I still have certain things that I must needs tell thee. 

"We waged war against each other, my lord and the king, and whiles one, and whiles the other overcame. Either side belike deemed that onebattle or two would end the strife; but so it was not, but it enduredyear after year, till fighting became the chief business of all in theland. 

"As for me, I had many tribulations. Thrice I fled from the strickenfield with my lord to hide in some stronghold of the mountains. Oncewas I taken of the foemen in the town where I abode when my lord wasaway from me, and a huge slaughter of innocent folk was made, and I wascast into prison and chains, after I had seen my son that I had borneto my lord slain before mine eyes. At last we were driven clean out ofthe Kingdom of the Tower, and abode a long while, some two years, inthe wilderness, living like outlaws and wolves' heads, and lifting thespoil for our livelihood. Forsooth of all the years that I abode aboutthe Land of Tower those were the happiest. For we robbed no poor folkand needy, but rewarded them rather, and drave the spoil from rich menand lords, and hard-hearted chapmen-folk: we ravished no maid of thetillers, we burned no cot, and taxed no husbandman's croft or acre, butdefended them from their tyrants. Nevertheless we gat an ill name wideabout through the kingdoms and cities; and were devils and witches tothe boot of thieves and robbers in the mouths of these men; for whenthe rich man is hurt his wail goeth heavens high, and none may say heheareth not. 

"Now it was at this time that I first fell in with the Champions of theDry Tree; for they became our fellows and brothers in arms in thewildwood: for they had not as yet builded their stronghold of theScaur, whereas thou and I shall be in two days time. Many a wild deeddid our folk in their company, and many that had been better undone. Whiles indeed they went on journeys wherein we were not partakers, aswhen they went to the North and harried the lands of the Abbot ofHigham, and rode as far even as over the Downs to Bear Castle andfought a battle there with the Captain of Higham: whereas we went neverout of the Wood Perilous to the northward; and lifted little save inthe lands of our own proper foemen, the friends of the king. 

"Now I say not of the men of the Dry Tree that they were good andpeaceable men, nor would mercy hold their hands every while that theywere hard bestead and thrust into a corner. Yet I say now and once forall that their fierceness was and is but kindness and pity when setagainst the cruelty of the Burg of the Four Friths; men who have nofriend to love, no broken foe to forgive, and can scarce be kind evento themselves: though forsooth they be wise men and cautelous and wellliving before the world, and wealthy and holy. "

She stayed her speech a while, and her eyes glittered in her flushedface and she set her teeth; and she was as one beside herself tillRalph kissed her feet, and caressed her, and she went on again. 

"Dear friend, when thou knowest what these men are and have been thouwilt bless thy friend Roger for leading thee forth from the Burg bynight and cloud, whatever else may happen to thee. 

"Well, we abode in the wildwood, friends and good fellows from thefirst; and that young man, though he loved me ever, was somewhat healedof the fever of love, and was my faithful friend, in such wise thatneither I nor my lord had aught to find fault with in him. Meanwhilewe began to grow strong, for many joined us therein who had fled fromtheir tyrants of the good towns and the manors of the baronage, and atlast in the third year naught would please my lord but we must enterinto the Kingdom of the Tower, and raise his banner in the wealthyland, and the fair cities. 

"Moreover, his father, the King of the Tower, died in his bed in thesedays, and no word of love or peace had passed between them since thatmorning when I was led out to be burned in the Great Square. 

"So we came forth from the forest, we, and the Champions of the DryTree; and made the tale a short one. For the king, the mighty warriorand wise man, was dead: and his captains of war, some of them weredead, and some weary of strife; and those who had been eager in debatewere falling to ask themselves wherefore they had fought and what wasto do that they should still be fighting; and lo! when it came to belooked into, it was all a matter of the life and death of one woman, towit me myself, and why should she not live, why should she not sit uponthe throne with the man who loved her?

"Therefore when at last we came out from the twilight of the woods intothe sunny fields of the Land of the Tower, there was no man to naysayus; nay, the gates of the strong places flew open before the wind ofour banners, and the glittering of our spears drew the folk togethertoward the places of rejoicing. We entered the master City in triumph, with the houses hung with green boughs and the maidens casting flowersbefore our feet, and I sat a crowned Queen upon the throne high raisedon the very place where erst I stood awaiting the coming of the torchto the faggots which were to consume me. 

"There then began the reign of the Woman of the Waste; for so it was, that my lord left to my hands the real ruling of the kingdom, though hewore the crown and set the seal to parchments. As to them of the DryTree, though some few of them abode in the kingdom, and became greatthere, the more part of them went back to the wildwood and lived theold life of the Wood, as we had found them living it aforetime. But orever they went, the leaders of them came before me, and kissed my feet, and with tears and prayers besought me, and bade me that if aught fellamiss to me there, I should come back to them and be their Lady andQueen; and whereas these wild men loved me well, and I deemed that Iowed much to their love and their helping, I promised them and swore tothem by the Water of the Well at the World's End that I would do noless than they prayed me: albeit I set no term or year for the day thatI would come to them. 

"And now my lord and I, we set ourselves to heal the wounds which warhad made in the land: and hard was the work, and late the harvest; soused had men become to turmoil and trouble. Moreover, there were many, and chiefly the women who had lost husband, lover, son or brother, wholaid all their griefs on my back; though forsooth how was I guilty ofthe old king's wrath against me, which was the cause of all? Aboutthis time my lord had the Castle of Abundance built up very fairly forme and him to dwell in at whiles; and indeed we had before that dweltat a little manor house that was there, when we durst withdraw a littlefrom the strife; but now he had it done as fair as ye saw it, and hadthose arras cloths made with the story of my sojourn in the wilderness, even as ye saw them. But the days and the years wore, and wealth cameback to the mighty of the land, and fields flourished and the acresbore increase, and fair houses were builded in the towns; and the landwas called happy again. 

"But for me I was not so happy: and I looked back fondly to the daysof the greenwood and the fellowship of the Dry Tree, and the daysbefore that, of my flight with my lord. And moreover with the wearingof the years those murmurs against me and the blind causeless hatredbegan to grow again, and chiefly methinks because I was the king, andmy lord the king's cloak: but therewith tales concerning me began tospring up, how that I was not only a sorceress, but even one foredoomedfrom of old and sent by the lords of hell to wreck that fair Land ofthe Tower and make it unhappy and desolate. And the tale grew andgathered form, till now, when the bloom of my beauty was gone, I heardhard and fierce words cried after me in the streets when I faredabroad, and that still chiefly by the women: for yet most men lookedon me with pleasure. Also my counsellors and lords warned me oftenthat I must be wary and of great forbearance if trouble were to be keptback. 

"Now amidst these things as I was walking pensively in my garden onesummer day, it was told me that a woman desired to see me, so I badethem bring her. And when she came I looked on her, and deemed that Ihad seen her aforetime: she was not old, but of middle age, of darkred hair, and brown eyes somewhat small: not a big woman, but wellfashioned of body, and looking as if she had once been exceeding daintyand trim. She spake, and again I seemed to have heard her voicebefore: 'Hail, Queen, ' she said, 'it does my heart good to see theethus in thy glorious estate. ' So I took her greeting; but those talesof my being but a sending of the Devil for the ruin of that land cameinto my mind, and I sent away the folk who were thereby before I saidmore to her. Then she spake again: 'Even so I guessed it would bethat thou wouldst grow great amongst women. '

"But I said, 'What is this? and when have I known thee before-time?'She smiled and said naught; and my mind went back to those old days, and I trembled, and the flesh crept upon my bones, lest this should bethe coming back in a new shape of my mistress whom I had slain. Butthe woman laughed, and said, as if she knew my thoughts: 'Nay, it isnot so: the dead are dead; fear not: but hast thou forgotten the Daleof Lore?'

"'Nay, ' said I, 'never; and art thou then the carline that learned melore? But if the dead come not back, how do the old grow young again?for 'tis a score of years since we two sat in the Dale, and I longedfor many things. '

"Said the woman: 'The dead may not drink of the Well at the World'sEnd; yet the living may, even if they be old; and that blessed watergiveth them new might and changeth their blood, and they are as youngfolk for a long while again after they have drunken. ' 'And hast thoudrunken?' said I. 

"'Yea, ' she said; 'but I am minded for another draught. ' I said: 'Andwherefore hast thou come to me, and what shall I give to thee?' Shesaid, 'I will take no gift of thee as now, for I need it not, thoughhereafter I may ask a gift of thee. But I am to ask this of thee, ifthou wilt be my fellow-farer on the road thither?' 'Yea?' said I, 'andleave my love and my lord, and my kingship which he hath given me? forthis I will tell thee, that all that here is done, is done by me. '

"'Great is thy Kingship, Lady, ' said the woman, and smiled withal. Then she sat silent a little, and said: 'When six months are worn, itwill be springtide; I will come to thee in the spring days, and knowwhat thy mind is then. But now I must depart. ' Quoth I: 'Glad shall Ibe to talk with thee again; for though thou hast learned me much ofwisdom, yet much more I need; yea, as much as the folk here deem I havealready. ' 'Thou shalt have no less, ' said the woman. Then she kissedmy hands and went her ways, and I sat musing still for a long while:because for all my gains, and my love that I had been loved withal, andthe greatness that I had gotten, there was as it were a veil ofunhappiness wrapped round about my heart. 

"So wore the months, and ere the winter had come befell an evil thing, for my lord, who had loved me so, and taken me out of the wilderness, died, and was gathered to the fathers, and there was I left alone; forthere was no fruit of my womb by him alive. My first-born had beenslain by those wretches, and a second son that I bore had died of apestilence that war and famine had brought upon the land. I will notwear thy soul with words about my grief and sorrow: but it is to betold that I sat now in a perilous place, and yet I might not step downfrom it and abide in that land, for then it was a sure thing, that someof my foes would have laid hand on me and brought me to judgment forbeing but myself, and I should have ended miserably. So I gat to meall the strength that I might, and whereas there were many who loved mestill, some for my own sake, and some for the sake of my lord that was, I endured in good hope that all my days were not done. Yet I longedfor the coming of the Teacher of Lore; for now I made up my mind that Iwould go with her, and seek to the Well at the World's End for weal andwoe. 

"She came while April was yet young: and I need make no long tale ofhow we gat us away: for whereas she was wise in hidden lore, it was nohard matter for her to give me another semblance than mine own, so thatI might have walked about the streets of our city from end to end, andnone had known me. So I vanished away from my throne and my kingdom, and that name and fame of a witch-wife clove to me once and for all, and spread wide about the cities of folk and the kingdoms, and many arethe tales that have arisen concerning me, and belike some of these thouhast heard told. "

Ralph reddened and said: "My soul has been vexed by some inkling ofthem; but now it is at rest from them for ever. "

"May it be so!" she said: "and now my tale is wearing thin for thepresent time. 

"Back again went my feet over the ways they had trodden before, thoughthe Teacher shortened the road much for us by her wisdom. Once againwhat need to tell thee of these ways when thine own eyes shall beholdthem as thou wendest them beside me? Be it enough to say that onceagain I came to that little house in the uttermost wilderness, andthere once more was the garth and the goat-house, and the trees of theforest beyond it, and the wood-lawns and the streams and all the placesand things that erst I deemed I must dwell amongst for ever. "

Said Ralph: "And did the carline keep troth with thee? Was she notbut luring thee thither to be her thrall? Or did the book that I readin the Castle of Abundance but lie concerning thee?"

"She held her troth to me in all wise, " said the Lady, "and I was nothrall of hers, but as a sister, or it may be even as a daughter; forever to my eyes was she the old carline who learned me lore in the Daleof the wildwood. 

"But now a long while, years long, we abode in that House of theSorceress ere we durst seek further to the Well at the World's End. And yet meseems though the years wore, they wore me no older; nay, inthe first days at least I waxed stronger of body and fairer than I hadbeen in the King's Palace in the Land of the Tower, as though someforetaste of the Well was there for us in the loneliness of the desert;although forsooth the abiding there amidst the scantiness oflivelihood, and the nakedness, and the toil, and the torment of windand weather were as a penance for the days and deeds of our past lives. What more is to say concerning our lives here, saving this, that inthose days I learned yet more wisdom of the Teacher of Lore, and amidstthat wisdom was much of that which ye call sorcery: as the foreseeingof things to come, and the sending of dreams or visions, and certainother matters. And I may tell thee that the holy man who came to uslast even, I sent him the dream which came to him drowsing, and badehim come to the helping of Walter the Black: for I knew that I shouldtake thy hand and flee with thee this morning e'en as I have done: andI would fain have a good leech to Walter lest he should die, although Iowe him hatred rather than love. Now, my friend, tell me, is this anevil deed, and dost thou shrink from the Sorceress?"

He strained her to his bosom and kissed her mouth, and then he said:"Yet thou hast never sent a dream to me. " She laughed and said: "What!hast thou never dreamed of me since we met at the want-way of the WoodPerilous?" "Never, " said he. She stroked his cheek fondly, and said:"Young art thou, sweet friend, and sleepest well a-nights. It wasenough that thou thoughtest of me in thy waking hours. " Then she wenton with her tale. 

CHAPTER 8

The Lady Maketh an End of Her Tale

"Well, my friend, after we had lived thus a long time, we set out oneday to seek to the Well at the World's End, each of us signed andmarked out for the quest by bearing such-like beads as thou and I bothbear upon our necks today. Once again of all that befell us on thatquest I will tell thee naught as now: because to that Well have I tobring thee: though myself, belike, I need not its waters again. "

Quoth Ralph: "And must thou lead me thy very self, mayest thou notabide in some safe place my going and returning? So many and sore asthe toils and perils of the way may be. " "What!" she said, "and howshall I be sundered from thee now I have found thee? Yea, and whoshall lead thee, thou lovely boy? Shall it be a man to bewray thee, ora woman to bewray me? Yet need we not go tomorrow, my beloved, nor formany days: so sweet as we are to each other. 

"But in those past days it was needs must we begin our quest before theburden of years was over heavy upon us. Shortly to say it, we foundthe Well, and drank of its waters after abundant toil and peril, asthou mayst well deem. Then the life and the soul came back to us, andthe past years were as naught to us, and my youth was renewed in me, and I became as thou seest me to-day. But my fellow was as a woman offorty summers again, strong and fair as I had seen her when she cameinto the garden in the days of my Queenhood, and thus we returned tothe House of the Sorceress, and rested there for a little from ourtravel and our joy. 

"At last, and that was but some five years ago, the Teacher said to me:'Sister, I have learned thee all that thine heart can take of me, andthou art strong in wisdom, and moreover again shall it be with thee, asI told of thee long ago, that no man shall look on thee that shall notlove thee. Now I will not seek to see thy life that is coming, norwhat thine end shall be, for that should belike be grievous to both ofus; but this I see of thee, that thou wilt now guide thy life not as Iwill, but as thou wilt; and since my way is not thy way, and that I seethou shalt not long abide alone, now shall we sunder; for I am mindedto go to the most ancient parts of the world, and seek all theinnermost of wisdom whiles I yet live; but with kings and champions andthe cities of folk will I have no more to do: while thou shalt not beable to refrain from these. So now I bid thee farewell. '

"I wept at her words, but gainsaid them naught, for I wotted that shespake but the truth; so I kissed her, and we parted; she went her waysthrough the wildwood, and I abode at the House of the Sorceress, andwaited on the wearing of the days. 

"But scarce a month after her departure, as I stood by the thresholdone morning amidst of the goats, I saw men come riding from out thewood; so I abode them, and they came to the gate of the garth and therelighted down from their horses, and they were three in company; and noone of them was young, and one was old, with white locks flowing downfrom under his helm: for they were all armed in knightly fashion, butthey had naught but white gaberdines over their hauberks, with nocoat-armour or token upon them. So they came through the garth-gateand I greeted them and asked them what they would; then the old manknelt down on the grass before me and said: 'If I were as young as I amold my heart would fail me in beholding thy beauty: but now I will askthee somewhat: far away beyond the forest we heard rumours of a womandwelling in the uttermost desert, who had drunk of the Well at theWorld's End, and was wise beyond measure. Now we have set ourselves toseek that woman, and if thou be she, we would ask a question of thywisdom. '

"I answered that I was even such as they had heard of, and bade themask. 

"Said the old man:

"'Fifty years ago, when I was yet but a young man, there was a fairwoman who was Queen of the Land of the Tower and whom we loved sorelybecause we had dwelt together with her amidst tribulation in the desertand the wildwood: and we are not of her people, but a fellowship offree men and champions hight the Men of the Dry Tree: and we hopedthat she would one day come back and dwell with us and be our Lady andQueen: and indeed trouble seemed drawing anigh her, so that we mighthelp her and she might become our fellow again, when lo! she vanishedaway from the folk and none knew where she was gone. Therefore a bandof us of the Dry Tree swore an oath together to seek her till we foundher, that we might live and die together: but of that band of one scoreand one, am I the last one left that seeketh; for the rest are dead, orsick, or departed: and indeed I was the youngest of them. But forthese two men, they are my sons whom I have bred in the knowledge ofthese things and in the hope of finding tidings of our Lady and Queen, if it were but the place where her body lieth. Thou art wise: knowestthou the resting place of her bones?"

"When I had heard the tale of the old man I was moved to my inmostheart, and I scarce knew what to say. But now this long while fear wasdead in me, so I thought I would tell the very sooth: but I said first:'Sir, what I will tell, I will tell without beseeching, so I pray theestand up. ' So did he, and I said: 'Geoffrey, what became of the whitehind after the banners had left the wildwood'? He stared wild at me, and I deemed that tears began to come into his eyes; but I said again:'What betid to dame Joyce's youngest born, the fair little maiden thatwe left sick of a fever when we rode to Up-castle?' Still he saidnaught but looked at me wondering: and said: 'Hast thou ever againseen that great old oak nigh the clearing by the water, the half ofwhich fell away in the summer-storm of that last July?'

"Then verily the tears gushed out of his eyes, and he wept, for as oldas he was; and when he could master himself he said: 'Who art thou?Who art thou? Art thou the daughter of my Lady, even as these are mysons?' But I said: 'Now will I answer thy first question, and tellthee that the Lady thou seekest is verily alive; and she has thriven, for she has drunk of the Well at the World's End, and has put from herthe burden of the years. O Geoffrey, and dost thou not know me?' AndI held out my hand to him, and I also was weeping, because of mythought of the years gone by; for this old man had been that swain whohad nigh died for me when I fled with my husband from the old king; andhe became one of the Dry Tree, and had followed me with kind serviceabout the woods in the days when I was at my happiest. 

"But now he fell on his knees before me not like a vassal but like alover, and kissed my feet, and was beside himself for joy. And hissons, who were men of some forty summers, tall and warrior-like, kissedmy hands and made obeisance before me. 

"Now when we had come to ourselves again, old Geoffrey, who was nownaught but glad, spake and said: 'It is told amongst us that when ourhost departed from the Land of the Tower, after thou hadst taken thydue seat upon the throne, that thou didst promise our chieftains howthou wouldst one day come back to the fellowship of the Dry Tree anddwell amongst us. Wilt thou now hold to thy promise?' I said: 'OGeoffrey, if thou art the last of those seekers, and thou wert but aboy when I dwelt with you of old, who of the Dry Tree is left toremember me?' He hung his head awhile then, and spake: 'Old are wegrown, yet art thou fittest to be amongst young folk: unless mine eyesare beguiled by some semblance which will pass away presently. ' 'Nay, 'quoth I, 'it is not so; as I am now, so shall I be for many and many aday. ' 'Well, ' said Geoffrey, 'wherever thou mayst be, thou shalt beQueen of men. '

"'I list not to be Queen again, ' said I. He laughed and said: 'I wotnot how thou mayst help it. '

"I said: 'Tell me of the Dry Tree, how the champions have sped, andhave they grown greater or less. ' Said he: 'They are warriors andchampions from father to son; therefore have they thriven not overwell; yet they have left the thick of the wood, and built them a greatcastle above the little town hight Hampton; so that is now calledHampton under Scaur, for upon the height of the said Scaur is ourcastle builded: and there we hold us against the Burg of the FourFriths which hath thriven greatly; there is none so great as the Burgin all the lands about. '

"I said: 'And the Land of the Tower, thriveth the folk thereof atall?' 'Nay, ' he said, 'they have been rent to pieces by folly and warand greediness: in the Great City are but few people, grass grows inits streets; the merchants wend not the ways that lead thither. Naughtthriveth there since thou stolest thyself away from them. '

"'Nay, ' I said, 'I fled from their malice, lest I should have beenbrought out to be burned once more; and there would have been none torescue then. ' 'Was it so?' said old Geoffrey; 'well it is all one now;their day is done. '

"'Well, ' I said, 'come into my house, and eat and drink therein andsleep here to-night, and to-morrow I shall tell thee what I will do. '

"Even so they did; and on the morrow early I spake to Geoffrey andsaid: 'What hath befallen the Land of Abundance, and the castle my lordbuilt for me there; which we held as our refuge all through the War ofthe Tower, both before we joined us to you in the wildwood, andafterwards?' He said: 'It is at peace still; no one hath laid hand onit; there is a simple folk dwelling there in the clearing of the wood, which forgetteth thee not; though forsooth strange tales are told ofthee there; and the old men deem that it is but a little since thouhast ceased to come and go there; and they are ready to worship thee assomewhat more than the Blessed Saints, were it not for the Fathers ofthe Thorn who are their masters. '

"I pondered this a while, and then said: 'Geoffrey, ye shall bring mehence away to the peopled parts, and on the way, or when we are comeamongst the cities and the kingdoms, we will settle it whither I shallgo. See thou! I were fain to be of the brotherhood of the Dry Tree;yet I deem it will scarce be that I shall go and dwell therestraightway. '

"Therewith the old man seemed content; and indeed now that the firstjoy of our meeting, when his youth sprang up in him once more, wasover, he found it hard to talk freely with me, and was downcast and shybefore me, as if something had come betwixt us, which had made ourlives cold to each other. 

"So that day we left the House of the Sorceress, which I shall not seeagain, till I come there hand in hand with thee, beloved. When we cameto the peopled parts, Geoffrey and his sons brought me to the Land ofAbundance, and I found it all as he had said to me: and I took up mydwelling in the castle, and despised not those few folk of the land, but was kind to them: but though they praised my gifts, and honouredme as the saints are honoured, and though they loved me, yet it waswith fear, so that I had little part with them. There I dwelt then;and the book which thou didst read there, part true and part false, andaltogether of malice against me, I bought of a monk who came our way, and who at first was sore afeared when he found that he had come to mycastle. As to the halling of the Chamber of Dais, I have told theebefore how my lord, the King's Son, did do make it in memory of thewilderness wherein he found me, and the life of thralldom from which hebrought me. There I dwelt till nigh upon these days in peace andquiet: not did I go to the Dry Tree for a long while, though many ofthem sought to me there at the Castle of Abundance; and, woe worth thewhile! there was oftenest but one end to their guesting, that of allgifts, they besought me but of one, which, alack! I might not givethem: and that is the love that I have given to thee, beloved. --And, oh! my fear, that it will weigh too light with thee, to win me pardonof thee for all that thou must needs pardon me, ere thou canst give meall thy love, that I long for so sorely. "

CHAPTER 9

They Go On Their Way Once More

"Look now, " she said, "I have held thee so long in talk, that theafternoon is waning; now is it time for us to be on the way again; notbecause I misdoubt me of thy foeman, but because I would take thee to afairer dwelling of the desert, and one where I have erst abided; andmoreover, there thou shalt not altogether die of hunger. See, is itnot as if I had thought to meet thee here?"

"Yea, in good sooth, " said he, "I wot that thou canst see the story ofthings before they fall. "

She laughed and said: "But all this that hath befallen since I set outto meet thee at the Castle of Abundance I foresaw not, any more than Ican foresee to-morrow. Only I knew that we must needs pass by the placewhereto I shall now lead thee, and I made provision there. Lo! now themarvel slain: and in such wise shall perish other marvels which havebeen told of me; yet not all. Come now, let us to the way. "

So they joined hands and left the pleasant place, and were again goingspeedily amidst the close pine woods awhile, where it was smoothunderfoot and silent of noises withal. 

Now Ralph said: "Beloved, thou hast told me of many things, but naughtconcerning how thou camest to be wedded to the Knight of the Sun, andof thy dealings with him. "

Said she, reddening withal: "I will tell thee no more than this, unless thou compel me: that he would have me wed him, as it wereagainst my will, till I ceased striving against him, and I went withhim to Sunway, which is no great way from the Castle of Abundance, andthere befell that treason of Walter the Black, who loved me and prayedfor my love, and when I gainsaid him, swore by all that was holy, before my lord, that it was I who sought his love, and how I had toldand taught him ways of witchcraft, whereby we might fulfill our love, so that the Baron should keep a wife for another man. And the Knightof the Sun, whose heart had been filled with many tales of my wisdom, true and false, believed his friend whom he loved, and still believethhim, though he burneth for the love of me now; whereas in those firstdays of the treason, he burned with love turned to hatred. So of thiscame that shaming and casting-forth of me. Whereof I will tell theebut this, that the brother of my lord, even the tall champion whom thouhast seen, came upon me presently, when I was cast forth; because hewas coming to see the Knight of the Sun at his home; and he loved me, but not after the fashion of his brother, but was kind and mild withme. So then I went with him to Hampton and the Dry Tree, and great joymade the folk thereof of my coming, whereas they remembered theirasking of aforetime that I would come to be a Queen over them, andthere have I dwelt ever since betwixt Hampton and the Castle ofAbundance; and that tall champion has been ever as a brother unto me. "

Said Ralph, "And thou art their Queen there?" "Yea, " she said, "in afashion; yet have they another who is mightier than I, and might, ifshe durst, hang me over the battlements of the Scaur, for she is afierce and hard woman, and now no longer young in years. "

"Is it not so then, " said Ralph, "that some of the ill deeds that aretold of thee are of her doing?"

"It is even so, " she said, "and whiles when she has spoken the word Imay not be against her openly, therefore I use my wisdom which I havelearned, to set free luckless wights from her anger and malice. Moreby token the last time I did thus was the very night of the day weparted, after thou hadst escaped from the Burg. "

"In what wise was that?" said Ralph. She said: "When I rode away fromthee on that happy day of my deliverance by thee, my heart laughed forjoy of the life thou hadst given me, and of thee the giver, and I sworeto myself that I would set free the first captive or death-doomedcreature that I came across, in honour of my pleasure and delight: nowspeedily I came to Hampton and the Scaur; for it is not very far fromthe want-ways of the wood: and there I heard how four of our folk hadbeen led away by the men of the Burg, therefore it was clear to me thatI must set these men free if I could; besides, it pleased me to thinkthat I could walk about the streets of the foemen safely, who had beenbut just led thitherward to the slaughter. Thou knowest how I spedtherein. But when I came back again to our people, after thou hadstridden away from us with Roger, I heard these tidings, that there wasone new-come into our prison, a woman to wit, who had been haled beforeour old Queen for a spy and doomed by her, and should be taken forthand slain, belike, in a day or two. So I said to myself that I was notfree of my vow as yet, because those friends of mine, I should in anycase have done my best to deliver them: therefore I deemed my oathbound me to set that woman free. So in the night-tide when all wasquiet I went to the prison and brought her forth, and led her past allthe gates and wards, which was an easy thing to me, so much as I hadlearned, and came with her into the fields betwixt the thorp of Hamptonand the wood, when it was more daylight than dawn, so that I could seeher clearly, and no word as yet had we spoken to each other. But thenshe said to me: 'Am I to be slain here or led to a crueller prison?'And I said: 'Neither one thing nor the other: for lo! I have set theefree, and I shall look to it that there shall be no pursuit of theetill thou hast had time to get clear away. ' But she said: 'What thankswilt thou have for this? Wherefore hast thou done it?' And I said, 'Itis because of the gladness I have gotten. ' Said she, 'And would that Imight get gladness!' So I asked her what was amiss now that she wasfree. She said: 'I have lost one thing that I loved, and found anotherand lost it also. ' So I said: 'Mightest thou not seek for the lost?'She said, 'It is in this wood, but when I shall find it I shall nothave it. ' 'It is love that thou art seeking, ' said I. 'In whatsemblance is he?'

"What wilt thou, my friend? Straightway she fell to making a pictureof thee in words; so that I knew that she had met thee, and belikeafter I had departed from thee, and my heart was sore thereat; for nowI will tell thee the very truth, that she was a young woman andexceeding fair, as if she were of pearl all over, and as sweet aseglantine; and I feared her lest she should meet thee again in thesewildwoods. And so I asked her what would she, and she said that shehad a mind to seek to the Well at the World's End, which quencheth allsorrow; and I rejoiced thereat, thinking that she would be far awayfrom thee, not thinking that thou and I must even meet to seek to italso. So I gave her the chaplet which my witch-mistress took from thedead woman's neck; and went with her into the wildwood, and taught herwisdom of the way and what she was to do. And again I say to thee thatshe was so sweet and yet with a kind of pity in her both of soul andbody, and wise withal and quiet, that I feared her, though I loved her;yea and still do: for I deem her better than me, and meeter for theeand thy love than I be. --Dost thou know her?"

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and fair and lovely she is in sooth. Yet hast thounaught to do to fear her. And true it is that I saw her and spake withher after thou hadst ridden away. For she came by the want-ways of theWood Perilous in the dawn of the day after I had delivered thee; and insooth she told me that she looked either for Death, or the Water of theWell to end her sorrow. "

Then he smiled and said; "As for that which thou sayest, that she hadbeen meeter for me than thou, I know not this word. For look you, beloved, she came, and passed, and is gone, but thou art there andshalt endure. "

She stayed, and turned and faced him at that word; and love so consumedher, that all sportive words failed her; yea and it was as if mirth andlight-heartedness were swallowed up in the fire of her love; and allthought of other folk departed from him as he felt her tears of loveand joy upon his face, and she kissed and embraced him there in thewilderness. 

CHAPTER 10

Of the Desert-House and the Chamber of Love in the Wilderness

Then in a while they grew sober and went on their ways, and the sun waswestering behind them, and casting long shadows. And in a little whilethey were come out of the thick woods and were in a country of steeplittle valleys, grassy, besprinkled with trees and bushes, with hillsof sandstone going up from them, which were often broken into cliffsrising sheer from the tree-beset bottoms: and they saw plenteous deerboth great and small, and the wild things seemed to fear them butlittle. To Ralph it seemed an exceeding fair land, and he was asjoyous as it was fair; but the Lady was pensive, and at last she said:"Thou deemest it fair, and so it is; yet is it the lonesomest ofdeserts. I deem indeed that it was once one of the fairest of lands, with castles and cots and homesteads all about, and fair people no few, busy with many matters amongst them. But now it is all passed away, and there is no token of a dwelling of man, save it might be that thosemounds we see, as yonder, and yonder again, are tofts of house-wallslong ago sunken into the earth of the valley. And now few even are thehunters or way-farers that wend through it. "

Quoth Ralph: "Thou speakest as if there had been once histories andtales of this pleasant wilderness: tell me, has it anything to do withthat land about the wide river which we went through, Roger and I, aswe rode to the Castle of Abundance the other day? For he spoke oftales of deeds and mishaps concerning it. " "Yea, " she said, "so it is, and the little stream that runs yonder beneath those cliffs, is makingits way towards that big river aforesaid, which is called the SwellingFlood. Now true it is also that there are many tales about of the warsand miseries that turned this land into a desert, and these may be trueenough, and belike are true. But these said tales have become blendedwith the story of those aforesaid wars of the Land of the Tower; ofwhich indeed this desert is verily a part, but was desert still in thedays when I was Queen of the Land; so thou mayst well think that theywho hold me to be the cause of all this loneliness (and belike Rogerthought it was so) have scarce got hold of the very sooth of thematter. "

"Even so I deemed, " said Ralph: "and to-morrow we shall cross the bigriver, thou and I. Is there a ferry or a ford there whereas we shallcome, or how shall we win over it?"

She was growing merrier again now, and laughed at this and said: "Ofair boy! the crossing will be to-morrow and not to-day; let to-morrowcross its own rivers; for surely to-day is fair enough, and fairershall it be when thou hast been fed and art sitting by me in rest andpeace till to-morrow morning. So now hasten yet a little more; and wewill keep the said little stream in sight as well as we may for thebushes. "

So they sped on, till Ralph said: "Will thy feet never tire, beloved?""O child, " she said, "thou hast heard my story, and mayst well deemthat they have wrought many a harder day's work than this day's. Andmoreover they shall soon rest; for look! yonder is our house for thiseven, and till to-morrow's sun is high: the house for me and thee andnone else with us. " And therewith she pointed to a place where thestream ran in a chain of pools and stickles, and a sheer cliff rose upsome fifty paces beyond it, but betwixt the stream and the cliff was asmooth table of greensward, with three fair thorn bushes thereon, andit went down at each end to the level of the river's lip by a greenslope, but amidmost, the little green plain was some ten feet above thestream, and was broken by a little undercliff, which went down sheerinto the water. And Ralph saw in the face of the high cliff the mouthof a cave, however deep it might be. 

"Come, " said the Lady, "tarry not, for I know that hunger hath hold ofthee, and look, how low the sun is growing!" Then she caught him by thehand, and fell to running with him to the edge of the stream, where atthe end of the further slope it ran wide and shallow before it enteredinto a deep pool overhung with boughs of alder and thorn. She steppeddaintily over a row of big stones laid in the rippling shallow; andstaying herself in mid-stream on the biggest of them, and gathering upher gown, looked up stream with a happy face, and then looked over hershoulder to Ralph and said: "The year has been good to me theseseasons, so that when I stayed here on my way to the Castle ofAbundance, I found but few stones washed away, and crossed wellnighdry-shod, but this stone my feet are standing on now, I brought downfrom under the cliff, and set it amid-most, and I said that when Ibrought thee hither I would stay thereon and talk with thee while Istood above the freshness of the water, as I am doing now. "

Ralph looked on her and strove to answer her, but no words would cometo his lips, because of the greatness of his longing; she looked on himfondly, and then stooped to look at the ripples that bubbled up abouther shoes, and touched them at whiles; then she said: "See how theylong for the water, these feet that have worn the waste so long, andknow how kind it will run over them and lap about them: but ye mustabide a little, waste-wearers, till we have done a thing or two. Come, love!" And she reached her hand out behind her to Ralph, not lookingback, but when she felt his hand touch it, she stepped lightly over theother stones, and on to the grass with him, and led him quietly up theslope that went up to the table of greensward before the cave. Butwhen they came on to the level grass she kissed him, and then turnedtoward the valley and spake solemnly: "May all blessings light on thisHouse of the wilderness and this Hall of the Summer-tide, and theChamber of Love that here is!"

Then was she silent a while, and Ralph brake not the silence. Then sheturned to him with a face grown merry and smiling, and said: "Lo! howthe poor lad yearneth for meat, as well he may, so long as the day hathbeen. Ah, beloved, thou must be patient a little. For belike ourservants have not yet heard of the wedding of us. So we twain mustfeed each the other. Is that so much amiss?"

He laughed in her face for love, and took her by the wrist, but shedrew her hand away and went into the cave, and came forth anon holdinga copper kettle with an iron bow, and a bag of meal, which she laid athis feet; then she went into the cave again, and brought forth a flaskof wine and a beaker; then she caught up the little cauldron, which waswell-beaten, and thin and light, and ran down to the stream therewith, and came up thence presently, bearing it full of water on her head, going as straight and stately as the spear is seen on a day of tourney, moving over the barriers that hide the knight, before he lays it in therest. She came up to him and set the water-kettle before him, and puther hands on his shoulders, and kissed his cheek, and then stepped backfrom him and smote her palms together, and said: "Yea, it is well! Butthere are yet more things to do before we rest. There is the dightingof the chamber, and the gathering of wood for the fire, and the mixingof the meal, and the kneading and the baking of cakes; and all that ismy work, and there is the bringing of the quarry for the roast, andthat is thine. "

Then she ran into the cave and brought forth a bow and a quiver ofarrows, and said: "Art thou somewhat of an archer?" Quoth he: "Ishoot not ill. " "And I, " she said, "shoot well, all woodcraft comeshandy to me. But this eve I must trust to thy skill for my supper. Goswiftly and come back speedily. Do off thine hauberk, and beat thebushes down in the valley, and bring me some small deer, as roe or hareor coney. And wash thee in the pool below the stepping-stones, as Ishall do whiles thou art away, and by then thou comest back, all shallbe ready, save the roasting of the venison. "

So he did off his wargear, but thereafter tarried a little, looking ather, and she said: "What aileth thee not to go? the hunt's up. " Hesaid: "I would first go see the rock-hall that is for our chamberto-night; wilt thou not bring me in thither?" "Nay, " she said, "for Imust be busy about many matters; but thou mayst go by thyself, if thouwilt. "

So he went and stooped down and entered the cave, and found it high andwide within, and clean and fresh and well-smelling, and the floor offine white sand without a stain. 

So he knelt down and kissed the floor, and said aloud: "God bless thisfloor of the rock-hall whereon my love shall lie to-night!" Then hearose and went out of the cave, and found the Lady at the entrystooping down to see what he would do; and she looked on him fondly andanxiously; but he turned a merry face to her, and caught her round themiddle and strained her to his bosom, and then took the bow and arrowsand ran down the slope and over the stream, into the thicket of thevalley. 

He went further than he had looked for, ere he found a prey to hismind, and then he smote a roe with a shaft and slew her, and broke upthe carcase and dight it duly, and so went his ways back. When he cameto the stream he looked up and saw a little fire glittering not farfrom the cave, but had no clear sight of the Lady, though he thought hesaw her gown fluttering nigh one of the thorn-bushes. Then he did offhis raiment and entered that pool of the stream, and was glad to bathehim in the same place where her body had been but of late; for he hadnoted that the stones of the little shore were still wet with her feetwhere she had gone up from the water. 

But now, as he swam and sported in the sun-warmed pool he deemed heheard the whinnying of a horse, but was not sure, so he held himselfstill to listen, and heard no more. Then he laughed and bethought himof Falcon his own steed, and dived down under the water; but as he cameup, laughing still and gasping, he heard a noise of the clatter ofhorse hoofs, as if some one were riding swiftly up the further side ofthe grassy table, where it was stony, as he had noted when they passedby. 

A deadly fear fell upon his heart as he thought of his love left allalone; so he gat him at once out of the water and cast his shirt overhis head; but while his arms were yet entangled in the sleeves thereof, came to his ears a great and awful sound of a man's voice roaring out, though there were no shapen words in the roar. Then were his arms freethrough the sleeves, and he took up the bow and fell to bending it, andeven therewith he heard a great wailing of a woman's voice, and shecried out, piteously: "Help me, O help, lovely creature of God!"

Yet must he needs finish bending the bow howsoever his heart diedwithin him; or what help would there be of a naked and unarmed man? Atlast it was bent and an arrow nocked on the string, as he leapt overthe river and up the slope. 

But even as he came up to that pleasant place he saw all in a moment oftime; that there stood Silverfax anigh the Cave's mouth, and the Ladylying on the earth anigh the horse; and betwixt her and him the Knightof the Sun stood up stark, his shining helm on his head, the last raysof the setting sun flashing in the broidered image of his armouries. 

He turned at once upon Ralph, shaking his sword in the air (and therewas blood upon the blade) and he cried out in terrible voice: "Thewitch is dead, the whore is dead! And thou, thief, who hast stolen herfrom me, and lain by her in the wilderness, now shalt thou die, thou!"

Scarce had he spoken than Ralph drew his bow to the arrow-head andloosed; there was but some twenty paces betwixt them, and the shaft, sped by that fell archer, smote the huge man through the eye into thebrain, and he fell down along clattering, dead without a word more. 

But Ralph gave forth a great wail of woe, and ran forward and knelt bythe Lady, who lay all huddled up face down upon the grass, and helifted her up and laid her gently on her back. The blood was flowingfast from a great wound in her breast, and he tore off a piece of hisshirt to staunch it, but she without knowledge of him breathed forthher last breath ere he could touch the hurt, and he still knelt by her, staring on her as if he knew not what was toward. 

She had dight her what she could to welcome his return from thehunting, and had set a wreath of meadow-sweet on her red hair, and agarland of eglantine about her girdlestead, and left her feet nakedafter the pool of the stream, and had turned the bezels of herfinger-rings outward, for joy of that meeting. 

After a while he rose up with a most bitter cry, and ran down the greenslope and over the water, and hither and thither amongst the busheslike one mad, till he became so weary that he might scarce go or standfor weariness. Then he crept back again to that Chamber of Love, andsat down beside his new-won mate, calling to mind all the wasted wordsof the day gone by; for the summer night was come now, most fair andfragrant. But he withheld the sobbing passion of his heart and putforth his hand, and touched her, and she was still, and his hand felther flesh that it was cold as marble. And he cried out aloud in thenight and the wilderness, where there was none to hear him, and aroseand went away from her, passing by Silverfax who was standing nearby, stretching out his head, and whinnying at whiles. And he sat on theedge of the green table, and there came into his mind despite himselfthoughts of the pleasant fields of Upmeads, and his sports andpleasures there, and the even-song of the High House, and the folk ofhis fellowship and his love. And therewith his breast arose and hisface was wryed, and he wept loud and long, and as if he should nevermake an end of it. But so weary was he, that at last he lay back andfell asleep, and woke not till the sun was high in the heavens. And soit was, that his slumber had been so heavy, that he knew not at firstwhat had befallen; and one moment he felt glad, and the next as if heshould never be glad again, though why he wotted not. Then he turnedabout and saw Silverfax cropping the grass nearby, and the Lady lyingthere like an image that could move no whit, though the world awokeabout her. Then he remembered, yet scarce all, so that wild hopesswelled his heart, and he rose to his knees and turned to her, andcalled to mind that he should never see her alive again, and sobbingand wailing broke out from him, for he was young and strong, and sorrowdealt hardly with him. 

But presently he arose to his feet and went hither and thither, andcame upon the quenched coals of the cooking-fire: she had baked cakesfor his eating, and he saw them lying thereby, and hunger constrainedhim, so he took and ate of them while the tears ran down his face andmingled with the bread he ate. And when he had eaten, he felt strongerand therefore was life more grievous to him, and when he thought whathe should do, still one thing seemed more irksome than the other. 

He went down to the water to drink, and passed by the body of theKnight of the Sun, and wrath was fierce in his heart against him whohad overthrown his happiness. But when he had drunk and washed handsand face he came back again, and hardened his heart to do what he mustneeds do. He took up the body of the Lady and with grief that may notbe told of, he drew it into the cave, and cut boughs of trees and laidthem over her face and all her body, and then took great stones fromthe scree at that other end of the little plain, and heaped them uponher till she was utterly hidden by them. Then he came out on to thegreen place and looked on the body of his foe, and said to himself thatall must be decent and in order about the place whereas lay his love. And he came and stood over the body and said: "I have naught to do tohate him now: if he hated me, it was but for a little while, and heknew naught of me. So let his bones be covered up from the wolf andthe kite. Yet shall they not lie alongside of her. I will raise acairn above him here on this fair little plain which he spoilt of alljoy. " Therewith he fell to, and straightened his body, and laid hishuge limbs together and closed his eyes and folded his arms over hisbreast; and then he piled the stones above him, and went on castingthem on the heap a long while after there was need thereof. 

Ralph had taken his raiment from the stream-side and done them onbefore this, and now he did on helm and hauberk, and girt his sword tohis side. Then as he was about leaving the sorrowful place, he lookedon Silverfax, who had not strayed from the little plain, and came up tohim and did off saddle and bridle, and laid them within the cave, andbade the beast go whither he would. He yet lingered about the place, and looked all around him and found naught to help him, and could framein his mind no intent of a deed then, nor any tale of a deed he shoulddo thereafter. Yet belike in his mind were two thoughts, and thoughneither softened his grief save a little, he did not shrink from themas he did from all others; and these two were of his home at Upmeads, which was so familiar to him, and of the Well at the World's End, whichwas but a word. 

CHAPTER 11

Ralph Cometh Out of the Wilderness

Long he stood letting these thoughts run through his mind, but at lastwhen it was now midmorning, he stirred and gat him slowly down thegreen slope, and for very pity of himself the tears brake out from himas he crossed the stream and came into the bushy valley. There hestayed his feet a little, and said to himself: "And whither then am Igoing?" He thought of the Castle of Abundance and the Champions of theDry Tree, of Higham, and the noble warriors who sat at the Lord Abbot'sboard, and of Upmeads and his own folk: but all seemed naught to him, and he thought: "And how can I go back and bear folk asking mecuriously of my wayfarings, and whether I will do this, that, or theother thing. " Withal he thought of that fair damsel and her sweet mouthin the hostelry at Bourton Abbas, and groaned when he thought of loveand its ending, and he said within himself: "and now she is a wandererabout the earth as I am;" and he thought of her quest, and the chapletof dame Katherine, his gossip, which he yet bore on his neck, and hedeemed that he had naught to choose but to go forward and seek that hewas doomed to; and now it seemed to him that there was that one thingto do and no other. And though this also seemed to him but wearinessand grief, yet whereas he had ever lightly turned him to doing whatwork lay ready to hand; so now he knew that he must first of all gethim out of that wilderness, that he might hear the talk of folkconcerning the Well at the World's End, which he doubted not to hearagain when he came into the parts inhabited. 

So now, with his will or without it, his feet bore him on, and hefollowed up the stream which the Lady had said ran into the broad rivercalled the Swelling Flood; "for, " thought he, "when I come thereabout Ishall presently find some castle or good town, and it is like thateither I shall have some tidings of the folk thereof, or else they willcompel me to do something, and that will irk me less than doing deedsof mine own will. "

He went his ways till he came to where the wood and the trees ended, and the hills were lower and longer, well grassed with short grass, adown country fit for the feeding of sheep; and indeed some sheep hesaw, and a shepherd or two, but far off. At last, after he had leftthe stream awhile, because it seemed to him to turn and wind round overmuch to the northward, he came upon a road running athwart the downcountry, so that he deemed that it must lead one way down to theSwelling Flood; so he followed it up, and after a while began to fallin with folk; and first two Companions armed and bearing long swordsover their shoulders: he stopped as they met, and stared at them in theface, but answered not their greeting; and they had no will to meddlewith him, seeing his inches and that he was well armed, and looked nocraven: so they went on. 

Next he came on two women who had with them an ass between twopanniers, laden with country stuff; and they were sitting by thewayside, one old and the other young. He made no stay for them, andthough he turned his face their way, took no heed of them more than ifthey were trees; though the damsel, who was well-liking and somewhatgaily clad, stood up when she saw his face anigh, and drew her gownskirt about her and moved daintily, and sighed and looked after him ashe went on, for she longed for him. 

Yet again came two men a-horseback, merchants clad goodly, with threecarles, their servants, riding behind them; and all these had weaponsand gave little more heed to him than he to them. But a little afterthey were gone, he stopped and said within himself: "Maybe I had betterhave gone their way, and this road doubtless leadeth to some place ofresort. "

But even therewith he heard horsehoofs behind him, and anon came up aman a-horseback, armed with jack and sallet, a long spear in his hand, and budgets at his saddle-bow, who looked like some lord's man going amessage. He nodded to Ralph, who gave him good-day; for seeing thesefolk and their ways had by now somewhat amended his mind; and now heturned not, but went on as before. 

At last the way clomb a hill longer and higher than any he had yetcrossed, and when he had come to the brow and looked down, he saw thebig river close below running through the wide valley which he hadcrossed with Roger on that other day. Then he sat down on the greenbank above the way, so heavy of heart that not one of the things he sawgave him any joy, and the world was naught to him. But within a whilehe came somewhat to himself, and, looking down toward the river, he sawthat where the road met it, it was very wide, and shallow withal, forthe waves rippled merrily and glittered in the afternoon sun, thoughthere was no wind; moreover the road went up white from the water onthe other side, so he saw clearly that this was the ford of a highway. The valley was peopled withal: on the other side of the river was alittle thorp, and there were carts and sheds scattered about the hitherside, and sheep and neat feeding in the meadows, and in short it wasanother world from the desert. 

CHAPTER 12

Ralph Falleth in With Friends and Rideth to Whitwall

Ralph looks on to the ford and sees folk riding through the thorpaforesaid and down to the river, and they take the water and are manyin company, some two score by his deeming, and he sees the sunglittering on their weapons. 

Now he thought that he would abide their coming and see if he mightjoin their company, since if he crossed the water he would be on thebackward way: and it was but a little while ere the head of them cameup over the hill, and were presently going past Ralph, who rose up tolook on them, and be seen of them, but they took little heed of him. So he sees that though they all bore weapons, they were not allmen-at-arms, nay, not more than a half score, but those proper menenough. Of the others, some half-dozen seemed by their attire to bemerchants, and the rest their lads; and withal they had many sumpterhorses and mules with them. They greeted him not, nor he them, nor didhe heed them much till they were all gone by save three, and then heleapt into the road with a cry, for who should be riding there butBlaise, his eldest brother, and Richard the Red with him, both in goodcase by seeming; for Blaise was clad in a black coat welted with gold, and rode a good grey palfrey, and Richard was armed well and knightly. 

They knew him at once, and drew rein, and Blaise lighted down from hishorse and cast his arms about Ralph, and said: "O happy day! when twoof the Upmeads kindred meet thus in an alien land! But what makeththee here, Ralph? I thought of thee as merry and safe in Upmeads?"

Ralph said smiling, for his heart leapt up at the sight of his kindred:"Nay, must I not seek adventures like the rest? So I stole myself awayfrom father and mother. " "Ill done, little lord!" said Blaise, stroking Ralph's cheek. 

Then up came Richard, and if Blaise were glad, Richard was twice glad, and quoth he: "Said I not, Lord Blaise, that this chick would be thehardest of all to keep under the coop? Welcome to the Highways, LordRalph! But where is thine horse? and whence and whither is it now?Hast thou met with some foil and been held to ransom?"

Ralph found it hard and grievous and dull work to answer; for now againhis sorrow had taken hold of him: so he said: "Yea, Richard, I havehad adventures, and have lost rather than won; but at least I am a freeman, and have spent but little gold on my loss. "

"That is well, " said Richard, "but whence gat ye any gold forspending?" Ralph smiled, but sadly, for he called to mind the gladsetting forth and the kind face of dame Katherine his gossip, and hesaid: "Clement Chapman deemed it not unmeet to stake somewhat on myluck, therefore I am no pauper. "

"Well, " said Blaise, "if thou hast no great errand elsewhere, thoumightest ride with us, brother. I have had good hap in these days, though scarce kingly or knightly, for I have been buying and selling:what matter? few know Upmeads and its kings to wite me with fouling afair name. Richard, go fetch a horse hither for Lord Ralph's riding, and we will tarry no longer. " So Richard trotted on, and while theyabode him, Ralph asked after his brethren, and Blaise told him that hehad seen or heard naught of them. Then Ralph asked of whither away, and Blaise told him to Whitwall, where was much recourse of merchantsfrom many lands, and a noble market. 

Back then cometh Richard leading a good horse while Ralph was ponderinghis matter, and thinking that at such a town he might well hear tidingsconcerning the Well at the World's End. 

Now Ralph mounts, and they all ride away together. On the way, partlyfor brotherhood's sake, partly that he might not be questioned overmuchhimself, Ralph asked Blaise to tell him more of his farings; and Blaisesaid, that when he had left Upmeads he had ridden with Richard up anddown and round about, till he came to a rich town which had just beentaken in war, and that the Companions who had conquered it were lookingfor chapmen to cheapen their booty, and that he was the first or nearlythe first to come who had will and money to buy, and the Companions, who were eager to depart, had sold him thieves' penny-worths, so thathis share of the Upmeads' treasure had gone far; and thence he had goneto another good town where he had the best of markets for his newlycheapened wares, and had brought more there, such as he deemed handy tosell, and so had gone on from town to town, and had ever thriven, andhad got much wealth: and so at last having heard tell of Whitwall asbetter for chaffer than all he had yet seen, he and other chapmen hadarmed them, and waged men-at-arms to defend them, and so tried theadventure of the wildwoods, and come safe through. 

Then at last came the question to Ralph concerning his adventures, andhe enforced himself to speak, and told all as truly as he might, without telling of the Lady and her woeful ending. 

Thus they gave and took in talk, and Ralph did what he might to seemlike other folk, that he might nurse his grief in his own heart as farasunder from other men as might be. 

So they rode on till it was even, and came to Whitwall before theshutting of the gates and rode into the street, and found it a fair andgreat town, well defensible, with high and new walls, and men-at-armsgood store to garnish them. 

Ralph rode with his brother to the hostel of the chapmen, and therethey were well lodged. 

CHAPTER 13

Richard Talketh With Ralph Concerning the Well at the World's End. Concerning Swevenham

On the morrow Blaise went to his chaffer and to visit the men of thePort at the Guildhall: he bade Ralph come with him, but he would not, but abode in the hall of the hostel and sat pondering sadly while mencame and went; but he heard no word spoken of the Well at the World'sEnd. In like wise passed the next day and the next, save that Richardwas among those who came into the hall, and he talked long with Ralphat whiles; that is to say that he spake, and Ralph made semblance oflistening. 

Now as is aforesaid Richard was old and wise, and he loved Ralph much, more belike than Lord Blaise his proper master, whereas he had no mindfor chaffer, or aught pertaining to it: so he took heed of Ralph andsaw that he was sad and weary-hearted; so on the sixth day of theirabiding at Whitwall, in the morning when all the chapmen were goneabout their business, and he and Ralph were left alone in the Hall, hespake to Ralph and said: "This is no prison, lord. " "Even so, " quothRalph. "Nay, if thou doubtest it, " said Richard, "let us go to thedoor and try if they have turned the key and shot the bolt on us. "Ralph smiled faintly and stood up, and said: "I will go with thee ifthou willest it, but sooth to say I shall be but a dull fellow of thineto-day. " Said Richard: "Wouldst thou have been better yesterday, lord, or the day before?" "Nay, " said Ralph. "Wilt thou be betterto-morrow?" said Richard. Ralph shook his head. Said Richard: "Yea, but thou wilt be, or thou mayst call me a fool else. " "Thou art kind, Richard, " said Ralph; "and I will come with thee, and do what thoubiddest me; but I must needs tell thee that my heart is sick. " "Yea, "quoth Richard, "and thou needest not tell me so much, dear youngling;he who runs might read that in thee. But come forth. "

So into the street they went, and Richard brought Ralph into themarket-place, and showed him where was Blaise's booth (for he wasthriving greatly) but Ralph would not go anigh it lest his brothershould entangle him in talk; and they went into the Guildhall which wasboth great and fair, and the smell of the new-shaven oak (for the roofwas not yet painted) brought back to Ralph's mind the days of hischildhood when he was hanging about the building of the water-reeve'snew house at Upmeads. Then they went into the Great Church and heard aMass at the altar of St. Nicholas, Ralph's very friend; and the saidchurch was great to the letter, and very goodly, and somewhat new also, since the blossom-tide of Whitwall was not many years old: and thealtars of its chapels were beyond any thing for fairness that Ralph hadseen save at Higham on the Way. 

But when they came forth from the church, Ralph looked on Richard witha face that was both blank and weary, as who should say: "What is todo now?" And forsooth so woe-begone he looked, that Richard, despitehis sorrow and trouble for him, could scarce withhold his laughter. But he said: "Well, foster son (for thou art pretty much that to me), since the good town pleasureth thee little, go we further afield. "

So he led him out of the market-place, and brought him to the east gateof the town which hight Petergate Bar, and forth they went and out intothe meadows under the walls, and stayed him at a little bridge over oneof the streams, for it was a land of many waters; there they sat downin a nook, and spake Richard to Ralph, saying:

"Lord Ralph, ill it were if the Upmeads kindred came to naught, or evento little. Now as for my own master Blaise, he hath, so please you, the makings of a noble chapman, but not of a noble knight; though hesayeth that when he is right rich he will cast aside all chaffer;naught of which he will do. As for the others, my lord Gregory is nobetter, or indeed worse, save that he shall not be rich ever, having nomastery over himself; while lord Hugh is like to be slain in some emptybrawl, unless he come back speedily to Upmeads. "

"Yea, yea, " said Ralph, "what then? I came not hither to hear theemissay my mother's sons. " But Richard went on: "As for thee, lordRalph, of thee I looked for something; but now I cannot tell; for theheart in thee seemeth to be dead; and thou must look to it lest thebody die also. " "So be it!" said Ralph. 

Said Richard: "I am old now, but I have been young, and many thingshave I seen and suffered, ere I came to Upmeads. Old am I, and Icannot feel certain hopes and griefs as a young man can; yet have Ibought the knowledge of them dear enough, and have not forgotten. Whereby I wot well that my drearihead is concerning a woman. Is it notso?" "Yea, " quoth Ralph. Said Richard: "Now shalt thou tell methereof, and so lighten thine heart a little. " "I will not tell thee, "said Ralph; "or, rather, to speak more truly, I cannot. " "Yea, " saidRichard, "and though it were now an easier thing for me to tell thee ofthe griefs of my life than for thee to hearken to the tale, yet Ibelieve thee. But mayhappen thou mayst tell me of one thing that thoudesirest more than another. " Said Ralph: "I desire to die. " And thetears started in his eyes therewith. But Richard spake, smiling on himkindly: "That way is open for thee on any day of the week. Why hastthou not taken it already?" But Ralph answered naught. Richard said:"Is it not because thou hopest to desire something; if not to-day, thento-morrow, or the next day or the next?" Still Ralph spake no word; buthe wept. Quoth Richard: "Maybe I may help thee to a hope, though thoumayest think my words wild. In the land and the thorp where I was bornand bred there was talk now and again of a thing to be sought, whichshould cure sorrow, and make life blossom in the old, and uphold lifein the young. " "Yea, " said Ralph, looking up from his tears, "and whatwas that? and why hast thou never told me thereof before?" "Nay, " saidRichard, "and why should I tell it to the merry lad I knew in Upmeads?but now thou art a man, and hast seen the face of sorrow, it is meetthat thou shouldest hear of THE WELL AT THE WORLD'S END. "

Ralph sprang to his feet as he said the word, and cried out eagerly:"Old friend, and where then wert thou bred and born?" Richard laughedand said: "See, then, there is yet a deed and a day betwixt thee anddeath! But turn about and look straight over the meadows in a linewith yonder willow-tree, and tell me what thou seest. " Said Ralph:"The fair plain spreading wide, and a river running through it, andlittle hills beyond the water, and blue mountains beyond them, and snowyet lying on the tops of them, though the year is in young July. ""Yea, " quoth Richard; "and seest thou on the first of the little hillsbeyond the river, a great grey tower rising up and houses anigh it?""Yea, " said Ralph, "the tower I see, and the houses, for I amfar-sighted; but the houses are small. " "So it is, " said Richard; "nowyonder tower is of the Church of Swevenham, which is under theinvocation of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus; and the houses are thehouses of the little town. And what has that to do with me? sayestthou: why this, that I was born and bred at Swevenham. And indeed Iit was who brought my lord Blaise here to Whitwall, with tales of howgood a place it was for chaffer, that I might see the little town andthe great grey tower once more. Forsooth I lied not, for thy brotheris happy here, whereas he is piling up the coins one upon the other. Forsooth thou shouldest go into his booth, fair lord; it is a goodlysight. "

But Ralph was walking to and fro hastily, and he turned to Richard andsaid: "Well, well! but why dost thou not tell me more of the Well atthe World's End?"

Said Richard: "I was going to tell thee somewhat which might be worththy noting; or might not be worth it: hearken! When I dwelt atSwevenham over yonder, and was but of eighteen winters, who am now ofthree score and eight, three folk of our township, two young men andone young woman, set out thence to seek the said Well: and much lorethey had concerning it, which they had learned of an old man, a nighkinsman of one of them. This ancient carle I had never seen, for hedwelt in the mountains a way off, and these men were some five yearsolder than I, so that I was a boy when they were men grown; and suchthings I heeded not, but rather sport and play; and above all, I longedfor the play of war and battle. God wot I have had my bellyful of itsince those days! Howbeit I mind me the setting forth of these three. They had a sumpter-ass with them for their livelihood on the waste; butthey went afoot crowned with flowers, and the pipe and tabour playingbefore them, and much people brought them on the way. By St. Christopher! I can see it all as if it were yesterday. I was sorry ofthe departure of the damsel; for though I was a boy I had loved her, and she had suffered me to kiss her and toy with her; but it was soonover. Now I call to mind that they had prayed our priest, Sir Cyprian, to bless them on their departure, but he naysaid them; for he held thatsuch a quest came of the inspiration of the devils, and was but amemory of the customs of the ancient gentiles and heathen. But as tome, I deemed it naught, and was sorry that my white-bosomed, sweet-breathed friend should walk away from me thus into the clouds. "

"What came of it?" said Ralph, "did they come back, or any of them?" "Iwot not, " said Richard, "for I was weary of Swevenham after that, so Igirt myself to a sword and laid a spear upon my shoulder and went myways to the Castle of the Waste March, sixty miles from Swevenham town, and the Baron took me in and made me his man: and almost as littleprofit were in my telling thee again of my deeds there, as there was inmy doing them: but the grey tower of Swevenham I have never seen againtill this hour. "

Said Ralph: "Now then it behoveth me to go to Swevenham straightway:wilt thou come with me? it seemeth to be but some four miles hence. "

Richard held his peace and knit his brows as if pondering the matter, and Ralph abided till he spake: so he said: "Foster-son, so to callthee, thou knowest the manner of up-country carles, that tales flowforth from them the better if they come without over much digging andhoeing of the ground; that is, without questioning; so meseems betterit will be if I go to Swevenham alone, and better if I be asked to go, than if I go of myself. Now to-morrow is Saturday, and high market inWhitwall; and I am not so old but that it is likeliest that there willbe some of my fellows alive and on their legs in Swevenham: and if suchthere be, there will be one at the least in the market to-morrow, and Iwill be there to find him out: and then it will go hard if he bring menot to Swevenham as a well-beloved guest; and when I am there, andtelling my tidings, and asking them of theirs, if there be any talesconcerning the Well at the World's End working in their bellies, thenshall I be the midwife to bring them to birth. Ha? Will it do?"

"Yea, " said Ralph, "but how long wilt thou be?" Said Richard: "I shallcome back speedily if I find the land barren; but if the field be inear I shall tarry to harvest it. So keep thou thy soul in patience. ""And what shall I do now?" said Ralph. "Wear away the hours, " saidRichard. "And to begin with, come back within the gates with me andlet us go look at thy brother's booth in the market-place: it is thenethermost of a goodly house which he is minded to dwell in; and hewill marry a wife and sit down in Whitwall, so well he seemeth like tothrive; for they have already bidden him to the freedom of the city, and to a brother of the Faring-Knights, whereas he is not only astirring man, but of good lineage also: for now he hideth not that heis of the Upmeads kindred. "

CHAPTER 14

Ralph Falleth in With Another Old Friend

Ralph went with Richard now without more words, and they came into themarket-place and unto Blaise's booth and house, which was no worse thanthe best in the place; and the painters and stainers were at work onthe upper part of it to make it as bright and goodly as might be withred and blue and green and gold, and all fair colours, and already wasthere a sign hung out of the fruitful tree by the water-side. As forthe booth, it was full within of many wares and far-fetched anddear-bought things; as pieces of good and fine cloth plumbed with theseal of the greatest of the cities; and silk of Babylon, and spices ofthe hot burning islands, and wonders of the silversmith's and thegoldsmith's fashioning, and fair-wrought weapons and armour of thebest, and every thing that a rich chapman may deal in. And amidst ofit all stood Blaise clad in fine black cloth welted with needle work, and a gold chain about his neck. He was talking with three honourablemen of the Port, and they were doing him honour with kind words and thebidding of help. When he saw Ralph and Richard come in, he nodded tothem, as to men whom he loved, but were beneath him in dignity, andleft not talking with the great men. Richard grinned a little thereat, as also did Ralph in his heart; for he thought: "Here then is one ofthe Upmeads kin provided for, so that soon he may buy with his moneytwo domains as big as Upmeads and call them his manors. "

Now Ralph looks about him, and presently he sees a man come forward tomeet him from the innermost of the booth, and lo! there was comeClement Chapman. His heart rose at the sight of him, and he thought ofhis kind gossip till he could scarce withhold his tears. But Clementcame to him and cast his arms about him, and kissed him, and said:"Thou shalt pardon me for this, lord, for it is the kiss of the gossipwhich she bade me give thee, if I fell in with thee, as now I have, praised be the Saints! Yet it irks me that I shall see little more ofthee at this time, for to-morrow early I must needs join myself to mycompany; for we are going south awhile to a good town some fifty mileshence. Nevertheless, if thou dwellest here some eight days I shall seethee again belike, since thereafter I get me eastward on a hard andlong journey not without peril. How sayest thou?"

"I wot not, " quoth Ralph looking at Richard. Said Richard: "Thou maystwot well, master Clement, that my lord is anhungered of the praise ofthe folks, and is not like to abide in a mere merchant-town till themould grow on his back. " "Well, well, " said Clement, "however that maybe, I have now done my matters with this cloth-lord, Blaise, and he hasmy florins in his pouch: so will not ye twain come with me and drink acup till he hath done his talk with these magnates?"

Ralph was nothing loth, for besides that he loved master Clement, andthat his being in company was like having a piece of his home anighhim, he hoped to hear some tidings concerning the Well at the World'sEnd. 

So he and Richard went with master Clement to the Christopher, a fairale-house over against the Great Church, and sat down to good wine; andRalph asked of Clement many things concerning dame Katherine hisgossip, and Clement told him all, and that she was well, and had beento Upmeads, and had seen King Peter and the mother of Ralph; and howshe had assuaged his mother's grief at his departure by forecastingfair days for her son. All this Ralph heard gladly, though he wassomewhat shamefaced withal, and sat silent and thinking of manymatters. But Richard took up the word and said: "Which way camest thoufrom Wulstead, master Clement?" "The nighest way I came, " saidClement, "through the Woods Perilous. " Said Richard: "And they of theDry Tree, heardest thou aught of them?" "Yea, certes, " quoth Clement, "for I fell in with their Bailiff, and paid him due scot for thepassage of the Wood; he knoweth me withal, and we talked together. ""And had he any tidings to tell thee of the champions?" said Richard. Said Clement, "Great tidings maybe, how that there was a rumour thatthey had lost their young Queen and Lady; and if that be true, it willgo nigh to break their hearts, so sore as they loved her. And thatwill make them bitter and fierce, till their grief has been slaked bythe blood of men. And that the more as their old Queen abideth still, and she herself is ever of that mind. "

Ralph hearkened, and his heart was wounded that other men should speakof his beloved: but he heard how Richard said: "Hast thou ever knownwhy that company of champions took the name of the Dry Tree?" "Why, who should know that, if thou knowest it not, Richard of Swevenham?"said Clement: "Is it not by the token of the Dry Tree that standeth inthe lands on the hither side of the Wall of the World?" Richard noddedhis head; but Ralph cried out: "O Master Clement, and hast thou seenit, the Wall of the World?" "Yea, afar off, my son, " said he; "or whatthe folk with me called so; as to the Dry Tree, I have told thee atWulstead that I have seen it not, though I have known men who have toldme that they have seen it. " "And must they who find the Well at theWorld's End come by the Dry Tree?" "Yea, surely, " said Clement. QuothRichard: "And thus have some heard, who have gone on that quest, andthey have heard of the Champions of Hampton, and have gone thither, being deceived by that name of the Dry Tree, and whiles have been slainby the champions, whiles have entered their company. " "Yea, " saidClement, "so it is that their first error hath ended their quest. Butnow, lord Ralph, I will tell thee one thing; to wit, that when I returnhither after eight days wearing, I shall be wending east, as I saide'en now, and what will that mean save going somewhat nigher to theWall of the World; for my way lieth beyond the mountains that ye seefrom hence, and beyond the mountains that lie the other side of those;and I bid thee come with us, and I will be thy warrant that so far thoushalt have no harm: but when thou hast come so far, and hast seen threevery fair cities, besides towns and castles and thorps and strange men, and fair merchandize, God forbid that thou shouldest wend further, andso cast away thy young life for a gay-coloured cloud. Then will be thetime to come back with me, that I may bring thee through the perils ofthe way to Wulstead, and Upmeads at the last, and the folk that lovethee. "

Richard held his peace at this word, but Ralph said: "I thank thee, Master Clement, for thy love and thy helping hand; and will promisethee to abide thee here eight days at the least; and meanwhile I willponder the matter well. "

CHAPTER 15

Ralph Dreams a Dream Or Sees a Vision

Therewithall they parted after more talk concerning small matters, andRalph wore through the day, but Richard again did him to wit, that onthe morrow he would find his old friends of Swevenham in the Market. And Ralph was come to life again more than he had been since that evilhour in the desert; though hard and hard he deemed it that he shouldnever see his love again. 

Now as befalleth young men, he was a good sleeper, and dreamed butseldom, save such light and empty dreams as he might laugh at, ifperchance he remembered them by then his raiment was on him in themorning. But that night him-seemed that he awoke in his chamber atWhitwall, and was lying on his bed, as he verily was, and the door ofthe chamber opened, and there entered quietly the Lady of the Woodland, dight even as he had seen her as she lay dead beside their cooking fireon that table of greensward in the wilderness, barefoot and garlandedabout her brow and her girdlestead, but fair and fresh coloured as shewas before the sword had pierced her side; and he thought that herejoiced to see her, but no wild hope rose in his heart, and no sobbingpassion blinded his eyes, nor did he stretch out hand to touch her, because he remembered that she was dead. But he thought she spake tohim and said: "I know that thou wouldst have me speak, therefore I saythat I am come to bid thee farewell, since there was no farewellbetween us in the wilderness, and I know that thou are about going on along and hard and perilous journey: and I would that I could kiss theeand embrace thee, but I may not, for this is but the image of me asthou hast known me. Furthermore, as I loved thee when I saw theefirst, for thy youth, and thy fairness, and thy kindness and thyvaliancy, so now I rejoice that all this shall endure so long in thee, as it surely shall. "

Then the voice ceased, but still the image stood before him awhile, andhe wondered if she would speak again, and tell him aught of the way tothe Well at the World's End; and she spake again: "Nay, " she said, "Icannot, since we may not tread the way together hand in hand; and thisis part of the loss that thou hast had of me; and oh! but it is hardand hard. " And her face became sad and distressful, and she turned anddeparted as she had come. 

Then he knew not if he awoke, or if it were a change in his dream; butthe chamber became dark about him, and he lay there thinking of her, till, as it seemed, day began to dawn, and there was some little stirin the world without, and the new wind moved the casement. And againthe door opened, and someone entered as before; and this also was awoman: green-clad she was and barefoot, yet he knew at once that itwas not his love that was dead, but the damsel of the ale-house ofBourton, whom he had last seen by the wantways of the Wood Perilous, and he thought her wondrous fair, fairer than he had deemed. And theword came from her: "I am a sending of the woman whom thou hast loved, and I should not have been here save she had sent me. " Then the wordsended, while he looked at her and wondered if she also had died on theway to the Well at the World's End. And it came into his mind that hehad never known her name upon the earth. Then again came the word:"So it is that I am not dead but alive in the world, though I am faraway from this land; and it is good that thou shouldst go seek the Wellat the World's End not all alone: and the seeker may find me: andwhereas thou wouldst know my name, I hight Dorothea. "

So fell the words again: and this image stood awhile as the other haddone, and as the other had done, departed, and once more the chamberbecame dark, so that Ralph could not so much as see where was thewindow, and he knew no more till he woke in the early morn, and therewas stir in the street and the voice of men, and the scent of freshherbs and worts, and fruits; for it was market-day, and the countryfolk were early afoot, that they might array their wares timely in themarket-place. 

CHAPTER 16

Of the Tales of Swevenham

Old Richard was no worse than his word, and failed not to find oldacquaintance of Swevenham in the Saturday's market: and Ralph sawnaught of him till midweek afterwards. And he was sitting in thechamber of the hostel when Richard came in to him. Forsooth Blaise hadbidden him come dwell in his fair house, but Ralph would not, deemingthat he might be hindered in his quest and be less free to go wheresohe would, if he were dwelling with one who was so great with themagnates as was Blaise. 

Now Ralph was reading in a book when Richard came in, but he stood upand greeted him; and Richard said smiling: "What have ye found in thebook, lord?" Said Ralph: "It telleth of the deeds of Alexander. " "Isthere aught concerning the Well at the World's End therein?" saidRichard. "I have not found aught thereof as yet, " said Ralph; "but thebook tells concerning the Dry Tree, and of kings sitting in theirchairs in the mountains nearby. "

"Well then, " said Richard, "maybe thou wilt think me the bettertale-teller. " "Tell on then, " quoth Richard. So they went and sat themdown in a window, and Richard said:

"When I came to Swevenham with two old men that I had known young, thefolk made much of me, and made me good cheer, whereof were over long totell thee; but to speak shortly, I drew the talk round to the matterthat we would wot of: for we spake of the Men of the Dry Tree, and anold man began to say, as master Clement the other day, that this nameof theirs was but a token and an armoury which those champions havetaken from the Tree itself, which Alexander the Champion saw in hiswayfarings; and he said that this tree was on the hither side of themountains called the Wall of the World, and no great way from the lastof the towns whereto Clement will wend; for Clement told me the namethereof, to wit, Goldburg. Then another and an older man, one that Iremember a stout carle ere I left Swevenham, said that this was not so, but that the Tree was on the further side of the Wall of the World, andthat he who could lay his hand on the bole thereof was like enough todrink of the Well at the World's End. Thereafter another spake, andtold a tale of how the champions at Hampton first took the Dry Tree fora token; and he said that the rumour ran, that a woman had brought thetidings thereof to those valiant men, and had fixed the name upon them, though wherefore none knew. So the talk went on. 

"But there was a carline sitting in the ingle, and she knew me and Iher. And indeed in days past, when I was restless and longing todepart, she might have held me at Swevenham, for she was one of thefriends that I loved there: a word and a kiss had done it, or maybe thekiss without the word: but if I had the word, I had not the kiss ofher. Well, when the talk began to fall, she spake and said to me:

"'Now it is somewhat strange that the talk must needs fall on thisseeking of that which shall not be found, whereas it was but the monthbefore thou wert last at Swevenham, that Wat Miller and Simon Bowyerset off to seek the Well at the World's End, and took with them Aliceof Queenhough, whom Simon loved as well as might be, and Wat somewhatmore than well. Mindest thou not? There are more than I alive thatremember it. '

"'Yea, ' said I, 'I remember it well. '

"For indeed, foster-son, these were the very three of whom I told thee, though I told thee not their names. 

"'Well, ' said I; 'how sped they? Came they back, or any of them?''Nay, ' she said, 'that were scarce to be looked for. ' Said I: 'Haveany other to thy knowledge gone on this said quest?'

"'Yea, ' she said, 'I will tell thee all about it, and then there willbe an end of the story, for none knoweth better thereof than I. Firstthere was that old man, the wizard, to whom folk from Swevenham andother places about were used to seek for his lore in hidden matters;and some months after those three had departed, folk who went to hisabode amongst the mountains found him not; and soon the word was aboutthat he also, for as feeble as he was, had gone to seek the Well at theWorld's End; though may-happen it was not so. Then the next springafter thy departure, Richard, comes home Arnold Wright from the wars, and asks after Alice; and when he heard what had befallen, he takes ascrip with a little meat for the road, lays his spear on his shoulder, and is gone seeking the lost, and the thing which they found not--that, I deem, was the end of him. Again the year after that, as I deem, three of our carles fell in with two knights riding east from Whitwall, and were questioned of them concerning the road to the said Well, anddoubted not but that they were on that quest. Furthermore (and some ofyou wot this well enough, and more belike know it not) two of our youngmen were faring by night and cloud on some errand, good or bad, itmatters not, on the highway thirty miles east of Whitwall: it was afterharvest, and the stubble-fields lay on either side of the way, and themoon was behind thin clouds, so that it was light on the way, as theytold me; and they saw a woman wending before them afoot, and as theycame up with her, the moon ran out, and they saw that the woman wasfair, and that about her neck was a chaplet of gems that shone in themoon, and they had a longing both for the jewel and the woman: butbefore they laid hand on her they asked her of whence and whither, andshe said: From ruin and wrack to the Well at the World's End, andtherewith turned on them with a naked sword in her hand; so that theyshrank from before her. 

"'Hearken once more: the next year came a knight to Swevenham, andguested in this same house, and he sat just where sitteth now yonyellow-headed swain, and the talk went on the same road as it hath goneto-night; and I told him all the tale as I have said it e'en now; andhe asked many questions, but most of the Lady with the pair of beads. And on the morrow he departed and we saw him not again. 

"Then she was silent, but the young man at whom she had pointed blushedred and stared at her wide-eyed, but said no word. But I spake: 'Welldame, but have none else gone from Swevenham, or what hath befallenthem?'

"She said: 'Hearken yet! Twenty years agone a great sickness layheavy upon us and the folk of Whitwall, and when it was at its worst, five of our young men, calling to mind all the tales concerning theWell at the World's End, went their ways to seek it, and swore thatback would they never, save they found it and could bear its water tothe folk of Swevenham; and I suppose they kept their oath; for we sawnaught either of the water or of them. Well, I deem that this is thelast that I have to tell thee, Richard, concerning this matter: and nowis come the time for thee to tell tales of thyself. '

"Thus for that time dropped the talk of the Well at the World's End, Lord Ralph, and of the way thither. But I hung about the township yeta while, and yesterday as I stood on their stone bridge, and looked onthe water, up comes that long lad with the yellow hair that the damehad pointed at, and says to me: 'Master Richard, saving thine age andthy dignity and mastery, I can join an end to the tale which thecarline began on Sunday night. ' 'Yea, forsooth?' said I, 'and how, mylad?' Said he: 'Thou hast a goodly knife there in thy girdle, give itto me, and I will tell thee. ' 'Yea, ' quoth I, 'if thy tale beknife-worthy. '

"Well, the end of it was that he told me thus: That by night and moonhe came on one riding the highway, just about where the other woman hadbeen seen, whose tale he had heard of. He deemed at first this riderto be a man, or a lad rather for smallness and slenderness, but comingclose up he found it was a woman, and saw on her neck a chaplet ofgems, and deemed it no great feat to take it of her: but he asked herof whence and whither, and she answered:

"'From unrest to the Well at the World's End. '

"Then when he put out his hand to her, he saw a great anlace gleamingin her hand, wherefore he forbore her; and this was but five days ago. 

"So I gave the lad my knife, and deemed there would be little else tohear in Swevenham for this bout; and at least I heard no more tales totell till I came away this morning; so there is my poke turned insideout for thee. But this word further would I say to thee, that I haveseen on thy neck also a pair of beads exceeding goodly. Tell me nowwhence came they. "

"From my gossip, dame Katherine, " said Ralph; "and it seems to me now, though at the time I heeded the gift little save for its kindness, thatshe thought something great might go with it; and there was a monk atHigham on the Way, who sorely longed to have it of me. " "Well, " saidRichard, "that may well come to pass, that it shall lead thee to theWell at the World's End. But as to the tales of Swevenham, whatdeemest thou of them?" Said Ralph: "What are they, save a token thatfolk believe that there is such a thing on earth as the Well? Yet Ihave made up my mind already that I would so do as if I trowed in it. So I am no nearer to it than erst. Now is there naught for it save toabide Master Clement's coming; and when he hath brought me to Goldburg, then shall I see how the quest looks by the daylight of that samecity. " He spake so cheerfully that Richard looked at him askance, wondering what was toward with him, and if mayhappen anything layunderneath those words of his. 

But in his heart Ralph was thinking of that last tale of the woman whomthe young man had met such a little while ago; and it seemed to himthat she must have been in Whitwall when he first came there; and hescarce knew whether he were sorry or not that he had missed her: forthough it seemed to him that it would be little more than mere griefand pain, nay, that it would be wicked and evil to be led to the Wellat the World's End by any other than her who was to have brought himthere; yet he longed, or thought he longed to speak with her concerningthat love of his heart, so early rewarded, so speedily beggared. Forindeed he doubted not that the said woman was the damsel of BourtonAbbas, whose image had named herself Dorothea to him in that dream. 

CHAPTER 17

Richard Bringeth Tidings of Departing

Fell the talk between them at that time, and three days wore, and onthe morning of the fourth day came Richard to Ralph, and said to him:"Foster-son, I am sorry for the word I must say, but Clement Chapmancame within the gates this morning early, and the company with which heis riding are alboun for the road, and will depart at noon to-day, sothat there are but four hours wherein we twain may be together; andthereafter whatso may betide thee, it may well be, that I shall see thyface no more; so what thou wilt tell me must be told straightway. Andnow I will say this to thee, that of all things I were fain to ridewith thee, but I may not, because it is Blaise whom I am bound to servein all ways. And I deem, moreover, that troublous times may be at handhere in Whitwall. For there is an Earl hight Walter the Black, a fairyoung man outwardly, but false at heart and a tyrant, and he had someoccasion against the good town, and it was looked for that he shouldsend his herald here to defy the Port more than a half moon ago; butabout that time he was hurt in a fray as we hear, and may not back ahorse in battle yet. Albeit, fristed is not forgotten, as saith thesaw; and when he is whole again, we may look for him at our gates; andwhereas Blaise knows me for a deft man-at-arms or something more, it isnot to be looked for that he will give me to thee for this quest. Nay, of thee also it will be looked for that thou shouldest do knightlyservice to the Port, and even so Blaise means it to be; therefore haveI lied to him on thy behalf, and bidden Clement also to lie (whichforsooth he may do better than I, since he wotteth not wholly whitherthou art minded), and I have said thou wouldst go with Clement nofurther than Cheaping Knowe, which lieth close to the further side ofthese mountains, and will be back again in somewhat more than ahalf-moon's wearing. So now thou art warned hereof. "

Ralph was moved by these words of Richard, and he spake: "Forsooth, oldfriend, I am sorry to depart from thee; yet though I shall presently beall alone amongst aliens, yet now is manhood rising again in me. Sofor that cause at least shall I be glad to be on the way; and as atoken that I am more whole than I was, I will now tell thee the tale ofmy grief, if thou wilt hearken to it, which the other day I might nottell thee. "

"I will hearken it gladly, " said Richard. And therewith they sat downin a window, for they were within doors in the hostel, and Ralph toldall that had befallen him as plainly and shortly as he might; and whenhe had done, Richard said:

"Thou has had much adventure in a short space, lord, and if thoumightest now refrain thy longing for that which is gone, and set it onthat which is to come, thou mayest yet harden into a famous knight anda happy man. " Said Ralph: "Yea? now tell me all thy thought. "

Said Richard: "My thought is that this lady who was slain, was scarcewholly of the race of Adam; but that at the least there was someblending in her of the blood of the fays. Or how deemest thou?"

"I wot not, " said Ralph sadly; "to me she seemed but a woman, thoughshe were fairer and wiser than other women. " Said Richard: "Well, furthermore, if I heard thee aright, there is another woman in the talewho is also fairer and wiser than other women?"

"I would she were my sister!" said Ralph. "Yea, " quoth Richard, "anddost thou bear in mind what she was like? I mean the fashion of herbody. " "Yea, verily, " said Ralph. 

Again said Richard: "Doth it seem to thee as if the Lady of the DryTree had some inkling that thou shouldst happen upon this other woman:whereas she showed her of the road to the Well at the World's End, andgave her that pair of beads, and meant that thou also shouldest gothither? And thou sayest that she praised her, --her beauty and wisdom. In what wise did she praise her? how came the words forth from her?was it sweetly?"

