第6章

RalphGoethHisWaysFromtheAbbeyofSt。MaryatHighamItwasthemonkwhohadbeenhisguidethedaybeforewhohadnowwakedhim，andhestoodbythebedsideholdingagreatbowlofmilkinhishand，andasRalphsatup，andrubbedhiseyes，withallhisyouthfulslothuponhim，themonklaughedandsaid：

“Thatiswell，lord，thatiswell！Ilovetoseeayoungmansosleepyinthemorning；itisasignofthriving；

andIseethouartthrivingheartilyforthetimewhenthoushaltcomebacktoustoleadmylord’shostinbattle。”

“Wherebethebale-fires？”saidRalph，notyetfullyawake。

“Wherebethey！”saidthebrother，“wherebethey！Theybesunkentocoldcoalslongago，likemanyaman’sdesiresandhopes，whohathnotyetlaidhisheadonthebosomofthemother，thatisHolyChurch。Come，mylord，arise，anddrinkthemonk’swineofmorning，andthenifyemustneedride，ridebetimes，andridehard；fortheWoodPerilousbeginnethpresentlyasyewendyourways；anditwerewellfortheetoreachtheBurgoftheFourFrithserethoubebenighted。

For，son，therebeuntowardthingsinthewood；andthoughsomeofthembeofthoseforwhomChrist’sCrosswasshapen，yethavetheyforgottenhell，andhopenotforheaven，andtheirby-wordis，’ThoushaltlackereIlack。’

Furthermorethereareworsewightsinthewoodthantheybe——

Godsaveus！——butagainstthemhaveIagoodhauberk，aneck-guardwhichIwillgivethee，son，intokenthatIlooktoseetheeagainatthelovelyhouseofMaryourMother。”

Ralphhadtakenthebowlandwasdrinking，buthelookedoverthebrim，andsawhowthemonkdrewfromhisfrockapairofbeads，asliketoDameKatherine’sgiftasonepeatoanother，savethatattheendthereofwasalittleboxshapencrosswise。

Ralphemptiedthebowlhastily，gotoutofbed，andsatonthebednaked，savethatonhisneckwasDameKatherine’sgift。

Hereachedouthishandandtookthebeadsfromthemonkandreddenedtherewith，aswashiswontwhenhehadtobeginacontestinwords：

buthesaid：

“Ithankthee，father；yetGodwotifthesebeadswillliesweetlyalongsidethecollarwhichIbearonmyneckasnow，whichisthegiftofadearfriend。”

Themonkmadeupasolemncountenanceandsaid：

“Thousayestsooth，myson；itismostlikethatmychaplet，whichhathbeenblessedtimewasbytheholyRichard，isnomeetfellowforthegiftofsomelightloveofthine：

oreven。”quothhe，notingRalph’sflushdeepen，andhisbrowknit，“orevenifitwerethegiftofawell-willer，yetbelikeitisaworldlygift；therefore，sincethyjourneyiswithperil，thouwertbestdoitoffandletmekeepitfortheetillthoucomestagain。”

Nowashespakehelookedanxiously，nay，itmaybesaidgreedily，attheyoungman。ButRalphsaidnought；forinhishearthewasdeterminednottochafferawayhisgossip’sgiftforanyshaveling’stoken。

Yetheknewnothowtosethisyouthfulwordsagainstthefather’swisdom；

sohestoodup，andgothisshirtintohishand，andashediditoverhisheadhefelltosingingtohimselfasongofeventideoftheHighHouseofUpmeads，thewordswhereofweresomewhatliketothese：

Artthouman，artthoumaid，throughthelonggrassa-going？

Forshortshirtthoubearest，andnobeardIsee，Andthelastwinderemoonriseabouttheeisblowing。

Would’stthoumeetwiththymaidenorlook’stthouforme？

Brightshineththemoonnow，Iseethygownlonger；

AnddownbythehazelsJoanmeetethherlad：

Buthardisthypalm，lass，andscarcelywerestrongerWat’sgripthanthinehand-kissthatmakethmeglad。

Andnowasthecandlesshineonusandover，Fullshapelythyfeetare，butbrownonthefloor，Asthebare-footedmowersamidstofthecloverWhenthegowk’snoteisbrokenandmid-Juneiso’er。

Ohardareminehand-palmsbecauseontheridgesIcarriedthereap-hookandsmoteforthysake；

Andinthehotnoon-tideIbeatoffthemidgesAsthouslep’st’neaththelindeno’er-loathetoawake。

AndbrownaremyfeetnowbecausethesunburnethHighuponthedown-sideamidstofthesheep，Andthereinthehollowwherefromthewindturneth，Thoulay’stinmylapwhileIsungtheetosleep。

Ofriendoftheearth，Ocomenigherandnigher，Thouartsweetwiththesun’skissasmeadsoftheMay，O’ertherocksofthewaste，o’erthewaterandfire，WillIfollowthee，love，tillearthwanethaway。

Themonkhearkenedtohimwithknittedbrow，andasonethatlikethnotthespeechofhisfellow，thoughitbenotwisetoquestionit：

thenhewentoutofthechamber，butleftthepairofbeadslyinginthewindow。ButRalphcladhimselfinhaste，andwhenhewasfullyclad，wentuptothewindowandtookthebeadsinhishand，andlookedintothemcuriouslyandturnedthemover，butleftthemlyingthere。

