knowestthoutherestingplaceofherbones？”
“WhenIhadheardthetaleoftheoldmanIwasmovedtomyinmostheart，andIscarceknewwhattosay。Butnowthislongwhilefearwasdeadinme，soIthoughtIwouldtelltheverysooth：
butIsaidfirst：’Sir，whatIwilltell，Iwilltellwithoutbeseeching，soIpraytheestandup。’Sodidhe，andIsaid：
’Geoffrey，whatbecameofthewhitehindafterthebannershadleftthewildwood“？Hestaredwildatme，andIdeemedthattearsbegantocomeintohiseyes；butIsaidagain：
’WhatbetidtodameJoyce’syoungestborn，thefairlittlemaidenthatweleftsickofafeverwhenwerodetoUp-castle？’
Stillhesaidnaughtbutlookedatmewondering：andsaid：
’Hastthoueveragainseenthatgreatoldoaknightheclearingbythewater，thehalfofwhichfellawayinthesummer-stormofthatlastJuly？’
“Thenverilythetearsgushedoutofhiseyes，andhewept，forasoldashewas；andwhenhecouldmasterhimselfhesaid：’Whoartthou？
Whoartthou？ArtthouthedaughterofmyLady，evenasthesearemysons？’
ButIsaid：’NowwillIanswerthyfirstquestion，andtelltheethattheLadythouseekestisverilyalive；andshehasthriven，forshehasdrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，andhasputfromhertheburdenoftheyears。
OGeoffrey，anddostthounotknowme？’AndIheldoutmyhandtohim，andIalsowasweeping，becauseofmythoughtoftheyearsgoneby；
forthisoldmanhadbeenthatswainwhohadnighdiedformewhenIfledwithmyhusbandfromtheoldking；andhebecameoneoftheDryTree，andhadfollowedmewithkindserviceaboutthewoodsinthedayswhenI
wasatmyhappiest。
“Butnowhefellonhiskneesbeforemenotlikeavassalbutlikealover，andkissedmyfeet，andwasbesidehimselfforjoy。
Andhissons，whoweremenofsomefortysummers，tallandwarrior-like，kissedmyhandsandmadeobeisancebeforeme。
“Nowwhenwehadcometoourselvesagain，oldGeoffrey，whowasnownaughtbutglad，spakeandsaid：’ItistoldamongstusthatwhenourhostdepartedfromtheLandoftheTower，afterthouhadsttakenthydueseatuponthethrone，thatthoudidstpromiseourchieftainshowthouwouldstonedaycomebacktothefellowshipoftheDryTreeanddwellamongstus。
Wiltthounowholdtothypromise？’Isaid：’OGeoffrey，ifthouartthelastofthoseseekers，andthouwertbutaboywhenIdweltwithyouofold，whooftheDryTreeislefttorememberme？’Hehunghisheadawhilethen，andspake：
’Oldarewegrown，yetartthoufittesttobeamongstyoungfolk：
unlessmineeyesarebeguiledbysomesemblancewhichwillpassawaypresently。’’Nay，’quothI，’itisnotso；
asIamnow，soshallIbeformanyandmanyaday。’
’Well，’saidGeoffrey，’whereverthoumaystbe，thoushaltbeQueenofmen。’
“’IlistnottobeQueenagain，’saidI。Helaughedandsaid：
’Iwotnothowthoumaysthelpit。’
“Isaid：’TellmeoftheDryTree，howthechampionshavesped，andhavetheygrowngreaterorless。’Saidhe：
’Theyarewarriorsandchampionsfromfathertoson；
thereforehavetheythrivennotoverwell；yettheyhaveleftthethickofthewood，andbuiltthemagreatcastleabovethelittletownhightHampton；sothatisnowcalledHamptonunderScaur，forupontheheightofthesaidScaurisourcastlebuilded：
andthereweholdusagainsttheBurgoftheFourFrithswhichhaththrivengreatly；thereisnonesogreatastheBurginallthelandsabout。’
“Isaid：’AndtheLandoftheTower，thriveththefolkthereofatall？’
’Nay，’hesaid，’theyhavebeenrenttopiecesbyfollyandwarandgreediness：intheGreatCityarebutfewpeople，grassgrowsinitsstreets；themerchantswendnotthewaysthatleadthither。
Naughtthriveththeresincethoustolestthyselfawayfromthem。’
“’Nay，’Isaid，’Ifledfromtheirmalice，lestIshouldhavebeenbroughtouttobeburnedoncemore；andtherewouldhavebeennonetorescuethen。’
’Wasitso？’saidoldGeoffrey；’wellitisallonenow；theirdayisdone。’