"Like honey and roses for sweetness, " said Ralph. "Yea, " said Richard, "and she might have praised her in such wise that the words had cameforth like gall and vinegar. Now I will tell thee of my thought, sincewe be at point of sundering, though thou take it amiss and be wrothwith me: to wit, that thou wouldst have lost the love of this lady astime wore, even had she not been slain: and she being, if no fay, yetwiser than other women, and foreseeing, knew that so it would be. "Ralph brake in: "Nay, nay, it is not so, it is not so!" "Hearken, youngling!" quoth Richard; "I deem that it was thus. Her love for theewas so kind that she would have thee happy after the sundering:therefore she was minded that thou shouldest find the damsel, who as Ideem loveth thee, and that thou shouldest love her truly. "

"O nay, nay!" said Ralph, "all this guess of thine is naught, sayingthat she was kind indeed. Even as heaven is kind to them who have diedmartyrs, and enter into its bliss after many torments. "

And therewith he fell a-weeping at the very thought of her greatkindness: for indeed to this young man she had seemed great, andexalted far above him. 

Richard looked at him a while; and then said: "Now, I pray thee be notwroth with me for the word I have spoken. But something more shall Isay, which shall like thee better. To wit, when I came back fromSwevenham on Wednesday I deemed it most like that the Well at theWorld's End was a tale, a coloured cloud only; or that at most if itwere indeed on the earth, that thou shouldest never find it. But nowis my mind changed by the hearing of thy tale, and I deem both that theWell verily is, and that thou thyself shalt find it; and that the wiseLady knew this, and set the greater store by thy youth and goodliness, as a richer and more glorious gift than it had been, were it asfleeting as such things mostly be. Now of this matter will I say nomore; but I think that the words that I have said, and which now seemso vain to thee, shall come into thy mind on some later day, and availthee somewhat; and that is why I have spoken them. But this again isanother word, that I have got a right good horse for thee, and othergear, such as thou mayest need for the road, and that Clement'sfellowship will meet in Petergate hard by the church, and I will be thysquire till thou comest thither, and ridest thence out a-gates. Now Isuppose that thou will want to bid Blaise farewell: yet thou must lookto it that he will not deem thy farewell of great moment, since heswimmeth in florins and goodly wares; and moreover deemeth that thouwilt soon be back here. "

"Nevertheless, " said Ralph, "I must needs cast my arms about my ownmother's son before I depart: so go we now, as all this talk hath wornaway more than an hour of those four that were left me. "

CHAPTER 18

Ralph Departeth From Whitwall With the Fellowship of Clement Chapman

Therewithal they went together to Blaise's house, and when Blaise sawthem, he said: "Well, Ralph, so thou must needs work at a little moreidling before thou fallest to in earnest. Forsooth I deem that whenthou comest back thou wilt find that we have cut thee out a goodlypiece of work for thy sewing. For the good town is gathering a gallanthost of men; and we shall look to thee to do well in the hardhand-play, whenso that befalleth. But now come and look at my housewithin, how fair it is, and thou wilt see that thou wilt have somewhatto fight for, whereas I am. "

Therewith he led them up a stair into the great chamber, which was allnewly dight and hung with rich arras of the Story of Hercules; andthere was a goodly cupboard of silver vessel, and some gold, and thecupboard was of five shelves as was but meet for a king's son. SoRalph praised all, but was wishful to depart, for his heart was sore, and he blamed himself in a manner that he must needs lie to his brother. 

But Blaise brought them to the upper chamber, and showed them thegoodly beds with their cloths, and hangings, and all was as fair asmight be. Then Blaise bade bring wine and made them drink; and he gaveRalph a purse of gold, and an anlace very fair of fashion, and broughthim to the door thereafter; and Ralph cast his arms about him, andkissed him and strained him to his breast. But Blaise was somewhatmoved thereat, and said to him: "Why lad, thou art sorry to departfrom me for a little while, and what would it be, were it for long?But ever wert thou a kind and tender-hearted youngling, and we twainare alone in an alien land. Forsooth, I wot that thou hast, as itwere, embraced the Upmeads kindred, father, mother and all; and good isthat! So now God and the Saints keep thee, and bear in mind thehosting of the good town, and the raising of the banner, that shall beno great while. Fare thee well, lad!"

So they parted, and Ralph went back to the hostel, and gathered hisstuff together, and laid it on a sumpter horse, and armed him, and sowent into Petergate to join himself to that company. There he foundthe chapmen, five of them in all, and their lads, and a score ofmen-at-arms, with whom was Clement, not clad like a merchant, butweaponed, and bearing a coat of proof and a bright sallet on his head. 

They greeted each the other, and Ralph said: "Yea, master Clement, andbe we riding to battle?" "Maybe, " quoth Clement; "the way is long, andour goods worth the lifting, and there are some rough places that wemust needs pass through. But if ye like not the journey, abide here inthis town the onset of Walter the Black. "

Therewith he laughed, and Ralph understanding the jape, laughed also;and said: "Well, master Clement, but tell me who be these that weshall meet. " "Yea, and I will tell thee the whole tale of them, " saidClement, "but abide till we are without the gates; I am busy man e'ennow, for all is ready for the road, save what I must do. So now bidthy Upmeads squire farewell, and then to horse with thee!"

So Ralph cast his arms about Richard, and kissed him and said: "This isalso a farewell to the House where I was born and bred. " And as hespake the thought of the House and the garden, and the pleasant fieldsof Upmeads came into his heart so bitter-sweet, that it mingled withhis sorrow, and well-nigh made him weep. But as for Richard heforebore words, for he was sad at heart for the sundering. 

Then he gat to horse, and the whole company of them bestirred them, andthey rode out a-gates. And master Clement it was that ordered them, riding up and down along the array. 

But Ralph fell to speech with the chapmen and men-at-arms; and both ofthese were very courteous with him; for they rejoiced in his company, and especially the chapmen, who were somewhat timorous of the perils ofthe road. 

CHAPTER 19

Master Clement Tells Ralph Concerning the Lands Whereunto They WereRiding

When they were gotten a mile or two from Whitwall, and all was goingsmoothly, Clement came up to Ralph and rode at his left hand, and fellto speech with him, and said: "Now, lord, will I tell thee moreconcerning our journey, and the folk that we are like to meet upon theroad. And of the perils, whatso they may be, I told thee not before, because I knew thee desirous of seeking adventures east-away, and knewthat my tales would not hinder thee. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and had not this goodly fellowship been, I had gonealone, or with any carle that I could have lightly hired. "

Clement laughed and said: "Fair sir, thou wouldst have failed ofhiring any one man to go with thee east-ward a many miles. For withless than a score of men well-armed the danger of death or captivity isover great, if ye ride the mountain ways unto Cheaping Knowe. Yea, andeven if a poor man who hath nothing, wend that way alone, he may wellfall among thieves, and be stolen himself body and bones, for lack ofanything better to steal. "

Hereat Ralph felt his heart rise, when he thought of battle and strife, and he made his horse to spring somewhat, and then he said: "It likethme well, dear friend, that I ride not with thee for naught, but that Imay earn my daily bread like another. "

"Yea, " said Clement, looking on him kindly, "I deem of all thy brethrenthou hast the biggest share of the blood of Red Robert, who first wonUpmeads. And now thou shalt know that this good town of Whitwall thatlieth behind us is the last of the lands we shall come to wherein folkcan any courtesy, or are ruled by the customs of the manor, or by duelawful Earls and Kings, or the laws of the Lineage or the Port, or haveany Guilds for their guiding, and helping. And though these folkswhereunto we shall come, are, some of them, Christian men by name, andhave amongst them priests and religious; yet are they wild men ofmanners, and many heathen customs abide amongst them; as swearing onthe altars of devils, and eating horse-flesh at the High-tides, andspell-raising more than enough, and such like things, even to thereddening of the doom-rings with the blood of men and of women, yea, and of babes: from such things their priests cannot withhold them. Asfor their towns that we shall come to, I say not but we shall findcrafts amongst them, and worthy good men therein, but they have littlemight against the tyrants who reign over the towns, and who are of nogreat kindred, nor of blood better than other folk, but merelymasterful and wise men who have gained their place by cunning and thehigh hand. Thou shalt see castles and fair strong-houses about thecountry-side, but the great men who dwell therein are not the naturalkindly lords of the land yielding service to Earls, Dukes, and Kings, and having under them vavassors and villeins, men of the manor; buttheir tillers and shepherds and workmen and servants be mere thralls, whom they may sell at any market, like their horses or oxen. Forsooththese great men have with them for the more part free men waged fortheir service, who will not hold their hands from aught that theirmaster biddeth, not staying to ask if it be lawful or unlawful. Andthat the more because whoso is a free man there, house and head must hehold on the tenure of bow and sword, and his life is like to be shortif he hath not sworn himself to the service of some tyrant of a castleor a town. "

"Yea, master Clement, " said Ralph, "these be no peaceful lands wheretothou art bringing us, or very pleasant to dwell in. "

"Little for peace, but much for profit, " said Clement; "for these landsbe fruitful of wine and oil and wheat, and neat and sheep; withalmetals and gems are dug up out of the mountains; and on the other hand, they make but little by craftsmanship, wherefore are they the eagererfor chaffer with us merchants; whereas also there are many of them wellable to pay for what they lack, if not in money, then in kind, which ina way is better. Yea, it is a goodly land for merchants. "

"But I am no merchant, " said Ralph. 

"So it is, " said Clement, "yet thou desireth something; and whither weare wending thou mayst hear tidings that shall please thee, or tidingsthat shall please me. To say sooth, these two may well be adverse toeach other, for I would not have thee hear so much of tidings as shalllead thee on, but rather I would have thee return with me, and notthrow thy young life away: for indeed I have an inkling of what thouseekest, and meseems that Death and the Devil shall be thyfaring-fellows. "

Ralph held his peace, and Clement said in a cheerfuller voice:"Moreover, there shall be strange and goodly things to see; and the menof these parts be mostly goodly of body, and the women goodlier yet, aswe carles deem. "

Ralph sighed, and answered not at once, but presently he said: "MasterClement, canst thou give me the order of our goings for these nextdays?" "Yea, certes, " said Clement. "In three days' time we shallcome to the entry of the mountains: two days thence we shall go withoutcoming under any roof save the naked heavens; the day thereafter shallwe come to the Mid-Mountain House, which is as it were an hostelry; butit was built and is upheld by the folks that dwell anigh, amongst whombe the folk of Cheaping Knowe; and that house is hallowed unto truce, and no man smiteth another therein; so that we oft come on the mountainstrong-thieves there, and there we be blithe together and feasttogether in good fellowship. But when there be foemen in that housetogether, each man or each fellowship departing, hath grace of an hourbefore his foeman follow. Such are the customs of that house, and noman breaketh them ever. But when we depart thence we shall ride allday and sleep amidst the mountains, and if we be not beset that nightor the morrow's morn thereof, safe and unfoughten shall we come toCheaping Knowe. Doth that suffice thee as at this time?" "Yea master, "quoth Ralph. 

So therewith their talk dropped, for the moment; but Clement talkedmuch with Ralph that day, and honoured him much, as did all thatcompany. 

CHAPTER 20

They Come to the Mid-Mountain Guest-House

On that night they slept in their tents which they had pitched on thefield of a little thorp beside a water; and there they had meat anddrink and all things as they needed them. And in likewise it befellthem the next day; but the third evening they set up their tents on alittle hillside by a road which led into a deep pass, even the entry ofthe mountains, a road which went betwixt exceeding high walls of rock. For the mountain sides went up steep from the plain. There they keptgood watch and ward, and naught befell them to tell of. 

The next morning they entered the pass, and rode through it up to theheaths, and rode all day by wild and stony ways and came at even to agrassy valley watered by a little stream, where they guested, watchingtheir camp well; and again none meddled with them. 

As they were departing the next morn Ralph asked of Clement if he yetlooked for onset from the waylayers. Said Clement: "It is most like, lord; for we be a rich prey, and it is but seldom that such a companyrideth this road. And albeit that the wild men know not to a day whenwe shall pass through their country, yet they know the time within afour and twenty hours or so. For we may not hide our journey from allmen's hearing; and when the ear heareth, the tongue waggeth. But artthou yet anxious concerning this matter, son?" "Yea, " said Ralph, "forI would fain look on these miscreants. "

"It is like that ye shall see them, " said Clement; "but I shall look onit as a token that they are about waylaying us if we come on none ofthem in the Mountain House. For they will be fearful lest theirpurpose leak out from unwary lips. " Ralph wondered how it would be, andwhat might come of it, and rode on, pondering much. 

The road was rough that day, and they went not above a foot-pace themore part of the time; and daylong they were going up and up, and itgrew cold as the sun got low; though it was yet summer. At last at thetop of a long stony ridge, which lay beneath a great spreadingmountain, on the crest whereof the snow lay in plenty, Ralph saw ahouse, long and low, builded of great stones, both walls and roof: atsight thereof the men of the fellowship shouted for joy, and hastenedon, and Clement spurred up the stony slopes all he might. But Ralphrode slowly, since he had naught to see to, save himself, so that hewas presently left alone. Now he looks aside, and sees somethingbright-hued lying under a big stone where the last rays of the sun justcaught some corner of it. So he goes thither, deeming that mayhappenone of the company had dropped something, pouch or clout, or what not, in his haste and hurry. He got off his horse to pick it up, and whenhe had laid hand on it found it to be a hands-breadth of fine greencloth embroidered with flowers. He held it in his hand a whilewondering where he could have seen such like stuff before, that itshould smite a pang into his heart, and suddenly called to mind thelittle hall at Bourton Abbas with the oaken benches and the rush-strewnfloor, and this same flower-broidered green cloth dancing about thenaked feet of a fair damsel, as she moved nimbly hither and thitherdighting him his bever. But his thought stayed not there, but carriedhim into the days when he was abiding in desire of the love that he wonat last, and lost so speedily. But as he stood pondering he heardClement shouting to him from the garth-gate of that house. So he leapton his horse and rode up the slope into the garth and lighted down byClement; who fell to chiding him for tarrying, and said: "There isperil in loitering outside this garth alone; for those Sons of the Ropeoften lurk hard by for what they may easily pick up, and they be briskand nimble lads. " "What ailed thee?" said Ralph. "I stayed to look ata flower which called Upmeads to my mind. "

"Yea lad, yea, " quoth Clement, "and art thou so soft as that? But comethou into the House; it is as I deemed it might be; besides theHouse-warden and his wife there is no soul therein. Thou shalt yetlook on Mick Hangman's sons, as thou desirest. "

So they went into the House, and men had all that they might need. Thewarden was an old hoar man, and his wife well-stricken in years; andafter supper was talk of this and that, and it fell much, as was liketo be, on those strong-thieves, and Clement asked the warden what hehad seen of them of late. 

The old carle answered: "Nay, master Clement, much according to wont:a few beeves driven into our garth; a pack or two brought into thehall; and whiles one or two of them come in hither with empty hands fora sleep and a bellyful; and again a captive led in on the road to themarket. Forsooth it is now a good few days ago three of them broughtin a woman as goodly as mine eyes have ever seen; and she sat on thebench yonder, and seemed to heed little that she was a captive and hadshackles on her feet after the custom of these men, though indeed herhands were unbound, so that she might eat her meat; and the carle thieftold me that he took her but a little way from the garth, and that shemade a stout defence with a sword before they might take her, but beingtaken, she made but little of it. "

"Would he do her any hurt?" said Ralph. "Nay, surely, " said the carle;"doth a man make a hole in a piece of cloth which he is taking tomarket? Nay, he was courteous to her after his fashion, and bade usgive her the best of all we had. "

"What like was she?" said Ralph. Said the carle: "She was somewhattall, if I am to note such matters, grey-eyed and brown haired, andgreat abundance of it. Her lips very red; her cheeks tanned with thesun, but in such wise that her own white and red shone through thesun's painting, so that her face was as sweet as the best wheat-ear ina ten-acre field when the season hath been good. Her hands were notlike those of a demoiselle who sitteth in a chamber to be looked at, but brown as of one who hath borne the sickle in the sun. But when shestretched out her hand so that the wrist of her came forth from hersleeve it was as white as milk. "

"Well, my man, " said the carline, "thou hast a good memory for an oldand outworn carle. Why dost thou not tell the young knight what shewas clad withal; since save for their raiment all women of an age aremuch alike?"

"Nay, do thou do it, " said the carle; "she was even as fair as I havesaid; so that there be few like her. "

Said the dame: "Well, there is naught so much to be said for herraiment: her gown was green, of fine cloth enough; but not very new:welts of needle-work it had on it, and a wreath of needle-work flowersround the hem of the skirt; but a cantle was torn off from it; in thescuffle when she was taken, I suppose, so that it was somewhat raggedin one place. Furthermore--"

She had been looking at Ralph as she spoke, and now she broke offsuddenly, and said, still looking at him hard; "Well, it is strange!""What is strange?" said Clement. "O naught, naught, " said the dame, "save that folk should make so much to do about this matter, when thereare so many coming and going about the Midhouse of the Mountains. "

But Ralph noted that she was still staring at him even after she hadlet the talk drop. 

Waned the even, and folk began to go bedward, so that the hall grewthin of guests. Then came up the carline to Ralph and took him asideinto a nook, and said to him: "Young knight, now will I tell thee whatseemed to me strange e'en now; to wit, that the captive damsel shouldbe bearing a necklace about her neck as like to thine as one lamb is toanother: but I thought thou mightest be liever that I spake it notopenly before all the other folk. So I held my peace. "

"Dame, " said he, "I thank thee: forsooth I fear sorely that thisdamsel is my sister; for ever we have worn the samelike pair of beads. And as for me I have come hither to find her, and evil will it be if Ifind her enthralled, and it may be past redemption. "

And therewith he gave her a piece of the gold money of Upmeads. 

"Yea, " said she, "poor youth; that will be sooth indeed, for thou artsomewhat like unto her, yet far goodlier. But I grieve for thee, andknow not what thou wilt do; whereas by this time most like she has beensold and bought and is dwelling in some lord's strong-house; sometyrant that needeth not money, and will not let his prey go for aprayer. Here, take thou thy gold again, for thou mayst well need it, and let me shear a lock of thy golden hair, and I shall be well apaidfor my keeping silence concerning thy love. For I deem that it is evenso, and that she is not thy sister, else hadst thou stayed at home, andprayed for her with book and priest and altar, and not gone seeking hera weary way. "

Ralph reddened but said naught, and let her put scizzors amongst hiscurly locks, and take what of them she would. And then he went to hisbed, and pondered these matters somewhat, and said to himself that itwas by this damsel's means that he should find the Well at the World'sEnd. Yet he said also, that, whether it were so or not, he was boundto seek her, and deliver her from thralldom, since he had kissed her sosweet and friendly, like a brother, for the sweetness and kindness ofher, before he had fallen into the love that had brought him such joyand such grief. And therewith he took out that piece of her gown fromhis pouch, and it seemed dear to him. But it made him think sadly ofwhat grief or pain she might even then be bearing, so that he longed todeliver her, and that longing was sweet to him. In such thoughts hefell asleep. 

CHAPTER 21

A Battle in the Mountains

When it was morning they arose early and ate a morsel; and Clement gavefreely to the Warden and his helpmate on behalf of the fellowship; andthen they saddled their nags, and did on the loads and departed; andthe way was evil otherwise, but it was down hill, and all waters raneast. 

All day they rode, and at even when the sun had not quite set, theypitched their camp at the foot of a round knoll amidst a valley wherewas water and grass; and looking down thence, they had a sight of thefruitful plain, wherein lay Cheaping Knowe all goodly blue in thedistance. 

This was a fair place and a lovely, and great ease would they have hadthere, were it not that they must keep watch and ward with more painsthan theretofore; for Clement deemed it as good as certain that thewild men would fall upon them that night. 

But all was peaceful the night through, and in the morning they gat tothe way speedily, riding with their armour on, and their bows bent: andthree of the men-at-arms rode ahead to espy the way. 

So it befell that they had not ridden two hours ere back came thefore-riders with the tidings that the pass next below them was thickwith the Strong-thieves. 

The fellowship were as then in such a place, that they were riding ahigh bare ridge, and could not be assailed to the advantage of thethieves if they abode where they were; whereas if they went forward, they must needs go down with the road into the dale that was beset bythe wild men. Now they were three-score and two all told, but of thesebut a score of men-at-arms besides Ralph, and Clement, who was a stoutfighter when need was. Of the others, some were but lads, and of theChapmen were three old men, and more than one blencher besides. However, all men were armed, and they had many bows, and some of thechapmen's knaves were fell archers. 

So they took counsel together, and to some it seemed better to abidethe onset on their vantage ground. But to Clement and the oldermen-at-arms this seemed of no avail. For though they could see theplain country down below, they would have no succour of it; and Clementbade them think how the night would come at last, and that the longerthey abode, the greater would be the gathering of the Strong-thieves;so that, all things considered, it were better to fall on at once andto try the adventure of the valley. And this after some talk theyyea-said all, save a few who held their skins so dear that their witswandered somewhat. 

So these timorous ones they bade guard the sumpter beasts and theirloads; and even so they did, and abode a little, while the men-at-armsand the bowmen went forward without more ado; and Ralph rode betwixtClement and the captain of the men-at-arms. 

Presently they were come close to the place where the way went downinto the valley, cleaving through a clayey bent, so that the slipperysides of the cleft went up high to right and left; wherefore by goodhapthere were no big stones anigh to roll down upon them. Moreover theway was short, and they rode six abreast down the pass and were soonthrough the hollow way. As he rode Ralph saw a few of theStrong-thieves at the nether end where the pass widened out, and theylet fly some arrows at the chapmen which did no hurt, though some ofthe shafts rattled on the armour of the companions. But when Clementsaw that folk, and heard the noise of their shouting he lifted up agreat axe that he bore and cried, "St. Agnes for the Mercers!" and setspurs to his horse. So did they all, and came clattering and shoutingdown the steep road like a stone out of a sling, and drave right intothe valley one and all, the would-be laggards following after; for theywere afraid to be left behind. 

The wild men, who, save for wide shields which they bore, were butevilly armed, mostly in skins of beasts, made no countenance ofdefence, but fled all they might towards the steep slopes of thevalley, and then turned and fell to shooting; for the companions durstnot pursue in haste lest they should be scattered, and overwhelmed bythe multitude of foemen; but they drew up along the south side of thevalley, and had the mastery of the road, so that this first bout waswithout blood-shedding. Albeit the thieves still shot in their weakbows from the hill-side, but scarce hurt a man. Then the bowmen of thefellowship fell to shooting at the wild men, while the men-at-armsbreathed their horses, and the sumpter-beasts were gathered togetherbehind them; for they had no dread of abiding there a while, whereasbehind them the ground was broken into a steep shaly cliff, bushed hereand there with tough bushes, so that no man could come up it save byclimbing with hand and knee, and that not easily. 

Now when the archers had shot a good while, and some of the thieves hadfallen before them, and men were in good heart because of the flight ofthe wild men, Ralph, seeing that these still hung about the slopes, cried out: "Master Clement, and thou Captain, sure it will be ill-doneto leave these men unbroken behind us, lest they follow us and hangabout our hindermost, slaying us both men and horses. "

"Even so, " quoth the captain, who was a man of few words, "let us go. But do thou, Clement, abide by the stuff with the lads and bowmen. "

Then he cried out aloud: "St. Christopher to aid!" and shook his rein, and all they who were clad in armour and well mounted spurred on withhim against the strong-thieves. But these, when they saw the onset ofthe horsemen, but drew a little up the hill-side and stood fast, andsome of the horses were hurt by their shot. So the captain bade drawrein and off horse, while Clement led his bowmen nigher, and they shotwell together, and hindered the thieves from closing round themen-at-arms, or falling on the horses. So then the companions wentforward stoutly on foot, and entered into the battle of the thieves, and there was the thrusting and the hewing great: for the foemen boreaxes, and malls, and spears, and were little afraid, having thevantage-ground; and they were lithe and strong men, though not tall. 

Ralph played manfully, and was hurt by a spear above the knee, but notgrievously; so he heeded it not, but cleared a space all about him withgreat strokes of the Upmeads' blade; then as the wild men gave backthere was one of them who stood his ground and let drive a stroke of along-handled hammer at him, but Ralph ran in under the stroke andcaught him by the throat and drew him out of the press. And eventherewith the wild men broke up before the onset of the all-armedcarles, and fled up the hill, and the men-at-arms followed them but alittle, for their armour made them unspeedy; so that they took no moreof those men, though they slew some, but turned about and gatheredround Ralph and made merry over his catch, for they were joyous withthe happy end of battle; and Clement, who had left his bowmen when theCompanions were mingled with the wild-men, was there amidst the nighest. 

Said Ralph to him: "Well, have I got me a servant and thrall goodcheap?" "Yea, " said Clement, "if thou deem a polecat a likely hound. "Said the Captain: "Put thy sword through him, knight. " Quoth another:"Let him run up hill, and our bowmen shall shoot a match at him. "

"Nay, " said Ralph, "they have done well with their shooting, let themrest. As to my thrusting my sword through the man, Captain, I had donethat before, had I been so minded. At any rate, I will ask him if hewill serve me truly. Otherwise he seemeth a strong carle and a handy. How sayest thou, lad, did I take thee fairly?" "Yea, " said the man, "thou art a strong lad. "

He seemed to fear the swords about him but little, and forsooth he wasa warrior-like man, and not ill-looking. He was of middle height, strong and well-knit, with black hair like a beast's mane forshagginess, and bright blue eyes. He was clad in a short coat of greyhomespun, with an ox-skin habergeon laced up over it; he had neitherhelm nor hat, nor shoes, but hosen made of a woollen clout tied abouthis legs; his shield of wood and ox-hide lay on the ground a few pacesoff, and his hammer beside it, which he had dropped when Ralph firsthandled him, but a great ugly knife was still girt to him. 

Now Ralph saith to him: "Which wilt thou--be slain, or serve me?" Saidthe carle, grinning, yet not foully: "Guess if I would not ratherserve thee!" "Wilt thou serve me truly?" said Ralph. "Why not?" quoththe carle: "yet I warn thee that if thou beat me, save in hot blood, Ishall put a knife into thee when I may. "

"O, " said one, "thrust him through now at once, lord Ralph. " "Nay, Iwill not, " said Ralph; "he hath warned me fairly. Maybe he will serveme truly. Master Clement, wilt thou lend me a horse for my man toride?" "Yea, " said Clement; "yet I misdoubt me of thy new squire. "Then he turned to the men-at-arms and said: "No tarrying, my masters!To horse and away before they gather gain!"

So they mounted and rode away from that valley of the pass, and Ralphmade his man ride beside him. But the man said to him, as soon as theywere riding: "Take note that I will not fight against my kindred. ""None biddeth thee so, " said Ralph; "but do thou take heed that if thoufight against us I will slay thee outright. " Said the man: "A fairbargain!" "Well, " said Ralph, "I will have thy knife of thee, lest ittempt thee, as is the wont of cold iron, and a maiden's body. " "Nay, master, " quoth the man, "leave me my knife, as thou art a good fellow. In two hours time we shall be past all peril of my people, and when wecome down below I will slay thee as many as thou wilt, so it be out ofthe kindred. Forsooth down there evil they be, and unkinsome. "

"So be it, lad, " said Ralph, laughing, "keep thy knife; but hang thisword of mine thereon, that if thou slay any man of this fellowship saveme, I will rather flay thee alive than slay thee. " Quoth the carle:"That is the bargain, then, and I yeasay it. " "Good, " said Ralph; "nowtell me thy name. " "Bull Shockhead, " said the carle. 

But now the fellowship took to riding so fast down the slopes of themountains on a far better road, that talking together was not easy. They kept good watch, both behind and ahead, nor were they set uponagain, though whiles they saw clumps of men on the hill-sides. 

So after a while, when it was a little past noon, they came adown tothe lower slopes of the mountains and the foot-hills, which were greenand unstony; and thereon were to be seen cattle and neatherds andshepherds, and here and there the garth of a homestead, and fencedacres about it. 

So now that they were come down into the peopled parts, they displayedthe banners of their fellowships, to wit, the Agnes, the White Fleece, the Christopher, and the Ship and Nicholas, which last was the bannerof the Faring-knights of Whitwall; but Ralph was glad to ride under thebanner of St. Nicholas, his friend, and deemed that luck might therather come to him thereby. But they displayed their banners now, because they knew that no man of the peopled parts would be so hardy asto fall upon the Chapmen, of whom they looked to have many matters fortheir use and pleasure. 

So now that they felt themselves safe, they stayed them, and sat downby a fair little stream, and ate their dinner of such meat and drink asthey had; and Ralph departed his share with his thrall, and the man washungry and ate well; so that Clement said mockingly: "Thou feedest thythrall over well, lord, even for a king's son: is it so that thou artminded to fatten him and eat him?" Then some of the others took up thejest, and bade the carle refrain him of the meat, so that he might notfatten, and might live the longer. He hearkened to them, and knit hisbrows and looked fiercely from one to the other. But Ralph laughedaloud, and shook his finger at him and refrained him, and his wrath ranoff him and he laughed, and shoved the victual into him doughtily, andsighed for pleasure when he had made an end and drunk a draught of wine. 

CHAPTER 22

Ralph Talks With Bull Shockhead

When they rode on again, Ralph rode beside Bull, who was merry andblithe now he was full of meat and drink; and he spake anon: "So thouart a king's son, master? I deemed from the first that thou wert oflineage. For as for these churls of chapmen, and the sworders whomthey wage, they know not the name of their mother's mother, nor haveheard one word of the beginner of their kindred; and their deeds arelike unto their kinlessness. "

"And are thy deeds so good?" said Ralph. "Are they ill, " said Bull, "when they are done against the foemen?" Said Ralph: "And are all menyour foemen who pass through these mountains?" "All, " said Bull, "butthey be of the kindred or their known friends. "

"Well, Bull, " said Ralph, "I like thy deeds little, that thou shouldestravish men and women from their good life, and sell them for a priceinto toil and weariness and stripes. "

Said Bull: "How much worse do we than the chapmen by his debtor, andthe lord of the manor by his villein?" Said Ralph: "Far worse, if yedid but know it, poor men!" Quoth Bull: "But I neither know it, norcan know it, nay, not when thou sayest it; for it is not so. And lookyou, master, this life of a bought thrall is not such an exceeding evillife; for oft they be dealt with softly and friendly, and have otherthralls to work for them under their whips. "

Ralph laughed: "Which shall I make thee, friend Bull, the upper or theunder?" Bull reddened, but said naught. Said Ralph: "Or where shall Isell thee, that I may make the best penny out of my good luck andvaliancy?" Bull looked chopfallen: "Nay, " said he in a wheedlingvoice, "thou wilt not sell me, thou? For I deem that thou wilt be agood master to me: and, " he broke into sudden heat hereat, "if I haveanother master I shall surely slay him whate'er betide. "

Ralph laughed again, and said: "Seest thou what an evil craft yefollow, when thou deemest it better to be slain with bitter torments(as thou shouldest be if thou slewest thy master) than to be sold toany master save one exceeding good?"

Bull held his peace hereat, but presently he said: "Well, be our craftgood or evil, it is gainful; and whiles there is prey taken right good, which, for my part, I would not sell, once I had my hand thereon. ""Yea, women?" said Ralph. "Even so, " said Bull, "such an one was takenby my kinsman Bull Nosy but a little while agone, whom he took down tothe market at Cheaping Knowe, as I had not done if I had once my armsabout her. For she was as fair as a flower; and yet so well built, that she could bear as much as a strong man in some ways; and, saithNosy, when she was taken, there was no weeping or screeching in her, but patience rather and quietness, and intent to bear all andlive. . . . Master, may I ask thee a question?" "Ask on, " said Ralph. Said Bull: "The pair of beads about thy neck, whence came they?" "Theywere the gift of a dear friend, " said Ralph. "A woman?" quoth Bull. "Yea, " said Ralph. 

"Now is this strange, " said Bull, "and I wot not what it may betoken, but this same woman had about her neck a pair of beads as like to thineas if they had been the very same: did this woman give thee the beads?For I will say this of thee, master, that thou art well nigh as likelya man as she is a woman. "

Ralph sighed, for this talk of the woman and the beads brought all thestory into his mind, so that it was as if he saw it adoing again: theLady of the Wildwood led along to death before he delivered her, andtheir flight together from the Water of the Oak, and that murder of herin the desert. And betwixt the diverse deeds of the day this had oflate become somewhat dim to him. Yet after his grief came joy thatthis man also had seen the damsel, whom his dream of the night hadcalled Dorothea, and that he knew of her captors; wherefore by hismeans he might come on her and deliver her. 

Now he spake aloud: "Nay, it was not she that gave them to me, but yetwere I fain to find this woman that thou sawest; for I look to meet afriend whenas I meet her. So tell me, dost thou think that I maycheapen her of thy kinsman?"

Bull shook his head, and said: "It may be: or it may be that he hathalready sold her to one who heedeth not treasure so much as fair flesh;and fair is hers beyond most. But, lord, I will do my best to find herfor thee; as thou art a king's son and no ill master, I deem. "

"Do that, " quoth Ralph, "and I in turn will do what more I may for theebesides making thee free. " And therewith he rode forward that he mightget out of earshot, for Bull's tongue seemed like to be long. Andpresently he heard laughter behind him, as the carle began jesting andtalking with the chapman lads. 

CHAPTER 23

Of the Town of Cheaping Knowe

Now when it was evening they pitched their camp down in the plainfields amidst tall elmtrees, and had their banners still flying overthe tents to warn all comers of what they were. But the next morningthe chapmen and their folk were up betimes to rummage their loads, andto array their wares for the market; and they gat not to the roadbefore mid-morning. Meantime of their riding Ralph had more talk withBull, who said to him: "Fair lord, I rede thee when thou art in themarket of Cheaping Knowe, bid master Clement bring thee to thethrall-merchant, and trust me that if such a fair image as that we werespeaking of hath passed through his hands within these three months, hewill remember it; and then thou shalt have at least some tale of whathath befallen her but a little while ago. "

That seemed good rede to Ralph, and when they went on their way he rodebeside Clement, and asked him many things concerning Cheaping Knowe;and at last about the thrall-market therein. And Clement said that, though he dealt not in such wares, he had often seen them sold, andknew the master of that market. And when Ralph asked if the saidmaster would answer questions concerning the selling of men and ofwomen, Clement smiled and said: "Yea, yea, he will answer; for as helives by selling thralls, and every time a thrall is sold by him hemaketh some gain by it, it is to his profit that they change masters asoften as may be; and when thou askest of the woman whom thou artseeking, he will be deeming that there will be some new chaffer ahead. I will bring thee to him, and thou shalt ask him of what thou wilt, andbelike he will tell thee quietly over the wine-cup. "

Therewith was Ralph well content, and he grew eager to enter into thetown. 

They came to the gates a little before sunset, after they had passedthrough much fair country; but nigh to the walls it was bare of treesand thickets, whereas, said Clement, they had been cut down lest theyshould serve as cover to strong-thieves or folk assailing the town. The walls were strong and tall, and a great castle stood high up on ahill, about which the town was builded; so that if the town were takenthere would yet be another town within it to be taken also. But thetown within, save for the said castle, was scarce so fairly builded asthe worst of the towns which Ralph had seen erst, though there were amany houses therein. 

Much people was gathered about the gate to see the merchants enter withbanners displayed; and Ralph deemed many of the folk fair, such as weregoodly clad; for many had but foul clouts to cover their nakedness, andseemed needy and hunger-pinched. Withal there were many warriorsamongst the throng, and most of these bore a token on their sleeves, towit, a sword reddened with blood. And Clement, speaking softly inRalph's ear, did him to wit that this was the token of the lord who hadgotten the castle in those days, and was tyrant of the town; and howthat he had so many men-at-arms ready to do his bidding that none inthe town was safe from him if he deemed it more for his pleasure andprofit to rob or maim, or torment or slay, than to suffer them to livepeaceably. "But with us chapmen, " said Clement, "he will not meddle, lest there be an end of chaffer in the town; and verily the market isgood. "

Thus they rode through the streets into the market place, which waswide and great, and the best houses of the town were therein, and socame to the hostel of the Merchants, called the Fleece, which was a bighouse, and goodly enough. 

The next morning Clement and the other chapmen went up into the Castle, bearing with them gifts out of their wares for the lord, and Clementbade Ralph keep close till he came back, and especially to keep hiswar-caught thrall, Bull Shockhead, safe at home, lest he be taken fromhim, and to clothe him in the guise of the chapman lads, and to dockhis hair; and even so Ralph did, though Bull were loath thereto. 

About noon the chapmen came back again well pleased; and Clement gaveRalph a parchment from the lord, which bade all men help and let passRalph of Upmeads, as a sergeant of the chapmen's guard, and said withalthat now he was free to go about the town if he listed, so that he wereback at the hostel of the Fleece by nightfall. 

So Ralph went in company with some of the sergeants and others, andlooked at this and that about the town without hindrance, save that theguard would not suffer them to pass further than the bailey of theCastle. And for the said bailey, forsooth, they had but littlestomach; for they saw thence, on the slopes of the Castle-hill, tokensof the cruel justice of the said lord; for there were men and womenthere, yea, and babes also, hanging on gibbets and thrust through withsharp pales, and when they asked of folk why these had suffered, theybut looked at them as if astonished, and passed on without a word. 

So they went thence, and found the master-church, and deemed it notmuch fairer than it was great; and it was nowise great, albeit it wasstrange and uncouth of fashion. 

Then they came to great gardens within the town, and they wereexceeding goodly, and had trees and flowers and fruits in them whichRalph had not seen hitherto, as lemons, and oranges, and pomegranates;and the waters were running through them in runnels of ashlar; and theweather was fair and hot; so they rested in those gardens till it wasevening, and then gat them home to Fleece, where they had goodentertainment. 

CHAPTER 24

Ralph Heareth More Tidings of the Damsel

The second day, while the merchants saw to their chaffer, most of themen-at-arms, and Ralph with them, spent their time again in thosegoodly gardens; where, indeed, some of them made friends of fair womenof the place; in which there was less risk than had been for aliens insome towns, whereas at Cheaping Knowe such women as were weddedaccording to law, or damsels in the care of their kindred, or slaveswho were concubines, had not dared so much as to look on a man. 

The third day time hung somewhat heavy on Ralph's hands, not but thatthe Companions were well at ease, but rather because himseemed that hewas not stirring in the quest. 

But the next day Clement bade him come see that thrall-merchantaforesaid, and brought him to a corner of the market-place, where was athrong looking on at the cheaping. They went through the throng, andbeside a stone like a leaping-on stone saw a tall man, goodly ofpresence, black bearded, clad in scarlet; and this was the merchant;and by him were two of his knaves and certain weaponed men who hadbrought their wares to the cheaping. And some of these were arrayedlike those foemen of the mountains. There was a half score and threeof these chattels to be sold, who stood up one after other on thestone, that folk might cheapen them. The cheaping was long about, because they that had a mind to buy were careful to know what they werebuying, like as if they had been cheapening a horse, and most of thembefore they bid their highest had the chattels away into the merchant'sbooth to strip them, lest they should buy damaged or unhandsome bodies;and this more especially if it were a woman, for the men were alreadywell nigh naked. Of women four of them were young and goodly, andRalph looked at them closely; but they were naught like to the woman ofhis quest. 

Now this cheaping irked Ralph sorely, as was like to be, whereas, ashath been told, he came from a land where were no thralls, none butvavassors and good yeomen: yet he abode till all was done, hanselpaid, and the thralls led off by their new masters. Then Clement ledhim up to the merchant, to whom he gave the sele of the day, and said:"Master, this is the young knight of whom I told thee, who deemeth thata woman who is his friend hath been brought to this market and soldthere, and if he might, he would ransom her. "

The merchant greeted Ralph courteously, and bade him and Clement comeinto his house, where they might speak more privily. So did they, andhe treated them with honour, and set wine and spices before them, andbade Ralph say whatlike the woman was. Ralph did so, and wondered athimself how well and closely he could tell of her, like as a picturepainted. And, moreover, he drew forth that piece of her gown which hehad come on by the Mid-Mountain House. 

So when he had done, the merchant, who was a man sober of aspect andsomewhat slow of speech, said: "Sir, I believe surely that I have seenthis damsel, but she is not with me now, nor have I sold her ever; buthither was she brought to be sold by a man of the mountain folk notvery many days ago. And the man's name was Bull Nosy, or the longnosedman of the kindred of the Bull, for in such wise are named the men ofthat unhappy folk. Now this was the cause why I might not sell her, that she was so proud and stout that men feared her, what she might doif they had her away. And when some spake to see her body naked, shedenied it utterly, saying that she would do a mischief to whomsoevertried it. So I spake to him who owned her, and asked him if he thoughtit good to take her a while and quell her with such pains as wouldspoil her but little, and then bring her to market when she was meeker. But he heeded my words little, and led her away, she riding on a horseand he going afoot beside her; for the mountain-men be no horsemen. "

Said Ralph: "Dost thou know at all whither he will have led her?" Saidthe merchant: "By my deeming, he will have gone first of all to thetown of Whiteness, whither thy Fellowship will betake them ere long:for he will be minded to meet there the Lord of Utterbol, who is forsuch like wares; and he will either give her to him as a gift, forwhich he will have a gift in return, or he will sell her to my lord ata price if he dare to chaffer with him. At least so will he do if hebe wise. Now if the said lord hath her, it will be somewhat more thanhard for thee to get her again, till he have altogether done with her;for money and goods are naught to him beside the doing of his will. But there is this for thy comfort, that whereas she is so fair a woman, she will be well with my lord. For I warrant me that she will not dareto be proud with him, as she was with the folk here. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and what is this lord of Utterbol that all folk, men and women, fear him so?" Said the merchant: "Fair sir, thou mustpardon me if I say no more of him. Belike thou mayst fall in with him;and if thou dost, take heed that thou make not thyself great with him. "

So Ralph thanked the merchant and departed with Clement, of whompresently he asked if he knew aught of this lord of Utterbol. SaidClement: "God forbid that I should ever meet him, save where I weremany and he few. I have never seen him; but he is deemed by all men asthe worst of the tyrants who vex these lands, and, maybe, themightiest. "

So was Ralph sore at heart for the damsel, and anon he spake to Bullagain of her, who deemed somewhat, that his kinsman had been minded atthe first to sell her to the lord of Utterbol. And Ralph thinks hisgame a hard one, yet deems that if he could but find out where thedamsel was, he might deliver her, what by sleight, what by boldness. 

CHAPTER 25

The Fellowship Comes to Whiteness

Two days thereafter the chapmen having done with their matters inCheaping Knowe, whereas they must needs keep some of their wares forother places, and especially for Goldburg, they dight them to be goneand rode out a-gates of a mid-morning with banners displayed. 

It was some fifty miles thence to Whiteness, which lay close underneaththe mountains, and was, as it were, the door of the passes whereby menrode to Goldburg. The land which they passed through was fair, both oftillage and pasture, with much cattle therein. Everywhere they saw menand women working afield, but no houses of worthy yeomen or vavassors, or cots of good husbandmen. Here and there was a castle orstrong-house, and here and there long rows of ugly hovels, or whileshouses, big tall and long, but exceeding foul and ill-favoured, such asRalph had not yet seen the like of. And when he asked of Clementconcerning all this, he said: "It is as I have told thee, that here beno freemen who work afield, nay, nor villeins either. All those whomye have seen working have been bought and sold like to those whom wesaw standing on the Stone in the market of Cheaping Knowe, or else wereborn of such cattle, and each one of them can be bought and sold again, and they work not save under the whip. And as for those hovels and thelong and foul houses, they are the stables wherein this kind of cattleis harboured. "

Then Ralph's heart sank, and he said: "Master Clement, I prithee tellme; were it possible that the damsel whom I seek may be come to such apass as one of these?" "Nay, " quoth Clement, "that is little like tobe; such goodly wares are kept for the adornment of great men's houses. True it is that whiles the house-thralls be sent into the fields fortheir punishment; yet not such as she, unless the master be whollywearied of them, or if their wrath outrun their wits; for it is more tothe master's profit to chastise them at home; so keep a good heart Ibid thee, and maybe we shall have tidings at Whiteness. "

So Ralph refrained his anxious heart, though forsooth his thought wasmuch upon the damsel and of how she was faring. 

It was not till the third day at sunset that they came to Whiteness;for on the last day of their riding they came amongst the confusedhills that lay before the great mountains, which were now often hiddenfrom their sight; but whenever they appeared through the openings ofthe near hills, they seemed very great and terrible; dark and bare andstony; and Clement said that they were little better than they lookedfrom afar. As to Whiteness, they saw it a long way off, as it lay on along ridge at the end of a valley: and so long was the ridge, thatbehind it was nothing green; naught but the huge and bare mountains. The westering sun fell upon its walls and its houses, so that it lookedwhite indeed against those great cliffs and crags; though, saidClement, that these were yet a good way off. Now when, after a longride from the hither end of the valley, they drew nigh to the town, Ralph saw that the walls and towers were not very high or strong, forso steep was the hill whereon the town stood, that it needed not. Herealso was no great castle within the town as at Cheaping Knowe, and thetown itself nothing so big, but long and straggling along the top ofthe ridge. Cheaping Knowe was all builded of stone; but the houseshere were of timber for the most part, done over with pargeting andwhitened well. Yet was the town more cheerful of aspect than CheapingKnowe, and the folk who came thronging about the chapmen at the gatesnot so woe-begone, and goodly enough. 

Of the lord of Whiteness, Clement told that he paid tribute to him ofCheaping Knowe, rather for love of peace than for fear of him; for hewas no ill lord, and free men lived well under him. 

So the chapmen lodged in the market-place; and in two days time Ralphgot speech of the Deacon of the Chapmen of the Town; who told him twomatters; first that the lord of Utterbol had not been in Whitenessthese six months; and next that the wild man had verily brought thedamsel into the market; but he had turned away thence suddenly withher, without bringing her to the stone, and that it was most like thathe would have the lord of Utterbol buy her; who, since he would bedeeming that he might easily bend her to his will, would give him thebetter penny for her. "At the last, " quoth the Deacon, "the wild manled her away toward the mountain pass that goeth to Goldburg, thedamsel and he alone, and she with her hands unbound and riding a littlehorse. " Of these tidings Ralph deemed it good that all traces of herwere not lost; but his heart misgave him when he thought that by thistime she must surely be in the hands of the lord of Utterbol. 

CHAPTER 26

They Ride the Mountains Toward Goldburg

Five days the Fellowship abode at Whiteness, and or ever they departedClement waged men-at-arms of the lord of the town, besides servants tolook to the beasts amongst the mountains, so that what with one, whatwith another, they entered the gates of the mountains a goodly companyof four score and ten. 

Ralph asked of Bull if any of those whom he might meet in thesemountains were of his kindred; and he answered, nay, unless perchancethere might be some one or two going their peaceful errands there likeBull Nosy. So Ralph armed him with a good sword and a shield, andwould have given him a steel hood also, but he would not bear it, saying that if sword and shield could not keep his head he had wellearned a split skull. 

Seven days they rode the mountains, and the way was toilsome and wearyenough, for it was naught but a stony maze of the rocks where nothingliving dwelt, and nothing grew, save now and again a little dwarfwillow. Yet was there naught worse to meet save toil, because theywere over strong for the wild men to meddle with them, whereas thekindreds thereabout were but feeble. 

But as it drew towards evening on the seventh day Ralph had ridden alittle ahead with Bull alone, if he might perchance have a sight of theending of this grievous wilderness, as Clement said might be, since nowthe way was down-hill, and all waters ran east. So as they rode, andit was about sunset, they saw something lying by a big stone under acliff; so they drew nigh, and saw a man lying on his back, and theydeemed he was dead. So Bull went up to him, and leapt off his horseclose by him and bent over him, but straightway cast up his arms andset up a long wailing whoop, and then another and another, so that theythat were behind heard it and came up upon the spur. But Ralph leaptfrom his horse, and ran up to Bull and said: "What aileth thee to whoopand wail? Who is it?" But Bull turned about and shook his head athim, and said: "It is a man of my kindred, even he that was leadingaway thy she-friend; and belike she it was that slew him, or why is shenot here: Ochone! ahoo! ahoo!" Therewith fire ran through Ralph'sheart, and he bethought him of that other murder in the wilderness, andhe fell to wringing his hands, and cried out: "Ah, and where is she, where is she? Is she also taken away from me for ever? O me unhappy!"

And he drew his sword therewith, and ran about amongst the rocks andthe bushes seeking her body. 

And therewith came up Clement, and others of the company, and wonderedto see Bull kneeling down by the corpse, and to hear him crying out andwailing, and Ralph running about like one mad, and crying out now: "Oh!that I might find her! Mayhappen she is alive yet, and anigh here insome cleft of the rocks in this miserable wilderness. O my love thathast lain in mine arms, wouldst thou not have me find her alive? Butif she be dead, then will I slay myself, for as young as I am, that Imay find thee and her out of the world, since from the world both yeare gone. "

Then Clement went up to Ralph, and would have a true tale out of him, and asked him what was amiss; but Ralph stared wild at him and answerednot. But Bull cried out from where he knelt: "He is seeking thewoman, and I would that he could find her; for then would I slay her onthe howe of my kinsman: for she hath slain him; she hath slain him. "

That word heard Ralph, and he ran at Bull with uplifted sword to slayhim; but Clement tripped him and he fell, and his sword flew out of hishand. Then Clement and two of the others bound his hands with theirgirdles, till they might know what had befallen; for they deemed that adevil had entered into him, and feared that he would do a mischief tohimself or some other. 

And now was the whole Fellowship assembled, and stood in a ring roundabout Ralph and Bull, and the dead man; as for him, he had been deadsome time, many days belike; but in that high and clear cold air, hiscarcase, whistled by the wind, had dried rather than rotted, and hisface was clear to be seen with its great hooked nose and long blackhair: and his skull was cloven. 

Now Bull had done his wailing for his kinsman, and he seemed to wake upas from a dream, and looked about the ring of men and spake: "Here isa great to do, my masters! What will ye with me? Have ye heard, or isit your custom, that when a man cometh on the dead corpse of hisbrother, his own mother's son, he turneth it over with his foot, as ifit were the carcase of a dog, and so goeth on his way? This I ask, that albeit I be but a war-taken thrall, I be suffered to lay mybrother in earth and heap a howe over him in these mountains. "

They all murmured a yeasay to this save Ralph. He had been sobered byhis fall, and was standing up now betwixt Clement and the captain, whohad unbound his hands, now that the others had come up; he hung hishead, and was ashamed of his fury by seeming. But when Bull hadspoken, and the others had answered, Ralph said to Bull, wrathfullystill, but like a man in his wits: "Why didst thou say that thouwouldest slay her?" "Hast thou found her?" said Bull. "Nay, " quothRalph, sullenly. "Well, then, " said Bull, "when thou dost find her, wewill speak of it. " Said Ralph: "Why didst thou say that she hath slainhim?" "I was put out of my wits by the sight of him dead, " said Bull;"But now I say mayhappen she hath slain him. "

"And mayhappen not, " said Clement; "look here to the cleaving of hisskull right through this iron headpiece, which he will have bought atCheaping Knowe (for I have seen suchlike in the armourers' booththere): it must have taken a strong man to do this. "

"Yea, " quoth the captain, "and a big sword to boot: this is the strokeof a strong man wielding a good weapon. "

Said Bull: "Well, and will my master bid me forego vengeance for mybrother's slaying, or that I bear him to purse? Then let him slay menow, for I am his thrall. " Said Ralph: "Thou shalt do as thou wiltherein, and I also will do as I will. For if she slew him, the takingof her captive should be set against the slaying. " "That is butright, " said the captain; "but Sir Ralph, I bid thee take the word ofan old man-at-arms for it, that she slew him not; neither she, nor anyother woman. "

Said Clement: "Well, let all this be. But tell me, lord Ralph, whatthou wouldst do, since now thou art come to thyself again?" Said Ralph:"I would seek the wilderness hereabout, if perchance the damsel bethrust into some cleft or cavern, alive or dead. "

"Well, " said Clement, "this is my rede. Since Bull Shockhead wouldbury his brother, and lord Ralph would seek the damsel, and whereasthere is water anigh, and the sun is well nigh set, let us pitch ourtents and abide here till morning, and let night bring counsel untosome of us. How say ye, fellows?"

None naysaid it, and they fell to pitching the tents, and lighting thecooking-fires; but Bull at once betook him to digging a grave for hisbrother, whilst Ralph with the captain and four others went and soughtall about the place, and looked into all clefts of rocks, and found notthe maiden, nor any token of her. They were long about it, and whenthey were come back again, and it was night, though the moon shone out, there was Bull Shockhead standing by the howe of his brother Bull Nosy, which was heaped up high over the place where they had found him. 

So when Bull saw him, he turned to him and said: "King's son, I havedone what needs was for this present. Now, wilt thou slay me for myfault, or shall I be thy man again, and serve thee truly unless theblood feud come between us?" Said Ralph: "Thou shalt serve me truly, and help me to find him who hath slain thy brother, and carried off thedamsel; for even thus it hath been done meseemeth, since about here wehave seen no signs of her alive or dead. But to-morrow we shall seekwider ere I ride on my way. " "Yea, " said Bull, "and I will be one inthe search. "

So then they gat them to their sleeping-berths, and Ralph, contrary tohis wont, lay long awake, pondering these things; till at last he saidto himself that this woman, whom he called Dorothea, was certainlyalive, and wotted that he was seeking her. And then it seemed to himthat he could behold her through the darkness of night, clad in thegreen flowered gown as he had first seen her, and she bewailing hercaptivity and the long tarrying of the deliverer as she went to and froin a great chamber builded of marble and done about with gold andbright colours: and or ever he slept, he deemed this to be a vision ofwhat then was, rather than a memory of what had been; and it was sweetto his very soul. 

CHAPTER 27

Clement Tells of Goldburg

Now when it was morning he rose early and roused Bull and the captain, and they searched in divers places where they had not been the nightbefore, and even a good way back about the road they had riddenyesterday, but found no tidings. And Ralph said to himself that thiswas naught but what he had looked for after that vision of the night. 

So he rode with his fellows somewhat shamefaced that they had seen thatsudden madness in him; but was presently of better cheer than he hadbeen yet. He rode beside Clement; they went downhill speedily, and thewilderness began to better, and there was grass at whiles, and busheshere and there. A little after noon they came out of a pass cleft deepthrough the rocks by a swift stream which had once been far greaterthan then, and climbed up a steep ridge that lay across the road, andlooking down from the top of it, beheld the open country again. Butthis was otherwise from what they had beheld from the mountain's browabove Cheaping Knowe. For thence the mountains beyond Whiteness, eventhose that they had just ridden, were clear to be seen like the wall ofthe plain country. But here, looking adown, the land below them seemedbut a great spreading plain with no hills rising from it, save that faraway they could see a certain break in it, and amidst that, somethingthat was brighter than the face of the land elsewhere. Clement toldRalph that this was Goldburg and that it was built on a gathering ofhills, not great, but going up steep from the plain. And the plain, said he, was not so wholly flat and even as it looked from up there, but swelled at whiles into downs and low hills. He told him thatGoldburg was an exceeding fair town to behold; that the lord who hadbuilt it had brought from over the mountains masons and wood-wrightsand artificers of all kinds, that they might make it as fair as mightbe, and that he spared on it neither wealth nor toil nor pains. For insooth he deemed that he should find the Well at the World's End, anddrink thereof, and live long and young and fair past all record;therefore had he builded this city, to be the house and home of hislong-enduring joyance. 

Now some said that he had found the Well, and drank thereof; othersnaysaid that; but all deemed that they knew how that Goldburg was notdone building ere that lord was slain in a tumult, and that what wasthen undone was cobbled up after the uncomely fashion of the townsthereabout. 

Clement said moreover that, this happy lord dead, things had not goneso well there as had been looked for. Forsooth it had been that lord'swill and meaning that all folks in Goldburg should thrive, both thosewho wrought and those for whom they wrought. But it went not so, butthere were many poor folk there, and few wealthy. 

Again said Clement that though the tillers and toilers of Goldburg werenot for the most part mere thralls and chattels, as in the lands beyondthe mountains behind them, yet were they little more thriving for thatcause; whereas they belonged not to a master, who must at worst feedthem, and to no manor, whose acres they might till for theirlivelihood, and on whose pastures they might feed their cattle; nor hadthey any to help or sustain them against the oppressor and the violentman; so that they toiled and swinked and died with none heeding them, save they that had the work of their hands good cheap; and theyforsooth heeded them less than their draught beasts whom they mustneeds buy with money, and whose bellies they must needs fill; whereasthese poor wretches were slaves without a price, and if one diedanother took his place on the chance that thereby he might escapepresent death by hunger, for there was a great many of them. 

CHAPTER 28

Now They Come to Goldburg

That night they slept yet amongst the mountains, or rather in the firstof the hill country at their feet; but on the morrow they rode downinto the lowlands, and thereby lost all sight of Goldburg, and it wasyet afar off, so that they rode four days through lands well-tilled, but for the most part ill-housed, a country of little hills and hollowsand rising grounds, before they came in sight of it again heaving uphuge and bright under the sun. It was built partly on three hills, thebuttresses of a long ridge which turned a wide river, and on the ridgeitself, and partly on the flat shore of the river, on either side, hillward and plainward: but a great white wall girt it all about, whichwent right over the river as a bridge, and on the plain side it wasexceeding high, so that its battlements might be somewhat evened withthose of the hill-wall above. So that as they came up to the placethey saw little of the town because of the enormity of the wall; scarceaught save a spire or a tall towering roof here and there. 

So when they were come anigh the gate, they displayed their banners androde right up to it; and people thronged the walls to see their riding. One by one they passed through the wicket of the gate: which gateitself was verily huge beyond measure, all built of greatashlar-stones; and when they were within, it was like a hall somewhatlong and exceeding high, most fairly vaulted; midmost of the said hallthey rode through a noble arch on their right hand, and lo another hallexceeding long, but lower than the first, with many glazen windows setin its townward wall; and when they looked through these, they saw theriver running underneath; for this was naught but the lower bridge ofthe city and they learned afterwards and saw, that above the vault ofthis long bridge rose up the castle, chamber on chamber, till itsbattlements were level with the highest towers of the wall on the hilltop. 

Thus they passed the bridge, and turning to the left at its ending, came into the Water-Street of Goldburg, where the river, with widequays on either side thereof, ran betwixt the houses. As for these, beneath the dwellings went a fair arched passage like to the ambulatoryof an abbey; and every house all along this street was a palace for itsgoodliness. The houses were built of white stones and red and grey;with shapely pillars to the cloister, and all about carvings of imageryand knots of flowers; goodly were the windows and all glazed, as fairas might be. On the river were great barges, and other craft such aswere not sea-goers, river-ships that might get them through the bridgesand furnished with masts that might be lowered and shipped. 

Much people was gathered to see the chapmen enter, yet scarce so manyas might be looked for in so goodly a town; yea, and many of the folkwere clad foully, and were haggard of countenance, and cried on thechapmen for alms. Howbeit some were clad gaily and richly enough, andwere fair of favour as any that Ralph had seen since he left Upmeads:and amongst these goodly folk were women not a few, whose gear andbearing called to Ralph's mind the women of the Wheatwearers whom hehad seen erst in the Burg of the Four Friths, whereas they weresomewhat wantonly clad in scanty and thin raiment. And of these, though they were not all thralls, were many who were in servitude:for, as Clement did Ralph to wit, though the tillers of the soil, andthe herdsmen, in short the hewers of wood and drawers of water, weremen masterless, yet rich men might and did buy both men and women forservants in their houses, and for their pleasure and profit in diverswise. 

So they rode to their hostel in the market place, which lay a littleback from the river in an ingle of the ridge and one of its buttresses;and all round the said market were houses as fair as the first they hadseen: but above, on the hill-sides, save for the castle and palace ofthe Queen (for a woman ruled in Goldburg), were the houses but low, poorly built of post and pan, and thatched with straw, or reed, orshingle. But the great church was all along one side of the marketplace; and albeit this folk was somewhat wild and strange of faith forChristian men, yet was it dainty and delicate as might be, and itssteeples and bell-towers were high and well builded, and adornedexceeding richly. 

So they lighted down at their hostel, and never had Ralph seen suchanother, for the court within was very great and with a fair gardenfilled with flowers and orchard-trees, and amidst it was a fountain offresh water, built in the goodliest fashion of many-colouredmarble-stones. And the arched and pillared way about the said court wasas fair as the cloister of a mitred abbey; and the hall for the guestswas of like fashion, vaulted with marvellous cunning, and with a row ofpillars amidmost. 

There they abode in good entertainment; yet this noted Ralph, that asgoodly as was the fashion of the building of that house, yet thehangings and beds, and stools, and chairs, and other plenishing were noricher or better than might be seen in the hostelry of any good town. 

So they went bedward, and Ralph slept dreamlessly, as was mostly hiswont. 

CHAPTER 29

Of Goldburg and the Queen Thereof

On the morrow, when Ralph and Clement met in the hall, Clement spakeand said: "Lord Ralph, as I told thee in Whitwall, we chapmen are nowat the end of our outward journey, and in about twenty days time weshall turn back to the mountains; but, as I deem, thou wilt be mindedto follow up thy quest of the damsel, and whatsoever else thou mayst beseeking. Now this thou mayst well do whiles we are here in Goldburg, and yet come back hither in time to fare back with us: and also, ifthou wilt, thou mayst have fellows in thy quest, to wit some of thoseour men-at-arms, who love thee well. But now, when thou hast done thybest these days during, if thou hast then found naught, I counsel theeand beseech thee to come thy ways back with us, that we twain may wendto Upmeads together, where thou shalt live well, and better all thedeeds of thy father. Meseemeth this will be more meet for thee thanthe casting away of thy life in seeking a woman, who maybe will benaught to thee when thou hast found her; or in chasing some castle inthe clouds, that shall be never the nigher to thee, how far soever thoufarest. For now I tell thee that I have known this while how thou artseeking the Well at the World's End; and who knoweth that there is anysuch thing on the earth? Come, then, thou art fair, and young, andstrong; and if ye seek wealth thou shalt have it, and my furtherance tothe utmost, if that be aught worth. Bethink thee, child, there arethey that love thee in Upmeads and thereabout, were it but thy gossip, my wife, dame Katherine. "

Said Ralph: "Master Clement, I thank thee for all that thou hast said, and thy behest, and thy deeds. Thy rede is good, and in all ways willI follow it save one; to wit, that if I have not found the damsel ereye turn back, I must needs abide in this land searching for her. And Ipray the pardon both of thee and of thy gossip, if I answer not yourlove as ye would, and perchance as I should. Yea, and of Upmeads alsoI crave pardon. But in doing as I do, my deed shall be but accordingto the duty bounden on me by mine oath, when Duke Osmond made me knightlast year, in the church of St. Laurence of Upmeads. "

Said Clement: "I see that there is something else in it than that; Isee thee to be young, and that love and desire bind thee in closerbonds than thy knightly oath. Well, so it must be, and till thou hasther, there is but one woman in the world for thee. "

"Nay, it is not so, Master Clement, " said Ralph, "and I will tell theethis, so that thou mayst trow my naysay; since I departed from Upmeads, I have been taken in the toils of love, and desired a fair woman, and Ihave won her and death hath taken her. Trowest thou my word?"

"Yea, " said Clement, "but to one of thy years love is not plucked up bythe root, and it soon groweth again. " Then said Ralph, sadly: "Nowtell my gossip of this when thou comest home. " Clement nodded yeasay, and Ralph spake again in a moment: "And now will I begin my search inGoldburg by praying thee to bring me to speech of merchants and otherswho may have seen or heard tidings of my damsel. "

He looked at Clement anxiously as he spoke; and Clement smiled, for hesaid to himself that looking into Ralph's heart on this matter was likelooking into a chamber through an open window. But he said: "Fear notbut I will look to it; I am thy friend, and not thy schoolmaster. "

Therewith he departed from Ralph, and within three days he had broughthim to speech of all those who were like to know anything of thematter; and one and all they said that they had seen no such woman, andthat as for the Lord of Utterbol, he had not been in Goldburg thesethree months. But one of the merchants said: "Master Clement, if thisyoung knight is boun for Utterbol, he beareth his life in his hand, asthou knowest full well. Now I rede thee bring him to our Queen, who isgood and compassionate, and if she may not help him otherwise, yetbelike she may give him in writing to show to that tyrant, which maystand him in stead: for it does not do for any man to go against thewill of our Lady and Queen; who will surely pay him back for hisill-will some day or other. " Said Clement: "It is well thought of, andI will surely do as thou biddest. "

So wore four days, and, that time during, Ralph was going to and froasking questions of folk that he came across, as people new come to thecity and hunters from the mountain-feet and the forests of the plain, and mariners and such like, concerning the damsel and the Lord ofUtterbol; and Bull also went about seeking tidings: but whereas Ralphasked downright what he wanted to know, Bull was wary, and rather ledmen on to talk with him concerning those things than asked them of themin such wise that they saw the question. Albeit it was all one, and notidings came to them; indeed, the name of the Lord of Utterbol (whomforsooth Bull named not) seemed to freeze the speech of men's tongues, and they commonly went away at once when it was spoken. 

On the fifth day came Clement to Ralph and said: "Now will I bring theeto the Queen, and she is young, and so fair, and withal so wise, thatit seems to me not all so sure but that the sight of her will make anend of thy quest once for all. So that meseems thou mayest abide herein a life far better than wandering amongst uncouth folk, perilous andcruel. Yea, so thou mayst have it if thou wilt, being so exceedinggoodly, and wise, and well-spoken, and of high lineage. "

Ralph heard and reddened, but gave him back no answer; and they wenttogether to the High House of the Queen, which was like a piece of theKingdom of Heaven for loveliness, so many pillars as there were ofbright marble stone, and gilded, and the chapiters carved mostexcellently: not many hangings on the walls, for the walls themselveswere carven, and painted with pictures in the most excellent manner;the floors withal were so dainty that they seemed as if they were madefor none but the feet of the fairest of women. And all this was setamidst of gardens, the like of which they had never seen. 

But they entered without more ado, and were brought by the pages to theLady's innermost chamber; and if the rest of the house were goodly, this was goodlier, and a marvel, so that it seemed wrought rather bygoldsmiths and jewellers than by masons and carvers. Yet indeed manyhad said with Clement that the Queen who sat there was the goodliestpart thereof. 

Now she spake to Clement and said: "Hail, merchant! Is this the youngknight of whom thou tellest, he who seeketh his beloved that hath beenborne away into thralldom by evil men?"

"Even so, " said Clement. But Ralph spake: "Nay, Lady, the damsel whomI seek is not my beloved, but my friend. My beloved is dead. "

The Queen looked on him smiling kindly, yet was her face somewhattroubled. She said: "Master chapman, thy time here is not over longfor all that thou hast to do; so we give thee leave to depart with ourthanks for bringing a friend to see us. But this knight hath noaffairs to look to: so if he will abide with us for a little, it willbe our pleasure. "

So Clement made his obeisance and went his ways. But the Queen badeRalph sit before her, and tell her of his griefs, and she looked sokindly and friendly upon him that the heart melted within him, and hemight say no word, for the tears that brake out from him, and he weptbefore her; while she looked on him, the colour coming and going in herface, and her lips trembling, and let him weep on. But he thought notof her, but of himself and how kind she was to him. But after a whilehe mastered his passion and began, and told her all he had done andsuffered. Long was the tale in the telling, for it was sweet to him tolay before her both his grief and his hope. She let him talk on, andwhiles she listened to him, and whiles, not, but all the time she gazedon him, yet sometimes askance, as if she were ashamed. As for him, hesaw her face how fair and lovely she was, yet was there little longingin his heart for her, more than for one of the painted women on thewall, for as kind and as dear as he deemed her. 

When he had done, she kept silence a while, but at last she enforcedher, and spake: "Sad it is for the mother that bore thee that thou artnot in her house, wherein all things would be kind and familiar tothee. Maybe thou art seeking for what is not. Or maybe thou shaltseek and shalt find, and there may be naught in what thou findest, whereof to give thee such gifts as are meet for thy faithfulness andvaliancy. But in thine home shouldst thou have all gifts which thoumayest desire. "

Then was she silent awhile, and then spake: "Yet must I needs say thatI would that thine home were in Goldburg. "

He smiled sadly and looked on her, but with no astonishment, and indeedhe still scarce thought of her as he said: "Lady and Queen, thou artgood to me beyond measure. Yet, look you! One home I had, and leftit; another I looked to have, and I lost it; and now I have no home. Maybe in days to come I shall go back to mine old home; and whiles Iwonder with what eyes it will look on me. For merry is that land, anddear; and I have become sorrowful. "

"Fear not, " she said; "I say again that in thine home shall all thingslook kindly on thee. "

Once more she sat silent, and no word did his heart bid him speak. Then she sighed and said: "Fair lord, I bid thee come and go in thishouse as thou wilt; but whereas there are many folk who must needs seeme, and many things are appointed for me to do, therefore I pray theeto come hither in three days' space, and meanwhile I will look to thematter of thy search, that I may speed thee on the way to Utterness, which is no great way from Utterbol, and is the last town whereof weknow aught. And I will write a letter for thee to give to the lord ofUtterbol, which he will heed, if he heedeth aught my good-will orenmity. I beseech thee come for it in three days wearing. "

Therewith she arose and took his hand and led him to the door, and hedeparted, blessing her goodness, and wondering at her courtesy andgentle speech. 

For those three days he was still seeking tidings everywhere, till folkbegan to know of him far and wide, and to talk of him. And at the timeappointed he went to the Queen's House and was brought to her chamberas before, and she was alone therein. She greeted him and smiled onhim exceeding kindly, but he might not fail to note of her that shelooked sad and her face was worn by sorrow. She bade him sit besideher, and said: "Hast thou any tidings of the woman whom thou seekest?""Nay, nay, " said he, "and now I am minded to carry on the searchout-a-gates. I have some good friends who will go with me awhile. Butthou, Lady, hast thou heard aught?"

"Naught of the damsel, " she said. "But there is something else. AsClement told me, thou seekest the Well at the World's End, and throughUtterness and by Utterbol is a way whereby folk seek thither. Maystthou find it, and may it profit thee more than it did my kinsman ofold, who first raised up Goldburg in the wilderness. Whereas for himwas naught but strife and confusion, till he was slain in a quarrel, wherein to fail was to fail, and to win the day was to win shame andmisery. "

She looked on him sweetly and said: "Thou art nowise such as he; andif thou drink of the Well, thou wilt go back to Upmeads, and thy fatherand mother, and thine own folk and thine home. But now here is theletter which thou shalt give to the Lord of Utterbol if thou meet him;and mayhappen he is naught so evil a man as the tale of him runs. "

She gave him the letter into his hands, and spake again: "And now Ihave this to say to thee, if anything go amiss with thee, and thou benigh enough to seek to me, come hither, and then, in whatso plight thoumayst be, or whatsoever deed thou mayst have done, here will be theopen door for thee and the welcome of a friend. "

Her voice shook a little as she spake, and she was silent again, mastering her trouble. Then she said: "At last I must say this tothee, that there may no lie be between us. That damsel of whom thouspakest that she was but thy friend, and not thy love--O that I mightbe thy friend in such-wise! But over clearly I see that it may not beso. For thy mind looketh on thy deeds to come, that they shall beshared by some other than me. Friend, it seemeth strange and strangeto me that I have come on thee so suddenly, and loved thee so sorely, and that I must needs say farewell to thee in so short a while. Farewell, farewell!"

Therewith she arose, and once more she took his hand in hers, and ledhim to the door. And he was sorry and all amazed: for he had notthought so much of her before, that he might see that she loved him;and he thought but that she, being happy and great, was kind to him whowas hapless and homeless. And he was bewildered by her words and soreashamed that for all his grief for her he had no speech, and scarce alook for her; he knew not what to do or say. 

So he left the Queen's House and the court thereof, as though thepavement were growing red hot beneath his feet. 

CHAPTER 30

Ralph Hath Hope of Tidings Concerning the Well at the World's End

Now he goes to Clement, and tells him that he deems he has no need toabide their departure from Goldburg to say farewell and follow hisquest further afield; since it is clear that in Goldburg he should haveno more tidings. Clement laughed and said: "Not so fast, Lord Ralph;thou mayst yet hear a word or two. " "What!" said Ralph, "hast thouheard of something new?" Said Clement: "There has been a man hereseeking thee, who said that he wotted of a wise man who could tell theemuch concerning the Well at the World's End. And when I asked him ofthe Damsel and the Lord of Utterbol, if he knew anything of her, hesaid yea, but that he would keep it for thy privy ear. So I bade himgo and come again when thou shouldst be here. And I deem that he willnot tarry long. "

Now they were sitting on a bench outside the hall of the hostel, withthe court between them and the gate; and Ralph said: "Tell me, didstthou deem the man good or bad?" Said Clement: "He was hard to lookinto: but at least he looked not a fierce or cruel man; nor indeed didhe seem false or sly, though I take him for one who hath lost hismanhood--but lo you! here he comes across the court. "

So Ralph looked, and saw in sooth a man drawing nigh, who came straightup to them and lowted to them, and then stood before them waiting fortheir word: he was fat and somewhat short, white-faced andpink-cheeked, with yellow hair long and curling, and with a little thinred beard and blue eyes: altogether much unlike the fashion of men ofthose parts. He was clad gaily in an orange-tawny coat laced withsilver, and broidered with colours. 

Clement spake to him and said: "This is the young knight who is mindedto seek further east to wot if it be mere lies which he hath heard ofthe Well at the World's End. "

The new-comer lowted before them again, and said in a small voice, andas one who was shy and somewhat afeared: "Lords, I can tell many atale concerning that Well, and them who have gone on the quest thereof. And the first thing I have to tell is that the way thereto is throughUtterness, and that I can be a shower of the way and a leader to anyworthy knight who listeth to seek thither; and moreover, I know of asage who dwelleth not far from the town of Utterness, and who, if hewill, can put a seeker of the Well on the right road. "

He looked askance on Ralph, whose face flushed and whose eyes glitteredat that word. But Clement said: "Yea, that seemeth fair to look to:but hark ye! Is it not so that the way to Utterness is perilous?" Saidthe man: "Thou mayst rather call it deadly, to any who is notfurnished with a let-pass from the Lord of Utterbol, as I am. But withsuch a scroll a child or a woman may wend the road unharmed. " "Wherehast thou the said let-pass?" said Clement. "Here, " quoth thenew-comer; and therewith he drew a scroll from out of his pouch, andopened it before them, and they read it together, and sure enough itwas a writing charging all men so let pass and aid Morfinn the Minstrel(of whose aspect it told closely), under pain of falling into thedispleasure of Gandolf, Lord of Utterbol; and the date thereon was butthree months old. 

Said Clement: "This is good, this let-pass: see thou, Ralph, the sealof Utterbol, the Bear upon the Castle Wall. None would dare tocounterfeit this seal, save one who was weary of life, and longed fortorments. "

Said Ralph, smiling: "Thou seest, Master Clement, that there must be aparting betwixt us, and that this man's coming furthers it: but were heor were he not, yet the parting had come. And wert thou not lieferthat it should come in a way to pleasure and aid me, than that thoushouldst but leave me behind at Goldburg when thou departest: and Iwith naught done toward the achieving my quest, but merely dragging mydeedless body about these streets; and at last, it may be, going on aperilous journey without guiding or safe-conduct?"

"Yea, lad, " said Clement, "I wotted well that thou wouldst take thineown way, but fain had I been that it had been mine also. " Then hepondered a while and said afterwards: "I suppose that thou wilt takethy servant Bull Shockhead with thee, for he is a stout man-at-arms, and I deem him trusty, though he be a wild man. But one man is oflittle avail to a traveller on a perilous road, so if thou wilt I willgive leave and license to a half score of our sergeants to follow theeon the road; for, as thou wottest, I may easily wage others in theirplace. Or else wouldst thou ask the Queen of Goldburg to give thee ascore of men-at-arms; she looked to me the other day as one who woulddeny thee few of thine askings. "

Ralph blushed red, and said: "Nay, I will not ask her this. " Then hewas silent; the new-comer looked from one to the other, and saidnothing. At last Ralph spake: "Look you, Clement, my friend, I wotwell how thou wouldst make my goings safe, even if it were to thy loss, and I thank thee for it: but I deem I shall do no better than puttingmyself into this man's hands, since he has a let-pass for the lands ofhim of Utterbol: and meseemeth from all that I have heard, that a halfscore or a score, or for the matter of that an hundred men-at-armswould not be enough to fight a way to Utterbol, and their gatheringtogether would draw folk upon them, who would not meddle with two menjourneying together, even if they had no let-pass of this mighty man. "Clement sighed and grunted, and then said: "Well, lord, maybe thou artright. "

"Yea, " said the guide, "he is as right as may be: I have not spokenbefore lest ye might have deemed me untrusty: but now I tell thee this, that never should a small band of men unknown win through the lands ofthe Lord of Utterbol, or the land debatable that lieth betwixt them andGoldburg. "

Ralph nodded friendly at him as he spake; but Clement looked on himsternly; and the man beheld his scowling face innocently, and took noheed of it. 

Then said Ralph: "As to Bull Shockhead, I will speak to him anon; butI will not take him with me; for indeed I fear lest his mountain-pridegrow up over greenly at whiles and entangle me in some thicket of perilhard to win out of. "

"Well, " said Clement, "and when wilt thou depart?" "To-morrow, " saidRalph, "if my faring-fellow be ready for me by then. " "I am all ready, "said the man: "if thou wilt ride out by the east gate about two hoursbefore noon to-morrow, I will abide thee on a good horse with all thatwe may need for the journey: and now I ask leave. " "Thou hast it, "said Clement. 

So the man departed, and those two being left alone, Master Clementsaid: "Well, I deemed that nothing else would come of it: and I fearthat thy gossip will be ill-content with me; for great is the peril. ""Yea, " said Ralph, "and great the reward. " Clement smiled and sighed, and said: "Well, lad, even so hath a many thought before thee, wisemen as well as fools. " Ralph looked at him and reddened, and departedfrom him a little, and went walking in the cloister there to and fro, and pondered these matters; and whatever he might do, still would thattrim figure be before his eyes which he had looked on so gladlyerewhile in the hostel of Bourton Abbas; and he said aloud to himself:"Surely she needeth me, and draweth me to her whether I will or no. " Sowore the day. 

CHAPTER 31

The Beginning of the Road To Utterbol

Early next morning Ralph arose and called Bull Shockhead to him andsaid: "So it is, Bull, that thou art my war-taken thrall. " Bull noddedhis head, but frowned therewithal. Said Ralph: "If I bid thee aughtthat is not beyond reason thou wilt do it, wilt thou not?" "Yea, " saidBull, surlily. "Well, " quoth Ralph, "I am going a journey east-away, and I may not have thee with me, therefore I bid thee take this goldand go free with my goodwill. " Bull's face lighted up, and the eyesglittered in his face; but he said: "Yea, king's son, but why wilt thounot take me with thee?" Said Ralph: "It is a perilous journey, and thybeing with me will cast thee into peril and make mine more. Moreover, I have an errand, as thou wottest, which is all mine own. "

Bull pondered a little and then said: "King's son, I was thinking atfirst that our errands lay together, and it is so; but belike thousayest true that there will be less peril to each of us if we sunder atthis time. But now I will say this to thee, that henceforth thou shaltbe as a brother to me, if thou wilt have it so, and if ever thou comestamongst our people, thou wilt be in no danger of them: nay, they shalldo all the good they may to thee. "

Then he took him by the hand and kissed him, and he set his hand to hisgear and drew forth a little purse of some small beast's skin that wasbroidered in front with a pair of bull's horns: then he stooped downand plucked a long and tough bent from the grass at his feet (for theywere talking in the garden of the hostel) and twisted it swiftly into astrange knot of many plies, and opening the purse laid it therein andsaid: "King's son, this is the token whereby it shall be known amongstour folk that I have made thee my brother: were the flames roaringabout thee, or the swords clashing over thine head, if thou cry out, Iam the brother of Bull Shockhead, all those of my kindred who are nearwill be thy friends and thy helpers. And now I say to thee farewell:but it is not altogether unlike that thou mayst hear of me again in thefurthest East. " So Ralph departed from him, and Clement went with Ralphto the Gate of Goldburg, and bade him farewell there; and or theyparted he said: "Meseems I have with me now some deal of the foreseeingof Katherine my wife, and in my mind it is that we shall yet see theeat Wulstead and Upmeads, and thou no less famous than now thou art. This is my last word to thee. " Therewith they parted, and Ralph rodehis ways. 

He came on his way-leader about a bowshot from the gate and theygreeted each other: the said guide was clad no otherwise thanyesterday: he had saddle-bags on his horse, which was a strong blackroadster: but he was nowise armed, and bore but a satchel with a caseof knives done on to it, and on the other side a fiddle in its case. So Ralph smiled on him and said: "Thou hast no weapon, then?" "Whatneed for weapon?" said he; "since we are not of might for battle. Thisis my weapon, " said he, touching his fiddle, "and withal it is my fieldand mine acre that raiseth flesh-meat and bread for me: yea, and whilesa little drink. "

So they rode on together and the man was blithe and merry: and Ralphsaid to him: "Since we are fellows for a good while, as I suppose, what shall I call thee?" Said he, "Morfinn the Minstrel I hight, toserve thee, fair lord. Or some call me Morfinn the Unmanned. Wiltthou not now ask me concerning that privy word that I had for thyears?" "Yea, " said Ralph reddening, "hath it to do with a woman?""Naught less, " said Morfinn. "For I heard of thee asking manyquestions thereof in Goldburg, and I said to myself, now may I, who ambound for Utterness, do a good turn to this fair young lord, whose facebewrayeth his heart, and telleth all men that he is kind and bounteous;so that there is no doubt but he will reward me well at once for anyhelp I may give him; and also it may be that he will do me a good turnhereafter in memory of this that I have done him. "

"Speak, wilt thou not, " said Ralph, "and tell me at once if thou hastseen this woman? Be sure that I shall reward thee. " "Nay, nay, fairsir, " said Morfinn; "a woman I have seen brought captive to the Houseof Utterbol. See thou to it if it be she whom thou seekest. "

He smiled therewith, but now Ralph deemed him not so debonnaire as hehad at first, for there was mocking in the smile; therefore he waswroth, but he refrained him and said: "Sir Minstrel, I wot not why thouhast come with a tale in thy mouth and it will not out of it: lo you, will this open the doors of speech to thee" (and he reached his handout to him with two pieces of gold lying therein) "or shall this?" andtherewith he half drew his sword from his sheath. 

Said Morfinn, grinning again: "Nay, I fear not the bare steel in thinehands, Knight; for thou hast not fool written plain in thy face;therefore thou wilt not slay thy way-leader, or even anger him overmuch. And as to thy gold, the wages shall be paid at the journey'send. I was but seeking about in my mind how best to tell thee my taleso that thou mightest believe my word, which is true. Thus it goes: AsI left Utterbol a month ago, I saw a damsel brought in captive there, and she seemed to me so exceeding fair that I looked hard on her, andasked one of the men-at-arms who is my friend concerning the marketwhereat she was cheapened; and he told me that she had not been bought, but taken out of the hands of the wild men from the further mountains. Is that aught like to your story, lord?" "Yea, " said Ralph, knittinghis brows in eagerness. "Well, " said Morfinn, "but there are more fairwomen than one in the world, and belike this is not thy friend: so now, as well as I may, I will tell thee what-like she was, and if thouknowest her not, thou mayst give me those two gold pieces and go backagain. She was tall rather than short, and slim rather than biglymade. But many women are fashioned so: and doubtless she was worn bytravel, since she has at least come from over the mountains: but thatis little to tell her by: her hands, and her feet also (for she was ahorseback and barefoot) wrought well beyond most women: yet so mightit have been with some: yet few, methinks, of women who have workedafield, as I deem her to have done, would have hands and feet soshapely: her face tanned with the sun, but with fair colour shiningthrough it; her hair brown, yet with a fair bright colour shiningtherein, and very abundant: her cheeks smooth, round and well wroughtas any imager could do them: her chin round and cloven: her lips fulland red, but firm-set as if she might be both valiant and wroth. Hereyes set wide apart, grey and deep: her whole face sweet of aspect, asthough she might be exceeding kind to one that pleased her; yet highand proud of demeanour also, meseemed, as though she were come of greatkindred. Is this aught like to thy friend?"

