YetIhavemadeupmymindalreadythatIwouldsodoasifItrowedinit。SoIamnonearertoitthanerst。
NowistherenaughtforitsavetoabideMasterClement’scoming；
andwhenhehathbroughtmetoGoldburg，thenshallIseehowthequestlooksbythedaylightofthatsamecity。”
HespakesocheerfullythatRichardlookedathimaskance，wonderingwhatwastowardwithhim，andifmayhappenanythinglayunderneaththosewordsofhis。
ButinhisheartRalphwasthinkingofthatlasttaleofthewomanwhomtheyoungmanhadmetsuchalittlewhileago；anditseemedtohimthatshemusthavebeeninWhitwallwhenhefirstcamethere；
andhescarceknewwhetherheweresorryornotthathehadmissedher：
forthoughitseemedtohimthatitwouldbelittlemorethanmeregriefandpain，nay，thatitwouldbewickedandeviltobeledtotheWellattheWorld’sEndbyanyotherthanherwhowastohavebroughthimthere；
yethelonged，orthoughthelongedtospeakwithherconcerningthatloveofhisheart，soearlyrewarded，sospeedilybeggared。
ForindeedhedoubtednotthatthesaidwomanwasthedamselofBourtonAbbas，whoseimagehadnamedherselfDorotheatohiminthatdream。
RichardBringethTidingsofDepartingFellthetalkbetweenthematthattime，andthreedayswore，andonthemorningofthefourthdaycameRichardtoRalph，andsaidtohim：
“Foster-son，IamsorryforthewordImustsay，butClementChapmancamewithinthegatesthismorningearly，andthecompanywithwhichheisridingarealbounfortheroad，andwilldepartatnoonto-day，sothattherearebutfourhourswhereinwetwainmaybetogether；
andthereafterwhatsomaybetidethee，itmaywellbe，thatIshallseethyfacenomore；sowhatthouwilttellmemustbetoldstraightway。
AndnowIwillsaythistothee，thatofallthingsIwerefaintoridewiththee，butImaynot，becauseitisBlaisewhomIamboundtoserveinallways。AndIdeem，moreover，thattroubloustimesmaybeathandhereinWhitwall。ForthereisanEarlhightWaltertheBlack，afairyoungmanoutwardly，butfalseatheartandatyrant，andhehadsomeoccasionagainstthegoodtown，anditwaslookedforthatheshouldsendhisheraldheretodefythePortmorethanahalfmoonago；
butaboutthattimehewashurtinafrayaswehear，andmaynotbackahorseinbattleyet。Albeit，fristedisnotforgotten，assaiththesaw；andwhenheiswholeagain，wemaylookforhimatourgates；
andwhereasBlaiseknowsmeforadeftman-at-armsorsomethingmore，itisnottobelookedforthathewillgivemetotheeforthisquest。
Nay，oftheealsoitwillbelookedforthatthoushouldestdoknightlyservicetothePort，andevensoBlaisemeansittobe；thereforehaveI
liedtohimonthybehalf，andbiddenClementalsotoliewhichforsoothhemaydobetterthanI，sincehewottethnotwhollywhitherthouartminded，andIhavesaidthouwouldstgowithClementnofurtherthanCheapingKnowe，whichliethclosetothefurthersideofthesemountains，andwillbebackagaininsomewhatmorethanahalf-moon’swearing。
Sonowthouartwarnedhereof。”
RalphwasmovedbythesewordsofRichard，andhespake：
“Forsooth，oldfriend，Iamsorrytodepartfromthee；
yetthoughIshallpresentlybeallaloneamongstaliens，yetnowismanhoodrisingagaininme。SoforthatcauseatleastshallIbegladtobeontheway；andasatokenthatIammorewholethanIwas，Iwillnowtelltheethetaleofmygrief，ifthouwilthearkentoit，whichtheotherdayImightnottellthee。”
“Iwillhearkenitgladly。”saidRichard。Andtherewiththeysatdowninawindow，fortheywerewithindoorsinthehostel，andRalphtoldallthathadbefallenhimasplainlyandshortlyashemight；
andwhenhehaddone，Richardsaid：
“Thouhashadmuchadventureinashortspace，lord，andifthoumightestnowrefrainthylongingforthatwhichisgone，andsetitonthatwhichistocome，thoumayestyethardenintoafamousknightandahappyman。”
