’AmItobeslainhereorledtoacruellerprison？’AndIsaid：
’Neitheronethingnortheother：forlo！Ihavesettheefree，andIshalllooktoitthatthereshallbenopursuitoftheetillthouhasthadtimetogetclearaway。’Butshesaid：
’Whatthankswiltthouhaveforthis？Whereforehastthoudoneit？’
AndIsaid，’ItisbecauseofthegladnessIhavegotten。’
Saidshe，’AndwouldthatImightgetgladness！’
SoIaskedherwhatwasamissnowthatshewasfree。Shesaid：
’IhavelostonethingthatIloved，andfoundanotherandlostitalso。’SoIsaid：’Mightestthounotseekforthelost？’
Shesaid，’Itisinthiswood，butwhenIshallfinditI
shallnothaveit。’’Itislovethatthouartseeking，’
saidI。’Inwhatsemblanceishe？’
“Whatwiltthou，myfriend？Straightwayshefelltomakingapictureoftheeinwords；sothatIknewthatshehadmetthee，andbelikeafterIhaddepartedfromthee，andmyheartwassorethereat；fornowIwilltelltheetheverytruth，thatshewasayoungwomanandexceedingfair，asifshewereofpearlallover，andassweetaseglantine；andIfearedherlestsheshouldmeettheeagaininthesewildwoods。
AndsoIaskedherwhatwouldshe，andshesaidthatshehadamindtoseektotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，whichquenchethallsorrow；
andIrejoicedthereat，thinkingthatshewouldbefarawayfromthee，notthinkingthatthouandImustevenmeettoseektoitalso。
SoIgaveherthechapletwhichmywitch-mistresstookfromthedeadwoman’sneck；andwentwithherintothewildwood，andtaughtherwisdomofthewayandwhatshewastodo。
AndagainIsaytotheethatshewassosweetandyetwithakindofpityinherbothofsoulandbody，andwisewithalandquiet，thatIfearedher，thoughIlovedher；yeaandstilldo：
forIdeemherbetterthanme，andmeeterfortheeandthylovethanIbe——Dostthouknowher？”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“andfairandlovelysheisinsooth。
Yethastthounaughttodotofearher。AndtrueitisthatI
sawherandspakewithherafterthouhadstriddenaway。
Forshecamebythewant-waysoftheWoodPerilousinthedawnofthedayafterIhaddeliveredthee；andinsoothshetoldmethatshelookedeitherforDeath，ortheWateroftheWelltoendhersorrow。”
Thenhesmiledandsaid；“Asforthatwhichthousayest，thatshehadbeenmeeterformethanthou，Iknownotthisword。
Forlookyou，beloved，shecame，andpassed，andisgone，butthouartthereandshaltendure。”
Shestayed，andturnedandfacedhimatthatword；
andlovesoconsumedher，thatallsportivewordsfailedher；
yeaanditwasasifmirthandlight-heartednesswereswallowedupinthefireofherlove；andallthoughtofotherfolkdepartedfromhimashefelthertearsofloveandjoyuponhisface，andshekissedandembracedhimthereinthewilderness。
OftheDesert-HouseandtheChamberofLoveintheWildernessTheninawhiletheygrewsoberandwentontheirways，andthesunwaswesteringbehindthem，andcastinglongshadows。
Andinalittlewhiletheywerecomeoutofthethickwoodsandwereinacountryofsteeplittlevalleys，grassy，besprinkledwithtreesandbushes，withhillsofsandstonegoingupfromthem，whichwereoftenbrokenintocliffsrisingsheerfromthetree-besetbottoms：andtheysawplenteousdeerbothgreatandsmall，andthewildthingsseemedtofearthembutlittle。
ToRalphitseemedanexceedingfairland，andhewasasjoyousasitwasfair；buttheLadywaspensive，andatlastshesaid：
“Thoudeemestitfair，andsoitis；yetisitthelonesomestofdeserts。Ideemindeedthatitwasonceoneofthefairestoflands，withcastlesandcotsandhomesteadsallabout，andfairpeoplenofew，busywithmanymattersamongstthem。