He spake all this slowly and smoothly and that mocking smile came intohis face now and again. Ralph grew pale as he spoke and knitted hisbrows as one in great wrath and grief; and he was slow to answer; butat last he said "Yea, " shortly and sharply. 

Then said Morfinn: "And yet after all it might not be she: for theremight be another or two even in these parts of whom all this might besaid. But now I will tell thee of her raiment, though there may be butlittle help to thee therein, as she may have shifted it many timessince thou hast seen her. Thus it was: she was clad outwardly in agreen gown, short of skirt as of one wont to go afoot; somewhatstraight in the sleeves as of one who hath household work to do, andthere was broidery many coloured on the seams thereof, and a border offlower-work round the hem: and this I noted, that a cantle of the skirthad been rent away by some hap of the journey. Now what sayest thou, fair lord? Have I done well to bring thee this tale?"

"O yea, yea, " said Ralph, and he might not contain himself; but setspurs to his horse and galloped on ahead for some furlong or so: andthen drew rein and gat off his horse, and made as if he would see tohis saddle-girths, for he might not refrain from weeping the sweet andbitter tears of desire and fear, so stirred the soul within him. 

Morfinn rode on quietly, and by then he came up, Ralph was mountingagain, and when he was in the saddle he turned away his head from hisfellow and said in a husky voice: "Morfinn, I command thee, or if thouwilt I beseech thee, that thou speak not to me again of this woman whomI am seeking; for it moveth me over much. " "That is well, lord, " saidMorfinn, "I will do after thy command; and there be many other mattersto speak of besides one fair woman. "

Then they rode on soberly a while, and Ralph kept silence, as he rodepondering much; but the minstrel hummed snatches of rhyme as he rodethe way. 

But at last Ralph turned to him suddenly and said: "Tell me, way-leader, in what wise did they seem to be using that woman?" Theminstrel chuckled: "Fair lord, " said he, "if I had a mind for mockingI might say of thee that thou blowest both hot and cold, since it wasbut half an hour ago that thou badest me speak naught of her: but Ideem that I know thy mind herein: so I will tell thee that they seemedto be using her courteously; as is no marvel; for who would wish to marso fair an image? O, it will be well with her: I noted that the Lordseemed to think it good to ride beside her, and eye her all over. Yea, she shall have a merry life of it if she but do somewhat after theLord's will. "

Ralph looked askance at him fiercely, but the other heeded it naught:then said Ralph, "And how if she do not his will?" Said Morfinn, grinning: "Then hath my Lord a many servants to do his will. " Ralphheld his peace for a long while; at last he turned a cleared brow toMorfinn and said; "Dost thou tell of the Lord of Utterbol that he is agood lord and merciful to his folk and servants?"

"Fair sir, " said the minstrel; "thou hast bidden me not speak of onewoman, now will I pray thee not to speak of one man, and that is myLord of Utterbol. "

Ralph's heart fell at this word, and he asked no question as towherefore. 

So now they rode on both, rather more than soberly for a while: but theday was fair; the sun shone, the wind blew, and the sweet scentsfloated about them, and Ralph's heart cast off its burden somewhat andhe fell to speech again; and the minstrel answered him gaily byseeming, noting many things as they rode along, as one that tookdelight in the fashion of the earth. 

It was a fresh and bright morning of early autumn, the sheaves were onthe acres, and the grapes were blackening to the vintage, and thebeasts and birds at least were merry. But little merry were thehusbandmen whom they met, either carles or queans, and they werescantily and foully clad, and sullen-faced, if not hunger-pinched. 

If they came across any somewhat joyous, it was here and there certaingangrel folk resting on the wayside grass, or coming out of woods andother passes by twos and threes, whiles with a child or two with them. These were of aspect like to the gipsies of our time and nation, andwere armed all of them, and mostly well clad after their fashion. Sometimes when there were as many as four or five carles of themtogether, they would draw up amidst of the highway, but presently wouldturn aside at the sight either of Ralph's war-gear or of the minstrel'sraiment. Forsooth, some of them seemed to know him, and noddedfriendly to him as they passed by, but he gave them back no good day. 

They had now ridden out of the lands of Goldburg, which were narrow onthat side, and the day was wearing fast. This way the land was fairand rich, with no hills of any size. They crossed a big river twice bybridges, and small streams often, mostly by fords. 

Some two hours before sunset they came upon a place where a bywayjoined the high road, and on the ingle stood a chapel of stone (whetherof the heathen or Christian men Ralph wotted not, for it was uncouth offashion), and by the door of the said chapel, on a tussock of grass, sat a knight all-armed save the head, and beside him a squire held hiswar-horse, and five other men-at-arms stood anigh bearing halberds andaxes of strange fashion. The knight rose to his feet when he saw thewayfarers coming up the rising ground, and Ralph had his hand on hissword-hilt; but ere they met, the minstrel said, --

"Nay, nay, draw thy let-pass, not thy sword. This knight shalt bidthee to a courteous joust; but do thou nay-say it, for he is a merefelon, and shalt set his men-at-arms on thee, and then will rob theeand slay thee after, or cast thee into his prison. "

So Ralph drew out his parchment which Morfinn had given into hiskeeping, and held it open in his hand, and when the knight called outon him in a rough voice as they drew anigh, he said: "Nay, sir, I maynot stay me now, need driveth me on. " Quoth the knight, smoothing out aknitted brow: "Fair sir, since thou art a friend of our lord, wiltthou not come home to my house, which is hard by, and rest awhile, andeat a morsel, and drink a cup, and sleep in a fair chamber thereafter?"

"Nay, sir, " said Ralph, "for time presses;" and he passed on withal, and the knight made no step to stay him, but laughed a short laugh, like a swine snorting, and sat him down on the grass again. Ralphheeded him naught, but was glad that his let-pass was shown to be goodfor something; but he could see that the minstrel was nigh sick forfear and was shaking like an aspen leaf, and it was long ere he foundhis tongue again. 

Forth then they rode till dusk, when the minstrel stayed Ralph at aplace where a sort of hovels lay together about a house somewhat betterbuilded, which Ralph took for a hostelry, though it had no sign norbush. They entered the said house, wherein was an old woman to whomthe minstrel spake a word or two in a tongue that Ralph knew not, andstraightway she got them victual and drink nowise ill, and showed themto beds thereafter. 

In spite of both victuals and drink the minstrel fell silent and moody;it might be from weariness, Ralph deemed; and he himself had no greatlust for talk, so he went bedward, and made the bed pay for all. 

CHAPTER 32

Ralph Happens on Evil Days

Early on the morrow they departed, and now in the morning light and thesun the minstrel seemed glad again, and talked abundantly, even thoughat whiles Ralph answered him little. 

As they rode, the land began to get less fertile and less, till at lastthere was but tillage here and there in patches: of houses there werebut few, and the rest was but dark heathland and bog, with scraggywoods scattered about the country-side. 

Naught happened to tell of, save that once in the afternoon, as theywere riding up to the skirts of one of the woods aforesaid, weaponedmen came forth from it and drew up across the way; they were a dozen inall, and four were horsed. Ralph set his hand to his sword, but theminstrel cried out, "Nay, no weapons, no weapons! Pull out thylet-pass again and show it in thine hand, and then let us on. "

So saying he drew a white kerchief from his hand, and tied it to theend of his riding staff, and so rode trembling by Ralph's side:therewith they rode on together towards those men, whom as they drewnearer they heard laughing and jeering at them, though in a tongue thatRalph knew not. 

They came so close at last that the waylayers could see the parchmentclearly, with the seal thereon, and then they made obeisance to it, asthough it were the relic of a saint, and drew off quietly into the woodone by one. These were big men, and savage-looking, and their armourwas utterly uncouth. 

The minstrel was loud in his mirth when they were well past these men;but Ralph rode on silently, and was somewhat soberly. 

"Fair sir, " quoth the minstrel, "I would wager that I know thythought. " "Yea, " said Ralph, "what is it then?" Said the minstrel:"Thou art thinking what thou shalt do when thou meetest suchlike folkon thy way back; but fear not, for with that same seal thou shalt passthrough the land again. " Said Ralph: "Yea, something like that, forsooth, was my thought. But also I was pondering who should be myguide when I leave Utterbol. " The minstrel looked at him askance;quoth he: "Thou mayst leave thinking of that awhile. " Ralph lookedhard at him, but could make naught of the look of his face; so he said:"Why dost thou say that?" Said Morfinn: "Because I know whither thouart bound, and have been wondering this long while that thou hast askedme not about the way to the WELL at the WORLD'S END: since I told thyfriend the merchant that I could tell thee somewhat concerning it. ButI suppose thou hast been thinking of something else?"

"Well, " said Ralph, "tell me what thou hast to say of the Well. " SaidMorfinn: "This will I tell thee first: that if thou hast any doubtthat such a place there is, thou mayst set that aside; for we ofUtterness and Utterbol are sure thereof; and of all nations and peopleswhereof we know, we deem that we are the nighest thereto. How sayestthou, is that not already something?" "Yea, verily, " said Ralph. 

"Now, " said Morfinn, "the next thing to be said is that we are on theroad thereto: but the third thing again is this, lord, that though fewwho seek it find it, yet we know that some have failed not of it, besides that lord of Goldburg, of whom I know that thou hast heard. Furthermore, there dwelleth a sage in the woods not right far fromUtterbol, a hermit living by himself; and folk seek to him for diverslore, to be holpen by him in one way or other, and of him men say thathe hath so much lore concerning the road to the Well (whether he hathbeen there himself they know not certainly), that if he will, he canput anyone on the road so surely that he will not fail to come there, but he be slain on the way, as I said to thee in Goldburg. True it isthat the said sage is chary of his lore, and if he think any harm ofthe seeker, he will show him naught; but, fair sir, thou art so valiantand so goodly, and as meseemeth so good a knight per amours, that Ideem it a certain thing that he will tell thee the uttermost of hisknowledge. "

Now again waxed Ralph eager concerning his quest; for true it is thatsince he had had that story of the damsel from the minstrel, she hadstood in the way before the Well at the World's End. But now he said:"And canst thou bring me to the said sage, good minstrel?" "Withoutdoubt, " quoth Morfinn, "when we are once safe at Utterbol. FromUtterbol ye may wend any road. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and there are perils yet a few on the way, is itnot so?" "So it is, " said the minstrel; "but to-morrow shall try all. "Said Ralph: "And is there some special peril ahead to-morrow? And if itbe so, what is it?" Said his fellow: "It would avail thee naught toknow it. What then, doth that daunt thee?" "No, " said Ralph, "by thenit is nigh enough to hurt us, we shall be nigh enough to see it. ""Well said!" quoth the minstrel; "but now we must mend our pace, ordark night shall overtake us amid these rough ways. "

Wild as the land was, they came at even to a place where were a fewhouses of woodmen or hunters; and they got off their horses and knockedat the door of one of these, and a great black-haired carle opened tothem, who, when he saw the knight's armour, would have clapped the doorto again, had not Ralph by the minstrel's rede held out the parchmentto him, who when he saw it became humble indeed, and gave them suchguesting as he might, which was scant indeed of victual or drink, savewild-fowl from the heath. But they had wine with them from the lastguest-house, whereof they bade the carle to drink; but he would not, and in all wise seemed to be in dread of them. 

When it was morning early they rode their ways, and the carle seemedglad to be rid of them. After they had ridden a few miles the landbettered somewhat; there were islands of deep green pasture amidst theblackness of the heath, with cattle grazing on them, and here and therewas a little tillage: the land was little better than level, only itswelled a little this way and that. It was a bright sunny day and theair very clear, and as they rode Ralph said: "Quite clear is the sky, and yet one cloud there is in the offing; but this is strange about it, though I have been watching it this half hour, and looking to see therack come up from that quarter, yet it changes not at all. I never sawthe like of this cloud. "

Said the minstrel: "Yea, fair sir, and of this cloud I must tell theethat it will change no more till the bones of the earth are tumbledtogether. Forsooth this is no cloud, but the topmost head of themountain ridge which men call the Wall of the World: and if ever thoucome close up to the said Wall, that shall fear thee, I deem, howeverfearless thou be. " "Is it nigh to Utterness?" said Ralph. "Nay, " saidthe minstrel, "not so nigh; for as huge as it seemeth thence. "

Said Ralph: "Do folk tell that the Well at the World's End liethbeyond it?" "Surely, " said the minstrel. 

Said Ralph, his face flushing: "Forsooth, that ancient lord ofGoldburg came through those mountains, and why not I?" "Yea, " said theminstrel, "why not?" And therewith he looked uneasily on Ralph, whoheeded his looks naught, for his mind was set on high matters. 

On then they rode, and when trees or some dip in the land hid thatmountain top from them, the way seemed long to Ralph. 

Naught befell to tell of for some while; but at last, when it wasdrawing towards evening again, they had been riding through a thickpine-wood for a long while, and coming out of it they beheld beforethem a plain country fairly well grassed, but lo! on the field not farfrom the roadside a pavilion pitched and a banner on the top thereof, but the banner hung down about the staff, so that the bearing was notseen: and about this pavilion, which was great and rich of fashion, were many tents great and small, and there were horses tethered in thefield, and men moving about the gleam of armour. 

At this sight the minstrel drew rein and stared about him wildly; butRalph said: "What is this, is it the peril aforesaid?" "Yea, " quoththe minstrel, shivering with fear. "What aileth thee?" said Ralph;"have we not the let-pass, what then can befall us? If this be otherthan the Lord of Utterbol, he will see our let-pass and let us alone;or if it be he indeed, what harm shall he do to the bearers of his ownpass? Come on then, or else (and therewith he half drew his sword) isthis Lord of Utterbol but another name for the Devil in Hell?"

But the minstrel still stared wild and trembled; then he stammered out:"I thought I should bring thee to Utterness first, and that some othershould lead thee thence, I did not look to see him. I dare not, I darenot! O look, look!"

As he spake the wind arose and ran along the wood-side, and beat backfrom it and stirred the canvas of the tents and raised the folds of thebanner, and blew it out, so that the bearing was clear to see; yetRalph deemed it naught dreadful, but an armoury fit for a baron, towit, a black bear on a castle-wall on a field of gold. 

But as Ralph sat on his horse gazing, himseemed that men were lookingtowards him, and a great horn was sounded hard by the pavilion; thenRalph looked toward the minstrel fiercely, and laughed and said: "Isee now that thou art another traitor: so get thee gone; I have more todo than the slaying of thee. " And therewith he turned his horse's head, and smote the spurs into the sides of him, and went a great gallop overthe field on the right side of the road, away from the gay pavilion;but even therewith came a half-score of horsemen from the camp, as ifthey were awaiting him, and they spurred after him straightway. 

The race was no long one, for Ralph's beast was wearied, and the otherhorses were fresh, and Ralph knew naught of the country before him, whereas those riders knew it well. Therefore it was but a few minutestill they came up with him, and he made no show of defence, butsuffered them to lead him away, and he crossed the highway, where hesaw no token of the minstrel. 

So they brought him to the pavilion, and made him dismount and led himin. The dusk had fallen by now, but within it was all bright withcandles. The pavilion was hung with rich silken cloth, and at thefurther end, on a carpet of the hunting, was an ivory chair, whereonsat a man, who was the only one sitting. He was clad in a gown of bluesilk, broidered with roundels beaten with the Bear upon the Castle-wall. 

Ralph deemed that this must be no other than the Lord of Utterbol, yetafter all the tales he had heard of that lord, he seemed no suchterrible man: he was short of stature, but broad across the shoulders, his hair long, strait, and dark brown of hue, and his beard scanty: hewas straight-featured and smooth-faced, and had been no ill-lookingman, save that his skin was sallow and for his eyes, which were brown, small, and somewhat bloodshot. 

Beside him stood Morfinn bowed down with fear and not daring to lookeither at the Lord or at Ralph. Wherefore he knew for certain thatwhen he had called him traitor even now, that it was no more than thevery sooth, and that he had fallen into the trap; though how or why hewotted not clearly. Well then might his heart have fallen, but so itwas, that when he looked into the face of this Lord, the terror of thelands, hatred of him so beset his heart that it swallowed up fear inhim. Albeit he held himself well in hand, for his soul was waxing, andhe deemed that he should yet do great deeds, therefore he desired tolive, whatsoever pains or shame of the passing day he might suffer. 

Now this mighty lord spake, and his voice was harsh and squeaking, sothat the sound of it was worse than the sight of his face; and he said:"Bring the man forth, that I may see him. " So they brought up Ralph, till he was eye to eye with the Lord, who turned to Morfinn and said:"Is this thy catch, lucky man?" "Yea, " quavered Morfinn, not liftinghis eyes; "Will he do, lord?"

"Do?" said the lord, "How can I see him when he is all muffled up insteel? Ye fools! doff his wargear. "

Speedily then had they stripped Ralph of hauberk, and helm, and arm andleg plates, so that he stood up in his jerkin and breeches, and thelord leaned forward to look on him as if he were cheapening a horse;and then turned to a man somewhat stricken in years, clad in scarlet, who stood on his other hand, and said to him: "Well, David the Sage, isthis the sort of man? Is he goodly enough?"

Then the elder put on a pair of spectacles and eyed Ralph curiously awhile, and then said: "There are no two words to be said about it; heis a goodly and well-fashioned a young man as was ever sold. "

"Well, " said the lord, turning towards Morfinn, "the catch is good, lucky man: David will give thee gold for it, and thou mayst go backwest when thou wilt. And thou must be lucky again, moreover; becausethere are women needed for my house; and they must be goodly and meek, and not grievously marked with stripes, or branded, so that thou hadstbest take them, luckily if thou mayst, and not buy them. Now go, forthere are more than enough men under this woven roof, and we need nohalf-men to boot. "

Said David, the old man, grinning: "He will hold him well paid if hego unscathed from before thee, lord: for he looked not to meet theehere, but thought to bring the young man to Utterness, that he might bekept there till thou camest. "

The lord said, grimly: "He is not far wrong to fear me, maybe: but heshall go for this time. But if he bring me not those women withinthree months' wearing, and if there be but two uncomely ones amongstthem, let him look to it. Give him his gold, David. Now take ye thenew man, and let him rest, and give him meat and drink. And look you, David, if he be not in condition when he cometh home to Utterbol, thoushalt pay for it in one way or other, if not in thine own person, sincethou art old, and deft of service, then through those that be dear tothee. Go now!"

David smiled on Ralph and led him out unto a tent not far off, andthere he made much of him, and bade bring meat and drink and all heneeded. Withal he bade him not to try fleeing, lest he be slain; andhe showed him how nigh the guards were and how many. 

Glad was the old man when he saw the captive put a good face onmatters, and that he was not down-hearted. In sooth that hatred of thetyrant mingled with hope sustained Ralph's heart. He had been mindedwhen he was brought before the lord to have shown the letter of theQueen of Goldburg, and to defy him if he still held him captive. Butwhen he had beheld him and his fellowship a while he thought better ofit. For though they had abundance of rich plenishing, and gay raiment, and good weapons and armour, howbeit of strange and uncouth fashion, yet he deemed when he looked on them that they would scarce have thesouls of men in their bodies, but that they were utterly vile throughand through, like the shapes of an evil dream. Therefore he thoughtshame of it to show the Queen's letter to them, even as if he had shownthem the very naked body of her, who had been so piteous kind to him. Also he had no mind to wear his heart on his sleeve, but would keep hisown counsel, and let his foemen speak and show what was in their minds. For this cause he now made himself sweet, and was of good cheer withold David, deeming him to be a great man there; as indeed he was, beingthe chief counsellor of the Lord of Utterbol; though forsooth not somuch his counsellor as that he durst counsel otherwise than as the Lorddesired to go; unless he thought that it would bring his said Lord, andtherefore himself, to very present peril and damage. In short, thoughthis man had not been bought for money, he was little better than athrall of the higher sort, as forsooth were all the Lord's men, savingthe best and trustiest of his warriors: and these were men whom theLord somewhat feared himself: though, on the other hand, he could notbut know that they understood how the dread of the Lord of Utterbol wasa shield to them, and that if it were to die out amongst men, their ownskins were not worth many days' purchase. 

So then David spake pleasantly with Ralph, and ate and drank with him, and saw that he was well bedded for the night, and left him in thefirst watch. But Ralph lay down in little more trouble than the nightbefore, when, though he were being led friendly to Utterness, yet hehad not been able to think what he should do when he came there:whereas now he thought: Who knoweth what shall betide? and for me thereis nought to do save to lay hold of the occasion that another may giveme. And at the worst I scarce deem that I am being led to theslaughter. 

CHAPTER 33

Ralph is Brought on the Road Towards Utterbol

But now when it was morning they struck the tents and laded them onwains, and went their ways the selfsame road that Ralph had been mindedfor yesterday; to wit the road to Utterness; but now must he ride itunarmed and guarded: other shame had he none. Indeed David, who stuckclose to his side all day, was so sugary sweet with him, and praisedand encouraged him so diligently, that Ralph began to have misgivingsthat all this kindness was but as the flower-garlands wherewith theheathen times men were wont to deck the slaughter-beasts for theblood-offering. Yea, and into his mind came certain tales of how therewere heathen men yet in the world, who beguiled men and women, andoffered them up to their devils, whom they called gods: but all thisran off him soon, when he bethought him how little wisdom there was inrunning to meet the evil, which might be on the way, and that way arough and perilous one. So he plucked up heart, and spake freely andgaily with David and one or two others who rode anigh. 

They were amidst of the company: the Lord went first after hisfore-runners in a litter done about with precious cloths; and two scorehorsemen came next, fully armed after their manner. Then rode Ralphwith David and a half dozen of the magnates: then came a sort of cooksand other serving men, but none without a weapon, and last anotherscore of men-at-arms: so that he saw that fleeing was not to be thoughtof though he was not bound, and save for lack of weapons rode like afree man. 

The day was clear as yesterday had been, wherefore again Ralph saw thedistant mountain-top like a cloud; and he gazed at it long till Davidsaid: "I see that thou art gazing hard at the mountains, and perchanceart longing to be beyond them, were it but to see what like the land ison the further side. If all tales be true thou art best this sidethereof, whatever thy lot may be. "

"Lieth death on the other side then?" quoth Ralph. "Yea, " said David, "but that is not all, since he is not asleep elsewhere in the world:but men say that over there are things to be seen which might slay astrong man for pure fear, without stroke of sword or dint of axe. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "but how was it then with him that builded Goldburg?"

"O, " said David, "hast thou heard that tale? Well, they say of him, who certes went over those mountains, and drank of the Well at theWorld's End, that he was one of the lucky: yet for all his luck neverhad he drunk the draught had he not been helped by one who had learnedmany things, a woman to wit. For he was one of them with whom allwomen are in love; and thence indeed was his luck. . . . Moreover, when allis said, 'tis but a tale. "

"Yea, " quoth Ralph laughing, "even as the tales of the ghosts and bugsthat abide the wayfarer on the other side of yonder white movelesscloud. "

David laughed in his turn and said: "Thou hast me there; and whetheror no, these tales are nothing to us, who shall never leave Utterbolagain while we live, save in such a company as this. " Then he held hispeace, but presently spake again: "Hast thou heard anything, then, ofthose tales of the Well at the World's End? I mean others beside thatconcerning the lord of Goldburg?"

"Yea, surely I have, " said Ralph, nowise changing countenance. SaidDavid: "Deemest thou aught of them? deemest thou that it may be truethat a man may drink of the Well and recover his youth thereby?"

Ralph laughed and said: "Master, it is rather for me to ask theehereof, than thou me, since thou dwellest so much nigher thereto than Ihave done heretofore. "

David drew up close to him, and said softly: "Nigher? Yea, but belikenot so much nigher. "

"How meanest thou?" said Ralph. 

Said David: "Is it so nigh that a man may leave home and come theretoin his life-time?"

"Yea, " said Ralph, "in my tales it is. "

Said the old man still softlier: "Had I deemed that true I had triedthe adventure, whatever might lie beyond the mountains, but (and hesighed withal) I deem it untrue. "

Therewith dropped the talk of that matter: and in sooth Ralph wasloath to make many words thereof, lest his eagerness shine through, andall the story of him be known. 

Anon it was noon, and the lord bade all men stay for meat: so hisserving men busied them about his dinner, and David went with them. Then the men-at-arms bade Ralph sit among them and share their meat. So they sat down all by the wayside, and they spake kindly and friendlyto Ralph, and especially their captain, a man somewhat low of stature, but long-armed like the Lord, a man of middle age, beardless and spareof body, but wiry and tough-looking, with hair of the hue of the dustof the sandstone quarry. This man fell a-talking with Ralph, and askedhim of the manner of tilting and courteous jousting between knights inthe countries of knighthood, till that talk dropped between them. ThenRalph looked round upon the land, which had now worsened again, and waslittle better than rough moorland, little fed, and not at all tilled, and he said: "This is but a sorry land for earth's increase. "

"Well, " said the captain, "I wot not; it beareth plover and whimbreland conies and hares; yea, and men withal, some few. And whereas itbeareth naught else, that cometh of my lord's will: for deemest thouthat he should suffer a rich land betwixt him and Goldburg, that itmight sustain an host big enough to deal with him?"

"But is not this his land?" said Ralph. 

Said the captain: "Nay, and also yea. None shall dwell in it save ashe willeth, and they shall pay him tribute, be it never so little. Yetsome there are of them, who are to him as the hounds be to the hunter, and these same he even wageth, so that if aught rare and goodly comeththeir way they shall bring it to his hands; as thou thyself knowest tothy cost. "

"Yea, " said Ralph smiling, "and is Morfinn the Unmanned one of thesecurs?" "Yea, " said the captain, with a grin, "and one of the richest ofthem, in despite of his fiddle and minstrel's gear, and his lack ofmanhood: for he is one of the cunningest of men. But my Lord unmannedhim for some good reason. "

Ralph kept silence and while and then said: "Why doth the Goldburgfolk suffer all this felony, robbery and confusion, so near theirborders, and the land debateable?"

Said the captain, and again he grinned: "Passing for thy hard words, sir knight, why dost thou suffer me to lead thee along whither thouwouldest not?"

"Because I cannot help myself, " said Ralph. 

Said the captain: "Even so it is with the Goldburg folk: if they raisehand against some of these strong-thieves or man-stealers, he has butto send the war-arrow round about these deserts, as ye deem them, andhe will presently have as rough a company of carles for his fellows asneed be, say ten hundred of them. And the Goldburg folk are not veryhandy at a fray without their walls. Forsooth within them it isanother matter, and beside not even our Lord of Utterbol would seeGoldburg broken down, no, not for all that he might win there. "

"Is it deemed a holy place in the land, then?" said Ralph. 

"I wot not the meaning of holy, " said the other: "but all we deem thatwhen Goldburg shall fall, the world shall change, so that livingtherein shall be hard to them that have not drunk of the water of theWell at the World's End. "

Ralph was silent a while and eyed the captain curiously: then he said:"Have the Goldburgers so drunk?" Said the captain: "Nay, nay; but theword goes that under each tower of Goldburg lieth a youth and a maidenthat have drunk of the water, and might not die save by point and edge. "

Then was Ralph silent again, for once more he fell pondering the matterif he had been led away to be offered as a blood offering to some ofevil gods of the land. But as he pondered a flourish of trumpets wasblown, and all men sprang up, and the captain said to Ralph: "Now hathour Lord done his dinner and we must to horse. " Anon they were on theway again, and they rode long and saw little change in the aspect ofthe land, neither did that cloudlike token of the distant mountainsgrow any greater or clearer to Ralph's deeming. 

CHAPTER 34

The Lord of Utterbol Will Wot of Ralph's Might and Minstrelsy

A little before sunset they made halt for the night, and Ralph wasshown to a tent as erst, and had meat and drink good enough brought tohim. But somewhat after he had done eating comes David to him andsays: "Up, young man! and come to my lord, he asketh for thee. "

"What will he want with me?" said Ralph. 

"Yea, that is a proper question to ask!" quoth David; "as though theknife should ask the cutler, what wilt thou cut with me? Dost thoudeem that I durst ask him of his will with thee?" "I am ready to gowith thee, " said Ralph. 

So they went forth; but Ralph's heart fell and he sickened at thethought of seeing that man again. Nevertheless he set his face asbrass, and thrust back both his fear and his hatred for a fitteroccasion. 

Soon they came into the pavilion of the Lord, who was sitting there asyester eve, save that his gown was red, and done about with gold andturquoise and emerald. David brought Ralph nigh to his seat, but spakenot. The mighty lord was sitting with his head drooping, and his armhanging over his knee, with a heavy countenance as though he werebrooding matters which pleased him naught. But in a while he sat upwith a start, and turned about and saw David standing there with Ralph, and spake at once like a man waking up: "He that sold thee to me saidthat thou wert of avail for many things. Now tell me, what canst thoudo?"

Ralph so hated him, that he was of half a mind to answer naught save bysmiting him to slay him; but there was no weapon anigh, and life wassweet to him with all the tale that was lying ahead. So he answeredcoldly: "It is sooth, lord, that I can do more than one deed. "

"Canst thou back a horse?" said the Lord. Said Ralph: "As well asmany. " Said the Lord: "Canst thou break a wild horse, and shoe him, and physic him?"

"Not worse than some, " said Ralph. 

"Can'st thou play with sword and spear?" said the Lord. 

"Better than some few, " said Ralph. "How shall I know that?" said theLord. Said Ralph: "Try me, lord!" Indeed, he half hoped that if itcame to that, he might escape in the hurley. 

The Lord looked on him and said: "Well, it may be tried. But here isa cold and proud answerer, David. I misdoubt me whether it be worthwhile bringing him home. "

David looked timidly on Ralph and said: "Thou hast paid the price forhim, lord. "

"Yea, that is true, " said the Lord. "Thou! can'st thou play at thechess?" "Yea, " said Ralph. "Can'st thou music?" said the other. "Yea, " said Ralph, "when I am merry, or whiles indeed when I am sad. "

The lord said: "Make thyself merry or sad, which thou wilt; but sing, or thou shalt be beaten. Ho! Bring ye the harp. " Then they brought itas he bade. 

But Ralph looked to right and left and saw no deliverance, and knewthis for the first hour of his thralldom. Yet, as he thought of itall, he remembered that if he would do, he must needs bear and forbear;and his face cleared, and he looked round about again and let his eyesrest calmly on all eyes that he met till they came on the Lord's faceagain. Then he let his hand fall into the strings and they fella-tinkling sweetly, like unto the song of the winter robin, and at lasthe lifted his voice and sang:

 Still now is the stithy this morning unclouded, Nought stirs in the thorp save the yellow-haired maid A-peeling the withy last Candlemas shrouded From the mere where the moorhen now swims unafraid. 

 For over the Ford now the grass and the clover Fly off from the tines as the wind driveth on; And soon round the Sword-howe the swathe shall lie over, And to-morrow at even the mead shall be won. 

 But the Hall of the Garden amidst the hot morning, It drew my feet thither; I stood at the door, And felt my heart harden 'gainst wisdom and warning As the sun and my footsteps came on to the floor. 

 When the sun lay behind me, there scarce in the dimness I say what I sought for, yet trembled to find; But it came forth to find me, until the sleek slimness Of the summer-clad woman made summer o'er kind. 

 There we the once-sundered together were blended, We strangers, unknown once, were hidden by naught. I kissed and I wondered how doubt was all ended, How friendly her excellent fairness was wrought. 

 Round the hall of the Garden the hot sun is burning, But no master nor minstrel goes there in the shade, It hath never a warden till comes the returning, When the moon shall hang high and all winds shall be laid. 

 Waned the day and I hied me afield, and thereafter I sat with the mighty when daylight was done, But with great men beside me, midst high-hearted laughter, I deemed me of all men the gainfullest one. 

 To wisdom I hearkened; for there the wise father Cast the seed of his learning abroad o'er the hall, Till men's faces darkened, but mine gladdened rather With the thought of the knowledge I knew over all. 

 Sang minstrels the story, and with the song's welling Men looked on each other and glad were they grown, But mine was the glory of the tale and its telling How the loved and the lover were naught but mine own. 

 When he was done all kept silence till they should know whether the lord should praise the song or blame; and he said naught for a good while, but sat as if pondering: but at last he spake: "Thou art young, and would that we were young also! Thy song is sweet, and it pleaseth me, who am a man of war, and have seen enough and to spare of rough work, and would any day rather see a fair woman than a band of spears. But it shall please my lady wife less: for of love, and fair women, and their lovers she hath seen enough; but of war nothing save its shows and pomps; wherefore she desireth to hear thereof. Now sing of battle!"

Ralph thought awhile and began to smite the harp while he conned over asong which he had learned one yule-tide from a chieftain who had cometo Upmeads from the far-away Northland, and had abided there tillspring was waning into summer, and meanwhile he taught Ralph this songand many things else, and his name was Sir Karr Wood-neb. This song nowRalph sang loud and sweet, though he were now a thrall in an alien land:

 Leave we the cup! For the moon is up, And bright is the gleam Of the rippling stream, That runneth his road To the old abode, Where the walls are white In the moon and the night; The house of the neighbour that drave us away When strife ended labour amidst of the hay, And no road for our riding was left us but one Where the hill's brow is hiding that earth's ways are done, And the sound of the billows comes up at the last Like the wind in the willows ere autumn is past. 

 But oft and again Comes the ship from the main, And we came once more And no lading we bore But the point and the edge, And the ironed ledge, And the bolt and the bow, And the bane of the foe. To the House 'neath the mountain we came in the morn, Where welleth the fountain up over the corn, And the stream is a-running fast on to the House Of the neighbours uncunning who quake at the mouse, As their slumber is broken; they know not for why; Since yestreen was not token on earth or in sky. 

 Come, up, then up! Leave board and cup, And follow the gleam Of the glittering stream That leadeth the road To the old abode, High-walled and white In the moon and the night; Where low lies the neighbour that drave us away Sleep-sunk from his labour amidst of the hay. No road for our riding is left us save one, Where the hills' brow is hiding the city undone, And the wind in the willows is with us at last, And the house of the billows is done and o'er-past. 

 Haste! mount and haste Ere the short night waste, For night and day, Late turned away, Draw nigh again All kissing-fain; And the morn and the moon Shall be married full soon. So ride we together with wealth-winning wand, The steel o'er the leather, the ash in the hand. Lo! white walls before us, and high are they built; But the luck that outwore us now lies on their guilt; Lo! the open gate biding the first of the sun, And to peace are we riding when slaughter is done. 

When Ralph had done singing, all folk fell to praising his song, whereas the Lord had praised the other one; but the Lord said, lookingat Ralph askance meanwhile: "Yea, if that pleaseth me not, and I takebut little keep of it, it shall please my wife to her heart's root; andthat is the first thing. Hast thou others good store, new-comer?""Yea, lord, " said Ralph. "And canst thou tell tales of yore agone, andof the fays and such-like? All that she must have. " "Some deal I can ofthat lore, " said Ralph. 

Then the Lord sat silent, and seemed to be pondering: at last he said, as if to himself: "Yet there is one thing: many a blencher can sing ofbattle; and it hath been seen, that a fair body of a man is whiles softamidst the hard hand-play. Thou! Morfinn's luck! art thou of any usein the tilt-yard?" "Wilt thou try me, lord?" said Ralph, lookingsomewhat brisker. Said the Lord: "I deem that I may find a man or twofor thee, though it is not much our manner here; but now go thou!David, take the lad away to his tent, and get him a flask of wine ofthe best to help out thy maundering with him. "

Therewith they left the tent, and Ralph walked by David sadly and withhanging head at first; but in a while he called to mind that, whateverbetid, his life was safe as yet; that every day he was drawing nigherto the Well at the World's End; and that it was most like that he shallfall in with that Dorothea of his dream somewhere on the way thereto. So he lifted up his head again, and was singing to himself as hestooped down to enter into his tent. 

Next day naught happed to tell of save that they journeyed on; the daywas cloudy, so that Ralph saw no sign of the distant mountains; everthe land was the same, but belike somewhat more beset with pinewoods;they saw no folk at all on the road. So at even Ralph slept in histent, and none meddled with him, save that David came to talk with himor he slept, and was merry and blithe with him, and he brought with himOtter, the captain of the guard, who was good company. 

Thus wore three days that were hazy and cloudy, and the Lord sent nomore for Ralph, who on the road spake for the more part with Otter, andliked him not ill; howbeit it seemed of him that he would make no moreof a man's life than of a rabbit's according as his lord might bid slayor let live. 

The three hazy days past, it fell to rain for four days, so that Ralphcould see little of the face of the land; but he noted that they wentup at whiles, and never so much down as up, so that they were wendingup hill on the whole. 

On the ninth day of his captivity the rain ceased and it was sunny andwarm but somewhat hazy, so that naught could be seen afar, but the landnear-hand rose in long, low downs now, and was quite treeless, savewhere was a hollow here and there and a stream running through it, where grew a few willows, but alders more abundantly. 

This day he rode by Otter, who said presently: "Well, youngling of theNorth, to-morrow we shall see a new game, thou and I, if the weather befair. " "Yea, " said Ralph, "and what like shall it be?" Said Otter, "Atmid-morn we shall come into a fair dale amidst the downs, where be somehouses and a tower of the Lord's, so that that place is called the Daleof the Tower: there shall we abide a while to gather victual, a day ortwo, or three maybe: so my Lord will hold a tourney there: that is tosay that I myself and some few others shall try thy manhood somewhat. ""What?" said Ralph, "are the new colt's paces to be proven? And how ifhe fail?"

Quoth Otter, laughing: "Fail not, I rede thee, or my lord's love forthee shall be something less than nothing. " "And then will he slay me?"said Ralph. Said Otter: "Nay I deem not, at least not at first: hewill have thee home to Utterbol, to make the most of his bad bargain, and there shalt thou be a mere serving-thrall, either in the house orthe field: where thou shalt be well-fed (save in times of scarcity), and belike well beaten withal. " Said Ralph, somewhat downcast: "Yea, Iam a thrall, who was once a knight. But how if thou fail before me?"Otter laughed again: "That is another matter; whatever I do my Lordwill not lose me if he can help it; but as for the others who shallstand before thy valiancy, there will be some who will curse the daywhereon my lord bought thee, if thou turnest out a good spear, as yecall it in your lands. Howsoever, that is not thy business; and I bidthee fear naught; for thou seemest to be a mettle lad. "

So they talked, and that day wore like the others, but the haze did notclear off, and the sun went down red. In the evening David talked withRalph in his tent, and said: "If to-morrow be clear, knight, thou shaltsee a new sight when thou comest out from the canvas. " Said Ralph: "Isuppose thy meaning is that we shall see the mountains from hence?""Yea, " said David; "so hold up thine heart when that sight first comethbefore thine eyes. As for us, we are used to the sight, and that froma place much nigher to the mountains: yet they who are soft-heartedamongst us are overcome at whiles, when there is storm and tempest, andevil tides at hand. "

Said Ralph: "And how far then are we from Utterbol?" Said David:"After we have left Bull-mead in the Dale of the Tower, where to-morrowthou art to run with the spear, it is four days' ride to Utterness; andfrom Utterness ye may come (if my lord will) unto Utterbol in twelvehours. But tell me, knight, how deemest thou of thy tiltingto-morrow?" Said Ralph: "Little should I think of it, if little layupon it. " "Yea, " said David, "but art thou a good tilter?" Ralphlaughed: quoth he, "That hangs on the goodness of him that tiltethagainst me: I have both overthrown, and been overthrown oft enough. Yet again, who shall judge me? for I must tell thee, that were I fairlyjudged, I should be deemed no ill spear, even when I came notuppermost: for in all these games are haps which no man may foresee. "

"Well, then, " said David, "all will go well with thee for this time:for my lord will judge thee, and if it be seen that thou hast spokentruly, and art more than a little deft at the play, he will be like tomake the best of thee, since thou art already paid for. " Ralph laughed:yet as though the jest pleased him but little; and they fell to talk ofother matters. And so David departed, and Ralph slept. 

CHAPTER 35

Ralph Cometh To the Vale of the Tower

But when it was morning Ralph awoke, and saw that the sun was shiningbrightly; so he cast his shirt on him, and went out at once, and turnedhis face eastward, and, scarce awake, said to himself that the cloudslay heavy in the eastward heavens after last night's haze: butpresently his eyes cleared, and he saw that what he had taken forclouds was a huge wall of mountains, black and terrible, that rose upsharp and clear into the morning air; for there was neither cloud normist in all the heavens. 

Now Ralph, though he were but little used to the sight of greatmountains, yet felt his heart rather rise than fall at the sight ofthem; for he said: "Surely beyond them lieth some new thing for me, life or death: fair fame or the forgetting of all men. " And it waslong that he could not take his eyes off them. 

As he looked, came up the Captain Otter, and said: "Well, Knight, thouhast seen them this morn, even if ye die ere nightfall. " Said Ralph:"What deemest thou to lie beyond them?"

"Of us none knoweth surely, " said Otter; "whiles I deem that if onewere to get to the other side there would be a great plain like tothis: whiles that there is naught save mountains beyond, and yet againmountains, like the waves of a huge stone sea. Or whiles I think thatone would come to an end of the world, to a place where is naught but aledge, and then below it a gulf filled with nothing but the howling ofwinds, and the depth of darkness. Moreover this is my thought, thatall we of these parts should be milder men and of better conditions, ifyonder terrible wall were away. It is as if we were thralls of thegreat mountains. "

Said Ralph, "Is this then the Wall of the World?" "It may well be so, "said Otter; "but this word is at whiles said of something else, whichno man alive amongst us has yet seen. It is a part of the tale of theseekers for the Well at the World's End, whereof we said a word thatother day. "

"And the Dry Tree, " said Ralph, "knowest thou thereof?" said Ralph. "Such a tree, much beworshipped, " said Otter, "we have, not very farfrom Utterbol, on the hither side of the mountains. Yet I have heardold men say that it is but a toy, and an image of that which is verilyanigh the Well at the World's End. But now haste thee to do on thyraiment, for we must needs get to horse in a little while. " "Yet onemore word, " said Ralph; "thou sayest that none alive amongst you haveseen the Wall of the World?" "None alive, " quoth Otter; "forsooth whatthe dead may see, that is another question. " Said Ralph: "But have yenot known of any who have sought to the Well from this land, which isso nigh thereunto?" "Such there have been, " said Otter; "but if theyfound it, they found something beyond it, or came west again by someway else than by Utterbol; for they never came back again to us. "

Therewith he turned on his heel, and went his ways, and up came Davidand one with him bringing victual; and David said: "Now, thou luckyone, here is come thy breakfast! for we shall presently be on our way. Cast on thy raiment, and eat and strengthen thyself for the day's work. Hast thou looked well on the mountains?" "Yea, " said Ralph, "and thesight of them has made me as little downhearted as thou art. For thouart joyous of mood this morning. " David nodded and smiled, and lookedso merry that Ralph wondered what was toward. Then he went into histent and clad himself, and ate his breakfast, and then gat to horse androde betwixt two of the men-at-arms, he and Otter; for David was riddenforward to speak with the Lord. Otter talked ever gaily enough; butRalph heeded him little a while, but had his eyes ever on themountains, and could see that for all they were so dark, and filled upso much of the eastward heaven, they were so far away that he could seebut little of them save that they were dark blue and huge, and onerising up behind the other. 

Thus they rode the down country, till at last, two hours before noon, coming over the brow of a long down, they had before them a shallowdale, pleasanter than aught they had yet seen. It was well-grassed, and a little river ran through it, from which went narrow leats held upby hatches, so that the more part of the valley bottom was awater-meadow, wherein as now were grazing many kine and sheep. Therewere willows about the banks of the river, and in an ingle of it stooda grange or homestead, with many roofs half hidden by clumps of tallold elm trees. Other houses there were in the vale; two or three cots, to wit, on the slope of the hither down, and some half-dozen about thehomestead; and above and beyond all these, on a mound somewhat awayfrom the river and the grange, a great square tower, with barriers andbailey all dight ready for war, and with a banner of the Lord's hangingout. But between the tower and the river stood as now a great pavilionof snow-white cloth striped with gold and purple; and round about itwere other tents, as though a little army were come into the vale. 

So when they looked into that fair place, Otter the Captain rose in thestirrups and cast up his hand for joy, and cried out aloud: "Now, young knight, now we are come home: how likest thou my Lord's land?"

"It is a fair land, " said Ralph; "but is there not come some one to bidthy Lord battle for it? or what mean the tents down yonder?"

Said Otter, laughing: "Nay, nay, it hath not come to that yet. Yonderis my Lord's lady-wife, who hath come to meet him, but in love, so tosay, not in battle--not yet. Though I say not that the cup of lovebetwixt them be brim-full. But this it behoveth me not to speak of, though thou art to be my brother-in-arms, since we are to tilt togetherpresently: for lo! yonder the tilt-yard, my lad. "

Therewith he pointed to the broad green meadow: but Ralph said: "Howcanst thou, a free man, be brother-in-arms to a thrall?" "Nay, lad, "quoth Otter, "let not that wasp sting thee: for even such was I, timewas. Nay, such am I now, but that a certain habit of keeping my witsin a fray maketh me of avail to my Lord, so that I am well looked to. Forsooth in my Lord's land the free men are of little account, sincethey must oftenest do as my Lord and my Lord's thralls bid them. Truly, brother, it is we who have the wits and the luck to rise abovethe whipping-post and the shackles that are the great men hereabouts. I say we, for I deem that thou wilt do no less, whereas thou hast thelucky look in thine eyes. So let to-day try it. "

As he spake came many glittering figures from out of those tents, andtherewithal arose the sound of horns and clashing of cymbals, and theirown horns gave back the sound of welcome. Then Ralph saw a man ingolden armour of strange, outlandish fashion, sitting on a great blackhorse beside the Lord's litter; and Otter said: "Lo! my Lord, armedand a-horseback to meet my lady: she looketh kinder on him thus; thoughin thine ear be it said, he is no great man of war; nor need he be, since he hath us for his shield and his hauberk. "

Herewith were they come on to the causeway above the green meadows, andpresently drew rein before the pavilion, and stood about in a half-ringfacing a two score of gaily clad men-at-arms, who had come with theLady and a rout of folk of the household. Then the Lord gat off hishorse, and stood in his golden armour, and all the horns and othermusic struck up, and forth from the pavilion came the Lady with ahalf-score of her women clad gaily in silken gowns of green, and blue, and yellow, broidered all about with gold and silver, but with nakedfeet, and having iron rings on their arms, so that Ralph saw that theywere thralls. Something told him that his damsel should be amongstthese, so he gazed hard on them, but though they were goodly enoughthere was none of them like to her. 

As to the Queen, she was clad all in fine linen and gold, with goldshoes on her feet: her arms came bare from out of the linen: greatthey were, and the hands not small; but the arms round and fair, andthe hands shapely, and all very white and rosy: her hair was as yellowas any that can be seen, and it was plenteous, and shed all down abouther. Her eyes were blue and set wide apart, her nose a little snubbed, her mouth wide, full-lipped and smiling. She was very tall, a fullhalf-head taller than any of her women: yea, as tall as a man who isabove the middle height of men. 

Now she came forward hastily with long strides, and knelt adown beforethe Lord, but even as she kneeled looked round with a laughing face. The Lord stooped down to her and took her by both hands, and raised herup, and kissed her on the cheek (and he looked but little and of nopresence beside her:) and he said: "Hail to thee, my Lady; thou artcome far from thine home to meet me, and I thank thee therefor. Is itwell with our House?"

She spake seeming carelessly and loud; but her voice was somewhathusky: "Yea, my Lord, all is well; few have done amiss, and the harvestis plenteous. " As she spake the Lord looked with knit brows at thedamsels behind her, as if he were seeking something; and the Ladyfollowed his eyes, smiling a little and flushing as if with merriment. 

But the Lord was silent a while, and then let his brow clear and said:"Yea, Lady, thou art thanked for coming to meet us; and timely is thycoming, since there is game and glee for thee at hand; I have cheapeneda likely thrall of Morfinn the Unmanned, and he is a gift to thee; andhe hath given out that he is no ill player with the spear after thefashion of them of the west; and we are going to prove his word here inthis meadow presently. "

The Lady's face grew glad, and she said, looking toward the ring of newcomers: "Yea, Lord, and which of these is he, if he be here?"

The Lord turned a little to point out Ralph, but even therewith theLady's eyes met Ralph's, who reddened for shame of being so shown to agreat lady; but as for her she flushed bright red all over her face andeven to her bosom, and trouble came into her eyes, and she lookedadown. But the Lord said: "Yonder is the youngling, the swordless onein the green coat; a likely lad, if he hath not lied about his prowess;and he can sing thee a song withal, and tell a piteous tale of old, anddo all that those who be reared in the lineages of the westlands deemmeet and due for men of knightly blood. Dost thou like the looks ofhim, lady! wilt thou have him?"

The Lady still held her head down, and tormented the grass with herfoot, and murmured somewhat; for she could not come to herself again asyet. So the Lord looked sharply on her and said: "Well, when thistilting is over, thou shalt tell me thy mind of him; for if he turn outa dastard I would not ask thee to take him. "

Now the lady lifted up her face, and she was grown somewhat pale; butshe forced her speech to come, and said: "It is well, Lord, but nowcome thou into my pavilion, for thy meat is ready, and it lacketh but aminute or so of noon. " So he took her hand and led her in to thepavilion, and all men got off their horses, and fell to pitching thetents and getting their meat ready; but Otter drew Ralph apart into anook of the homestead, and there they ate their meat together. 

CHAPTER 36

The Talk of Two Women Concerning Ralph

But when dinner was done, came David and a man with him bringingRalph's war gear, and bade him do it on, while the folk were fencingthe lists, which they were doing with such stuff as they had at theTower; and the Lord had been calling for Otter that he might commandhim what he should tell to the marshals of the lists and how all shouldbe duly ordered, wherefore he went up unto the Tower whither the Lordhad now gone. So Ralph did on his armour, which was not right meet fortilting, being over light for such work; and his shield in especial wasbut a target for a sergeant, which he had brought at Cheaping Knowe;but he deemed that his deftness and much use should bear him wellthrough. 

Now, the Lady had abided in her pavilion when her Lord went abroad;anon after she sent all her women away, save one whom she loved, and towhom she was wont to tell the innermost of her mind; though forsoothshe mishandled her at whiles; for she was hot of temper, and over-readywith her hands when she was angry; though she was nowise cruel. Butthe woman aforesaid, who was sly and sleek, and somewhat past her firstyouth, took both her caresses and her buffets with patience, for thesake of the gifts and largesse wherewith they were bought. So now shestood by the board in the pavilion with her head drooping humbly, yetsmiling to herself and heedful of whatso might betide. But the Ladywalked up and down the pavilion hastily, as one much moved. 

At last she spake as she walked and said: "Agatha, didst thou see himwhen my Lord pointed him out?" "Yea, " said the woman lifting her facea little. 

"And what seemed he to thee?" said the Lady. "O my Lady, " quothAgatha, "what seemed he to thee?" The lady stood and turned and lookedat her; she was slender and dark and sleek; and though her lips movednot, and her eyes did not change, a smile seemed to steal over her facewhether she would or not. The Lady stamped her foot and lifted herhand and cried out. "What! dost thou deem thyself meet for him?" Andshe caught her by the folds over her bosom. But Agatha looked up intoher face with a simple smile as of a child: "Dost thou deem him meetfor thee, my Lady--he a thrall, and thou so great?" The Lady took herhand from her, but her face flamed with anger and she stamped on theground again: "What dost thou mean?" she said; "am I not great enoughto have what I want when it lieth close to my hand?" Agatha looked onher sweetly, and said in a soft voice: "Stretch out thine hand for itthen. " The Lady looked at her grimly, and said: "I understand thyjeer; thou meanest that he will not be moved by me, he being so fair, and I being but somewhat fair. Wilt thou have me beat thee? Nay, Iwill send thee to the White Pillar when we come home to Utterbol. "

The woman smiled again, and said: "My Lady, when thou hast sent me tothe White Pillar, or the Red, or the Black, my stripes will not mendthe matter for thee, or quench the fear of thine heart that by thistime, since he is a grown man, he loveth some other. Yet belike hewill obey thee if thou command, even to the lying in the same bed withthee; for he is a thrall. " The Lady hung her head, but Agatha went onin her sweet clear voice: "The Lord will think little of it, and saynothing of it unless thou anger him otherwise; or unless, indeed, he beminded to pick a quarrel with thee, and hath baited a trap with thisstripling. But that is all unlike: thou knowest why, and how that heloveth the little finger of that new-come thrall of his (whom ye leftat home at Utterbol in his despite), better than all thy body, for allthy white skin and lovely limbs. Nay, now I think of it, I deem thathe meaneth this gift to make an occasion for the staying of any quarrelwith thee, that he may stop thy mouth from crying out at him--well, what wilt thou do? he is a mighty Lord. "

The Lady looked up (for she had hung her head at first), her face allred with shame, yet smiling, though ruefully, and she said: "Well, thouart determined that if thou art punished it shall not be for naught. But thou knowest not my mind. " "Yea, Lady, " said Agatha, smiling indespite of herself, "that may well be. "

Now the Lady turned from her, and went and sat upon a stool that wasthereby, and said nothing a while; only covering her face with herhands and rocking herself to and fro, while Agatha stood looking ather. At last she said: "Hearken, Agatha, I must tell thee what liethin mine heart, though thou hast been unkind to me and hast tried tohurt my soul. Now, thou art self-willed, and hot-blooded, and notunlovely, so that thou mayst have loved and been loved ere now. Butthou art so wily and subtle that mayhappen thou wilt not understandwhat I mean, when I say that love of this young man hath suddenlyentered into my heart, so that I long for him more this minute than Idid the last, and the next minute shall long still more. And I longfor him to love me, and not alone to pleasure me. "

"Mayhappen it will so betide without any pushing the matter, " saidAgatha. 

"Nay, " said the Lady, "Nay; my heart tells me that it will not be so;for I have seen him, that he is of higher kind than we be; as if hewere a god come down to us, who if he might not cast his love upon agoddess, would disdain to love an earthly woman, little-minded and inwhom perfection is not. " Therewith the tears began to run from hereyes; but Agatha looked on her with a subtle smile and said: "O myLady! and thou hast scarce seen him! And yet I will not say but thatI understand this. But as to the matter of a goddess, I know not. Many would say that thou sitting on thine ivory chair in thy goldenraiment, with thy fair bosom and white arms and yellow hair, wert notill done for the image of a goddess; and this young man may well thinkso of thee. However that may be, there is something else I will say tothee; (and thou knowest that I speak the truth to thee--most often--though I be wily). This is the word, that although thou hast time andagain treated me like the thrall I am, I deem thee no ill woman, butrather something overgood for Utterbol and the dark lord thereof. "

Now sat the Lady shaken with sobs, and weeping without stint; but shelooked up at that word and said: "Nay, nay, Agatha, it is not so. To-day hath this man's eyes been a candle to me, that I may see myselftruly; and I know that though I am a queen and not uncomely, I am butcoarse and little-minded. I rage in my household when the whim takesme, and I am hot-headed, and masterful, and slothful, and should belikebe untrue if there were any force to drive me thereto. And I suffer myhusband to go after other women, and this new thrall is especial, sothat I may take my pleasure unstayed with other men whom I love notgreatly. Yes, I am foolish, and empty-headed, and unclean. And allthis he will see through my queenly state, and my golden gown, and mywhite skin withal. "

Agatha looked on her curiously, but smiling no more. At last she said:"What is to do, then? or must I think of something for thee?"

"I know not, I know not, " said the Lady between her sobs; "yet if Imight be in such case that he might pity me; belike it might blind hiseyes to the ill part of me. Yea, " she said, rising up and fallingwalking to and fro swiftly, "if he might hurt me and wound me himself, and I so loving him. "

Said Agatha coldly: "Yes, Lady, I am not wily for naught; and I bothdeem that I know what is in thine heart, and that it is good forsomething; and moreover that I may help thee somewhat therein. So in afew days thou shalt see whether I am worth something more than hardwords and beating. Only thou must promise in all wise to obey me, though I be the thrall, and thou the Lady, and to leave all the wholematter in my hands. "

Quoth the Lady: "That is easy to promise; for what may I do by myself?"

Then Agatha fell pondering a while, and said thereafter: "First, thoushalt get me speech with my Lord, and cause him to swear immunity tome, whatsoever I shall say or do herein. " Said the Lady: "Easy isthis. What more hast thou?"

Said Agatha: "It were better for thee not to go forth to see thejousting; because thou art not to be trusted that thou show not thylove openly when the youngling is in peril; and if thou put thy lord toshame openly before the people, he must needs thwart thy will, and befierce and cruel, and then it will go hard with thy darling. So thoushalt not go from the pavilion till the night is dark, and thou maystfeign thyself sick meantime. "

"Sick enough shall I be if I may not go forth to see how my love isfaring in his peril: this at least is hard to me; but so be it! Atleast thou wilt come and tell me how he speedeth. " "Oh yes, " saidAgatha, "if thou must have it so; but fear thou not, he shall do wellenough. "

Said the Lady: "Ah, but thou wottest how oft it goes with a chancestroke, that the point pierceth where it should not; nay, where bylikelihood it could not. "

"Nay, " said Agatha, "what chance is there in this, when the younglingknoweth the whole manner of the play, and his foemen know naughtthereof? It is as the chance betwixt Geoffrey the Minstrel and BlackAnselm, when they play at chess together, that Anselm must needs bemated ere he hath time to think of his fourth move. I wot of thesematters, my Lady. Now, further, I would have thy leave to marshal thymaids about the seat where thou shouldest be, and moreover there shouldbe someone in thy seat, even if I sat in it myself. " Said the Lady:"Yea, sit there if thou wilt. "

"Woe's me!" said Agatha laughing, "why should I sit there? I am liketo thee, am I not?" "Yea, " said the Lady, "as the swan is like to theloon. " "Yea, my Lady, " said Agatha, "which is the swan and which theloon? Well, well, fear not; I shall set Joyce in thy seat by my Lord'sleave; she is tall and fair, and forsooth somewhat like to thee. " "Whywilt thou do this?" quoth the Lady; "Why should thralls sit in myseat?" Said Agatha: "O, the tale is long to tell; but I would confusethat young man's memory of thee somewhat, if his eyes fell on thee atall when ye met e'en now, which is to be doubted. "

The Lady started up in sudden wrath, and cried out: "She had best notbe too like to me then, and strive to draw his eyes to her, or I willhave her marked for diversity betwixt us. Take heed, take heed!"

Agatha looked softly on her and said: "My Lady. Ye fair-skinned, open-faced women should look to it not to show yourselves angry beforemen-folk. For open wrath marreth your beauty sorely. Leave scowls andfury to the dark-browed, who can use them without wrying their faceslike a three months' baby with the colic. Now that is my last rede asnow. For methinks I can hear the trumpets blowing for the arraying ofthe tourney. Wherefore I must go to see to matters, while thou hastbut to be quiet. And to-night make much of my Lord, and bid him see meto-morrow, and give heed to what I shall say to him. But if I meet himwithout, now, as is most like, I shall bid him in to thee, that thoumayst tell him of Joyce, and her sitting in thy seat. Otherwise I willtell him as soon as he is set down in his place. Sooth to say, he islittle like to quarrel with either thee or me for setting a fair womanother than thee by his side. "

Therewith she lifted the tent lap and went out, stepping daintily, andher slender body swaying like a willow branch, and came at once face toface with the Lord of Utterbol, and bowed low and humbly before him, though her face, unseen of him, smiled mockingly. The Lord looked onher greedily, and let his hand and arm go over her shoulder, and abouther side, and he drew her to him, and kissed her, and said: "What, Agatha! and why art thou not bringing forth thy mistress to us?" Sheraised her face to him, and murmured softly, as one afraid, but with awheedling smile on her face and in her eyes: "Nay, my Lord, she willabide within to-day, for she is ill at ease; if your grace goeth in, she will tell thee what she will have. "

"Agatha, " quoth he, "I will hear her, and I will do her pleasure ifthou ask me so to do. " Then Agatha cast down her eyes, and her speechwas so low and sweet that it was as the cooing of a dove, as she said:"O my Lord, what is this word of thine?"

He kissed her again, and said: "Well, well, but dost thou ask it?" "Oyea, yea, my Lord, " said she. 

"It is done then, " said the Lord; and he let her go; for he had beenstroking her arm and shoulder, and she hurried away, laughing inwardly, to the Lady's women. But he went into the pavilion after he had castone look at her. 

CHAPTER 37

How Ralph Justed With the Aliens

Meanwhile Captain Otter had brought Ralph into the staked-out lists, which, being hastily pitched, were but slenderly done, and now theUpmeads stripling stood there beside a good horse which they hadbrought to him, and Otter had been speaking to him friendly. But Ralphsaw the Lord come forth from the pavilion and take his seat on an ivorychair set on a turf ridge close to the stakes of the lists: for thatplace was used of custom for such games as they exercised in the landsof Utterbol. Then presently the Lady's women came out of their tents, and, being marshalled by Agatha, went into the Queen's pavilion, whencethey came forth again presently like a bed of garden flowers moving, having in the midst of them a woman so fair, and clad so gloriously, that Ralph must needs look on her, though he were some way off, andtake note of her beauty. She went and sat her down beside the Lord, and Ralph doubted not that it was the Queen, whom he had but glanced atwhen they first made stay before the pavilion. Sooth to say, Joycebeing well nigh as tall as the Queen, and as white of skin, wasotherwise a far fairer woman. 

Now spake Otter to Ralph: "I must leave thee here, lad, and go to theother side, as I am to run against thee. " Said Ralph: "Art thou to runfirst?" "Nay, but rather last, " said Otter; "they will try thee firstwith one of the sergeants, and if he overcome thee, then all is done, and thou art in an evil plight. Otherwise will they find another andanother, and at last it will be my turn. So keep thee well, lad. "

Therewith he rode away, and there came to Ralph one of the sergeants, who brought him a spear, and bade him to horse. So Ralph mounted andtook the spear in hand; and the sergeant said: "Thou art to run atwhatsoever meeteth thee when thou hast heard the third blast of thehorn. Art thou ready?" "Yea, yea, " said Ralph; "but I see that thespear-head is not rebated, so that we are to play at sharps. "

"Art thou afraid, youngling?" said the sergeant, who was old andcrabbed, "if that be so, go and tell the Lord: but thou wilt find thathe will not have his sport wholly spoiled, but will somehow make a boltor a shaft out of thee. "

Said Ralph: "I did but jest; I deem myself not so near my death to-dayas I have been twice this summer or oftener. " Said the sergeant, "It isill jesting in matters wherein my Lord hath to do. Now thou hast heardmy word: do after it. "

Therewith he departed, and Ralph laughed and shook the spear aloft, anddeemed it not over strong; but he said to himself that the spears ofthe others would be much the same. 

Now the horn blew up thrice, and at the latest blast Ralph prickedforth, as one well used to the tilt, but held his horse well in hand;and he saw a man come driving against him with his spear in the rest, and deemed him right big; but this withal he saw, that the man was illarrayed, and was pulling on his horse as one not willing to trust himto the rush; and indeed he came on so ill that it was clear that hewould never strike Ralph's shield fairly. So he swerved as they met, so that his spear-point was never near to Ralph, who turned his horsetoward him a little, and caught his foeman by the gear about his neck, and spurred on, so that he dragged him clean out of his saddle, and lethim drop, and rode back quietly to his place, and got off his horse tosee to his girths; and he heard great laughter rising up from the ringof men, and from the women also. But the Lord of Utterbol cried out:"Bring forth some one who doth not eat my meat for nothing: and setthat wretch and dastard aside till the tilting be over, and then heshall pay a little for his wasted meat and drink. "

Ralph got into his saddle again, and saw a very big man come forth atthe other end of the lists, and wondered if he should be overthrown ofhim; but noted that his horse seemed not over good. Then the horn blewup and he spurred on, and his foeman met him fairly in the midmost ofthe lists: yet he laid his spear but ill, and as one who would thrustand foin with it rather than letting it drive all it might, so thatRalph turned the point with his shield that it glanced off, but hehimself smote the other full on the shoulder, and the shaft brake, butthe point had pierced the man's armour, and the truncheon stuck in thewound: yet since the spear was broken he kept his saddle. The Lordcried out, "Well, Black Anselm, this is better done; yet art thou a bigman and a well-skilled to be beaten by a stripling. "

So the man was helped away and Ralph went back to his place again. 

Then another man was gotten to run against Ralph, and it went thesame-like way: for Ralph smote him amidst of the shield, and the spearheld, so that he fell floundering off his horse. 

Six of the stoutest men of Utterbol did Ralph overthrow or hurt in thiswise; and then he ran three courses with Otter, and in the first twoeach brake his spear fairly on the other; but in the third Otter smotenot Ralph squarely, but Ralph smote full amidst of his shield, and sodight him that he well-nigh fell, and could not master his horse, butyet just barely kept his saddle. 

Then the Lord cried out: "Now make we an end of it! We have no mightagainst this youngling, man to man: or else would Otter have done it. This comes of learning a craft diligently. "

So Ralph got off his horse, and did off his helm and awaited tidings;and anon comes to him the surly sergeant, and brought him a cup ofwine, and said: "Youngling, thou art to drink this, and then go to myLord; and I deem that thou art in favour with him. So if thou art nottoo great a man, thou mightest put in a word for poor Redhead, thatfirst man that did so ill. For my Lord would have him set up, and headdown and buttocks aloft, as a target for our bowmen. And it will behis luck if he be sped with the third shot, and last not out to thetwentieth. "

"Yea, certes, " said Ralph, "I will do no less, even if it anger theLord. " "O thou wilt not anger him, " said the man, "for I tell thee, thou art in favour. Yea, and for me also thou mightest say a wordalso, when thou becomest right great; for have I not brought thee agood bowl of wine?" "Doubt it not, man, " said Ralph, "if I once getsafe to Utterbol: weary on it and all its ways!" Said the sergeant:"That is an evil wish for one who shall do well at Utterbol. But come, tarry not. "

So he brought Ralph to the Lord, who still sat in his chair beside thatfair woman, and Ralph did obeysance to him; yet he had a sidelongglance also for that fair seeming-queen, and deemed her bothproud-looking, and so white-skinned, that she was a wonder, like thequeen of the fays: and it was just this that he had noted of the Queenas he stood before her earlier in the day when they first came into thevale; therefore he had no doubt of this damsel's queenship. 

Now the Lord spake to him and said: "Well, youngling, thou hast donewell, and better than thy behest: and since ye have been playing atsharps, I deem thou would'st not do ill in battle, if it came to that. So now I am like to make something other of thee than I was minded toat first: for I deem that thou art good enough to be a man. And ifthou wilt now ask a boon of me, if it be not over great, I will grantit thee. "

Ralph put one knee to the ground, and said: "Great Lord, I thank thee:but whereas I am in an alien land and seeking great things, I know ofno gift which I may take for myself save leave to depart, which I deemthou wilt not grant me. Yet one thing thou mayst do for my asking ifthou wilt. If thou be still angry with the carle whom I firstunhorsed, I pray thee pardon him his ill-luck. "

"Ill-luck!" said the Lord, "Why, I saw him that he was downright afraidof thee. And if my men are to grow blenchers and soft-hearts what isto do then? But tell me, Otter, what is the name of this carle?" SaidOtter, "Redhead he hight, Lord. " Said the Lord: "And what like a manis he in a fray?" "Naught so ill, Lord, " said Otter. "This time, likethe rest of us, he knew not this gear. It were scarce good to miss himat the next pinch. It were enough if he had the thongs over his back afew dozen times; it will not be the first day of such cheer to him. "

"Ha!" said the Lord, "and what for, Otter, what for?" "Because he wassomewhat rough-handed, Lord, " said Otter. "Then shall we need him anduse him some day. Let him go scot free and do better another bout. There is thy boon granted for thee, knight; and another day thou maystask something more. And now shall David have a care of thee. And whenwe come to Utterbol we shall see what is to be done with thee. "

Then Ralph rose up and thanked him, and David came forward, and led himto his tent. And he was wheedling in his ways to him, as if Ralph werenow become one who might do him great good if so his will were. 

But the Lord went back again into the Tower. 

As to the Lady, she abode in her pavilion amidst many fears anddesires, till Agatha entered and said: "My Lady, so far all has gonehappily. " Said the Lady: "I deemed from the noise and the cry that hewas doing well. But tell me, how did he?" "My Lady, " quoth Agatha, "he knocked our folk about well-favouredly, and seemed to think littleof it. "

"And Joyce, " said the Lady, "how did she?" "She looked a queen, everyinch of her, and she is tall, " said Agatha: "soothly some folk staredon her, but not many knew of her, since she is but new into our house. Though it is a matter of course that all save our new-come knight knewthat it was not thou that sat there. And my Lord was well-pleased, andnow he hath taken her by the hand and led her into the Tower. "

The Lady reddened and scowled, and said: "And he. . . Did he come anighher?" "O yea, " said Agatha, "whereas he stood before my Lord a goodwhile, and then kneeled to him to pray pardon for one of our men whohad done ill in the tilting: yea, he was nigh enough to her to touchher had he dared, and to smell the fragrance of her raiment. And heseemed to think it good to look out of the corners of his eyes at her;though I do not say that she smiled on him. " The Lady sprang up, hercheeks burning, and walked about angrily a while, striving for words, till at last she said: "When we come home to Utterbol, my lord willsee his new thrall again, and will care for Joyce no whit: then will Ihave my will of her; and she shall learn, she, whether I am verily theleast of women at Utterbol! Ha! what sayest thou? Now why wilt thoustand and smile on me?--Yea, I know what is in thy thought; and in verysooth it is good that the dear youngling hath not seen this new thrall, this Ursula. Forsooth, I tell thee that if I durst have her in myhands I would have a true tale out of her as to why she weareth everthat pair of beads about her neck. "

"Now, our Lady, " said Agatha, "thou art marring the fairness of thyface again. I bid thee be at peace, for all shall be well, and otherthan thou deemest. Tell me, then, didst thou get our Lord to swearimmunity for me?" Said the Lady: "Yea, he swore on the edge of thesword that thou mightest say what thou wouldst, and neither he nor anyother should lay hand on thee. "

"Good, " said Agatha; "then will I go to him to-morrow morning, whenJoyce has gone from him. But now hold up thine heart, and keep closefor these two days that we shall yet abide in Tower Dale: and trust methis very evening I shall begin to set tidings going that shall workand grow, and shall one day rejoice thine heart. "

So fell the talk betwixt them. 

CHAPTER 38

A Friend Gives Ralph Warning

On the morrow Ralph wandered about the Dale where he would, and nonemeddled with him. And as he walked east along the stream where thevalley began to narrow, he saw a man sitting on the bank fishing withan angle, and when he drew near, the man turned about, and saw him. Then he lays down his angling rod and rises to his feet, and standsfacing Ralph, looking sheepish, with his hands hanging down by hissides; and Ralph, who was thinking of other folk, wondered what hewould. So he said: "Hail, good fellow! What wouldst thou?" Said theman: "I would thank thee. " "What for?" said Ralph, but as he looked onhim he saw that it was Redhead, whose pardon he had won of the Lordyesterday; so he held out his hand, and took Redhead's, and smiledfriendly on him. Redhead looked him full in the face, and though hewas both big and very rough-looking, he had not altogether the look ofa rascal. 

He said: "Fair lord, I would that I might do something for thineavail, and perchance I may: but it is hard to do good deeds in Hell, especially for one of its devils. "

"Yea, is it so bad as that?" said Ralph. "For thee not yet, " saidRedhead, "but it may come to it. Hearken, lord, there is none anigh usthat I can see, so I will say a word to thee at once. Later on it maybe over late: Go thou not to Utterbol whatever may betide. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "but how if I be taken thither?" Quoth Redhead: "Ican see this, that thou art so favoured that thou mayst go whither thouwilt about the camp with none to hinder thee. Therefore it will beeasy for thee to depart by night and cloud, or in the grey of morning, when thou comest to a good pass, whereof I will tell thee. And still Isay, go thou not to Utterbol: for thou art over good to be made a devilof, like to us, and therefore thou shalt be tormented till thy life isspoilt, and by that road shalt thou be sent to heaven. "

"But thou saidst even now, " said Ralph, "that I was high in the Lord'sgrace. " "Yea, " said Redhead, "that may last till thou hast command todo some dastard's deed and nay-sayest it, as thou wilt: and thenfarewell to thee; for I know what my Lord meaneth for thee. " "Yea, "said Ralph, "and what is that?" Said Redhead; "He hath bought thee togive to his wife for a toy and a minion, and if she like thee, it willbe well for a while: but on the first occasion that serveth him, andshe wearieth of thee (for she is a woman like a weather-cock), he willlay hand on thee and take the manhood from thee, and let thee driftabout Utterbol a mock for all men. For already at heart he hateththee. "

Ralph stood pondering this word, for somehow it chimed in with thethought already in his heart. Yet how should he not go to Utterbolwith the Damsel abiding deliverance of him there: and yet again, ifthey met there and were espied on, would not that ruin everything forher as well as for him?

At last he said: "Good fellow, this may be true, but how shall I knowit for true before I run the risk of fleeing away, instead of going onto Utterbol, whereas folk deem honour awaiteth me. "

Said Redhead: "There is no honour at Utterbol save for such as areunworthy of honour. But thy risk is as I say, and I shall tell theewhence I had my tale, since I love thee for thy kindness to me, and thymanliness. It was told me yester-eve by a woman who is in the veryprivity of the Lady of Utterbol, and is well with the Lord also: and itjumpeth with mine own thought on the matter; so I bid thee beware: forwhat is in me to grieve would be sore grieved wert thou cast away. "

"Well, " said Ralph, "let us sit down here on the bank and then tell memore; but go on with thine angling the while, lest any should see us. "

So they sat down, and Redhead did as Ralph bade; and he said: "Lord, Ihave bidden thee to flee; but this is an ill land to flee from, andindeed there is but one pass whereby ye may well get away from thiscompany betwixt this and Utterbol; and we shall encamp hard by it onthe second day of our faring hence. Yet I must tell thee that it is noroad for a dastard; for it leadeth through the forest up into themountains: yet such as it is, for a man bold and strong like thee, Ibid thee take it: and I can see to it that leaving this company shallbe easy to thee: only thou must make up thy mind speedily, since thetime draws so nigh, and when thou art come to Utterbol with all thisrout, and the house full, and some one or other dogging each footstepof thine, fleeing will be another matter. Now thus it is: on that samesecond night, not only is the wood at hand to cover thee, but I shallbe chief warder of the side of the camp where thou lodgest, so that Ican put thee on the road: and if I were better worth, I would say, takeme with thee, but as it is, I will not burden thee with that prayer. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "I have had one guide in this country-side and hebewrayed me. This is a matter of life and death, so I will speak outand say how am I to know but that thou also art going about to bewrayme?"

Redhead lept up to his feet, and roared out: "What shall I say? whatshall I say? By the soul of my father I am not bewraying thee. Mayall the curses of Utterbol be sevenfold heavier on me if I am thytraitor and dastard. "

"Softly lad, softly, " said Ralph, "lest some one should hear thee. Content thee, I must needs believe thee if thou makest so much noiseabout it. "

Then Redhead sat him down again, and for all that he was so rough andsturdy a carle he fell a-weeping. 

"Nay, nay, " said Ralph, "this is worse in all wise than the othernoise. I believe thee as well as a man can who is dealing with one whois not his close friend, and who therefore spareth truth to his friendbecause of many years use and wont. Come to thyself again and let uslook at this matter square in the face, and speedily too, lest someunfriend or busybody come on us. There now! Now, in the first placedost thou know why I am come into this perilous and tyrannous land?"

Said Redhead: "I have heard it said that thou art on the quest of theWell at the World's End. "

"And that is but the sooth, " said Ralph. "Well then, " quoth Redhead, "there is the greater cause for thy fleeing at the time and in themanner I have bidden thee. For there is a certain sage who dwelleth inthe wildwood betwixt that place and the Great Mountains, and he hath somuch lore concerning the Mountains, yea, and the Well itself, that ifhe will tell thee what he can tell, thou art in a fair way to end thyquest happily. What sayest thou then?"

Said Ralph, "I say that the Sage is good if I may find him. But thereis another cause why I have come hither from Goldburg. " "What is that?"said Redhead. "This, " said Ralph, "to come to Utterbol. " "Heaven helpus!" quoth Redhead, "and wherefore?"

Ralph said: "Belike it is neither prudent nor wise to tell thee, but Ido verily trust thee; so hearken! I go to Utterbol to deliver a friendfrom Utterbol; and this friend is a woman--hold a minute--and thiswoman, as I believe, hath been of late brought to Utterbol, having beentaken out of the hands of one of the men of the mountains that liebeyond Cheaping Knowe. "

Redhead stared astonished, and kept silence awhile; then he said: "Nowall the more I say, flee! flee! flee! Doubtless the woman is there, whom thou seekest; for it would take none less fair and noble than thatnew-come thrall to draw to her one so fair and noble as thou art. Butwhat availeth it? If thou go to Utterbol thou wilt destroy both herand thee. For know, that we can all see that the Lord hath set hislove on this damsel; and what better can betide, if thou come toUtterbol, but that the Lord shall at once see that there is lovebetwixt you two, and then there will be an end of the story. "

"How so?" quoth Ralph. Said Redhead: "At Utterbol all do the will ofthe Lord of Utterbol, and he is so lustful and cruel, and so falsewithal, that his will shall be to torment the damsel to death, and togeld and maim thee; so that none hereafter shall know how goodly andgallant thou hast been. "

"Redhead, " quoth Ralph much moved, "though thou art in no knightlyservice, thou mayst understand that it is good for a friend to die witha friend. "

"Yea, forsooth, " said Redhead, "If he may do no more to help than that!Wouldst thou not help the damsel? Now when thou comest back from thequest of the Well at the World's End, thou wilt be too mighty andglorious for the Lord of Utterbol to thrust thee aside like to an overeager dog; and thou mayst help her then. But now I say to thee, andswear to thee, that three days after thou hast met thy beloved inUtterbol she will be dead. I would that thou couldst ask someone elsenearer to the Lord than I have been. The tale would be the same asmine. "

Now soothly to say it, this was even what Ralph had feared would be, and he could scarce doubt Redhead's word. So he sat there ponderingthe matter a good while, and at last he said: "My friend, I will trustthee with another thing; I have a mind to flee to the wildwood, and yetcome to Utterbol for the damsel's deliverance. " "Yea, " said Redhead, "and how wilt thou work in the matter?" Said Ralph; "How would it be ifI came hither in other guise than mine own, so that I should not beknown either by the damsel or her tyrants?"

Said Redhead: "There were peril in that; yet hope also. Yea, and inone way thou mightest do it; to wit, if thou wert to find that Sage, and tell him thy tale: if he be of good will to thee, he might thenchange not thy gear only, but thy skin also; for he hath exceedinggreat lore. "

"Well, " said Ralph, "Thou mayst look upon it as certain that on thataforesaid night, I will do my best to shake off this company of tyrantand thralls, unless I hear fresh tidings, so that I must needs changemy purpose. But I will ask thee to give me some token that all holdstogether some little time beforehand. " Quoth Redhead: "Even so shallit be; thou shalt see me at latest on the eve of the night of thydeparture; but on the night before that if it be anywise possible. "

"Now will I go away from thee, " said Ralph, "and I thank thee heartilyfor thine help, and deem thee my friend. And if thou think better offleeing with me, thou wilt gladden me the more. " Redhead shook his headbut spake not, and Ralph went his ways down the dale. 

CHAPTER 39

The Lord of Utterbol Makes Ralph a Free Man

He went to and fro that day and the next, and none meddled with him;with Redhead he spake not again those days, but had talk with Otter andDavid, who were blithe enough with him. Agatha he saw not at all; northe Lady, and still deemed that the white-skinned woman whom he hadseen sitting by the Lord after the tilting was the Queen. 

As for the Lady she abode in her pavilion, and whiles lay in a heap onthe floor weeping, or dull and blind with grief; whiles she walked upand down mad wroth with whomsoever came in her way, even to the dealingout of stripes and blows to her women. 

But on the eve before the day of departure Agatha came into her, andchid her, and bade her be merry: "I have seen the Lord and told himwhat I would, and found it no hard matter to get him to yeasay ourplot, which were hard to carry out without his goodwill. Withal theseed that I have sowed two days or more ago is bearing fruit; so thatthou mayst look to it that whatsoever plight we may be in, we shallfind a deliverer. "

"I wot not thy meaning, " quoth the Lady, "but I deem thou wilt now tellme what thou art planning, and give me some hope, lest I lay hands onmyself. "

Then Agatha told her without tarrying what she was about doing for her, the tale of which will be seen hereafter; and when she had done, theLady mended her cheer, and bade bring meat and drink, and was once morelike a great and proud Lady. 

On the morn of departure, when Ralph arose, David came to him and said:"My Lord is astir already, and would see thee for thy good. " So Ralphwent with David, who brought him to the Tower, and there they found theLord sitting in a window, and Otter stood before him, and some othersof his highest folk. But beside him sat Joyce, and it seemed that hethought it naught but good to hold her hand and play with the fingersthereof, though all those great men were by; and Ralph had no thoughtof her but that she was the Queen. 

So Ralph made obeisance to the Lord and stood awaiting his word; andthe Lord said: "We have been thinking of thee, young man, and havedeemed thy lot to be somewhat of the hardest, if thou must needs be athrall, since thou art both young and well-born, and so good a man ofthine hands. Now, wilt thou be our man at Utterbol?"

Ralph delayed his answer a space and looked at Otter, who seemed to himto frame a Yea with his lips, as who should say, take it. So he said:"Lord, thou art good to me, yet mayst thou be better if thou wilt. "

"Yea, man!" said the Lord knitting his brows; "What shall it be? saythy say, and be done with it. "

"Lord, " said Ralph, "I pray thee to give me my choice, whether I shallgo with thee to Utterbol or forbear going?"

"Why, lo you!" said the Lord testily, and somewhat sourly; "thou hastthe choice. Have I not told thee that thou art free?" Then Ralph kneltbefore him, and said: "Lord, I thank thee from a full heart, in thatthou wilt suffer me to depart on mine errand, for it is a great one. "The scowl deepened on the Lord's face, and he turned away from Ralph, and said presently: "Otter take the Knight away and let him have allhis armour and weapons and a right good horse; and then let him do ashe will, either ride with us, or depart if he will, and whither hewill. And if he must needs ride into the desert, and cast himself awayin the mountains, so be it. But whatever he hath a mind to, let nonehinder him, but further him rather; hearest thou? take him with thee. "

Then was Ralph overflowing with thanks, but the Lord heeded him naught, but looked askance at him and sourly. And he rose up withal, and ledthe damsel by the hand into another chamber; and she minced in her gaitand leaned over to the Lord and spake softly in his ear and laughed, and he laughed in his turn and toyed with her neck and shoulders. 

But the great men turned and went their ways from the Tower, and Ralphwent with Otter and was full of glee, and as merry as a bird. ButOtter looked on him, and said gruffly: "Yea now, thou art like asong-bird but newly let out of his cage. But I can see the stringwhich is tied to thy leg, though thou feelest it not. "

"Why, what now?" quoth Ralph, making as though he were astonished. "Hearken, " said Otter: "there is none nigh us, so I will speakstraight out; for I love thee since the justing when we tried our mighttogether. If thou deemest that thou art verily free, ride off on thebackward road when we go forward; I warrant me thou shalt presentlymeet with an adventure, and be brought in a captive for the secondtime. " "How then, " said Ralph, "hath not the Lord good will toward me?"

