第8章

Nowhiseyescleared，andhesawthatthosemenwereingoodlywar-gear，andborecoatsofplate，andcuir-bouilly，orofbrightsteel；theyheldlongspearsandweregirtwithgoodswords；therewasapennonwiththem，green，whereonwasdoneagoldentower，embattled，amidstoffourwhiteways；

andthesametokenboremanyofthemenontheircoatsandsleeves。

Untothissamepennonhewasbroughtbythetwomenwhohadtakenhim，andunderit，onawhitehorse，sataKnightbravelyarmedatallpointswiththeTowerandFourWaysonhisgreensurcoat；andbesidehimwasanancientman-at-arms，withnoughtbutanoakwreathonhisbarehead，andhiswhitebeardfallinglowoverhiscoat：butbehindthesetwainatallyoungman，alsoonawhitehorseandverygailyclad，upheldthepennon。

Ononesideofthesethreewerefivemen，unarmed，cladingreencoats，withaleaflesstreedoneonthemingold：theywerestoutcarles，beardedandfierce-faced：theirhandswereboundbehindtheirbacksandtheirfeettiedtogetherundertheirhorses’bellies。ThecompanyofthoseabouttheKnight，Ralphdeemed，wouldnumbertenscoremen。

SowhenthosetwainstayedRalphbeforetheKnight，heturnedtotheoldmanandsaid：

“Itisofnoavailaskingthislitherladifhebeofthemorno：

fornowillbehisanswer。Butwhatsayestthou，Oliver？”

TheancientmandrewclosertoRalphandlookedathimupanddownandallabout；forthosetwoturnedhimaboutasifhehadbeenajointoffleshontheroasting-jack；

andatlasthesaid：

“Hisbeardissprouting，elsemightyehavetakenhimforamaidoftheirs，oneofthoseofwhomwewot。ButtosaysoothIseemtoknowthefashionofhisgear，evenasDukeJacobknewJoseph’stabard。

Soaskhimwhenceheis，lord，andifhelie，thenIbidbindhimandleadhimaway，thatwemayhaveatruetaleoutofhim；

otherwiselethimgoandtakehischance；forwewillnotwastethebreadoftheGoodTownonhim。”

TheKnightlookedhardonRalph，andspaketohimsomewhatcourteously：

“Whenceartthou，fairSir，andwhatisthyname？forwehavemanyfoesinthewildwood。”

Ralphreddenedasheanswered：“IamofUpmeadsbeyondthedowncountry；andIpraytheeletmebegoneonmineerrands。

Itismeetthatthoudealwiththineownrobbersandreivers，butnotwithme。”

Thencriedoutoneoftheboundenmen：“Thouliest，lad，webenorobbers。”

ButheoftheKnight’scompanywhostoodbyhimsmotethemanonthemouthandsaid：“Holdthypeace，runagate！Thoushaltgivetongueto-morrowwhenthehangmanhaththeeunderhishands。”

TheKnighttooknoheedofthis；butturnedtotheancientwarriorandsaid：

“Hathhespokentruthsofar？”

“Yea，SirAymer。”quothOliver；“AndnowmeseemsIknowhimbetterthanheknowethme。”

TherewithheturnedtoRalphandsaid：“HowfarethLongNicholas，mylord？”

Ralphreddenedagain：“Heiswell。”saidhe。

ThensaidtheKnight：“Istheyoungmanofaworthyhouse，Oliver？”

Buteretheeldercouldspeak，Ralphbrakeinandsaid：

“Oldwarrior，Ibidtheenottotelloutmyname，asthoulovestNicholas。”

OldOliverlaughedandsaid：“Well，NicholasandIhavebeenfriendsinaway，aswellasfoes；andforthesakeoftheolddayshisnameshallhelpthee，younglord。”

ThenhesaidtohisKnight：“Yea，SirAymer，heisofagoodlyhouseandanancient；butthouhearesthowheadjurethme。

Yeshalllethisnamealone。”

TheKnightlookedsilentlyonRalphforawhile；thenhesaid：

“WiltthouwendwithustotheBurgoftheFourFriths，fairSir？

Wertthounotfaringthither？OrwhatelsedostthouintheWoodPerilous？”

Ralphturneditoverinhismind；andthoughhesawnocausewhyheshouldnotjoinhimselftotheircompany，yetsomethinginhisheartforbadehimtorisetotheflytooeagerly；sohedidbutsay：

“Iamseekingadventures，fairlord。”

TheKnightsmiled：“Thenmaystthoufillthybudgetwiththemifthougoestwithus。”quothhe。NowRalphdidnotknowhowhemightgainsaysomanymenatarmsinthelongrun，thoughhewerescarcewillingtogo；

sohemadenohastetoanswer；andeventherewithcameamanrunning，throughthewoodupfromthedale；along，leancarle，meetforrunning，withbroguesonhisfeet，andnoughtelsebutashirt；thecompanypartedbeforehimtorightandlefttolethimcometotheKnight，asthoughhehadbeenlookedfor；andwhenhewasbesidehim，theKnightleaneddownwhilethecarlespakesoftlytohimandallmendrewoutofear-shot。