Butnowitisallpassedaway，andthereisnotokenofadwellingofman，saveitmightbethatthosemoundswesee，asyonder，andyonderagain，aretoftsofhouse-wallslongagosunkenintotheearthofthevalley。Andnowfewevenarethehuntersorway-farersthatwendthroughit。”
QuothRalph：“Thouspeakestasiftherehadbeenoncehistoriesandtalesofthispleasantwilderness：tellme，hasitanythingtodowiththatlandaboutthewideriverwhichwewentthrough，RogerandI，aswerodetotheCastleofAbundancetheotherday？
Forhespokeoftalesofdeedsandmishapsconcerningit。”
“Yea。”shesaid，“soitis，andthelittlestreamthatrunsyonderbeneaththosecliffs，ismakingitswaytowardsthatbigriveraforesaid，whichiscalledtheSwellingFlood。
Nowtrueitisalsothattherearemanytalesaboutofthewarsandmiseriesthatturnedthislandintoadesert，andthesemaybetrueenough，andbelikearetrue。ButthesesaidtaleshavebecomeblendedwiththestoryofthoseaforesaidwarsoftheLandoftheTower；ofwhichindeedthisdesertisverilyapart，butwasdesertstillinthedayswhenIwasQueenoftheLand；
sothoumaystwellthinkthattheywhoholdmetobethecauseofallthislonelinessandbelikeRogerthoughtitwasso
havescarcegotholdoftheverysoothofthematter。”
“EvensoIdeemed。”saidRalph：“andto-morrowweshallcrossthebigriver，thouandI。Isthereaferryorafordtherewhereasweshallcome，orhowshallwewinoverit？”
Shewasgrowingmerrieragainnow，andlaughedatthisandsaid：
“Ofairboy！thecrossingwillbeto-morrowandnotto-day；
letto-morrowcrossitsownrivers；forsurelyto-dayisfairenough，andfairershallitbewhenthouhastbeenfedandartsittingbymeinrestandpeacetillto-morrowmorning。
Sonowhastenyetalittlemore；andwewillkeepthesaidlittlestreaminsightaswellaswemayforthebushes。”
Sotheyspedon，tillRalphsaid：“Willthyfeetnevertire，beloved？”
“Ochild。”shesaid，“thouhastheardmystory，andmaystwelldeemthattheyhavewroughtmanyaharderday’sworkthanthisday’s。Andmoreovertheyshallsoonrest；forlook！yonderisourhouseforthiseven，andtillto-morrow’ssunishigh：
thehouseformeandtheeandnoneelsewithus。”Andtherewithshepointedtoaplacewherethestreamraninachainofpoolsandstickles，andasheercliffroseupsomefiftypacesbeyondit，butbetwixtthestreamandthecliffwasasmoothtableofgreensward，withthreefairthornbushesthereon，anditwentdownateachendtotheleveloftheriver’slipbyagreenslope，butamidmost，thelittlegreenplainwassometenfeetabovethestream，andwasbrokenbyalittleundercliff，whichwentdownsheerintothewater。
AndRalphsawinthefaceofthehighcliffthemouthofacave，howeverdeepitmightbe。
“Come。”saidtheLady，“tarrynot，forIknowthathungerhathholdofthee，andlook，howlowthesunisgrowing！”
Thenshecaughthimbythehand，andfelltorunningwithhimtotheedgeofthestream，whereattheendofthefurtherslopeitranwideandshallowbeforeitenteredintoadeeppooloverhungwithboughsofalderandthorn。Shesteppeddaintilyoverarowofbigstoneslaidintheripplingshallow；
andstayingherselfinmid-streamonthebiggestofthem，andgatheringuphergown，lookedupstreamwithahappyface，andthenlookedoverhershouldertoRalphandsaid：
“Theyearhasbeengoodtometheseseasons，sothatwhenI
stayedhereonmywaytotheCastleofAbundance，Ifoundbutfewstoneswashedaway，andcrossedwellnighdry-shod，butthisstonemyfeetarestandingonnow，Ibroughtdownfromunderthecliff，andsetitamid-most，andIsaidthatwhenIbroughttheehitherIwouldstaythereonandtalkwiththeewhileIstoodabovethefreshnessofthewater，asIamdoingnow。”