Said Otter: "I say not that he is now minded to do thee a mischief forcruelty's sake; but he is minded to get what he can out of thee. If heuse thee not for the pleasuring of his wife (so long as her pleasure inthee lasteth) he will verily use thee for somewhat else. And to speakplainly, I now deem that he will make thee my mate, to use with me, oragainst me as occasion may serve; so thou shalt be another captain ofhis host. " He laughed withal, and said again: "But if thou be notwary, thou wilt tumble off that giddy height, and find thyself a thrallonce more, and maybe a gelding to boot. " Now waxed Ralph angry andforgat his prudence, and said: "Yea, but how shall he use me when I amout of reach of his hand?" "Oho, young man, " said Otter, "whither awaythen, to be out of his reach?"

"Why, " quoth Ralph still angrily, "is thy Lord master of all theworld?" "Nay, " said the captain, "but of a piece thereof. In short, betwixt Utterbol and Goldburg, and Utterbol and the mountains, andUtterbol and an hundred miles north, and an hundred miles south, thereis no place where thou canst live, no place save the howlingwilderness, and scarcely there either, where he may not lay hand onthee if he do but whistle. What, man! be not downhearted! come with usto Utterbol, since thou needs must. Be wise, and then the Lord shallhave no occasion against thee; above all, beware of crossing him in anymatter of a woman. Then who knows" (and here he sunk his voice wellnigh to a whisper) "but thou and I together may rule in Utterbol andmake better days there. "

Ralph was waxen master of himself by now, and was gotten wary indeed, so he made as if he liked Otter's counsel well, and became exceedinggay; for indeed the heart within him was verily glad at the thought ofhis escaping from thralldom; for more than ever now he was fast in hismind to flee at the time appointed by Redhead. 

So Otter said: "Well, youngling, I am glad that thou takest it thus, for I deem that if thou wert to seek to depart, the Lord would make itan occasion against thee. "

"Such an occasion shall he not have, fellow in arms, " quoth Ralph. "But tell me, we ride presently, and I suppose are bound for Utternessby the shortest road?" "Yea, " said Otter, "and anon we shall come tothe great forest which lieth along our road all the way to Utternessand beyond it; for the town is, as it were, an island in the sea ofwoodland which covers all, right up to the feet of the Great Mountains, and does what it may to climb them whereso the great wall or itsbuttresses are anywise broken down toward our country; but the end ofit lieth along our road, as I said, and we do but skirt it. A woefulwood it is, and save for the hunting of the beasts, which be there ingreat plenty, with wolves and bears, yea, and lions to boot, which comedown from the mountains, there is no gain in it. No gain, thoughforsooth they say that some have found it gainful. "

"How so?" said Ralph. Said Otter: "That way lieth the way to the Wellat the World's End, if one might find it. If at any time we were clearof Utterbol, I have a mind for the adventure along with thee, lad, andso I deem hast thou from all the questions thou hast put to methereabout. "

Ralph mastered himself so that his face changed not, and he said:"Well, Captain, that may come to pass; but tell me, are there anytokens known whereby a man shall know that he is on the right path tothe Well?"

"The report of folk goeth, " said Otter, "concerning one token, where isthe road and the pass through the Great Mountains, to wit, that on theblack rock thereby is carven the image of a Fighting Man, or monstrousgiant, of the days long gone by. Of other signs I can tell theenaught; and few of men are alive that can. But there is a Sagedwelleth in the wood under the mountains to whom folk seek for hisdiverse lore; and he, if he will, say men, can set forth all the way, and its perils, and how to escape them. Well, knight, when the timecomes, thou and I will go find him together, for he at least is nothard to find, and if he be gracious to us, then will we on our quest. But as now, see ye, they have struck our tents and the Queen's pavilionalso; so to horse, is the word. "

"Yea, " quoth Ralph, looking curiously toward the place where theQueen's pavilion had stood; "is not yonder the Queen's litter takingthe road?" "Yea, surely, " said Otter. 

"Then the litter will be empty, " said Ralph. "Maybe, or maybe not, "said Otter; "but now I must get me gone hastily to my folk; doubtlesswe shall meet upon the road to Utterbol. "

So he turned and went his ways; and Ralph also ran to his horse, whereby was David already in the saddle, and so mounted, and the wholerout moved slowly from out of Vale Turris, Ralph going ever by David. The company was now a great one, for many wains were joined to them, laden with meal, and fleeces, and other household stuff, and withalthere was a great herd of neat, and of sheep, and of goats, which theLord's men had been gathering in the fruitful country these two days;but the Lord was tarrying still in the tower. 

CHAPTER 40

They Ride Toward Utterness From Out of Vale Turris

So they rode by a good highway, well beaten, past the Tower and overthe ridge of the valley, and came full upon the terrible sight of theGreat Mountains, and the sea of woodland lay before them, swelling andfalling, and swelling again, till it broke grey against the dark blueof the mountain wall. They went as the way led, down hill, and whenthey were at the bottom, thence along their highway parted the tillageand fenced pastures from the rough edges of the woodland like as aditch sunders field from field. They had the wildwood ever on theirright hand, and but a little way from where they rode the woodthickened for the more part into dark and close thicket, the treeswhereof were so tall that they hid the overshadowing mountains whensothey rode the bottoms, though when the way mounted on the ridges, andthe trees gave back a little, they had sight of the woodland and themountains. On the other hand at whiles the thicket came close up tothe roadside. 

Now David biddeth press on past the wains and the driven beasts, whichwere going very slowly. So did they, and at last were well nigh at thehead of the Lord's company, but when Ralph would have pressed on still, David refrained him, and said that they must by no means outgo theQueen's people, or even mingle with them; so they rode on softly. Butas the afternoon was drawing toward evening they heard great noise ofhorns behind them, and the sound of horses galloping. Then David drewRalph to the side of the way, and everybody about, both before andbehind them, drew up in wise at the wayside, and or ever Ralph couldask any question, came a band of men-at-arms at the gallop led byOtter, and after them the Lord on his black steed, and beside him on awhite palfrey the woman whom Ralph had seen in the Tower, and whom hehad taken for the Queen, her light raiment streaming out from her, andher yellow hair flying loose. They passed in a moment of time, andthen David and Ralph and the rest rode on after them. 

Then said Ralph: "The Queen rideth well and hardily. " "Yea, " saidDavid, screwing his face into a grin, would he or no. Ralph beheldhim, and it came into his mind that this was not the Queen whom he hadlooked on when they first came into Vale Turris, and he said: "Whatthen! this woman is not the Queen?"

David spake not for a while, and then he answered: "Sir Knight, therebe matters whereof we servants of my Lord say little or nothing, andthou wert best to do the like. " And no more would he say thereon. 

CHAPTER 41

Redhead Keeps Tryst

They rode not above a dozen miles that day, and pitched their tents andpavilions in the fair meadows by the wayside looking into the thick ofthe forest. There this betid to tell of, that when Ralph got off hishorse, and the horse-lads were gathered about the men-at-arms and highfolk, who should take Ralph's horse but Redhead, who made a sign to himby lifting his eyebrows as if he were asking him somewhat; and Ralphtook it as a question as to whether his purpose held to flee on themorrow night; so he nodded a yeasay, just so much as Redhead might noteit; and naught else befell betwixt them. 

When it was barely dawn after that night, Ralph awoke with the sound ofgreat stir in the camp, and shouting of men and lowing and bleating ofbeasts; so he looked out, and saw that the wains and the flocks andherds were being got on to the road, so that they might make good waybefore the company of the camp took the road. But he heeded it littleand went to sleep again. 

When it was fully morning he arose, and found that the men were nothastening their departure, but were resting by the wood-side anddisporting them about the meadow; so he wandered about amongst themen-at-arms and serving-men, and came across Redhead and hailed him;and there was no man very nigh to them; so Redhead looked about himwarily, and then spake swiftly and softly: "Fail not to-night! failnot! For yesterday again was I told by one who wotteth surely, whatabideth thee at Utterbol if thou go thither. I say if thou fail, thoushalt repent but once--all thy life long to wit. "

Ralph nodded his head, and said: "Fear not, I will not fail thee. " Andtherewith they turned away from each other lest they should be noted. 

About two hours before noon they got to horse again, and, being no moreencumbered with the wains and the beasts, rode at a good pace. As onthe day before the road led them along the edge of the wildwood, andwhiles it even went close to the very thicket. Whiles again theymounted somewhat, and looked down on the thicket, leagues and leaguesthereof, which yet seemed but a little space because of the hugeness ofthe mountain wall which brooded over it; but oftenest the forest hidall but the near trees. 

Thus they rode some twenty miles, and made stay at sunset in a placethat seemed rather a clearing of the wood than a meadow; for they hadtrees on their left hand at a furlong's distance, as well as on theirright at a stone's throw. 

Ralph saw not Redhead as he got off his horse, and David according tohis wont went with him to his tent. But after they had suppedtogether, and David had made much of Ralph, and had drank many cups tohis health, he said to him: "The night is yet young, yea, but new-born;yet must I depart from thee, if I may, to meet a man who will sell me anoble horse good cheap; and I may well leave thee now, seeing that thouhast become a free man; so I bid thee goodnight. "

Therewith he departed, and was scarce gone out ere Redhead cometh in, and saith in his wonted rough loud voice: "Here, knight, here is thebridle thou badest me get mended; will the cobbling serve?" Then seeingno one there, he fell to speaking softer and said: "I heard the oldpimp call thee a free man e'en now: I fear me that thou art not so freeas he would have thee think. Anyhow, were I thou, I would be freer intwo hours space. Is it to be so?"

"Yea, yea, " said Ralph. Redhead nodded: "Good is that, " said he; "Isay in two hours' time all will be quiet, and we are as near thethicket as may be; there is no moon, but the night is fair and thestars clear; so all that thou hast to do is to walk out of this tent, and turn at once to thy right hand: come out with me now quietly, and Iwill show thee. "

They went out together and Redhead said softly: "Lo thou that dodderedoak yonder; like a piece of a hay-rick it looks under the stars; ifthou seest it, come in again at once. "

Ralph turned and drew Redhead in, and said when they were in the tentagain: "Yea, I saw it: what then?"

Said Redhead: "I shall be behind it abiding thee. " "Must I go afoot?"said Ralph, "or how shall I get me a horse?" "I have a horse for thee, "said Redhead, "not thine own, but a better one yet, that hath not beenbacked to-day. Now give me a cup of wine, and let me go. "

Ralph filled for him and took a cup himself, and said: "I pledge thee, friend, and wish thee better luck; and I would have thee for my fellowin this quest. "

"Nay, " said Redhead, "it may not be: I will not burden thy luck withmy ill-luck. . . And moreover I am seeking something which I may gain atUtterbol, and if I have it, I may do my best to say good-night to thatevil abode. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and I wish thee well therein. " Said Redhead, stammering somewhat; "It is even that woman of the Queen's whereof Itold thee. And now one last word, since I must not be over long in thytent, lest some one come upon us. But, fair sir, if thy mind misgivethee for this turning aside from Utterbol; though it is not to bedoubted that the damsel whom thou seekest hath been there, it is notall so sure that thou wouldst have found her there. For of late, whatwith my Lord and my Lady being both away, the place hath been scant offolk; and not only is the said damsel wise and wary, but there beothers who have seen her besides my Lord, and who so hath seen her islike to love her; and such is she, that whoso loveth her is like to doher will. So I bid thee in all case be earnest in thy quest; and thinkthat if thou die on the road thy damsel would have died for thee; andif thou drink of the Well and come back whole and safe, I know not whythou shouldest not go straight to Utterbol and have the damsel awaywith thee, whosoever gainsay it. For they (if there be any such) whohave drunk of the Well at the World's End are well looked to in thisland. Now one more word yet; when I come to Utterbol, if thy damsel bethere still, fear not but I will have speech of her, and tell of thee, and what thou wert looking to, and how thou deemedst of her. "

Therewith he turned and departed hastily. 

But Ralph left alone was sorely moved with hope and fear, and a longingthat grew in him to see the damsel. For though he was firmly set ondeparture, and on seeking the sage aforesaid, yet his heart was drawnthis way and that: and it came into his mind how the damsel would farewhen the evil Lord came home to Utterbol; and he could not choose butmake stories of her meeting of the tyrant, and her fear and grief andshame, and the despair of her heart. So the minutes went slow to him, till he should be in some new place and doing somewhat toward bringingabout the deliverance of her from thralldom, and the meeting of him andher. 

BOOK THREE

The Road To The Well At World's End. 

CHAPTER 1

An Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountains

Now was the night worn to the time appointed, for it was two hoursafter midnight, so he stepped out of his tent clad in all his war gear, and went straight to the doddered oak, and found Redhead there with butone horse, whereby Ralph knew that he held to his purpose of going hisways to Utterbol: so he took him by the shoulders and embraced him, rough carle as he was, and Redhead kneeled to him one moment of timeand then arose and went off into the night. But Ralph got a-horsebackwithout delay and rode his ways warily across the highway and into thewood, and there was none to hinder him. Though it was dark but for thestarlight, there was a path, which the horse, and not Ralph, found, sothat he made some way even before the first glimmer of dawn, all themore as the wood was not very thick after the first mile, and therewere clearings here and there. 

So rode Ralph till the sun was at point to rise, and he was about themidst of one of those clearings or wood-lawns, on the further sidewhereof there was more thicket, as he deemed, then he had yet come to;so he drew rein and looked about him for a minute. Even therewith hedeemed he heard a sound less harsh than the cry of the jay in thebeech-trees, and shriller than the moaning of the morning breeze in thewood. So he falls to listening with both ears, and this time deemsthat he hears the voice of a woman: and therewith came into his mindthat old and dear adventure of the Wood Perilous; for he was dreamywith the past eagerness of his deeds, and the long and lonely night. But yet he doubted somewhat of the voice when it had passed his ears, so he shook his rein, for he thought it not good to tarry. 

Scarce then had his horse stepped out, ere there came a woman runningout of the thicket before him and made toward him over the lawn. So hegat off his horse at once and went to meet her, leading his horse; andas he drew nigh he could see that she was in a sorry plight; she hadgathered up her skirts to run the better, and her legs and feet werenaked: the coif was gone from her head and her black hair streamed outbehind her: her gown was rent about the shoulders and bosom, so thatone sleeve hung tattered, as if by the handling of some one. 

So she ran up to him crying out: "Help, knight, help us!" and sankdown therewith at his feet panting and sobbing. He stooped down toher, and raised her up, and said in a kind voice: "What is amiss, fairdamsel, that thou art in such a plight; and what may I for thine avail?Doth any pursue thee, that thou fleest thus?"

She stood sobbing awhile, and then took hold of his two hands and said:"O fair lord, come now and help my lady! for as for me, since I am withthee, I am safe. "

"Yea, " said he, "Shall I get to horse at once?" And therewith he madeas if he would move away from her; but she still held his hands, andseemed to think it good so to do, and she spake not for a while butgazed earnestly into his face. She was a fair woman, dark and sleekand lithe. . . For in good sooth she was none other than Agatha, who isafore told of. 

Now Ralph is somewhat abashed by her eagerness, and lets his eyes fallbefore hers; and he cannot but note that despite the brambles andbriars of the wood that she had run through, there were no scratches onher bare legs, and that her arm was unbruised where the sleeve had beenrent off. 

At last she spake, but somewhat slowly, as if she were thinking of whatshe had to say: "O knight, by thy knightly oath I charge thee come tomy lady and help and rescue her: she and I have been taken by evil men, and I fear that they will put her to shame, and torment her, ere theycarry her off; for they were about tying her to a tree when I escaped:for they heeded not me who am but the maid, when they had the mistressin their hands. " "Yea, " said he, "and who is thy mistress?" Said thedamsel: "She is the Lady of the Burnt Rock; and I fear me that thesemen are of the Riders of Utterbol; and then will it go hard with her;for there is naught but hatred betwixt my lord her husband and thetyrant of Utterbol. " Said Ralph: "And how many were they?" "O butthree, fair sir, but three, " she said; "and thou so fair and strong, like the war-god himself. "

Ralph laughed: "Three to one is long odds, " quoth he, "but I will comewith thee when thou hast let go my hands so that I may mount my horse. But wilt thou not ride behind me, fair damsel; so wearied and spent asthou wilt be by thy night. "

She looked on him curiously, and laid a hand on his breast, and thehauberk rings tinkled beneath the broidered surcoat; then she said:"Nay, I had best go afoot before thee, so disarrayed as I am. "

Then she let him go, but followed him still with her eyes as he gat himinto the saddle. She walked on beside his horse's head; and Ralphmarvelled of her that for all her haste she had been in, she wentsomewhat leisurely, picking her way daintily so as to tread the smooth, and keep her feet from the rough. 

Thus they went on, into the thicket and through it, and the damsel putthe thorns and briars aside daintily as she stepped, and went slowerstill till they came to a pleasant place of oak-trees with greenswardbeneath them; and then she stopped, and turning, faced Ralph, and spokewith another voice than heretofore, whereas there was naught rueful orwhining therein, but somewhat both of glee and of mocking as it seemed. "Sir knight, " she said, "I have a word or two for thy ears; and this isa pleasant place, and good for us to talk together, whereas it isneither too near to her, nor too far from her, so that I can easilyfind my way back to her. Now, lord, I pray thee light down and listento me. " And therewith she sat down on the grass by the bole of a greatoak. 

"But thy lady, " said Ralph, "thy lady?" "O sir, " she said; "My ladyshall do well enough: she is not tied so fast, but she might looseherself if the need were pressing. Light down, dear lord, light down!"

But Ralph sat still on his horse, and knit his brows, and said: "Whatis this, damsel? hast thou been playing a play with me? Where is thylady whom thou wouldst have me deliver? If this be but game and play, let me go my ways; for time presses, and I have a weighty errand onhand. "

She rose up and came close to him, and laid a hand on his knee andlooked wistfully into his face as she said: "Nay then, I can tell theeall the tale as thou sittest in thy saddle; for meseems short will bethy farewell when I have told it. " And she sighed withal. 

Then Ralph was ashamed to gainsay her, and she now become gentle andsweet and enticing, and sad withal; so he got off his horse and tiedhim to a tree, and went and stood by the damsel as she lay upon thegrass, and said: "I prithee tell thy tale and let me depart if there benaught for me to do. "

Then she said: "This is the first word, that as to the Red Rock, Ilied; and my lady is the Queen of Utterbol, and I am her thrall, and itis I who have drawn thee hither from the camp. "

The blood mounted to Ralph's brow for anger; when he called to mind howhe had been led hither and thither on other folk's errands ever sincehe left Upmeads. But he said naught, and Agatha looked on him timidlyand said: "I say I am her thrall, and I did it to serve her and becauseshe bade me. " Said Ralph roughly: "And Redhead, him whom I saved fromtorments and death; dost thou know him? didst thou know him?"

"Yea, " she said, "I had from him what he had learned concerning theefrom the sergeants and others, and then I put words into his mouth. ""Yea then, " quoth Ralph, "then he also is a traitor!" "Nay, nay, " shesaid, "he is a true man and loveth thee, and whatever he hath said tothee he troweth himself. Moreover, I tell thee here and now that allthat he told thee of the affairs of Utterbol, and thine outlook there, is true and overtrue. "

She sprang to her feet therewith, and stood before him and clasped herhands before him and said: "I know that thou seekest the Well at theWorld's End and the deliverance of the damsel whom the Lord ravishedfrom the wild man: now I swear it by thy mouth, that if thou go toUtterbol thou art undone and shalt come to the foulest pass there, andmoreover that so going thou shalt bring the uttermost shame andtorments on the damsel. "

Said Ralph: "Yea, but what is her case as now? tell me. "

Quoth Agatha: "She is in no such evil case; for my lady hateth her notas yet, or but little; and, which is far more, my lord loveth her afterhis fashion, and withal as I deem feareth her; for though she hathutterly gainsaid his desire, he hath scarce so much as threatened her. A thing unheard of. Had it been another woman she had by this timeknown all the bitterness that leadeth unto death at Utterbol. " Ralphpaled and he scowled on her, then he said: "And how knowest thou allthe privity of the Lord of Utterbol? who telleth thee of all this?"She smiled and spake daintily: "Many folk tell me that which I wouldknow; and that is because whiles I conquer the tidings with my wits, and whiles buy it with my body. Anyhow what I tell thee is the verysooth concerning this damsel, and this it is: that whereas she is butin peril, she shall be in deadly peril, yea and that instant, if thougo to Utterbol, thou, who art her lover. . . " "Nay, " said Ralph angrily, "I am not her lover, I am but her well-willer. " "Well, " quoth Agathalooking down and knitting her brows, "when thy good will towards herhas become known, then shall she be thrown at once into the pit of mylord's cruelty. Yea, to speak sooth, even as it is, for thy sake (forher I heed naught) I would that the lord might find her gone when hecometh back to Utterbol. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, reddening, "and is there any hope for her gettingclear off?" "So I deem, " said Agatha. She was silent awhile and thenspake in a low voice: "It is said that each man that seeth her lovethher; yea, and will befriend her, even though she consent not to hisdesire. Maybe she hath fled from Utterbol. "

Ralph stood silent awhile with a troubled face; and then he said: "Yetthou hast not told me the why and wherefore of this play of thine, andthe beguiling me into fleeing from the camp. Tell it me that I maypardon thee and pass on. "

She said: "By thine eyes I swear that this is sooth, and that there isnaught else in it than this: My lady set her love, when first she sether eyes upon thee--as forsooth all women must: as for me, I had notseen thee (though I told my lady that I had) till within this hour thatwe met in the wood. "

She sighed therewith, and with her right hand played with the rentraiment about her bosom. Then she said: "She deemed that if thoucamest a mere thrall to Utterbol, though she might command thy body, yet she would not gain thy love; but that if perchance thou mightestsee her in hard need, and evilly mishandled, and mightest deliver her, there might at least grow up pity in thee for her, and that love mightcome thereof, as oft hath happed aforetime; for my lady is a fairwoman. Therefore I, who am my lady's servant and thrall, and who, Ibid thee remember, had not seen thee, took upon me to make thisadventure, like to a minstrel's tale done in the flesh. Also I spaketo my lord and told him thereof; and though he jeered at my lady to me, he was content, because he would have her set her heart on theeutterly; since he feared her jealousy, and would fain be delivered ofit, lest she should play some turn to his newly beloved damsel and doher a mischief. Therefore did he set thee free (in words) meaning, when he had thee safe at Utterbol again (as he nowise doubted to havethee) to do as he would with thee, according as occasion might serve. For at heart he hateth thee, as I could see well. So a little beforethou didst leave the camp, we, the Queen and I, went privily into aplace of the woods but a little way hence. There I disarrayed both mylady and myself so far as was needful for the playing out the playwhich was to have seemed to thee a real adventure. Then came I to theeas if by chance hap, that I might bring thee to her; and if thou hadstcome, we had a story for thee, whereby thou mightest not for veryknighthood forbear to succour her and bring her whither she would, which in the long run had been Utterbol, but for the present time wasto have been a certain strong-house appertaining to Utterbol, and nighunto it. This is all the tale, and now if thou wilt, thou mayst pardonme; or if thou wilt, thou mayst draw out thy sword and smite off myhead. And forsooth I deem that were the better deed. "

She knelt down before him and put her palms together, and looked up athim beseechingly. His face darkened as he beheld her thus, but itcleared at last, and he said: "Damsel, thou wouldst turn out but asorry maker, and thy play is naught. For seest thou not that I shouldhave found out all the guile at Utterbol, and owed thy lady hatredrather than love thereafter. "

"Yea, " she said, "but my lady might have had enough of thy love bythen, and would belike have let thee alone to fall into the hands ofthe Lord. Lo now! I have delivered thee from this, so that thou artquit both of the Lord and the lady and me: and again I say that thoucouldst scarce have missed, both thou and thy damsel, of a miserableending at Utterbol. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, softly, and as if speaking to himself, "yet am Ilonely and unholpen. " Then he turned to Agatha and said: "The end ofall this is that I pardon thee, and must depart forthwith; for when yetwo come back to the camp, then presently will the hunt be up. "

She rose from her knees, and stood before him humbly and said: "Nay, Ishall requite thee thy pardon thus far, that I will fashion some talefor my lady which will keep us in the woods two days or three; for wehave provided victual for our adventure. "

Said Ralph: "I may at least thank thee for that, and will trust inthee to do so much. " Quoth she: "Then might I ask a reward of thee:since forsooth other reward awaiteth me at Utterbol. "

"Thou shalt have it, " said Ralph. She said: "The reward is that thoukiss me ere we part. "

"It must needs be according to my word, " said Ralph, "yet I must tellthee that my kiss will bear but little love with it. "

She answered naught but laid her hands on his breast and put up herface to him, and he kissed her lips. Then she said: "Knight, thou hastkissed a thrall and a guileful woman, yet one that shall smart forthee; therefore grudge not the kiss nor repent thee of thy kindness. "

"How shalt thou suffer?" said he. She looked on him steadfastly amoment, and said: "Farewell! may all good go with thee. " Therewith sheturned away and walked off slowly through the wood, and somewhat hepitied her, and sighed as he got into his saddle; but he said tohimself: "How might I help her? Yet true it is that she may well bein an evil case: I may not help everyone. " Then he shook his rein androde his ways. 

CHAPTER 2

Ralph Rides the Wood Under the Mountains

A long way now rode Ralph, and naught befell him but the fashion of thewood. And as he rode, the heart within him was lightened that he hadescaped from all the confusion and the lying of those aliens, who knewhim not, nor his kindred, and yet would all use him each for his ownends: and withal he was glad that he was riding all alone upon hisquest, but free, unwounded, and well weaponed. 

The wood was not very thick whereas he rode, so that he could see thewhereabouts of the sun, and rode east as far as he could judge it. Some little victual he had with him, and he found woodland fruitripening here and there, and eked out his bread therewith; neither didwater fail him, for he rode a good way up along a woodland stream thatcleft the thicket, coming down as he deemed from the mountains, andthereby he made the more way: but at last he deemed that he must needsleave it, as it turned overmuch to the north. The light was failingwhen he came into a woodlawn amidst of which was a pool of water, andall that day he had had no adventure with beast or man, since he hadsundered from Agatha. So he lay down and slept there with his nakedsword by his side, and awoke not till the sun was high in the heavensnext morning. Then he arose at once and went on his way after he hadwashed him, and eaten a morsel. 

After a little the thick of the wood gave out, and the land was nolonger flat, as it had been, but was of dales and of hills, not blindedby trees. In this land he saw much deer, as hart and wild swine; andhe happened also on a bear, who was about a honey tree, and had takenmuch comb from the wild bees. On him Ralph drew his sword and dravehim exceeding loth from his purchase, so that the knight dined off thebear's thieving. Another time he came across a bent where on the southside grew vines well fruited, and the grapes a-ripening; and he atewell thereof before he went on his way. 

Before nightfall he came on that same stream again, and it was nowrunning straight from the east; so he slept that night on the bankthereof. On the morrow he rode up along it a great way, till again itseemed to be coming overmuch from the north; and then he left it, andmade on east as near as he could guess it by the sun. 

Now he passed through thickets at whiles not very great, and betwixtthem rode hilly land grassed mostly with long coarse grass, and withwhin and thorn-trees scattered about. Thence he saw again from time totime the huge wall of the mountains rising up into the air like a greatblack cloud that would swallow up the sky, and though the sight wasterrible, yet it gladdened him, since he knew that he was on the rightway. So far he rode, going on the whole up-hill, till at last therewas a great pine-wood before him, so that he could see no ending to iteither north or south. 

It was now late in the afternoon, and Ralph pondered whether he shouldabide the night where he was and sleep the night there, or whether heshould press on in hope of winning to some clear place before dark. Sowhereas he was in a place both rough and waterless, he deemed it betterto go on, after he had rested his horse and let him bite the herbage awhile. Then he rode his ways, and entered the wood and made the mostof the way. 

CHAPTER 3

Ralph Meeteth With Another Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountain

Soon the wood grew very thick of pine-trees, though there was noundergrowth, so that when the sun sank it grew dark very speedily; buthe still rode on in the dusk, and there were but few wild things, andthose mostly voiceless, in the wood, and it was without wind and verystill. Now he thought he heard the sound of a horse going behind himor on one side, and he wondered whether the chace were up, and hastenedwhat he might, till at last it grew black night, and he was constrainedto abide. So he got off his horse, and leaned his back against a tree, and had the beast's reins over his arm; and now he listened againcarefully, and was quite sure that he could hear the footsteps of somehard-footed beast going nowise far from him. He laughed inwardly, andsaid to himself: "If the chacer were to pass but three feet from mynose he should be none the wiser but if he hear me or my horse. " Andtherewith he cast a lap of his cloak over the horse's head, lest heshould whinny if he became aware of the other beast; and so there hestood abiding, and the noise grew greater till he could hear clearlythe horse-hoofs drawing nigh, till they came very nigh, and thenstopped. 

Then came a man's voice that said: "Is there a man anigh in the wood?"

Ralph held his peace till he should know more; and the voice spakeagain in a little while: "If there be a man anigh let him be sure thatI will do him no hurt; nay, I may do him good, for I have meat withme. " Clear was the voice, and as sweet as the April blackbird sings. It spake again: "Naught answereth, yet meseemeth I know surely that aman is anigh; and I am aweary of the waste, and long for fellowship. "

Ralph hearkened, and called to mind tales of way-farers entrapped bywood-wives and evil things; but he thought: "At least this is nosending of the Lord of Utterbol, and, St. Nicholas to aid, I havelittle fear of wood-wights. Withal I shall be but a dastard if I answernot one man, for fear of I know not what. " So he spake in a loud andcheerful voice: "Yea, there is a man anigh, and I desire thyfellowship, if we might but meet. But how shall we see each other inthe blackness of the wildwood night?"

The other laughed, and the laugh sounded merry and sweet, and the voicesaid: "Hast thou no flint and fire-steel?" "No, " said Ralph. "But Ihave, " said the voice, "and I am fain to see thee, for thy voicesoundeth pleasant to me. Abide till I grope about for a stick or two. "

Ralph laughed in turn, as he heard the new-comer moving about; then heheard the click of the steel on the flint, and saw the sparks showeringdown, so that a little piece of the wood grew green again to his eyes. Then a little clear flame sprang up, and therewith he saw thetree-stems clearly, and some twenty yards from him a horse, and a manstooping down over the fire, who sprang up now and cried out: "It is aknight-at-arms! Come hither, fellow of the waste; it is five days sinceI have spoken to a child of Adam; so come nigh and speak to me, and asa reward of thy speech thou shalt have both meat and firelight. "

"That will be well paid, " said Ralph laughing, and he stepped forwardleading his horse, for now the wood was light all about, as the firewaxed and burned clear; so that Ralph could see that the new-comer wasclad in quaintly-fashioned armour after the fashion of that land, witha bright steel sallet on the head, and a long green surcoat over thebody armour. Slender of make was the new-comer, not big nor tall ofstature. 

Ralph went up to him hastily, and merrily put his hand on his shoulder, and kissed him, saying: "The kiss of peace in the wilderness to thee!"And he found him smooth-faced and sweet-breathed. 

But the new comer took his hand and led him to where the firelight wasbrightest and looked on him silently a while; and Ralph gave back thelook. The strange-wrought sallet hid but little of the new comer'sface, and as Ralph looked thereon a sudden joy came into his heart, andhe cried out: "O, but I have kissed thy face before! O, my friend, myfriend!"

Then spake the new-comer and said: "Yea, I am a woman, and I was thyfriend for a little while at Bourton Abbas, and at the want-ways of theWood Perilous. "

Then Ralph cast his arms about her and kissed her again; but shewithdrew her from him, and said: "Help me, my friend, that we maygather sticks to feed our fire, lest it die and the dark come again sothat we see not each other's faces, and think that we have but met in adream. "

Then she busied herself with gathering the kindling; but presently shelooked up at him, and said: "Let us make the wood shine wide about, for this is a feastful night. "

So they gathered a heap of wood and made the fire great; and then Ralphdid off his helm and hauberk and the damsel did the like, so that hecould see the shapeliness of her uncovered head. Then they sat downbefore the fire, and the damsel drew meat and drink from hersaddle-bags, and gave thereof to Ralph, who took it of her and her handwithal, and smiled on her and said: "Shall we be friends together aswe were at Bourton Abbas and the want-ways of the Wood Perilous?" Sheshook her head and said: "If it might be! but it may not be. Not manydays have worn since then; but they have brought about changed days. "He looked on her wistfully and said: "But thou wert dear to me then. "

"Yea, " she said, "and thou to me; but other things have befallen, andthere is change betwixt. "

"Nay, what change?" said Ralph. 

Even by the firelight he saw that she reddened as she answered: "I wasa free woman then; now am I but a runaway thrall. " Then Ralph laughedmerrily, and said, "Then are we brought the nigher together, for I alsoam a runaway thrall. "

She smiled and looked down: then she said: "Wilt thou tell me howthat befell?"

"Yea, " said he, "but I will ask thee first a question or two. " Shenodded a yeasay, and looked on him soberly, as a child waiting to sayits task. 

Said Ralph: "When we parted at the want-ways of the Wood Perilous thousaidst that thou wert minded for the Well at the World's End, and totry it for life or death. But thou hadst not then the necklace, whichnow I see thee bear, and which, seest thou! is like to that about myneck. Wilt thou tell me whence thou hadst it?"

She said: "Yea; it was given unto me by a lady, mighty as I deem, andcertainly most lovely, who delivered me from an evil plight, and aperil past words, but whereof I will tell thee afterwards. And she itwas who told me of the way to the Well at the World's End, and manymatters concerning them that seek it, whereof thou shalt wot soon. "

Said Ralph: "As to how thou wert made a thrall thou needest not totell me; for I have learned that of those that had to do with takingthee to Utterbol. But tell me; here are met we two in the pathlesswilds, as if it were on the deep sea, and we two seeking the samething. Didst thou deem that we should meet, or that I should seekthee?"

Now was the fire burning somewhat low, but he saw that she looked onhim steadily; yet withal her sweet voice trembled a little as sheanswered: "Kind friend, I had a hope that thou wert seeking me andwouldst find me: for indeed that fairest of women who gave me the beadsspake to me of thee, and said that thou also wouldst turn thee to thequest of the Well at the World's End; and already had I deemed thineeyes lucky as well as lovely. But tell me, my friend, what hasbefallen that lady that she is not with thee? For in such wise shespake of thee, that I deemed that naught would sunder you save death. "

"It is death that hath sundered us, " said Ralph. 

Then she hung her head, and sat silent a while, neither did he speaktill she had risen up and cast more wood upon the fire; and she stoodbefore it with her back towards him. Then he spake to her in acheerful voice and said: "Belike we shall be long together: tell methy name; is it not Dorothy?" She turned about to him with a smilingface, and said: "Nay lord, nay: did I not tell thee my name before?They that held me at the font bid the priest call me Ursula, after theFriend of Maidens. But what is thy name?"

"I am Ralph of Upmeads, " quoth he; and sat a while silent, ponderinghis dream and how it had betrayed him as to her name, when it had toldhim much that he yet deemed true. 

She came and sat down by him again, and said to him: "Thy questions Ihave answered; but thou hast not yet told me the tale of thycaptivity. " Her voice sounded exceeding sweet to him, and he looked onher face and spake as kindly as he knew how, and said: "A short taleit is to-night at least: I came from Whitwall with a Company ofChapmen, and it was thee I was seeking and the Well at the World's End. All went well with me, till I came to Goldburg, and there I wasbetrayed by a felon, who had promised to lead me safe to Utterness, andtell me concerning the way unto the Well. But he sold me to the Lordof Utterbol, who would lead me to his house; which irked me not, atfirst, because I looked to find thee there. Thereafter, if for shame Imay tell the tale, his lady and wife cast her love upon me, and I wasentangled in the nets of guile: yet since I was told, and believed thatit would be ill both for thee and for me if I met thee at Utterbol, Itook occasion to flee away, I will tell thee how another while. "

She had turned pale as she heard him, and now she said: "It is indeedGod's mercy that thou camest not to Utterbol nor foundest me there, forthen had both we been undone amidst the lusts of those two; or thatthou camest not there to find me fled, else hadst thou been undone. Myheart is sick to think of it, even as I sit by thy side. "

Said Ralph: "Thy last word maketh me afraid and ashamed to ask thee athing. But tell me first, is that Lord of Utterbol as evil as men'sfear would make him? for no man is feared so much unless he is deemedevil. "

She was silent a while, and then she said: "He is so evil that itmight be deemed that he has been brought up out of hell. "

Then Ralph looked sore troubled, and he said: "Dear friend, this isthe thing hard for me to say. In what wise did they use thee atUtterbol? Did they deal with thee shamefully?" She answered himquietly: "Nay, " she said, "fear not! no shame befell me, save that Iwas a thrall and not free to depart. Forsooth, " she said, smiling, "Ifled away timely before the tormentors should be ready. Forsooth it isan evil house and a mere piece of hell. But now we are out of it andfree in the wildwood, so let us forget it; for indeed it is a grief toremember it. And now once more let us mend the fire, for thy face isgrowing dim to me, and that misliketh me. Afterwards before we liedown to sleep we will talk a little of the way, whitherward we shallturn our faces to-morrow. "

So they cast on more wood, and pineapples, and sweet it was to Ralph tosee her face come clear again from out the mirk of the wood. Then theysat down again together and she said: "We two are seeking the Well atthe World's End; now which of us knows more of the way? who is to lead, and who to follow?" Said Ralph: "If thou know no more than I, it islittle that thou knowest. Sooth it is that for many days past I havesought thee that thou mightest lead me. "

She laughed sweetly, and said: "Yea, knight, and was it for that causethat thou soughtest me, and not for my deliverance?" He said soberly:"Yet in very deed I set myself to deliver thee. " "Yea, " she said, "thensince I am delivered, I must needs deem of it as if it were through thydeed. And as I suppose thou lookest for a reward therefor, so thyreward shall be, that I will lead thee to the Well at the World's End. Is it enough?" "Nay, " said Ralph. They held their peace a minute, thenshe said: "Maybe when we have drunk of that Water and are coming back, it will be for thee to lead. For true it is that I shall scarce knowwhither to wend; since amidst of my dreaming of the Well, andof. . . Other matters, my home that was is gone like a dream. "

He looked at her, but scarce as if he were heeding all her words. Thenhe spoke: "Yea, thou shalt lead me. I have been led by one or anotherever since I have left Upmeads. " Now she looked on him somewhatruefully, and said: "Thou wert not hearkening e'en now; so I say itagain, that the time shall come when thou shalt lead me. "

In Ralph's mind had sprung up again that journey from the Water of theOak-tree; so he strove with himself to put the thought from him, andsighed and said: "Dost thou verily know much of the way?" She noddedyeasay. "Knowest thou of the Rock of the Fighting Man?" "Yea, " shesaid. "And of the Sage that dwelleth in this same wood?" "Mostsurely, " she said, "and to-morrow evening or the morrow after we shallfind him; for I have been taught the way to his dwelling; and I wotthat he is now called the Sage of Swevenham. Yet I must tell thee thatthere is some peril in seeking to him; whereas his dwelling is known ofthe Utterbol riders, who may follow us thither. And yet again I deemthat he will find some remedy thereto. "

Said Ralph: "Whence didst thou learn all this, my friend?" And hisface grew troubled again; but she said simply: "She taught it to me whospake to me in the wood by Hampton under Scaur. "

She made as if she noted not the trouble in his face, but said: "Putthy trust in this, that here and with me thou art even now nigher tothe Well at the World's End than any other creature on the earth. Yea, even if the Sage of Swevenham be dead or gone hence, yet have I tokensto find the Rock of the Fighting Man, and the way through themountains, though I say not but that he may make it all clearer. Butnow I see thee drooping with the grief of days bygone; and I deem alsothat thou art weary with the toil of the way. So I rede thee lie downhere in the wilderness and sleep, and forget grief till to-morrow is anew day. "

"Would it were come, " said he, "that I might see thy face the clearer;yet I am indeed weary. "

So he went and fetched his saddle and lay down with his head thereon;and was presently asleep. But she, who had again cast wood on thefire, sat by his head watching him with a drawn sword beside her, tillthe dawn of the woodland began to glimmer through the trees: then shealso laid herself down and slept. 

CHAPTER 4

They Ride the Wood Under the Mountains

When Ralph woke on the morrow it was broad day as far as the treeswould have it so. He rose at once, and looked about for his fellow, but saw her not, and for some moments of time he thought he had butdreamed of her; but he saw that the fire had been quickened from itsembers, and close by lay the hauberk and strange-fashioned helm, andthe sword of the damsel, and presently he saw her coming through thetrees barefoot, with the green-sleeved silken surcoat hanging below theknees and her hair floating loose about her. She stepped lightly up toRalph with a cheerful smiling countenance and a ruddy colour in hercheeks, but her eyes moist as if she could scarce keep back the tearsfor joy of the morning's meeting. He thought her fairer than erst, andmade as if he would put his arms about her, but she held a little alooffrom him, blushing yet more. Then she said in her sweet clear voice:"Hail fellow-farer! now begins the day's work. I have been downyonder, and have found a bright woodland pool, to wash the night offme, and if thou wilt do in likewise and come back to me, I will dightour breakfast meantime, and will we speedily to the road. " He did asshe bade him, thinking of her all the while till he came back to herfresh and gay. Then he looked to their horses and gave them foddergathered from the pool-side, and so turned to Ursula and found her withthe meat ready dight; so they ate and were glad. 

When they had broken their fast Ralph went to saddle the horses, andcoming back found Ursula binding up her long hair, and she smiled onhim and said: "Now we are for the road I must be an armed knight again:forsooth I unbound my hair e'en now and let my surcoat hang loose aboutme in token that thou wottest my secret. Soothly, my friend, it irksme that now we have met after a long while, I must needs be clad thusgraceless. But need drave me to it, and withal the occasion that wasgiven to me to steal this gay armour from a lad at Utterbol, the nephewof the lord; who like his eme was half my lover, half my tyrant. Ofall which I will tell thee hereafter, and what wise I must needs steerbetwixt stripes and kisses these last days. But now let us arm and tohorse. Yet first lo you, here are some tools that in thine hands shallkeep us from sheer famine: as for me I am no archer; and forsooth noman-at-arms save in seeming. "

Therewith she showed him a short Turk bow and a quiver of arrows, whichhe took well pleased. So then they armed each the other, and as shehandled Ralph's wargear she said: "How well-wrought and trusty is thishauberk of thine, my friend; my coat is but a toy to it, with its goldand silver rings and its gemmed collar: and thy plates be thick andwide and well-wrought, whereas mine are little more than adornments tomy arms and legs. "

He looked on her lovingly and loved her shapely hands amidst the darkgrey mail, and said: "That is well, dear friend, for since my breastis a shield for thee it behoves it to be well covered. " She looked athim, and her lips trembled, and she put out her hand as if to touch hischeek, but drew it back again and said: "Come now, let us to horse, dear fellow in arms. "

So they mounted and went their ways through a close pine-wood, wherethe ground was covered with the pine-tree needles, and all was stilland windless. So as they rode said Ursula: "I seek tokens of the wayto the Sage of Swevenham. Hast thou seen a water yesterday?" "Yea, "said Ralph, "I rode far along it, but left it because I deemed that itturned north overmuch. " "Thou wert right, " she said, "besides that thyturning from it hath brought us together; for it would have broughtthee to Utterbol at last. But now have we to hit upon another thatrunneth straight down from the hills: not the Great Mountains, but thehigh ground whereon is the Sage's dwelling. I know not whether theride be long or short; but the stream is to lead us. "

On they rode through the wood, wherein was little change for hours; andas they rested Ursula gave forth a deep breath, as one who has cast offa load of care. And Ralph said: "Why sighest thou, fellow-farer?""O, " she said, "it is for pleasure, and a thought that I had: for awhile ago I was a thrall, living amongst fears that sickened the heart;and then a little while I was a lonely wanderer, and now. . . Therefore Iwas thinking that if ever I come back to mine own land and my home, thescent of a pine-wood shall make me happy. "

Ralph looked on her eagerly, but said naught for a while; but at lasthe spoke: "Tell me, friend, " said he, "if we be met by strong-thieveson the way, what shall we do then?"

"It is not like to befall, " she said, "for men fear the wood, thereforeis there little prey for thieves therein: but if we chance on them, the token of Utterbol on mine armour shall make them meek enough. "Then she fell silent a while, and spoke again: "True it is that we maybe followed by the Utterbol riders; for though they also fear the wood, they fear it not so much as they fear their Lord. Howbeit, we be wellahead, and it is little like that we shall be overtaken before we havemet the Sage; and then belike he shall provide. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "but what if the chase come up with us: shall wesuffer us to be taken alive?" She looked on him solemnly, laid herhand on the beads about her neck, and answered: "By this token we mustlive as long as we may, whatsoever may befall; for at the worst maysome road of escape be opened to us. Yet O, how far easier it were todie than to be led back to Utterbol!"

A while they rode in silence, both of them: but at last spake Ralph, but slowly and in a dull and stern voice: "Maybe it were good thatthou told me somewhat of the horrors and evil days of Utterbol?""Maybe, " she said, "but I will not tell thee of them. Forsooth thereare some things which a man may not easily tell to a man, be he neverso much his friend as thou art to me. But bethink thee" (and shesmiled somewhat) "that this gear belieth me, and that I am but a woman;and some things there be which a woman may not tell to a man, nay, noteven when he hath held her long in his arms. " And therewith she flushedexceedingly. But he said in a kind voice: "I am sorry that I askedthee, and will ask thee no more thereof. " She smiled on him friendly, and they spake of other matters as they rode on. 

But after a while Ralph said: "If it were no misease to thee to tellme how thou didst fall into the hands of the men of Utterbol, I werefain to hear the tale. "

She laughed outright, and said: "Why wilt thou be forever harping onthe time of my captivity, friend? And thou who knowest the storysomewhat already? Howbeit, I may tell thee thereof withoutheart-burning, though it be a felon tale. "

He said, somewhat shame-facedly: "Take it not ill that I am fain tohear of thee and thy life-days, since we are become fellow-farers. "

"Well, " she said, "this befell outside Utterbol, so I will tell thee. 

"After I had stood in the thrall-market at Cheaping Knowe, and not beensold, the wild man led me away toward the mountains that are aboveGoldburg; and as we drew near to them on a day, he said to me that hewas glad to the heart-root that none had cheapened me at the saidmarket; and when I asked him wherefore, he fell a weeping as he rodebeside me, and said: 'Yet would God that I had never taken thee. ' Iasked what ailed him, though indeed I deemed that I knew. He said:'This aileth me, that though thou art not of the blood wherein I ambound to wed, I love thee sorely, and would have thee to wife; and nowI deem that thou wilt not love me again. ' I said that he guessedaright, but that if he would do friendly with me, I would be no lessthan a friend to him. 'That availeth little, ' quoth he; 'I would havethee be mine of thine own will. ' I said that might not be, that I couldlove but one man alone. 'Is he alive?' said he. 'Goodsooth, I hopeso, ' said I, 'but if he be dead, then is desire of men dead within me. '

"So we spake, and he was downcast and heavy of mood; but thenceforwardwas he no worse to me than a brother. And he proffered it to lead meback, if I would, and put me safely on the way to Whitwall; but, asthou wottest, I had need to go forward, and no need to go back. 

"Thus we entered into the mountains of Goldburg; but one morning, whenhe arose, he was heavier of mood than his wont, and was restlesswithal, and could be steadfast neither in staying nor going, nor aughtelse. So I asked what ailed him, and he said: 'My end draweth nigh; Ihave seen my fetch, and am fey. My grave abideth me in thesemountains. ' 'Thou hast been dreaming ugly dreams, ' said I, 'suchthings are of no import. ' And I spoke lightly, and strove to comforthim. He changed not his mood for all that; but said: 'This is ill forthee also; for thou wilt be worser without me than with me in theselands. ' Even so I deemed, and withal I was sorry for him, for though hewere uncouth and ungainly, he was no ill man. So against my will Itumbled into the samelike mood as his, and we both fared alongdrearily. But about sunset, as we came round a corner of the cliffs ofthose mountains, or ever we were ware we happed upon a half-score ofweaponed men, who were dighting a camp under a big rock thereby: butfour there were with them who were still a-horseback; so that when BullNosy (for that was his name) strove to flee away with me, it was of noavail; for the said horsemen took us, and brought us before anevil-looking man, who, to speak shortly, was he whom thou hast seen, towit, the Lord of Utterbol: he took no heed of Bull Nosy, but looked onme closely, and handled me as a man doth with a horse at a cheaping, sothat I went nigh to smiting him, whereas I had a knife in my bosom, butthe chaplet refrained me. To make a short tale of it, he bade Bullsell me to him, which Bull utterly naysaid, standing stiff and starkbefore the Lord, and scowling on him. But the Lord laughed in his faceand said: 'So be it, for I will take her without a price, and thankthee for sparing my gold. ' Then said Bull: 'If thou take her as athrall, thou wert best take me also; else shall I follow thee as a freeman and slay thee when I may. Many are the days of the year, and onsome one of them will betide the occasion for the knife. '

"Thereat the Lord waxed very pale, and spake not, but looked at thatman of his who stood by Bull with a great sword in his fist, and liftedup his hand twice, and let it fall twice, whereat that man stepped backone pace, and swung his sword, and smote Bull, and clave his skull. 

"Then the colour came into the Lord's face again, and he said: 'Now, vassals, let us dine and be merry, for at least we have found somethingin the mountains. ' So they fell to and ate and drank, and victual wasgiven to me also, but I had no will to eat, for my soul was sick and myheart was heavy, foreboding the uttermost evil. Withal I was sorry forBull Nosy, for he was no ill man and had become my friend. 

"So they abode there that night, leaving Bull lying like a dog unburiedin the wilderness; and on the morrow they took the road to Utterbol, and went swiftly, having no baggage, and staying but for victual, andfor rest every night. The Lord had me brought to him on that firstevening of our journey, and he saw me privily and spake to me, biddingme do shameful things, and I would not; wherefore he threatened megrievously; and, I being alone with him, bade him beware lest I shouldslay him or myself. Thereat he turned pale, as he had done before BullNosy, yet sent for none to slay me, but only bade me back to mykeepers. And so I came to Utterbol unscathed. "

"And at Utterbol, " said Ralph, "what befell thee there?" Ursula smiledon him, and held up her finger; yet she answered: "Utterbol is a verygreat house in a fair land, and there are sundry roofs and many fairchambers. There was I brought to a goodly chamber amidst a garden; andwomen servants were given me who led me to the bath and clad me indainty raiment, and gave me to eat and to drink, and all that I needed. That is all my tale for this time. "

CHAPTER 5

They Come on the Sage of Swevenham

Night was at hand before they came to the stream that they sought. They found it cleaving the pine-wood, which held on till the very bankof it, and was thick again on the further side in a few yards' space. The stream was high-banked and ran deep and strong. Said Ursula asthey came up to it: "We may not cross it, but it matters not; and it isto-morrow that we must ride up along it. "

So they abode there, and made a fire by the waterside, and watchedthere, turn and turn about, till it was broad day. Naught befell totell of, save that twice in the night Ralph deemed that he heard a lionroar. 

They got to horse speedily when they were both awake, and rode up thestream, and began to go up hill, and by noon were come into a rough andshaggy upland, whence from time to time they could see the huge wall ofthe mountains, which yet seemed to Ralph scarce nigher, if at all, thanwhen he had beheld it ere he had come to Vale Turris. The way wasrough day-long, and now and again they found it hard to keep the streamin sight, as especially when it cleft a hill, and ran between sheercliffs with no low shore on either side. 

They made way but slowly, so that at last Ralph lost patience somewhat, and said that he had but little hope of falling in with the Sage thatday or any day. But Ursula was of good cheer, and mocked him merrilybut sweetly, till his heart was lightened again. Withal she bade himseek some venison, since they were drawing out the time, and she knewnot how long it would be ere they came to the Sage's dwelling. Therefore he betook him to the Turk bow, and shot a leash ofheath-fowl, and they supped on the meat merrily in the wilderness. 

But if they were merry, they were soon weary; for they journeyed onafter sunset that night, since the moon was up, and there was no thickwood to turn dusk into dark for them. Their resting-place was a smoothpiece of greensward betwixt the water and a half circle of steep bentthat well nigh locked it about. 

There then they abode, and in the stillness of the night heard athundering sound coming down the wind to them, which they deemed wasthe roaring of distant waters; and when they went to the lip of theriver they saw flocks of foam floating by, wherefore they thoughtthemselves to be near some great mountain-neck whereover the water wasfalling from some high place. But with no to-do they lay down upon thegreensward this second night of their fellowship, and waked later thanon the day before; for so weary had they been, that they had kept butill watch in the dark night, and none at all after dawn began toglimmer. 

Now Ralph sat up and saw Ursula still sleeping; then he rose to hisfeet and looked about him, and saw their two horses cropping the grassunder the bent, and beside them a man, tall and white bearded, leaningon his staff. Ralph caught up his sword and went toward the man, andthe sun gleamed from the blade just as the hoary-one turned to him; helifted up his staff as if in greeting to Ralph, and came toward him, and even therewith Ursula awoke and arose, and saw the greybeard atonce; and she cried out: "Take heed to thy sword, fellow-farer, for, praised be the saints, this is the Sage of Swevenham!"

So they stood there together till the Sage came up to them and kissedthem both, and said: "I am glad that ye are come at last; for I lookedfor you no later than this. So now mount your horses and come with mestraightway; because life is short to them who have not yet drunk ofthe Well at the World's End. Moreover if ye chance to come on theriders of Utterbol, it shall go hard with you unless I be at hand. "

Ralph saw of him that though he was an old hoar man to look on, yet hewas strong and sturdy, tall, and of goodly presence, with ruddy cheeks, and red lips and bright eyes, and that the skin of his face and handswas nowise wrinkled: but about his neck was a pair of beads like untohis own gossip's gift. 

So now they mounted at once, and with no more words he led them aboutthe bent, and they came in a little while into the wood again, but thistime it was of beech, with here and there an open place sprinkled aboutwith hollies and thorns; and they rode down the wide slope of a longhill, and up again on the other side. 

Thus they went for an hour, and the elder spake not again, though itmight have been deemed by his eyes that he was eager and fain. Theyalso held their peace; for the hope and fear of their hearts kept themfrom words. 

They came to the hill-top, and found a plain land, though the closewood still held on a while; but soon they rode into a clearing of sometwelve acres, where were fenced crofts with goats therein, and threegarths of tillage, wherein the wheat-shocks were yet standing, andthere were coleworts and other pot-herbs also. But at the further end, whereas the wood closed in again, was a little house builded of timber, strong and goodly, and thatched with wheat-straw; and beside it was abubbling spring which ran in a brook athwart the said clearing; overthe house-door was a carven rood, and a bow and short spear were leanedagainst the wall of the porch. 

Ralph looked at all closely, and wondered whether this were perchancethe cot wherein the Lady of Abundance had dwelt with the evil witch. But the elder looked on him, and said: "I know thy thought, and it isnot so; that house is far away hence; yet shalt thou come thereto. Now, children, welcome to the house of him who hath found what ye seek, but hath put aside the gifts which ye shall gain; and who belike shallremember what ye shall forget. "

Therewith he brought them into the house, and into a chamber, theplenishing whereof was both scanty and rude. There he bade them sit, and brought them victual, to wit, cheese and goats' milk and bread, andthey fell to speech concerning the woodland ways, and the seasons, andother unweighty matters. But as for the old man he spoke but fewwords, and as one unused to speech, albeit he was courteous anddebonair. But when they had eaten and drunk he spake to them and said:

"Ye have sought to me because ye would find the Well at the World'sEnd, and would have lore of me concerning the road thereto; but beforeI tell you what ye would, let me know what ye know thereof already. "

Quoth Ralph: "For me, little enough I know, save that I must come tothe Rock of the Fighting Man, and that thou knowest the way thither. "

"And thou, damsel, " quoth the long-hoary, "what knowest thou? Must Itell thee of the way through the mountains and the Wall of the World, and the Winter Valley, and the Folk Innocent, and the Cot on the Way, and the Forest of Strange Things and the Dry Tree?"

"Nay, " she said, "of all this I wot somewhat, but it may be not enough. "

Said the Sage: "Even so it was with me, when a many years ago I dweltnigh to Swevenham, and folk sought to me for lore, and I told them whatI knew; but maybe it was not enough, for they never came back; but diedbelike or ever they had seen the Well. And then I myself, when I wasgotten very old, fared thither a-seeking it, and I found it; for I wasone of those who bore the chaplet of the seekers. And now I know all, and can teach all. But tell me, damsel, whence hadst thou this lore?"

Said Ursula: "I had it of a very fair woman who, as it seemeth, wasLady and Queen of the Champions of Hampton under the Scaur, not farfrom mine own land. "

"Yea, " quoth the Sage, "and what hath befallen her? . . . Nay, nay, " saidhe, "I need not ask; for I can see by your faces that she is dead. Therefore hath she been slain, or otherwise she had not been dead. SoI ask you if ye were her friends?"

Quoth Ursula; "Surely she was my friend, since she befriended me; andthis man I deem was altogether her friend. "

Ralph hung his head, and the Sage gazed on him, but said naught. Thenhe took a hand of each of them in his hands, and held them a whilesilently, and Ralph was still downcast and sad, but Ursula looked onhim fondly. 

Then spake the Sage: "So it is, Knight, that now I seem to understandwhat manner of man thou art, and I know what is between you two;whereof I will say naught, but will let the tree grow according to itsseed. Moreover, I wot now that my friend of past years would have memake you both wise in the lore of the Well at the World's End; and whenI have done this, I can do no more, but let your good hap prevail if soit may. Abide a little, therefore. "

Then he went unto an ark, and took thence a book wrapped in a piece ofprecious web of silk and gold, and bound in cuir-bouilly wrought instrange devices. Then said he: "This book was mine heritage atSwevenham or ever I became wise, and it came from my father'sgrandsire: and my father bade me look on it as the dearest ofpossessions; but I heeded it naught till my youth had waned, and mymanhood was full of weariness and grief. Then I turned to it, and readin it, and became wise, and the folk sought to me, and afterwards thatbefell which was foredoomed. Now herein amongst other matters iswritten of that which ye desire to know, and I will read the same toyou and expound it. Yet were it not well to read in this book under aroof, nay, though it be as humble and innocent as this. Moreover, itis not meet that ye should hearken to this wisdom of old times clad asye are; thou, knight, in the raiment of the manslayer, with the rod ofwrath hanging at thy side; and thou, maiden, attired in the garments ofthe tyrant, which were won of him by lying and guile. "

Then he went to another ark, and took from it two bundles, which hegave, the one to Ralph, the other to Ursula, and said: "Thou, maiden, go thou into the inner chamber here and doff thy worldly raiment, anddon that which thou wilt find wrapped in this cloth; and thou, knight, take this other and get thee into the thicket which is behind thehouse, and there do the like, and abide there till we come to thee. "

So Ralph took the bundle, and came out into the thicket and unarmedhim, and did on the raiment which he found in the cloth, which was buta long gown of white linen, much like to an alb, broidered about thewrists and the hems and collar with apparels of gold and silk, girtwith a red silk girdle. There he abode a little, wondering at allthese things and all that had befallen him since he had left Upmeads. 

Anon the two others came to him, and Ursula was clad in the same-likeraiment and the elder had the book in his hand. He smiled on Ralph andnodded friendly to him. As to Ursula, she flushed as red as a rosewhen she set eyes on him, for she said to herself that he was as one ofthe angels which she had seen painted in the choir of St. Mary's atHigham. 

CHAPTER 6

Those Two Are Learned Lore by the Sage of Swevenham

Now the Sage led them through the wood till they came to a grassy lawnamidst of which was a table of stone, which it seemed to Ralph must belike to that whereon the witch-wife had offered up the goat to herdevils as the Lady of Abundance had told him; and he changedcountenance as the thought came into his mind. But the Sage looked onhim and shook his head and spake softly: "In these wastes and wilds aremany such-like places, where of old time the ancient folks did worshipto the Gods of the Earth as they imagined them: and whereas the lorein this book cometh of such folk, this is no ill place for the readingthereof. But if ye fear the book and its writers, who are dead longago, there is yet time to go back and seek the Well without my helping;and I say not but that ye may find it even thus. But if ye fear not, then sit ye down on the grass, and I will lay the book on this mostancient table, and read in it, and do ye hearken heedfully. "

So they sat down side by side, and Ralph would have taken Ursula's handto caress it, but she drew it away from him; howbeit she found it hardto keep her eyes from off him. The Elder looked on them soberly, butnowise in anger, and presently began reading in the book. What he readshall be seen hereafter in the process of this tale; for the more partthereof had but to do with the way to the Well at the World's End, allthings concerning which were told out fully, both great and small. Long was this a-reading, and when the Sage had done, he bade now one, now the other answer him questions as to what he had read; and if theyanswered amiss he read that part again, and yet again, as children aretaught in the school. Until at last when he asked any question Ralphor the maiden answered it rightly at once; and by this time the sun wasabout to set. So he bade them home to his house that they might eatand sleep there. 

"But to-morrow, " said he, "I shall give you your last lesson from thisbook, and thereafter ye shall go your ways to the Rock of the FightingMan, and I look not for it that ye shall come to any harm on the way;but whereas I seem to-day to have seen the foes of Utterbol seekingyou, I will lead you forth a little. "

So they went home to the house, and he made them the most cheer that hemight, and spake to them in friendly and pleasant mood, so that theywere merry. 

When it was morning they went again to the ancient altar, and againthey learned lore from the Elder, till they were waxen wise in thematters of the Well at the World's End, and long they sat and hearkenedhim till it was evening again, and once more they slept in the house ofthe Sage of Swevenham. 

CHAPTER 7

An Adventure by the Way

When morrow dawned they arose betimes and did on their worldly raiment;and when they had eaten a morsel they made them ready for the road, andthe elder gave them victual for the way in their saddle-bags, saying:"This shall suffice for the passing days, and when it is gone ye havelearned what to do. "

Therewithall they gat to horse; but Ralph would have the Elder ride hisnag, while he went afoot by the side of Ursula. So the Sage took hisbidding, but smiled therewith, and said: "Thou art a King's son and afriendly young man, else had I said nay to this; for it needeth not, whereas I am stronger than thou, so hath my draught of the Well dealtwith me. "

Thus then they went their ways; but Ralph noted of Ursula that she wassilent and shy with him, and it irked him so much, that at last he saidto her: "My friend, doth aught ail me with thee? Wilt thou not tellme, so that I may amend it? For thou are grown of few words with meand turnest thee from me, and seemest as if thou heedest me little. Thou art as a fair spring morning gone cold and overcast in theafternoon. What is it then? we are going a long journey together, andbelike shall find little help or comfort save in each other; and illwill it be if we fall asunder in heart, though we be nigh in body. "

She laughed and reddened therewithal; and then her countenance fell andshe looked piteously on him and said: "If I seemed to thee as thousayest, I am sorry; for I meant not to be thus with thee as thoudeemest. But so it is that I was thinking of this long journey, and ofthee and me together in it, and how we shall be with each other if wecome back again alive, with all things done that we had to do. "

She stayed her speech awhile, and seemed to find it hard to give forththe word that was in her; but at last she said: "Friend, thou mustpardon me; but that which thou sawest in me, I also seemed to see inthee, that thou wert grown shy and cold with me; but now I know it isnot so, since thou hast seen me wrongly; but that I have seen theewrongly, as thou hast me. "

Therewith she reached her hand to him, and he took it and kissed it andcaressed it while she looked fondly at him, and they fared on sweetlyand happily together. But as this was a-saying and a-doing betwixtthem, and a while after, they had heeded the Elder little or not atall, though he rode on the right hand of Ralph. And for his part theold man said naught to them and made as if he heard them not, when theyspake thuswise together. 

Now they rode the wood on somewhat level ground for a while; then thetrees began to thin, and the ground grew broken; and at last it wasvery rugged, with high hills and deep valleys, and all the landpopulous of wild beasts, so that about sunset they heard thrice theroar of a lion. But ever the Sage led them by winding ways that heknew, round the feet of the hills, along stream-sides for the mostpart, and by passes over the mountain-necks when they needs must, whichwas twice in the day. 

Dusk fell on them in a little valley, through which ran a stream bushedabout its edges, and which for the rest was grassy and pleasant, withbig sweet-chestnut trees scattered about it. 

"Now, " quoth the Elder; "two things we have to beware of in thisvalley, the lions first; which, though belike they will not fall uponweaponed men, may well make an onslaught on your horses, if they windthem; and the loss of the beasts were sore to you as now. But thesecond thing is the chase from Utterbol. As to the lions, if ye buildup a big fire, and keep somewhat aloof from the stream and its bushes, and tether you horses anigh the fire, ye will have no harm of them. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "but if the riders of Utterbol are anigh us, shallwe light a candle for them to show them the way?" Said the Sage: "Wereye by yourselves, I would bid you journey night-long, and run all riskrather than the risk of falling into their hands. But whereas I amyour guide, I bid you kindle your fire under yonder big tree, and leaveme to deal with the men of Utterbol; only whatso I bid you, that do yestraightway. "

"So be it, " said Ralph, "I have been bewrayed so oft of late, that Imust needs trust thee, or all help shall fail me. Let us to work. " Sothey fell to and built up a big bale and kindled it, and their horsesthey tethered to the tree; and by then they had done this, dark nighthad fallen upon them. So they cooked their victual at the fire (forRalph had shot a hare by the way) and the Sage went down to the streamand fetched them water in a lethern budget: "For, " said he, "I knowthe beasts of the wood and they me, and there is peace betwixt us. "There then they sat to meat unarmed, for the Sage had said to them:"Doff your armour; ye shall not come to handystrokes with the UtterbolRiders. "

So they ate their meat in the wilderness, and were nowise ungleeful, for to those twain the world seemed fair, and they hoped for greatthings. But though they were glad, they were weary enough, for the wayhad been both rugged and long; so they lay them down to sleep while thenight was yet young. But or ever Ralph closed his eyes he saw the Sagestanding up with his cloak wrapped about his head, and making strangesigns with his right hand; so that he deemed that he would ward them bywizardry. So therewith he turned about on the grass and was asleep atonce. 

After a while he started and sat up, half awake at first; for he feltsome one touch him; and his halfdreams went back to past days, and hecried out: "Hah Roger! is it thou? What is toward?" But therewith hewoke up fully, and knew that it was the Sage that had touched him, andwithal he saw hard by Ursula, sitting up also. 

There was still a flickering flame playing about the red embers oftheir fire, for they had made it very big; and the moon had arisen andwas shining bright in a cloudless sky. 

The Sage spake softly but quickly: "Lie down together, ye two, and Ishall cast my cloak over you, and look to it that ye stir not from outof it, nor speak one word till I bid you, whate'er may befall: for theriders of Utterbol are upon us. "

They did as he bade them, but Ralph got somewhat of an eye-shot out ofa corner of the cloak, and he could see that the Sage went and stood upagainst the tree-trunk holding a horse by the bridle, one on each sideof him. Even therewith Ralph heard the clatter of horse-hoofs over thestones about the stream, and a man's voice cried out: "They will haveheard us; so spur over the grass to the fire and the big tree: forthen they cannot escape us. " Then came the thump of horse-hoofs on theturf, and in half a minute they were amidst of a rout of mena-horseback, more than a score, whose armour and weapons gleamed in themoonlight: yet when these riders were gotten there, they were silent, till one said in a quavering voice as if afeard: "Otter, Otter! what isthis? A minute ago and we could see the fire, and the tree, and menand horses about them: and now, lo you! there is naught save two greatgrey stones lying on the grass, and a man's bare bones leaning upagainst the tree, and a ruckle of old horse-bones on either side ofhim. Where are we then?"

Then spake another; and Ralph knew the voice for Otter's: "I wot not, lord; naught else is changed save the fire and the horses and the men:yonder are the hills, yonder overhead is the moon, with the littlelight cloud dogging her; even that is scarce changed. Belike the firewas an earth-fire, and for the rest we saw wrong in the moonlight. "

Spake the first man again, and his voice quavered yet more: "Nay nay, Otter, it is not so. Lo you the skeleton and the bones and the greystones! And the fire, here this minute, there the next. O Otter, thisis an evil place of an evil deed! Let us go seek elsewhere; let usdepart, lest a worse thing befall us. " And so with no more ado heturned his horse and smote his spurs into him and galloped off by theway he had come, and the others followed, nothing loth; only Ottertarried a little, and looked around him and laughed and said: "Theregoes my Lord's nephew; like my Lord he is not over bold, save indealing with a shackled man. Well, for my part if those others havesunk into the earth, or gone up into the air, they are welcome to theirwizardry, and I am glad of it. For I know not how I should have doneto have seen my mate that out-tilted me made a gelded wretch of; and itwould have irked me to see that fair woman in the hands of thetormentors, though forsooth I have oft seen such sights. Well, it isgood; but better were it to ride with my mate than serve the Devil andhis Nephew. "

Therewith he turned rein and galloped off after the others, and in alittle while the sound of them had died off utterly into the night, andthey heard but the voices of the wild things, and the wimbrel laughingfrom the hill-sides. Then came the Sage and drew the cloak from thosetwo, and laughed on them and said: "Now may ye sleep soundly, when Ihave mended our fire; for ye will see no more of Utterbol for thistime, and it yet lacks three hours of dawn: sleep ye then and dream ofeach other. " Then they arose and thanked the Sage with whole hearts andpraised his wisdom. But while the old man mended the fire Ralph wentup to Ursula and took her hand, and said: "Welcome to life, fellow-farer!" and he gazed earnestly into her eyes, as though he wouldhave her fall into his arms: but whereas she rather shrank from him, though she looked on him lovingly, if somewhat shyly, he but kissed herhand, and laid him down again, when he had seen her lying in her place. And therewith they fell asleep and slept sweetly. 

CHAPTER 8

They Come to the Sea of Molten Rocks

When they woke again the sun was high above their heads, and they sawthe Sage dighting their breakfast. So they arose and washed the nightoff them in the stream and ate hastily, and got to horse on a fairforenoon; then they rode the mountain neck east from that valley; andit was a long slope of stony and barren mountain nigh waterless. 

And on the way Ursula told Ralph how the man who was scared by thewizardry last night was verily the nephew of the Lord from whom she hadstolen her armour by wheedling and a seeming promise. "But, " said she, "his love lay not so deep but that he would have avenged him for myguile on my very body had he taken us. " Ralph reddened and scowled ather word, and the Sage led them into the other talk. 

So long was that fell, that they were nigh benighted ere they gainedthe topmost, or came to any pass. When they had come to a place wherethere was a little pool in a hollow of the rocks they made stay there, and slept safe, but ill-lodged, and on the morrow were on their waybetimes, and went toiling up the neck another four hours, and came to along rocky ridge or crest that ran athwart it; and when they had cometo the brow thereof, then were they face to face with the GreatMountains, which now looked so huge that they seemed to fill all theworld save the ground whereon they stood. Cloudless was the day, andthe air clean and sweet, and every nook and cranny was clear to beholdfrom where they stood: there were great jutting nesses withstraight-walled burgs at their top-most, and pyramids and pinnaclesthat no hand of man had fashioned, and awful clefts like long streetsin the city of the giants who wrought the world, and high above all theundying snow that looked as if the sky had come down on to themountains and they were upholding it as a roof. 

But clear as was the fashion of the mountains, they were yet a long wayoff: for betwixt them and the ridge whereon those fellows stood, stretched a vast plain, houseless and treeless, and, as they beheld itthence grey and ungrassed (though indeed it was not wholly so) like ahuge river or firth of the sea it seemed, and such indeed it had beenonce, to wit a flood of molten rock in the old days when the earth wasa-burning. 

Now as they stood and beheld it, the Sage spake: "Lo ye, my children, the castle and its outwork, and its dyke that wardeth the land of theWell at the World's End. Now from to-morrow, when we enter into thegreat sea of the rock molten in the ancient earth-fires, there is noleast peril of pursuit for you. Yet amidst that sea should ye perishbelike, were it not for the wisdom gathered by a few; and they are deadnow save for the Book, and for me, who read it unto you. Now ye wouldnot turn back were I to bid you, and I will not bid you. Yet since thejourney shall be yet with grievous toil and much peril, and shall trythe very hearts within you, were ye as wise as Solomon and as mighty asAlexander, I will say this much unto you; that if ye love not the earthand the world with all your souls, and will not strive all ye may to befrank and happy therein, your toil and peril aforesaid shall win you noblessing but a curse. Therefore I bid you be no tyrants or builders ofcities for merchants and usurers and warriors and thralls, like thefool who builded Goldburg to be for a tomb to him: or like thethrall-masters of the Burg of the Four Friths, who even now, it may be, are pierced by their own staff or overwhelmed by their own wall. Butrather I bid you to live in peace and patience without fear or hatred, and to succour the oppressed and love the lovely, and to be the friendsof men, so that when ye are dead at last, men may say of you, theybrought down Heaven to the Earth for a little while. What say ye, children?"

Then said Ralph: "Father, I will say the sooth about mine intent, though ye may deem it little-minded. When I have accomplished thisquest, I would get me home again to the little land of Upmeads, to seemy father and my mother, and to guard its meadows from waste and itshouses from fire-raising: to hold war aloof and walk in free fields, and see my children growing up about me, and lie at last beside myfathers in the choir of St. Laurence. The dead would I love andremember; the living would I love and cherish; and Earth shall be thewell beloved house of my Fathers, and Heaven the highest hall thereof. "

"It is well, " said the Sage, "all this shalt thou do and be nolittle-heart, though thou do no more. And thou, maiden?"

She looked on Ralph and said: "I lost, and then I found, and then Ilost again. Maybe I shall find the lost once more. And for the rest, in all that this man will do, I will help, living or dead, for I knownaught better to do. "

"Again it is well, " said the Sage, "and the lost which was verily thineshalt thou find again, and good days and their ending shall betidethee. Ye shall have no shame in your lives and no fear in your deaths. Wherefore now lieth the road free before you. "

Then was he silent a while, neither spake the others aught, but stoodgazing on the dark grey plain, and the blue wall that rose beyond it, till at last the Sage lifted up his hand and said: "Look yonder, children, to where I point, and ye shall see how there thrusteth out aness from the mountain-wall, and the end of it stands like a bastionabove the lava-sea, and on its sides and its head are streaks ruddy andtawny, where the earth-fires have burnt not so long ago: see ye?"

Ralph looked and said: "Yea, father, I see it, and its rifts and itsridges, and its crannies. "

Quoth the Sage: "Behind that ness shall ye come to the Rock of theFighting Man, which is the very Gate of the Mountains; and I will notturn again nor bid you farewell till I have brought you thither. Andnow time presses; for I would have you come timely to that cavern, whereof I have taught you, before ye fall on the first days of winter, or ye shall be hard bestead. So now we will eat a morsel, and then usediligence that we may reach the beginning of the rock-sea beforenightfall. "

So did they, and the Sage led them down by a slant-way from off theridge, which was toilsome but nowise perilous. So about sunset theycame down into the plain, and found a belt of greensward, and waterstherein betwixt the foot of the ridge and the edge of the rock-sea. Andas for the said sea, though from afar it looked plain and unbroken, nowthat they were close to, and on a level with it, they saw that it roseup into cliffs, broken down in some places, and in others arising highinto the air, an hundred foot, it might be. Sometimes it thrust outinto the green shore below the fell, and otherwhile drew back from itas it had cooled ages ago. 

So they came to a place where there was a high wall of rock round threesides of a grassy place by a stream-side, and there they made theirresting-place, and the night went calmly and sweetly with them. 

CHAPTER 9

They Come Forth From the Rock-Sea

On the morrow the Sage led them straight into the rock-sea whereas itseemed to them at first that he was but bringing them into a blindalley; but at the end of the bight the rock-wall was broken down into along scree of black stones. There the Sage bade Ralph and Ursuladismount (as for him he had been going afoot ever since that first day)and they led the horses up the said scree, which was a hard business, as they were no mountain beasts. And when they were atop of the screeit was harder yet to get them down, for on that side it was steeper;but at last they brought it about, and came down into a little grassyplain or isle in the rock sea, which narrowed toward the eastern end, and the rocks on either side were smooth and glossy, as if the heat hadgone out of them suddenly, when the earth-fires had ceased in themountains. 

Now the Sage showed them on a certain rock a sign cut, whereof they hadlearned in the book aforesaid, to wit, a sword crossed by athree-leaved bough; and they knew by the book that they should press onthrough the rock-sea nowhere, either going or returning, save wherethey should see this token. 

Now when they came to the narrow end of the plain they found still awide way between the rock-walls, that whiles widened out, and whilesdrew in again. Whiles withal were screes across the path, and littlewaters that ran out of the lava and into it again, and great blocks offallen stone, sometimes as big as a husbandman's cot, that wind andweather had rent from the rocks; and all these things stayed themsomewhat. But they went on merrily, albeit their road winded so much, that the Sage told them, when evening was, that for their diligencethey had but come a few short miles as the crow flies. 

Many wild things there were, both beast and fowl, in these islands andbridges of the rock-sea, hares and conies to wit, a many, andheathfowl, and here and there a red fox lurking about the crannies ofthe rock-wall. Ralph shot a brace of conies with his Turk bow, andwhereas there were bushes growing in the chinks, and no lack of whinand ling, they had firing enough, and supped off this venison of therocks. 

So passed that day and two days more, and naught befell, save that onthe midnight of the first day of their wending the rock-sea, Ralphawoke and saw the sky all ablaze with other light than that of themoon; so he arose and went hastily to the Sage, and took him by theshoulder, and bid him awake; "For meseems the sky is afire, andperchance the foe is upon us. "

The Sage awoke and opened his eyes, and rose on his elbow and lookedaround sleepily; then he said laughing: "It is naught, fair lord, thoumayst lie down and sleep out the remnant of the night, and thou also, maiden: this is but an earth-fire breaking out on the flank of themountains; it may be far away hence. Now ye see that he may not scalethe rocks about us here without toil; but to-morrow night we may climbup somewhere and look on what is toward. "

So Ralph lay down and Ursula also, but Ralph lay long awake watchingthe light above him, which grew fiercer and redder in the hours betwixtmoonset and daybreak, when he fell asleep, and woke not again till thesun was high. 

But on the next day as they went, the aspect of the rock-sea about themchanged: for the rocks were not so smooth and shining and orderly, butrose up in confused heaps all clotted together by the burning, like toclinkers out of some monstrous forge of the earth-giants, so that theirway was naught so clear as it had been, but was rather a maze of jaggedstone. But the Sage led through it all unfumbling, and moreover nowand again they came on that carven token of the sword and the bough. Night fell, and as it grew dark they saw the glaring of the earth-firesagain; and when they were rested, and had done their meat, the Sagesaid: "Come now with me, for hard by is there a place as it were astair that goeth to the top of a great rock, let us climb it and lookabout us. "

So did they, and the head of the rock was higher than the main face ofthe rock-sea, so that they could see afar. Thence they looked northand beheld afar off a very pillar of fire rising up from a ness of themountain wall, and seeming as if it bore up a black roof of smoke; andthe huge wall gleamed grey, because of its light, and it cast a ray oflight across the rock-sea as the moon doth over the waters of the deep:withal there was the noise as of thunder in the air, but afar off:which thunder indeed they had heard oft, as they rode through theafternoon and evening. 

Spake the Sage: "It is far away: yet if the wind were not blowingfrom us, we had smelt the smoke, and the sky had been darkened by it. Now it is naught so far from Utterbol, and it will be for a token tothem there. For that ness is called the Candle of the Giants, and mendeem that the kindling thereof forebodeth ill to the lord who sittethon the throne in the red hall of Utterbol. "

Ralph laid his hand on Ursula's shoulder and said: "May the Sage's sawbe sooth!"

She put her hand upon the hand and said: "Three months ago I lay on mybed at Bourton Abbas, and all the while here was this huge manlesswaste lying under the bare heavens and threatened by the storehouse ofthe fires of the earth: and I had not seen it, nor thee either, Ofriend; and now it hath become a part of me for ever. "

Then was Ralph exceeding glad of her words, and the Sage laughedinwardly when he beheld them thus. 

So they came adown from the rock and lay down presently under the fieryheavens: and their souls were comforted by the sound of the horsescropping the grass so close to their ears, that it broke the voice ofthe earth-fires' thunder, that ever and anon rolled over the grey seaamidst which they lay. 

On the morrow they still rode the lava like to clinkers, and it rosehigher about them, till suddenly nigh sunset it ended at a turn oftheir winding road, and naught lay betwixt them and that mighty ness ofthe mountains, save a wide grassy plain, here and there swelling intolow wide risings not to be called hills, and besprinkled with copses ofbushes, and with trees neither great nor high. Then spake the Sage:"Here now will we rest, and by my will to-morrow also, that your beastsmay graze their fill of the sweet grass of these unwarded meadows. Which feedeth many a herd unowned of man, albeit they pay a quit-rentto wild things that be mightier than they. And now, children, we havepassed over the mighty river that once ran molten betwixt thesemountains and the hills yonder to the west, which we trod the otherday; yet once more, if your hearts fail you, there is yet time to turnback; and no harm shall befall you, but I will be your fellow all theway home to Swevenham if ye will. But if ye still crave the water ofthe Well at the World's End, I will lead you over this green plain, andthen go back home to mine hermitage, and abide there till ye come tome, or I die. "

Ralph smiled and said: "Master, no such sorry story shall I bear backto Upmeads, that after many sorrows borne, and perils overcome, I cameto the Gates of the Mountains, and turned back for fear of that which Ihad not proved. "

So spake he; but Ursula laughed and said: "Yea, then should I deem thyfriendship light if thou leftest me alone and unholpen in the uttermostwilderness; and thy manhood light to turn back from that which did notmake a woman afraid. "

Then the Sage looked kindly on them and said: "Yea, then is the lastword spoken, and the world may yet grow merrier to me. Look you, somethere be who may abuse the gifts of the Well for evil errands, and somewho may use it for good deeds; but I am one who hath not dared to useit lest I should abuse it, I being alone amongst weaklings and fools:but now if ye come back, who knows but that I may fear no longer, butuse my life, and grow to be a mighty man. Come now, let us dight oursupper, and kindle as big a fire as we lightly may; since there is manya prowling beast about, as bear and lynx and lion; for they haunt thisedge of the rock-sea whereto the harts and the wild bulls and the goatsresort for the sweet grass, and the water that floweth forth from thelava. "

So they cut good store of firing, whereas there was a plenty of bushesgrowing in the clefts of the rocks, and they made a big fire andtethered their horses anigh it when they lay down to rest; and in thenight they heard the roaring of wild things round about them, and morethan once or twice, awakening before day, they saw the shape of someterrible creature by the light of the moon mingled with the glare ofthe earth-fires, but none of these meddled with them, and naught befellthem save the coming of the new day. 

CHAPTER 10

They Come to the Gate of the Mountains

That day they herded their horses thereabout, and from time to time theSage tried those two if they were perfect in the lore of the road; andhe found that they had missed nothing. 

They lay down in the self-same place again that night, and arosebetimes on the morrow and went their ways over the plain as the Sageled, till it was as if the mountains and their terror hung over theirvery heads, and the hugeness and blackness of them were worse than awall of fire had been. It was still a long way to them, so that it wasnot till noon of the third day from the rock-sea that they came to thevery feet of that fire-scorched ness, and wonderful indeed it seemed tothem that anything save the eagles could have aught to tell of what laybeyond it. 