Thenhewentforthalso，andcameintotheforecourtofthehouse，andfoundthereasquireofthemen-at-armswithhisweaponsandhorse，whohelpedhimtodoonhiswar-gear。

Sothen，justashewassettinghisfootinthestirrup，cametheBrotheragain，withhisfaceoncemoregrownsmilingandhappy；

andinhislefthandheheldthechaplet，butdidnotofferittoRalphagain，butnoddedhisheadtohimkindly，andsaid：

“Now，lord，Icanseebythyfacethatthouartsetonbeholdingthefashionofthisworld，andmostlikeitwillgivetheetherue。”

ThencameawordintoRalph’smouth，andhesaid：

“Wiltthoutellme，father，whoseworkwastheworld’sfashion？”

Themonkreddened，butanswerednought，andRalphspakeagain：

“Forsooth，didthecraftsmanofitfumbleoverhiswork？”

Thenthemonkscowled，butpresentlyheenforcedhimselftospeakblithely，andsaid：“Suchmattersareoverhighformyspeechorthine，lord；butI

tellthee，whoknoweth，thattherearemeninthisHousewhohavetriedtheworldandfounditwanting。”

Ralphsmiled，andsaidstammering：

“Father，didtheworldtrythem，andfindthemwantingperchance？”

Thenhereddened，andsaid：“AreyeverilyallsuchasthisinthisHouse？

Whothenisitwhohathmadesofairalordship，andsogoodlyagovernanceforsomanypeople？Knowyenotatalloftheworld’sways！”

“Fairsir。”saidthemonksternly，“theythatworkforusworkfortheLordandallhisservants。”

“Yea。”saidRalph，“soitis；andwilltheLordbecontentwiththeserviceofhimwhomthedevilhathcastoutbecausehehathfoundhimadastard？”

Themonkfrowned，yetsmiledsomewhatwithal，andsaid：

“Sir，thouartyoung，butthywitsareoveroldforme；

buttherearetheyinthisHousewhomayanswertheefeatly；

menwhohavereadthebooksofthewisemenoftheheathen，andthedoctorsofHolyChurch，andareevennowmakingbooksforthescribestocopy。”Thenhisvoicesoftened，andhesaid：

“Dearlord，weshouldberightfainoftheehere，butsincethoumustneedsgo，gowithmyblessing，anddoubleblessingshaltthouhavewhenthoucomestbacktous。”ThenRalphrememberedhispromisetotheshepherdsandtookagoldcrownfromhispouch，andsaid：

“Father，Ipraytheesayamassfortheshepherddownsmen；

andthisisfortheoffering。”

Themonkpraisedthegiftandthebidding，andkissedRalph，whoclombintohissaddle；andthebrotherhospitalierbroughthimhiswalletwithgoodmeatanddrinkthereinfortheway。

ThenRalphshookhisrein，androdeoutoftheabbey-gate，smilingatthelay-brethrenandthemen-at-armswhohungaboutthere。

Buthesighedforpleasurewhenhefoundhimselfinthestreetagain，andlookedontheshopsofthechapmenandtheboothsofthepettycraftsmen，asshoe-smithsandglovers，andtinsmithsandcoppersmiths，andhornersandthelike；andthefolkthathemetasherodetowardthesoutherngateseemedtohimmerryandingoodcase，andgoodlytolookon。

Andhethoughtitpleasanttogazeonthedamselsinthestreet，whowerefairandwellclad：andtherewereamanyofthemabouthiswaynow，especiallyashedrewnighthegatebeforethestreetsbranchedoff：

forfolkwerecominginfromthecountrysidewithvictualandotherwaresforthetownandtheAbbey；andsurelyashelookedonsomeofthemaidenshedeemedthatHall-songofUpmeadsagoodone。

TheMaidenofBourtonAbbasSowenthethroughthegate，andmany，bothofmenandmaidsgazedathim，forhewasfairtolookon，butnonemeddledwithhim。

Therewasagoodlyfauburgoutsidethegate，andthereinwerefairhouses，notafew，withgardensandorchardsaboutthem；andwhenthesewerepastherodethroughveryexcellentmeadowslyingalongthewater，whichhecrossedthrice，oncebyagoodlystonebridgeandtwicebyfords；

fortheroadwasstraight，andtheriverwoundaboutmuch。

Afteralittlewhiletheroadledhimofftheplainmeadsintoacountryoflittlehillsanddales，thehill-sidescoveredwithvineyardsandorchards，andthedalesplenteousofcorn-fields；

andnowamongstthesedalesHighamwashiddenfromhim。

Throughthistillageandvine-landherodeagoodwhile，andthoughthehadneverseenagoodlierland；andashewenthecameonhusbandmenandwomenofthecountrygoingabouttheirbusiness：

yetweretheynottoobusytogazeonhim，andmostgreetedhim；

andwithsomehegaveandtookalittlespeech。

Thesepeoplealsohedeemedwellbeforetheworld，fortheywerewellcladandbuxom，andmadenogreathasteastheywent，butlookedaboutthemasthoughtheydeemedtheworldworthlookingat，andasiftheyhadnofeareitherofabloworahardwordforloitering。

Soherodetillitwasnoon，andhewasamidstalittlethorpofgreystonehouses，trimenough，inavalleywhereintherewasmoreofwild-woodtreesandlessoffruit-bearersthanthosebehindhim。

InthethorpwasatavernwiththesignoftheNicholas，soRalphdeemeditbutrighttoenterahousewhichwasundertheguardofhismasterandfriend；thereforehelighteddownandwentin。