AndwhenthecarlehadgivenhismessagetheKnightdrewhimselfstraightupinhissaddleagainandlifteduphishandandcriedout：

“Oliver！Oliver！leadonthewaythouwottest！Spur！spur，allmen！”

Therewithheblewoneblastfromahornwhichhungathissaddle-bow；

therunnerleaptupbehindoldOliver，andthewholecompanywentoffatasmarttrotsomewhatsouth-east，slantwiseofthecross-roads，wherethewoodwasnoughtcumberedwithundergrowth；andpresentlytheywereallgonetothelasthorse-tail，andnomantookanymorenoteofRalph。

AnotherAdventureintheWoodPerilousRalphleftaloneponderedalittle；andthoughtthathewouldbynomeansgohastilytotheBurgoftheFourFriths。

Saidhetohimself；Thiswant-wayisallunliketotheonenearourhouseathome：forbelikeadventuresshallbefallhere：

Iwillevenabidehereforanhourortwo；butwillhavemyhorsebymeandkeepawake，lestsomethinghaptomeunawares。

TherewithhewhistledforFalconhishorse，andthebeastcametohim，andwhinniedforloveofhim，andRalphsmiledandtiedhimtoasaplinganigh，andhimselfsatdownonthegrass，andponderedmanythings；

astowhatfolkwereaboutatUpmeads，andhowhisbrethrenwerefaring；

anditwasnowaboutfivehoursafternoon，andthesun’sraysfellaslantthroughtheboughsofthenobleoaks，andthescentofthegrassandbrackentroddenbythehorse-hoofsofthatcompanywentupintothewarmsummerair。

Awhilehesatmusingbutawake，thoughthefaintsoundofalittlestreaminthedalebelowmingledwithallthelessernoisesoftheforestdiditsbesttosoothehimtosleepagain：andpresentlyhaditswaywithhim；

forheleanedhisheadbackonthebracken，andinaminuteortwowassleepingoncemoreanddreamingsomedreammadeupofmasterlessmemoriesofpastdays。

Whenheawokeagainhelaystillalittlewhile，wonderingwhereintheworldhewas，butasthedrowsinesslefthim，hearoseandlookedabout，andsawthatthesunwassinkinglowandgildingtheoakbolesred。

Hestoodawhileandwatchedthegambolsofthreehares，whohaddrawnnighhimwhileheslept，andnownotedhimnot；andalittlewayhesawthroughthetreesahartandtwohindsgoingslowlyfromgrasstograss，feedinginthecooleventide；butpresentlyhesawthemraisetheirheadsandambleoffdowntheslopeofthelittledale，andtherewithhehimselfturnedhisfacesharplytowardthenorth-west，forhewasfine-earedaswellassharp-eyed，andonalittlewindwhichhadjustarisencamedowntohimthesoundofhorse-hoofsoncemore。

SohewentuptoFalconandloosedhim，andstoodbyhimbridleinhand，andlookedtoitthathisswordwashandytohim：

andhehearkened，andthesounddrewnigherandnighertohim。

Thenlightlyhegotintothesaddleandgatheredthereinsintohislefthand，andsatpeeringupthetroddenwood-glades，lestheshouldhavetorideforhislifesuddenly。Therewithheheardvoicestalkingroughlyandamanwhistling，andathwartthegladeofthewoodfromthenorthwest，orthereabout，camenewfolk；

andhesawatoncethattherewenttwomena-horsebackandarmed；

sohedrewhisswordandabodethemclosetothewant-ways。Presentlytheysawtheshineofhiswar-gear，andthentheycamebutalittlenighereretheydrewrein，andsatontheirhorseslookingtowardhim。

ThenRalphsawthattheywerearmedandcladasthoseofthecompanywhichhadgonebefore。Oneofthearmedmenrodeahorse-lengthafterhisfellow，andborealongspearoverhisshoulder。

Buttheotherwhorodefirstwasgirtwithasword，andhadalittleaxehangingabouthisneck，andwithhisrighthandheseemedtobeleadingsomething，Ralphcouldnotseewhatatfirst，ashisleftsidewasturnedtowardRalphandthewant-way。

Now，asRalphlooked，hesawthatatthespearman’ssaddle-bowwashungaman’shead，red-hairedandred-bearded；forthismannowdrewalittlenigher，andcriedouttoRalphinaloudandmerryvoice：

“Hail，knight！whitherawaynow，thatthouridestthegreen-woodswordinhand？”