“’Well，’Isaid，’comeintomyhouse，andeatanddrinkthereinandsleephereto-night，andto-morrowIshalltelltheewhatIwilldo。’
“Evensotheydid；andonthemorrowearlyIspaketoGeoffreyandsaid：
’WhathathbefallentheLandofAbundance，andthecastlemylordbuiltformethere；whichweheldasourrefugeallthroughtheWaroftheTower，bothbeforewejoinedustoyouinthewildwood，andafterwards？’Hesaid：
’Itisatpeacestill；noonehathlaidhandonit；thereisasimplefolkdwellingthereintheclearingofthewood，whichforgetteththeenot；
thoughforsoothstrangetalesaretoldoftheethere；andtheoldmendeemthatitisbutalittlesincethouhastceasedtocomeandgothere；
andtheyarereadytoworshiptheeassomewhatmorethantheBlessedSaints，wereitnotfortheFathersoftheThornwhoaretheirmasters。’
“Iponderedthisawhile，andthensaid：’Geoffrey，yeshallbringmehenceawaytothepeopledparts，andontheway，orwhenwearecomeamongstthecitiesandthekingdoms，wewillsettleitwhitherIshallgo。
Seethou！IwerefaintobeofthebrotherhoodoftheDryTree；
yetIdeemitwillscarcebethatIshallgoanddwelltherestraightway。’
“Therewiththeoldmanseemedcontent；andindeednowthatthefirstjoyofourmeeting，whenhisyouthsprangupinhimoncemore，wasover，hefoundithardtotalkfreelywithme，andwasdowncastandshybeforeme，asifsomethinghadcomebetwixtus，whichhadmadeourlivescoldtoeachother。
“SothatdaywelefttheHouseoftheSorceress，whichIshallnotseeagain，tillIcometherehandinhandwiththee，beloved。
Whenwecametothepeopledparts，GeoffreyandhissonsbroughtmetotheLandofAbundance，andIfounditallashehadsaidtome：
andItookupmydwellinginthecastle，anddespisednotthosefewfolkoftheland，butwaskindtothem：butthoughtheypraisedmygifts，andhonouredmeasthesaintsarehonoured，andthoughtheylovedme，yetitwaswithfear，sothatIhadlittlepartwiththem。
ThereIdweltthen；andthebookwhichthoudidstreadthere，parttrueandpartfalse，andaltogetherofmaliceagainstme，Iboughtofamonkwhocameourway，andwhoatfirstwassoreafearedwhenhefoundthathehadcometomycastle。AstothehallingoftheChamberofDais，Ihavetoldtheebeforehowmylord，theKing’sSon，diddomakeitinmemoryofthewildernesswhereinhefoundme，andthelifeofthralldomfromwhichhebroughtme。
ThereIdwelttillnighuponthesedaysinpeaceandquiet：
notdidIgototheDryTreeforalongwhile，thoughmanyofthemsoughttomethereattheCastleofAbundance；and，woeworththewhile！
therewasoftenestbutoneendtotheirguesting，thatofallgifts，theybesoughtmebutofone，which，alack！Imightnotgivethem：
andthatisthelovethatIhavegiventothee，beloved——And，oh！myfear，thatitwillweightoolightwiththee，towinmepardonoftheeforallthatthoumustneedspardonme，erethoucanstgivemeallthylove，thatIlongforsosorely。”
TheyGoOnTheirWayOnceMore“Looknow。”shesaid，“Ihaveheldtheesolongintalk，thattheafternooniswaning；nowisittimeforustobeonthewayagain；
notbecauseImisdoubtmeofthyfoeman，butbecauseIwouldtaketheetoafairerdwellingofthedesert，andonewhereIhaveerstabided；
andmoreover，therethoushaltnotaltogetherdieofhunger。
See，isitnotasifIhadthoughttomeettheehere？”
“Yea，ingoodsooth。”saidhe，“Iwotthatthoucanstseethestoryofthingsbeforetheyfall。”
Shelaughedandsaid：“ButallthisthathathbefallensinceI
setouttomeettheeattheCastleofAbundanceIforesawnot，anymorethanIcanforeseeto-morrow。OnlyIknewthatwemustneedspassbytheplacewheretoIshallnowleadthee，andImadeprovisionthere。Lo！nowthemarvelslain：
andinsuchwiseshallperishothermarvelswhichhavebeentoldofme；yetnotall。Comenow，letustotheway。”
Sotheyjoinedhandsandleftthepleasantplace，andwereagaingoingspeedilyamidsttheclosepinewoodsawhile，whereitwassmoothunderfootandsilentofnoiseswithal。
