第3章

“MasterClement，howfardostthoumakeittoHigham-on-the-Way？”

“Amatteroffortymiles。”saidtheChapman；“because，asthouwottest，ifyeridesouthfromhence，yeshallpresentlybringyournoseupagainstthebigdowns，andmustneedsclimbthematonce；andwhenyeareatthetopofBearHill，andlooksouthawayyeshallseenoughtbutdownsondownswithneveraroadtocallaroad，andneveracastle，orchurch，orhomestead：noughtbutsomeshepherd’shut；

oratthemostthelittlehouseofaholymanwithalittlechapeltherebyinsomeswellyofthechalk，wherethewaterhathtrickledintoapool；forotherwisetheplaceiswaterless。”

Therewithhetookalongpullatthetankardbyhisside，andwenton：

“Highamisbeyondallthat，andoutintothefertileplain；

andalittleriverhightColdlakewindethaboutthemeadowsthere；

anditisafairland；thoughlookyouthewoolofthedownsisgood，good，good！Ihavefoisonofthisyear’sfleeceswithme。

YeshallraisenonesuchinUpmeads。”

Ralphsatsilentalittle，asifpondering，andthenhestartedupandsaid：

“GoodmasterClement，wehaveeatenthymeatandthanktheeforthatandothermatters。Wiltthounowbekinder，andbidthyboybringroundFalconourhorse；forwehavefartogo，andmustbegonestraight-away。”

“Yea，lord。”saidClement，“evensowillIdo。”Andhemutteredunderhisbreath；“Thoutalkestbig，mylad，withthy’we’；butthouartpressedlestNicholasbeherepresentlytofetchtheeback；

andtosaysoothIwouldhishandwereonthyshoulderevennow。”

Thenhespakealoudagain，andsaid：

“Imustnowbegonetomylads，andIwillsendoneroundwiththywar-horse。Buttakemyrede，mylord，andbecomethemanoftheAbbotofSt。Mary’sofHigham，andallwillbewell。”

Therewithheedgedhimselfoutofthechamber，andthedamefelltomakingamightyclatterwiththevesselandtrenchersandcupsontheboard，whileRalphwalkedupanddownthechamberhiswar-gearjinglinguponhim。

Presentlythedamelefthertable-clatterandcameuptoRalphandlookedkindlyintohisfaceandsaid：“Gossip，hastthouperchanceanymoney？”

Heflushedupred，andthenhisfacefell；yethespakegaily：

“Yea，gossip，Ihavebothwhiteandred：therearethreegoldencrownsinmypouch，andalittleflockofsilverpennies：

forsoothIsaynotasmanyaswouldreachfromheretoUpmeads，iftheywerelaidoneaftertheother。”

Shesmiledandpattedhischeek，andsaid：

“Thouartnoveryprudentchild，king’sson。Butitcomesintomymindthatmymasterdidnotmeantheetogoawayempty-handed；

elsehadhenotdepartedandleftustwaintogether。”

Therewithshewenttothecredencethatstoodinacorner，andopenedadrawerthereinandtookoutalittlebag，andgaveitintoRalph’shand，andsaid：“Thisisthegiftofthegossip；andthoumaysttakeitwithoutshame；

allthemorebecauseifthyfatherhadbeenaworserman，andaharderlordhewouldhavehadmoretogivethee。

Butnowthouhastasmuchormoreasanyoneofthybrethren。”

Hetookthebagsmilingandshame-faced，butshelookedonhimfondlyandsaid：

“NowIknownotwhetherIshalllayoldNicholasonthineheelswhenhecomethafterthee，ascomehewillfullsurely；

orwhetherIshallsuffertheoldsleuth-houndnoseoutthyslotofhimself，asfullsurelyhewillsetontoit。”

“Thoumightesttellhim。”saidRalph，“thatIamgonetotakeservicewiththeAbbotofSt。Mary’sofHigham：hah？”

Shelaughedandsaid：“Wiltthoudoso，lord，andfollowtheredeofthatgoodmanofmine，whothinkethhimselfaswiseasSolomon？”