Ralphwasjustabouttoanswersomewhat，whenthefirstmanmovedalittlenigher，andashedidsoheturnedsothatRalphcouldseewhatbetidonhisrighthand；andlo！hewasleadingawomanbyaropetiedaboutherneck(thoughherhandswereloose)，asthoughhewerebringingacowtomarket。

Whenthemanstayedhishorseshecameforwardandstoodwithintheslackoftheropebythehorse’shead，andRalphcouldseeherwell，thatthoughshewasnottosaynaked，herraimentwasbutscanty，forshehadnoughttocoverhersaveoneshortandstraitlittlecoatoflinen，andshoesonherfeet。

YetRalphdeemedhertobeofsomedegree，whereashecaughtthegleamofgoldandgemsonherhands，andtherewasagoldenchapletonherhead。

Shestoodnowbythehorse’sheadwithherhandsfolded，lookingon，asifwhatwastidingandtobetide，werebutaplaydoneforherpleasure。

SowhenRalphlookedonher，hewassilentawhile；andthespearmancriedoutagain：“’Ho，youngman，wiltthouspeak，orartthoudumb-founderedforfearofus？”

ButRalphknithisbrows，andwasfirstredandthenpale；

forhewasbothwroth，anddoubtfulhowtogotowork；

buthesaid：

“Iridetoseekadventures；andheremeseemethisonecometohand。

Orwhatwillyewiththewoman？”

Saidthemanwhohadthewomanintow：“Troublenotthineheadtherewith；

weleadhertoherduedoom。Asforthee，begladthatthouartnotherfellow；sinceforsooththouseemestnottobeoneofthem；

sogothywaysinpeace。”

“NofootfurtherwillIgo。”saidRalph，“tillyeloosethewomanandlethergo；orelsetellmewhatherworstdeedis。”

Themanlaughed，andsaid：“Thatwerealongtaletotell；anditislittlelikethatthoushaltlivetoheartheendingthereof。”

Therewithhewaggedhisheadatthespearman，whosuddenlylethisspearfallintotherest，andspurred，anddraveonatRalphallhemight。

Thereandthenhadthetaleended，butRalph，whowaswary，thoughhewereyoung，andhadFalconwellinhand，turnedhiswristandmadethehorseswerve，sothattheman-at-armsmissedhisattaint，butcouldnotdrawreinspeedilyenoughtostayhishorse；

andashepassedbyallbowedoverhishorse’sneck，Ralphgathisswordtwo-handedandroseinhisstirrupsandsmotehismightiest；

andtheswordcaughtthefoemanontheneckbetwixtsalletandjack，andnoughtheldbeforeit，neitherleathernorring-mail，sothattheman’sheadwasnighsmittenoff，andhefellclatteringfromhissaddle：

yethisstirrupsheldhim，sothathishorsewentdragginghimonearthashegalloppedoverroughandsmoothbetwixtthetreesoftheforest。

ThenRalphturnedabouttodealwithhisfellow，andeventhroughthewrathandfuryoftheslayingsawhimclearandbrightagainstthetreesashesathandlinghisaxedoubtfully，butthewomanwasfallenbackagainsomewhat。

ButevenasRalphraisedhisswordandprickedforward，thewomansprangaslightasaleopardontothesaddlebehindthefoeman，andwoundherarmsabouthimanddraggedhimbackjustashewasraisinghisaxetosmiteher，andasRalphrodeforwardshecriedouttohim，“Smitehim，smite！

OlovelycreatureofGod！”

TherewithwasRalphbesidethem，andthoughhewerelothtoslayamanheldinthearmsofawoman，yethefearedlestthemanshouldslayherwithsomeknife-strokeunlesshemadehaste；

sohethrusthisswordthroughhim，andthemandiedatonce，andfellheadlongoffhishorse，draggingdownthewomanwithhim。

ThenRalphlighteddownfromhishorse，andthewomanroseuptohim，herwhitesmockallbloodywiththeslainman。

Neverthelesswassheascalmandstatelybeforehim，asifsheweresittingonthedaisofafairhall；soshesaidtohim：

“Youngwarrior，thouhastdonewellandknightly，andIshalllooktoitthatthouhavethyreward。AndnowIredetheegonottotheBurgoftheFourFriths；forthistaleoftheeshallgetaboutandtheyshalltakethee，ifitwereoutoftheveryFrith-stool，andtherefortheeshouldbethescourgeandthegibbet；

fortheyofthatBurgberobbersandmurderersmerciless。

Yetwellitwerethatthouridehencepresently；forthosebebehindmytormentorswhomthouhastslain，whowillbeasanhosttothee，andthoumaystnotdealwiththem。

Ifthoufollowmyrede，thouwilttakethewaythatgoethhenceeastaway，andthenshaltthoucometoHamptonunderScaur，wherethefolkarepeaceableandfriendly。”