Ralphlookedonherandstrovetoanswerher，butnowordswouldcometohislips，becauseofthegreatnessofhislonging；shelookedonhimfondly，andthenstoopedtolookattheripplesthatbubbledupabouthershoes，andtouchedthematwhiles；thenshesaid：
“Seehowtheylongforthewater，thesefeetthathavewornthewastesolong，andknowhowkinditwillrunoverthemandlapaboutthem：
butyemustabidealittle，waste-wearers，tillwehavedoneathingortwo。Come，love！”AndshereachedherhandoutbehindhertoRalph，notlookingback，butwhenshefelthishandtouchit，shesteppedlightlyovertheotherstones，andontothegrasswithhim，andledhimquietlyuptheslopethatwentuptothetableofgreenswardbeforethecave。Butwhentheycameontothelevelgrassshekissedhim，andthenturnedtowardthevalleyandspakesolemnly：
“MayallblessingslightonthisHouseofthewildernessandthisHalloftheSummer-tide，andtheChamberofLovethathereis！”
Thenwasshesilentawhile，andRalphbrakenotthesilence。
Thensheturnedtohimwithafacegrownmerryandsmiling，andsaid：
“Lo！howthepoorladyearnethformeat，aswellhemay，solongasthedayhathbeen。Ah，beloved，thoumustbepatientalittle。
Forbelikeourservantshavenotyetheardoftheweddingofus。
Sowetwainmustfeedeachtheother。Isthatsomuchamiss？”
Helaughedinherfaceforlove，andtookherbythewrist，butshedrewherhandawayandwentintothecave，andcameforthanonholdingacopperkettlewithanironbow，andabagofmeal，whichshelaidathisfeet；thenshewentintothecaveagain，andbroughtforthaflaskofwineandabeaker；thenshecaughtupthelittlecauldron，whichwaswell-beaten，andthinandlight，andrandowntothestreamtherewith，andcameupthencepresently，bearingitfullofwateronherhead，goingasstraightandstatelyasthespearisseenonadayoftourney，movingoverthebarriersthathidetheknight，beforehelaysitintherest。
Shecameuptohimandsetthewater-kettlebeforehim，andputherhandsonhisshoulders，andkissedhischeek，andthensteppedbackfromhimandsmoteherpalmstogether，andsaid：
“Yea，itiswell！Butthereareyetmorethingstodobeforewerest。
Thereisthedightingofthechamber，andthegatheringofwoodforthefire，andthemixingofthemeal，andthekneadingandthebakingofcakes；andallthatismywork，andthereisthebringingofthequarryfortheroast，andthatisthine。”
Thensheranintothecaveandbroughtforthabowandaquiverofarrows，andsaid：“Artthousomewhatofanarcher？”
Quothhe：“Ishootnotill。”“AndI。”shesaid，“shootwell，allwoodcraftcomeshandytome。ButthiseveImusttrusttothyskillformysupper。Goswiftlyandcomebackspeedily。
Dooffthinehauberk，andbeatthebushesdowninthevalley，andbringmesomesmalldeer，asroeorhareorconey。
Andwashtheeinthepoolbelowthestepping-stones，asI
shalldowhilesthouartaway，andbythenthoucomestback，allshallbeready，savetheroastingofthevenison。”
Sohedidoffhiswargear，butthereaftertarriedalittle，lookingather，andshesaid：“Whataileththeenottogo？thehunt’sup。”Hesaid：
“Iwouldfirstgoseetherock-hallthatisforourchamberto-night；
wiltthounotbringmeinthither？”“Nay。”shesaid，“forImustbebusyaboutmanymatters；butthoumaystgobythyself，ifthouwilt。”
Sohewentandstoopeddownandenteredthecave，andfoundithighandwidewithin，andcleanandfreshandwell-smelling，andtheflooroffinewhitesandwithoutastain。
Sohekneltdownandkissedthefloor，andsaidaloud：
“Godblessthisflooroftherock-hallwhereonmyloveshalllieto-night！”Thenhearoseandwentoutofthecave，andfoundtheLadyattheentrystoopingdowntoseewhathewoulddo；andshelookedonhimfondlyandanxiously；