There were no foothills or downs betwixt the plain and the mountains, naught save a tumble of rocks that had fallen from the cliffs, piled upstrangely, and making a maze through which the Sage led them surely;and at last they were clear even of this, and were underneath the flankof that ness, which was so huge that there seemed that there couldscarce be any more mountain than that. Little of its huge height couldthey see, now they were close to it, for it went up sheer at first andthen beetled over them till they could see no more of its side; as theywound about its flank, and they were long about it, the Sage cried outto those two and stretched out his hand, and behold! the side of theblack cliff plain and smooth and shining as if it had been done by thehand of men or giants, and on this smooth space was carven in theliving rock the image of a warrior in mail and helm of ancient fashion, and holding a sword in his right hand. From head to heel he seemedsome sixty feet high, and the rock was so hard, that he was all cleanand clear to see; and they deemed of him that his face was keen andstern of aspect. 

So there they stood in an awful bight of the mountain, made by thatness, and the main wall from which it thrust out. But after they hadgazed awhile and their hearts were in their mouths, the Sage turned onthose twain and said: "Here then is the end of my journey with you; andye wot all that I can tell you, and I can say no word more save to bidyou cast all fear aside and thrive. Ye have yet for this day's journeycertain hours of such daylight as the mountain pass will give you, which at the best is little better than twilight; therefore redeem yethe time. "

But Ralph got off his horse, and Ursula did in likewise, and they bothkissed and embraced the old man, for their hearts were full and fain. But he drew himself away from them, and turned about with no word more, and went his ways, and presently was hidden from their eyes by therocky maze which lay about the mountain's foot. Then the twain mountedtheir horses again and set forth silently on the road, as they had beenbidden. 

In a little while the rocks of the pass closed about them, leaving buta way so narrow that they could see a glimmer of the stars above themas they rode the twilight; no sight they had of the measureless stonydesert, yet in their hearts they saw it. They seemed to be wending astraight-walled prison without an end, so that they were glad when thedark night came on them. 

Ralph found some shelter in the cleft of a rock above a mound where waslittle grass for the horses. He drew Ursula into it, and they sat downthere on the stones together. So long they sat silent that a greatgloom settled upon Ralph, and he scarce knew whether he were asleep orwaking, alive or dead. But amidst of it fell a sweet voice on hisears, and familiar words asking him of what like were the fields ofUpmeads, and the flowers; and of the fish of its water, and of thefashion of the building of his father's house; and of his brethren, andthe mother that bore him. Then was it to him at first as if a sweetdream had come across the void of his gloom, and then at last the gloomand the dread and the deadness left him, and he knew that his friendand fellow was talking to him, and that he sat by her knee to knee, andthe sweetness of her savoured in his nostrils as she leaned her facetoward him, and he knew himself for what he was; and yet for memory ofthat past horror, and the sweetness of his friend and what not else, hefell a-weeping. But Ursula bestirred herself and brought out food fromher wallet, and sat down beside him again, and he wiped the tears fromhis eyes and laughed, and chid himself for being as a child in thedark, and then they ate and drank together in that dusk nook of thewilderness. And now was he happy and his tongue was loosed, and hefell to telling her many things of Upmeads, and of the tale of hisforefathers, and of his old loves and his friends, till life and deathseemed to him as they had seemed of time past in the merry land of hisbirth. So there anon they fell asleep for weariness, and no dreams ofterror beset their slumbers. 

CHAPTER 11

They Come to the Vale of Sweet Chestnuts

When they went on their way next morning they found little change inthe pass, and they rode the dread highway daylong, and it was still thesame: so they rested a little before nightfall at a place where therewas water running out of the rocks, but naught else for their avail. Ralph was merry and helpful and filled water from the runnel, andwrought what he might to make the lodging meet; and as they ate andrested he said to Ursula: "Last night it was thou that beguiled me ofmy gloom, yet thereafter till we slept it was my voice for the morepart, and not thine, that was heard in the wilderness. Now to-night itshall be otherwise, and I will but ask a question of thee, and hearkento the sweetness of thy voice. "

She laughed a little and very sweetly, and she said: "Forsooth, dearfriend, I spoke to thee that I might hear thy voice for the more part, and not mine, that was heard in the desert; but when I heard thee, Ideemed that the world was yet alive for us to come back to. "

He was silent awhile, for his heart was pierced with the sweetness ofher speech, and he had fain have spoken back as sweetly as a man might;yet he could not because he feared her somewhat, lest she should turncold to him; therefore himseemed that he spoke roughly, as he said:"Nevertheless, my friend, I beseech thee to tell me of thine old home, even as last night I told thee of mine. "

"Yea, " she said, "with a good will. " And straightway she fell totelling him of her ways when she was little, and of her father andmother, and of her sister that had died, and the brother whom Ralph hadseen at Bourton Abbas: she told also of bachelors who had wooed her, and jested concerning them, yet kindly and without malice, and talkedso sweetly and plainly, that the wilderness was become a familiar placeto Ralph, and he took her hand in the dusk and said: "But, my friend, how was it with the man for whom thou wert weeping when I first fell inwith thee at Bourton Abbas?"

She said: "I will tell thee plainly, as a friend may to a friend. Three hours had not worn from thy departure ere tidings came to meconcerning him, that neither death nor wounding had befallen him; andthat his masterless horse and bloodstained saddle were but a device tothrow dust into our eyes, so that there might be no chase after him bythe men of the Abbot's bailiff, and that he might lightly do as hewould, to wit, swear himself into the riders of the Burg of the FourFriths; for, in sooth, he was weary of me and mine. Yet further, Imust needs tell thee that I know now, that when I wept before thee itwas partly in despite, because I had found out in my heart (though Ibade it not tell me so much) that I loved him but little. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and when didst thou come to that knowledge of thineheart?"

"Dear friend, " she said, "mayhappen I may tell thee hereafter, but asnow I will forbear. " He laughed for joy of her, and in a little thattalk fell down between them. 

Despite the terror of the desert and the lonely ways, when Ralph laidhim down on his stony bed, happiness wrapped his heart about. Albeitall this while he durst not kiss or caress her, save very measurely, for he deemed that she would not suffer it; nor as yet would he ask herwherefore, though he had it in his mind that he would not alwaysforbear to ask her. 

Many days they rode that pass of the mountains, though it was notalways so evil and dreadful as at the first beginning; for now againthe pass opened out into little valleys, wherein was foison of grassand sweet waters withal, and a few trees. In such places must theyneeds rest them, to refresh their horses as well as themselves, and togather food, of venison, and wild-fruit and nuts. But abiding in suchvales was very pleasant to them. 

At last these said valleys came often and oftener, till it was so thatall was pretty much one valley, whiles broken by a mountain neck, whiles straitened by a ness of the mountains that jutted into it, butnever quite blind: yet was the said valley very high up, and as itwere a trench of the great mountain. So they were glad that they hadescaped from that strait prison betwixt the rock-walls, and were wellat ease: and they failed never to find the tokens that led them on theway, even as they had learned of the Sage, so that they were notbeguiled into any straying. 

And now they had worn away thirty days since they had parted from theSage, and the days began to shorten and the nights to lengthen apace;when on the forenoon of a day, after they had ridden a very ruggedmountain-neck, they came down and down into a much wider valley intowhich a great reef of rocks thrust out from the high mountain, so thatthe northern half of the said vale was nigh cleft atwain by it; wellgrassed was the vale, and a fair river ran through it, and there wereon either side the water great groves of tall and great sweet-chestnutsand walnut trees, whereon the nuts were now ripe. They rejoiced asthey rode into it; for they remembered how the Sage had told themthereof, that their travel and toil should be stayed there awhile, andthat there they should winter, because of the bread which they couldmake them of the chestnuts, and the plenty of walnuts, and that withalthere was foison of venison. 

So they found a ford of the river and crossed it, and went straight tothe head of the rocky ness, being shown thither by the lore of theSage, and they found in the face of the rock the mouth of a cavern, andbeside it the token of the sword and the branch. Therefore they knewthat they had come to their winter house, and they rejoiced thereat, and without more ado they got off their horses and went into thecavern. The entry thereof was low, so that they must needs creep intoit, but within it was a rock-hall, high, clean and sweet-smelling. 

There then they dight their dwelling, doing all they might to be donewith their work before the winter was upon them. The day after theyhad come there they fell to on the in-gathering of their chestnutharvest, and they dried them, and made them into meal; and the walnutsthey gathered also. Withal they hunted the deer, both great and small;amongst which Ralph, not without some peril, slew two great bears, ofwhich beasts, indeed, there was somewhat more than enough, as they cameinto the dale to feed upon the nuts and the berry-trees. So they soonhad good store of peltries for their beds and their winter raiment, which Ursula fell to work on deftly, for she knew all the craft ofneedlework; and, shortly to tell it, they had enough and to spare ofvictual and raiment. 

CHAPTER 12

Winter Amidst of the Mountains

In all this they had enough to be busy with, so that time hung notheavy on their hands, and the shadow of the Quest was nowise burdensometo them, since they wotted that they had to abide the wearing of thedays till spring was come with fresh tidings. Their labour was nowiseirksome to them, since Ralph was deft in all manner of sports andcrafts, such as up-country folk follow, and though he were a king'sson, he had made a doughty yeoman: and as for Ursula, she also wascountry-bred, of a lineage of field-folk, and knew all the manners ofthe fields. 

Withal in whatsoever way it were, they loved each other dearly, and allkind of speech flowed freely betwixt them. Sooth to say, Ralph, takingheed of Ursula, deemed that she were fain to love him bodily, and hewotted well by now, that, whatever had befallen, he loved her, body andsoul. Yet still was that fear of her naysay lurking in his heart, ifhe should kiss her, or caress her, as a man with a maid. Therefore heforbore, though desire of her tormented him grievously at whiles. 

They wore their armour but little now, save when they were about somejourney wherein was peril of wild beasts. Ursula had dight her somedue woman's raiment betwixt her knight's surcoat and doe-skins whichthey had gotten, so that it was not unseemly of fashion. As for theirhorses, they but seldom backed them, but used them to draw stuff totheir rock-house on sledges, which they made of tree-boughs; so thatthe beasts grew fat, feeding on the grass of the valley and thewild-oats withal, which grew at the upper end of the bight of thevalley, toward the northern mountains, where the ground was sandy. Noman they saw, nor any signs of man, nor had they seen any save theSage, since those riders of Utterbol had vanished before them into thenight. 

So wore autumn into winter, and the frost came, and the snow, withprodigious winds from out of the mountains: yet was not the weather sohard but that they might go forth most days, and come to no hurt ifthey were wary of the drifts; and forsooth needs must they go abroad totake venison for their livelihood. 

So the winter wore also amidst sweet speech and friendliness betwixtthe two, and they lived still as dear friends, and not as lovers. 

Seldom they spoke of the Quest, for it seemed to them now a matter overgreat for speech. But now they were grown so familiar each to eachthat Ursula took heart to tell Ralph more of the tidings of Utterbol, for now the shame and grief of her bondage there was but as a storytold of another, so far away seemed that time from this. But sogrievous was her tale that Ralph grew grim thereover, and he said: "BySt. Nicholas! it were a good deed, once we are past the mountainsagain, to ride to Utterbol and drag that swine and wittol from his halland slay him, and give his folk a good day. But then there is thou, myfriend, and how shall I draw thee into deadly strife?"

"Nay, " she said, "whereso thou ridest thither will I, and one fateshall lie on us both. We will think thereof and ask the Sage of itwhen we return. Who knows what shall have befallen then? Remember thelighting of the candle of Utterbol that we saw from the Rock-sea, andthe boding thereof. " So Ralph was appeased for that time. 

Oft also they spake of the little lands whence they came, and on a timeamidst of such talk Ursula said: "But alas, friend, why do I speak ofall this, when now save for my brother, who loveth me but after afashion, to wit that I must in all wise do his bidding, lad as he is, Ihave no longer kith nor kin there, save again as all the folk of onestead are somewhat akin. I think, my dear, that I have no country, norany house to welcome me. "

Said Ralph: "All lands, any land that thou mayst come to, shallwelcome thee, and I shall look to it that so it shall be. " And in hisheart he thought of the welcome of Upmeads, and of Ursula sitting onthe dais of the hall of the High-House. 

So wore the days till Candlemass, when the frost broke and the snowsbegan to melt, and the waters came down from the mountains, so that theriver rose over its banks and its waters covered the plain parts of thevalley, and those two could go dryshod but a little way out of theircavern; no further than the green mound or toft which lay at the mouththereof: but the waters were thronged with fowl, as mallard and tealand coots, and of these they took what they would. Whiles also theywaded the shallows of the flood, and whiles poled a raft about it, andso had pleasure of the waters as before they had had of the snow. Butwhen at last the very spring was come, and the grass began to growafter the showers had washed the plain of the waterborne mud, and thesnowdrop had thrust up and blossomed, and the celandine had come, andthen when the blackthorn bloomed and the Lent-lilies hid the grassbetwixt the great chestnut-boles, when the sun shone betwixt theshowers and the west wind blew, and the throstles and blackbirds ceasednot their song betwixt dawn and dusk, then began Ralph to say tohimself, that even if the Well at the World's End were not, and allthat the Sage had told them was but a tale of Swevenham, yet were allbetter than well if Ursula were but to him a woman beloved rather thana friend. And whiles he was pensive and silent, even when she was byhim, and she noted it and forbore somewhat the sweetness of herglances, and the caressing of her soft speech: though oft when helooked on her fondly, the blood would rise to her cheeks, and her bosomwould heave with the thought of his desire, which quickened hers sosorely, that it became a pain and grief to her. 

CHAPTER 13

Of Ursula and the Bear

It befell on a fair sunny morning of spring, that Ralph sat alone onthe toft by the rock-house, for Ursula had gone down the meadow todisport her and to bathe in the river. Ralph was fitting the blade ofa dagger to a long ashen shaft, to make him a strong spear; for withthe waxing spring the bears were often in the meadows again; and theday before they had come across a family of the beasts in the sandybight under the mountains; to wit a carle, and a quean with her cubs;the beasts had seen them but afar off, and whereas the men were two andthe sun shone back from their weapons, they had forborne them; althoughthey were fierce and proud in those wastes, and could not away withcreatures that were not of their kind. So because of this Ralph hadbidden Ursula not to fare abroad without her sword, which was sharp andstrong, and she no weakling withal. He bethought him of this just ashe had made an end of his spear-shaping, so therewith he looked asideand saw the said sword hanging to a bough of a little quicken-tree, which grew hard by the door. Fear came into his heart therewith, so hearose and strode down over the meadow hastily bearing his new spear, and girt with his sword. Now there was a grove of chestnuts betwixthim and the river, but on the other side of them naught but the greengrass down to the water's edge. 

Sure enough as he came under the trees he heard a shrill cry, and knewthat it could be naught save Ursula; so he ran thitherward whence camethe cry, shouting as he ran, and was scarce come out of the trees erehe saw Ursula indeed, mother-naked, held in chase by a huge bear as bigas a bullock: he shouted again and ran the faster; but even therewith, whether she heard and saw him, and hoped for timely help, or whethershe felt her legs failing her, she turned on the bear, and Ralph sawthat she had a little axe in her hand wherewith she smote hardily atthe beast; but he, after the fashion of his kind, having risen to hishind legs, fenced with his great paws like a boxer, and smote the axeout of her hand, and she cried out bitterly and swerved from him andfell a running again; but the bear tarried not, and would have caughther in a few turns; but even therewith was Ralph come up, who thrustthe beast into the side with his long-headed spear, and not waiting topull it out again, drew sword in a twinkling, and smote a fore-paw offhim and then drave the sword in over the shoulder so happily that itreached his heart, and he fell over dead with a mighty thump. 

Then Ralph looked around for Ursula; but she had already run back tothe river-side and was casting her raiment on her; so he awaited herbeside the slain bear, but with drawn sword, lest the other bear shouldcome upon them; for this was the he-bear. Howbeit he saw naught savepresently Ursula all clad and coming towards him speedily; so he turnedtoward her, and when they met he cast himself upon her without a word, and kissed her greedily; and she forbore not at all, but kissed andcaressed him as if she could never be satisfied. 

So at last they drew apart a little, and walked quietly toward therock-house hand in hand. And on the way she told him that even as shecame up on to the bank from the water she saw the bear coming down onher as fast as he could drive, and so she but caught up her axe, andran for it: "Yet I had little hope, dear friend, " she said, "but thatthou shouldst be left alone in the wilderness. " And therewith sheturned on him and cast her arms about him again, all weeping for joy oftheir two lives. 

Thus slowly they came before the door of their rock-house and Ralphsaid: "Let us sit down here on the grass, and if thou art not overwearied with the flight and the battle, I will ask thee a question. "She laid herself down on the grass with a sigh, yet it was as of onewho sighs for pleasure and rest, and said, as he sat down beside her:"I am fain to rest my limbs and my body, but my heart is at rest; soask on, dear friend. "

The song of birds was all around them, and the scent of many blossomswent past on the wings of the west wind, and Ralph was silent a littleas he looked at the loveliness of his friend; then he said: "This isthe question; of what kind are thy kisses this morning, are they thekisses of a friend or a lover? Wilt thou not called me beloved and notfriend? Shall not we two lie on the bridal bed this same night?"

She looked on him steadily, smiling, but for love and sweetness, notfor shame and folly; then she said: "O, dear friend and dearest lover, three questions are these and not one; but I will answer all three asmy heart biddeth me. And first, I will tell thee that my kisses are asthine; and if thine are aught but the kisses of love, then am Ibefooled. And next, I say that if thou wilt be my friend indeed, Iwill not spare to call thee beloved, or to be all thy friend. But asto thy third question; tell me, is there not time enough for that?"

She faltered as she spake, but he said: "Look, beloved, and see howfair the earth is to-day! What place and what season can be goodlierthan this? And were it not well that we who love each other shouldhave our full joy out of this sweet season, which as now is somewhatmarred by our desire?"

"Ah, beloved!" she said, looking shyly at him, "is it so marred by thatwhich marreth not us?"

"Hearken!" he said; "how much longer shall this fairness and peace, andour leisure and safety endure? Here and now the earth rejoiceth aboutus, and there is none to say us nay; but to-morrow it may all beotherwise. Bethink thee, dear, if but an hour ago the monster hadslain thee, and rent thee ere we had lain in each other's arms!"

"Alas!" she said, "and had I lain in thine arms an hundred times, or anhundred times an hundred, should not the world be barren to me, wertthou gone from it, and that could never more be? But thou friend, thouwell-beloved, fain were I to do thy will that thou mightest be thehappier. . . And I withal. And if thou command it, be it so! Yet nowshould I tell thee all my thought, and it is on my mind, that for amany hundreds of years, yea, while our people were yet heathen, when aman should wed a maid all the folk knew of it, and were witnesses ofthe day and the hour thereof: now thou knowest that the time drawsnigh when we may look for those messengers of the Innocent Folk, whocome every spring to this cave to see if there be any whom they mayspeed on the way to the Well at the World's End. Therefore if thouwilt (and not otherwise) I would abide their coming if it be not overlong delayed; so that there may be others to witness our weddingbesides God, and those his creatures who dwell in the wilderness. Yetshall all be as thou wilt. "

"How shall I not do after thy bidding?" said Ralph. "I will abidetheir coming: yet would that they were here to-day! And one thing Iwill pray of thee, that because of them thou wilt not forbear, or causeme to forbear, such kissing and caressing as is meet betwixttroth-plight lovers. "

She laughed and said: "Nay, why should I torment thee. . . Or me? Wewill not tarry for this. " And therewith she took her arm about hisneck and kissed him oft. 

Then they said naught awhile, but sat listening happily to the song ofthe pairing birds. At last Ralph said: "What was it, beloved, thatthou wert perchance to tell me concerning the thing that caused thineheart to see that thy betrothed, for whom thou wepst or seemedst toweep at the ale-house at Bourton Abbas, was of no avail to thee?"

She said: "It was the sight of thee; and I thought also how I mightnever be thine. For that I have sorrowed many a time since. "

Said Ralph: "I am young and unmighty, yet lo! I heal thy sorrow as ifI were an exceeding mighty man. And now I tell thee that I am mindedto go back with thee to Upmeads straightway; for love will prevail. "

"Nay, " she said, "that word is but from the teeth outwards; for thouknowest, as I do, that the perils of the homeward road shall overcomeus, despite of love, if we have not drunk of the Well at the World'sEnd. "

Again they were silent awhile, but anon she arose to her feet and said:"Now must I needs dight victual for us twain; but first" (and shesmiled on him withal), "how is it that thou hast not asked me if thebeast did me any hurt? Art thou grown careless of me, now the weddingis so nigh?"

He said: "Nay, but could I not see thee that thou wert not hurt?There was no mark of blood upon thee, nor any stain at all. " Then shereddened, and said: "Ah, I forgot how keen-eyes thou art. " And shestood silent a little while, as he looked on her and loved hersweetness. Then he said: "I am exceeding full of joy, but my body isuneasy; so I will now go and skin that troll who went so nigh to slaythee, and break up the carcase, if thou wilt promise to abide about thedoor of the house, and have thy sword and the spear ready to hand, andto don thine helm and hauberk to boot. "

She laughed and said: "That were but strange attire for a cook-maid, Ralph, my friend; yet shall I do thy will, my lord and my love. "

Then went Ralph into the cave, and brought forth the armour and did iton her, and kissed her, and so went his ways to the carcase of thebear, which lay some two furlongs from their dwelling; and when he cameto the quarry he fell to work, and was some time about it, so huge asthe beast was. Then he hung the skin and the carcase on a tree of thegrove, and went down to the river and washed him, and then went lightlyhomewards. 

CHAPTER 14

Now Come the Messengers of the Innocent Folk

But when he had come forth from the chestnut-grove, and could see theface of their house-rock clearly, he beheld new tidings; for there werefolk before the door of the dwelling, and Ursula was standing amidst ofthem, for he could see the gleam of her armour; and with the men hecould see also certain beasts of burden, and anon that these were oxen. So he hastened on to find what this might mean, and drew his sword ashe went. But when he came up to the rock, he found there two young menand an elder, and they had with them five oxen, three for riding, andtwo sumpter beasts, laden: and Ursula and these men were talkingtogether friendly; so that Ralph deemed that the new-comers must be themessengers of the Innocent Folk. They were goodly men all three, somewhat brown of skin, but well fashioned, and of smiling cheerfulcountenance, well knit, and tall. The elder had a long white beard, but his eye was bright, and his hand firm and smooth. They were allclad in white woollen raiment, and bore no armour, but each had an axewith a green stone blade, curiously tied to the heft, and each of theyoung men carried a strong bow and a quiver of arrows. 

Ralph greeted the men, and bade them sit down on the toft and eat amorsel; they took his greeting kindly, and sat down, while Ursula wentinto the cave to fetch them matters for their victual, and there wasalready venison roasting at the fire on the toft, in the place wherethey were wont to cook their meat. So then came Ursula forth from thecave, and served the new-comers and Ralph of such things as she had, and they ate and drank together; and none said aught of their errandtill they had done their meat, but they talked together pleasantlyabout the spring, and the blossoms of the plain and the mountain, andthe wild things that dwelt thereabout. 

But when the meal was over, the new-comers rose to their feet, andbowed before Ralph and Ursula, and the elder took up the word and said:"Ye fair people, have ye any errand in the wilderness, or are yechance-comers who have strayed thus far, and know not how to return?"

"Father, " said Ralph, "we have come a long way on an errand of life ordeath; for we seek the WELL at the WORLD'S END. And see ye the tokenthereof, the pair of beads which we bear, either of us, and the fashionwhereof ye know. "

Then the elder bowed to them again, and said: "It is well; then isthis our errand with you, to be your way-leaders as far as the House ofthe Sorceress, where ye shall have other help. Will ye set out on thejourney to-day? In one hour shall we be ready. "

"Nay, " said Ralph, "we will not depart till tomorrow morn, if it may beso. Therewith I bid you sit down and rest you, while ye hearken a wordwhich I have to say to you. "

So they sat down again, and Ralph arose and took Ursula by the hand, and stood with her before the elder, and said: "This maiden, who is myfellow-farer in the Quest, I desire to wed this same night, and shealso desireth me: therefore I would have you as witnesses hereto. Butfirst ye shall tell us if our wedding and the knowing each othercarnally shall be to our hurt in the Quest; for if that be so, thenshall we bridle our desires and perform our Quest in their despite. "

The old man smiled upon them kindly, and said: "Nay, son, we hear notthat it shall be the worse for you in any wise that ye shall become oneflesh; and right joyful it is to us, not only that we have found folkwho seek to the Well at the World's End, but also that there is suchlove as I perceive there is betwixt such goodly and holy folk as ye be. For hither we come year by year according to the behest that we made tothe fairest woman of the world, when she came back to us from the Wellat the World's End, and it is many and many a year ago since we foundany seekers after the Well dwelling here. Therefore have we the morejoy in you. And we have brought hither matters good for you, asraiment, and meal, and wine, on our sumpter-beasts; therefore as yehave feasted us this morning, so shall we feast you this even. And ifye will, we shall build for you in the grove yonder such a bower as webuild for our own folk on the night of the wedding. "

Ralph yeasaid this, and thanked them. So then the elder cried: "Up, mysons, and show your deftness to these dear friends!" Then the young menarose, naught loth, and when they had hoppled their oxen and taken theburdens from off them, they all went down the meadow together into thechestnut grove, and they fell to and cut willow boughs, and such-likewood, and drave stakes and wove the twigs together; and Ralph andUrsula worked with them as they bade, and they were all very merrytogether: because for those two wanderers it was a great delight to seethe faces of the children of men once more after so many months, and tohold converse with them; while for their part the young men marvelledat Ursula's beauty, and the pith and goodliness of Ralph. 

By then it was nigh evening they had made a very goodly wattled bower, and roofed it with the skins that were in the cave, and hung it aboutwith garlands, and strewn flowers on the floor thereof. And when allwas done they went back to the toft before the rock-chamber, where theelder had opened the loads, and had taken meal thence, and was makingcakes at the fire. And there was wine there in well-hooped kegs, andwooden cups fairly carven, and raiment of fine white wool for thosetwain, broidered in strange but beauteous fashion with the feathers ofbright-hued birds. 

So then were those twain arrayed for the bridal; and the meat was dightand the cups filled, and they sat down on the grassy toft a littlebefore sunset, and feasted till the night was come, and was grown alllight with the moon; and then Ralph rose up, and took Ursula's hand, and they stood before the elder, and bade him and the young men bearwitness that they were wedded: then those twain kissed the newcomersand departed to their bridal bower hand in hand through the freshnessof the night. 

CHAPTER 15

They Come to the Land of the Innocent Folk

When it was morning they speedily gat them ready for the road, whereasthey had little to take with them; so they departed joyously, howbeitboth Ralph and Ursula felt rather love than loathing for their winterabode. The day was yet young when they went their ways. Their horsesand all their gear were a great wonder to the young men, for they hadseen no such beasts before: but the elder said that once in his youngdays he had led a man to the Well who was riding a horse and was cladin knightly array. 

So they went by ways which were nowise dreadful, though they were voidof men-folk, and in three days' time they were come out of themountains, and in three more the said mountains were to behold but acloud behind them, and the land was grown goodly, with fair valleys andlittle hills, though still they saw no men, and forsooth they wentleisurely, for oxen are but slow-going nags. But when they were goneeight days from the Valley of Sweet-chestnuts, they came across a flockof uncouth-looking sheep on a green hill-side, and four folkshepherding them, two carles to wit, and two queans, like to theirway-leaders, but scarce so goodly, and ruder of raiment. These mengreeted them kindly, and yet with more worship than fellowship, andthey marvelled exceedingly at their horses and weapons. Thence theypassed on, and the next day came into a wide valley, well-grassed andwatered, and wooded here and there; moreover there were cots scatteredabout it. There and thenceforth they met men a many, both carles andqueans, and sheep and neat in plenty, and they passed by garths whereinthe young corn was waxing, and vineyards on the hillsides, where thevines were beginning to grow green. The land seemed as goodly as mightbe, and all the folk they met were kind, if somewhat over reverent. 

On the evening of that day they came into the town of that folk, whichwas but simple, wholly unfenced for war, and the houses but low, andnot great. Yet was there naught of filth or famine, nor any poverty ormisery; and the people were merry-faced and well-liking, and cladgoodly after their fashion in white woollen cloth or frieze. All thepeople of the town were come forth to meet them, for runners had gonebefore them, and they stood on either side of the way murmuringgreetings, and with their heads bent low in reverence. 

Thus rode Ralph and Ursula up to the door of the Temple, or Mote-house, or Guest-house, for it was all these, a house great, and as fair asthey knew how to make it. Before the door thereof were standing theelders of the Folk; and when they drew rein, the eldest and mostreverend of these came forth and spake in a cheerful voice, yetsolemnly: "Welcome and thrice welcome to the Seekers after length ofdays and happy times, and the loving-kindness of the Folks of theEarth!"

Then all the elders gathered about them, and bade them light down andbe at rest amongst them, and they made much of them and brought theminto the Mote-house, where-in were both women and men fair and stately, and the men took Ralph by the hand and the women Ursula, and broughtthem into chambers where they bathed them and did off their wayfaringraiment, and clad them in white woollen gowns of web exceeding fine, and fragrant withal. Then they crowned them with flowers, and led themback into the hall, whereas now was much folk gathered, and they setthem down on a dais as though they had been kings, or rather gods; andwhen they beheld them there so fair and lovely, they cried out for joyof them, and bade them hail oft and oft. 

There then were they feasted by that kind folk, and when meat was donecertain youths and maidens fell to singing songs very sweetly; and thewords of the songs were simple and harmless, and concerning thefairness of the earth and the happy loves of the creatures that dwelltherein. 

Thereafter as the night aged, they were shown to a sleeping chamber, which albeit not richly decked, or plenished with precious things, wasmost dainty clean, and sweet smelling, and strewn with flowers, so thatthe night was sweet to them in a chamber of love. 

CHAPTER 16

They Come to the House of the Sorceress

On the morrow the kind people delayed them little, though they sorrowedfor their departure, and before noon were their old way-leaders readyfor them; and the old man and his two grandsons (for such they were)were much honoured of the simple people for their way-leading of theHeavenly Folk; for so they called Ralph and Ursula. So they gat themto the way in suchlike guise as before, only they had with them fivesumpter oxen instead of two; for the old man told them that not onlywas their way longer, but also they must needs pass through a terriblewaste, wherein was naught for their avail, neither man, nor beast, norherb. Even so they found it as he said; for after the first day's ridefrom the town they came to the edge of this same waste, and on thefourth day were deep in the heart of it: a desert it was, rather rockyand stony and sandy than mountainous, though they had hills to crossalso: withal there was but little water there, and that foul andstinking. Long lasted this waste, and Ralph thought indeed that it hadbeen hard to cross, had not their way-leaders been; therefore he mademarks and signs by the wayside, and took note of the bearings of rocksand mounds against the day of return. 

Twelve days they rode this waste, and on the thirteenth it began tomend somewhat, and there was a little grass, and sweet waters, and theysaw ahead the swelling hills of a great woodland, albeit they had tostruggle through marshland and low scrubby thicket for a day longer, orever they got to the aforesaid trees, which at first were naught butpines; but these failed in a while, and they rode a grass waste nearlytreeless, but somewhat well watered, where they gat them good store ofvenison. Thereafter they came on woods of oak and sweet-chestnut, withhere and there a beech-wood. 

Long and long they rode the woodland, but it was hard on May when theyentered it, and it was pleasant therein, and what with one thing, whatwith another, they had abundant livelihood there. Yet was June at itsfull when at last they came within sight of the House of the Sorceress, on the hottest of a fair afternoon. And it was even as Ralph had seenit pictured in the arras of the hall of the Castle of Abundance; alittle house built after the fashion of houses in his own land of thewest; the thatch was trim, and the windows and doors were unbroken, andthe garth was whole, and the goats feeding therein, and the wheat wastall and blossoming in the little closes, where as he had looked to seeall broken down and wild, and as to the house, a mere grass-grown heap, or at the most a broken gable fast crumbling away. 

Then waxed his heart sore with the memory of that passed time, and thesweetness of his short-lived love, though he refrained him all hemight: yet forsooth Ursula looked on him anxiously, so much his facewas changed by the thoughts of his heart. 

But the elder of the way-leaders saw that he was moved, and deemed thathe was wondering at that house so trim and orderly amidst the wildwood, so he said: "Here also do we after our behest to that marvellous andlovely Lady, that we suffer not this house to go to ruin: ever are someof our folk here, and every year about this season we send two or moreto take the places of those who have dwelt in the House year-long: soever is there someone to keep all things trim. But as to strangers, Ihave never in my life seen any Seeker of the Well herein, save once, and that was an old hoar man like to me, save that he was feebler inall wise than I be. "

Now Ralph heard him talking, yet noted his words but little; for it waswith him as if all the grief of heart which he had penned back for solong a while swelled up within him and burst its bounds; and he turnedtoward Ursula and their eyes met, and she looked shy and anxious on himand he might no longer refrain himself, but put his hands to his face(for they had now drawn rein at the garth-gate) and brake out aweeping, and wept long for the friend whose feet had worn that path sooften, and whose heart, though she were dead, had brought them thitherfor their thriving; and for love and sorrow of him Ursula wept also. 

But the old man and his grandsons turned their heads away from hisweeping, and got off their horses, and went up to the house-door, whereby were now standing a carle and a quean of their people. ButRalph slowly gat off his horse and stood by Ursula who was on theground already, but would not touch her, for he was ashamed. But shelooked on him kindly and said: "Dear friend, there is no need forshame; for though I be young, I know how grievous it is when the deadthat we have loved come across our ways, and we may not speak to them, nor they to us. So I will but bid thee be comforted and abide in thylove for the living and the dead. " His tears brake out again at thatword, for he was but young, and for a while there was a lull in thestrife that had beset his days. But after a little he looked up, anddashed the tears from his eyes and smiled on Ursula and said: "Thetale she told me of this place, the sweetness of it came back upon me, and I might not forbear. " She said: "O friend, thou art kind, and Ilove thee. "

So then they joined hands and went through the garth together, and upto the door, where stood the wardens, who, when they saw them turningthither, came speedily down the path to them, and would have knelt inworship to them; but they would not suffer it, but embraced and kissedthem, and thanked them many times for their welcome. The said wardens, both carle and quean, were goodly folk of middle age, stalwart, andkind of face. 

So then they went into the house together, and entered into theself-same chamber, where of old the Lady of Abundance had sickened forfear of the Sorceress sitting naked at her spell-work. 

Great joy they made together, and the wardens set meat and drink beforethe guests, and they ate and drank and were of good cheer. But theelder who had brought them from Chestnut-dale said: "Dear friends, Ihave told you that these two young men are my grand-children, and theyare the sons of this man and woman whom ye see; for the man is my son. And so it is, that amongst us the care of the Quest of the Well at theWorld's End hath for long been the heritage of our blood, going with usfrom father to son. Therefore is it naught wonderful, though I havebeen sundry times at this house, and have learned about the place allthat may be learned. For my father brought me hither when I was yet aboy; that time it was that I saw the last man of whom we know for surethat he drank of the Water of the Well, and he was that old hoar manlike unto me, but, as I said, far weaker in all wise; but when he cameback to us from the Well he was strong and stalwart, and a better manthan I am now; and I heard him tell his name to my father, that he wascalled the Sage of Swevenham. "

Ralph looked on Ursula and said: "Yea, father, and it was through himthat we had our lore concerning the way hither; and it was he that badeus abide your coming in the rock-house of the Vale of Sweet-chestnuts. "

"Then he is alive still, " said the elder. Said Ralph: "Yea, and asfair and strong an old man as ye may lightly see. " "Yea, yea, " said theelder, "and yet fifty years ago his course seemed run. "

Then said Ralph: "Tell me, father, have none of your own folk soughtto the Well at the World's End?" "Nay, none, " said the elder. SaidRalph: "That is strange, whereas ye are so nigh thereto, and have suchabundant lore concerning the way. "

"Son, " said the elder, "true it is that the water of that Well shallcause a man to thrive in all ways, and to live through many generationsof men, maybe, in honour and good-liking; but it may not keep any manalive for ever; for so have the Gods given us the gift of death lest weweary of life. Now our folk live well and hale, and without thesickness and pestilence, such as I have heard oft befall folk in otherlands: even as I heard the Sage of Swevenham say, and I wondered at hiswords. Of strife and of war also we know naught: nor do we desireaught which we may not easily attain to. Therefore we live long, andwe fear the Gods if we should strive to live longer, lest they shouldbring upon us war and sickness, and over-weening desire, and wearinessof life. Moreover it is little that all of us should seek to the Wellat the World's End; and those few that sought and drank should bestronger and wiser than the others, and should make themselves earthlygods, and, maybe, should torment the others of us and make their livesa very burden to be borne. Of such matters are there tales currentamongst us that so it hath been of yore and in other lands; and ill itwere if such times came back upon us. "

Ralph hung his head and was silent; for the joy of the Quest seemeddying out as the old man's words dropped slowly from his mouth. But hesmiled upon Ralph and went on: "But for you, guests, it is otherwise, for ye of the World beyond the Mountains are stronger and more godlikethan we, as all tales tell; and ye wear away your lives desiring thatwhich ye may scarce get; and ye set your hearts on high things, desiring to be masters of the very Gods. Therefore ye know sicknessand sorrow, and oft ye die before your time, so that ye must depart andleave undone things which ye deem ye were born to do; which to all menis grievous. And because of all this ye desire healing and thriving, whether good come of it, or ill. Therefore ye do but right to seek tothe Well at the World's End, that ye may the better accomplish thatwhich behoveth you, and that ye may serve your fellows and deliver themfrom the thralldom of those that be strong and unwise and unkind, ofwhom we have heard strange tales. "

Ralph reddened as he spake, and Ursula looked on him anxiously, butthat talk dropped for the present, and they fell to talking of lighterand more familiar matters. 

Thereafter they wandered about the woods with the wardens and theway-leaders, and the elder brought them to the ancient altar in thewood whereon the Sorceress had offered up the goat; and the howe of thewoman dight with the necklace of the Quest whom the Lady found dead inthe snow; and the place nigh the house where the Sorceress used totorment her thrall that was afterwards the Lady of Abundance; yea, andthey went further afield till they came to the Vale of Lore, and theHeath above it where they met, the King's Son and the Lady. All theseand other places were now become as hallowed ground to the InnocentPeople, and to Ralph no less. In the house, moreover, was a fair arkwherein they kept matters which had belonged to the Lady, as her shoesand her smock, wrapped in goodly cloth amidst well-smelling herbs; andthese things they worshipped as folk do with relics of the saints. Inanother ark also they showed the seekers a book wherein was writtenlore concerning the Well, and the way thereto. But of this book hadthe Sage forewarned Ralph and his mate, and had bidden them look to itthat they should read in it, and no otherwhere than at that ancientaltar in the wood, they two alone, and clad in such-like gear as theywore when they hearkened to his reading by his hermitage. And so itwas that they found the due raiment in the ark along with the book. Therefore day after day betimes in the morning they bore the said bookto the altar and read therein, till they had learned much wisdom. 

Thus they did for eight days, and on the ninth they rested and weremerry with their hosts: but on the tenth day they mounted their horsesand said farewell, and departed by the ways they had learned of, theytwo alone. And they had with them bread and meal, as much as theymight bear, and water-skins moreover, that they might fill them at thelast sweet water before they came to the waterless desert. 

CHAPTER 17

They Come Through the Woodland to the Thirsty Desert

So they ride their ways, and when they were come well into the wildwoodpast the house, and had spoken but few words to each other, Ralph putforth his hand, and stayed Ursula, and they gat off their horses undera great-limbed oak, and did off their armour, and sat down on thegreensward there, and loved each other dearly, and wept for joy oftheir pain and travail and love. And afterwards, as they sat side byside leaning up against the great oak-bole, Ralph spake and said: "Noware we two once again all alone in the uttermost parts of the earth, and belike we are not very far from the Well at the World's End; andnow I have bethought me that if we gain that which we seek for, andbear back our lives to our own people, the day may come when we aregrown old, for as young as we may seem, that we shall be as lonely thenas we are this hour, and that the folk round about us shall be to us asmuch and no more than these trees and the wild things that dwellamongst them. "

She looked on him and laughed as one over-happy, and said: "Thourunnest forward swiftly to meet trouble, beloved! But I say that wellwill it be in those days if I love the folk then as well as now I lovethese trees and the wild things whose house they are. "

And she rose up therewith and threw her arms about the oak-bole andkissed its ruggedness, while Ralph as he lay kissed the sleekness ofher feet. And there came a robin hopping over the leaves anigh them, for in that wood most of the creatures, knowing not man, were tame tohim, and feared the horses of those twain more than their riders. Andnow as Ursula knelt to embrace Ralph with one hand, she held out theother to the said robin who perched on her wrist, and sat there as ahooded falcon had done, and fell to whistling his sweet notes, as if hewere a-talking to those new-comers: then Ursula gave him a song-rewardof their broken meat, and he flew up and perched on her shoulder, andnestled up against her cheek, and she laughed happily and said: "Loyou, sweet, have not the wild things understood my words, and sent thisfair messenger to foretell us all good?"

"It is good, " said Ralph laughing, "yet the oak-tree hath not spokenyet, despite of all thy kissing: and lo there goes thy friend therobin, now thou hast no more meat to give him. "

"He is flying towards the Well at the World's End, " she said, "andbiddeth us onward: let us to horse and hasten: for if thou wilt havethe whole truth concerning my heart, it is this, that some chance-hapmay yet take thee from me ere thou hast drunk of the waters of theWell. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and in the innermost of my heart lieth the fearthat mayhappen there is no Well, and no healing in it if we find it, and that death, and the backward way may yet sunder us. This is theworst of my heart, and evil is my coward fear. "

But she cast her arms about him and kissed and caressed him, and criedout: "Yea, then fair have been the days of our journeying, and fairthis hour of the green oak! And bold and true thine heart that hathled thee thus far, and won thee thy desire of my love. "

So then they armed them, and mounted their horses and set forward. They lived well while they were in the wood, but on the third day theycame to where it thinned and at last died out into a stony waste likeunto that which they had passed through before they came to the Houseof the Sorceress, save that this lay in ridges as the waves of a greatsea; and these same ridges they were bidden to cross over at theirhighest, lest they should be bewildered in a maze of little hills anddales leading no whither. 

So they entered on this desert, having filled their water-skins at aclear brook, whereat they rejoiced when they found that the face of thewilderness was covered with a salt scurf, and that naught grew theresave a sprinkling of small sage bushes. 

Now on the second day of their riding this ugly waste, as they came upover the brow of one of these stony ridges, Ralph the far-sighted criedout suddenly: "Hold! for I see a man weaponed. "

"Where is he?" quoth Ursula, "and what is he about?" Said Ralph: "Heis up yonder on the swell of the next ridge, and by seeming is asleepleaning against a rock. "

Then he bent the Turk bow and set an arrow on the string and they wenton warily. When they were down at the foot of the ridge Ralph hailedthe man with a lusty cry, but gat no answer of him; so they went on upthe bent, till Ralph said: "Now I can see his face under his helm, andit is dark and the eyes are hollow: I will off horse and go up to himafoot, but do thou, beloved, sit still in thy saddle. "

But when he had come nigher, he turned and cried out to her: "The manis dead, come anigh. " So she went up to him and dismounted, and theyboth together stood over the man, who was lying up against a big stonelike one at rest. How long he had lain there none knows but God; forin the saltness of the dry desert the flesh had dried on his boneswithout corrupting, and was as hardened leather. He was in full armourof a strange and ancient fashion, and his sword was girt to his side, neither was there any sign of a wound about him. Under a crag anighhim they found his horse, dead and dry like to himself; and a littleway over the brow of the ridge another horse in like case; and close byhim a woman whose raiment had not utterly perished, nor her hair; therewere gold rings on her arms, and her shoes were done with gold: she hada knife stuck in her breast, with her hand still clutching the handlethereof; so that it seemed that she had herself given herself death. 

Ralph and Ursula buried these two with the heaping of stones and wenttheir ways; but some two miles thence they came upon another deadman-at-arms, and near him an old man unweaponed, and they heaped stoneson them. 

Thereabout night overtook them, and it was dark, so they lay down inthe waste, and comforted each other, and slept two or three hours, butarose with the first glimmer of dawn, and mounted and rode forthonward, that they might the sooner be out of that deadly desert, forfear clung to their hearts. 

This day, forsooth, they found so many dead folk, that they might notstay to bury them, lest they themselves should come to lie therelacking burial. So they made all the way they might, and rode on somehours by starlight after the night was come, for it was clear and cold. So that at last they were so utterly wearied that they lay down amongstthose dead folk, and slept soundly. 

On the morrow morn Ralph awoke and saw Ursula sleeping peacefully as hedeemed, and he looked about on the dreary desert and its dead men andsaw no end to it, though they lay on the top of one of those stonybents; and he said softly to himself: "Will it end at all then?Surely all this people of the days gone by were Seekers of the Well aswe be; and have they belike turned back from somewhere further on, andmight not escape the desert despite of all? Shall we turn now: shallwe turn? surely we might get into the kindly wood from here. "

So he spake; but Ursula sat up (for she was not asleep) and said: "Theperils of the waste being abundant and exceeding hard to face, wouldnot the Sage or his books have told us of the most deadly?" Said Ralph:"Yet here are all these dead, and we were not told of them, nevertheless we have seen the token on the rocks oft-times yesterday, so we are yet in the road, unless all this hath been but a snare and abetrayal. "

She shook her head, and was silent a little; then she said: "Ralph, mylad, didst thou see this token (and she set hand to the beads about herneck) on any of those dead folk yesterday?" "Nay, " said Ralph, "thoughsooth to say I looked for it. " "And I in likewise, " she said; "forindeed I had misgivings as the day grew old; but now I say, let us onin the faith of that token and the kindness of the Sage, and the loveof the Innocent People; yea, and thy luck, O lad of the green fieldsfar away, that hath brought thee unscathed so far from Upmeads. "

So they mounted and rode forth, and saw more and more of the dead folk;and ever and anon they looked to them to note if they wore the beadslike to them but saw none so dight. Then Ursula said: "Yea, why shouldthe Sage and the books have told us aught of these dead bodies, thatare but as the plenishing of the waste; like to the flowers that arecast down before the bier of a saint on a holy-day to be trodden underfoot by the churls and the vicars of the close. Forsooth had they beenalive now, with swords to smite withal, and hands to drag us intocaptivity, it had been another matter: but against these I feel bold. "

Ralph sighed, and said: "Yea, but even if we die not in the waste, yetthis is piteous; so many lives passed away, so many hopes slain. "

"Yea, " she said; "but do not folk die there in the world behind us? Ihave seen sights far worser than this at Utterbol, little while as Iwas there. Moreover I can note that this army of dead men has not comeall in one day or one year, but in a long, long while, by one and twoand three; for hast thou not noted that their raiment and wargear both, is of many fashions, and some much more perished than other, long asthings last in this Dry Waste? I say that men die as in the worldbeyond, but here we see them as they lie dead, and have lain for solong. "

He said: "I fear neither the Waste nor the dead men if thou fearestnot, beloved: but I lament for these poor souls. "

"And I also, " said she; "therefore let us on, that we may come to thosewhose grief we may heal. "

CHAPTER 18

They Come to the Dry Tree

Presently as they rode they had before them one of the greatest ofthose land-waves, and they climbed it slowly, going afoot and leadingtheir horses; but when they were but a little way from the brow theysaw, over a gap thereof, something, as it were huge horns rising upinto the air beyond the crest of the ridge. So they marvelled, anddrew their swords, and held them still awhile, misdoubting if this wereperchance some terrible monster of the waste; but whereas the thingmoved not at all, they plucked up heart and fared on. 

So came they to the brow and looked over it into a valley, about whichon all sides went the ridge, save where it was broken down into anarrow pass on the further side, so that the said valley was like toone of those theatres of the ancient Roman Folk, whereof are some to beseen in certain lands. Neither did those desert benches lack theirsitters; for all down the sides of the valley sat or lay children ofmen; some women, but most men-folk, of whom the more part wereweaponed, and some with their drawn swords in their hands. Whateversemblance of moving was in them was when the eddying wind of the valleystirred the rags of their raiment, or the long hair of the women. Buta very midmost of this dreary theatre rose up a huge and monstroustree, whose topmost branches were even the horns which they had seenfrom below the hill's brow. Leafless was that tree and lacking oftwigs, and its bole upheld but some fifty of great limbs, and as theylooked on it, they doubted whether it were not made by men's handsrather than grown up out of the earth. All round about the roots of itwas a pool of clear water, that cast back the image of the valley-sideand the bright sky of the desert, as though it had been a mirror ofburnished steel. The limbs of that tree were all behung with blazonedshields and knight's helms, and swords, and spears, and axes, andhawberks; and it rose up into the air some hundred feet above the flatof the valley. 

For a while they looked down silently on to this marvel then from boththeir lips at once came the cry THE DRY TREE. Then Ralph thrust hissword back into his sheath and said: "Meseems I must needs go downamongst them; there is naught to do us harm here; for all these aredead like the others that we saw. "

Ursula turned to him with burning cheeks and sparkling eyes, and saideagerly: "Yea, yea, let us go down, else might we chance to misssomething that we ought to wot of. "

Therewith she also sheathed her sword, and they went both of them downtogether, and that easily; for as aforesaid the slope was as if it hadbeen cut into steps for their feet. And as they passed by the deadfolk, for whom they had often to turn aside, they noted that each ofthe dead leathery faces was drawn up in a grin as though they had diedin pain, and yet beguiled, so that all those visages looked somewhatalike, as though they had come from the workshop of one craftsman. 

At last Ralph and Ursula stood on the level ground underneath the Tree, and they looked up at the branches, and down to the water at theirfeet; and now it seemed to them as though the Tree had verily growth init, for they beheld its roots, that they went out from the mound orislet of earth into the water, and spread abroad therein, and seemed towaver about. So they walked around the Tree, and looked up at theshields that hung on its branches, but saw no blazon that they knew, though they were many and diverse; and the armour also and weapons werevery diverse of fashion. 

Now when they were come back again to the place where they had firststayed, Ralph said: "I thirst, and so belike dost thou; and here iswater good and clear; let us drink then, and so spare our water-skins, for belike the dry desert is yet long. " And therewith he knelt downthat he might take of the water in the hollow of his hand. But Ursuladrew him back, and cried out in terror: "O Ralph, do it not! Seestthou not this water, that although it be bright and clear, so that wemay see all the pebbles at the bottom, yet nevertheless when the windeddies about, and lifts the skirts of our raiment, it makes no rippleon the face of the pool, and doubtless it is heavy with venom; andmoreover there is no sign of the way hereabout, as at otherwatering-steads; O forbear, Ralph!"

Then he rose up and drew back with her but slowly and unwillingly asshe deemed; and they stood together a while gazing on these marvels. But lo amidst of this while, there came a crow wheeling over the valleyof the dead, and he croaked over the Dry Tree, and let himself dropdown to the edge of the pool, whereby he stalked about a little afterthe manner of his kind. Then he thrust his neb into the water anddrank, and thereafter took wing again; but ere he was many feet off theground he gave a grievous croak, and turning over in the air fell downstark dead close to the feet of those twain; and Ralph cried out butspake no word with meaning therein; then said Ursula: "Yea, thus arewe saved from present death. " Then she looked in Ralph's face, andturned pale and said hastily: "O my friend how is it with thee?" Butshe waited not for an answer, but turned her face to the bent wherebythey had come down, and cried out in a loud, shrill voice: "O Ralph, Ralph! look up yonder to the ridge whereby we left our horses; look, look! there glitters a spear and stirreth! and lo a helm underneath thespear: tarry not, let us save our horses!"

Then Ralph let a cry out from his mouth, and set off running to theside of the slope, and fell to climbing it with great strides, notheeding Ursula; but she followed close after, and scrambled up withfoot and hand and knee, till she stood beside him on the top, and helooked around wildly and cried out: "Where! where are they?"

"Nowhere, " she said, "it was naught but my word to draw thee fromdeath; but praise to the saints that thou are come alive out of theaccursed valley. "

He seemed not to hearken, but turned about once, and beat the air withhis hands, and then fell down on his back and with a great wail shecast herself upon him, for she deemed at first that he was dead. Butshe took a little water from one of their skins, and cast it into hisface, and took a flask of cordial from her pouch, and set it to hislips, and made him drink somewhat thereof. So in a while he came tohimself and opened his eyes and smiled upon her, and she took his headin her hands and kissed his cheek, and he sat up and said feebly:"Shall we not go down into the valley? there is naught there to harmus. "

"We have been down there already, " she said, "and well it is that weare not both lying there now. "

Then he got to his feet, and stretched himself, and yawned like onejust awakened from long sleep. But she said: "Let us to horse andbegone; it is early hours to slumber, for those that are seeking theWell at the World's End. "

He smiled on her again and took her hand, and she led him to his horse, and helped him till he was in the saddle and lightly she gata-horseback, and they rode away swiftly from that evil place; and aftera while Ralph was himself again, and remembered all that had happenedtill he fell down on the brow of the ridge. Then he praised Ursula'swisdom and valiancy till she bade him forbear lest he weary her. Albeit she drew up close to him and kissed his face sweetly. 

CHAPTER 19

They Come Out of the Thirsty Desert

Past the Valley of the Dry Tree they saw but few dead men lying about, and soon they saw never another: and, though the land was still utterlybarren, and all cast up into ridges as before, yet the salt slime grewless and less, and before nightfall of that day they had done with it:and the next day those stony waves were lower; and the next again thewaste was but a swelling plain, and here and there they came on patchesof dwarf willow, and other harsh and scanty herbage, whereof the horsesmight have a bait, which they sore needed, for now was their fodderdone: but both men and horses were sore athirst; for, as carefully asthey had hoarded their water, there was now but little left, which theydurst not drink till they were driven perforce, lest they should yetdie of drought. 

They journeyed long that day, and whereas the moon was up at night-tidethey lay not down till she was set; and their resting place was by somelow bushes, whereabout was rough grass mingled with willow-herb, whereby Ralph judged that they drew nigh to water, so or ever theyslept, they and the horses all but emptied the water-skins. They heardsome sort of beasts roaring in the night, but they were too weary towatch, and might not make a fire. 

When Ralph awoke in the morning he cried out that he could see thewoodland; and Ursula arose at his cry and looked where he pointed, andsure enough there were trees on a rising ground some two miles ahead, and beyond them, not very far by seeming, they beheld the tops of greatdark mountains. On either hand moreover, nigh on their right hand, faroff on their left, ran a reef of rocks, so that their way seemed to beas between two walls. And these said reefs were nowise like those thatthey had seen of late, but black and, as to their matter, like to thegreat mountains by the rock of the Fighting Man: but as the reefs raneastward they seemed to grow higher. 

Now they mounted their horses at once and rode on; and the beasts wereas eager as they were, and belike smelt the water. So when they hadridden but three miles, they saw a fair little river before themwinding about exceedingly, but flowing eastward on the whole. So theyspurred on with light hearts and presently were on the banks of thesaid river, and its waters were crystal-clear, though its sands wereblack: and the pink-blossomed willow-herb was growing abundantly on thesandy shores. Close to the water was a black rock, as big as a man, whereon was graven the sign of the way, so they knew that there was noevil in the water, wherefore they drank their fill and watered theirhorses abundantly, and on the further bank was there abundance of goodgrass. So when they had drunk their fill, for the pleasure of the coolwater they waded the ford barefoot, and it was scarce above Ursula'sknee. Then they had great joy to lie on the soft grass and eat theirmeat, while the horses tore eagerly at the herbage close to them. Sowhen they had eaten, they rested awhile, but before they went furtherthey despoiled them, one after other, and bathed in a pool of the riverto wash the foul wilderness off them. Then again they rested and letthe horses yet bite the grass, and departed not from that pleasantplace till it was two hours after noon. As they were lying there Ralphsaid he could hear a great roar like the sound of many waters, but veryfar off: but to Ursula it seemed naught but the wind waxing in theboughs of the woodland anigh them. 

CHAPTER 20

They Come to the Ocean Sea

Being come to the wood they went not very far into it that day, forthey were minded to rest them after the weariness of the wilderness:they feasted on a hare which Ralph shot, and made a big fire to keepoff evil beasts, but none came nigh them, though they heard the voicesof certain beasts as the night grew still. To be short, they slept farinto the morrow's morn, and then, being refreshed, and their horsesalso, they rode strongly all day, and found the wood to be not verygreat; for before sunset they were come to its outskirts, and themountains lay before them. These were but little like to that hugewall they had passed through on their way to Chestnut-dale, beingrather great hills than mountains, grass-grown, and at their feetsomewhat wooded, and by seeming not over hard to pass over. 

The next day they entered them by a pass marked with the token, whichled them about by a winding way till they were on the side of thebiggest fell of all; so there they rested that night in a fair littlehollow or dell in the mountain-side. There in the stillness of thenight both Ursula, as well as Ralph, heard that roaring of a greatwater, and they said to each other that it must be the voice of theSea, and they rejoiced thereat, for they had learned by the Sage andhis books that they must needs come to the verge of the Ocean-Sea, which girdles the earth about. So they arose betimes on the morrow, and set to work to climb the mountain, going mostly a-foot; and the waywas long, but not craggy or exceeding steep, so that in five hours'time they were at the mountain-top, and coming over the brow beheldbeneath them fair green slopes besprinkled with trees, and beyond them, some three or four miles away, the blue landless sea and on either handof them was the sea also, so that they were nigh-hand at the ending ofa great ness, and there was naught beyond it; and naught to do if theymissed the Well, but to turn back by the way they had come. 

Now when they saw this they were exceedingly moved and they looked onone another, and each saw that the other was pale, with glisteningeyes, since they were to come to the very point of their doom, and thatit should be seen whether there were no such thing as the Well in allthe earth, but that they had been chasing a fair-hued cloud; or elsetheir Quest should be achieved and they should have the world beforethem, and they happy and mighty, and of great worship amidst all men. 

Little they tarried, but gat them down the steep of the mountain, andso lower and lower till they were come to ground nigh level; and thenat last it was but thus, that without any great rock-wall or girdle ofmarvellous and strange land, there was an end of earth, with its grassand trees and streams, and a beginning of the ocean, which stretchedaway changeless, and it might be for ever. Where the land ended therewas but a cliff of less than an hundred feet above the eddying of thesea; and on the very point of the ness was a low green toft with asquare stone set atop of it, whereon as they drew nigh they saw thetoken graven, yea on each face thereof. 

Then they went along the edge of the cliff a mile on each side of thesaid toft, and then finding naught else to note, naught save the grassand the sea, they came back to that place of the token, and sat down onthe grass of the toft. 

It was now evening, and the sun was setting beyond them, but they couldbehold a kind of stair cut in the side of the cliff, and on the firststep whereof was the token done; wherefore they knew that they werebidden to go down by the said stair; but it seemed to lead no whither, save straight into the sea. And whiles it came into Ralph's mind thatthis was naught but a mock, as if to bid the hapless seekers castthemselves down from the earth, and be done with it for ever. But inany case they might not try the adventure of that stair by the failinglight, and with the night long before them. So when they had hoppledtheir horses, and left them to graze at their will on the sweet grassof the meadow, they laid them down behind the green toft, and, beingforwearied, it was no long time ere they twain slept fast at theuttermost end of the world. 

CHAPTER 21

Now They Drink of the Well at the World's End

Ralph awoke from some foolish morning dream of Upmeads, wondering wherehe was, or what familiar voice had cried out his name: then he raisedhimself on his elbow, and saw Ursula standing before him with flushedface and sparkling eyes, and she was looking out seaward, while shecalled on his name. So he sprang up and strove with the slumber thatstill hung about him, and as his eyes cleared he looked down, and sawthat the sea, which last night had washed the face of the cliff, hadnow ebbed far out, and left bare betwixt the billows and the cliff somehalf mile of black sand, with rocks of the like hue rising out of ithere and there. But just below the place where they stood, right upagainst the cliff, was builded by man's hand of huge stones a garth ofpound, the wall whereof was some seven feet high, and the pound withinthe wall of forty feet space endlong and overthwart; and the said poundwas filled with the waters of a spring that came forth from the face ofthe cliff as they deemed, though from above they might not see theissue thereof; but the water ran seaward from the pound by some wayunseen, and made a wide stream through the black sand of the foreshore:but ever the great basin filled somewhat faster than it voided, so thatit ran over the lip on all sides, making a thin veil over the hugeashlar-stones of the garth. The day was bright and fair with no wind, save light airs playing about from the westward ort, and all thingsgleamed and glittered in the sun. 

Ralph stood still a moment, and then stretched abroad his arms, andwith a great sob cast them round about the body of his beloved, andstrained her to his bosom as he murmured about her, THE WELL AT THEWORLD'S END. But she wept for joy as she fawned upon him, and let herhands beat upon his body. 

But when they were somewhat calmed of their ecstasy of joy, they madeready to go down by that rocky stair. And first they did off theirarmour and other gear, and when they were naked they did on thehallowed raiment which they had out of the ark in the House of theSorceress; and so clad gat them down the rock-hewn stair, Ralph goingfirst, lest there should be any broken place; but naught was amiss withthose hard black stones, and they came safely to a level place of therock, whence they could see the face of the cliff, and how the watersof the Well came gushing forth from a hollow therein in a greatswelling wave as clear as glass; and the sun glistened in it and made afoam-bow about its edges. But above the issue of the waters the blackrock had been smoothed by man's art, and thereon was graven the Swordand the Bough, and above it these words, to wit:

YE WHO HAVE COME A LONG WAY TO LOOK UPON ME, DRINK OF ME, IF YE DEEMTHAT YE BE STRONG ENOUGH IN DESIRE TO BEAR LENGTH OF DAYS: OR ELSEDRINK NOT; BUT TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND THE KINDREDS OF THE EARTH HOW YEHAVE SEEN A GREAT MARVEL. 

So they looked long and wondered; and Ursula said: "Deemest thou, myfriend, that any have come thus far and forborne to drink?"

Said Ralph: "Surely not even the exceeding wise might remember thebitterness of his wisdom as he stood here. "

Then he looked on her and his face grew bright beyond measure, andcried out: "O love, love! why tarry we? For yet I fear lest we be cometoo late, and thou die before mine eyes ere yet thou hast drunken. "

"Yea, " she said, "and I also fear for thee, though thy face is ruddyand thine eyes sparkle, and thou art as lovely as the Captain of theLord's hosts. "

Then she laughed, and her laughter was as silver bells rung tunably, and she said: "But where is the cup for the drinking?"

But Ralph looked on the face of the wall, and about the height of hishand saw square marks thereon, as though there were an ambrye; andamidst the square was a knop of latten, all green with the weather andthe salt spray. So Ralph set his hand to the knop and drew strongly, and lo it was a door made of a squared stone hung on brazen hinges, andit opened easily to him, and within was a cup of goldsmith's work, withthe sword and the bough done thereon; and round about the rim writ thisposey: "THE STRONG OF HEART SHALL DRINK FROM ME. " So Ralph took it andheld it aloft so that its pure metal flashed in the sun, and he said:"This is for thee, Sweetling. "

"Yea, and for thee, " she said. 

Now that level place, or bench-table went up to the very gushing andgreen bow of the water, so Ralph took Ursula's hand and led her along, she going a little after him, till he was close to the Well, and stoodamidst the spray-bow thereof, so that he looked verily like one of thepainted angels on the choir wall of St. Laurence of Upmeads. Then hereached forth his hand and thrust the cup into the water, holding itstoutly because the gush of the stream was strong, so that the water ofthe Well splashed all over him, wetting Ursula's face and breastwithal: and he felt that the water was sweet without any saltness ofthe sea. But he turned to Ursula and reached out the full cup to her, and said: "Sweetling, call a health over the cup!"

She took it and said: "To thy life, beloved!" and drank withal, andher eyes looked out of the cup the while, like a child's when hedrinketh. Then she gave him the cup again and said: "Drink, and tarrynot, lest thou die and I live. "

Then Ralph plunged the cup into the waters again, and he held the cupaloft, and cried out: "To the Earth, and the World of Manfolk!" andtherewith he drank. 

For a minute then they clung together within the spray-bow of the Well, and then she took his hand and led him back to the midst of thebench-table, and he put the cup into the ambrye, and shut it up again, and then they sat them down on the widest of the platform under theshadow of a jutting rock; for the sun was hot; and therewithal a sweetweariness began to steal over them, though there was speech betwixtthem for a little, and Ralph said: "How is it with thee, beloved?"

"O well indeed, " she said. 

Quoth he: "And how tasteth to thee the water of the Well?"

Slowly she spake and sleepily: "It tasted good, and as if thy lovewere blended with it. "

And she smiled in his face; but he said: "One thing I wonder over: howshall we wot if we have drunk aright? For whereas if we were sick orold and failing, or ill-liking, and were now presently healed of allthis, and become strong and fair to look on, then should we know it forsure--but now, though, as I look on thee, I behold thee the fairest ofall women, and on thy face is no token of toil and travail, and theweariness of the way; and though the heart-ache of loneliness andcaptivity, and the shame of Utterbol has left no mark upon thee--yethast thou not always been sweet to my eyes, and as sweet as might be?And how then?". . . But he broke off and looked on her and she smiled uponthe love in his eyes, and his head fell back and he slept with a calmand smiling face. And she leaned over him to kiss his face but eventherewith her own eyes closed and she laid her head upon his breast, and slept as peacefully as he. 

CHAPTER 22

Now They Have Drunk and Are Glad

Long they slept till the shadows were falling from the west, and thesea was flowing fast again over the sands beneath them, though therewas still a great space bare betwixt the cliff and the sea. Then spakeUrsula as if Ralph had but just left speaking; and she said: "Yea, dearlord, and I also say, that, lovely as thou art now, never hast thoubeen aught else but lovely to me. But tell me, hast thou had any scarof a hurt upon thy body? For if now that were gone, surely it shouldbe a token of the renewal of thy life. But if it be not gone, thenthere may yet be another token. "

Then he stood upon his feet, and she cried out: "O but thou art fairand mighty, who now shall dare gainsay thee? Who shall not long forthee?"

Said Ralph: "Look, love! how the sea comes over the sand like thecreeping of a sly wood-snake! Shall we go hence and turn from theocean-sea without wetting our bodies in its waters?"

"Let us go, " she said. 

So they went down on to the level sands, and along the edges of thesweet-water stream that flowed from the Well; and Ralph said: "Beloved, I will tell thee of that which thou hast asked me: when I was but a ladof sixteen winters there rode men a-lifting into Upmeads, and NicholasLongshanks, who is a wise man of war, gathered force and went againstthem, and I must needs ride beside him. Now we came to our above, andput the thieves to the road; but in the hurly I got a claw from thewar-beast, for the stroke of a sword sheared me off somewhat from myshoulder: belike thou hast seen the scar and loathed it. "

"It is naught loathsome, " she said, "for a lad to be a bold warrior, nor for a grown man to think lightly of the memory of death drawn nearfor the first time. Yea, I have noted it but let me see now what hasbefallen with it. "

As she spoke they were come to a salt pool in a rocky bight on theirright hand, which the tide was filling speedily; and Ralph spake: "Seenow, this is the bath of the water of the ocean sea. " So they werespeedily naked and playing in the water: and Ursula took Ralph by thearm and looked to his shoulder and said: "O my lad of the pale edges, where is gone thy glory? There is no mark of the sword's pilgrimage onthy shoulder. " "Nay, none?" quoth he. 

"None, none!" she said, "Didst thou say the very sooth of thy hurt inthe battle, O poor lad of mine?" "Yea, the sooth, " said he. Then shelaughed sweetly and merrily like the chuckle of a flute over therippling waters, that rose higher and higher about them, and she turnedher eyes askance and looked adown to her own sleek side, and laid herhand on it and laughed again. Then said Ralph: "What is toward, beloved? For thy laugh is rather of joy that of mirth alone. "

She said: "O smooth-skinned warrior, O Lily and Rose of battle; hereon my side yesterday was the token of the hart's tyne that gored mewhen I was a young maiden five years ago: look now and pity the maidenthat lay on the grass of the forest, and the woodman a-passing bydeemed her dead five years ago. "

Ralph stooped down as the ripple washed away from her, then said: "Insooth here is no mark nor blemish, but the best handiwork of God, aswhen he first made a woman from the side of the Ancient Father of thefield of Damask. But lo you love, how swift the tide cometh up, and Ilong to see thy feet on the green grass, and I fear the sea, lest itstir the joy over strongly in our hearts and we be not able to escapefrom its waves. "

So they went up from out of the water, and did on the hallowed raimentfragrant with strange herbs, and passed joyfully up the sand towardsthe cliff and its stair; and speedily withal, for so soon as they wereclad again, the little ripple of the sea was nigh touching their feet. As they went, they noted that the waters of the Well flowed seawardfrom the black-walled pound by three arched openings in its outer face, and they beheld the mason's work, how goodly it was; for it was as ifit had been cut out of the foot of a mountain, so well jointed were itsstones, and its walls solid against any storm that might drive againstit. 

They climbed the stair, and sat them down on the green grass awhilewatching the ocean coming in over the sand and the rocks, and Ralphsaid: "I will tell thee, sweetling, that I am grown eager for the road;though true it is that whiles I was down yonder amidst the ripple ofthe sea I longed for naught but thee, though thou wert beside me, andthy joyous words were as fire to the heart of my love. But now that Iam on the green grass of the earth I called to mind a dream that cameto me when we slept after the precious draught of the Well: formethought that I was standing before the porch of the Feast-hall ofUpmeads and holding thine hand, and the ancient House spake to me withthe voice of a man, greeting both thee and me, and praising thygoodliness and valiancy. Surely then it is calling me to deeds, and ifit were but morning, as it is now drawing towards sunset, we wouldmount and be gone straightway. "

"Surely, " she said, "thou hast drunk of the Well, and the fear of theehas already entered into the hearts of thy foemen far away, even as thelove of thee constraineth me as I lie by thy side; but since it isevening and sunset, let it be evening, and let the morning see to itsown matters. So now let us be pilgrims again, and eat the meal ofpilgrims, and see to our horses, and then wander about this lovelywilderness and its green meads, where no son of man heedeth the wildthings, till the night come, bringing to us the rest and the sleep ofthem that have prevailed over many troubles. "

Even so they did, and broke bread above the sea, and looked to theirhorses, and then went hand in hand about the goodly green bents betwixtthe sea and the rough of the mountain; and it was the fairest andsoftest of summer evenings; and the deer of that place, both little andgreat, had no fear of man, but the hart and hind came to Ursula's hand;and the thrushes perched upon her shoulder, and the hares gambolledtogether close to the feet of the twain; so that it seemed to them thatthey had come into the very Garden of God; and they forgat all the manymiles of the waste and the mountain that lay before them, and they hadno thought for the strife of foemen and the thwarting of kindred, thatbelike awaited them in their own land, but they thought of the love andhappiness of the hour that was passing. So sweetly they wore throughthe last minutes of the day, and when it was as dark as it would be inthat fair season, they lay down by the green knoll at the ending of theland, and were lulled to sleep by the bubbling of the Well at theWorld's End. 

BOOK FOUR

The Road Home

CHAPTER 1

Ralph and Ursula Come Back Again Through the Great Mountains

On the morrow morning they armed them and took to their horses anddeparted from that pleasant place and climbed the mountain withoutweariness, and made provision of meat and drink for the Dry Desert, andso entered it, and journeyed happily with naught evil befalling themtill they came back to the House of the Sorceress; and of the Desertthey made little, and the wood was pleasant to them after the droughtof the Desert. 

But at the said House they saw those kind people, and they saw in theireager eyes as in a glass how they had been bettered by their drinkingof the Well, and the Elder said to them: "Dear friends, there is noneed to ask you whether ye have achieved your quest; for ye, who beforewere lovely, are now become as the very Gods who rule the world. Andnow methinks we have to pray you but one thing, to wit that ye will notbe overmuch of Gods, but will be kind and lowly with them that needsmust worship you. "

They laughed on him for kindness' sake, and kissed and embraced the oldman, and they thanked them all for their helping, and they abode withthem for a whole day in good-will and love, and thereafter the carle, who was the son of the Elder, with his wife, bade farewell to hiskinsmen, and led Ralph and Ursula back through the wood and over thedesert to the town of the Innocent Folk. The said Folk received themin all joy and triumph, and would have them abide there the winterover. But they prayed leave to depart, because their hearts were sorefor their own land and their kindred. So they abode there but twodays, and on the third day were led away by a half score of men gailyapparelled after their manner, and having with them many sumpter-beastswith provision for the road. With this fellowship they came safely andwith little pain unto Chestnut Vale, where they abode but one night, though to Ralph and Ursula the place was sweet for the memory of theirloving sojourn there. 

They would have taken leave of the Innocent Folk in the said vale, butthose others must needs go with them a little further, and would notleave them till they were come to the jaws of the pass which led to theRock of the Fighting Man. Further than that indeed they would not, ordurst not go; and those huge mountains they called the Wall of Strife, even as they on the other side called them the Wall of the World. 

So the twain took leave of their friends there, and howbeit that theyhad drunk of the Well at the World's End, yet were their hearts grievedat the parting. The kind folk left with them abundant provision forthe remnant of the road, and a sumpter-ox to bear it; so they were inno doubt of their livelihood. Moreover, though the turn of autumn wascome again and winter was at hand, yet the weather was fair and calm, and their journey through the dreary pass was as light as it might beto any men. 

CHAPTER 2

They Hear New Tidings of Utterbol

It was on a fair evening of later autumn-tide that they won their wayout of the Gates of the Mountains, and came under the rock of theFighting Man. There they kissed and comforted each other in memory ofthe terror and loneliness wherewith they had entered the Mountains thatother time; though, sooth to say, it was to them now like the readingof sorrow in a book. 

But when they came out with joyful hearts into the green plain betwixtthe mountains and the River of Lava, they looked westward, and beheldno great way off a little bower or cot, builded of boughs and rushes bya blackthorn copse; and as they rode toward it they saw a man comeforth therefrom, and presently saw that he was hoary, a man with a longwhite beard. Then Ralph gave a glad cry, and set spurs to his horseand galloped over the plain; for he deemed that it could be none otherthan the Sage of Swevenham; and Ursula came pricking after him laughingfor joy. The old man abode their coming, and Ralph leapt off his horseat once, and kissed and embraced him; but the Sage said: "There is noneed to ask thee of tidings; for thine eyes and thine whole body tellme that thou hast drunk of the Well at the World's End. And that shallbe better for thee belike than it has been for me; though for me alsothe world has not gone ill after my fashion since I drank of thatwater. "

Then was Ursula come up, and she also lighted down and made much of theSage. But he said: "Hail, daughter! It is sweet to see thee so, andto wot that thou art in the hands of a mighty man: for I know thatRalph thy man is minded for his Father's House, and the deeds thatabide him there; and I think we may journey a little way together; foras for me, I would go back to Swevenham to end my days there, whetherthey be long or short. "

But Ralph said: "As for that, thou mayst go further than Swevenham, and as far as Upmeads, where there will be as many to love and cherishthee as at Swevenham. "

The old man laughed a little, and reddened withal, but answered nothing. 

Then they untrussed their sumpter-beast, and took meat and drink fromhis burden, and they ate and drank together, sitting on the green grassthere; and the twain made great joy of the Sage, and told him the wholetale; and he told them that he had been abiding there since thespring-tide, lest they might have turned back without accomplishingtheir quest, and then may-happen he should have been at hand to comfortthem, or the one of them left, if so it had befallen. "But, " quoth he, "since ye have verily drunk of the Well at the World's End, ye havecome back no later than I looked for you. "

That night they slept in the bower there, and on the morrow betimes, the Sage drove together three or four milch goats that he pasturedthere, and went their ways over the plain, and so in due time enteredinto the lava-sea. But the first night that they lay there, though itwas moonless and somewhat cloudy, they saw no glare of the distantearth-fires which they had looked for; and when on the morrow theyquestioned the Sage thereof, he said: "The Earth-fires ceased about theend of last year, as I have heard tell. But sooth it is that theforeboding of the Giant's Candle was not for naught. For there hathverily been a change of masters at Utterbol. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "for better or worse?"

Said the Sage: "It could scarce have been for worse; but if rumourrunneth right it is much for the better. Hearken how I learnedthereof. One fair even of late March, a little before I set offhither, as I was sitting before the door of my house, I saw the glintof steel through the wood, and presently rode up a sort of knights andmen-at-arms, about a score; and at the head of them a man on a bigred-roan horse, with his surcoat blazoned with a white bull on a greenfield: he was a man black-haired, but blue-eyed; not very big, but wellknit and strong, and looked both doughty and knightly; and he wore agold coronet about his basnet: so not knowing his blazonry, I wonderedwho it was that durst be so bold as to ride in the lands of the Lord ofUtterbol. Now he rode up to me and craved a drink of milk, for he hadseen my goats; so I milked two goats for him, and brought whey for theothers, whereas I had no more goats in milk at that season. So thebull-knight spake to me about the woodland, and wherefore I dwelt thereapart from others; somewhat rough in his speech he was, yet ratherjolly than fierce; and he thanked me for the bever kindly enough, andsaid: "I deem that it will not avail to give thee money; but I shallgive thee what may be of avail to thee. Ho, Gervaise! give me one ofthose scrolls!" So a squire hands him a parchment and he gave it me, and it was a safe-conduct to the bearer from the Lord of Utterbol; butwhereas I saw that the seal bore not the Bear on the Castle-wall, butthe Bull, and that the superscription was unknown to me, I held thesaid scroll in my hand and wondered; and the knight said to me: "Yea, look long at it; but so it is, though thou trow it not, that I amverily Lord of Utterbol, and that by conquest; so that belike I ammightier than he was, for that mighty runagate have I slain. And manythere be who deem that no mishap, heathen though I be. Come thou toUtterbol and see for thyself if the days be not changed there; and thoushalt have a belly-full of meat and drink, and honour after thydeserving. " So they rested a while, and then went their ways. ToUtterbol I went not, but ere I departed to come hither two or threecarles strayed my way, as whiles they will, who told me that this whichthe knight had said was naught but the sooth, and that great was thechange of days at Utterbol, whereas all men there, both bond and free, were as merry as they deserved to be, or belike merrier. "

Ralph pondered this tale, and was not so sure but that this new lordwas not Bull Shockhead, his wartaken thrall; natheless he held hispeace; but Ursula said: "I marvel not much at the tale, for sure I am, that had Gandolf of the Bear been slain when I was at Utterbol, neitherman nor woman had stirred a finger to avenge him. But all feared him, I scarce know why; and, moreover, there was none to be master if hewere gone. "

Thereafter she told more tales of the miseries of Utterbol than Ralphhad yet heard, as though this tale of the end of that evil rule had sether free to utter them; and they fell to talking of others matters. 

CHAPTER 3

They Winter With the Sage; and Thereafter Come Again to Vale Turris

Thus with no peril and little pain they came to the Sage's hermitage;and whereas the autumn was now wearing, and it was not to be looked forthat they should cross even the mountains west of Goldburg, let alonethose to the west of Cheaping Knowe, when winter had once set in, Ralphand Ursula took the Sage's bidding to abide the winter through withhim, and set forth on their journey again when spring should be fairlycome and the mountain ways be clear of snow. 

So they dwelt there happily enough; for they helped the Sage in hishusbandry, and he enforced him to make them cheer, and read in theancient book to them, and learned them as much as it behoved them tohearken; and told them tales of past time. 

Thereafter when May was at hand they set out on their road, and whereasthe Sage knew the wood well, he made a long story short by bringingthem to Vale Turris in four days' time. But when they rode down intothe dale, they saw the plain meads below the Tower all bright withtents and booths, and much folk moving about amidst them; here andthere amidst the roofs of cloth withal was showing the half finishedframe of a timber house a-building. But now as they looked and wonderedwhat might be toward, a half score of weaponed men rode up to them andbade them, but courteously, to come with them to see their Lord. TheSage drew forth his let-pass thereat; but the leader of the riderssaid, as he shook his head: "That is good for thee, father; but thesetwo knights must needs give an account of themselves: for my lord isminded to put down all lifting throughout his lands; therefore hath hemade the meshes of his net small. But if these be thy friends it willbe well. Therefore thou art free to come with them and bear witness totheir good life. "

Here it must be said that since they were on the road again Ursula haddonned her wargear once more, and as she rode was to all men's eyesnaught but a young and slender knight. 

So without more ado they followed those men-at-arms, and saw how thebanner of the Bull was now hung out from the Tower; and the sergeantsbrought them into the midst of the vale, where, about those tents andthose half-finished frame-houses (whereof they saw six) was a markettoward and much concourse of folk. But the sergeants led through themand the lanes of the booths down to the side of the river, where on agreen knoll, with some dozen of men-at-arms and captains about him, satthe new Lord of Utterbol. 

Now as the others drew away from him to right and left, the Lord satbefore Ralph with naught to hide him, and when their eyes met Ralphgave a cry as one astonished; and the Lord of Utterbol rose up to hisfeet and shouted, and then fell a laughing joyously, and then criedout: "Welcome, King's Son, and look on me! for though the feathers befine 'tis the same bird. I am Lord of Utterbol and therewithal BullShockhead, whose might was less than thine on the bent of the mountainvalley. "

Therewith he caught hold of Ralph's hand, and sat himself down and drewRalph down, and made him sit beside him. 

"Thou seest I am become great?" said he. "Yea, " said Ralph, "I givethee joy thereof!" Said the new Lord: "Perchance thou wilt be deemingthat since I was once thy war-taken thrall I should give myself up tothee: but I tell thee I will not: for I have much to do here. Moreover I did not run away from thee, but thou rannest from me, lad. "

Thereat in his turn Ralph fell a laughing, and when he might speak hesaid: "What needeth the lord of all these spears to beg off his serviceto the poor wandering knight?"

Then Bull put his arms about him, and said: "I am fain at the sight ofthee, time was thou wert a kind lad and a good master; yet naught somerry as thou shouldest have been; but now I see that gladness playsall about thy face, and sparkles in thine eyes; and that is good. Butthese thy fellows? I have seen the old carle before: he was dwellingin the wildwood because he was overwise to live with other folk. Butthis young man, who may he be? Or else--yea, verily, it is a youngwoman. Yea, and now I deem that it is the thrall of my brother BullNosy. Therefore by heritage she is now mine. "

Ralph heard the words but saw not the smiling face, so wroth he was;therefore the bare sword was in his fist in a twinkling. But ere hecould smite Bull caught hold of his wrist, and said: "Master, master, thou art but a sorry lawyer, or thou wouldst have said: 'Thou art mythrall, and how shall a thrall have heritage?' Dost thou not see that Icannot own her till I be free, and that thou wilt not give me myfreedom save for hers? There, now is all the matter of the serviceduly settled, and I am free and a Lord. And this damsel is free also, and--yea, is she not thy well-beloved, King's Son?"

Ralph was somewhat abashed, and said: "I crave thy pardon, Lord, formisdoubting thee: but think how feeble are we two lovers amongst thehosts of the aliens. "

"It is well, it is well, " said Bull, "and in very sooth I deem thee myfriend; and this damsel was my brother's friend. Sit down, dearmaiden, I bid thee; and thou also, O man overwise; and let us drink acup, and then we will talk about what we may do for each other. "

So they sat down all on the grass, and the Lord of Utterbol called forwine, and they drank together in the merry season of May; and the newLord said: "Here be we friends come together, and it were pity of ourlives if we must needs sunder speedily: howbeit, it is thou must ruleherein, King's Son; for in my eyes thou art still greater than I, O mymaster. For I can see in thine eyes and thy gait, and in thine also, maiden, that ye have drunk of the Well at the World's End. Therefore Ipray you gently and heartily that ye come home with me to Utterbol. "

Ralph shook his head, and answered: "Lord of Utterbol, I bid thee allthanks for thy friendliness, but it may not be. "

"But take note, " said Bull, "that all is changed there, and it hathbecome a merry dwelling of men. We have cast down the Red Pillar, andthe White and the Black also; and it is no longer a place of tormentand fear, and cozening and murder; but the very thralls are happy andfree-spoken. Now come ye, if it were but for a moon's wearing: I shallbe there in eight days' time. Yea, Lord Ralph, thou would'st see oldacquaintance there withal: for when I slew the tyrant, who forsoothowed me no less than his life for the murder of my brother, I madeatonement to his widow, and wedded her: a fair woman as thou wottest, lord, and of good kindred, and of no ill conditions, as is well seennow that she lives happy days. Though I have heard say that while shewas under the tyrant she was somewhat rough with her women when she wassad. Eh, fair sir! but is it not so that she cast sheep's eyes onthee, time was, in this same dale?"