SaidRalph：“Yea？nowtellmeallthythought。”
SaidRichard：“Mythoughtisthatthisladywhowasslain，wasscarcewhollyoftheraceofAdam；butthatattheleasttherewassomeblendinginherofthebloodofthefays。
Orhowdeemestthou？”
“Iwotnot。”saidRalphsadly；“tomesheseemedbutawoman，thoughshewerefairerandwiserthanotherwomen。”SaidRichard：
“Well，furthermore，ifIheardtheearight，thereisanotherwomaninthetalewhoisalsofairerandwiserthanotherwomen？”
“Iwouldsheweremysister！”saidRalph。“Yea。”quothRichard，“anddostthoubearinmindwhatshewaslike？Imeanthefashionofherbody。”
“Yea，verily。”saidRalph。
AgainsaidRichard：“DothitseemtotheeasiftheLadyoftheDryTreehadsomeinklingthatthoushouldsthappenuponthisotherwoman：
whereassheshowedheroftheroadtotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，andgaveherthatpairofbeads，andmeantthatthoualsoshouldestgothither？
Andthousayestthatshepraisedher，——herbeautyandwisdom。
Inwhatwisedidshepraiseher？howcamethewordsforthfromher？
wasitsweetly？”
“Likehoneyandrosesforsweetness。”saidRalph。
“Yea。”saidRichard，“andshemighthavepraisedherinsuchwisethatthewordshadcameforthlikegallandvinegar。
NowIwilltelltheeofmythought，sincewebeatpointofsundering，thoughthoutakeitamissandbewrothwithme：
towit，thatthouwouldsthavelosttheloveofthisladyastimewore，evenhadshenotbeenslain：andshebeing，ifnofay，yetwiserthanotherwomen，andforeseeing，knewthatsoitwouldbe。”
Ralphbrakein：“Nay，nay，itisnotso，itisnotso！”
“Hearken，youngling！”quothRichard；“Ideemthatitwasthus。
Herlovefortheewassokindthatshewouldhavetheehappyafterthesundering：thereforeshewasmindedthatthoushouldestfindthedamsel，whoasIdeemloveththee，andthatthoushouldestlovehertruly。”
“Onay，nay！”saidRalph，“allthisguessofthineisnaught，sayingthatshewaskindindeed。Evenasheaveniskindtothemwhohavediedmartyrs，andenterintoitsblissaftermanytorments。”
Andtherewithhefella-weepingattheverythoughtofhergreatkindness：
forindeedtothisyoungmanshehadseemedgreat，andexaltedfarabovehim。
Richardlookedathimawhile；andthensaid：“Now，IpraytheebenotwrothwithmeforthewordIhavespoken。
ButsomethingmoreshallIsay，whichshallliketheebetter。
Towit，whenIcamebackfromSwevenhamonWednesdayIdeemeditmostlikethattheWellattheWorld’sEndwasatale，acolouredcloudonly；orthatatmostifitwereindeedontheearth，thatthoushouldestneverfindit。
Butnowismymindchangedbythehearingofthytale，andIdeemboththattheWellverilyis，andthatthouthyselfshaltfindit；andthatthewiseLadyknewthis，andsetthegreaterstorebythyyouthandgoodliness，asaricherandmoregloriousgiftthanithadbeen，wereitasfleetingassuchthingsmostlybe。NowofthismatterwillIsaynomore；
butIthinkthatthewordsthatIhavesaid，andwhichnowseemsovaintothee，shallcomeintothymindonsomelaterday，andavailtheesomewhat；andthatiswhyIhavespokenthem。
Butthisagainisanotherword，thatIhavegotarightgoodhorseforthee，andothergear，suchasthoumayestneedfortheroad，andthatClement’sfellowshipwillmeetinPetergatehardbythechurch，andIwillbethysquiretillthoucomestthither，andridestthenceouta-gates。
NowIsupposethatthouwillwanttobidBlaisefarewell：
yetthoumustlooktoitthathewillnotdeemthyfarewellofgreatmoment，sinceheswimmethinflorinsandgoodlywares；
andmoreoverdeemeththatthouwiltsoonbebackhere。”
“Nevertheless。”saidRalph，“Imustneedscastmyarmsaboutmyownmother’ssonbeforeIdepart：sogowenow，asallthistalkhathwornawaymorethananhourofthosefourthatwereleftme。”