NowRalphsaid：“Beloved，thouhasttoldmeofmanythings，butnaughtconcerninghowthoucamesttobeweddedtotheKnightoftheSun，andofthydealingswithhim。”
Saidshe，reddeningwithal：“Iwilltelltheenomorethanthis，unlessthoucompelme：thathewouldhavemewedhim，asitwereagainstmywill，tillIceasedstrivingagainsthim，andI
wentwithhimtoSunway，whichisnogreatwayfromtheCastleofAbundance，andtherebefellthattreasonofWaltertheBlack，wholovedmeandprayedformylove，andwhenIgainsaidhim，sworebyallthatwasholy，beforemylord，thatitwasIwhosoughthislove，andhowIhadtoldandtaughthimwaysofwitchcraft，wherebywemightfulfillourlove，sothattheBaronshouldkeepawifeforanotherman。AndtheKnightoftheSun，whosehearthadbeenfilledwithmanytalesofmywisdom，trueandfalse，believedhisfriendwhomheloved，andstillbelievethhim，thoughheburnethfortheloveofmenow；whereasinthosefirstdaysofthetreason，heburnedwithloveturnedtohatred。
Soofthiscamethatshamingandcasting-forthofme。
WhereofIwilltelltheebutthis，thatthebrotherofmylord，eventhetallchampionwhomthouhastseen，cameuponmepresently，whenIwascastforth；becausehewascomingtoseetheKnightoftheSunathishome；andhelovedme，butnotafterthefashionofhisbrother，butwaskindandmildwithme。
SothenIwentwithhimtoHamptonandtheDryTree，andgreatjoymadethefolkthereofofmycoming，whereastheyrememberedtheiraskingofaforetimethatIwouldcometobeaQueenoverthem，andtherehaveIdwelteversincebetwixtHamptonandtheCastleofAbundance；andthattallchampionhasbeeneverasabrotheruntome。”
SaidRalph，“AndthouarttheirQueenthere？”“Yea。”shesaid，“inafashion；
yethavetheyanotherwhoismightierthanI，andmight，ifshedurst，hangmeoverthebattlementsoftheScaur，forsheisafierceandhardwoman，andnownolongeryounginyears。”
“Isitnotsothen。”saidRalph，“thatsomeoftheilldeedsthataretoldoftheeareofherdoing？”
“Itisevenso。”shesaid，“andwhileswhenshehasspokenthewordImaynotbeagainstheropenly，thereforeIusemywisdomwhichI
havelearned，tosetfreelucklesswightsfromherangerandmalice。
MorebytokenthelasttimeIdidthuswastheverynightofthedayweparted，afterthouhadstescapedfromtheBurg。”
“Inwhatwisewasthat？”saidRalph。Shesaid：“WhenIrodeawayfromtheeonthathappydayofmydeliverancebythee，myheartlaughedforjoyofthelifethouhadstgivenme，andoftheethegiver，andIsworetomyselfthatIwouldsetfreethefirstcaptiveordeath-doomedcreaturethatI
cameacross，inhonourofmypleasureanddelight：
nowspeedilyIcametoHamptonandtheScaur；
foritisnotveryfarfromthewant-waysofthewood：
andthereIheardhowfourofourfolkhadbeenledawaybythemenoftheBurg，thereforeitwascleartomethatImustsetthesemenfreeifIcould；besides，itpleasedmetothinkthatIcouldwalkaboutthestreetsofthefoemensafely，whohadbeenbutjustledthitherwardtotheslaughter。
ThouknowesthowIspedtherein。ButwhenIcamebackagaintoourpeople，afterthouhadstriddenawayfromuswithRoger，Iheardthesetidings，thattherewasonenew-comeintoourprison，awomantowit，whohadbeenhaledbeforeouroldQueenforaspyanddoomedbyher，andshouldbetakenforthandslain，belike，inadayortwo。SoIsaidtomyselfthatI
wasnotfreeofmyvowasyet，becausethosefriendsofmine，Ishouldinanycasehavedonemybesttodeliverthem：
thereforeIdeemedmyoathboundmetosetthatwomanfree。
Sointhenight-tidewhenallwasquietIwenttotheprisonandbroughtherforth，andledherpastallthegatesandwards，whichwasaneasythingtome，somuchasIhadlearned，andcamewithherintothefieldsbetwixtthethorpofHamptonandthewood，whenitwasmoredaylightthandawn，sothatIcouldseeherclearly，andnowordasyethadwespokentoeachother。Butthenshesaidtome：