Ralph reddened and answered naught; and Bull spake again, laughing:"Yea, so it is: she told me that much herself, and afterwards I heardmore from her damsel Agatha, who told me the merry tale of that devicethey made to catch thee, and how thou brakest through the net. Forsooth, though this she told me not, I deem that she would have hadthe same gift of thee as her mistress would. Well, lad, lucky are theywith whom all women are in love. So now I prithee trust so much in thyluck as to come with me to Utterbol. "

Quoth Ralph: "Once again, Lord of Utterbol, we thank thee; but whereasthou hast said that thou hast much to do in this land; even so I have aland where deeds await me. For I stole myself away from my father andmother, and who knows what help they need of me against foemen, andevil days; and now I might give help to them were I once at home, andto the people of the land also, who are a stout-hearted and valiant andkindly folk. "

The new Lord's face clouded somewhat, as he said: "If thine heartdraweth thee to thy kindred, there is no more to say. As for me, whatI did was for kindred's sake, and then what followed after was the workof need. Well, let it be! But since we must needs part hastily, thisat least I bid you, that ye abide with me for to-night, and the banquetin the great pavilion. Howsoever ye may be busied, gainsay me notthis; and to-morrow I shall further you on your way, and give you ascore of spears to follow thee to Goldburg. Then as for Goldburg andCheaping Knowe, see ye to it yourselves: but beyond Cheaping Knowe andthe plain country, thy name is known, and the likeness of thee told inwords; and no man in those mountains shall hurt or hinder thee, but allthou meetest shall aid and further thee. Moreover, at the feastto-night thou shalt see thy friend Otter, and he and I betwixt us shalltell thee how I came to Utterbol, and of the change of days, and how itbetid. For he is now my right-hand man, as he was of the dead man. Forsooth, after the slaying I would have had him take the lordship ofUtterbol, but he would not, so I must take it perforce or be slain, andlet a new master reign there little better than the old. Well then, how sayest thou? Or wilt thou run from me without leave-taking, asthou didst ere-while at Goldburg?"

Ralph laughed at his word, and said that he would not be so churlishthis time, but would take his bidding with a good heart; and thereafterthey fell to talking of many things. But Ralph took note of Bull, thatnow his hair and beard were trim and his raiment goodly, for all hisrough speech and his laughter and heart-whole gibes and mocking, hisaspect and bearing was noble and knightly. 

CHAPTER 4

A Feast in the Red Pavilion

So in a while they went with him to the Tower, and there was woman'sraiment of the best gotten for Ursula, and afterwards at nightfall theywent to the feast in the Red Pavillion of Utterbol, which awhile agothe now-slain Lord of Utterbol had let make; and it was exceeding richwith broidery of pearl and gems: since forsooth gems and fair womenwere what the late lord had lusted for the most, and have them he wouldat the price of howsoever many tears and groans. But that pavilion wasyet in all wise as it was wont to be, saving that the Bull hadsupplanted the Bear upon the Castle-wall. 

Now the wayfarers were treated with all honour and were set upon thehigh-seat, Ralph upon the right-hand of the Lord, and Ursula upon hisleft, and the Sage of Swevenham out from her. But on Ralph's righthand was at first a void place, whereto after a while came Otter, theold Captain of the Guard. He came in hastily, and as though he had butjust taken his armour off: for his raiment was but such as themen-at-arm of that country were wont to wear under their war-gear, andwas somewhat stained and worn; whereas the other knights and lords werearrayed grandly in silks and fine cloth embroidered and begemmed. 

Otter was fain when he saw Ralph, and kissed and embraced him, andsaid: "Forsooth, I saw by thy face, lad, that the world would be softbefore thee; and now that I behold thee I know already that thou hastwon thy quest; and the Gods only know to what honour thou shalt attain. "

Ralph laughed for joy of him, and yet said soberly: "As to honour, meseems I covet little world's goods, save that it may be well with myfolk at home. " Nevertheless as the words were out of his mouth histhought went back to the tall man whom he had first met at thechurchyard gate of Netherton, and it seemed to him that he wished histhriving, yea, and in a lesser way, he wished the same to Roger of theRope-walk, whereas he deemed that both of these, each in his own way, had been true to the lady whom he had lost. 

Then Otter fell a-talking to him of the change of days at Utterbol, andhow that it was the Lord's intent that a cheaping town should grow upin the Dale of the Tower, and that the wilderness beyond it should betilled and builded. "And, " said he, "if this be done, and the new lordlive to see it, as he may, being but young of years, he may becomeexceedingly mighty, and if he hold on in the way whereas he now is, heshall be well-beloved also. "

So they spake of many things, and there was minstrelsy and diversejoyance, till at last the Lord of Utterbol stood up and said: "Nowbring in the Bull, that we may speak some words over him; for this is agreat feast. " Ralph wondered what bull this might be whereof he spake;but the harps and fiddlers, and all instruments of music struck up agay and gallant tune, and presently there came into the hall four menrichly attired, who held up on spears a canopy of bawdekin, under whichwent a man-at-arms helmed, and clad in bright armour, who held in hishands a great golden cup fashioned like to a bull, and he bore it forthunto the dais, and gave it into the hands of the Lord. Thenstraightway all the noise ceased, and the glee and clatter of the hall, and there was dead silence. Then the Lord held the cup aloft and saidin a loud voice:

"Hail, all ye folk! I swear by the Bull, and they that made him, thatin three years' time or less I will have purged all the lands ofUtterbol of all strong-thieves and cruel tyrants, be they big orlittle, till all be peace betwixt the mountains and the mark ofGoldburg; and the wilderness shall blossom like the rose. Or elseshall I die in the pain. "

Therewith he drank of the cup, and all men shouted. Then he sat himdown and bade hand the cup to Otter; and Otter took the cup and lookedinto the bowl and saw the wave of wine, and laughed and cried out: "Asfor me, what shall I swear but that I will follow the Bull throughthick and thin, through peace and unpeace, through grief and joy. Thisis my oath-swearing. "

And he drank mightily and sat down. 

Then turned the Lord to Ralph and said: "And thou who art my master, wilt thou not tell thy friends and the Gods what thou wilt do?"

"No great matter, belike, " said Ralph; "but if ye will it, I will speakout my mind thereon. "

"We will it, " said the Lord. 

Then Ralph arose and took the cup and lifted it and spake: "This Iswear, that I will go home to my kindred, yet on the road will I notgainsay help to any that craveth it. So may all Hallows help me!"

Therewith he drank: and Bull said: "This is well said, O happy man!But now that men have drunk well, do ye three and Otter come with meinto the Tower, whereas the chambers are dight for you, that I may makethe most of this good day wherein I have met thee again. "

So they went with him, and when they had sat down in the goodliestchamber of the Tower, and they had been served with wine and spices, the new Lord said to Ralph: "And now, my master, wilt thou not asksomewhat concerning me?" "Yea, " said Ralph, "I will ask thee to tellthe tale of how thou camest into thy Lordship. " Said the Lord, "Thisshall ye hear of me with Otter to help me out. Hearken!"

CHAPTER 5

Bull Telleth of His Winning of the Lordship of Utterbol

"When thou rannest away from me, and left me alone at Goldburg, I wasgrieved; then Clement Chapman offered to take me back with him to hisown country, which, he did me to wit, lieth hard by thine: but I wouldnot go with him, since I had an inkling that I should find the slayerof my brother and be avenged on him. So the Chapmen departed fromGoldburg after that Clement had dealt generously by me for thy sake;and when they were gone I bethought me what to do, and thou knowest Ican some skill with the fiddle and song, so I betook myself to thatcraft, both to earn somewhat and that I might gather tidings and belittle heeded, till within awhile folk got to know me well, and wouldoften send for me to their merry-makings, where they gave me fiddler'swages, to wit, meat, drink, and money. So what with one thing whatwith another I was rich enough to leave Goldburg and fall to my journeyunto Utterbol; since I misdoubted me from the first that the caytiffwho had slain my brother was the Lord thereof. 

"But one day when I went into the market-place I found a great stir andclutter there; some folk, both men and women screeching and fleeing, and some running to bows and other weapons. So I caught hold of one ofthe fleers, and asked him what was toward; and he cried out, 'Loose me!let me go! he is loose, he is loose!'

"'Who is loose, fool?' quoth I. 'The lion, ' said he, and therewith inthe extremity of his terror tore himself away from me and fled. Bythis time the others also had got some distance away from me, and I wasleft pretty much alone. So I went forth on a little, looking about me, and sure enough under one of the pillars of the cloister beneath themarket-house (the great green pillar, if thou mindest it), lay croucheda huge yellow lion, on the carcase of a goat, which he had knockeddown, but would not fall to eating of amidst all that cry and hubbub. 

"Now belike one thing of me thou wottest not, to wit, that I have agift that wild things love and will do my bidding. The house-mice willrun over me as I lie awake looking on them; the small birds will perchon my shoulders without fear; the squirrels and hares will gambol aboutquite close to me as if I were but a tree; and, withal, the fiercesthound or mastiff is tame before me. Therefore I feared not this lion, and, moreover, I looked to it that if I might tame him thoroughly, hewould both help me to live as a jongleur, and would be a sure ward tome. 

"So I walked up towards him quietly, till he saw me and half rose upgrowling; but I went on still, and said to him in a peaceable voice:'How now, yellow mane! what aileth thee? down with thee, and eat thymeat. ' So he sat down to his quarry again, but growled still, and Iwent up close to him, and said to him: 'Eat in peace and safety, am Inot here?' And therewith I held out my bare hand unclenched to him, andhe smelt to it, and straightway began to be peaceable, and fell totearing the goat, and devouring it, while I stood by speaking to himfriendly. 

"But presently I saw weapons glitter on the other side of the squareplace, and men with bended bows. The yellow king saw them also, androse up again and stood growling; then I strove to quiet him, and said, 'These shall not harm thee. '

"Therewith the men cried out to me to come away, for they would shoot:But I called out; 'Shoot not yet! but tell me, does any man own thisbeast?' 'Yea, ' said one, 'I own him, and happy am I that he doth notown me. ' Said I, 'Wilt thou sell him?' 'Yea' said he, 'if thou livestanother hour to tell down the money. ' Said I, 'I am a tamer of wildbeasts, and if thou wilt sell this one at such a price, I will rid theeof him. ' The man yeasaid this, but kept well aloof with his fellows, who looked on, handling their weapons. 

"Then I turned to my new-bought thrall and bade him come with me, andhe followed me like a dog to his cage, which was hard by; and I shuthim in there, and laid down the money to his owner; and folk came roundabout, and wondered, and praised me. But I said: 'My masters, have yenaught of gifts for the tamer of beasts, and the deliverer of men?'Thereat they laughed: but they brought me money and other goods, till Ihad gotten far more than I had given for the lion. 

"Howbeit the next day the officers of the Porte came and bade me avoidthe town of Goldburg, but gave me more money withal. I was not loththereto, but departed, riding a little horse that I had, and leading mylion by a chain, though when I was by he needed little chaining. 

"So that without more ado I took the road to Utterbol, and wheresoeverI came, I had what was to be had that I would; neither did any man fallon me, or on my lion. For though they might have shot him or slain himwith many spear-thrusts, yet besides that they feared him sorely, theyfeared me still more; deeming me some mighty sending from their Gods. 

"Thus came I to Utterness, and found it poor and wretched, (asforsooth, it yet is, but shall not be so for long). But the House ofUtterbol is exceeding fair and stately (as thou mightest have learnedfrom others, my master, ) and its gardens, and orchards, and acres, andmeadows as goodly as may be. Yea, a very paradise; yet the dwellerstherein as if it were hell, as I saw openly with mine own eyes. 

"To be short, the fame of me and my beast had somehow gone before me, and when I came to the House, I was dealt with fairly, and had goodentertainment: and this all the more, as the Lord was away for a while, and the life of folk not so hard by a great way as it had been if hehad been there: but the Lady was there in the house, and on the morrowof my coming by her command, I brought my lion before her window andmade him come and go, and fetch and carry at my bidding, and when I haddone my play she bade me up into her bower, and bade me sit and had meserved with wine, while she asked me many questions as to my countryand friends, and whence and whither I was; and I answered her with thevery sooth, so far as the sooth was handy; and there was with her butone of her women, even thy friend Agatha, fair sir. 

"Methought both that this Queen was a fair woman, and that she lookedkindly upon me, and at last she said, sighing, that she were well atease if her baron were even such a man as I, whereas the said Lord wasfierce and cruel, and yet a dastard withal. But the said Agatha turnedon her, and chided her, as one might with a child, and said: 'Hold thypeace of thy loves and thy hates before a very stranger! Or must Ileave yet more of my blood on the pavement of the White Pillar, for thepleasure of thy loose tongue? Come out now, mountain-carle!'

"And she took me by the hand and led me out, and when we had passed thedoor and it was shut, she turned to me and said: 'Thou, if I hear anyword abroad of what my Lady has just spoken, I shall know that thouhast told it, and though I be but a thrall, yea, and of late amishandled one, yet am I of might enough in Utterbol to compass thydestruction. '

"I laughed in her face and went my ways: and thereafter I saw manyfolk and showed them my beast, and soon learned two things clearly. 

"And first that the Lord and the Lady were now utterly at variance. For a little before he had come home, and found a lack in hishousehold--to wit, how a certain fair woman whom he had but just gothold of, and whom he lusted after sorely, was fled away. And he laidthe wyte thereof on his Lady, and threatened her with death: and whenhe considered that he durst not slay her, or torment her (for he wasverily but a dastard), he made thy friend Agatha pay for her underpretence of wringing a true tale out of her. 

"Now when I heard this story I said to myself that I should hear thatother one of the slaying of my brother, and even so it befell. For Icame across a man who told me when and how the Lord came by the saiddamsel (whom I knew at once could be none other than thou, Lady, ) andhow he had slain my brother to get her, even as doubtless thou knowest, Lord Ralph. 

"But the second thing which I learned was that all folk at Utterbol, men and women, dreaded the home-coming of this tyrant; and that therewas no man but would have deemed it a good deed to slay him. But, dastard as he was, use and wont, and the fear that withholdeth rebels, and the doubt that draweth back slaves, saved him; and they dreaded himmoreover as a devil rather than a man. Forsooth one of the men there, who looked upon me friendly, who had had tidings of this evil beastdrawing near, spake to me a word of warning, and said: 'Friendlion-master, take heed to thyself! For I fear for thee when the Lordcometh home and findeth thee here; lest he let poison thy lion and slaythee miserably afterward. '

"Well, in three days from that word home cometh the Lord with a rout ofhis spearmen, and some dozen of captives, whom he had taken. And themorrow of his coming, he, having heard of me, sent and bade me showingthe wonder of the Man and the Lion; therefore in the bright morning Iplayed with the lion under his window as I had done by the Queen. Andafter I had played some while, and he looking out of the window, hecalled to me and said: 'Canst thou lull thy lion to sleep, so thatthou mayst leave him for a little? For I would fain have thee up here. '

"I yeasaid that, and chid the beast, and then sang to him till he laydown and slept like a hound weary with hunting. And then I went upinto the Lord's chamber; and as it happed, all the while of my playingI had had my short-sword naked in my hand, and thus, I deem withoutnoting it, yet as weird would, I came before the tyrant, where he satwith none anigh him save this Otter and another man-at-arms. But when Isaw him, all the blood within me that was come of one mother with mybrother's blood stirred within me, and I set my foot on the foot-paceof this murderer's chair, and hove up my short-sword, and clave hisskull, in front and with mine own hand: not as he wrought, not as hewrought with my brother. 

"Then I turned about to Otter (who had his sword in his fist when itwas too late) till he should speak. Hah Otter, what didst thou say?"

Otter laughed: Quoth he, "I said: thus endeth the worst man in theworld. Well done, lion-tamer! thou art no ill guest, and hast paid onthe nail for meat, drink and lodging. But what shall we do now? Thenthou saidst; 'Well, I suppose thou wilt be for slaying me. ' 'Nay, ' saidI, 'We will not slay thee; at least not for this, nor now, nor withoutterms. ' Thou saidst: 'Perchance then thou wilt let me go free, sincethis man was ill-beloved: yea, and he owed me a life. ' 'Nay, nay, ' saidI, 'not so fast, good beast-lord. ' 'Why not?' saidst thou, 'I can seeof thee that thou art a valiant man, and whereas thou hast been captainof the host, and the men-at-arms will lightly do thy bidding, whyshouldest thou not sit in the place of this man, and be Lord ofUtterbol?'

"'Nay nay, ' said I, 'it will not do, hearken thou rather: For here Igive thee the choice of two things, either that thou be Lord ofUtterbol, or that we slay thee here and now. For we be two menall-armed. '

"Thou didst seem to ponder it a while, and then saidst at last: 'Well, I set not out on this journey with any such-like intent; yet will I notwrestle with weird. Only I forewarn thee that I shall change the daysof Utterbol. '

"'It will not be for the worst then, ' quoth I. 'So now go wake up thylion, and lead him away to his den: and we will presently send himthis carrion for a reward of his jonglery. ' 'Gramercy, butcher, ' saidstthou, 'I am not for thy flesh-meat to-day. I was forewarned that thepoor beast should be poisoned at this man's home-coming, and so will hebe if he eat of this dastard; he will not outlive such a dinner. 'Thereat we all laughed heartily. "

"Yea, " said Bull, "So I went to lead away the lion when thou hadstbidden me return in an hours' wearing, when all should be ready for myLordship. And thou wert not worse than thy word, for when I came intothat court again, there were all the men-at-arms assembled, and thefree carles, and the thralls; and the men-at-arms raised me on ashield, set a crowned helm on my head, and thrust a great sword into myhand, and hailed me by the name of the Bull of Utterbol, Lord of theWaste and the Wildwood, and the Mountain-side: and then thou, Otter, wert so simple as to kneel before me and name thyself my man, and takethe girding on of sword at my hand. Then even as I was I went in to myLady and told her the end of my tale, and in three minutes she lay inmy arms, and in three days in my bed as my wedded wife. As to Agatha, when I had a little jeered her, I gave her rich gifts and good lands, and freedom, to boot her for her many stripes. And lo there, King'sSon and Sweet Lady, the end of all my tale. "

"Yea, " quoth Otter, "saving this, that even already thou has raised upUtterbol from Hell to Earth, and yet meseemeth thou hast good-will toraise it higher. "

Bull reddened at his word, and said: "Tush, man! praise the day whenthe sun has set. " Then he turned to Ralph, and said: "Yet couldst thouat whiles put in a good word for me here and there amongst the folksthat thou shalt pass through on thy ways home, I were fain to know thatI had a well-speaking friend abroad. " "We shall do no less, " saidRalph; and Ursula spake in like wise. 

So they talked together merrily a while longer, till night began togrow old, and then went to their chambers in all content andgood-liking. 

CHAPTER 6

They Ride From Vale Turris. Redhead Tells of Agatha

On the morrow when they arose, Ralph heard the sound of horses and theclashing of arms: he went to the window, and looked out, and saw howthe spears stood up thick together at the Tower's foot, and knew thatthese were the men who were to be his fellows by the way. Theircaptain he saw, a big man all-armed in steel, but himseemed that heknew his face under his sallet, and presently saw that it was Redhead. He was glad thereof, and clad himself hastily, and went out a-doors, and went up to him and hailed him, and Redhead leapt off his horse, andcast his arms about Ralph, and made much of him, and said: "It is goodfor sore eyes to see thee, lord; and I am glad at heart that all wentwell with thee that time. Although, forsooth, there was guile behindit. Yet whereas I wotted nothing thereof, which I will pray thee tobelieve, and whereas thou hast the gain of all, I deem thou maystpardon me. "

Said Ralph: "Thou hast what pardon of me thou needest; so be content. For the rest, little need is there to ask if thou thrivest, for Ibehold thee glad and well honoured. "

As they spoke came the Lord forth from the Tower, and said: "Come thou, Lord Ralph, and eat with us ere thou takest to the road; I mean withOtter and me. As for thee, Redhead, if aught of ill befall this King'sSon under thy way-leading, look to it that thou shalt lose my good wordwith Agatha; yea, or gain my naysay herein; whereby thou shalt missboth fee and fair dame. "

Redhead looked sheepishly on Ralph at that word, yet winked at himalso, as if it pleased him to be jeered concerning his wooing; so thatRalph saw how the land lay, and that the guileful handmaid was not illcontent with that big man. So he smiled kindly on him and nodded, andwent back with Bull into the Tower. There they sat down all to meattogether; and when they were done with their victual, Bull spake, andsaid to Ralph: "Fair King's Son, is this then the last sight of thee?wilt thou never come over the mountains again?" Said Ralph: "Whoknoweth? I am young yet, and have drunk of the Water of the Well. "Bull grew somewhat pensive and said: "Yea, thou meanest that thoumayest come back and find me no longer here. Yet if thou findest butmy grave-mound, yet mayhappen thou shalt come on something said or sungof me, which shall please thee. For I will tell thee, that thou hastchanged my conditions; how, I wot not. "

"Thy word is good, " said Ralph, "yet I meant not that; never should Icome to Utterbol if I looked not to find thee living there. " Bullsmiled on him as though he loved him, and said: "This is well spoken; Ishall look to see thee before I die. "

Then said Ursula: "Lord of Utterbol, this also thou mayst think on, that it is no further from Utterbol to Upmeads than from Upmeads toUtterbol. " The Lord laughed and said: "Sooth is that; and were but myBull here, as I behold you I should be of mind to swear by him to comeand see you at Upmeads ere ten years have worn. "

Then she put forth her hand and said: "Swear by this!" So he took itand swore the oath; but the Sage of Swevenham said: "This oath thoushalt keep to the gain and not the loss both of thee and of thy friendsof Upmeads. "

Thus were they fain of each other, and Ralph saw how Bull's heart wasgrown big, and he rejoiced thereat. But anon he arose and said: "Now, Lord, we ask leave to depart for the way is long, and mayhappen mykindred now lack a man's helping. " Then Bull stood up and called forhis horse, and Otter also, and they all went forth and gat a-horsebackand rode away from Vale Turris, and Redhead rode behind them humbly, till it was noon and they made stay for meat. Then after they hadbroken bread together and drunk a cup Bull and Otter kissed thewayfarers, and bade them farewell and so rode back to Vale Turris, andRalph and Ursula and the Sage tarried not but rode on their ways. 

But anon Ralph called to Redhead, and bade him ride beside them thatthey might talk together, and he came up with them, and Ursula greetedhim kindly, and they were merry one with another. And Ralph said toRedhead: "Friend captain, thou art exceeding in humility not to ridewith the Lord or Captain Otter; save for chance-hap, I see not thatthou art worser than they. "

Redhead grinned, and said: "Well, as to Otter, that is all true; butas for Lord Bull it is another matter; I wot not but his kindred may beas good or better than any in these east parts. In any case, he hathhis kin and long descent full often in his mouth, while I am but agangrel body. Howbeit it is all one, whereas whatso he or Otter bidany man to do, he doeth it, but my bidding may be questioned at whiles. And look you, lord, times are not ill, so wherefore should I risk achange of days? Sooth to say, both these great lords have done well byme. "

Ralph laughed: "And better will they do, as thou deemest; give theeAgatha, to wit?" "Yea, fair sir, " quoth Redhead. "No great gift, thatseemeth to me, for thy valiancy, " said Ralph; "she is guileful enoughand loose enough for a worse man than thee. "

"Lord, " said Redhead, "even of her thou shalt say what pleaseth thee;but no other man shall say of her what pleaseth me not. For all thatis come and gone she is true and valiant, and none may say that she isnot fair and sweet enough for a better man than me; and my great goodluck it is that, as I hope, she looketh no further for a better. "

Ursula said: "Is it so, perchance, that now she is free and hathnaught to fear, she hath no need for guile?" "Hail to thee for thyword, lady, " quoth Redhead; and then he was silent, glooming somewhaton Ralph. 

But Ralph said: "Nay, my friend, I meant no harm, but I was wonderingwhat had befallen to bring you two so close together. "

"It was fear and pain, and the helping of each other that wrought it, "said Redhead. Said Ursula: "Good Captain, how was it that she escapedthe uttermost of evil at the tyrant's hands? since from all that I haveheard, it must needs be that he laid the blame on her (working for hermistress) of my flight from Utterbol. "

"Even so it was, lady, " said Redhead; "but, as thou wottest belike, shehad got it spread abroad that she was cunning in sorcery, and that herspell would not end when her life ended; nay, that he to whom her ghostshould bear ill-will, and more especially such an one as might compassher death, should have but an ill time of it while he lived, whichshould not be long. This tale, which, sooth to say, I myself helped tospread, the Lord of Utterbol trowed in wholly, so cunningly was ittold; so that, to make a long story short, he feared her, and fearedher more dead than living. So that when he came home, and found theegone, lady, he did indeed deem that thy flight was of Agatha'scontrivance. And this the more because his nephew (he whom thou didstbeguile; I partly guess how) told him a made-up tale how all was doneby the spells of Agatha. For this youth was of all men, not evensaving his uncle, most full of malice; and he hated Agatha, and wouldhave had her suffer the uttermost of torments and he to be standing bythe while; howbeit his malice overshot itself, since his tale made hereven more of a witch than the lord deemed before. "

"Yea, " said Ursula, "and what hath befallen that evil young man, Captain?" Said Redhead: "It is not known to many, lady; but two daysbefore the slaying of his uncle, I met him in a wood a little way fromUtterbol, and, the mood being on me I tied him neck and heels and casthim, with a stone round his neck, into a deep woodland pool hight theRam's Bane, which is in that same wood. Well, as to my tale of Agatha. When the lord came home first, he sent for her, and his rage had somastered his fear for a while that his best word was scourge and rackand faggot; but she was, outwardly, so calm and cold, smiling on himbalefully, that he presently came to himself, a found that fear was inhis belly, and that he might not do what he would with her; whereforehe looked to it that however she were used (which was ill enough, Godwot!) she should keep the soul in her body. And at last the fear somounted into his head that he made peace with her, and even cravedforgiveness of her and gave her gifts. She answered him sweetlyindeed, yet so as he (and all others who were bystanding, of whom I wasone, ) might well see that she deemed she owed him a day in harvest. Asfor me, he heeded me naught, and I lay low all I might. And in anywise we wore the time till the great day of deliverance. "

Therewith dropped the talk about Agatha, when they had bidden him allluck in his life. Forsooth, they were fain of his words, and of hisways withal. For he was a valiant man, and brisk, and one who forgatno benefit, and was trusty as steel; merry-hearted withal, and kind andready of speech despite his uplandish manners, which a life not alittle rude had thrust on him. 

CHAPTER 7

Of Their Riding the Waste, and of a Battle Thereon

They slept in no house that night nor for many nights after; for theywere now fairly on the waste. They bore with them a light tent forUrsula's lodging benights, and the rest of them slept on the field asthey might; or should they come to a thicket or shaw, they would lodgethem there softly. Victual and drink failed them not, for they borewhat they needed on sumpter-horses, and shot some venison on the waywithal. They saw but few folk; for the most part naught save a fowlerof the waste, or a peat-cutter, who stood to look on the men-at-armsgoing by, and made obeisance to the token of Utterbol. 

But on a time, the fifth day of their journey, they saw, in themorning, spears not a few standing up against a thicket-side in theoffing. Redhead looked under the sharp of his hand, and laughed asthough he were glad, and said: "I know not clearly what these may be, but it looketh like war. Now, knight, this is best to do: hold withthee three of our best men, so that ye may safe guard the Lady, and Iwith the others will prick on and look into this. "

"Nay, " said Ralph, "thou mayst yet be apaid of a man's aid; and ifthere be strokes on sale in the cheaping-stead yonder, I will dealalong with thee. Leave thy three men with the Lady, and let us on; weshall soon be back. "

"Nay once more, dear lord, " quoth Ursula, "I fear to be left alone ofthee, and it is meet that thou free me from fear. I will ride withyou, but three horse-lengths behind, so as not to hinder you. I havebeen worse bestead than this shall be. "

"It is good, " quoth Redhead, "let her ride with us: for why should shesuffer the pain of fear in the lonely waste? But let her do on ahauberk over her coats, and steel coif over her head, for shaft andbolt will ofttimes go astray. "

Even so they did, and rode forward, and presently they saw the spearmenthat they were somewhat more than their company, and that they werewell mounted on black horses and clad in black armour. Then they drewrein for awhile and Redhead scanned them again and said: "Yea, theseare the men of the brother of thy hot wooer, Lady Ursula, whom I cooledin the Ram's Bane, but a man well nigh as old as his uncle, though hehath not made men tremble so sore, albeit he be far the better man, agood warrior, a wise leader, a reiver and lifter well wrought at allpoints. Well, 'tis not unlike that we shall have to speak to his menagain, either out-going or home-coming: so we had best kill as many ofthese as we may now. Do on thy sallet, my lord; and thou, Michael-a-green shake out the Bull; and thou, our Noise, blow a pointof war that they may be warned. God to aid! but they be ready andspeedy!"

In sooth even as the pennon of the Bull ran down the wind and theUtterbol horn was winded, the Black men-at-arms came on at a trot, andpresently with a great screeching yell cast their spears into the rest, and spurred on all they might, while a half score of bowmen who hadcome out of the thicket bent their bows and fell a-shooting. But nowthe men of Utterbol spurred to meet the foe, and as Redhead cast hisspear into the rest, he said to Ralph: "Glad am I that thy Lady isanear to see me, for now I worship her. "

Therewith the two bands met, and whereas on neither side was the armourvery stout, some men of either band were hurt or slain at once withspearthrust; though, save for Ralph, they did not run straight on eachother; but fenced and foined with their spears deftly enough. As forRalph, he smote a tall man full on the breast and pierced him throughand through, and then pulled out the Upmeads blade and smote on theright hand and the left, so that none came anigh him willingly. 

Shortly to say it, in five minutes' time the Black Riders were fleeingall over the field with them of Utterbol at their heels, and the bowmenran back again into the wood. But one of the foemen as he fled cast ajavelin at a venture, and who should be before it save Ursula, so thatshe reeled in her saddle, and would have fallen downright but for oneof the Utterbol fellows who stayed her, and got her gently off herhorse. This Ralph saw not, for he followed far in the chase, and wascoming back somewhat slowly along with Redhead, who was hurt, but notsorely. So when he came up, and saw Ursula sitting on the grass withfour or five men about her, he sickened for fear; but she rose up andcame slowly and pale-faced to meet him, and said: "Fear not, beloved, for steel kept out steel: I have no scratch or point or edge on me. "So therewith he kissed her, and embraced her, and was glad. 

The Utterbol Riders had slain sixteen of their foemen; for they tooknone to mercy, and four of their band were slain outright, and sixhurt, but not grievously. So they tarried awhile on the field of deedto rest them and tend their wounded men, and so rode on again heedfully. 

But Redhead spake: "It is good to see thee tilting, King's Son. Idoubt me I shall never learn thy downright thrust. Dost thou rememberhow sorry a job I made of it, when we met in the lists at Vale Turristhat other day?"

"Yea, yea, " said Ralph. "Thou were best let that flea stick on thewall. For to-day, at least, I have seen thee play at sharps deftlyenough. "

Quoth Redhead: "Lord, it is naught, a five minutes' scramble. Thatwhich trieth a man, is to fight and overcome, and straight have tofight with fresh foemen, and yet again, till ye long for dark night tocover you--yea, or even death. "

"Warrior-like and wisely thou speakest, " said Ralph; "and whoever thouservest thou shalt serve well. And now once more I would it were me. "

Redhead shook his head at that word, and said: "I would it might beso; but it will not be so as now. "

Forth on they rode, and slept in a wood that night, keeping good watch;but saw no more of the Black Riders for that time. 

On a day thereafter when it was nigh evening, Ralph looked about, andsaw a certain wood on the edge of a plain, and he stayed Ursula, andsaid: "Look round about, beloved; for this is the very field whereas Iwas betrayed into the hands of the men of Utterbol. " She smiled on himand said: "Let me light down then, that I may kiss the earth of thatkind field, where thou wert not stayed over long, but even long enoughthat we might meet in the dark wood thereafter. "

"Sweetling, " said Ralph, "this mayst thou do and grieve no man, noteven for a little. For lo you! the captain is staying thesumpter-beasts, and it is his mind, belike, that we shall sleep inyonder wood to-night. " Therewith he lighted down and she in likewise:then he took her by the hand and led her on a few yards, and said: "Lo, beloved, this quicken-tree; hereby it was that the tent was pitchedwherein I lay the night when I was taken. "

She looked on him shyly and said: "Wilt thou not sleep here once moreto-night?"

"Yea, well-beloved, " said he, "I will bid them pitch thy tent on thissame place, that I may smell the wild thyme again, as I did that otherwhile. "

So there on the field of his ancient grief they rested that night inall love and content. 

CHAPTER 8

Of Goldburg Again, and the Queen Thereof

Next day they went forth through the country wherethrough Morfinn hadled Ralph into captivity; and Redhead rode warily; for there were manypasses which looked doubtful: but whether the ill men feared to meddlewith them, or however it were, none waylaid them, and they all camesafely to the gate of Goldburg, the towers whereof were full of folklooking forth on them. So they displayed their pennon, and rode intothe street, where folk pressed about them in friendly wise; for the newLord of Utterbol had made firm and fast peace with Goldburg. So theyrode to the hostel, and gat them victual, and rested in peace thatnight. But Ralph wondered whether the Queen would send for him whenshe heard of his coming back again, and he hoped that she would let himbe; for he was ashamed when he thought of her love for him, and howthat he had clean forgotten her till he was close to Goldburg again. 

But when morning was come Ralph spake to Redhead and asked him how heshould do to wage men for the homeward journey on thence; and Redheadsaid: "I have already seen the Clerk of the Porte, and he will be herein an hour with the license for thee to wage men to go with thee toCheaping Knowe. As for me, I must needs go see the King, and give hima letter sealed by my lord's hand; and when I come back from him, Iwill go round to the alehouses which be haunted of the men-at-arms tosee after strong carles for thine avail. But to the King hast thou noneed to go, save he send for thee, whereas thou art not come hither tochaffer, and he needeth not men of war. "

Ralph stared at him and said: "The King, sayst thou? is there no Queenof Goldburg?" Said Redhead: "There is the King's wedded wife, but herthey call not Queen, but Lady. " "But the Queen that was, " said Ralph, "where is she then?" "Yea truly, " said Redhead, "a Queen sat alone asruler here a while ago; but whether she died, or what befell her, Iknow nothing. I had little to do with Goldburg till our lord conqueredUtterbol. Lo here the host! he may tell thee the tale thereof. "

Therewith he departed, and left Ralph with the host, whom Ralphquestioned of the story, for his heart was wrung lest such a fair womanand so friendly should have come to harm. 

So the host sat down by Ralph and said: "My master, this is a talewhich is grievous to us: for though the saints forbid I should say aword against my lord that is now, nor is there any need to, yet wedeemed us happy to be under so dear a lady and so good and fair as shewas. Well, she is gone so that we wot not whether she be living ordead. For so it is that in the early spring, somewhat more than a yearago that is, one morning when folk arose, the Queen's place was empty. Riding and running there was about and about, but none the more was shefound. Forsooth as time wore, tales were told of what wise she leftus, and why: but she was gone. Well, fair sir, many deemed thatthough her lineage was known by seeming, yet she was of the fairy, andneeded neither steed nor chariot to go where she would. But her womenand those that knew her best, deemed that whatso she were, she hadslain herself, as they thought, for some unhappiness of love. Forindeed she had long gone about sad and distraught, though she neitherwept, nor would say one word of her sorrow, whatsoever it might be. 

"But, fair sir, since thou art a stranger, and art presently departingfrom our city, I will tell thee a thing. To wit; one month or so aftershe had vanished away, I held talk with a certain old fisherman of ourwater, and he told me that on that same night of her vanishing, as hestood on the water-side handing the hawser of his barque, and the sailwas all ready to be sheeted home, there came along the shore a womangoing very swiftly, who, glancing about her, as if to see that therewas none looking on or prying, came up to him, and prayed him in asweet voice for instant passage down the water. Wrapped she was in adark cloak and a cowl over her head, but as she put forth her hand togive him gold, he saw even by the light of his lantern that it wasexceeding fair, and that great gems flashed from the finger-rings, andthat there was a great gold ring most precious on her arm. 

"He yeasaid her asking, partly because of her gold, partly (as he toldme) that he feared her, deeming her to be of the fairy. Then shestepped over his gangway of one board on to his boat, and as he heldthe lantern low down to light her, lest she should make a false stepand fall into the water, he noted (quoth he) that a golden shoe allbegemmed came out from under gown-hem and that the said hem wasbroidered thickly with pearl and jewels. 

"Small was his barque, and he alone with the woman, and there was awind in the March night, and the stream is swift betwixt the quays ofour city; so that by night and cloud they made much way down the water, and at sunrise were sailing through the great wood which lieth hence atwenty leagues seaward. So when the sun was risen she stood up in thefore part of the boat, and bade him turn the barque toward the shore, and even as the bows ran upon the sand, she leapt out and let thethicket cover her; nor have any of Goldburg seen her since, or theQueen. But for my part I deem the woman to have been none other thanthe Queen. Seest thou then! she is gone: but the King Rainald hercousin reigns in her stead, a wise man, and a mighty, and no tyrant orskinner of the people. "

Ralph heard and pondered, and was exceeding sorry, and more had he beenbut for the joyousness which came of the Water of the Well. Howbeit hemight not amend it: for even were he to seek for the Queen and findher, it might well be worse than letting it be. For he knew (when hethought of her) that she loved him, and how would it be if she mightnot outwear her love, or endure the days of Goldburg, and he far away?This he said to himself, which he might not have said to any other soul. 

CHAPTER 9

They Come to Cheaping Knowe Once More. Of the King Thereof

Toward evening comes Redhead, and tells Ralph how he hired him a dozenmen-at-arms to follow him well-weaponed to Cheaping Knowe: withal hecounselled him to take a good gift with him to that same town to buythe good will of the King there; who was a close-fist and a cruel lord. 

Afterwards they sat together in the court of that fair house beforegood wine, Ralph and Ursula, and Redhead and the Sage of Swevenham, andspake of many things, and were merry and kind together. But on themorrow Redhead departed from Goldburg with his men, and he loth todepart, and they gave him farewell lovingly. Thereafter Ralph's newmen came to him in the hostelry, and he feasted them and did well tothem, so that they praised him much. Then he gat him victuals andsumpter-horses for the journey, and bought good store of bows andarrows withal. Furthermore he took heed to Redhead's word and bought agoodly gift of silver vessel and fine cloth for the King of CheapingKnowe. 

The day after he and his company departed from Goldburg toward themountains, which they passed unfought and unwaylaid: partly becausethey were a band of stout men, and partly because a little before therehad been a great overthrow of the wild men of those mountains at thehands of the men of Goldburg and the Chapmen; so that now themountain-men lay close, and troubled none that rode with any force. 

On the way they failed not to pass by the place where they had erstfound Bull Nosy slain: there they saw his howe, heaped up exceedinghigh, covered in with earth, whereon the grass was now beginning togrow, and with a great standing stone on the top thereof, whereon wasgraven the image of a bull, with a sword thereunder; whereby thewayfarers wotted that this had been done in his memory by his brother, the new Lord of Utterbol. 

So they came down out of the mountains to Whiteness, where they hadgood entertainment, but tarried not save for one night, riding theirways betimes to Cheaping Knowe: and they came before the gate thereofsafe and sound on the third day; and slept in the hostelry of thechapmen. On the morrow Ralph went up to the King's Castle with butthree men unweaponed bearing the gift which he had got for the King. Albeit he sent not away his men-at-arms till he should know how theKing was minded towards him. 

As he went he saw in the streets sad tokens of the lord's crueljustice, as handless men, fettered, dragging themselves about, and folkhung up before chapmen's booths, and whipping-cheer, and the pillar, and such like. But whereas he might not help he would not heed, butcame right to the Castle-gate, and entered easily when he had told hiserrand, for gift-bearing men are not oftenest withstood. 

He was brought straightway into the great hall, where sat the King onhis throne amidst the chiefs of the Porte, and his captains andsergeants, who were, so to say, his barons, though they were not baronsof lineage, but masterful men who were wise to do his bidding. 

As he went up the hall he saw a sort of poor caytiffs, women as well asmen, led away from the high-place in chains by bailiffs and tipstaves;and he doubted not that these were for torments or maiming and death;and thought it were well might he do them some good. 

Being come to the King, he made his obeisance to him, and craved hisgood will and leave to wage men-at-arms to bring him through themountains. 

The King was a tall man, a proper man of war; long-legged, blackbearded, and fierce-eyed. Some word he had heard of Ralph's gift, therefore he was gracious to him; he spake and said: "Thou hast comeacross the mountains a long way, fair Sir; prithee on what errand?"Answered Ralph: "For no errand, lord, save to fare home to mine ownland. " "Where is thine own land?" said the King, stretching out hislegs and lying back in his chair. "West-away, lord, many a mile, " saidRalph. "Yea, " quoth the King, "and how far didst thou go beyond themountains? As far as Utterbol?" Said Ralph: "Yet further, but not toUtterbol. " "Hah!" said the King, "who goeth beyond Utterbol must have agreat errand; what was thine?"

Ralph thought for a moment, and deemed it best to say as little as hemight concerning Ursula; so he answered, and his voice grew loud andbold: "I was minded to drink a draught of the WELL at the WORLD'S END, and even so I did. " As he spake, he drew himself up, and his browswere knit a little, but his eyes sparkled from under them, and hischeeks were bright and rosy. He half drew the sword from the scabbard, and sent it back rattling, so that the sound of it went about the hall;he upreared his head and looked around him on this and that one of thewarriors of the aliens, and he sniffed the air into his nostrils as hestood alone amongst them, and set his foot down hard on the floor ofthe King's hall, and his armour rattled upon him. 

But the King sat bolt upright in his chair and stared Ralph's face; andthe warriors and lords and merchants fell back from Ralph and stood inan ordered rank on either side of him and bent their heads before him. None spoke till the King said in a hoarse voice, but lowly andwheedling: "Tell us, fair Sir, what is it that we can do to pleasurethee?"

"King, " said Ralph, "I am not here to take gifts but to give themrather: yet since thou biddest me I will crave somewhat of thee, thatthou mayst be the more content: and moreover the giving shall costthee nothing: I crave of thee to give me life and limb and freedom forthe poor folk whom I saw led down the hall by thy tipstaves, even now. Give me that or nothing. " The King scowled, but he spake: "This isindeed a little gift of thee to take; yet to none else save thee had Igiven it. "

Therewith he spake to a man beside him and said: "Go thou, set themfree, and if any hurt hath befallen them thy life shall answer for it. Is it enough, fair Sir, and have we thy goodwill?" Ralph laughed forjoy of his life and his might, and he answered: "King, this is thetoken of my goodwill; fear naught of me. " And he turned to his men, andbade them bright forth the gift of Goldburg and open it before theKing; and they did so. But when the King cast eyes on the wares hisface was gladdened, for he was a greedy wolf, and whoso had been closeto his mouth would have heard him mutter: "So mighty! yet so wealthy!"But he thanked Ralph aloud and in smooth words. And Ralph madeobeisance to him again, and then turned and went his ways down thehall, and was glad at heart that he had become so mighty a man, for allfell back before him and looked on him with worship. Howbeit he hadlooked on the King closely and wisely, and deemed that he was bothcruel and guileful, so that he rejoiced that he had spoken naught ofUrsula, and he was minded to keep her within gates all the while theyabode at Cheaping-Knowe. 

When he came to the hostel he called his men-at-arms together and askedthem how far they would follow him, and with one voice they said allthat they would go with him whereso he would, so that it were notbeyond reason. So they arrayed them for departure on the morrow, andwere to ride out of gates about mid-morning. So wore the day toevening; but ere the night was old came a man asking for Ralph, as onewho would have a special alms of him, a poor man by seeming, and evillyclad. But when Ralph was alone with him, the poor man did him to witthat for all his seeming wretchedness he was but disguised, and was insooth a man of worship, and one of the Porte. Quoth he: "I am of theKing's Council, and I must needs tell thee a thing of the King: thatthough he was at the first overawed and cowed by the majesty of thee, aFriend of the Well, he presently came to himself, which was but ill; sothat what for greed, what for fear even, he is minded to send men towaylay thee, some three leagues from the town, on your way to themountains, but ye shall easily escape his gin now I have had speech ofthee; for ye may take a by-road and fetch a compass of some twelvemiles, and get aback of the waylayers. Yet if ye escape this firstambush, unless ye are timely in riding early tomorrow it is not unlikethat he shall send swift riders to catch up with you ere ye come to themountains. Now I am come to warn thee hereof, partly because I wouldnot have so fair a life spilt, which should yet do so well for the sonsof Adam, and partly also because I would have a reward of thee for mywarning and my wayleading, for I shall show thee the way and the road. "

Said Ralph: "Ask and fear not; for if I may trust thee I already owethee a reward. " "My name is Michael-a-dale, " said the man, "and fromSwevenham I came hither, and fain would I go thither, and little hope Ihave thereof save I go privily in some such band as thine, whereas thetyrant holdeth me on pain, as well I know, of an evil death. "

"I grant thine asking, friend, " said Ralph; "and now thou wert best goto thine house and truss what stuff thou mayst have with thee and comeback hither in the grey of the morning. "

The man shook his head and said: "Nay; here must I bide night-long, and go out of gates amongst thy men-at-arms, and clad like one of themwith iron enough about me to hide the fashion of me; it were nowisesafe for me to go back into the town; for this tyrant wages many a spy:yea, forsooth, I fear me by certain tokens that it is not all socertain that I have not been spied upon already, and that it is knownthat I have come to thee. And I will tell thee that by hook or bycrook the King already knoweth somewhat of thee and of the woman who isin thy company. "

Ralph flushed red at that word, and felt his heart bound: but eventherewith came into them the Sage; and straightway Ralph took him apartand told him on what errand the man was come, and ask him if he deemedhim trusty. Then the Sage went up to Michael and looked him hard inthe face awhile, and then said: "Yea, honest he is unless the kindredof Michael of the Hatch of Swevenham have turned thieves in the thirdgeneration. "

"Yea, " said Michael, "and dost thou know the Hatch?"

"As I know mine own fingers, " said the Sage; "and even so I knew ityears and years before thou wert born. " Therewith he told thenew-comer what he was, and the two men of Swevenham made joy of eachother. And Ralph was fain of them, and went into the chamber whereinsat Ursula, and told her how all things were going, and she said thatshe would be naught but glad to leave that town, which seemed to herlike to Utterbol over again. 

CHAPTER 10

An Adventure on the Way to the Mountains

On the morrow Ralph got his men together betimes and rode out a-gates, and was little afraid that any should meddle with him within the townor anigh it, and even so it turned out. But Michael rode in thecompany new clad, and with his head and face all hidden in a widesallet. As for Ralph and Ursula, they were exceeding glad, and nowthat their heads were turned to the last great mountains, it seemed tothem that they were verily going home, and they longed for the night, that they might be alone together, and talk of all these matters ineach others' arms. 

When they were out a-gates, they rode for two miles along the highway, heedlessly enough by seeming, and then, as Michael bade, turnedsuddenly into a deep and narrow lane, and forth on, as it led betwixthazelled banks and coppices of small wood, skirting the side of thehills, so that it was late in the afternoon before they came into theHighway again, which was the only road leading into the passes of themountains. Then said Michael that now by all likelihood they hadbeguiled the waylayers for that time; so they went on merrily till halfthe night was worn, when they shifted for lodging in a little oak-woodby the wayside. There they lay not long, but were afoot betimes in themorning, and rode swiftly daylong, and lay down at night on the waysidewith the less dread because they were come so far without hurt. 

But on the third day, somewhat after noon, when they were come up abovethe tilled upland and the land was rough and the ways steep, there laybefore them a dark wood swallowing up the road. Thereabout Ralphdeemed that he saw weapons glittering ahead, but was not sure, for asclear-sighted as he was. So he stayed his band, and had Ursula intothe rearward, and bade all men look to their weapons, and then theywent forward heedfully and in good order, and presently not only Ralph, but all of them could see men standing in the jaws of the pass with thewood on either side of them, and though at first they doubted if thesewere aught but mere strong-thieves, such as any wayfarers might comeon, they had gone but a little further when Michael knew them for theriders of Cheaping Knowe. "Yea, " said the Sage of Swevenham, "it isclear how it has been: when they found that we came not that firstmorning, they had an inkling of what had befallen, and went forwardtoward the mountains, and not back to Cheaping Knowe, and thus outwentus while we were fetching that compass to give them the go-by:wherefore I deem that some great man is with them, else had they goneback to town for new orders. "

"Well, " said Ralph, "then will they be too many for us; so now will Iride ahead and see if we may have peace. " Said the Sage, "Yea, but bewary, for thou hast to do with the guileful. "

Then Ralph rode on alone till he was come within hail of thosewaylayers. Then he thrust his sword into the sheath, and cried out:"Will any of the warriors in the wood speak with me; for I am thecaptain of the wayfarers?"

Then rode out from those men a very tall man, and two with him, one oneither side, and he threw back the sallet from his face, and said:"Wayfarer, all we have weapons in our hands, and we so many that thouand thine will be in regard of us as the pips to the apple. Wherefore, yield ye!" Quoth Ralph: "Unto whom then shall I yield me?" Said theother: "To the men of the King of Cheaping Knowe. " Then spake Ralph:"What will ye do with us when we are yolden? Shall we not pay ransomand go our ways?" "Yea, " said the tall man, "and this is the ransom:that ye give up into my hands my dastard who hath bewrayed me, and thewoman who wendeth in your company. "

Ralph laughed; for by this time he knew the voice of the King, yea, andthe face of him under his sallet. So he cried back in answer, and insuch wise as if the words came rather from his luck than from hisyouth: "Ho, Sir King! beware beware! lest thou tremble when thouseest the bare blade of the Friend of the Well more than thoutrembledst erst, when the blade was hidden in the sheath before thethrone of thine hall. "

But the King cried out in a loud harsh voice. "Thou, young man, bewarethou! and try not thy luck overmuch. We are as many as these trees, and thou canst not prevail over us. Go thy ways free, and leave mewhat thou canst not help leaving. "

"Yea, fool, " cried Ralph, "and what wilt thou do with these two?"

Said the King: "The traitor I will flay, and the woman I will bed. "

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere Ralph gave forth a great cryand drew his sword, set spurs to his horse, and gallopped on up theroad with all his band at his back for they had drawn anigh amidst thistalk. But or ever they came on the foemen, they heard a great confusedcry of onset mingled with affright, and lo! the King threw up his arms, and fell forward on his horse's neck with a great arrow through histhroat. 

Ralph drave on sword in hand, crying out, "Home, home to Upmeads!" andanon was amidst of the foe smiting on either hand. His men followed, shouting: "Ho, for the Friend of the Well!" And amongst the foemen, who were indeed very many, was huge dismay, so that they made but asorry defence before the band of the wayfarers, who knew not what tomake of it, till they noted that arrows and casting-spears were comingout of the wood on either side, which smote none of them, but many ofthe foemen. Short was the tale, for in a few minutes there were no menof the foe together save those that were fleeing down the road toCheaping Knowe. 

Ralph would not suffer his men to follow the chase, for he wotted notwith whom he might have to deal besides the King's men. He drew hismen together and looked round for Ursula, and saw that the Sage hadbrought her up anigh him, and there she sat a-horseback, pale andpanting with the fear of death and joy of deliverance. 

Now Ralph cried out from his saddle in a loud voice, and said: "Ho yeof the arrows of the wood! ye have saved me from my foemen; where beye, and what be ye?" Came a loud voice from out of the wood on theright hand: "Children, tell the warrior whose sons ye be!" Straightwaybrake out a huge bellowing on either side of the road, as though thewood were all full of great neat. 

Then cried out Ralph: "If ye be of the kindred of the Bull, ye willbelike be my friends rather than my foes. Or have ye heard tell ofRalph of Upmeads? Now let your captain come forth and speak with me. "

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere a man came leaping forthfrom out the wood, and stood before Ralph in the twilight of theboughs, and Ralph noted of him that he was clad pretty much like toBull Shockhead of past time, save that he had a great bull's head for ahelm (which afterwards Ralph found out was of iron and leather) and agreat gold ring on his arm. 

Then Ralph thrust his sword back into the sheath, and his folk handledtheir weapons peaceably, while Ralph hailed the new-comer as Lord orDuke of the Bulls. 

"Belike, " quoth the said chieftain, "thou wouldst wish to show me sometoken, whereby we may wot that thou art that Friend of the Well and ofour kinsman concerning whom he sent us a message. "

Then Ralph bethought him of the pouch with the knot of grass thereinwhich Bull Shockhead had given him at Goldburg; so he drew it out, andgave it into the hand of the chieftain, who no sooner caught a glimpsethereof than he said: "Verily our brother's hand hath met thine when hegave thee this. Yet forsooth, now that I look on thee, I may say thatscarce did I need token to tell me that thou wert the very man. For Ican see thee, that thou art of great honour and worship, and thou didstride boldly against the foemen when thou knewest not that we hadwaylaid thy waylayers. Now I wot that there is no need to ask theewhether thou wouldst get thee out of our mountains by the shortestroad, yet wilt thou make it little longer, and somewhat safer, if yewill suffer us to lead thee by way of our dwelling. " So Ralph yeasaidhis bidding without more words. 

As they spake thus together the road both above and below was becomeblack with weaponed men, and some of Ralph's band looked on oneanother, as though they doubted their new friends somewhat. But theSage of Swevenham spoke to them and bade them fear nought. "For, " saidhe, "so far as we go, who are now their friends, there is no guile inthese men. " The Bull captain heard him and said: "Thou sayest sooth, old man; and I shall tell thee that scarce had a band like thine comesafe through the mountains, save by great good luck, without the leaveof us; for the fool with the crown that lieth there dead had of latedays so stirred up the Folks of the Fells through his grimness andcruelty that we have been minded to stop everything bigger than acur-dog that might seek to pass by us, for at least so long as yonderrascal should live. But ye be welcome; so now let us to the road, forthe day weareth. "

So the tribesmen gat them into order, and their Duke went on the leftside of Ralph, while Ursula rode on his right hand. The Duke and allhis men were afoot, but they went easily and swiftly, as wolves trot. As for the slain of the waylayers, of whom there were some threescore, the Bull captain would do nought but let them lie on the road. "For, "said he, "there be wolves and lynxes enough in the wood, and the ravensof the uplands, and the kites shall soon scent the carrion. They shallhave burial soon enough. Neither will we meddle with it; nay, not somuch as to hang the felon King's head at thy saddle-bow, lord. "

By sunset they were out of the wood and on the side of a rough fell, sothey went no further, but lighted fires at the edge of the thicket, andmade merry round about them, singing their songs concerning the deedsof their folk, and jesting withal, but not foully; and they roastedvenison of hart and hind at the fires, and they had with them wine, themore part whereof they had found in the slain King's carriages, andthey made great feast to the wayfarers, and were exceeding fain ofthem; after their fashion, whereas if a man were their friend he couldscarce be enough their friend, and if he were their foe, they couldnever be fierce enough with him. 

CHAPTER 11

They Come Through the Mountains Into the Plain

On the morrow early they all fared on together, and thereafter theywent for two days more till they came into a valley amidst of themountains which was fair and lovely, and therein was the dwelling ortown of this Folk of the Fells. It was indeed no stronghold, save thatit was not easy to find, and that the way thither was well defensiblewere foemen to try it. The houses thereof were artless, the chiefestof them like to the great barn of an abbey in our land, the others lowand small; but the people, both men and women, haunted mostly the bighouse. As for the folk, they were for the more part like those whomthey had met afore: strong men, but not high of stature, black-haired, with blue or grey eyes, cheerful of countenance, and of many words. Their women were mostly somewhat more than comely, smiling, kind ofspeech, but not suffering the caresses of aliens. They saw no thrallsamongst them; and when Ralph asked hereof, how that might be, sincethey were men-catchers, they told him that when they took men andwomen, as oft they did, they always sold them for what they would bringto the plain-dwellers; or else slew them, or held them to ransom, butnever brought them home to their stead. Howbeit, when they tookchildren, as whiles befell, they sometimes brought them home, and madethem very children of their Folk with many uncouth prayers and worshipof their Gods, who were indeed, as they deemed, but forefathers of theFolk. 

Now Ralph, he and his, being known for friends, these wild men couldnot make enough of them, and as it were, compelled them to abide therethree days, feasting them, and making them all the cheer they might. And they showed the wayfarers their manner of hunting, both of the hartand the boar, and of wild bulls also. At first Ralph somewhat loathedall this (though he kept a pleasant countenance toward his host), forsorely he desired the fields of Upmeads and his father's house. But atlast when the hunt was up in the mountains, and especially of the wildbulls, the heart and the might in him so arose that he enforced himselfto do well, and the wild men wondered at his prowess, whereas he wasuntried in this manner of sports, and they deemed him one of the Gods, and said that their kinsman had done well to get him so good a friend. Both Ursula and the Sage withheld them from this hunting, and Ursulaabode with the women, who told her much of their ways of life, andstories of old time; frank and free they were, and loved her much, andshe was fain of such manly-minded women after the sleight and lies ofthe poor thralls of Utterbol. 

On the fourth day the wayfarers made them ready and departed; and thechief of the Folk went with them with a chosen band of weaponed men, partly for the love of his guests, and partly that he might see theGoldburg men-at-arms safe back to the road unto the plain and theMidhouse of the Mountains, for they went now by other ways, whichmissed the said House. On this journey naught befell to tell of, andthey all came down safe into the plain. 

There the Goldburg men took their wage, and bidding farewell, turnedback with the wild men, praising Ralph much for his frankness and openhand. As for the wild men, they exceeded in their sorrow for theparting, and many of them wept and howled as though they had seen himdie before their faces. But all that came to an end, and presentlytheir cheer was amended, and their merry speech and laughter came downfrom the pass unto the wayfarers' ears as each band rode its way. 

CHAPTER 12

The Roads Sunder Again

Ralph and Ursula, with the Sage and Michael-a-dale went their ways, andall was smooth with them, and they saw but few folk, and those mild andlowly. At last, of an afternoon, they saw before them afar off thetowers and pinnacles of Whitwall, and Ralph's heart rose within him, sothat he scarce knew how to contain himself; but Ursula was shy andsilent, and her colour came and went, as though some fear had hold ofher. Now they two were riding on somewhat ahead of the others, soRalph turned to Ursula, and asked what ailed her. She smiled on himand said: "A simple sickness. I am drawing nigh to thy home, and I amashamed. Beyond the mountains, who knew what and whence I was? I wasfair, and for a woman not unvaliant, and that was enough. But now whenI am coming amongst the baronages and the lineages, what shall I do tohold up my head before the fools and the dastards of these highkindreds? And that all the more, my knight, because thou art changedsince yester-year, and since we met on the want-way of the WoodPerilous, when I bade thee remember that thou wert a King's son and I ayeoman's daughter; for then thou wert but a lad, high-born andbeautiful, but simple maybe, and untried; whereas now thou art meet tosit in the Kaiser's throne and rule the world from the Holy City. "

He laughed gaily and said: "What! is it all so soon forgotten, ourdeeds beyond the Mountains? Belike because we had no minstrel to rhymeit for us. Or is it all but a dream? and has the last pass of themountains changed all that for us? What then! hast thou never becomemy beloved, nor lain in one bed with me? Thou whom I looked to deliverfrom the shame and the torment of Utterbol, never didst thou freethyself without my helping, and meet me in the dark wood, and lead meto the Sage who rideth yonder behind us! No, nor didst thou ridefearless with me, leaving the world behind; nor didst thou comfort mewhen my heart went nigh to breaking in the wilderness! Nor thee did Ideliver as I saw thee running naked from the jaws of death. Nor werewe wedded in the wilderness far from our own folk. Nor didst thoudeliver me from the venom of the Dry Tree. Yea verily, nor did wedrink together of the Water of the Well! It is all but tales ofSwevenham, a blue vapour hanging on the mountains yonder! So be itthen! And here we ride together, deedless, a man and a maid of whom notale may be told. What next then, and who shall sunder us?"

Therewith he drew his sword from the sheath, and tossed it into theair, and caught it by the hilts as it came down, and he cried out:"Hearken, Ursula! By my sword I swear it, that when I come home to thelittle land, if my father and my mother and all my kindred fall notdown before thee and worship thee, then will I be a man withoutkindred, and I will turn my back on the land I love, and the Housewherein I was born, and will win for thee and me a new kindred that allthe world shall tell of. So help me Saint Nicholas, and all Hallows, and the Mother of God!"

She looked on him with exceeding love, and said: "Ah, beloved, howfair thou art! Is it not as I said, yea, and more, that now lieth theworld at thy feet, if thou wilt stoop to pick it up? Believe me, sweet, all folk shall see this as I see it, and shall judge betwixtthee and me, and deem me naught. "

"Beloved, " he said, "thou dost not wholly know thyself; and I deem thatthe mirrors of steel serve thee but ill; and now must thou havesomewhat else for a mirror, to wit, the uprising and increase oftrouble concerning thee and thy fairness, and the strife of them thatlove thee overmuch, who shall strive to take thee from me; and then theblade that hath seen the Well at the World's End shall come out of hissheath and take me and thee from the hubbub, and into the quiet fieldsof my father's home, and then shalt thou be learned of thyself, whenthou seest that thou art the desire of all hearts. "

"Ah, the wisdom of thee, " she said, "and thy valiancy, and I am becomefeeble and foolish before thee! What shall I do then?"

He said: "Many a time shall it be shown what thou shalt do; but hereand now is the highway dry and long, and the plain meads and acres oneither hand, and a glimmer of Whitwall afar off, and the little cloudof dust about us two in the late spring weather; and the Sage andMichael riding behind us, and smiting dust from the hard road. And nowif this also be a dream, let it speedily begone, and let us wake up inthe ancient House at Upmeads, which thou hast never seen--and thou andI in each other's arms. "

CHAPTER 13

They Come to Whitwall Again

Herewith they were come to a little thorp where the way sundered, forthe highway went on to Whitwall, and a byway turned off to Swevenham. Thereby was a poor hostel, where they stayed and rested for the night, because evening was at hand. So when those four had eaten and drunkthere together, Ralph spoke and said: "Michael-a-dale, thou art forSwevenham to-morrow?" "Yea, lord, " said Michael, "belike I shall yetfind kindred there; and I call to thy mind that I craved of thee tolead me to Swevenham as payment for all if I had done aught for thyservice. "

"Sooth is that, " said Ralph, "thou shalt go with my good-will; and, asI deem, thou shalt not lack company betwixt here and Swevenham, whereasour dear friend here, the friend of thy father's father, is going thesame road. "

Then the Sage of Swevenham leaned across the board, and said: "Whatword hath come out of thy mouth, my son?" Said Ralph, smiling on him:"It is the last word which we have heard from thee of this matter, though verily it was spoken a while ago. What wilt thou add to it asnow?" "This, " quoth the Sage, "that I will leave thee no more tillthou biddest me go from thee. Was this word needful?"

Ralph reached his hand to him and said: "It is well and more; but theroad hence to Upmeads may yet be a rough one. " "Yea, " said the Sage, "yet shall we come thither all living, unless my sight now faileth. "

Then Ursula rose up and came to the old man, and cast her arms abouthim and said: "Yea, father, come with us, and let thy wisdom bless ourroof-tree. Wilt thou not teach our children wisdom; yea, maybe ourchildren's children, since thou art a friend of the Well?"

"I know not of the teaching of wisdom, " said the Sage; "but as to mygoing with thee, it shall be as I said e'en-now; and forsooth I lookedfor this bidding of thee to make naught of the word which I spoke ereyet I had learned wisdom of thee. "

Therewith were they merry, and fain of each other, and the evening woreamidst great content. 

But when morning was come they gat to horse, and Ralph spake to Michaeland said: "Well, friend, now must thou ride alone to thy kindred, andmay fair days befall thee in Swevenham. But if thou deem at any timethat matters go not so well with thee as thou wouldst, then turn thinehead to Upmeads, and try it there, and we shall further thee all wemay. "

Then came the Sage to Michael as he sat upon his horse, a stalwarth manof some forty winters, and said: "Michael-a-dale, reach me thinehand. " So did he, and the Sage looked into the palm thereof, and said:"This man shall make old bones, and it is more like than not, King'sson, that he shall seek to thee at Upmeads ere he die. " Said Ralph:"His coming shall be a joy to us, how pleasant soever our life may beotherwise. Farewell, Michael! all good go with thee for thinewholesome redes. "

So then Michael gave them farewell, and rode his ways to Swevenham, going hastily, as one who should hurry away from a grief. 

But the three held on their way to Whitwall, and it was barely noonwhen they came to the gate thereof on a Saturday of latter May, It wasa market-day, and the streets were thronged, and they looked on thefolk and were fain of them, since they seemed to them to be somethingmore than aliens. The folk also looked on them curiously, and deemedthem goodly, both the old man and the two knights, for they thought nootherwise of Ursula than that she was a carle. 

But now as they rode, slowly because of the crowd, up Petergate, theyheard a cry of one beside them, as of a man astonished but joyful; soRalph drew rein, and turned thither whence the cry came, and Ursula sawa man wide-shouldered, grey-haired, blue-eyed, and ruddy ofcountenance--a man warrior-like to look on, and girt with a long sword. Ralph lighted down from his horse, and met the man, who was comingtoward him, cast his arms about his neck, and kissed him, and lo, itwas Richard the Red. The people round about, when they saw it, clappedtheir hands, and crowded about the two crying out: "Hail to thefriends long parted, and now united!" But Richard, whom most knew, cried out: "Make way, my masters! will ye sunder us again?" Then hesaid to Ralph: "Get into thy saddle, lad; for surely thou hast a taleto tell overlong for the open street. "

Ralph did as he was bidden, and without more ado they went on alltoward that hostelry where Ralph had erst borne the burden of grief. Richard walked by Ralph's side, and as he went he said: "Moreover, lad, I can see that thy tale is no ill one; therefore my heart is not wrungfor thee or me, though I wait for it a while. " Then again he said:"Thou doest well to hide her loveliness in war-weed even in this townof peace. "

Ursula reddened, and Richard laughed and said: "Well, it is a fair rosewhich thou hast brought from east-away. There will be never anothercouple in these parts like you. Now I see the words on thy lips; so Itell thee that Blaise thy brother is alive and well and happy; whichlast word means that his coffer is both deep and full. Forsooth, hewould make a poor bargain in buying any kingship that I wot of, so richhe is, yea, and mighty withal. "

Said Ralph: "And how went the war with Walter the Black?"

Even as he spake his face changed, for he bethought him over closely ofthe past days, and his dream of the Lady of Abundance and of Dorothea, who rode by him now as Ursula. But Richard spake: "Short is the taleto tell. I slew him in shock of battle, and his men craved peace ofthe good town. Many were glad of his death, and few sorrowed for it;for, fair as his young body was, he was a cruel tyrant. "

Therewith were they come to the hostel of the Lamb which was the verysame house wherein Ralph had abided aforetime; and as he entered it, itis not to be said but that inwardly his heart bled for the old sorrow. Ursula looked on him lovingly and blithely; and when they were withindoors Richard turned to the Sage and said: "Hail to thee, reverendman! wert thou forty years older to behold, outworn and forgotten ofdeath, I should have said that thou wert like to the Sage that dweltalone amidst the mountains nigh to Swevenham when I was a little lad, and fearsome was the sight of thee unto me. "

The Sage laughed and said: "Yea, somewhat like am I yet to myself offorty years ago. Good is thy memory, greybeard. "

Then Richard shook his head, and spake under his breath: "Yea, then itwas no dream or coloured cloud, and he hath drank of the waters, and sothen hath my dear lord. " Then he looked up bright-faced, and called onthe serving-men, and bade one lead them into a fair chamber, andanother go forth and provide a banquet to be brought in thither. Sothey went up into a goodly chamber high aloft; and Ursula went forthfrom it awhile, and came back presently clad in very fair woman'sraiment, which Ralph had bought for her at Goldburg. Richard looked onher and nothing else for a while; then he walked about the chamberuneasily, now speaking with the Sage, now with Ursula, but never withRalph. At last he spake to Ursula, and said: "Grant me a grace, lady, and be not wroth if I take thy man into the window yonder that I maytalk with him privily while ye hold converse together, thou and theSage of Swevenham. "

She laughed merrily and said: "Sir nurse, take thy bantling and cossethim in whatso corner thou wilt, and I will turn away mine eyes from thycaresses. "

So Richard took Ralph into a window, and sat down beside him and said:"Mayhappen I shall sadden thee by my question, but I mind me what ourlast talking together was about, and therefore I must needs ask theethis, was that other one fairer than this one is?"

Ralph knit his brows: "I wot not, " quoth he, "since she is gone, thatother one. "

"Yea, " said Richard, "but this I say, that she is without a blemish. Did ye drink of the Well together?"

"Yea, surely, " said Ralph. Said Richard: "And is this woman of a goodheart? Is she valiant?" "Yea, yea, " said Ralph, flushing red. 

"As valiant as was that other?" said Richard. Said Ralph: "How may Itell, unless they were tried in one way?" Yet Richard spake: "Are yewedded?" "Even so, " said Ralph. 

"Dost thou deem her true?" said Richard. "Truer than myself, " saidRalph, in a voice which was somewhat angry. 

Quoth Richard: "Then is it better than well, and better than well; fornow hast thou wedded into the World of living men, and not to a dreamof the Land of Fairy. "

Ralph sat silent a little, and as if he were swallowing somewhat; atlast he said: "Old friend, I were well content if thou wert to speaksuch words no more; for it irks me, and woundeth my heart. "

Said Richard: "Well, I will say no more thereof; be content therefore, for now I have said it, and thou needest not fear me, what I have tosay thereon any more, and thou mayst well wot that I must needs havesaid somewhat of this. "

Ralph nodded to him friendly, and even therewith came in the banquet, which was richly served, as for a King's son, and wine was poured forthof the best, and they feasted and were merry. And then Ralph told allthe tale of his wanderings how it had betid, bringing in all thatUrsula had told him of Utterbol; while as for her she put in no word ofit. So that at last Ralph, being wishful to hear her tell somewhat, made more of some things than was really in them, so that she might sethim right; but no word more she said for all that, but only smiled onhim now and again, and sat blushing like a rose over hergolden-flowered gown, while Richard looked on her and praised her inhis heart exceedingly. 

But when Ralph had done the story (which was long, so that by then itwas over it had been dark night some while), Richard said: "Well, fosterling, thou hast seen much, and done much, and many would say thatthou art a lucky man, and that more and much more lieth ready to thinehand. Whither now wilt thou wend, or what wilt thou do?"

Ralph's face reddened, as its wont had been when it was two yearsyounger, at contention drawing nigh, and he answered: "Where thenshould I go save to the House of my Fathers, and the fields that fedthem? What should I do but live amongst my people, warding them fromevil, and loving them and giving them good counsel? For whereforeshould I love them less than heretofore? Have they become dastards, and the fools of mankind?"

Quoth Richard: "They are no more fools than they were belike, nor lessvaliant. But thou art grown wiser and mightier by far; so that thouart another manner man than thou wert, and the Master of Masters maybe. To Upmeads wilt thou go; but wilt thou abide there? Upmeads is a fairland, but a narrow; one day is like another there, save when sorrow andharm is blent with it. The world is wide, and now I deem that thouholdest the glory thereof in the hollow of thine hand. "

Then spake the Sage, and said: "Yea, Richard of Swevenham, and howknowest thou but that this sorrow and trouble have not now fallen uponUpmeads? And if that be so, upon whom should they call to theirhelping rather than him who can help them most, and is their verylord?" Said Richard: "It may be so, wise man, though as yet we haveheard no tidings thereof. But if my lord goeth to their help, yet, when the trouble shall be over, will he not betake him thither wherefresh deeds await him?"

"Nay, Richard, " said the Sage, "art thou so little a friend of thyfosterling as not to know that when he hath brought back peace to theland, it will be so that both he shall need the people, and they him, so that if he go away for awhile, yet shall he soon come back? Yea, and so shall the little land, it may be, grow great. "

Now had Ralph sat quiet while this talk was going on, and as if heheeded not, and his eyes were set as if he were beholding something faraway. Then Richard spoke again after there had been silence awhile:"Wise man, thou sayest sooth; yea, and so it is, that though we herehave heard no tale concerning war in Upmeads, yet, as it were, we havebeen feeling some stirring of the air about us; even as though matterswere changing, great might undone, and weakness grown to strength. Whocan say but our lord may find deeds to hand or ever he come to Upmeads?"

Ralph turned his head as one awaking from a dream, and he said: "Whenshall to-morrow be, that we may get us gone from Whitwall, we three, and turn our faces toward Upmeads?"

Said Richard: "Wilt thou not tarry a day or two, and talk with thineown mother's son and tell him of thine haps?" "Yea, " said Ralph, "andso would I, were it not that my father's trouble and my mother's griefdraw me away. "

"O tarry not, " said Ursula; "nay, not for the passing of the night; butmake this hour the sunrise, and begone by the clear of the moon. Forlo! how he shineth through the window!"

Then she turned to Richard, and said: "O fosterer of my love, knowestthou not that as now he speaketh as a Friend of the Well, and wottethmore of far-off tidings than even this wise man of many years?"

Said Ralph: "She sayeth sooth, O Richard. Or how were it if the torchwere even now drawing nigh to the High House of Upmeads: yea, or ifthe very House were shining as a dreary candle of the meadows, andreddening the waters of the ford! What do we here?"

Therewith he thrust the board from him, and arose and went to hisharness, and fell to arming him, and he spake to Richard: "Now shallthine authority open to us the gates of the good town, though the nightbe growing old; we shall go our ways, dear friend, and mayhappen weshall meet again, and mayhappen not: and thou shalt tell my brotherBlaise who wotteth not of my coming hither, how things have gone withme, and how need hath drawn me hence. And bid him come see me atUpmeads, and to ride with a good band of proper men, for eschewing thedangers of the road. "

Then spake Richard: "I shall tell Lord Blaise neither more nor lessthan thou mayst tell him thyself: for think it not that thou shalt gowithout me. As for Blaise, he may well spare me; for he is become achief and Lord of the Porte; and the Porte hath now right goodmen-at-arms, and captains withal younger and defter than I be. But nowsuffer me to send a swain for my horse and arms, and another to thecaptain of the watch at West-gate Bar that he be ready to open to meand three of my friends, and to send me a let-pass for the occasion. So shall we go forth ere it be known that the brother of the Lord ofthe Porte is abiding at the Lamb. For verily I see that the Lady hathspoken truth; and it is like that she is forseeing, even as thou hastgrown to be. And now I bethink me I might lightly get me a score ofmen to ride with us, whereas we may meet men worse than ourselves onthe way. "

Said Ralph: "All good go with thy words, Richard; yet gather notforce: there may stout men be culled on the road; and if thou runnestor ridest about the town, we may yet be stayed by Blaise and his men. Wherefore now send for thine horse and arms, and bid the host here openhis gates with little noise when we be ready; and we will presentlyride out by the clear of the moon. But thou, beloved, shalt don thinearmour no more, but shalt ride henceforth in thy woman's raiment, forthe wild and the waste is well nigh over, and the way is but shortafter all these months of wandering; and I say that now shall allfriends drift toward us, and they that shall rejoice to strike a strokefor my father's son, and the peaceful years of the Friend of the Well. "

To those others, and chiefly to Ursula, it seemed that now he spokestrongly and joyously, like to a king and a captain of men. Richarddid his bidding, and was swift in dealing with the messengers. But theSage said: "Ralph, my son, since ye have lost one man-at-arms, andhave gotten but this golden angel in his stead, I may better that. Iprithee bid thy man Richard find me armour and weapons that I may amendthe shard in thy company. Thou shalt find me no feeble man when wecome to push of staves. "

Ralph laughed, and bade Richard see to it; so he dealt with the host, and bought good war-gear of him, and a trenchant sword, and an axewithal; and when the Sage was armed he looked as doughty a warrior asneed be. By this time was Richard's horse and war-gear come, and hearmed him speedily and gave money to the host, and they rode therewithall four out of the hostel, and found the street empty and still, forthe night was wearing. So rode they without tarrying into Westgate andcame to the Bar, and speedily was the gate opened to them; and anonwere they on the moonlit road outside of Whitwall. 

CHAPTER 14

They Ride Away From Whitwall

But when they were well on the way, and riding a good pace by the clearof the moon, Richard spake to Ralph, and said: "Wither ride we now?"said Ralph: "Wither, save to Upmeads?" "Yea, yea, " said Richard, "butby what road? shall we ride down to the ford of the Swelling Flood, andride the beaten way, or take to the downland and the forest, and soagain by the forest and downland and the forest once more, till we cometo the Burg of the Four Friths?"

"Which way is the shorter?" said Ralph. "Forsooth, " said Richard, "bythe wildwood ye may ride shorter, if ye know it as I do. " Quoth theSage: "Yea, or as I do. Hear a wonder! that two men of Swevenham knowthe wilds more than twenty miles from their own thorp. "

Said Ralph: "Well, wend we the shorter road; why make more words overit? Or what lion lieth on the path? Is it that we may find it hard togive the go-by to the Burg of the Four Friths?"

Said Richard: "Though the Burg be not very far from Whitwall, we hearbut little tidings thence; our chapmen but seldom go there, and nonecometh to us thence save such of our men as have strayed thither. Yet, as I said e'en now in the hostel, there is an air of tidings abroad, and one rumour sayeth, and none denieth it, that the old fierceness andstout headstrong mood of the Burg is broken down, and that men dwellthere in peace and quiet. "

Said the Sage: "In any case we have amongst us lore enough to hoodwinkthem if they be foes; so that we shall pass easily. Naught of thisneed we fear. "

But Richard put his mouth close to Ralph's ear, and spake to himsoftly: "Shall we indeed go by that shorter road, whatever in days goneby may have befallen in places thereon, to which we must go a-nightomorrow?" Ralph answered softly in turn: "Yea, forsooth: for I werefain to try my heart, how strong it may be. "

So they rode on, and turned off from the road that led down to the fordof the Swelling Flood, anigh which Ralph had fallen in with Blaise andRichard on the day after the woeful slaying, which had made an end ofhis joy for that time. But when they were amidst of the bushes andriding a deep ghyll of the waste, Richard said: "It is well that weare here: for now if Blaise send riders to bring us back courteously, they shall not follow us at once, but shall ride straight down to theford, and even cross it in search of us. " "Yea, " said Ralph, "it iswell in all wise. "

So then they rode thence awhile till the moon grew low, and great, andred, and sank down away from them; and by then were they come to ashepherd's cot, empty of men, with naught therein save an old dog, andsome victual, as bread and white cheese, and a well for drinking. Sothere they abode and rested that night. 

CHAPTER 15

A Strange Meeting in the Wilderness

On the morrow betimes they got to the road again; the country at first, though it was scanty of tillage, was not unfurnished of sheep, beingfor the most part of swelling hills and downs well grassed, with hereand there a deep cleft in them. They saw but few houses, and thosesmall and poor. A few shepherds they fell in with, who were short ofspeech, after the manner of such men, but deemed a greeting not whollythrown away on such goodly folk as those wayfarers. 

So they rode till it was noon, and Richard talked more than his wontwas, though his daily use it was to be of many words: nor did the Sagespare speech; but Ursula spoke little, nor heeded much what the otherssaid, and Ralph deemed that she was paler than of wont, and her browswere knitted as if she were somewhat anxious. As for him, he was graveand calm, but of few words; and whiles when Richard was wordiest helooked on him steadily for a moment whereat Richard changedcountenance, and for a while stinted his speech, but not for long;while Ralph looked about him, inwardly striving to gather together theends of unhappy thoughts that floated about him, and to note the landhe was passing through, if indeed he had verily seen it aforetime, elsewhere than in some evil dream. 

At last when they stopped to bait by some scrubby bushes at the foot ofa wide hill-side, he took Richard apart, and said to him: "Old friend, and whither go we?" Said Richard: "As thou wottest, to the Burg of theFour Friths. " "Yea, " said Ralph, "but by what road?" Said Richard:"Youngling is not thine heart, then, as strong as thou deemedst lastnight?" Ralph was silent a while, and then he said: "I know what thouwouldst say; we are going by the shortest road to the Castle ofAbundance. "

He spake this out loud, but Richard nodded his head to him, as if hewould say: "Yea, so it is; but hold thy peace. " But Ralph knew thatUrsula had come up behind him, and, still looking at Richard, he puthis open hand aback toward her, and her hand fell into it. Then heturned about to her, and saw that her face was verily pale; so he puthis hands on her shoulders and kissed her kindly; and she let her headfall on to his bosom and fell a-weeping, and the two elders turned awayto the horses, and feigned to be busy with them. 

Thus then they bided some minutes of time, and then all gat to horseagain, and Ursula's face was cleared of the grief of fear, and thecolour had come back to her cheeks and lips. But Ralph's face wasstern and sorrowful to behold; howbeit, as they rode away he spake in aloud and seeming cheerful voice: "Still ever shorteneth more and morethe way unto my Fathers' House: and withal I am wishful to see if it beindeed true that the men of the Burg have become mild and peaceful; andto know what hath befallen those doughty champions of the Dry Tree; andif perchance they have any will to hold us a tilting in courteousfashion. "

Richard smiled on him, and said: "Thou holdest more then by the DryTree than by the Burg; though while agone we deemed the Champions worsemen to meet in the wood than the Burgers. "

"So it is, " said Ralph; "but men are oft mis-said by them that knowthem not thoroughly: and now, if it were a good wish, O Sage ofSwevenham, I were fain to fall in with the best of all those champions, a tall man and a proper, who, meseems, had good-will toward me, I knownot why. "

Quoth the Sage: "If thou canst not see the end of this wish fulfilled, no more can I. And yet, meseems something may follow it which is akinto grief: be content with things so done, my son. "

Now Ralph holds his peace, and they speed on their way, Ursula ridingclose by Ralph's side, and caressing him with looks, and by touch alsowhen she might; and after a while he fell to talking again, and ever inthe same loud, cheerful voice. Till at last, in about another hour, they came in sight of the stream which ran down toward the SwellingFlood from that pool wherein erst the Lady of Abundance had bathed herbefore the murder. Hard looked Ralph on the stream, but howsoever hisheart might ache with the memory of that passed grief, like as the bodyaches with the bruise of yesterday's blow, yet he changed countenancebut little, and in his voice was the same cheery sound. But Ursulanoted him, and how his eyes wandered, and how little he heeded thewords of the others, and she knew what ailed him, for long ago he hadtold her all that tale, and so now her heart was troubled, and shelooked on him and was silent. 

Thus, then, a little before sunset, they came on that steep cliff withthe cave therein, and the little green plain thereunder, and the rockybank going down sheer into the water of the stream. Forsooth they cameon it somewhat suddenly from out of the bushes of the valley; and thereindeed not only the Sage and Richard, but Ursula also, were stayed bythe sight as folk compelled; for all three knew what had befallenthere. But Ralph, though he looked over his shoulder at it all, yetrode on steadily, and when he saw that the others lingered, he wavedhis hand and cried out as he rode: "On, friends, on! for the roadshortens towards my Fathers' House. " Then were they ashamed, and shooktheir reins to hasten after him. 