Ralphsmiledandansweredhernothing。

“Well。”shesaid，“Ishallsaywhatlikesmewhenthehourisathand。

Lo，here！thinehorse。Abideyetamomentoftime，andthengowhitherthouneedsmust，likethewindofthesummerday。”

TherewithshewentoutofthechamberandcamebackagainwithascripwhichshegavetoRalphandsaid：“Hereinisaflaskofdrinkforthewaterlesscountry，andalittlemeatfortheway。

Faretheewell，gossip！LittledidIlookforitwhenIroseupthismorningandnothingirkedmesavethedulnessofourtown，andthelittlenessofmen’sdoingstherein，thatIshouldhavetocutoffapieceofmylifefrommethismorning，andsay，farewellgossip，asnowagainIdo。”

Therewithshekissedhimoneithercheekandembracedhim；

anditmightbesaidofherandhimthatshelethimgothereafter；

forthoughasaforesaidhelovedher，andpraisedherkindness，hescarceunderstoodtheeagernessofherloveforhim；

whereasmoreovershesawhimnotsooftenbetwixtUpmeadsandWulstead：andbelikesheherselfscarceunderstoodit。

Albeitshewasachildlesswoman。

Sowhenhehadgottohorse，shewatchedhimridingamoment，andsawhowhewavedhishandtoherasheturnedthecornerofthemarket-place，andhowaknotofladsandlassesstoodstaringonhimaftershelostsightofhim。Thensheturnedherbackintothechamberandlaidherheadonthetableandwept。

Thencameinthegoodmanquietlyandstoodbyherandsheheededhimnot。Hestoodgrinningcuriouslyonherawhile，andthenlaidhishandonhershoulder，andsaidassheraisedherfacetohim：

“Sweetheart，itavailethnought；whenthouwertyoungandexceedingfair，hewasbutalittlebabe，andthouwertlookinginthosedaystohavebabesofthineown；andthenitwastoosoon：

andnowthatheissuchabeauteousyoungman，andaking’ssonwithal，andthouartweddedtoacarefulcarleofnoweakheart，andthouthyselfartmorethantwo-scoreyearsold，itistoolate。Yetthoudidstwelltogiveourlordthemoney。

Lo！hereiswherewithaltofillupthelackinthychest；

andhereisatoyfortheeinplaceofthepairofbeadsthougavesthim；andIbidtheelookonitasifIhadgivenhimmyshareofthemoneyandthebeads。”

SheturnedtoClement，andtookthebagofmoney，andthechapletwhichheheldouttoher，andshesaid：

“Godwotthouartnoillman，myhusband，butwouldGodI

hadasonliketohim！”

Shestillweptsomewhat；butthechapmansaid：“Letitrestthere，sweetheart！letitrestthere！Itmaybeayearortwainbeforethouseesthimagain：andthenbelikeheshallbecomebackwithsomewomanwhomhelovesbetterthananyother；

andwhoknowsbutinawayhemaydeemhimselfourson。

Meanwhilethouhastdonewell，sweetheart，sobeglad。”

Therewithhekissedherandwenthiswaystohismerchandize，andshetothe

RalphRideththeDownsAsforRalph，herodeonwithamerryheart，andpresentlycametoanendoftheplaincountry，andthegreatdownsroseupbeforehimwithawhiteroadwindinguptothetopofthem。

Justbeforetheslopesbegantorisewasalittlethorpbesideastream，andtherebyafairchurchandalittlehouseofCanons：

soRalphrodetowardthechurchtoseeifthereinwereanaltarofSt。Nicholas，whowashisgoodlordandpatron，thathemightaskofhimablessingonhisjourney。

Butashecameuptothechurchyard-gatehesawagreatblackhorsetiedtheretoasifabidingsomeone；andashelighteddownfromhissaddlehesawamancominghastilyfromoutthechurch-doorandstridingswiftlytowardthesaidgate。

Hewasabigman，andarmed；forhehadabrightsteelsalletonhishead，whichcoveredhisfaceallsavetheendofhischin；andplateshehadonhislegsandarms。

Heworeagreencoatoverhisarmour，andthereonwaswroughtingoldanimageofatreeleafless：hehadalittlesteelaxeabouthisneck，andagreatswordhungbyhisside。