CHAPTER18
RalphDepartethFromWhitwallWiththeFellowshipofClementChapmanTherewithaltheywenttogethertoBlaise’shouse，andwhenBlaisesawthem，hesaid：“Well，Ralph，sothoumustneedsworkatalittlemoreidlingbeforethoufallesttoinearnest。
ForsoothIdeemthatwhenthoucomestbackthouwiltfindthatwehavecuttheeoutagoodlypieceofworkforthysewing。
Forthegoodtownisgatheringagallanthostofmen；andweshalllooktotheetodowellinthehardhand-play，whensothatbefalleth。
Butnowcomeandlookatmyhousewithin，howfairitis，andthouwiltseethatthouwilthavesomewhattofightfor，whereasIam。”
Therewithheledthemupastairintothegreatchamber，whichwasallnewlydightandhungwithricharrasoftheStoryofHercules；
andtherewasagoodlycupboardofsilvervessel，andsomegold，andthecupboardwasoffiveshelvesaswasbutmeetforaking’sson。
SoRalphpraisedall，butwaswishfultodepart，forhisheartwassore，andheblamedhimselfinamannerthathemustneedslietohisbrother。
ButBlaisebroughtthemtotheupperchamber，andshowedthemthegoodlybedswiththeircloths，andhangings，andallwasasfairasmightbe。
ThenBlaisebadebringwineandmadethemdrink；andhegaveRalphapurseofgold，andananlaceveryfairoffashion，andbroughthimtothedoorthereafter；andRalphcasthisarmsabouthim，andkissedhimandstrainedhimtohisbreast。ButBlaisewassomewhatmovedthereat，andsaidtohim：“Whylad，thouartsorrytodepartfrommeforalittlewhile，andwhatwoulditbe，wereitforlong？
Buteverwertthouakindandtender-heartedyoungling，andwetwainarealoneinanalienland。Forsooth，Iwotthatthouhast，asitwere，embracedtheUpmeadskindred，father，motherandall；andgoodisthat！
SonowGodandtheSaintskeepthee，andbearinmindthehostingofthegoodtown，andtheraisingofthebanner，thatshallbenogreatwhile。
Faretheewell，lad！”
Sotheyparted，andRalphwentbacktothehostel，andgatheredhisstufftogether，andlaiditonasumpterhorse，andarmedhim，andsowentintoPetergatetojoinhimselftothatcompany。
Therehefoundthechapmen，fiveoftheminall，andtheirlads，andascoreofmen-at-arms，withwhomwasClement，notcladlikeamerchant，butweaponed，andbearingacoatofproofandabrightsalletonhishead。
Theygreetedeachtheother，andRalphsaid：“Yea，masterClement，andbeweridingtobattle？”“Maybe。”quothClement；
“thewayislong，andourgoodsworththelifting，andtherearesomeroughplacesthatwemustneedspassthrough。
Butifyelikenotthejourney，abidehereinthistowntheonsetofWaltertheBlack。”
Therewithhelaughed，andRalphunderstandingthejape，laughedalso；
andsaid：“Well，masterClement，buttellmewhobethesethatweshallmeet。”“Yea，andIwilltelltheethewholetaleofthem。”
saidClement，“butabidetillwearewithoutthegates；Iambusymane’ennow，forallisreadyfortheroad，savewhatImustdo。
SonowbidthyUpmeadssquirefarewell，andthentohorsewiththee！”
SoRalphcasthisarmsaboutRichard，andkissedhimandsaid：
“ThisisalsoafarewelltotheHousewhereIwasbornandbred。”
AndashespakethethoughtoftheHouseandthegarden，andthepleasantfieldsofUpmeadscameintohisheartsobitter-sweet，thatitmingledwithhissorrow，andwell-nighmadehimweep。
ButasforRichardheforeborewords，forhewassadatheartforthesundering。
Thenhegattohorse，andthewholecompanyofthembestirredthem，andtheyrodeouta-gates。AndmasterClementitwasthatorderedthem，ridingupanddownalongthearray。
ButRalphfelltospeechwiththechapmenandmen-at-arms；
andbothofthesewereverycourteouswithhim；fortheyrejoicedinhiscompany，andespeciallythechapmen，whoweresomewhattimorousoftheperilsoftheroad。