But in that very nick of time there came forth one from amidst thebushes that edged the pool of the stream and strode dripping on to theshallow; a man brown and hairy, and naked, save for a green wreathabout his middle. Tall he was above the stature of most men; awful ofaspect, and his eyes glittered from his dark brown face amidst of hisshockhead of the colour of rain-spoilt hay. He stood and looked whileone might count five, and then without a word or cry rushed up from thewater, straight on Ursula, who was riding first of the three lingerers, and in the twinkling of an eye tore her from off her horse; and she wasin his grasp as the cushat in the claws of the kite. Then he cast herto earth, and stood over her, shaking a great club, but or ever hebrought it down he turned his head over his shoulder toward the cliffand the cave therein, and in that same moment first one blade and thenanother flashed about him, and he fell crashing down upon his back, smitten in the breast and the side by Richard and Ralph; and the woundswere deep and deadly. 

Ralph heeded him no more, but drew Ursula away from him, and raised herup and laid her head upon his knee; and she had not quite swooned away, and forsooth had taken but little hurt; only she was dizzy with terrorand the heaving up and casting down. 

She looked up into Ralph's face, and smiled on him and said: "What hathbeen done to me, and why did he do it?"

His eyes were still wild with fear and wrath, as he answered: "OBeloved, Death and the foeman of old came forth from the cavern of thecliff. What did they there, Lord God? and he caught thee to slay thee;but him have I slain. Nevertheless, it is a terrible and evil place:let us go hence. "

"Yea, " she said, "let us go speedily!" Then she stood up, weak andtottering still, and Ralph arose and put his left arm about her to stayher; and lo, there before them was Richard kneeling over the wild-man, and the Sage was coming back from the river with his headpiece full ofwater; so Ralph cried out: "To horse, Richard, to horse! Hast thounot done slaying the woodman?"

But therewith came a weak and hoarse voice from the earth, and thewild-man spake. "Child of Upmeads, drive not on so hard: it will notbe long. For thou and Richard the Red are naught lighthanded. "

Ralph marvelled that the wild-man knew him and Richard, but thewild-man spake again: "Hearken, thou lover, thou young man!"

But therewith was the Sage come to him and kneeling beside him with thewater, and he drank thereof, while Ralph said to him: "What is thiswoodman? and canst thou speak my Latin? What art thou?"

Then the wild-man when he had drunk raised him up a little, and said:"Young man, thou and Richard are deft leeches; ye have let me blood toa purpose, and have brought back to me my wits, which were wanderingwide. Yet am I indeed where my fool's brains told me I was. "

Then he lay back again, and turned his head as well as he could towardthe cavern in the cliff. But Ralph deemed he had heard his voicebefore, and his heart was softened toward him, he knew not why; but hesaid: "Yea, but wherefore didst thou fall upon the Lady?" The wild-manstrove with his weakness, and said angrily: "What did another womanthere?" Then he said in a calmer but weaker voice: "Nay, my wits shallwander no more from me; we will make the journey together, I and mywits. But O, young man, this I will say if I can. Thou fleddest fromher and forgattest her. I came to her and forgat all but her; yea, myvery life I forgat. "

Again he spoke, and his voice was weaker yet: "Kneel down by me, or Imay not tell thee what I would; my voice dieth before me. "

Then Ralph knelt down by him, for he began to have a deeming of what hewas, and he put his face close to the dying man's, and said to him; "Iam here, what wouldst thou?"

Said the wild-man very feebly: "I did not much for thee time was; howmight I, when I loved her so sorely? But I did a little. Believe it, and do so much for me that I may lie by her side when I am dead, whonever lay by her living. For into the cave I durst go never. "

Then Ralph knew him, that he was the tall champion whom he had metfirst at the churchyard gate of Netherton; so he said: "I know theenow, and I will promise to do thy will herein. I am sorry that I haveslain thee; forgive it me. "

A mocking smile came into the dying man's eyes, and he spakewhispering: "Richard it was; not thou. "

The smile spread over his face, he strove to turn more toward Ralph, and said in a very faint whisper: "The last time!"

No more he said, but gave up the ghost presently. The Sage rose upfrom his side and said: "Ye may now bury this man as he craved ofthee, for he is dead. Thus hath thy wish been accomplished; for thiswas the great champion and duke of the men of the Dry Tree. Indeed itis a pity of him that he is dead, for as terrible as he was to hisfoes, he was no ill man. "

Spake Richard: "Now is the riddle areded of the wild-man and themighty giant that haunted these passes. We have played together ornow, in days long past, he and I; and ever he came to his above. Hewas a wise man and a prudent that he should have become a wild-man. Itis great pity of him. "

But Ralph took his knight's cloak of red scarlet, and they lapped thewild-man therein, who had once been a champion beworshipped. But firstUrsula sheared his hair and his beard, till the face of him came backagain, grave, and somewhat mocking, as Ralph remembered it, time was. Then they bore him in the four corners across the stream, and up on tothe lawn before the cliff; and Richard and the Sage bore him into thecave, and laid him down there beside the howe which Ralph had erewhileheaped over the Lady; and now over him also they heaped stones. 

Meanwhile Ursula knelt at the mouth of the cave and wept; but Ralphturned him about and stood on the edge of the bank, and looked over theripple of the stream on to the valley, where the moon was now beginningto cast shadows, till those two came out of the cave for the last time. Then Ralph turned to Ursula and raised her up and kissed her, and theywent down all of them from that place of death and ill-hap, and gat tohorse on the other side of the stream, and rode three miles further onby the glimmer of the moon, and lay down to rest amongst the bushes ofthe waste, with few words spoken between them. 

CHAPTER 16

They Come to the Castle of Abundance Once More

When they rode on next morning Ralph was few-spoken, and seemed to heedlittle so long as they made good speed on the way: most of the talk wasbetwixt Richard and the Sage, Ralph but putting in a word when it wouldhave seemed churlish to forbear. 

So they went their ways through the wood till by then the sun was wellwestering they came out at the Water of the Oak, and Richard drew reinthere, and spake: "Here is a fair place for a summer night's lodging, and I would warrant both good knight and fair lady have lain hereaforetime, and wished the dark longer: shall we not rest here?"

Ralph stared at him astonished, and then anger grew in his face for alittle, because, forsooth, as Richard and the Sage both wotted of theplace of the slaying of the Lady, and he himself had every yard of theway in his mind as they went, it seemed but due that they should haveknown of this place also, what betid there: but it was not so, and theplace was to Richard like any other lawn of the woodland. 

But thought came back to Ralph in a moment, and he smiled at his ownfolly, howbeit he could not do to lie another night on that lawn withother folk than erst. So he said quietly: "Nay, friend, were we notbetter to make the most of this daylight? Seest thou it wants yet anhour of sunset?"

Richard nodded a yeasay, and the Sage said no word more; but Ursulacast her anxious look on Ralph as though she understood what was movingin him; and therewith those others rode away lightly, but Ralph turnedslowly from the oak-tree, and might not forbear looking on to the shortsward round about, as if he hoped to see some token left behind. Thenhe lifted up his face as one awaking, shook his rein, and rode afterthe others down the long water. 

So they turned from the water anon, and rode the woodland ways, and laythat night by a stream that ran west. 

They arose betimes on the morrow, and whereas the Sage knew thewoodland ways well, they made but a short journey of it to the Castleof Abundance, and came into the little plain but two hours after noon, where saving that the scythe had not yet wended the tall mowing grassin the crofts which the beasts and sheep were not pasturing, all was ason that other tide. The folk were at work in their gardens, or herdingtheir cattle in the meads, and as aforetime they were merry ofcountenance and well-clad, fair and gentle to look on. 

There were their pleasant cots, and the little white church, and thefair walls of the castle on its low mound, and the day bright andsunny, all as aforetime, and Ralph looked on it all, and made nocountenance of being moved beyond his wont. 

So they came out of the wood, and rode to the ford of the river, andthe carles and queans came streaming from their garths and meads tomeet them, and stood round wondering at them; but an old carle camefrom out the throng and went up to Ralph, and hailed him, and said:"Oh, Knight! and hast thou come back to us? and has thou brought ustidings of our Lady? Who is this fair woman that rideth with thee? Isit she?"

Spake Ralph: "Nay; go look on her closely, and tell me thy deeming ofher. "

So the carle went up to Ursula, and peered closely into her face, andtook her hand and looked on it, and knelt down and took her foot out ofthe stirrup, and kissed it, and then came back to Ralph, and said:"Fair Sir, I wot not but it may be her sister; for yonder old wise manI have seen here erst with our heavenly Lady. But though this fairwoman may be her sister, it is not she. So tell me what is become ofher, for it is long since we have seen her; and what thou tellest us, that same shall we trow, even as if thou wert her angel. For I spakewith thee, it is nigh two years agone, when thou wert abiding thecoming of our Lady in the castle yonder But now I see of thee that thouart brighter-faced, and mightier of aspect than aforetime, and it is inmy mind that the Lady of Abundance must have loved thee and holpenthee, and blessed thee with some great blessing. "

Said Ralph: "Old man, canst thou feel sorrow, and canst thou bear it?"The carle shook his head. "I wot not, " said he, "I fear thy words. "Said Ralph: "It were naught to say less than the truth; and this isthe very truth, that thou shalt never see thy Lady any more. I was thelast living man that ever saw her alive. "

Then he spake in a loud voice and said: "Lament, ye people! for theLady of Abundance is dead; yet sure I am that she sendeth this messageto you, Live in peace, and love ye the works of the earth. "

But when they heard him, the old man covered up his face with the foldsof his gown, and all that folk brake forth into weeping, and cryingout: "Woe for us! the Lady of Abundance is dead!" and some of theyounger men cast themselves down on to the earth, and wallowed, weepingand wailing: and there was no man there that seemed as if he knew whichway to turn, or what to do; and their faces were foolish with sorrow. Yet forsooth it was rather the carles than the queans who made all thislamentation. 

At last the old man spake: "Fair sir, ye have brought us heavytidings, and we know not how to ask you to tell us more of the tale. Yet if thou might'st but tell us how the Lady died? Woe's me for theword!"

Said Ralph: "She was slain with the sword. "

The old man drew himself up stiff and stark, the eyes of him glitteredunder his white hair, and wrath changed his face, and the othermen-folk thronged them to hearken what more should be said. 

But the elder spake again: "Tell me who it was that slew her, forsurely shall I slay him, or die in the pain else. "

Said Ralph: "Be content, thou mayst not slay him; he was a great andmighty man, a baron who bore a golden sun on a blue field. Thou maystnot slay him. " "Yea, " said the old man, "but I will, or he me. "

"Live in peace, " said Ralph, "for I slew him then and there. "

The old man held his peace a while, and then he said: "I know the man, for he hath been here aforetime, and not so long ago. But if he bedead, he hath a brother yet, an exceeding mighty man: he will be cominghere to vex us and minish us. "

Said Ralph: "He will not stir from where he lies till Earth's bones bebroken, for my sword lay in his body yesterday. "

The old man stood silent again, and the other carles thronged him; butthe woman stood aloof staring on Ralph. Then the elder came up toRalph and knelt before him and kissed his feet; then he turned andcalled to him three of the others who were of the stoutest and moststalwarth, and he spake with them awhile, and then he came to Ralphagain, and again knelt before him and said: "Lord, ye have come to us, and found us void of comfort, since we have lost our Lady. But we seein thee, that she hath loved thee and blessed thee, and thou hast slainher slayer and his kindred. And we see of thee also that thou art agood lord. O the comfort to us, therefore, if thou wouldest be ourLord! We will serve thee truly so far as we may: yea, even if thou bebeset by foes, we will take bow and bill from the wall, and stand roundabout thee and fight for thee. Only thou must not ask us to go hencefrom this place: for we know naught but the Plain of Abundance, and theedges of the wood, and the Brethren of the House of the Thorn, who arenot far hence. Now we pray thee by thy fathers not to naysay us, sosore as thou hast made our hearts. Also we see about thy neck thesame-like pair of beads which our Lady was wont to bear, and we deemthat ye were in one tale together. "

Then was Ralph silent awhile, but the Sage spake to the elder: "Oldman, how great is the loss of the Lady to you?" "Heavy loss, wise oldman, " said the carle, "as thou thyself mayst know, having known her. "

"And what did she for you?" said the Sage. Said the elder: "We knowthat she was gracious to us; never did she lay tax or tale on us, andwhiles she would give us of her store, and that often, and abundantly. We deem also that every time when she came to us our increase becamemore plenteous, which is well seen by this, that since she hath ceasedto come, the seasons have been niggard unto us. "

The Sage smiled somewhat, and the old man went on: "But chiefly theblessing was to see her when she came to us: for verily it seemed thatwhere she set her feet the grass grew greener, and that the flowersblossomed fairer where the shadow of her body fell. " And therewith theold man fell a-weeping again. 

The Sage held his peace, and Ralph still kept silence; and now of thesemen all the younger ones had their eyes upon Ursula. 

After a while Ralph spake and said: "O elder, and ye folk of thePeople of Abundance, true it is that your Lady who is dead loved me, and it is through her that I am become a Friend of the Well. Nowmeseemeth though ye have lost your Lady, whom ye so loved andworshipped, God wot not without cause, yet I wot not why ye now cry outfor a master, since ye dwell here in peace and quiet and all wealth, and the Fathers of the Thorn are here to do good to you. Yet, if yewill it in sooth, I will be called your Lord, in memory of your Ladywhom ye shall not see again. And as time wears I will come and look onyou and hearken to your needs: and if ye come to fear that any shouldfall upon you with the strong hand, then send ye a message to me, Ralphof Upmeads, down by the water, and I will come to you with suchfollowing as need be. And as for service, this only I lay upon you, that ye look to the Castle and keep it in good order, and ward itagainst thieves and runagates, and give guesting therein to anywandering knight or pilgrim, or honest goodman, who shall come to you. Now is all said, my masters, and I pray you let us depart in peace; fortime presses. "

Then all they (and this time women as well as men) cried out joyfully:"Hail to our lord! and long life to our helper. " And the women withaldrew nearer to him, and some came close up to him, as if they wouldtouch him or kiss his hand, but by seeming durst not, but stoodblushing before him, and he looked on them, smiling kindly. 

But the old man laid his hand on his knee and said: "Lord, wouldst thounot light down and enter thy Castle; for none hath more right there nowthan thou. The Prior of the Thorn hath told us that there is nolineage of the Lady left to claim it; and none other might ever haveclaimed it save the Baron of Sunway, whom thou hast slain. And elsewould we have slain him, since he slew our Lady. "

Ralph shook his head and said: "Nay, old friend, and new vassal, thiswe may not do: we must on speedily, for belike there is work for us todo nearer home. "

"Yea, Lord, " said the carle, "but at least light down and sit for awhile under this fair oak-tree in the heat of the day, and eat a morselwith us, and drink a cup, that thy luck may abide with us when thou artgone. "

Ralph would not naysay him; so he and all of them got off their horses, and sat down on the green grass under the oak: and that people gatheredabout and sat down by them, save that a many of the women went to theirhouses to fetch out the victual. Meanwhile the carles fell to speechfreely with the wayfarers, and told them much concerning their littleland, were it hearsay, or stark sooth: such as tales of the wightsthat dwelt in the wood, wodehouses, and elf-women, and dwarfs, and suchlike, and how fearful it were to deal with such creatures. Amongstother matters they told how a hermit, a holy man, had come to dwell inthe wood, in a clearing but a little way thence toward the north-west. But when Ralph asked if he dwelt on the way to the ford of the SwellingFlood, they knew not what he meant; for the wood was to them as a wall. 

Hereon the Sage held one of the younger men in talk, and taught himwhat he might of the way to the Burg of the Four Friths, so that theymight verily send a messenger to Upmeads if need were. But the countryyouth said there was no need to think thereof, as no man of theirswould dare the journey through the wood, and that if they had need of amessenger, one of the Fathers of the Thorn would do their errand, whereas they were holy men, and knew the face of the world full well. 

Now in this while the folk seemed to have gotten their courage again, and to be cheery, and to have lost their grief for the Lady: and of themaidens left about the oak were more than two or three very fair, whostood gazing at Ralph as if they were exceeding fain of him. 

But amidst these things came back the women with the victual; to witbread in baskets, and cheeses both fresh and old, and honey, andwood-strawberries, and eggs cooked diversely, and skewers of white woodwith gobbets of roasted lamb's flesh, and salad good plenty. All thesethey bore first to Ralph and Ursula, and their two fellows, and thendealt them to their own folk: and they feasted and were merry indespite of that tale of evil tidings. They brought also bowls andpitchers of wine that was good and strong, and cider of their orchards, and called many a health to the new Lord and his kindred. 

Thus then they abode a-feasting till the sun was westering and theshadows waxed about them, and then at last Ralph rose up and called tohorse, and the other wayfarers arose also, and the horses were led upto them. Then the maidens, made bold by the joy of the feast, andbeing stirred to the heart by much beholding of this beloved Lord, castoff their shamefacedness and crowded about him, and kissed his raimentand his hands: some even, though trembling, and more for love thanfear, prayed him for kisses, and he, nothing loath, laughed merrily andlaid his hands on their shoulders or took them by the chins, and sethis lips to the sweetness of their cheeks and their lips, of those thatasked and those that refrained; so that their hearts failed them forlove of him, and when he was gone, they knew not how to go back totheir houses, or the places that were familiar to them. Therewith heand his got into their saddles and rode away slowly, because of thethronging about them of that folk, who followed them to the edge of thewood, and even entered a little thereinto; and then stood gazing onRalph and his fellows after they had spurred on and were riding down aglade of the woodland. 

CHAPTER 17

They Fall in With That Hermit

So much had they tarried over this greeting and feasting, that thoughthey had hoped to have come to the hermit's house that night, he ofwhom that folk had told them, it fell not so, whereas the day had agedso much ere they left the Plain of Abundance that it began to duskbefore they had gone far, and they must needs stay and await the dawnthere; so they dight their lodging as well as they might, and lay downand slept under the thick boughs. 

Ralph woke about sunrise, and looking up saw a man standing over him, and deemed at first that it would be Richard or the Sage; but as hisvision cleared, he saw that it was neither of them, but a new comer; astout carle clad in russet, with a great staff in his hand and ashort-sword girt to his side. Ralph sprang up, still not utterlyawake, and cried out, "Who art thou, carle?" The man laughed, andsaid: "Yea, thou art still the same brisk lad, only filled out tosomething more warrior-like than of old. But it is unmeet to forgetold friends. Why dost thou not hail me?"

"Because I know thee not, good fellow, " said Ralph. But even as hespoke, he looked into the man's face again, and cried out: "By St. Nicholas! but it is Roger of the Ropewalk. But look you, fellow, if Ihave somewhat filled out, thou, who wast always black-muzzled, art nowbecome as hairy as a wodehouse. What dost thou in the wilds?" SaidRoger: "Did they not tell thee of a hermit new come to these shaws?""Yea, " said Ralph. "I am that holy man, " quoth Roger, grinning; "notthat I am so much of that, either. I have not come hither to pray orfast overmuch, but to rest my soul and be out of the way of men. Forall things have changed since my Lady passed away. "

He looked about, and saw Ursula just rising up from the ground and theSage stirring, while Richard yet hugged his bracken bed, snoring. Sohe said: "And who be these, and why hast thou taken to the wildwood?Yea lad, I see of thee, that thou hast gotten another Lady; and if mineeyes do not fail me she is fair enough. But there be others as fair;while the like to our Lady that was, there is none such. "

He fell silent a while, and Ralph turned about to the others, for bythis time Richard also was awake, and said: "This man is the hermit ofwhom we were told. "

Roger said: "Yea, I am the hermit and the holy man; and withal I havea thing to hear and a thing to tell. Ye were best to come with me, allof you, to my house in the woods; a poor one, forsooth, but there issomewhat of victual here, and we can tell and hearken therein wellsheltered and at peace. So to horse, fair folk. "

They would not be bidden twice, but mounted and went along with him, who led them by a thicket path about a mile, till they came to a lawnwhere-through ran a stream; and there was a little house in it, simpleenough, of one hall, built with rough tree-limbs and reed thatch. Hebrought them in, and bade them sit on such stools or bundles of stuffas were there. But withal he brought out victual nowise ill, though itwere but simple also, of venison of the wildwood, with some little dealof cakes baked on the hearth, and he poured for them also both milk andwine. 

They were well content with the banquet, and when they were full, Rogersaid: "Now, my Lord, like as oft befalleth minstrels, ye have had yourwages before your work. Fall to, then, and pay me the scot by tellingme all that hath befallen you since (woe worth the while!) my Ladydied, --I must needs say, for thy sake. "

"'All' is a big word, " said Ralph, "but I will tell thee somewhat. YetI bid thee take note that I and this ancient wise one, and my Ladywithal, deem that I am drawn by my kindred to come to their help, andthat time presses. "

Roger scowled somewhat on Ursula; but he said: "Lord and master, letnot that fly trouble thy lip. For so I deem of it, that whatsoevertime ye may lose by falling in with me, ye may gain twice as much againby hearkening my tale and the rede that shall go with it. And I dothee to wit that the telling of thy tale shall unfreeze mine; so tarrynot, if ye be in haste to be gone, but let thy tongue wag. "

Ralph smiled, and without more ado told him all that had befallen him;and of Swevenham and Utterbol, and of his captivity and flight; and ofthe meeting in the wood, and of the Sage (who there was), and of thejourney to the Well, and what betid there and since, and of the deathof the Champion of the Dry Tree. 

But when he had made an end, Roger said: "There it is, then, as I saidwhen she first spake to me of thee and bade me bring about that meetingwith her, drawing thee first to the Burg and after to the Castle ofAbundance, I have forgotten mostly by what lies; but I said to her thatshe had set her heart on a man over lucky, and that thou wouldst takeher luck from her and make it thine. But now I will let all that pass, and will bid thee ask what thou wilt; and I promise thee that I willhelp thee to come thy ways to thy kindred, that thou mayst put forththy luck in their behalf. "

Said Ralph: "First of all, tell me what shall I do to pass unhinderedthrough the Burg of the Four Friths?" Said Roger: "Thou shalt go in atone gate and out at the other, and none shall hinder thee. "

Said Ralph: "And shall I have any hindrance from them of the Dry Tree?"

Roger made as if he were swallowing down something, and answered: "Nay, none. "

"And the folk of Higham by the Way, and the Brethren and their Abbot?"said Ralph. 

"I know but little of them, " quoth Roger, "but I deem that they willmake a push to have thee for captain; because they have had war ontheir hands of late. But this shall be at thine own will to say yea ornay to them. But for the rest on this side of the shepherds' countryye will pass by peaceful folk. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "what then hath become of the pride and cruelty ofthe Burg of the Four Friths, and the eagerness and fierceness of theDry Tree?"

Quoth Roger: "This is the tale of it: After the champions of the DryTree had lost their queen and beloved, the Lady of Abundance, they wereboth restless and fierce, for the days of sorrow hung heavy on theirhands. So on a time a great company of them had ado with the Burgerssomewhat recklessly and came to the worse; wherefore some drew backinto their fastness of the Scaur and the others still rode on, andfurther west than their wont had been; but warily when they had theWood Perilous behind them, for they had learned wisdom again. Thusriding they had tidings of an host of the Burg of the Four Friths whowere resting in a valley hard by with a great train of captives andbeasts and other spoil: for they had been raising the fray against theWheat-wearers, and had slain many carles there, and were bringing hometo the Burg many young women and women-children, after their custom. So they of the Dry Tree advised them of these tidings, and deemed thatit would ease the sorrow of their hearts for their Lady if they coulddeal with these sons of whores and make a mark upon the Burg: so theylay hid while the daylight lasted, and by night and cloud fell uponthese faineants of the Burg, and won them good cheap, as was like tobe, though the Burg-dwellers were many the more. Whereof a many wereslain, but many escaped and gat home to the Burg, even as will lightlyhappen even in the worst of overthrows, that not all, or even the morepart be slain. 

"Well, there were the champions and their prey, which was very great, and especially of women, of whom the more part were young and fair: forthe women of the Wheat-wearers be goodly, and these had been picked outby the rutters of the Burg for their youth and strength and beauty. And whereas the men of the Dry Tree were scant of women at home, andsore-hearted because of our Lady, they forbore not these women, butfell to talking with them and loving them; howbeit in courteous andmanly fashion, so that the women deemed themselves in heaven and wereready to do anything to please their lovers. So the end of it was thatthe Champions sent messengers to Hampton and the Castle of the Scaur totell what had betid, and they themselves took the road to the land ofthe Wheat-wearers, having those women with them not as captives but asfree damsels. 

"Now the road to the Wheat-wearing country was long, and on the way thedamsels told their new men many things of their land and their unhappywars with them of the Burg and the griefs and torments which theyendured of them. And this amongst other things, that wherever theycame, they slew all the males even to the sucking babe, but spared thewomen, even when they bore them not into captivity. 

"'Whereof, ' said these poor damsels, 'it cometh that our land isill-furnished of carles, so that we women, high and low, go afield anddo many things, as crafts and the like, which in other lands are doneby carles. ' In sooth it seemed of them that they were both of stouterfashion, and defter than women are wont to be. So the champions, partin jest, part in earnest, bade them do on the armour of the slainBurgers, and take their weapons, and fell to teaching them how tohandle staff and sword and bow; and the women took heart from thevaliant countenance of their new lovers, and deemed it all bitterearnest enough, and learned their part speedily; and yet none too soon. For when the fleers of the Burg came home the Porte lost no time, butsent out another host to follow after the Champions and their spoil;for they had learned that those men had not turned about to Hamptonafter their victory, but had gone on to the Wheat-wearers. 

"So it befell that the host of the Burg came up with the Champions onthe eve of a summer day when there were yet three hours of daylight. But whereas they had looked to have an easy bargain of their foemen, since they knew the Champions to be but a few, lo! there was thehillside covered with a goodly array of spears and glaives and shininghelms. They marvelled; but now for very shame, and because they scarcecould help it, they fell on, and before sunset were scattered to thewinds again, and the fleers had to bear back the tale that the morepart of their foes were women of the Wheat-wearers; but this time fewwere those that came back alive to the Burg of the Four Friths; for thefreed captives were hot and eager in the chase, casting aside theirshields and hauberks that they might speed the better, and valuingtheir lives at naught if they might but slay a man or two of thetyrants before they died. 

"Thus was the Burg wounded with its own sword: but the matter stoppednot there: for when that victorious host of men and women came intothe land of the Wheat-wearers, all men fled away in terror at first, thinking that it was a new onset of the men of the Burg; and that allthe more, as so many of them bore their weapons and armour. But whenthey found out how matters had gone, then, as ye may deem, was thegreatest joy and exultation, and carles and queans both ran to arms andbade their deliverers learn them all that belonged to war, and saidthat one thing should not be lacking, to wit, the gift of their bodies, that should either lie dead in the fields, or bear about henceforth thesouls of free men. Nothing lothe, the Champions became their doctorsand teachers of battle, and a great host was drawn together; andmeanwhile the Champions had sent messengers again to Hampton tellingthem what was befallen, and asking for more men if they might be had. But the Burg-abiders were not like to sit down under their foil. Another host they sent against the Wheat-wearers, not so huge, as wellarrayed and wise in war. The Champions espied its goings, and knewwell that they had to deal with the best men of the Burg, and they metthem in like wise; for they chose the very best of the men and thewomen, and pitched on a place whence they might ward them well, andabode the foemen there; who failed not to come upon them, stout andstern and cold, and well-learned in all feats of war. 

"Long and bitter was the battle, and the Burgers were fierce withouthead-strong folly, and the Wheat-wearers deemed that if they blenchednow, they had something worse than death to look to. But in the endwhen both sides were grown weary and worn out, and yet neither wouldflee, on a sudden came into the field the help from the Dry Tree, avaliant company of riders to whom battle was but game and play. Thenindeed the men of the Burg gave back and drew out of the battle as bestthey might: yet were they little chased, save by the new-comers of theDry Tree, for the others were over weary, and moreover the leaders hadno mind to let the new-made warriors leave their vantage-ground lestthe old and tried men-at-arms of the Burg should turn upon them and putthem to the worse. 

"Men looked for battle again the next day; but it fell not out so; forthe host of the Burg saw that there was more to lose than to gain, sothey drew back towards their own place. Neither did they waste theland much; for the riders of the Dry Tree followed hard at heel, andcut off all who tarried, or strayed from the main battle. 

"When they were gone, then at last did the Wheat-wearers givethemselves up to the joy of their deliverance and the pleasure of theirnew lives: and one of their old men that I have spoken with told methis; that before when they were little better than the thralls of theBurg, and durst scarce raise a hand against the foemen, the carles werebut slow to love, and the queans, for all their fairness, cold and butlittle kind. However, now in the fields of the wheat-wearersthemselves all this was changed, and men and maids took to arrayingthemselves gaily as occasion served, and there was singing and dancingon every green, and straying of couples amongst the greenery of thesummer night; and in short the god of love was busy in the land, andmade the eyes seem bright, and the lips sweet, and the bosom fair, andthe arms sleek and the feet trim: so that every hour was full ofallurement; and ever the nigher that war and peril was, the moredelight had man and maid of each other's bodies. 

"Well, within a while the Wheat-wearers were grown so full of hope thatthey bade the men of the Dry Tree lead them against the Burg of theFour Friths, and the Champions were ready thereto; because they wottedwell, that, Hampton being disgarnished of men, the men of the Burgmight fall on it; and even if they took it not, they would beset allways and make riding a hard matter for their fellowship. So they fellto, wisely and deliberately, and led an host of the best of the carleswith them, and bade the women keep their land surely, so that theirhost was not a great many. But so wisely they led them that they camebefore the Burg well-nigh unawares; and though it seemed little likelythat they should take so strong a place, yet nought less befell. Forthe Burg-dwellers beset with cruelty and bitter anger cried out thatnow at last they would make an end of this cursed people, and thewhoreson strong-thieves their friends: so they went out a-gates a greatmultitude, but in worser order than their wont was; and there befellthat marvel which sometimes befalleth even to very valiant men, thatnow at the pinch all their valour flowed from them, and they fledbefore the spears had met, and in such evil order that the gates couldnot be shut, and their foemen entered with them slaying and slayingeven as they would. So that in an hour's space the pride and theestate of the Burg of the Four Friths was utterly fallen. Huge was theslaughter; for the Wheat-wearers deemed they had many a grief whereofto avenge them; nor were the men of the Dry Tree either sluggards orsaints to be careless of their foemen, or to be merciful in the battle:but at last the murder was stayed: and then the men of theWheat-wearers went from house to house in the town to find the women oftheir folk who had been made thralls by the Burgers. There then wasmany a joyful meeting betwixt those poor women and the men of theirkindred: all was forgotten now of the days of their thralldom, theirtoil and mocking and stripes; and within certain days all the sort ofthem came before the host clad in green raiment, and garlanded withflowers for the joy of their deliverance; and great feast was made tothem. 

"As for them of the Burg, the battle and chase over, no more wereslain, save that certain of the great ones were made shorter by thehead. But the Champions and the Wheat-wearers both, said that none ofthat bitter and cruel folk should abide any longer in the town; so thatafter a delay long enough for them to provide stuff for theirwayfaring, they were all thrust out a-gates, rich and poor, old andyoung, man, woman and child. Proudly and with a stout countenance theywent, for now was their valour come again to them. And it is like thatwe shall hear of them oft again; for though they had but a few weaponsamongst them when they were driven out of their old home, and neitherhauberk nor shield nor helm, yet so learned in war be they and somarvellous great of pride, that they will somehow get them weapons; andeven armed but with headless staves, and cudgels of the thicket, woebetide the peaceful folk whom they shall first fall on. Yea, fair sir, the day shall come meseemeth when folk shall call on thee to lead thehunt after these famished wolves, and when thou dost so, call on me totell thee tales of their doings which shall make thine heart hard, andthine hand heavy against them. "

"Meantime, " said Ralph, "what has betid to the Fellowship of the DryTree? for I see that thou hast some grief on thy mind because of them. "

Roger kept silence a little and then he said: "I grieve becauseHampton is no more a strong place of warriors; two or three carles anda dozen of women dwell now in the halls and chambers of the Scaur. Here on earth, all endeth. God send us to find the world without end!"

"What then, " said Ralph, "have they then had another great overthrow, worse than that other?" "Nay, " said Roger doggedly, "it is not so. ""But where is the Fellowship?" said Ralph. "It is scattered abroad, "quoth Roger. "For some of the Dry Tree had no heart to leave the womenwhom they had wooed in the Wheat-wearer's land: and some, and a greatmany, have taken their dears to dwell in the Burg of the Four Friths, whereas a many of the Wheat-wearers have gone to beget children on theold bondwomen of the Burgers; of whom there were some two thousandalive after the Burg was taken; besides that many women also came withthe carles from their own land. 

"So that now a mixed folk are dwelling in the Burg, partly of thosewomen-thralls, partly of carles and queans come newly from theWheat-wearers, partly of men of our Fellowship the more part of whomare wedded to queans of the Wheat-wearers, and partly of men, chapmenand craftsmen and others who have drifted into the town, having heardthat there is no lack of wealth there, and many fair women unmated. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "and is all this so ill?" Said Roger, "Meseems itis ill enough that there is no longer, rightly said, a Fellowship ofthe Dry Tree, though the men be alive who were once of thatfellowship. " "Nay, " said Ralph, "and why should they not make a newfellowship in the Burg, whereas they may well be peaceful, since theyhave come to their above of their foemen?"

"Yea, " said Roger slowly, "that is sooth; and so is this, that there inthe Burg they are a strong band, with a captain of their own, and muchworshipped of the peaceful folk; and moreover, though they be not cruelto torment helpless folk, or hard to make an end of all joy to-day, lest they lose their joy to-morrow, they now array all men in goodorder within the Burg, so that it shall be no easier for a foeman towin that erst it was. "

"What, man!" said Ralph, "then be of better cheer, and come thou withus, and may be the old steel of the champions may look on the sun downin Upmeads. Come thou with me, I say, and show me and my luck to someof thy fellows who are dwelling in the Burg, and it may be when thouhast told my tale to them, that some of them shall be content to leavetheir beds cold for a while, that they may come help a Friend of theWell in his need. "

Roger sat silent as if he were pondering the matter, while Richard andthe Sage, both of them, took up the word one after the other, and urgedhim to it. 

At last he said: "Well, so be it for this adventure. Only I say notthat I shall give up this hermitage and my holiness for ever. Comethou aside, wise man of Swevenham, and I shall tell thee wherefore. ""Yea, " said Ralph, laughing, "and when he hath told thee, tell me notagain; for sure I am that he is right to go with us, and belike shallbe wrong in his reason therefore. "

Roger looked a little askance at him, and he went without doors withthe Sage, and when they were out of earshot, he said to him: "Hearken, I would have gone with my lord at the first word, and have been fainthereof; but there is this woman that followeth him. At every turn sheshall mind me of our Lady that was; and I shall loath her, and herfairness and the allurements of her body, because I see of her, thatshe it is that hath gotten my Lady's luck, and that but for her my Ladymight yet have been alive. "

Said the Sage: "Well quoth my lord that thou wouldst give me a fool'sreason! What! dost not thou know, thou that knowest so much of theLady of Abundance, that she it was who ordained this Ursula to beRalph's bedmate, when she herself should be gone from him, were shedead or alive, and that she also should be a Friend of the Well, sothat he might not lack a fellow his life long? But this thou sayest, not knowing the mind of our Lady, and how she loved him in her inmostheart. "

Roger hung his head and spake not for a while, and then he said: "Well, wise man, I have said that I will go on this adventure, and I willsmooth my tongue for this while at least, and for what may comehereafter, let it be. And now we were best get to horse; for what withmeat and minstrelsy, we have worn away the day till it wants but alittle of noon. Go tell thy lord that I am ready. Farewell peace, andwelcome war and grudging!"

So the Sage went within, and came out with the others, and they mountedtheir horses anon, and Roger went ahead on foot, and led them throughthe thicket-ways without fumbling; and they lay down that night on thefarther side of the Swelling Flood. 

CHAPTER 18

A Change of Days in the Burg of the Four Friths

There is naught to tell of their ways till they came out of the thicketinto the fields about the Burg of the Four Friths; and even there was alook of a bettering of men's lives; though forsooth the husbandmenthere were much the same as had abided in the fields aforetime, whereasthey were not for the most part freemen of the Burg, but aliens who didservice in war and otherwise thereto. But, it being eventide, therewere men and women and children, who had come out of gates, walkingabout and disporting themselves in the loveliness of early summer, andthat in far merrier guise than they had durst do in the bygone days. Moreover, there was scarce a sword or spear to be seen amongst them, whereat Roger grudged somewhat, and Richard said: "Meseems this folktrusts the peace of the Burg overmuch since, when all is told, unpeaceis not so far from their borders. "

But as they drew a little nigher Ralph pointed out to his fellows thegleam of helms and weapons on the walls, and they saw a watchman oneach of the high towers of the south gate; and then quoth Roger: "Nay, the Burg will not be won so easily; and if a few fools get themselvesslain outside it is no great matter. "

Folk nowise let them come up to the gate unheeded, but gathered aboutthem to look at the newcomers, but not so as to hinder them, and theycould see that these summerers were goodly folk enough, and demeanedthem as though they had but few troubles weighing on them. But thewayfarers were not unchallenged at the gate, for a stout man-at-armsstayed them and said: "Ye ride somewhat late, friends. What are ye?"Quoth Ralph: "We be peaceful wayfarers save to them that would fall onus, and we seek toward Upmeads. " "Yea?" said the man, "belike ye shallfind something less than peace betwixt here and Upmeads, for rumourgoes that there are alien riders come into the lands of Higham, and foraught I know the said unpeace may spread further on. Well if ye willgo to the Flower de Luce and abide there this night, ye shall have alet-pass to-morn betimes. "

Then Ralph spake a word in Roger's ear, and Roger nodded his head, and, throwing his cowl aback, went up to the man-at-arms and said: "Stephena-Hurst, hast thou time for a word with an old friend?" "Yea, Roger, "said the man "is it verily thou? I deemed that thou hadst fled awayfrom all of us to live in the wilds. "

"So it was, lad, " said Roger, "but times change from good to bad andback again; and now am I of this good lord's company; and I shall tellthee, Stephen, that though he rideth but few to-day, yet merry shall hebe that rideth with him to-morrow if unpeace be in the land. Lo you, Stephen, this is the Child of Upmeads, whom belike thou hast heard of;and if thou wilt take me into the chamber of thy tower, I will tellthee things of him that thou wottest not. "

Stephen turned to Ralph and made obeisance to him and said: "Fair Sir, there are tales going about concerning thee, some whereof are strangeenow, but none of them ill; and I deem by the look of thee that thoushalt be both a stark champion and a good lord; and I deem that itshall be my good luck, if I see more of thee, and much more. Now ifthou wilt, pass on with thine other fellows to the Flower de Luce, andleave this my old fellow-in-arms with me, and he shall tell me of thymind; for I see that thou wouldest have somewhat of us; and since, Idoubt not by the looks of thee, that thou wilt not bid us aughtunknightly, when we know thy will, we shall try to pleasure thee. "

"Yea, Lord Ralph, " said Roger, "thou mayest leave all the business withme, and I will come to thee not later than betimes to-morrow, and letthee wot how matters have sped. And methinks ye may hope to wendout-a-gates this time otherwise than thou didest before. "

So Ralph gave him yeasay and thanked the man-at-arms and rode his wayswith the others toward the Flower de Luce, and whereas the sun was butnewly set, Ralph noted that the booths were gayer and the housesbrighter and more fairly adorned than aforetimes. As for the folk, they were such that the streets seemed full of holiday makers, sojoyous and well dight were they; and the women like to those fairthralls whom he had seen that other time, saving that they were notclad so wantonly, however gaily. They came into the great square, andthere they saw that the masons and builders had begun on the masterchurch to make it fairer and bigger; the people were sporting there asin the streets, and amongst them were some weaponed men, but the mostpart of these bore the token of the Dry Tree. 

So they entered the Flower de Luce, and had good welcome there, as ifthey were come home to their own house; for when its people saw such agoodly old man in the Sage, and so stout and trim a knight as wasRichard, and above all when they beheld the loveliness of Ralph andUrsula, they praised them open-mouthed, and could scarce make enough ofthem. And when they had had their meat and were rested came two of themaids there and asked them if it were lawful to talk with them; andRalph laughed and bade them sit by them, and eat a dainty morsel; andthey took that blushing, for they were fair and young, and Ralph's faceand the merry words of his mouth stirred the hearts within them: andforsooth it was not so much they that spake as Ursula and the Sage; forRalph was somewhat few spoken, whereas he pondered concerning thecoming days, and what he half deemed that he saw a-doing at Upmeads. But at last they found their tongues, and said how that already rumourwas abroad that they were in the Burg who had drunk of the Water of theWell at the World's End; and said one: "It is indeed a fair sight tosee you folk coming back in triumph; and so methinks will many deem ifye abide with us over to-morrow, and yet, Lady, for a while we arewell-nigh as joyous as ye can be, whereas we have but newly come intonew life also: some of us from very thralldom of the most grievous, andI am of those; and some of us in daily peril of it, like to my sisterhere. So mayhappen, " said she, smiling, "none of us shall seek to theWell until we have worn our present bliss a little threadbare. "

Ursula smiled on her, but the Sage said: "Mayhappen it is of no availspeaking of such things to a young and fair woman; but what wouldbetide you if the old Burgers were to come back and win their wallsagain?" The maid who had been a thrall changed countenance at hisword; but the other one said: "If the Burgers come back, they will findthem upon the walls who have already chaced them. Thou mayst deem meslim and tender, old wise man; but such as mine arm is, it has upheavedthe edges against the foe; and if it be a murder to slay a Burger, thenam I worthy of the gallows. " "Yea, yea, " quoth Richard, laughing, "yeshall be double-manned then in this good town: ye may well win, unlessthe sight of you shall make the foe over fierce for the gain. "

Said the Sage "It is well, maiden, and if ye hold to that, and keepyour carles in the same road, ye need not to fear the Burgers: and tosay sooth, I have it in my mind, that before long ye shall have bothwar and victory. "

Then Ralph seemed to wake up as from a dream, and he arose, and said:"Thou art in the right, Sage, and to mine eyes it seemeth that boththou and I shall be sharers in the war and the victory. " And therewithhe fell to striding up and down the hall, while the two maidens satgazing on him with gleaming eyes and flushed cheeks. 

But in a little while he came back to his seat and sat him down, andfell to talk with the women, and asked them of the town and thebuilding therein, and the markets, whether they throve; and they andtwo or three of the townsmen or merchants answered all, and told himhow fair their estate was, and how thriving was the lot of one and allwith them. Therewith was Ralph well pleased, and they sat talkingthere in good fellowship till the night was somewhat worn, and all menfared to bed. 

CHAPTER 19

Ralph Sees Hampton and the Scaur

When it was morning Ralph arose and went into the hall of the hostelry, and even as he entered it the outside door opened, and in came Roger, and Richard with him (for he had been astir very early) and Roger, whowas armed from head to foot and wore a coat of the Dry Tree, cried out:"Now, Lord, thou wert best do on thy war-gear, for thou shalt presentlybe captain of an host. " "Yea, Roger, " quoth Ralph, "and hast thou donewell?" "Well enough, " said Richard; "thine host shall not be a greatone, but no man in it will be a blencher, for they be all champions ofthe Dry Tree. "

"Yea, " quoth Roger, "so it was that Stephen a-Hurst brought me to acompany of my old fellows, and we went all of us together to theCaptain of the Burg (e'en he of the Dry Tree, who in these latest daysis made captain of all), and did him to wit that thou hadst a need; andwhereas he, as all of us, had heard of the strokes that thou struckestin the wood that day when thy happiness first began, (woe worth thewhile!) he stickled not to give some of us leave to look on thehand-play with thee. But soft, my Lord! abound not in thanks as yet, till I tell thee. The said Captain hath gotten somewhat of the mind ofa chapman by dwelling in a town, 'tis like (the saints forgive me forsaying so!) and would strike a bargain with thee. " "Yea, " said Ralph, smiling, "I partly guess what like the bargain is; but say thou. "

Said Roger: "I like not his bargain, not for thy sake but mine own;this it is, that we shall ride, all of us who are to be of thyfellowship, to the Castle of the Scaur to-day, and there thy Lady shallsit in the throne whereas in past days our Lady and Queen was wont tosit; and that thou shalt swear upon her head, that whensoever hebiddeth thee come to the help of the Burg of the Four Friths and thetribes of the Wheat-wearers, thou shalt come in arms by the straightestroad with such fellowship as thou mayst gather; and if thou wilt so do, we of the Dry Tree who go with thee on this journey are thine to saveor to spend by flood or field, or castle wall, amidst the edges and theshafts and the fire-flaught. What sayest thou--thou who art lucky, andhast of late become wise? And I will tell thee, that though I hope itnot, yet I would thou shouldst naysay it; for it will be hard for me tosee another woman sitting in our Lady's seat: yea, to see her sittingthere, who hath stolen her luck. "

Said Ralph: "Now this proffer of the Captain's I call friendly andknightly, and I will gladly swear as he will; all the more as withoutany oath I should never fail him whensoever he may send for me. As forthee, Roger, ride with us if thou wilt, and thou shalt be welcome bothin the company, and at the High House of Upmeads whenso we come there. "

Then was Roger silent, but nowise abashed; and as they spoke they heardthe tramp of horses and the clash of weapons, and they saw through theopen door three men-at-arms riding up to the house; so Ralph went outto welcome them; they were armed full well in bright armour, and theircoats were of the Dry Tree, and were tall men and warrior-like. Theyhailed Ralph as captain, and he gave them the sele of the day and badecome in and drink a cup; so did they, but they were scarce off theirhorses ere there came another three, and then six together, and so oneafter other till the hall of the Flower de Luce was full of the gleamof steel and clash of armour, and the lads held their horses withoutand were merry with the sight of the stalwart men-at-arms. Now comethUrsula down from her chamber clad in her bravery; and when they saw herthey set up a shout for joy of her, so that the rafters rang again; butshe laughed for pleasure of them, and poured them out the wine, tillthey were merrier with the sight of her than with the good liquor. 

Now Roger comes to Ralph and tells him that he deems his host hath cometo the last man. Then Ralph armed him, and those two maidens broughthim his horse, and they mount all of them and draw up in the Square;and Roger and Stephen a-Hurst array them, for they were chosen of themas leaders along with Ralph, and Richard, whom they all knew, at leastby hearsay. Then Roger drew from his pouch a parchment, and read theroll of names, and there was no man lacking, and they were threescoresave five, besides Roger and the way-farers, and never was a band oflike number seen better; and Richard said softly unto Ralph: "If wehad a few more of these, I should care little what foemen we shouldmeet in Upmeads: soothly, my lord, they had as well have ridden intored Hell as into our green fields. " "Fear not, Richard, " said Ralph, "we shall have enough. "

So then they rode out of the Square and through the streets to theNorth Gate, and much folk was abroad to look on them, and they blessedthem as they went, both carles and queans; for the rumour was towardthat there was riding a good and dear Lord and a Friend of the Well toget his own again from out of the hands of the aliens. 

Herewith they ride a little trot through the Freedom of the Burg, andwhen they were clear of it they turned aside from the woodland highwaywhereon Ralph had erst ridden with Roger and followed the rides a goodway till it was past noon, when they came into a very close thicketwhere there was but a narrow and winding way whereon two men might notride abreast, and Roger said: "Now, if we were the old Burgers, and theDry Tree still holding the Scaur, we should presently know whatsteel-point dinner meaneth; if the dead could rise out of their gravesto greet their foemen, we should anon be a merry company here. But atlast they learned the trick, and were wont to fetch a compass roundabout Grey Goose Thicket as it hight amongst us. "

"Well, " said Ralph, "but how if there by any waylaying us; the Burgersmay be wiser still than thou deemest, and ye may have learned them morethan thou art minded to think. "

"Nay, " said Roger, "I bade a half score turn aside by the thicket pathon our left hands; that shall make all sure; but indeed I look for nolurkers as yet. In a month's time that may betide, but not yet; notyet. But tell me, fair Sir, have ye any deeming of where thou maystget thee more folk who be not afraid of the hard hand-play? For Richardhath been telling me that there be tidings in the air. "

Said Ralph: "If hope play me not false, I look to gather some stoutcarles of the Shepherd Country. " "Yea, " said Roger, "but I shall tellthee that they have been at whiles unfriends of the Dry Tree. " SaidRalph: "I think they will be friends unto me. " "Then it shall dowell, " said Roger, "for they be good in a fray. "

So talked they as they rode, but ever Roger would give no heed toUrsula. But made as if he wotted not that she was there, though everand anon Ralph would be turning back to speak to her and help herthrough the passes. 

At last the thicket began to dwindle, and presently riding out of alittle valley or long trench on to a ridge nearly bare of trees, theysaw below them a fair green plain, and in the midst of it a great heapof grey rocks rising out of it like a reef out of the sea, and on thesaid reef, and climbing up as it were to the topmost of it, the whitewalls of a great castle, the crown whereof was a huge round tower. Atthe foot of the ridge was a thorp of white houses thatched with strawscattered over a good piece of the plain. The company drew rein on theridge-top, and the Champions raised a great shout at the sight of theirold strong-place; and Roger turned to Ralph and said: "Fair Sir, howdeemest thou of the Castle of the Scaur?" but Richard broke in: "For mypart, friend Roger, I deem that ye do like to people unlearned in warto leave the stronghold ungarnished of men. This is a fool's deed. ""Nay, nay, " said Roger, "we need not be over-hasty, while it is ourchief business to order the mingled folk of the Wheat-wearers andothers who dwell in the Burg as now. "

Then spake Ralph: "Yet how wilt thou say but that the foemen whom wego to meet in Upmeads may be some of those very Burgers: hast thouheard whether they have found a new dwelling among some unhappy folk, or be still roving: maybe they shall deem Upmeads fair. "

Spake Michael a-Hurst: "By thy leave, fair Sir, we have had a word ofthose riders and strong-thieves that they have fetched a far compass, and got them armour, and be come into the woodland north of the WoodDebateable. For like all strong-thieves, they love the wood. "

Roger laughed: "Yea, as we did, friend Michael, when we were thieves;whereas now we be lords and gentlemen. But as to thy tidings, I setnot much by them; for of the same message was this word that they hadalready fallen on Higham by the Way; and we know that this cannot betrue; since though forsooth the Abbot has had unpeace on his hands, weknow where his foemen came from, the West to wit, and the BandedBarons. "

"Yea, yea, " quoth the Sage, "but may not the Burgers have taken servicewith them?" "Yea, forsooth, " quoth Roger, "but I deem not, or we hadbeen surer thereof. "

Thus they spake, and they lighted down all of them to breathe theirhorses, and Ursula spake with Ralph as they walked the greenswardtogether a little apart, and said: "Sweetheart, I am afraid of to-day. "

"Yea, dear, " said he, "and wherefore?" She said: "It will be hard forme to enter that grim house yonder, and sit in the seat whence I waserewhile threatened by the evil hag with hair like a grey she-bear. "

He made much of her and said: "Yet belike a Friend of the Well mayovercome this also; and withal the hall shall be far other to-day whenit was. "

She looked about on the warriors as they lay on the grass or loiteredby their horses; then she smiled, and her face lightened, and shereddened and cast down her eyes and said: "Yea, that is sooth; that daythere were few men in the hall, and they old and evil of semblance. Itwas a band of women who took me in the thorp and brought me up into theCastle, and mishandled me there, and cast me into prison there; whereasthese be good fellows, and frank and free of aspect. But O, my heart, look thou how fearful the piled-up rocks rise from the plain and thewalls wind up amongst them; and that huge tower, the crown of all!Surely there is none more fearful in the world. "

He kissed her and laughed merrily, and said: "Yea, sweetheart, andthere will be another change in the folk of the hall when we come therethis time, to wit, that thou shouldst not be alone therein, even wereall these champions, and Richard and the Sage away from thee. Wiltthou tell me how that shall be?"

She turned to him and kissed him and caressed him, and then they turnedback again toward their fellows, for by now they had walked together agood way along the ridge. 

So then they gat to horse again and rode into the thorp, where men andwomen stood about to behold them, and made them humble reverence asthey passed by. So rode they to the bailly of the Castle; and if thatstronghold looked terrible from the ridge above, tenfold more terribleof aspect it was when the upper parts were hidden by the grey rocks, and they so huge and beetling, and though the sun was bright aboutthem, and they in the midst of their friends, yet even Ralph feltsomewhat of dread creep over him: yet he smiled cheerfully as Ursulaturned an anxious face on him. They alighted from their horses in thebailly, for over steep for horse-hoofs was the walled way upward; andas they began to mount, even the merry Champions hushed their holidayclamour for awe of the huge stronghold, and Ralph took Ursula by thehand, and she sidled up to him, and said softly: "Yea, it was herethey drave me up, those women, thrusting and smiting me; and some wouldhave stripped off my raiment, but one who seemed the wisest, said, 'Nay, leave her till she come before the ancient Lady, for her gear maybe a token of whence she is, and whither, if she be come as a spy. ' SoI escaped them for that moment. And now I wonder what we shall find inthe hall when we come in thither. It is somewhat like to me, as whenone gets up from bed in the dead night, when all is quiet and the moonis shining, and goes out of the chamber into the hall, and coming back, almost dreads to see some horror lying in one's place amid the familiarbedclothes. "

And she grew paler as she spake. Then Ralph comforted her and trimmedhis countenance to a look of mirth, but inwardly he was ill at ease. 

So up they went and up, till they came to a level place whereon wasbuilt the chief hall and its chambers: there they stood awhile tobreathe them before the door, which was rather low than great; andUrsula clung to Ralph and trembled, but Ralph spake in her ear: "Takeheart, my sweet, or these men, and Roger in especial, will think theworse of thee; and thou a Friend of the Well. What! here is naught tohurt thee! this is naught beside the perils of the desert, and theslaves and the evil lord of Utterbol. " "Yea, " she said, "but meseemethI loved thee not so sore as now I do. O friend, I am become a weakwoman and unvaliant, and there is naught in me but love of thee, andlove of life because of thee; nor dost thou know altogether what befellme in that hall. "

But Ralph turned about and cried out in a loud, cheerful voice: "Let usenter, friends! and lo you, I will show the Champions of the Dry Treethe way into their own hall and high place. " Therewith he thrust thedoor open, for it was not locked, and strode into the hall, stillleading Ursula by the hand, and all the company followed him, the clashof their armour resounding through the huge building. Though it waslong, it was not so much that it was long as that it was broad, andexceeding high, so that in the dusk of it the great vault of the roofwas dim and misty. There was no man therein, no halling on its walls, no benches nor boards, naught but the great standing table of stone onthe dais, and the stone high-seat amidst of it: and the place didverily seem like the house and hall of a people that had died out inone hour because of their evil deeds. 

They stood still a moment when they were all fairly within doors, andRoger thrust up to Ralph and said, but softly: "The woman isblenching, and all for naught; were it not for the oath, we had besthave left her in the thorp: I fear me she will bring evil days on ourold home with her shivering fear. How far otherwise came our Lady inhither when first she came amongst us, when the Duke of us found her inthe wood after she had been thrust out from Sunway by the Baron whomthou slewest afterward. Our Duke brought her in hither wrapped up inhis knight's scarlet cloak, and went up with her on to the dais; butwhen she came thither, she turned about and let her cloak fall toearth, and stood there barefoot in her smock, as she had been cast outinto the wildwood, and she spread abroad her hands, and cried out in aloud voice as sweet as the May blackbird, 'May God bless this House andthe abode of the valiant, and the shelter of the hapless. '"

Said Ursula (and her voice was firm and the colour come back to hercheeks now, while Ralph stood agaze and wondering): "Roger, thou lovestme little, meseemeth, though if I did less than I do, I should doagainst the will of thy Lady that was Queen in this hall. But tell me, Roger, where is gone that other one, the fearful she-bear of this crag, who sat in yonder stone high-seat, and roared at me and mocked me, andgave me over into the hands of her tormentors, who haled me away to theprison wherefrom thy very Lady delivered me?"

"Lady, " said Roger, "the tale of her is short since the day thou sawesther herein. On the day when we first had the evil tidings of theslaying of my Lady we were sad at heart, and called to mind ancienttransgressions against us; therefore we fell on the she-bear, as thoucallest her, and her company of men and women, and some we slew andsome we thrust forth; but as to her, I slew her not three feet fromwhere thou standest now. A rumour there is that she walketh, and itmay be so; yet in the summer noon ye need not look to see her. "

Ralph said coldly: "Roger, let us be done with minstrels' tales; leadme to the place where the oath is to be sworn, for time presses. "

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere Roger strode forward and gathim on to the dais and went hastily to the wall behind the high-seat, whence he took down a very great horn, and set it to his lips andwinded it loudly thrice, so that the great and high hall was full ofits echoes. Richard started thereat and half drew his sword; but theSage put his hand upon the hilts, and said: "It is naught, let theedges lie quiet. " Ursula stared astonished, but now she quaked no more;Ralph changed not countenance a wit, and the champions of the Tree madeas if naught had been done that they looked not for. But thereaftercried Roger from the dais: "This is the token that the men of the DryTree are met for matters of import; thus is the Mote hallowed. Come uphither, ye aliens, and ye also of the fellowship, that the oath may besworn, and we may go our ways, even as the alien captain biddeth. "

Then Ralph took Ursula's hand again, and went up the hall calmly andproudly, and the champions followed with Richard and the Sage. Ralphand Ursula went up on to the dais, and he set down Ursula in the stonehigh-seat, and even in the halldusk a right fair-coloured picture shelooked therein; for she was clad in a goodly green gown broidered withflowers, and a green cloak with gold orphreys over it; her hair wasspread abroad over her shoulders, and on her head was a garland ofroses which the women of the Flower de Luce had given her; so there shesat with her fair face, whence now all the wrinkles of trouble and fearwere smoothed out, looking like an image of the early summer-tideitself. And the champions looked on her and marvelled, and onewhispered to the other that it was their Lady of aforetime come backagain; only Roger, who had now gone back to the rest of the fellowship, cast his eyes upon the ground, and muttered. 

Now Ralph draws his sword, and lays it naked on the stone table, and hestood beside Ursula and said: "Champions of the Dry Tree, by the bladeof Upmeads which lieth here before me, and by the head which I lovebest in the world, and is best worthy of love" (and herewith he laidhis hand on Ursula's head), "I swear that whensoever the Captain of theDry Tree calleth on me, whether I be eating or drinking, abed orstanding on my feet, at peace or at war, glad or sorry, I shall do myutmost to come to his aid straightway with whatso force I may gather. Is this rightly sworn, Champions?"

Said Stephen a-Hurst: "It is sworn well and knightly, and now comethour oath. "

"Nay, " said Ralph, "I had no mind to drive a bargain with you; yourdeeds shall prove you; and I fear not for your doughtiness. "

Said Stephen: "Yea, Lord; but he bade us swear to thee. Reach me thysword, I pray thee. "

Then Ralph reached him his sword across the great stone table, andStephen took it, and kissed the blade and the hilts; and then lifted uphis voice and said: "By the hilts and the blade, by the point and theedge, we swear to follow the Lord Ralph of Upmeads for a year and aday, and to do his will in all wise. So help us God and Allhallows!"

And therewith he gave the sword to the others, and each man of themkissed it as he had. 

But Ralph said: "Champions, for this oath I thank you all heartily. But it is not my meaning that I should hold you by me for a year, whereas I deem I shall do all that my kindred may need in three days'space from the first hour wherein we set foot in Upmeads. "

Stephen smiled friendly at him and nodded, and said: "That may wellbe; but now to make a good end of this mote I will tell thee a thing;to wit, that our Captain, yea, and all we, are minded to try thee bythis fray in Upmeads, now we know that thou hast become a Friend of theWell. And if thou turn out as we deem is likest, we will give theethis Castle of the Scaur, for thee and those that shall spring from thyloins; for we deem that some such man as thou will be the only one tohold it worthily, and in such wise as it may be a stronghold againsttyrants and for the helping of peaceable folk; since forsooth, we ofthe Dry Tree have heard somewhat of the Well at the World's End, andtrow in the might thereof. "

He made an end; and Ralph kept silence and pondered the matter. ButRoger lifted up his head and broke in, and said: "Yea, yea! that isit: we are all become men of peace, we riders of the Dry Tree!" And helaughed withal, but as one nowise best pleased. 

But as Ralph was gathering his words together, and Ursula was lookingup to him with trouble in her face again, came a man of the thorprushing into the hall, and cried out: "O, my lords! there are weaponedmen coming forth from the thicket. Save us, we pray you, for we areill-weaponed and men of peace. "

Roger laughed, and said: "Eh, good man! So ye want us back again?But my Lord Ralph, and thou Richard, and thou Stephen, come ye to theshot-window here, that giveth on to the forest. We are high up here, and we shall see all as clearly as in a good mirror. Hast thou shutthe gates, carle?" "Yea, Lord Roger, " quoth he, "and there are somefifty of us together down in the base-court. "

Ralph and Richard and Stephen looked forth from the shot window, andsaw verily a band of men riding down the bent into the thorp, andRalph, who as aforesaid was far-sighted and clear-sighted, said: "Yea, it is strange: but without doubt these are riders of the Dry Tree; andthey seem to me to be some ten-score. Thou Stephen, thou Roger, what isto hand? Is your Captain wont to give a gift and take it back. . . Andsomewhat more with it?" Stephen looked abashed at his word; and Rogerhung his head again. 

But therewith the Sage drew up to them and said: "Be not dismayed, Lord Ralph. What wert thou going to say to the Champions when thiscarle brake in?"

"This, " said Ralph, "that I thanked the Dry Tree heartily for its gift, but that meseemed it naught wise to leave this stronghold disgarnishedof men till I can come or send back from Upmeads. "

Stephen's face cleared at the word, and he said: "I bid thee believeit, lord, that there is no treason in our Captain's heart; and that ifthere were I would fight against him and his men on thy behalf. " AndRoger, though in a somewhat surly voice, said the like. 

Ralph thought a little, and then he said: "It is well; go we down andout of gates to meet them, that we may the sooner get on our way toUpmeads. " And without more words he went up to Ursula and took her handand went out of the hall, and down the rock-cut stair, and all theywith him. And when they came into the Base-court, Ralph spoke to thecarles of the thorp, who stood huddled together sore afeard, and said:"Throw open the gates. These riders who have so scared you are naughtelse than the Champions of the Dry Tree who are coming back to theirstronghold that they may keep you sure against wicked tyrants who wouldoppress you. "

The carles looked askance at one another, but straightway opened thegates, and Ralph and his company went forth, and abode the new-comerson a little green mound half a bowshot from the Castle. Ralph sat downon the grass and Ursula by him, and she said: "My heart tells me thatthese Champions are no traitors, however rough and fierce they havebeen, and still shall be if occasion serve. But O, sweetheart, howdear and sweet is this sunlit greensward after yonder grim hold. Surely, sweet, it shall never be our dwelling?"

"I wot not, beloved, " said he; "must we not go and dwell where deedsshall lead us? and the hand of Weird is mighty. But lo thou, here arethe newcomers to hand!"

So it was as he said, and presently the whole band came before them, and they were all of the Dry Tree, stout men and well weaponed, andthey had ridden exceeding fast, so that their horses were somewhatspent. A tall man very gallantly armed, who rode at their head, leaptat once from his horse and came up to Ralph and hailed him, and Rogerand Stephen both made obeisance to him. Ralph, who had risen up, hailed him in his turn, and the tall man said: "I am the Captain ofthe Dry Tree for lack of a better; art thou Ralph of Upmeads, fairsir?" "Even so, " said Ralph. 

Said the Captain: "Thou wilt marvel that I have ridden after thee onthe spur; so here is the tale shortly. Your backs were not turned onthe walls of the Burg an hour, ere three of my riders brought in to mea man who said, and gave me tokens of his word being true, that he hadfallen in with a company of the old Burgers in the Wood Debateable, which belike thou wottest of. "

"All we of Upmeads wot of it, " said Ralph. "Well, " said the Captain, "amongst these said Burgers, who were dwelling in the wildwood insummer content, the word went free that they would gather to them otherbands of strong-thieves who haunt that wood, and go with them uponUpmeads, and from Upmeads, when they were waxen strong, they would fallupon Higham by the Way, and thence with yet more strength on their olddwelling of the Burg. Now whereas I know that thou art of Upmeads, andalso what thou art, and what thou hast done, I have ridden after theeto tell thee what is toward. But if thou deemest I have brought theeall these riders it is not wholly so. For it was borne into my mindthat our old stronghold was left bare of men, and I knew not what mightbetide; and that the more, as more than one man has told us how thatanother band of the disinherited Burgers have fallen upon Higham or thelands thereof, and Higham is no great way hence; so that some fivescore of these riders are to hold our Castle of the Scaur, and the restare for thee to ride afield with. As for the others, thou hast beentold already that the Scaur, and Hampton therewith is a gift from us tothee; for henceforward we be the lords of the Burg of the Four Friths, and that is more than enough for us. "

Ralph thanked the Captain for this, and did him to wit that he wouldtake the gift if he came back out the Upmeads fray alive: said he, "With thee and the Wheat-wearers in the Burg, and me in the Scaur, nostrong-thief shall dare lift up his hand in these parts. "

The Captain smiled, and Ralph went on: "And now I must needs ask theefor leave to depart; which is all the more needful, whereas thy menhave over-ridden their horses, and we must needs go a soft pace till wecome to Higham. "

"Yea, art thou for Higham, fair sir?" said the Captain. "That is well;for ye may get men therefrom, and at the least it is like that ye shallhear tidings: as to my men and their horses, this hath been looked to. For five hundred good men of the Wheat-wearers, men who have notlearned the feat of arms a-horseback, are coming through the woodshither to help ward thy castle, fair lord; they will be here in somethree hours' space and will bring horses for thy five score men, therefore do ye but ride softly to Higham and if these sergeants catchup with you it is well, but if not, abide them at Higham. "

"Thanks have thou for this once more, " said Ralph; "and now I have nomore word than this for thee; that I will come to thee at thy leastword, and serve thee with all that I have, to my very life if need be. And yet I must say this, that I wot not why ye and these others arebecome to me, who am alien to you, as very brothers. " Said theCaptain: "There is this to be said of it, as was aforesaid, that all wecount thy winning of the Well at the World's End as valiancy in thee, yea, and luck withal. But, moreover, she who was Our Lady would havehad thee for her friend had she lived, and how then could we be lessthan friends to thee? Depart in peace, my friend, and we look to seethee again in a little while. "

Therewith he kissed him, and bade farewell; and Ralph bade his band tohorse, and they were in the saddle in a twinkling, and rode away fromHampton at a soft pace. 

But as they went, Ralph turned to Ursula and said: "And now belikeshall we see Bourton Abbas once more, and the house where first I sawthee. And O how sweet thou wert! And I was so happy and so young. "

"Yea, " she said, "and sorely I longed for thee, and now we have longbeen together, as it seemeth; and yet that long space shall be but alittle while of our lives. But, my friend, as to Bourton Abbas, Imisdoubt me of our seeing it; for there is a nigher road by the by-waysto Higham, which these men know, and doubtless that way we shall wend:and I am glad thereof; for I shall tell thee, that somewhat I fear thatthorp, lest it should lay hold of me, and wake me from a dream. "

"Yea, " said Ralph, "but even then, belike thou shouldst find me besidethee; as if I had fallen asleep in the ale-house, and dreamed of theWell at the World's End, and then awoke and seen the dear barefootmaiden busying her about her house and its matters. That were naughtso ill. "

"Ah, " she said, "look round on thy men, and think of the might of warthat is in them, and think of the deeds to come. But O how I wouldthat these next few days were worn away, and we yet alive for a longwhile. "

CHAPTER 20

They Come to the Gate of Higham By the Way

It was as Ursula had deemed, and they made for Higham by the shortestroad, so that they came before the gate a little before sunset: to thevery gate they came not; for there were strong barriers before it, andmen-at-arms within them, as though they were looking for an onfall. And amongst these were bowmen who bended their bows on Ralph and hiscompany. So Ralph stayed his men, and rode up to the barriers withRichard and Stephen a-Hurst, all three of them bare-headed with theirswords in the sheaths; and Stephen moreover bearing a white cloth on atruncheon. Then a knight of the town, very bravely armed, came forthfrom the barriers and went up to Ralph, and said: "Fair sir, art thoua knight?" "Yea, " said Ralph. Said the knight, "Who be ye?" "I hightRalph of Upmeads, " said Ralph, "and these be my men: and we pray theefor guesting in the town of my Lord Abbot to-night, and leave to departto-morrow betimes. "

"O unhappy young man, " said the knight, "meseems these men be not somuch thine as thou art theirs; for they are of the Dry Tree, and beartheir token openly. Wilt thou then lodge thy company of strong-thieveswith honest men?"

Stephen a-Hurst laughed roughly at this word, but Ralph said mildly:"These men are indeed of the Dry Tree, but they are my men and under myrule, and they be riding on my errands, which be lawful. "

The knight was silent a while and then he said: "Well, it may be so;but into this town they come not, for the tale of them is over long forhonest men to hearken to. "

Even as he spake, a man-at-arms somewhat evilly armed shoved throughthe barriers, thrusting aback certain of his fellows, and, coming up toRalph, stood staring up into his face with the tears starting into hiseyes. Ralph looked a moment, and then reached down his arms to embracehim, and kissed his face; for lo! it was his own brother Hugh. Withalhe whispered in his ear: "Get thee behind us, Hugh, if thou wilt comewith us, lad. " So Hugh passed on quietly toward the band, while Ralphturned to the knight again, who said to him, "Who is that man?" "He ismine own brother, " said Ralph. "Be he the brother of whom he will, "said the knight, "he was none the less our sworn man. Ye fools, " saidhe, turning toward the men in the barrier, "why did ye not slay him?""He slipped out, " said they, "before we wotted what he was about. " Saidthe knight, "Where were your bows, then?"

Said a man: "They were pressing so hard on the barrier, that we couldnot draw a bowstring. Besides, how might we shoot him without hittingthee, belike?"

The knight turned toward Ralph, grown wroth and surly, and that themore he saw Stephen and Richard grinning; he said: "Fair sir, ye havestrengthened the old saw that saith, Tell me what thy friends are, andI will tell thee what thou art. Thou hast stolen our man with not aword on it. "

"Fair sir, " said Ralph, "meseemeth thou makest more words than enoughabout it. Shall I buy my brother of thee, then? I have a good fewpieces in my pouch. " The captain shook his head angrily. 

"Well, " said Ralph, "how can I please thee, fair sir?"

Quoth the knight: "Thou canst please me best by turning thy horses'heads away from Higham, all the sort of you. " He stepped back towardthe barriers, and then came forward again, and said: "Look you, man-at-arms, I warn thee that I trust thee not, and deem that thouliest. Now have I mind to issue out and fall upon you: for ye shall beevil guests in my Lord Abbot's lands. "

Now at last Ralph waxed somewhat wroth, and he said: "Come out then, ifyou will, and we shall meet you man for man; there is yet light on thislily lea, and we will do so much for thee, churl though thou be. "

But as he spoke, came the sounds of horns, and lo, over the bent showedthe points of spears, and then all those five-score of the Dry Treewhom the captain had sent after Ralph came pouring down the bent. Theknight looked on them under the sharp of his hand, till he saw the DryTree on their coats also, and then he turned and gat him hastily intothe barriers; and when he was amongst his own men he fell to roaringout a defiance to Ralph, and a bolt flew forth, and two or threeshafts, but hurt no one. Richard and Stephen drew their swords, butRalph cried out: "Come away, friends, tarry not to bicker with thesefools, who are afraid of they know not what: it is but lying under thenaked heaven to-night instead of under the rafters, but we have alllodged thus a many times: and we shall be nigher to our journey's endto-morrow when we wake up. "

Therewith he turned his horse with Richard and Stephen and came to hisown men. There was much laughter and jeering at the Abbot's men amidstof the Dry Tree, both of those who had ridden with Ralph, and thenew-comers; but they arrayed them to ride further in good order, andpresently were skirting the walls of Higham out of bow-shot, and makingfor the Down country by the clear of the moon. The sergeants hadgotten a horse for Hugh, and by Ralph's bidding he rode beside him asthey went their ways, and the two brethren talked together lovingly. 

CHAPTER 21

Talk Between Those Two Brethren

Ralph asked Hugh first if he wotted aught of Gregory their brother. Hugh laughed and pointed to Higham, and said: "He is yonder. " "What, "said Ralph, "in the Abbot's host?" "Yea, " said Hugh, laughing again, "but in his spiritual, not his worldly host: he is turned monk, brother; that is, he is already a novice, and will be a brother of theAbbey in six months' space. " Said Ralph: "And Launcelot Long-tongue, thy squire, how hath he sped?" Said Hugh: "He is yonder also, but inthe worldly host, not the spiritual: he is a sergeant of theirs, andsomewhat of a catch for them, for he is no ill man-at-arms, as thouwottest, and besides he adorneth everything with words, so that menhearken to him gladly. " "But tell me, " said Ralph, "how it befalleththat the Abbot's men of war be so churlish, and chary of the inside oftheir town; what have they to fear? Is not the Lord Abbot still amighty man?" Hugh shook his head: "There hath been a change of days atHigham; though I say not but that the knights are over careful, andmuch over fearful. " "What has the change been?" said Ralph. Hughsaid: "In time past my Lord Abbot was indeed a mighty man, and boththis town of Higham was well garnished of men-at-arms, and also many ofhis manors had castles and strong-houses on them, and the yeomen wereready to run to their weapons whenso the gathering was blown. Inshort, Higham was as mighty as it was wealthy; and the Abbot's men hadnaught to do with any, save with thy friends here who bear the TreeLeafless; all else feared those holy walls and the well-blessed men whowarded them. But the Dry Tree feared, as men said, neither man nordevil (and I hope it may be so still since they are become thyfriends), and they would whiles lift in the Abbot's lands when they hadno merrier business on hand, and not seldom came to their above intheir dealings with his men. But all things come to an end; for, as Iam told, some year and a half ago, the Abbot had debate with theWestland Barons, who both were and are ill men to deal with, being bothhungry and doughty. The quarrel grew till my Lord must needs defythem, and to make a long tale short, he himself in worldly armour ledhis host against them, and they met some twenty miles to the west inthe field of the Wry Bridge, and there was Holy Church overthrown; andthe Abbot, who is as valiant a man as ever sang mass, though notover-wise in war, would not flee, and as none would slay him, mightthey help it, they had to lead him away, and he sits to this day intheir strongest castle, the Red Mount west-away. Well, he being gone, and many of his wisest warriors slain, the rest ran into gates again;but when the Westlanders beset Higham and thought to have it goodcheap, the monks and their men warded it not so ill but that theWestlanders broke their teeth over it. Forsooth, they turned awaythence and took most of the castles and strong-houses of the Abbot'slands; burned some and put garrisons into others, and drave away amighty spoil of chattels and men and women, so that the lands of Highamare half ruined; and thereby the monks, though they be stout enoughwithin their walls, will not suffer their men to ride abroad. Whereby, being cooped up in a narrow place, and with no deeds to hand to cheertheir hearts withal, they are grown sour and churlish. "

"But, brother, " said Ralph, "howsoever churlish they may be, and howsotimorous, I cannot see why they should shut their gates in our faces, alittle band, when there is no foe anear them. "

"Ralph, " said Hugh, "thou must think of this once more, that the DryTree is no good let-pass to flourish in honest men's faces; specialiterif they be monks. Amongst the brothers of Higham the tale goes thatthose Champions have made covenant with the devil to come to theirabove whensoever they be not more than one to five. Nay, moreover, itis said that there be very devils amongst them; some in the likeness ofcarles, and some (God help us) dressed up in women's flesh; and fairflesh also, meseemeth. Also to-day they say in Higham that nootherwise might they ever have overcome the stark and cruel carles ofthe Burg of the Four Friths and chased them out of their town, as weknow they have done. Hah! what sayest thou?"

"I say, Hugh, " quoth Ralph angrily, "that thou art a fool to go aboutwith a budget of slanderous old wives' tales. " Hugh laughed. "Be notso wroth, little lord, or I shall be asking thee tales of marvels also. But hearken. I shall smooth out thy frowns with a smile when thou hastheard this: this folk are not only afeard of their old enemies, thedevil-led men, but also they fear those whom the devil-led men havedriven out of house and home, to wit, the Burgers. Yet again they fearthe Burgers yet more, because they have beaten some of the very foes ofHigham, to wit, the Westland Barons; for they have taken from them someof their strong-holds, and are deemed to be gathering force. "

Ralph pondered a while, and then he said: "Brother, hast thou anytidings of Upmeads, or that these Burgers have gone down thither?" "Godforbid!" said Hugh. "Nay, I have had no tidings of Upmeads since I wasfool enough to leave it. "

"What! brother, " said Ralph, "thou hast not thriven then?"

"I have had ups and downs, " said Hugh, "but the ups have been one rungof the ladder, and the downs three--or more. Three months I sat inprison for getting me a broken head in a quarrel that concerned me not. Six months was I besieged in a town whither naught led me but ill-luck. Two days I wore in running thence, having scaled the wall and swam theditch in the night. Three months I served squire to a knight who gaveme the business of watching his wife of whom he was jealous; and tohelp me out of the weariness of his house I must needs make love myselfto the said wife, who sooth to say was perchance worth it. Thenceagain I went by night and cloud. Ten months I wore away at the edge ofthe wildwood, and sometimes in it, with a sort of fellows who taught memany things, but not how to keep my hands from other men's goods when Iwas hungry. There was I taken with some five others by certainsergeants of Higham, whom the warriors of the town had sent outcautiously to see if they might catch a few men for their ranks. Well, they gave me the choice of the gallows-tree or service for the Church, and so, my choice made, there have I been ever since, till I saw thyface this evening, fair sir. "

"Well, brother, " said Ralph, "all that shall be amended, and thou shaltback to Upmeads with me. Yet wert thou to amend thyself somewhat, itmight not be ill. "

Quoth Hugh: "It shall be tried, brother. But may I ask theesomewhat?" Said Ralph: "Ask on. " "Fair Sir, " said Hugh, "thouseemedst grown into a pretty man when I saw thee e'en-now before thistwilight made us all alike; but the men at thy back are not wont to beled by men who have not earned a warrior's name, yet they follow thee:how cometh that about? Again, before the twilight gathered I saw thewoman that rideth anigh us (who is now but a shadow) how fair andgentle she is: indeed there is no marvel in her following thee (thoughif she be an earl's daughter she is a fair getting for an imp ofUpmeads), for thou art a well shapen lad, little lord, and carriest asweet tongue in thy mouth. But tell me, what is she?"

"Brother, " said Ralph kindly, "she is my wife. "

"I kiss her hands, " said Hugh; "but of what lineage is she?"

"She is my wife, " said Ralph. Said Hugh: "That is, forsooth, a highdignity. " Said Ralph: "Thou sayest sooth, though in mockery thouspeakest, which is scarce kind to thine own mother's son: but learn, brother, that I am become a Friend of the Well, and were meet to wedwith the daughters of the best of the Kings: yet is this one meeter towed with me than the highest of the Queens; for she also is a Friend ofthe Well. Moreover, thou sayest it that the champions of the Dry Tree, who would think but little of an earl for a leader, are eager to followme: and if thou still doubt what this may mean, abide, till in two daysor three thou see me before the foeman. Then shalt thou tell me howmuch changed I am from the stripling whom thou knewest in Upmeads alittle while ago. "

Then was Hugh somewhat abashed, and he said: "I crave thy pardon, brother, but never had I a well filed tongue, and belike it hath grownno smoother amid the hard haps which have befallen me of late. Besidesit was dull in there, and I must needs try to win a little mirth out ofkith and kin. "

"So be it, lad, " quoth Ralph kindly, "thou didst ask and I told, andall is said. "

"Yet forsooth, " said Hugh, "thou hast given me marvel for marvel, brother. " "Even so, " said Ralph, "and hereafter I will tell thee morewhen we sit safe by the wine at Upmeads. "

Now cometh back one of the fore-riders and draweth rein by Ralph andsaith that they are hard on a little thorp under the hanging of thehill that was the beginning of the Down country on that road. So Ralphbade make stay there and rest the night over, and seek new tidings onthe morrow; and the man told Ralph that the folk of the thorp werefleeing fast at the tidings of their company, and that it were bestthat he and some half score should ride sharply into the thorp, so thatit might not be quite bare of victuals when they came to their night'slodging. Ralph bids him so do, but to heed well that he hurt no man, or let fire get into any house or roof; so he takes his knot of men andrides off on the spur, and Ralph and the main of them come on quietly;and when they came into the street of the thorp, lo there by the crossa big fire lighted, and the elders standing thereby cap in hand, and ascore of stout carles with weapons in their hands. Then the chief mancame up to Ralph and greeted him and said: "Lord, when we heard that anarmed company was at hand we deemed no less than that the riders of theBurg were upon us, and deemed that there was nought for it but to fleeeach as far and as fast as he might. But now we have heard that thouart a good lord seeking his own with the help of worthy champions, anda foeman to those devils of the Burg, we bid thee look upon us and allwe have as thine, lord, and take kindly such guesting as we may givethee. "

The old man's voice quavered a little as he looked on the stark shapesof the Dry Tree; but Ralph looked kindly on him, and said: "Yea, mymaster, we will but ask for a covering for our heads, and what victualthou mayst easily spare us in return for good silver, and thou shalthave our thanks withal. But who be these stout lads with staves andbucklers, or whither will they to-night?"

Thereat a tall young man with a spear in his hand and girt with a shortsword came forth and said boldly: "Lord, we be a few who thought whenwe heard that the Burg-devils were at hand that we might as well die inthe field giving stroke for stroke, as be hauled off and drop to piecesunder the hands of their tormentors; and now thou hast come, we havelittle will to abide behind, but were fain to follow thee, and do theewhat good we can: and after thou hast come to thine above, when we goback to our kin thou mayst give us a gift if it please thee: but wedeem that no great matter if thou but give us leave to have the comfortof thee and thy Champions for a while in these hard days. "

When he had done speaking there rose up from the Champions a hum as ofpraise, and Ralph was well-pleased withal, deeming it a good omen; sohe said: "Fear not, good fellows, that I shall forget you when we haveovercome the foemen, and meanwhile we will live and die together. Butthou, ancient man, show our sergeants where our riders shall lieto-night, and what they shall do with their horses. "

So the elders marshalled the little host to their abodes for thatnight, lodging the more part of them in a big barn on the westernoutskirt of the thorp. The elder who led them thither, brought themvictual and good drink, and said to them: "Lords, ye were best to keepa good watch to-night because it is on this side that we may look foran onfall from the foemen if they be abroad to-night; and sooth to saythat is one cause we have bestowed you here, deeming that ye would notgrudge us the solace of knowing that your valiant bodies were betwixtus and them, for we be a poor unwalled people. "

Stephen to whom he spake laughed at his word, and said: "Heart-up, carle! within these few days we shall build up a better wall than yemay have of stone and lime; and that is the overthrow of our foemen inthe open field. "

So there was kindness and good fellowship betwixt the thorp-dwellersand the riders, and the country folk told those others many tales ofthe evil deeds of the Burg-devils, as they called them; but they couldnot tell them for certain whether they had gone down into Upmeads. 

As to Ralph and Ursula they, with Richard and Roger, were lodged in theheadman's house, and had good feast there, and he also talked over thewhere-abouts of the Burgers with the thorp-dwellers, but might have nocertain tidings. So he and Ursula and his fellows went to bed andslept peacefully for the first hours of the night. 