Ralphstoodlookingonhimwithhishandonthelatchofthegate，butwhenthemancametheretohetoreitopenroughlyandshovedthroughatonce，drivingRalphback，sothathewell-nighoversethim，andsosprangtohishorseandswunghimselfintothesaddle，justasRalphsteadiedhimselfandruffleduptohim，halfdrawinghisswordfromthescabbardthewhile。

Buttheman-at-armscriedout，“Putitback，putitback！

Ifthoumustneedsdealwitheverymanthatshoveththeeinhishaste，thylifeisliketobebutshort。”

Hewassettlinghimselfinhissaddleashespoke，andnowheshookhisrein，androdeoffspeedilytowardthehill-road。

ButwhenhewassofaroffthatRalphmightbutseehisfacebutasapieceofreddishcolour，hereinedupforamomentoftime，andturningroundinhissaddlelifteduphissalletandlefthisfacebare，andcriedoutasiftoRalph，“Thefirsttime！”

Andthenletthehead-piecefallagain，andsetspurstohishorseandgalloppedaway。

Ralphstoodlookingathimashegotsmalleronthelongwhiteroad，andwonderingwhatthismightmean，andhowtheunknownmanshouldknowhim，ifhedidknowhim。

Butpresentlyhelethiswonderrunoffhim，andwenthiswaysintothechurch，whereinhefoundhisgoodlordandfriendSt。Nicholas，andsosaidapaternosterbeforehisaltar，andbesoughthishelp，andmadehisoffering；andthendepartedandgattohorseagain，androdesoftlythewaytothedowns，forthedaywashot。

Thewaywassteepandwinding，withahollowcupofthehillsbelowit，andaboveitabentsosteepthatRalphcouldseebutafewyardsofitonhislefthand；butwhenhecametothehill’sbrowandcouldlookdownonthesaidbent，hesawstrangefiguresonthefacethereof，donebycuttingawaytheturfsothatthechalkmightshowclear。Atreewithleaveswasdoneonthathill-side，andoneitherhandofitabeastlikeabearrampingupagainstthetree；andthesesignswereveryancient。

Thishill-sidecarvingcouldnotbeseenfromthethorpbeneath，whichwascalledNetherton，becausethebentlookedwestwarddownintothehollowofthehillabovesaid；butfromnighertoWulsteadtheywerecleartosee，andRalphhadoftenbeheldthem，butneversonigh：

andthathillwascalledafterthemBearHill。Atthetopofitwasanearth-workoftheancientfolk，whichalsowascalledBearCastle。

AndnowRalphrodeoverthehill’sbrowintoit；forthewallshadbeenbeatendowninplaceslongandlongago。

Nowherodeupthewall，andatthetopmostofitturnedandlookedabackonthebluecountrywhichhehadriddenthroughstretchingmanyaleaguebelow，andtriedifhecouldpickoutUpmeadsfromamongstthediversewealthofthesummerland：

butUpmeadsWaterwashidden，andhecouldseenothingtobesureoftotellhimwhereaboutstheHighHousestood；

yethedeemedthathecouldmakeouttheDebateableWoodandthehillsbehinditwellenough。Thenheturnedhishorseabout，andhadthedown-countrybeforehim；longlinesofhillstowit，onerisingbehindtheotherlikethewavesofasomewhatquietsea：

notreesthereon，norhousesthathemightseethence：

noughtbutagreenroadthatwentwavingupanddownbeforehimgreenerthanthemainfaceoftheslopes。

Helookedatitallforaminuteortwoasthesouth-westwindwentpasthisears，andplayedastrangetuneontheinnumerablestemsofthebentsandthehard-stalkedblossoms，towhichthebeessangcounterpoint。

Thentheheartarosewithinhim，andhedrewtheswordfromthescabbard，andwaveditabouthishead，andshookittowardthesouth，andcriedout，“Now，welcomeworld，andbethoublessedfromoneendtotheother，fromtheoceanseatotheuttermostmountains！”

Awhileheheldthewhitesteelinhisfist，andthensheathedtheblade，androdedownsoberlyovertheturfbridgeacrosstheancientfosse，andsocameontothegreenroadmademanyagesbeforebyanancientpeople，andsotrottedsouthalongfairandsoftly。