CHAPTER 22

An Old Acquaintance Comes From the Down Country to See Ralph

But an hour after midnight Ralph arose, as his purpose was, and calledRichard, and they took their swords and went forth and about the thorpand around its outskirts, and found naught worse than their own watchany where; so they came back again to their quarters and found Rogerstanding at the door, who said to Ralph: "Lord, here is a man whowould see thee. " "What like is he?" said Ralph. Said Roger "He is anold man, but a tough one; however, I have got his weapons from him. ""Bring him in, " said Ralph, "and he shall have his say. "

So they all went into the chamber together and there was light therein;but the man said to Ralph: "Art thou the Captain of the men-at-arms, lord?" "Yea, " said Ralph. Said the man, "I were as lief have theseothers away. " "So be it, " said Ralph; "depart for a little while, friends. " So they went but Ursula lay in the bed, which was in a nookin the wall; the man looked about the chamber and said: "Is there anyone in the bed?" "Yea, " said Ralph, "my wife, good fellow; shall she goalso?" "Nay, " said the carle, "we shall do as we are now. So I willbegin my tale. "

Ralph looked on him and deemed he had seen him before, but could notaltogether call his visage to mind; so he held his peace and the manwent on. 

"I am of the folk of the shepherds of the Downs: we be not a many bycount of noses, but each one of us who is come to man's yean, and manywho be past them, as I myself, can handle weapons at a pinch. Now somedeal we have been harried and have suffered by these wretches who haveeaten into the bowels of this land; that is to say, they have liftedour sheep, and slain some of us who withstood them: but whereas ourhouses be uncostly and that we move about easily from one hill-side toanother, it is like that we should have deemed it wisest to have bornethis trouble, like others of wind and weather, without seeking newremedy, but that there have been tokens on earth and in the heavens, whereof it is too long to tell thee, lord, at present, which havestirred up our scattered folk to meet together in arms. Moreover, theblood of our young men is up, because the Burg-devils have taken someof our women, and have mishandled them grievously and shamefully, sothat naught will keep point and edge from seeking the war-clash. Furthermore, there is an old tale which hath now come up again, Thatsome time when our folk shall be in great need, there shall come to ourhelping one from afar, whose home is anigh; a stripling and a greatman; a runaway, and the conqueror of many: then, say they, shall thepoint and the edge bring the red water down on the dear dales; wherebywe understand that the blood of men shall be shed there, and naught toour shame or dishonour. Again I mind me of a rhyme concerning thiswhich sayeth:

 The Dry Tree shall be seen On the green earth, and green The Well-spring shall arise For the hope of the wise. They are one which were twain, The Tree bloometh again, And the Well-spring hath come From the waste to the home. 

Well, lord, thou shalt tell me presently if this hath aught to do withthee: for indeed I saw the Dry Tree, which hath scared us so many atime, beaten on thy sergeants' coats; but now I will go on and make anend of my story. "

Ralph nodded to him kindly, for now he remembered the carle, though hehad seen him but that once when he rode the Greenway across the downsto Higham. The old man looked up at him as if he too had an inkling ofold acquaintance with Ralph, but went on presently:

"There is a woman who dwells alone with none to help her, anigh toSaint Ann's Chapel; a woman not very old; for she is of mine own age, and time was we have had many a fair play in the ingles of the downs inthe July weather--not very old, I say, but wondrous wise, as I knowbetter than most men; for oft, even when she was young, would sheforetell things to come to me, and ever it fell out according to herspaedom. To the said woman I sought to-day in the morning, not to winany wisdom of her, but to talk over remembrances of old days; but whenI came into her house, lo, there was my carline walking up and down thefloor, and she turned round upon me like the young woman of past days, and stamped her foot and cried out: 'What does the sluggard dallyingabout women's chambers when the time is come for the deliverance?'

"I let her talk, and spake no word lest I should spoil her story, andshe went on:

"'Take thy staff, lad, for thou art stout as well as merry, and goadown to the thorps at the feet of the downs toward Higham; keep theewell from the Burg-devils, and go from stead to stead till thou comeston a captain of men-at-arms who is lord over a company of green-coats, green-coats of the Dry Tree--a young lord, fair-faced, and kind-faced, and mighty, and not to be conquered, and the blessing of the folk andthe leader of the Shepherds, and the foe of their foeman and thewell-beloved of Bear-father. Go night and day, sit not down to eat, stand not to drink; heed none that crieth after thee for deliverance, but go, go, go till thou hast found him. Meseems I see him ridingtoward Higham, but those dastards will not open gate to him, of that besure. He shall pass on and lie to-night, it may be at Mileham, it maybe at Milton, it may be at Garton; at one of those thorps shall ye findhim. And when ye have found him thus bespeak him: O bright Friend ofthe Well, turn not aside to fall on the Burgers in this land, either atFoxworth Castle, or the Longford, or the Nineways Garth: all that thoumayest do hereafter, thou or thy champions. There be Burgersotherwhere, housed in no strong castle, but wending the road toward thefair greensward of Upmeads. If thou delay to go look on them, thenshall thy work be to begin again amid sorrow of heart and loss that maynot be remedied. ' Hast thou heard me, lord?"

"Yea, verily, " said Ralph, "and at sunrise shall we be in the saddle toride straight to Upmeads. For I know thee, friend. "

"Hold a while, " said the carle, "for meseemeth I know thee also. Butthis withal she said: 'But hearken, Giles, hearken a while, for I seehim clearly, and the men that he rideth with, and the men that arefollowing to his aid, fierce and fell are they; but so withal are thefoemen that await them, and his are few, howsoever fierce. Thereforebid him this also. Haste, haste, haste! But haste not overmuch, lestthou speed the worse: in Bear Castle I see a mote of our folk, andthee amidst of it with thy champions, and I see the staves of theShepherds rising round thee like a wood. In Wulstead I see a valiantman with sword by side and sallet on head, and with him sitteth a tallman-at-arms grizzle-headed and red-bearded, big-boned and mighty; theysit at the wine in a fair chamber, and a well-looking dame serveththem; and there are weaponed men no few about the streets. Wilt thoupass by friends, and old friends? Now ride on, Green Coats! strideforth, Shepherds! staves on your shoulders, Wool-wards! and there goesthe host over the hills into Upmeads, and the Burg-devils will havecome from the Wood Debateable to find graves by the fair river. Andthen do thy will, O Friend of the Well. '"

The carle took a breath, and then he said: "Lord, this is the say Iwas charged with, and if thou understandest it, well; but if it be darkto thee, I may make it clear if thou ask me aught. "

Ralph pondered a while, and then he said: "Is it known of others thanthy spaewife that the Burgers be in Upmeads?" "Nay, lord, " said thecarle, "and this also I say to thee, that I deem what she said thatthey be not in Upmeads yet, and but drawing thitherward, as I deem fromthe Wood Debateable. "

Ralph arose from his seat and strode up and down the chamber a while;then he went to bed, and stood over Ursula, who lay twixt sleeping andwaking, for she was weary; then he came back to the carle, and said tohim: "Good friend, I thank thee, and this is what I shall do: whendaylight is broad (and lo, the dawn beginning!) I shall gather my men, and ride the shortest way, which thou shalt show me, to Bear Castle, and there I shall give the token of the four fires which erewhile agood man of the Shepherds bade me if I were in need. And it seems tome that there shall the mote be hallowed, though it may be not beforenightfall. But the mote done, we shall wend, the whole host of us, bewe few or many, down to Wulstead, where we shall fall in with my friendClement Chapman, and hear tidings. Thence shall we wend the dear waysI know into the land where I was born and the folk amongst whom I shalldie. And so let St. Nicholas and All Hallows do as they will with us. Deemest thou, friend, that this is the meaning of thy wise she-friend?"

The carle's eyes glittered, and he rose up and stood close by Ralph, and said: "Even so she meant; and now I seem to see that but few ofthy riders shall be lacking when they turn their heads away fromUpmeads towards the strong-places of the Burg-devils that arehereabouts. But tell me, Captain of the host, is that victual andbread that I see on the board?"

Ralph laughed: "Fall to, friend, and eat thy fill; and here is winewithal. Thou needest not to fear it. Wert thou any the worse of thewine that Thirly poured into thee that other day?"

"Nay, nay, master, " said the carle between his mouthfuls, "but micklethe better, as I shall be after this: all luck to thee! Yet see Ithat I need not wish thee luck, since that is thine already. Sooth tosay, I deemed I knew thee when I first set eyes on thee again. Ilooked not to see thee more; though I spoke to thee words at that timewhich came from my heart, almost without my will. Though it is but alittle while ago, thou hast changed much since then, and hast gotanother sort of look in the eyes than then they had. Nay, nay, " saidhe laughing, "not when thou lookest on me so frankly and kindly; thatis like thy look when we passed Thirly about. Yea, I see the fashionof it: one look is for thy friends, another for thy foes. God bepraised for both. And now I am full, I will go look on thy wife. "

So he went up to the bed and stood over Ursula, while she, who was notfully awake, smiled up into his face. The old man smiled back at herand bent down and kissed her mouth, and said: "I ask thy pardon, lady, and thine, my lord, if I be too free, but such is our custom of theDowns; and sooth to say thy face is one that even a old man should notfail to kiss if occasion serve, so that he may go to paradise with thetaste thereof on his lips. "

"We are nowise hurt by thy love, friend, " said Ursula; "God make thylatter days of life sweet to thee!"

CHAPTER 23

They Ride to Bear Castle

But while they spake thus and were merry, the dawn had wellnigh passedinto daylight. Then Ralph bade old Giles sleep for an hour, and wentforth and called Roger and Richard and went to the great barn. Therehe bade the watch wake up Stephen and all men, and they gat to horse asspeedily as they might, and were on the road ere the sun was fully up. The spearmen of the thorp did not fail them, and numbered twenty andthree all told. Giles had a horse given him and rode the way by Ralph. 

They rode up and down the hills and dales, but went across country andnot by the Greenway, for thuswise the road was shorter. 

But when they had gone some two leagues, and were nigh on top of acertain low green ridge, they deemed that they heard men's voices anighand the clash of arms; and it must be said that by Ralph's rede theyjourneyed somewhat silently. So Ralph, who was riding first withGiles, bid all stay and let the crown of the ridge cover them. So didthey, and Giles gat off his horse and crept on to the top of the ridgetill he could see down to the dale below. Presently he came down againthe old face of him puckered with mirth, and said softly to Ralph: "DidI not say thou wert lucky? here is the first fruits thereof. Ride overthe ridge, lord, at once, and ye shall have what there is of them assafe as a sheep in a penfold. "

So Ralph drew sword and beckoned his men up, and they all handled theirweapons and rode over the brow, and tarried not one moment there, noteven to cry their cries; for down in the bottom were a sort of men, twoscore and six (as they counted them afterward) sitting or lying about acooking fire, or loitering here and there, with their horses standingbehind them, and they mostly unhelmed. The Champions knew them at oncefor men of their old foes, and there was scarce time for a word ere thefull half of them had passed by the sword of the Dry Tree; then Ralphcried out to spare the rest, unless they offered to run; so the foemencast down their weapons and stood still, and were presently broughtbefore Ralph, who sat on the grass amidst of the ring of the Champions. He looked on them a while and remembered the favour of those whom hehad seen erewhile in the Burg; but ere he could speak Giles said softlyin his ear: "These be of the Burg, forsooth, as ye may see by theirdogs' faces; but they be not clad nor armed as those whom we have metheretofore. Ask them whence they be, lord. "

Ralph spake and said: "Whence and whither are ye, ye manslayers?" Butno man of them answered. Then said Ralph: "Pass these murderers bythe edge of the sword, Stephen; unless some one of them will save hislife and the life of his fellows by speaking. "

As he spake, one of the youngest of the men hung down his head alittle, and then raised it up: "Wilt thou spare our lives if I speak?""Yea, " said Ralph. "Wilt thou swear it by the edge of the blade?" saidthe man. Ralph drew forth his sword and said: "Lo then! I swear it. "The man nodded his head, and said: "Few words are best; and whereas Iwot not if my words will avail thee aught, and since they will save ourlives, I will tell thee truly. We are men of the Burg whom thesegreen-coated thieves drave out of the Burg on an unlucky day. Well, some of us, of whom I was one, fetched a compass and crossed the waterthat runneth through Upmeads by the Red Bridge, and so gat us into theWood Debateable through the Uplands. There we struck a bargain withthe main band of strong-thieves of the wood, that we and they togetherwould get us a new home in Upmeads, which is a fat and pleasant land. So we got us ready; but the Woodmen told us that the Upmeads carles, though they be not many, are strong and dauntless, and since we now hadpleasant life before us, with good thralls to work for us, and withplenty of fair women for our bed-mates, we deemed it best to have themost numbers we might, so that we might over-whelm the said carles atone blow, and get as few of ourselves slain as might be. Now we knewthat another band of us had entered the lands of the Abbot of Higham, and had taken hold of some of his castles; wherefore the captainsconsidered and thought, and sent us to give bidding to our folk southhere to march at once toward us in Upmeads, that our bands might meetthere, and scatter all before us. There is our story, lord. "

Ralph knitted his brow, and said: "Tell me (and thy life lieth on thygiving true answers), do thy folk in these strongholds know of yourpurpose of falling upon Upmeads?" "Nay, " said the Burger. Said Ralph:"And will they know otherwise if ye do them not to wit?" "Nay, " againsaid the man. Said Ralph: "Are thy folk already in Upmeads?" "Nay, "said the captive, "but by this time they will be on the road thither. ""How many all told?" said Ralph The man reddened and stammered: "Athousand--two--two thousand--A thousand, lord, " said he. "Get thysword ready, Stephen, " said Ralph. "How many, on thy life, Burger?""Two thousand, lord, " said the man. "And how many do ye look to havefrom Higham-land?" Said the Burger, "Somewhat more than a thousand. "Withal he looked uneasily at his fellows, some of whom were scowling onhim felly. "Tell me now, " said Ralph, "where be the other bands of theBurgers?"

Ere the captive could speak, he who stood next him snatched anunsheathed knife from the girdle of one of the Dry Tree, and quick aslightning thrust it into his fellow's belly, so that he fell dead atonce amongst them. Then Stephen, who had his sword naked in his hand, straightway hewed down the slayer, and swords came out of the scabbardseverywhere; and it went but a little but that all the Burgers wereslain at once. But Ralph cried out: "Put up your swords, Champions!Stephen slew yonder man for slaying his fellow, who was under my ward, and that was but his due. But I have given life to these others, andso it must be held to. Tie their hands behind them and let us on toBear Castle. For this tide brooks no delay. "

So they gat to horse, and the footmen from Garton mounted the horses ofthe slain Burgers, and had the charge of guarding the twenty that wereleft. So they rode off all of them toward Bear Castle, and shortly tosay it, came within sight of its rampart two hours before noon. Soonerhad they came thither; but divers times they caught up with smallcompanies of weaponed men, whose heads were turned the same way; andGiles told Ralph each time that they were of the Shepherd-folk going tothe mote. But now when they were come so nigh to the castle they saw avery stream of men setting that way, and winding up the hill to therampart. And Giles said: "It is not to be doubted but that Marthahath sent round the war-brand, and thou wilt presently have an hostthat will meet thy foemen without delay; and what there lacks in numbershall be made good by thy luck, which once again was shown by ourfalling in with that company e'en now. "

"Yea truly, " said Ralph, "but wilt thou now tell me how I shall guidemyself amongst thy folk, and if they will grant me the aid I ask?"

"Look, look, " said Giles, "already some one hath made clear thineasking to our folk; and hearken! up there they are naming the ancientFather of our Race, without whom we may do nought, even with theblessed saints to aid. There then is thine answer, lord. "

Indeed as he spoke came down on the wind the voice of a chant, sung bymany folk, the words whereof he well remembered: SMITE ASIDE AXE, OBEAR-FATHER. And therewith rose up into the air a column of smokeintermingled with fire from each of the four corners of that strongholdof the Ancient Folk. Ralph rejoiced when he saw it, and the heart rosewithin him and fluttered in his bosom, and Ursula, who rode closebehind him, looked up into his face well pleased and happy. 

Thus rode they up the bent and over the turf bridge into the plain ofthe garth, and whatso of people were there flocked about to behold thenew-come warriors; sooth to say, there were but some two hundreds, wholooked but few indeed in the great square place, but more werestreaming in every minute. Giles led him and his men into thenorth-east corner of the castle, and there they gat off their horsesand lay down on the grass awaiting what should betide. 

CHAPTER 24

The Folkmote of the Shepherds

In about an hour all the folk within the castle began to set toward theingle wherein lay Ralph and his fellows, and then all rose up, whilethe folk of the Shepherds took their places on the slopes of the earthwalls, but on the top hard by the fire, which was still burning, stoodup an old hoar man with a beard exceeding long; he had a sallet on hishead, and held a guisarme in his hand. All men held their peace whenthey saw him standing there; and straightway he proclaimed thehallowing of the Mote in such form of words as was due amongst thatfolk, and which were somewhat long to tell here. Then was silenceagain for a little, and then the old man spake: "Few words are bestto-day, neighbours; for wherefore are we met together?" There arose ahum of assent from the Shepherds as he spoke and men clashed theirweapons together; but none said any clear word. Then spake the oldman: "We be met together because we have trouble on hand, and becausethere is a helper to hand, of whom the words of the wise and tales ofold have told us; and because as he shall help us, so shall we helphim, since indeed our trouble is his also: now, neighbours, shall I saythe word for you which ye would say to this young man, who isnevertheless old in wisdom, and true-hearted and kind?"

Then came the hum of yeasay again, the clashing of weapons, and the oldman spake again: "Ralph of Upmeads, there thou standest, wilt thouhelp us against the tyrants, as we shall help thee?"

"Yea, " said Ralph. Said the Elder: "Wilt thou be our Captain, if wedo according to thy bidding? For thou needest not fear our failingthee. "

"Yea verily, " said Ralph. 

Said the Elder: "Ralph of Upmeads, wilt thou be our Captain as analien and a hireling, or as a brother?"

"As a brother, " quoth Ralph. 

"Come up here then, Captain of our folk, and take my hand in thine, andswear by our fathers and thine to be a true brother of us, and takethis ancient staff of war in thine hand. And, ye kindred of theShepherds, bear witness of his swearing. Yea and ye also, O neighboursof the Dry Tree!"

So Ralph went up on the wall-top and took the Elder's hand, and tookfrom him the ancient guisarme, which was inlaid with gold letters ofold time; and he swore in a loud voice to be a true brother of theShepherd-folk, and raised the weapon aloft and shook it strongly, andall the Folk cried, "Hail our brother!" and the Champions shoutedgladly withal, and great joy there was in that ingle of the ancientwork. 

Then spake the Elder and said: "Ye champions of the Dry Tree, will yewend with us under the Captain our brother against his foemen and ours?"

Then stood forth Stephen a-Hurst and said, "Master shepherd, for noughtelse are we come hither. "

Said the Elder: "Will ye come with us as friends or as hirelings? forin any case we would have you by our sides, and not in face of us; andthough we be shepherds, and unhoused, or ill-housed, yet have wewherewithal to wage you, as ye know well enough, who have whiles liftedour gear. "

Then Stephen laughed and said: "True it is that we have whiles drivenprey in your country, yea, and had some hard knocks therein; but allthat was in playing the game of war, and now since we are to fight sideby side, we will be paid by our foes and not by our friends; so neitherhair nor wool will we have of yours, whatever we may have of theBurgers; and it is like that we shall be good friends of yourshence-forward. "

Once more all they that were there shouted. But once more the Elderspoke and said: "Is any man now wishful to speak?" None answered tilla big and burly man rose up and said: "Nay, Tall Thomas, thou hast saidand done all that need was, and I deem that time presses; wherefore mymind is that we now break up this mote, and that after we have eaten amorsel we get ourselves into due array and take to the road. Now letany man speak against this if he will. "

None gainsaid him; nay, all seemed well-pleased. So the Elderproclaimed the breaking up of the mote, and they went from out thehallowed place and sat down in the dyke on the outside of the rampartand behind the country which stretched out all lovely and blue beforethem, for the day was bright and fair. There then certain womenbrought victual and drink to them, and served the strangers first. 

So when they had eaten and drunk, Ralph bade the Shepherds array themduly, and appointed them leaders of tens and hundreds with the help ofGiles, who was now clad in a hauberk and mail-coif and looked a properman-at-arms. Then they told over their company, and numbered of theDry Tree one hundred and fifty champions, outtaken Stephen and Roger;of the men of Garton were twenty and two, and of the Shepherds threehundred and seventy and seven stout carles, some eighty of whom hadbows, and the rest glaives and spears and other staff-weapons. Therewas not much armour of defence amongst them, but they were one and allstark carles and doughty. 

So when they were told over and made five hundred and fifty and four, they gat them into array for the road; and Ralph went afoot with noarmour but his sallet, and a light coat of fence which he had gottenhim in the Burg. He would have had Ursula ride on her palfrey with theSage, but she would not, and held it for mirth and pleasure that sheshould go afoot through the land, now she was so nigh come home to herlord's house; so she went forth by Ralph's side with her broidered gowntrussed through her girdle so that the trimness of her feet drew theeyes of all men to them. As for Richard, he took a half score of thechampions, and they rode on ahead to see that all was clear before themain host; which he might well do, as he knew the country so well. 

CHAPTER 25

They Come to Wulstead

Thus went they, and nought befell them to tell of till they came anighthe gates of Wulstead hard on sunset. The gates, it has been said; forwhereas Ralph left Wulstead a town unwalled, he now found it fencedwith pales, and with two towers strongly framed of timber, one oneither side the gate, and on the battlements of the said towers theysaw spears glittering; before the gate they saw a barrier of big beamsalso, and the gleaming of armour therein. Ralph was glad when he sawthat they meant some defence; for though Wulstead was not in the landsof Upmeads, yet it was always a friendly neighbour, and he looked toeke out his host therein. 

Wulstead standeth on a little hill or swelling of the earth, and theroad that the company of Ralph took went up to the gate across theplain meadows, which had but here and there a tree upon them, so thatthe going of the company was beheld clearly from the gate; as was wellseen, because anon came the sound of the blowing of great horns, andthe spears thickened in the towers. Then Ralph stayed his company twobowshots from the barriers, while he himself, with his sword in hissheath, took Ursula's hand and set forth an easy pace toward the gate. Some of his company, and specially Roger and Stephen, would have lettedhim; but he laughed and said, "Why, lads, why? these be friends. ""Yea, " quoth Roger, "but an arrow knoweth no kindred nor well-willers:have a care, lord. " Said the Sage of Swevenham: "Ye speak but afterthe folly of men of war; the hands and the eyes that be behind the bowshave other hands and eyes behind them which shall not suffer that aFriend of the Well shall be hurt. "

So Ralph and Ursula went forth, and came within a stone's cast of thebarrier, when Ralph lifted up his voice and said: "Is there a captainof the townsfolk within the timber there?" A cheery voice answered him:"Yea, yea, lad; spare thy breath; I am coming to thee. "

And therewith a man came from out the barrier and did off his headpieceand ran straight toward Ralph, who saw at once that it was ClementChapman; he made no more ado, but coming up to Ralph fell to clippinghim in his arms, while the tears ran down his face. Then he stoodaloof and gazed upon him speechless a little while, and then spake:"Hail, and a hundred times hail! but now I look on thee I see what hathbetid, and that thou art too noble and high that I should have castmine arms about thee. But now as for this one, I will be bettermannered with her. "

Therewith he knelt down before Ursula, and kissed her feet, butreverently. And she stooped down and raised him up, with a merrycountenance kissed his face, and stroked his cheeks with her hand andsaid: "Hail, friend of my lord! Was it not rather thou than he whodelivered me from the pain and shame of Utterbol, whereas thou didstbring him safe through the mountains unto Goldburg? And but for thatthere had been no Well, either for him or for me. "

But Clement stood with his head hanging down, and his face reddening. Till Ralph said to him: "Hail, friend! many a time we thought of thismeeting when we were far away and hard bestead; but this is better thanall we thought of. But now, Clement, hold up thine head and be a stoutman of war, for thou seest that we are not alone. "

Said Clement: "Yea, fair lord, and timely ye come, both thou and thycompany; and now that I have my speech again which joy hath taken awayfrom me at the first, I shall tell thee this, that if ye go furtherthan the good town ye shall be met and fought withal by men who areover-many and over-fierce for us. " "Yea, " said Ralph, "and how many bethey?" Quoth Clement: "How many men may be amongst them I wot not, butI deem there be some two thousand devils. "

Now Ralph reddened, and he took Clement by the shoulder, and said:"Tell me, Clement, are they yet in Upmeads?" "Sooth to say, " saidClement, "by this while they may be therein; but this morn it was yetfree of them; but when thou art home in our house, thy gossip shallbelike tell thee much more than I can; for she is foreseeing, and hathtold us much in this matter also that hath come to pass. " Then spakeRalph: "Where are my father and my mother; and shall I go after themat once without resting, through the dark night and all?"

Said Clement, and therewith his face brightened: "Nay, thou needest gono further to look for them than the House of Black Canons within ourwalls: there are they dwelling in all honour and dignity these two dayspast. " "What!" said Ralph, "have they fled from Upmeads, and left theHigh House empty? I pray thee, Clement, bring me to them as speedilyas may be. "

"Verily, " said Clement, "they have fled, with many another, women andchildren and old men, who should but hinder the carles who have abidedbehind. Nicholas Longshanks is the leader of them down there, and theHigh House is their stronghold in a way; though forsooth their stoutheads and strong hands are better defence. "

Here Ralph brake in: "Sweetling Ursula, though thy feet have worn amany miles to-day, I bid thee hasten back to the company and tellRichard that it is as I said, to wit, that friends, and good guestingawait them; so let them hasten hither and come within gates at once. For as for me, I have sworn it that I will not go one step back till Ihave seen my father and mother in their house of Upmeads. Is it wellsaid, Clement?" "Yea, forsooth, " said Clement; but he could not takehis eyes off Ursula's loveliness, as she kilted her skirts and ran herways like one of Diana's ladies in the wildwood. At last he said, "Thou shalt wot, fair sir, that ye will have a little band to go withthee from us of Wulstead; forsooth we had gone to-morrow morn in anycase, but since thou art here, all is well. " Even as he spake a greatshout broke out from the company as Ursula had given her message, andthen came the tramp of men and horses and the clash of weapons as theyset forward; and Clement looked and beheld how first of all the arraycame Ursula, bearing the hallowed staff in her hand; for her heart alsowas set on what was to come. Then cried out Clement: "Happy art thou, lord, and happy shalt thou be, and who shall withstand thee? Lo! whata war-duke it is! and what a leader that marches with fate in her handsbefore thine host!"

Therewith were they all joined together, and Ursula gave the guisarmeinto Ralph's hand, and with his other hand he took hers, and the bar ofthe barrier was lifted and the gates thrown open, and they all streamedinto the street, the champions coming last and towering over thefootmen as they sat, big men on their big horses, as if they were verybodyguards of the God of War. 

CHAPTER 26

Ralph Sees His Father and Mother Again

Thus came they into the market-place of Wulstead nigh to Clement'shouse, and there the company stood in ordered ranks. Ralph lookedround about half expecting to see his gossip standing in the door; butClement smiled and said: "Thou art looking round for thy gossip, fairsir; but she is upon the north gate in war-gear; for we be too few inWulstead to spare so clean-limbed and strong-armed a dame from ourmuster; but she shall be here against thou comest back from the AustinCanons, wither forsooth thou mayst go at once if thou wilt let me bemaster in the matter of lodging. " Said Ralph, smiling: "Well, Ring ofWulstead, since thou givest leave I will e'en take it, nor needest thougive me any guide to the House of St. Austin, for I know it well. Sweetheart, " said he, turning to Ursula, "what sayest thou: wilt thoucome with me, or abide till to-morrow, when I shall show thee to mykinsmen?" "Nay, " she said, "I will with thee at once, my lord, if thouwilt be kind and take me; for meseemeth I also have a word to say tothy father, and the mother that bore thee. "

"And thou, Hugh, " said Ralph, "what sayest thou?" "Why, brother, " saidHugh, "I think my blessing will abide the morrow's morn, for I havenought so fair and dear to show our father and mother as thou hast. Also to-morrow thou wilt have more to do; since thou art a captain, andI but a single varlet. " And he smiled a little sourly on Ralph; whoheeded it little, but took Ursula's hand and went his way with her. 

It was but a few minutes for them to come to the House of the Canons, which was well walled toward the fields at the west of the town, sothat it was its chief defence of that side. It was a fair house with achurch but just finished, and Ralph could see down the street its newwhite pinnacles and the cross on its eastern gable rising over theridge of the dortoir. They came to the gate, and round about it werestanding men-at-arms not a few, who seemed doughty enough at firstsight; but when Ralph looked on them he knew some of them, that theywere old men, and somewhat past warlike deeds, for in sooth they werecarles of Upmeads. Him they knew not, for he had somewhat cast downthe visor of his helm; but they looked eagerly on the fair lady and thegoodly knight. 

So Ralph spake to the porter and bade him show him where was King Peterof Upmeads and his Lady wife; and the porter made him obeisance andtold him that they were in the church, wherein was service toward; andbade him enter. So they went in and entered the church, and it wassomewhat dim, because the sun was set, and there were many pictures, and knots of flowers in the glass of the windows. 

So they went halfway down the nave, and stood together there; and thewhole church was full of the music that the minstrels were making inthe rood-loft, and most heavenly sweet it was; and as Ralph stood therehis heart heaved with hope and love and the sweetness of his youth; andhe looked at Ursula, and she hung her head, and he saw that hershoulders were shaken with sobs; but he knew that it was with her aswith him, so he spake no word to her. 

Now when his eyes cleared and he was used to the twilight of thechurch, he looked toward the choir, and saw near to the Jesus altar aman and a woman standing together even as they were standing, and theywere somewhat stricken in years. So presently he knew that this wouldbe his father and mother; so he stood still and waited till the serviceshould be over; and by then it was done the twilight was growing fastin the church, and the sacristan was lighting a lamp here and there insome of the chapels, and the aisles of the choir. 

So King Peter and his wife turned and came slowly down the nave, andwhen they were come anigh, Ralph spake aloud, and said: "Hail, KingPeter of Upmeads!" And the old man stopped and said unto him: "Yea, forsooth, my name is Peter, and my business is to be a king, or akinglet rather; and once it seemed no such hard craft; but now it allgoes otherwise, and belike my craft has left me; even as it fares witha leech when folk are either too well or too ill to need hisleech-craft. "

Then he looked at Ralph and at Ursula, and said: "Either my eyes areworse than I deemed yesterday, or thou art young, and a gallant knight, and she that is standing by thee is young, and fair. Ah, lad! time waswhen I would have bid thee come home, thou and thy sweetling, to myhouse with me, and abide there in ease and feastfully; but now the bestrede I can give thee is to get thee gone from the land, for there isall unpeace in it. And yet, forsooth, friend, I know not where to sendthee to seek for peace, since Upmeads hath failed us. "

While he spoke, and Ralph was sore moved by the sound of his voice, andhis speech wherein kindness and mocking was so blended, the Dame ofUpmeads came to Ralph and laid her hand on his arm, and said in apleasant voice, for she was soft-hearted and soft-spoken both: "Willnot the fair young warrior and his mate do so much for an old man andhis wife, who have heard not tidings of their best beloved son for twoyears well nigh, as to come with them to their chamber, and answer alittle question or two as to the parts of the world they have seen oflate?"

Ralph nodded yeasay and began to move toward the porch, the Dame ofUpmeads sticking close to him all the time, and King Peter followingafter and saying: "Yea, young man, thou mayst think the worse of mefor hanging about here amongst the monks, when e'en now, for all Iknow, the battle is pitched in Upmeads; but Nicholas and all of themwould have it so--Yea, and all my sons are away, fair sir; though ofthe eldest, who meseems was born with a long head, we hear that he isthriving, and hath grown great. "

As he spake they were come into the porch, and passed into the openair, where it was still light; then the Dame turned round on Ralph andcaught him by the two arms and cried out and cast her arms about hisneck; and when she could sunder herself a little from him, she said: "ORalph, I deemed that I knew thy voice, but I durst not halse thee tillI knew it was mine own flesh and blood, lest I should have died forgrief to think it was thee when it was not. O son, how fair thou art!Now do off thy sallet that I may see thee, thy face and thy curly head. "

So did he, smiling as one who loved her, and again she fell to kissingand clipping him. Then his father came up and thrust her aside gentlyand embraced him also, and said: "Tell me, son, what thou are become?Thou art grown much of a man since thou stolest thyself away from me. Is there aught behind this goodly raiment of thine? And this fairlady, hath she stolen thee away from thy foes to bring thee home to us?"

Ralph laughed and said: "No less than that, father; I will tell theeall presently; but this first, that I am the captain of a goodlycompany of men-at-arms; and"----"Ah, son, sweetheart, " said his mother, "and thou wilt be going away from us again to seek more fame: and yet, as I look on thee thou seemest to have grown great enough already. Ideem thou wilt not leave us. "

"Mother, my dear, " said Ralph, "to-morrow morn we shall go down tobattle in Upmeads, and the day after I shall come hither again, andbring you back to the High House with all honour and glory. But look, mother, " and he took Ursula's hand, "here is a daughter and a darlingthat I have brought back to thee, for this is my wedded wife. "

Then Ursula looked beseechingly at the Dame, who took her in her armsand clipped her and kissed her; and said, "Welcome, daughter; for Ifeel thy body that thou lovest me. "

Then said King Peter; "Forsooth, son, she is a sweet and daintycreature. If there be a fairer than her, I wot not; but none so fairhave mine eyes looked on. Tell me whose daughter she is, and of whatlineage?" And therewith he took her hand and kissed her. 

But Ursula said: "I am come of no earl or baron. I am a yeoman'sdaughter, and both my father and my mother are dead, and I have no nighkin save one brother who loveth me not, and would heed it little if henever saw my face again. Now I tell thee this: that if my lordbiddeth me go from him, I will depart; but for the bidding of none elsewill I leave him. "

King Peter laughed and said: "Never will I bid thee depart. " Then hetook her hand and said: "Sweetling, fair daughter, what is thy name?""Ursula, " she said. Said he: "Ursula, thy palms are harder than bethe hands of the dainty dames of the cities, but there is no churls'blood in thee meseemeth. What is thy kindred of the yeoman?" Shesaid: "We be come of the Geirings of old time: it may be that thespear is broken, and the banner torn; but we forget not ourforefathers, though we labour afield, and the barons and the earls callus churls. It is told amongst us that that word is but another way ofsaying earl and that it meaneth a man. "

Then spoke Ralph: "Father and mother both, I may well thank thee andbless thee that your eyes look upon this half of me with kind eyes. And now I shall tell thee that for this woman, her heart is greaterthan a king's or a leader of folk. And meseemeth her palms havehardened with the labour of delivering me from many troubles. "

Then the Dame of Upmeads put her arms about Ursula's neck again, andbade her all welcome once more, with sweet words of darling and dear, and well-beloved daughter. 

But King Peter said: "Son, thou hast not told me what thou are become;and true it is that thou hast the look of a great one. "

Said Ralph: "Father and King, I have become the Lord of the LittleLand of Abundance, the sworn brother of the Champions of the Dry Tree, the Lord of the Castle of the Scaur, the brother and Warduke of theShepherds; and to-morrow shall I be the Conqueror of the robbers andthe devils of the Burg. And this be not enough for me, hearken! I andmy wife both, yea and she leading me, have drunk of the Well at theWorld's End, and have become Friends thereof. "

And he looked at his father with looks of love, and his father drewnigh to him again, and embraced him once more, and stroked his cheeksand kissed him as if he had become a child again: "O son, " said he, "whatsoever thou dost, that thou dost full well. And lo, one whilewhen I look on thee thou art my dear and sweet child, as thou wertyears agone, and I love thee dearly and finely; and another while thouart a great and mighty man, and I fear thee; so much greater thouseemest than we poor upland folk. "

Then smiled Ralph for love and happiness, and he said: "Father, I amthy child in the house and at the board, and that is for thine helping. And I am thy champion and the fierce warrior afield, and that also isfor thine helping. Be of good cheer; for thine house shall not wane, but wax. " And all those four were full of joy and their hearts wereraised aloft. 

But as they spake thus came a lay-brother and bent the knee before KingPeter and bade him and the Dame of Upmeads to supper in the name of thePrior, and the Captain and the Lady therewith; for indeed the rumour ofthe coming of an host for the helping of the countryside had gotteninto that House, and the Prior and the brethern sorely desired to lookupon the Captain, not knowing him for Ralph of Upmeads. So into theHall they went together, and there the holy fathers made them greatfeast and joy; and King Peter might not refrain him, but told the Priorhow this was his son come back from far lands, with the goodly Lady hehad won to wife therein; and the Prior and all the fathers made much ofRalph, and rejoiced in their hearts when they saw how goodly a man ofwar he had gotten to be. And the Prior would lead him on to tell himof the marvels he had seen in the far parts of the world; but Ralphsaid but little thereon, whereas his thought was set on the days thatlay even before his feet; yet some deal he told him of the uncouthmanners of the lands beyond Whitwall, and at last he said: "Father, when the battles be over here, and there is peace on our lands again, Iwill ask thee to give me guesting for a night, that I may tell thee allthe tale of what hath befallen me since the last summer day when I rodethrough Wulstead; but now I ask leave of thee to depart, for I havemany things to do this even, as behoveth a captain, before I sleep foran hour or two. And if it be thy will, I would leave the Lady my wifewith my mother here at least till morrow morn. "

So the Prior gave him leave, loth though he were, and Ralph kissed hisfather and mother, and they blessed him. But Ursula said to himsoftly: "It is my meaning to go with thee down into Upmeads to-morrow;for who knoweth what may befall thee. " Then he smiled upon her andwent his ways down the hall and out-a-gates, while all men looked onhim and did him worship. 

CHAPTER 27

Ralph Holds Converse With Katherine His Gossip

Ralph went straight from St. Austin's to Clement's house, and foundmuch people about the door thereof, what of the townsmen, what of themen of his own host. He passed through these, and found Clement in hischamber, and with him a half score of such company as was without, andamongst them Roger and the Sage; but Stephen and Richard both wereamongst their men doing what was needful. All men arose when Ralphentered; but he looked around, and could see nought of his gossipamongst them. Then he sat down by Clement and asked if he had anyfresh tidings; and Clement did him to wit that there had come in acarle from out of Upmeads, who had told them by sure tokens that thefoe were come into the Upmeads-land at noon that day, and between thenand sunset had skirmished with Nicholas and them that were holding theHigh House, but had gotten nought thereby. This man, said Clement, being both bold and of good sleight had mingled with the foe; and hadheard the talk of them, and he said that they had no inkling of theShepherds or the Dry Tree coming against them; but they looked to haveaid from their own folk from the lands of Higham; wherefore they made amock of the defence of the Upmeads' men; and said that since, when theywere all joined together in Upmeads, they might enter where they wouldwithout the loss of a half-score men, therefore they would risk noughtnow; nor would they burn either the High House or the other steadings, since, said they, they were minded to keep them sound and whole fortheir own. 

These tidings seemed good to Ralph; so he took a cup of wine andpledged the company, and said: "My masters, such of you as list tosleep long to-night had best be abed presently, for I warn you that thetrumpets will blow for departure before the sun riseth to-morrow; andhe that faileth to see to-morrow's battle will be sorry for his lackall his life long. "

When he had thus spoken they all cried hail to him, and anon arose andwent their ways. Then Ralph bade Clement come with him that he mightvisit the quarters of his men-at-arms, and see that all the leadersknew of the muster, and of the order of departing on the morrow; andClement arose and went with him. 

As they were on the way Ralph asked Clement what ailed his gossipKatherine that she had not come to meet him already; and Clementlaughed and said: "Nought, nought; she is somewhat shamefaced to meetthee first amongst a many folk, and she not able belike to refrain herkisses and caresses to thee. Fear not, she is in her bower-aloft, andwe shall find her there when we come back from our errand; fear not!she will not sleep till she hath had her arms about thee. " "Good isthat, " said Ralph; "I had looked to see her ere now; but when we meetapart from folk, something we shall be able to say to each other, whichbelike neither she nor I had liked to leave unsaid till we meet again. "

So came they to the chief quarters of the fighting men, and Ralph hadall the leaders called to him, and he spake to them of how they shoulddo on the morrow, both footmen and horsemen, whatwise they should standtogether, and how they should fall on; and he told them all as clearlyas if he were already in the field with the foe before him; so thatthey wondered at him, so young in years, being so old in the wisdom ofwar. Withal they saw of him that he had no doubt but that they shouldcome to their above on the morrow; and all men, not only of the triedmen-at-arms of the Dry Tree, but they of the Shepherds also, even thoseof them who had never stricken a stroke in anger, were of high heartand feared not what should befall. 

So when all this business was over, they turned about and came theirways home to Clement's house again. 

They saw lights in the chamber or ever they entered, and when they cameto the door, lo! there within was Katherine walking up and down thefloor as if she knew not how to contain herself. She turned and sawRalph at the door, and she cried aloud and ran towards him with armsoutspread. But when she drew nigh to him and beheld him closely, shewithheld her, and falling down on her knees before him took his handand fell to kissing it and weeping and crying out, "O my lord, my lord, thou art come again to us!" But Ralph stooped down to her, and liftedher up, and embraced her and kissed her on the cheeks and the mouth, and led her to the settle and sat down beside her and put his arm abouther; and Clement looked on smiling, and sat him down over against them. 

Then spake Katherine: "O my lord! how great and masterful hast thougrown; never did I hope to see thee come back so mighty a man. " Andagain she wept for joy; but Ralph kissed her again, and she said, laughing through her tears: "Master Clement, this lord and warriorhath brought back with him something that I have not seen; and belikehe hath had one fair woman in his arms, or more it may be, since I sawhim last. For though he but kisses me as his gossip and foster-mother, yet are his kisses closer and kinder than they were aforetime. "

Said Clement: "Sooth is the Sage's guess; yet verily, fair sir, I havetold her somewhat of thy journeys, so far as I knew of them. "

Said Katherine: "Dear lord and gossip, wilt thou not tell me morethereof now?"

"What!" said Ralph; "shall I not sleep to-night?"

"Dear gossip, " she said, "thou art over-mighty to need sleep. And ah!I had forgotten in the joy of our meeting that to-morrow thou goest tobattle; and how if thou come not again?"

"Fear nought, " said Ralph; "art thou not somewhat foreseeing? Dostthou not know that to-morrow or the day after I shall come back unhurtand victorious; and then shall both thou and Clement come to Upmeadsand abide there as long as ye will; and then shall I tell thee a manytales of my wanderings; and Ursula my beloved, she also shall tellthee. "

Katherine reddened somewhat, but she said: "Would I might kiss herfeet, dear lord. But now, I pray thee, tell me somewhat, now at once. "

"So shall it be, " said Ralph, "since thou wilt have it, dear gossip;but when I have done I shall ask thee to tell me somewhat, whereof hathlong been wonder in my mind; and meseemeth that by the time we are bothdone with tales, I shall needs be putting on my helm again. --Nay, againI tell thee it is but a show of battle that I go to!"

So then he went and sat by Clement's side, and began and told over asshortly as might be the tidings of his journeys. And oft she wept forpity thereat. 

But when he was done and he had sat beholding her, and saw how goodly awoman she was, and how straight and well knit of body, he said:"Gossip, I wonder now, if thou also hast drunk of the Well; for thouart too fair and goodly to be of the age that we call thee. How isthis! Also tell me how thou camest by this pair of beads that seem tohave led me to the Well at the World's End? For as I said e'en now, Ihave long marvelled how thou hadst them and where. "

"Fair sir, " said Clement, "as for her drinking of the Well at theWorld's End, it is not so; but this is a good woman, and a valiant, andof great wisdom; and such women wear well, even as a well-wrought pieceof armour that hath borne many strokes of the craftsman's hand, andhath in it some deal of his very mind and the wisdom of him. But nowlet her tell thee her tale (which forsooth I know not), for night isgrowing old. "

CHAPTER 28

Dame Katherine Tells of the Pair of Beads, and Whence She Had Them

Katherine cast friendly looks on them and said: "Gossip, and thou, Clement, I will make a clean breast of it once for all. In the dayswhen I was first wedded to Master Clement yonder, he found his bed coldwithout me, for he was a hot lover; therefore would he often have mewith him on his journeys, how hard soever or perilous the way might be. Yea, Clement, thou lookest the sooth, though thou sayest it not, I wasnought loth thereto, partly because I would not grieve thee, my man;but partly, and belike mostly, because I was wishful to see the ways ofthe world even at the risk of being thrust out of the world. So itbefell us on a time to make a journey together, a journey exceedinglong, in the company of certain chapmen, whereof some, and not a few, died on the way. But we lived, and came into the eastern parts of theearth to a city right ancient, and fulfilled of marvels, which hightSarras the Holy. There saw we wonders whereof were it overlong to tellof here; but one while I will tell thee, my lord. But this I mustneeds say, that I heard tell of a woman dwelling there, who was not oldby seeming, but had in her the wisdom of ten lives, and the longing gathold of me to see her and learn wisdom of her. So I entreated many whowere called wise, some with prayers, and some with gifts also, to helpme to speech of her; but I gat nothing either by praying or giving;they that would have helped me could not, and they that could wouldnot. So, what between one thing and another, the longing to see theWise Woman grew as it were into a madness in me. Amidst of which wefell in with a merchant exceeding wise in ancient lore, who looked atme (though Clement knew it not) with eyes of love. Of this man I askedconcerning the Wise Woman, and he seeing my desire, strove to use itmerchant-like, and would deal with me and have in payment for hislearning a gift which I had nought to do to give. Howbeit madness andmy desire for speech with the Wise Woman got the better of me, and Ipromised to give no less than he would, trusting to beguile him after Ihad got my desire, and be quit of him. So he led me to the woman andwent his ways. She dwelt all by herself in a nook of an ancient ruinedpalace, erst the house of the ancientest of all the kings of Sarras. When I came to her, I saw nought dreadful or ugsome about her: she wascheerful of countenance and courteous of demeanour, and greeted mekindly as one neighbour in the street of Wulstead might do to another. I saw her, that she was by seeming a woman of some forty winters, trimand well-fashioned of body, nowise big, but slender, of dark red hairand brown eyes somewhat small. 

"Now, she said to me, 'I have looked for thee a while; now thou artcome, thou shalt tell me what thou needest, and thy needs will Ifulfil. Yet needs must thou do a thing for me in return, and maybethou wilt deem it a great thing. Yet whereas thou has struck a bargainbefore thou camest hither, if I undo that for thee, the bargain with memay be nought so burdensome. How sayest thou?'

"Well, I saw now that I was in the trap, for ill had it been in thosedays had Clement come to know that I had done amiss; for he was ajealous lover, and a violent man. "

Clement smiled hereat, but said nought, and Katherine went on: "Trap orno trap, if I were eager before, I was over-eager now; so when she bademe swear to do her will, I swore it without tarrying. 

"Then she said: 'Sit down before me, and I will teach thee wisdom. 'What did she teach me? say ye. Well, if I told you belike ye would benone the wiser; but so much she told me, that my heart swelled with joyof the wisdom which I garnered. Say thou, Clement, if I have been theworser woman to thee, or thy friends, or mine. "

"Nay, goodwife, " said Clement, "I have nought against thee. "

Katherine laughed and went on:

"At last the Wise Woman said, 'Now that thou hast of me all that mayavail thee, comes the other part of our bargain, wherein I shall takeand thou shalt give. '

"Quoth I, 'That is but fair, and thou shalt find me true to thee. ' Shesaid, 'If thou be not, I shall know it, and shall amend it in such wisethat it shall cost thee much. '

"Then she looked on me long and keenly, and said afterward: 'Forsooth Ishould forbear laying this charge upon thee if I did not deem that thouwouldst be no less than true. But now I will try it, whereas I deemthat the days of my life henceforward shall not be many; and many dayswould it take me to find a woman as little foolish as thee and aslittle false, and thereto as fairly fashioned. '

"Therewith she put her hand to her neck, and took thence the self-samepair of beads which I gave to thee, dear gossip, and which (praise beto All Hallows!) thou hast borne ever since; and she said: 'Nowhearken! Thou shalt take this pair of beads, and do with them as I bidthee. Swear again thereto. ' So I swore by All Angels; and she saidagain: 'This pair of beads shall one day lead a man unto the Well atthe World's End, but no woman; forsooth, if a woman have them of awoman, or the like of them, (for there be others, ) they may serve herfor a token; but will be no talisman or leading-stone to her; and thisI tell thee lest thou seek to the Well on the strength of them. For Ibid thee give them to a man that thou lovest--that thou lovest well, when he is in most need; only he shall not be of thine own blood. Thisis all that I lay upon thee; and if thou do it, thou shalt thrive, andif thou do it not, thou shalt come to harm. And I will tell thee nowthat this meeting betwixt us is not by chance-hap, but of my bringingabout; for I have laboured to draw thee to me, knowing that thou aloneof women would avail me herein. Now shalt thou go home to thinehostel, and take this for a token of my sooth-saying. The wise merchantwho led thee unto me is abiding thine homecoming that he may have ofthee that which thou promisedst to him. If then thou find him at thinehostel, and he take thee by the hand and lead thee to bed, whereasClement is away till to-morrow even, then shalt thou call me a vainword-spinner and a liar; but if when thou comest home there, the folkthere say to thee merchant Valerius is ridden away hastily, beingcalled afar on a message of life and death, then shalt thou trow in meas a wise woman. Herewith depart, and I bid thee farewell. '

"So I went my ways to my hostel trembling, and at the door I met thechamberlain, who said to me, 'Lady, the merchant Valerius hath beenhere seeking thee, and he said that he would abide thy coming; butamidst of his abiding cometh a man who would speak to him privily;whereof it came that he called for his horse and bade me tell thee, Lady, that he was summoned on a matter of life and death, and wouldreturn to kiss thine hands in five days' space. '

"So I wotted that the woman had spoken sooth, and was wise andforeseeing, and something of a dread of her came upon me. But the nexteven back cometh Clement, and the day after we rode away from Sarrasthe Holy, and Valerius I saw never again. And as to the beads, thereis nought to tell of them till they came into thine hands; andsomething tells me that it was the will of the Wise Woman that to noother hands they should come. "

Here Katherine made an end, and both the men sat pondering her tale alittle. As for Ralph, he deemed it certain that the Wise Woman ofSarras would be none other than she who had taught lore to the Lady ofAbundance; but why she should have meant the beads for him he wottednot. Again he wondered how it was that the Lady of Abundance shouldhave given the beads to Ursula, and whether she knew that they had nomight to lead her to the Well at the World's End. And yet further hewondered how it was that Ursula, unholpen by the talisman, should havedone so much to bring him to the Well; yea, and how she was the firstto see it while he slept. But his heart told him that whereas he wasseeking the Well with her, she must needs come thither with him, unlessthey were both cast away; withal Katherine looked at him and said:"Yea, dear lord, I wot what thou art thinking of; but couldest thouhave left her, when thou hadst once found her again, Well or no Well?""Sooth is that, " said Ralph, "yet for all that she hath done withouthelp of talisman or witchcraft is she the more worshipful and thedearer. "

Then speech came into Clement's mouth, and he said: "Wife, it is as Isaid before, when thy gossip had just departed from us. It was meetenough that thou shouldst have loved him better than me; but now it iseven less to be undone than ever, when he has come back bringing withhim a woman so valiant and lovely as is my Lady Ursula. So thou muste'en take the life that fate hath sent thee. " Katherine laughed throughher tears, and said: "Withal, goodman, I have been no bad wife tothee. And moreover, look thou, gossip dear: when I was wandering aboutwith Clement amongst many perils, when our need seemed sorest, thenwould I think to give the beads to Clement; but so soon as I began tospeak to him of the Well at the World's End he would belittle the taleof it, and would bid me look to it if it were not so, that where theworld endeth the clouds begin. "

As she spoke, Ralph lifted up his hand and pointed to the window, andsaid: "Friends, as we were speaking of all these marvels we wereforgetting the need of Upmeads and the day of battle; and lo now! howthe dawn is widening and the candles fading. "

Scarce were the words out of his mouth, when on the quietness of thebeginning of day brake out the sound of four trumpets, which weresounding in the four quarters of the town, and blowing men to thegathering. Then rose up both Ralph and Clement and took their weapons, and they kissed Katherine and went soberly out-a-doors into themarket-place, where already weaponed men were streaming in to themuster. 

CHAPTER 29

They Go Down to Battle in Upmeads

Before it was light were all men come into the market-place, and Ralphand Richard and Clement and Stephen a-Hurst fell to and arrayed themduly; and now, what with the company which Ralph had led into Wulstead, what with the men of the town, and them that had fled from Upmeads(though these last were mostly old men and lads), they were a thousandand four score and three. Ralph would go afoot as he went yesterday;but today he bore in his hand the ancient staff of war, thegold-written guisarme; and he went amongst the Shepherds, with whomwere joined the feeble folk of Upmeads, men whom he had known of oldand who knew him, and it was as if their hearts had caught fire fromhis high heart, and that whatever their past days had been to them, this day at least should be glorious. Withal anon comes Ursula fromSt. Austin's with the Sage of Swevenham, whose face was full smilingand cheerful. Ursula wore that day a hauberk under her gown, and washelmed with a sallet; and because of her armour she rode upon a littlehorse. Ralph gave her into the warding of the Sage, who was armed atall points, and looked a valiant man of war. But Ralph's brother, Hugh, had gotten him a horse, and had fallen into the company of theChampions, saying that he deemed they would go further forth than asort of sheep-tending churls and the runaways of Upmeads. 

As for Ralph, he walked up and down the ranks of the stout men of theDown-country, and saw how they had but little armour for defence, though their weapons for cutting and thrusting looked fell and handy. So presently he turned about to Giles, who, as aforesaid, bore a longhauberk, and said: "Friend, the walk we are on to-day is a long onefor carrying burdens, and an hour after sunrise it will be hot. Wiltthou not do with thy raiment as I do?" And therewith he did off hishauberk and his other armour save his sallet. "This is good, " said he, "for the sun to shine on, so that I may be seen from far; but theseother matters are good for folk who fight a-horseback or on a wall; westriders have no need of them. "

Then arose great shouting from the Shepherds, and men stretched out thehand to him and called hail on his valiant heart. 

Amidst of which cries Giles muttered, but so as Ralph might hear him:"It is all down hill to Upmeads; I shall take off my iron-coat comingback again. " So Ralph clapped him on the shoulder and bade him comeback whole and well in any case. "Yea, and so shalt thou come back, "said he. 

Then the horns blew for departure, and they went their ways out of themarket-place, and out into the fields through the new wooden wall ofWulstead. Richard led the way with a half score of the Champions, buthe rode but a little way before Ralph, who marched at the head of theShepherds. 

So they went in the fresh morning over the old familiar fields, andstrange it seemed to Ralph that he was leading an host into the littleland of Upmeads. Speedily they went, though in good order, and it wasbut a little after sunrise when they were wending toward the brow ofthe little hill whence they would look down into the fair meads whoseimage Ralph had seen on so many days of peril and weariness. 

And now Richard and his fore-riders had come up on to the brow and satthere on their horses clear against the sky; and Ralph saw how Richarddrew his sword from the scabbard and waved it over his head, and he andhis men shouted; then the whole host set up a great shout, and hastenedup the bent, but with the end of their shout and the sound of the trampof their feet and the rattle of their war-gear was mingled a confusednoise of cries a way off, and the blowing of horns, and as Ralph andhis company came crowding up on to the brow, he looked down and saw thehappy meadows black with weaponed men, and armour gleaming in the clearmorning, and the points of weapons casting back the low sun's rays andglittering like the sparks in a dying fire of straw. Then again helooked, and lo! the High House rising over the meadows unburned andunhurt, and the banner of the fruited tree hanging forth from thetopmost tower thereof. 

Then he felt a hand come on to his cheek, and lo, Ursula beside him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glittering; and she cried out: "O thinehome, my beloved, thine home!" And he turned to her and said; "Yea, presently, sweetheart!" "Ah, " she said, "will it be long? and they somany!" "And we so mighty!" said Ralph. "Nay, it will be but a littlewhile. Wise man of Swevenham, see to it that my beloved is anigh meto-day, for where I am, there will be safety. "

The Sage nodded yeasay and smiled. 

Then Ralph looked along the ridge to right and left of him, and sawthat all the host had come up and had a sight of the foemen; on theright stood the Shepherds staring down into the meadow and laughing forthe joy of battle and the rage of the oppressed. On the left sat theChampions of the Dry Tree on their horses, and they also were tossingup their weapons and roaring like lions for the prey; and down belowthe black crowd had drawn together into ordered ranks, and still theclamour and rude roaring of the warriors arose thence, and beat againstthe hill's brow. 

Now so fierce and ready were the men of Ralph's company that it was anear thing but that they, and the Shepherds in especial, did not rushtumultuously down the hill all breathless and in ill order. But Ralphcried out to Richard to go left, and Giles to go right, and stay theonset for a while; and to bid the leaders come to him where he stood. Then the tumult amidst his folk lulled, and Stephen a-Hurst and Rogerand three others of the Dry Tree came to him, and Giles brought threeof the Shepherds, and there was Clement and a fellow of his. So whenthey were come and standing in a ring round Ralph, he said to them:

"Brothers in arms, ye see that our foes are all in array to meet us, having had belike some spy in Wulstead, who hath brought them the taleof what was toward. Albeit methinks that this irks not either you norme; for otherwise we might have found them straggling, and scatteredfar and wide, which would have made our labour the greater. Now ye cansee with your eyes that they are many more than we be, even wereNicholas to issue out of the High House against them, as doubtless hewill do if need be. Brethren, though they be so many, yet my hearttells me that we shall overcome them; yet if we leave our strength andcome down to them, both our toil shall be greater, and some of us, belike many, shall be slain; and evil should I deem it if but a scoreof my friends should lose their lives on this joyous day when at last Isee Upmeads again after many troubles. Wherefore my rede is that weabide their onset on the hillside here; and needs must they fall on us, whereas we have Wulstead and friends behind us, and they nought butNicholas and the bows and bills of the High House. But if any haveaught to say against it let him speak, but be speedy; for already I seea stir in their array, and I deem that they will send men to challengeus to come down to them. "

Then spake Stephen a-Hurst: "I, and we all meseemeth, deem that thouart in the right, Captain; though sooth to say, when we first set eyeson these dogs again, the blood so stirred in us that we were like tolet all go and ride down on them. "

Said Richard: "Thou biddest us wisdom of war; let them have the hillagainst them. " Said Clement: "Yea, for they are well learned and wellarmed; another sort of folk to those wild men whom we otherthrew in themountains. "

And in like wise said they all. 

Then spake Stephen again: "Lord, since thou wilt fight afoot with ourfriends of the Shepherds, we of the Dry Tree are minded to fare in likewise and to forego our horses; but if thou gainsay it----"

"Champion, " said Ralph, "I do gainsay it. Thou seest how many of thembe horsed, and withal ye it is who must hold the chase of them; for Iwill that no man of them shall escape. "

They laughed joyously at his word, and then he said: "Go now, and giveyour leaders of scores and tens the word that I have said, and comeback speedily for a little while; for now I see three men sunderingthem from their battle, and one beareth a white cloth at the end of hisspear; these shall be the challengers. "

So they did after his bidding, and by then they had come back to Ralphthose three men were at the foot of the hill, which was but low. ThenRalph said to his captains: "Stand before me, so that I be not seen ofthem until one of you hath made answer, 'Speak of this to our leaderand captain. '" Even so they did; and presently those three came so nighthat they could see the whites of their eyes. They were all three wellarmed, but the foremost of them was clad in white steel from head tofoot, so that he looked like a steel image, all but his face, which waspale and sallow and grim. He and his two fellows, when they were rightnigh, rode slowly all along the front of Ralph's battles thrice, andnone spake aught to them, and they gave no word to any; but when theycame over against the captains who stood before Ralph for the fourthtime, they reined up and faced them, and the leader put back his salletand spake in a great and rough voice:

"Ye men! we have heard these three hours that ye were coming, whereforewe have drawn out into the meads which we have taken, that ye might seehow many and how valiant we be, and might fear us. Wherefore now, yebroken reivers of the Dry Tree, ye silly shepherds of silly sheep, yeweavers and apprentices of Wulstead, and if there by any more, yefools! we give you two choices this morn. Either come down to us intothe meadow yonder, that we may slay you with less labour, or else, which will be the better for you, give up to us the Upmeads thralls whobe with you, and then turn your faces and go back to your houses, andabide there till we come and pull you out of them, which may be somewhile yet. Hah! what say ye, fools?"

Then spake Clement and said: "Ye messengers of the robbers andoppressors, why make ye this roaring to the common people and thesergeants? Why speak ye not with our Captain?"

Cried out the challenger, "Where then is the Captain of the Fools? ishe hidden? can he hear my word?"

Scarce was it out of his mouth ere the captains fell away to right andleft, and there, standing by himself, was Ralph, holding the ancientlettered war-staff; his head was bare, for now he had done off hissallet, and the sun and the wind played in his bright hair; gloriouswas his face, and his grey eyes gleamed with wrath and mastery as hespake in a clear voice, and there was silence all along the ranks tohearken him:

"O messenger of the robbers! I am the captain of this folk. I seethat the voice hath died away within the jaws of you; but it mattersnot, for I have heard thy windy talk, and this is the answer: we willneither depart, nor come down to you, but will abide our death by yourhands here on this hill-side. Go with this answer. "

The man stared wild at Ralph while he was speaking, and seemed tostagger in his saddle; then he let his sallet fall over his face, and, turning his horse about, rode swiftly, he and his two fellows, down thehill and away to the battle of the Burgers. None followed or criedafter him; for now had a great longing and expectation fallen uponRalph's folk, and they abode what shall befall with little noise. Theynoted so soon as the messenger was gotten to the main of the foementhat there was a stir amongst them, and they were ordering their ranksto move against the hill. And withal they saw men all armed comingfrom out the High House, who went down to the Bridge and abode there. Upmeads-water ran through the meadows betwixt the hill and the HighHouse, as hath been said afore; but as it winded along, one reach of itwent nigh to the House, and made wellnigh a quarter of a circle aboutit before it turned to run down the meadows to the eastward; and atthis nighest point was there a wide bridge well builded of stone. 

The Burg-devils heeded not the men at the Bridge, but, being allarrayed, made but short tarrying (and that belike only to hear the taleof their messenger) ere they came in two battles straight across themeadow. They on their right were all riders, and these faced theChampions of the Dry Tree, but a great battle of footmen came againstthe Shepherds and the rest of Ralph's footmen, but in their rearwardwas a company of well-horsed men-at-arms; and all of them were wellarmed and went right orderly and warrior-like. 

It was but some fifteen minutes ere they were come to the foot of thehill, and they fell to mounting it with laughter and mockery, butRalph's men held their peace. The horsemen were somewhat speedier thanthose on foot, though they rode but at a foot's pace, and when theywere about halfway up the hill and were faltering a little (for it wassomewhat steep, though nought high), the Champions of the Dry Treecould forbear them no longer, but set up a huge roar, and rode at them, so that they all went down the hill together, but the Champions werelost amidst of the huge mass of the foemen. 

But Ralph was left at the very left end of his folk, and the foemencame up the hill speedily with much noise and many foul mocks asaforesaid, and they were many and many more than Ralph's folk, and nowthat the Champions were gone, could have enfolded them at either end;but no man of the company blenched or faltered, only here and there onespake soft to his neighbour, and here and there one laughed thebattle-laugh. 

Now at the hanging of the hill, whenas either side could see the whitesof the foemen's eyes, the robbers stayed a little to gather breath; andin that nick of time Ralph strode forth into the midst between the twolines and up on to a little mound on the hill-side (which well heknew), and he lifted up the ancient guisarme, and cried on high: "Homenow! Home to Upmeads!"

Then befell a marvel, for even as all eyes of the foemen were turned onhim, straightway their shouts and jeering and laughter fell dead, andthen gave place to shrieks and wailing, as all they who beheld him castdown their weapons and fled wildly down the hill, overturning whateverstood in their way, till the whole mass of them was broken to pieces, and the hill was covered with nought but cravens and the light-footedShepherds slaughtering them in the chase. 

But Ralph called Clement to him and they drew a stalworth bandtogether, and, heeding nought the chase of the runaways, they fell onthose who had the Champions in their midst, and fell to smiting downmen on either hand; and every man who looked on Ralph crouched andcowered before him, casting down his weapons and throwing up his hands. Shortly to say it, when these horsemen felt this new onset, and lookinground saw their men fleeing hither and thither over the green fields ofUpmeads, smitten by the Shepherds and leaping into the deep pools ofthe river, they turned and fled, every man who could keep his saddle, and made for the Bridge, the Dry Tree thundering at their backs. Buteven as they came within bowshot, a great flight of arrows came fromthe further side of the water, and the banner of the Fruitful Tree cameforth from the bridge-end with Nicholas and his tried men-at-armsbehind it; and then indeed great and grim was the murder, and the proudmen of the Burg grovelled on the ground and prayed for mercy tillneither the Champions nor the men of Nicholas could smite helpless menany longer. 

Now had Ralph held his hand from the chase, and he was sitting on amound amidst of the meadow under an ancient thorn, and beside him satthe Sage of Swevenham and Ursula. And she was grown pale now andlooked somewhat scared, and she spake in a trembling voice to Ralph, and said: "Alas friend! that this should be so grim! When we hear theowls a-nighttime about the High House, shall we not deem at whiles thatit is the ghosts of this dreadful battle and slaughter wandering aboutour fair fields?" But Ralph spake sternly and wrathfully as he satthere bareheaded and all unarmed save for the ancient glaive: "Why didthey not slay me then? Better the ghosts of robbers in our fields bynight, than the over-burdened hapless thrall by day, and the scourgedwoman, and ruined child. These things they sought for us and havefound death on the way--let it be!"

He laughed as he spake; but then the grief of the end of battle cameupon him and he trembled and shook, and great tears burst from his eyesand rolled down his cheeks, and he became stark and hard-faced. 

Then Ursula took his hands and caressed them, and kissed his face, andfell a-talking to him of how they rode the pass to the Valley of SweetChestnuts; and in a while his heart and his mind came back to him as itdid that other time of which she spake, and he kissed her in turn, andbegan to tell her of his old chamber in the turret of the High House. 

And now there come riding across the field two warriors. They drawrein by the mound, and one lights down, and lo! it is Long Nicholas;and he took Ralph in his arms, and kissed him and wept over him for allhis grizzled beard and his gaunt limbs; but few words he had for him, save this: "My little Lord, was it thou that was the wise captainto-day, or this stout lifter and reiver!" But the other man was Stephena-Hurst, who laughed and said: "Nay, Nicholas, I was the fool, and thisstripling the wise warrior. But, Lord Ralph, thou wilt pardon me, Ihope, but we could not kill them all, for they would not fight in anywise; what shall we do with them?" Ralph knit his brows and thought alittle; then he said: "How many hast thou taken?" Said Stephen: "Sometwo hundred alive. " "Well, " quoth Ralph; "strip them of all armour andweapons, and let a score of thy riders drive them back the way theycame into the Debateable Wood. But give them this last word from me, that or long I shall clear the said wood of all strong-thieves. "

Stephen departed on that errand; and presently comes Giles and anotherof the Shepherds with a like tale, and had a like answer. 

Now amidst all these deeds it yet lacked an hour of noon. So presentlyRalph arose and took Richard apart for a while and spoke with him alittle, and then came back to Ursula and took her by the hand, andsaid: "Beloved, Richard shall take thee now to a pleasant abode thisside the water; for I grudge that thou shouldst enter the High Housewithout me; and as for me I must needs ride back to Wulstead to bringhither my father and mother, as I promised to do after the battle. Ingood sooth, I deemed it would have lasted longer. " Said Ursula: "Dearfriend, this is even what I should have bidden thee myself. Departspeedily, that thou mayst be back the sooner; for sorely do I long toenter thine house, beloved. " Then Ralph turned to Nicholas, and said:"Our host is not so great but that thou mayst victual it well; yet Ideem it is little less than when we left Wulstead early this morning. "

"True is that, little lord, " said Nicholas. "Hear a wonder amongstbattles: of thy Shepherds and the other footmen is not one slain, andbut some five hurt. The Champions have lost three men slain outright, and some fifteen hurt; of whom is thy brother Hugh, but not sorely. ""Better than well is thy story then, " said Ralph. "Now let them bringme a horse. " So when he was horsed, he kissed Ursula and went hisways. And she abode his coming back at Richard's house anigh the water. 

CHAPTER 30

Ralph Brings His Father and Mother to Upmeads

Short was the road back again to Wulstead, and whereas the day was notvery old when Ralph came there, he failed not to stop at Clement'shouse, and came into the chamber where sat Dame Katherine in pensivewise nigh to the window, with her open hands in her lap. Quoth Ralph:"Rejoice, gossip! for neither is Clement hurt, nor I, and all is donethat should be done. " She moved her but little, but the tears cameinto her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "What, gossip?" quoth Ralph;"these be scarce tears of joy; what aileth thee?" "Nay, " saidKatherine, "indeed I am joyful of thy tidings, though sooth to say Ilooked for none other. But, dear lord and gossip, forgive me my tearson the day of thy triumph; for if they be not wholly of joy, so alsoare they not wholly of sorrow. But love and the passing of the daysare bittersweet within my heart to-day. Later on thou shalt see fewfaces more cheerful and merry in the hall at Upmeads than this of thygossip's. So be merry now, and go fetch thy father and thy mother, andrejoice their hearts that thou hast been even better than thy word tothem. Farewell, gossip; but look to see me at Upmeads before many daysare past; for I know thee what thou art; and that the days willpresently find deeds for thee, and thou wilt be riding into peril, andcoming safe from out of it. Farewell!"

So he departed and rode to the House of St. Austin, and the folkgathered so about him in the street that at the gate of the Priory hehad to turn about and speak to them; and he said: "Good people, rejoice! there are no more foemen of Wulstead anigh you now; and takethis word of me, that I will see to it in time to come that ye live inpeace and quiet here. "

Folk shouted for joy, and the fathers who were standing within the gateheard his word and rejoiced, and some of them ran off to tell KingPeter that his son was come back victorious already; so that by then hehad dismounted at the Guest-house door, lo! there was the King and hiswife with him, and both they alboun for departure. And when they sawhim King Peter cried out: "There is no need to say a word, my son;unless thou wouldst tell the tale to the holy father Prior, who, as yesee, has e'en now come out to us. "

Said Ralph: "Father and mother, I pray your blessing, and also theblessing of the father Prior here; and the tale is short enough: thatwe have overthrown them and slain the more part, and the others are nowbeing driven like a herd of swine into their stronghold of the WoodDebateable, where, forsooth, I shall be ere the world is one montholder. And in the doing of all this have but three of our men beenslain and a few hurt, amongst whom is thy son Hugh, but not sorely. "

"O yea, son, " said his mother, "he shall do well enough. But now withthy leave, holy Prior, we will depart, so that we may sleep in the HighHouse to-night, and feel that my dear son's hand is over us to ward us. "

Then Ralph knelt before them, and King Peter and his wife blessed theirson when they had kissed and embraced each other, and they wept for joyof him. The Prior also, who was old, and a worthy prelate, and anancient friend of King Peter, might not refrain his tears at the joy ofhis friends as he gave Ralph his blessing. And then, when Ralph hadrisen up and the horses were come, he said to him: "One thing thou artnot to forget, young conqueror, to wit, that thou art to come hereearly one day, and tell me all thy tale at full length. "

"Yea, Prior, " said Ralph, "or there is the High House of Upmeads forthee to use as thine own, and a rest for thee of three or four dayswhile thou hearkenest the tale; for it may need that. "

"Hearken, " said King Peter softly to the Dame, "how he reckons it allhis own; my day is done, my dear. " He spake smiling, and she said:"Soothly he is waxen masterful, and well it becometh the dearyoungling. "

Now they get to horse and ride their ways, while all folk blessed them. The two old folk rode fast and pressed their nags whatever Ralph mightdo to give them pastime of words; so they came into the plain field ofUpmeads two hours before sunset; and King Peter said: "Now I account itthat I have had one day more of my life than was my due, and thou, son, hast added it to the others whereas thou didst not promise to bring mehither till morrow. "

Ralph led them round by the ford, so that they might not come acrossthe corpses of the robbers; but already were the Upmeads carles at workdigging trenches wherein to bury them. 

So Ralph led his father and his mother to the gate of the garth of HighHouse; then he got off his horse and helped them down, and as he sodealt with his father, he said to him: "Thou art springy and limberyet, father; maybe thou wilt put on thine helm this year to ride theDebateable Wood with me. "

The old man laughed and said: "Maybe, son; but as now it is time forthee to enter under our roof-tree once more. "

"Nay, " said Ralph, "but go ye in and sit in the high-seat and abide me. For did I not go straight back to you from the field of battle; and canI suffer it that any other hand than mine should lead my wife into thehall and up to the high-seat of my fathers; and therefore I go to fetchher from the house of Richard the Red where she is abiding me; butpresently I shall lead her in, and do ye then with us what ye will. "

Therewith he turned about and rode his ways to Richard's house, whichwas but a half-mile thence. But his father and mother laughed when hewas gone, and King Peter said: "There again! thou seest, wife, it ishe that commands and we that obey. "

"O happy hour that so it is!" said the Lady, "and happy now shall bethe wearing of our days. "

So they entered the garth and came into the house, and were welcomedwith all joy by Nicholas, and told him all that Ralph had said, andbade him array the house as he best might; for there was much folkabout the High House, though the Upmeads carles and queans had takenthe more part of the host to their houses, which they had deliveredfrom the fire and sword, and they made much of them there with a goodheart. 

CHAPTER 31

Ralph Brings Ursula Home to the High House

Ralph speedily came to Richard's house and entered the chamber, andfound Ursula alone therein, clad in the daintiest of her woman's gearof the web of Goldburg. She rose up to meet him, and he took her inhis arms, and said: "Now is come the very ending of our journey that weso often longed for; and all will be ready by then we come to the HighHouse. "

"Ah, " she said, as she clung to him, "but they were happy days the daysof our journey; and to-morrow begins a new life. "

"Nay, " he said, "but rather this even; shall it be loathly to thee, lady?"

She said: "There will be many people whom I knew not yesterday. ""There will be but me, " he said, "when the night hath been dark for alittle. "

She kissed him and said nought. And therewithal came some of Richard'sfolk, for it was his house, and led with them a white palfrey forUrsula's riding, dight all gay and goodly. 

"Come then, " said Ralph, "thou needest not to fear the ancient house, for it is kind and lovely, and my father and my mother thou hast seenalready, and they love thee. Come then, lest the hall be grown toodusk for men to see thy fairness. " "Yea, yea, " she said, "but firsthere is a garland I made for thee, and one also for me, while I wasabiding thee after the battle, and my love and my hope is woven intoit. " And she set it on his head, and said, "O thou art fair, and I didwell to meet thee in the dark wood. " Then he kissed her dearly on themouth and led her forth, and none went with them, and they mounted andwent their ways. 

But Ralph said: "I deem that we should ride the meadow to the bridge, because that way lies the great door of the hall, and if I know myfather and Nicholas they will look for us that way. Dost thou yet fearthese dead men, sweetheart, whom our folk slew this morning?" "Nay, "she said, "it has been a long time since the morning, and they, andtheir fieriness which has so burned out, are now to me as a tale thathath been told. It is the living that I am going to, and I hope to dowell by them. "

Came they then to the bridge-end and there was no man there, nought butthe kine that were wandering about over the dewy grass of eventide. Then they rode over the bridge and through the orchard, and still therewas no man, and all gates were open wide. So they came into thebase-court of the house, and it also was empty of folk; and they cameto the great doors of the hall and they were open wide, and they couldsee through them that the hall was full of folk, and therein by thelight of the low sun that streamed in at the shot-window at the otherend they saw the faces of men and the gleam of steel and gold. 

So they lighted down from their horses, and took hand in hand andentered bright-faced and calm, and goodly beyond the goodliness of men;then indeed all that folk burst forth into glad cries, and tossed uptheir weapons, and many wept for joy. 

As they went slowly up the long hall (and it was thirty fathom oflength) Ralph looked cheerfully and friendly from side to side, andbeheld the faces of the Shepherds and the Champions, and the men ofWulstead, and his own folk; and all they cried hail to him and thelovely and valiant Lady. Then he looked up to the high-seat, and sawthat his father's throne was empty, and his mother's also; but behindthe throne stood a knight all armed in bright armour holding the bannerof Upmeads; but his father and mother stood on the edge of the dais tomeet him and Ursula; and when they came up thither these old folkembraced them and kissed them and led them up to the table. Then Ralphbade Ursula sit by his mother, and made him ready to sit by his fatherin all love and duty. But King Peter stayed him and said: "Nay, dearson, not there, but here shalt thou sit, thou saviour of Upmeads andconqueror of the hearts of men; this is a little land, but thereinshall be none above thee. " And therewith he set Ralph down in thethrone, and Ralph, turning to his left hand, saw that it was Ursula, and not his mother, who sat beside him. But at the sight of these twoin the throne the glad cries and shouts shook the very timbers of theroof, and the sun sank under while yet they cried hail to the King ofUpmeads. 

Then were the lights brought and the supper, and all men fell to feast, and plenteous was the wine in the hall; and sure since first men met toeat together none have been merrier than they. 

But now when men had well eaten, and the great cup called the River ofUpmeads was brought in, the cupbearers, being so bidden before, broughtit last of all to King Peter, and he stood up with the River in hishand and spoke aloud, and said: "Lords and warriors, and good peopleall, here I do you to wit, that it is not because my son Ralph has comehome to-day and wrought us a great deliverance, and that my love hathovercome me; it is not for this cause that I have set him in my thronethis even; but because I see and perceive that of all the kindred he ismeetest to sit therein so long as he liveth; unless perchance thislovely and valiant woman should bear him a son even better thanhimself--and so may it be. Therefore I do you all to wit that thisman is the King of Upmeads, and this woman is his Lady and Queen; andso deem I of his prowess, and his wisdom, and kindliness, that I trowhe shall be lord and servant of other lands than Upmeads, and shalldraw the good towns and the kindreds and worthy good lords into peaceand might and well-being, such as they have not known heretofore. Nowwithin three days shall mass be sung in the choir of St. Laurence, andthen shall King Ralph swear on the gospels such oaths as ye wot of, toguard his people, and help the needy, and oppress no man, even as Ihave sworn it. And I say to you, that if I have kept the oath to mypower, yet shall he keep it better, as he is mightier than I. 

"Furthermore, when he hath sworn, then shall the vassals swear to himaccording to ancient custom, to be true to him and hardy in all dueservice. But so please you I will not abide till then, but will kneelto him and to his Lady and Queen here and now. "

Even so he did, and took Ralph's hand in his and swore service to himsuch as was due; and he knelt to Ursula also, and bade her all thanksfor what she had done in the helping of his son; and they raised him upand made much of him and of Ralph's mother; and great was the joy ofall folk in the hall. 

So the feast went on a while till the night grew old, and folk mustfare bedward. Then King Peter and his wife brought Ralph and Ursula tothe chamber of the solar, the kingly chamber, which was well and goodlydight with hangings and a fair and glorious bed, and was newly deckedwith such fair flowers as the summer might furnish; and at thethreshold King Peter stayed them and said: "Kinsman, and thou, dearfriend, this is become your due chamber and resting-place while ye livein the world, and this night of all others it shall be a chamber oflove; for ye are, as it were, new wedded, since now first ye are comeamongst the kindred as lover and beloved; and thou, Ursula, art now atlast the bride of this ancient house; now tell me, doth it not lookfriendly and kindly on thee?"

"O yea, yea, " she said. "Come thou, my man and my darling and let usbe alone in the master-chamber of this ancient House. "

Then Ralph drew her unto him; and the old man blessed them and prayedfor goodly offspring for them, that the House of Upmeads might longendure. 

And thus were they two left alone amidst the love and hope of thekindred, as erst they lay alone in the desert. 

CHAPTER 32

Yet a Few Words Concerning Ralph of Upmeads

Certain it is that Ralph failed not of his promise to the good Prior ofSt. Austin's at Wulstead, but went to see him speedily, and told himall the tale of his wanderings as closely as he might, and hid naughtfrom him; which, as ye may wot, was more than one day's work or two orthree. And ever when Ralph thus spoke was a brother of the Housesitting with the Prior, which brother was a learned and wise man andvery speedy and deft with his pen. Wherefore it has been deemed notunlike that from this monk's writing has come the more part of the taleabove told. And if it be so, it is well. 

Furthermore, it is told of Ralph of Upmeads that he ruled over hislands in right and might, and suffered no oppression within them, anddelivered other lands and good towns when they fell under tyrants andoppressors; and for as kind a man as he was in hall and at hearth, inthe field he was a warrior so wise and dreadful, that oft forsooth thevery sound of his name and rumour of his coming stayed the march ofhosts and the ravage of fair lands; and no lord was ever more beloved. Till his deathday he held the Castle of the Scaur, and cleansed theWood Perilous of all strong-thieves and reivers, so that no high-streetof a good town was safer than its glades and its byways. The new folkof the Burg of the Four Friths made him their lord and captain, and theChampions of the Dry Tree obeyed him in all honour so long as any ofthem lasted. He rode to Higham and offered himself as captain to theabbot thereof, and drave out the tyrants and oppressors thence, andgave back peace to the Frank of Higham. Ever was he true captain andbrother to the Shepherd-folk, and in many battles they followed him;and were there any scarcity or ill hap amongst them, he helped them tothe uttermost of his power. The Wood Debateable also he cleared offoul robbers and reivers, and rooted out the last of the Burg-devils, and delivered three good towns beyond the wood from the cruelty of theoppressor. 

Once in every year he and Ursula his wife visited the Land ofAbundance, and he went into the castle there as into a holy place, andworshipped the memory of the Lady whom he had loved so dearly. Withall the friends of his quest he was kind and well-beloved. 

In about two years from the day when he rode home, came to him the LordBull of Utterbol with a chosen band, of whom were both Otter andRedhead. That very day they came he was about putting his foot in thestirrup to ride against the foemen; so Bull and his men would not gointo the High House to eat, but drank a cup where they stood, andturned and rode with him straightway, and did him right manly servicein battle; and went back with him afterwards to Upmeads, and abode withhim there in feasting and joyance for two months' wearing. And thricein the years that followed, when his lands at home seemed safest andmost at peace, Ralph took a chosen band, and Ursula with them, andClement withal, and journeyed through the wastes and the mountains toUtterbol, and passed joyous days with his old thrall of war, Bull Nosy, now become a very mighty man and the warder of the peace of theUttermost lands. 

Clement and Katherine came oft to the High House, and Katherineexceeding often; and she loved and cherished Ursula and lived long inhealth of body and peace of mind. 

All the days that Ralph of Upmeads lived, he was the goodliest of men, and no man to look on him had known it when he grew old; and when hechanged his life, an exceeding ancient man, he was to all men's eyes inthe very blossom of his age. 

As to Ursula his wife, she was ever as valiant and true as when theymet in the dark night amidst of the Eastland wood. Eight goodlychildren she bore him, and saw four generations of her kindred wax up;but even as it was with Ralph, never was she less goodly of body, nayrather, but fairer than when first she came to Upmeads; and the daywhereon any man saw her was a day of joyful feast to him, a day to beremembered for ever. On one day they two died and were laid togetherin one tomb in the choir of St. Laurence of Upmeads. AND HERE ENDS THETALE OF THE WELL AT THE WORLD'S END.