第9章

Helookedatherhardasshespake，andnotedthatshespakebutslowly，andturnedredandwhiteandredagainasshelookedathim。

Butwhatevershedid，andinspiteofherpoorattire，hedeemedhehadneverseenwomansofair。Herhairwasdarkred，buthereyesgrey，andlightatwhilesandyetatwhilesdeep；herlipsbetwixtthinandfull，butyetwhenshespokeorsmiledcladwithallenticements；

herchinroundandsowroughtasnonewaseverbetterwrought；

herbodystrongandwell-knit；tallshewas，withfairandlargearms，andlimbsmostgoodlyoffashion，ofwhichbutlittlewashidden，sincehercoatwasbutthinandscanty。Butwhatevermaybesaidofher，nomanwouldhavedeemedheraughtsavemostlovely。

Nowherfacegrewcalmandstatelyagainasitwasatthefirst，andshelaidahandonRalph’sshoulder，andsmiledinhisfaceandsaid：

“Surelythouartfair，thoughthystrokesbenotlight。”

Thenshetookhishandandcaressedit，andsaidagain：

“Dostthoudeemthatthouhastdonegreatthings，fairchild？Maybe。Yetsomewillsaythatthouhastbutslaintwobutchers：andifthouwiltsaythatthouhastdeliveredme；

yetitmaybethatIshouldhavedeliveredmyselferelong。

Neverthelessholdupthineheart，forIthinkthatgreaterthingsawaitthee。”

Thensheturnedabout，andsawthedeadman，howhisfeetyethunginthestirrupsashisfellow’shaddone，savethatthehorseofthisonestoodnighstill，onlyreachinghisheaddowntocropamouthfulofgrass；soshesaid：

“Takehimaway，thatImaymountonhishorse。”

Sohedrewthedeadman’sfeetoutofthestirrups，anddraggedhimawaytowherethebrackengrewdeep，andlaidhimdownthere，sotosayhidden。Thenheturnedbacktothelady，whowaspacingupanddownnearthehorseasthebeastfedquietlyonthecoolgrass。

WhenRalphcamebackshetookthereinsinherhandandputonefootinthestirrupasifshewouldmountatonce；butsuddenlylighteddownagain，andturningtoRalph，castherarmsabouthim，andkissedhisfacemanytimes，blushingredasarosemeantime。

Thenlightlyshegatherupintothesaddle，andbestrodethebeast，andsmotehisflankswithherheels，andwentherwaysridingspeedilytowardthesouth-east，sothatshewassoonoutofsight。

ButRalphstoodstilllookingthewayshehadgoneandwonderingattheadventure；andheponderedherwordsandhelddebatewithhimselfwhetherheshouldtaketheroadshebadehim。Andhesaidwithinhimself：

“HithertohaveIbeensafeandhavegotnoscratchofaweaponuponme，andthisisaplacebyseemingforalladventures；andlittlewaymoreovershallImakeinthenightifImustneedsgotoHamptonunderScaur，wheredwellthosepeaceablepeople；anditisnowgrowingduskalready。

SoIwillabidethemorninghereby；butIwillbewaryandletthewoodcovermeifImay。”

Therewithhewentanddrewthebodyoftheslainmandownintoalittlehollowwherethebrackenwashighandthebramblesgrewstrong，sothatitmightnotbelightlyseen。ThenhecalledtohimFalcon，hishorse，andlookedaboutforcoveranighthewant-way，andfoundalittlethincoppiceofhazelandsweetchestnut，justwheretwogreatoakshadbeenfelledahalfscoreyearsago；andlookingthroughtheleavesthence，hecouldseethefourwaysclearlyenough，thoughitwouldnotbeeasyforanyonetoseehimthence。

Thitherhebetookhim，andhedidthereinoffFalcon，buttetheredhimbyahalterinthethickestofthecopse，andsatdownhimselfnighertotheoutsidethereof；hedidoffhishelmanddrewwhatmeathehadfromouthiswalletandateanddrankinthebeginningofthesummernight；andthensatponderingawhileonwhathadbefallenonthisseconddayofhiswandering。

Themoonshoneoutpresently，littleclouded，buthesawhernot，forthoughhestrovetowakeawhile，slumbersoonovercamehim，andnothingwakedhimtillthenightwaspassing，nordidheseeaughtofthatcompanyofwhichtheladyhadspoken，andwhichinsoothcamenot。

AMeetingandaPartingintheWoodPerilousWhenthefirstglimmerofdawnwasintheskyheawokeinthefreshmorning，andsatupandhearkened，forevenashewokehehadheardsomething，sincewarinesshadmadehimwakeful。

Nowhehearsthesoundofhorse-hoofsonthehardroad，andrisethtohisfeetandgoethtotheveryedgeofthecopse；

lookingthencehesawariderwhowasjustcometotheverycrossingoftheroads。Thenewcomerwasmuchmuffledinawidecloak，butheseemedtobeamanlowofstature。

Hepeeredallroundabouthimasiftoseeifthewaywereclear，andthenalighteddownfromhorsebackandletthehoodfalloffhishead，andseemedponderingwhichwaywerethebesttotake。

BythistimeitwasgrownsomewhatlighterandRalph，lookinghard，deemedthattheriderwasawoman；sohesteppedforwardlightly，andashecameontotheopenswardabouttheway，thenewcomersawhimandputafootintothestirruptomount，butyetlookedathimovertheshoulder，andthenpresentlyleftthesaddleandcameforwardafewstepsasiftomeetRalph，havingcastthecloaktotheground。

ThenRalphsawthatitwasnoneotherthanthedamselofthehostelryofBourtonAbbas，andhecameuptoherandreachedouthishandtoher，andshetookitinbothhersandhelditandsaid，smiling：

“Itisnoughtsavemountainsthatshallnevermeet。HerehaveIfollowedonthyfootsteps；yetknewInotwherethouwouldstbeintheforest。

AndnowIamgladtohavefalleninwiththee；forIamgoingalongway。”

Ralphlookedonherandhimseemedsomepainorshametouchedhisheart，andhesaid：“Iamaknightadventurous；Ihavenoughttodosavetoseekadventures。WhyshouldInotgowiththee？”

Shelookedathimearnestlyawhileandsaid：“Nay，itmaynotbe；thouartalord’sson，andIayeoman’sdaughter。”

Shestopped，andhesaidnothinginanswer。

“Furthermore。”saidshe，“itisalongway，andIknownothowlong。”

Againhemadenoanswer，andshesaid：“IamgoingtoseektheWELLAT

THEWORLD’SEND，andtofinditandlive，ortofinditnot，anddie。”

Hespakeafterawhile：“WhyshouldInotcomewiththee？”

Itwasgrowinglightnow，andhecouldseethatshereddenedandthenturnedpaleandsetherlipsclose。

Thenshesaid：“Becausethouwillestitnot：becausethouhadstliefermakethatjourneywithsomeoneelse。”

Hereddenedinhisturn，andsaid：“Iknowofnooneelsewhoshallgowithme。”

“Well。”shesaid，“itisallone，Iwillnothavetheegowithme。”

“Yea，andwhynot？”saidhe。Shesaid：“WiltthousweartomethatnoughthathhappedtotheetochangetheebetwixtthisandBourton？

Ifthouwilt，thencomewithme；ifthouwiltnot，thenrefrainthee。

AndthisIsaybecauseIseeandfeelthatthereissomechangeintheesinceyesterday，sothatthouwouldstscarcebedealingtrulyinbeingmyfellowinthisquest：fortheythattakeitupmustbesingle-hearted，andthinkofnoughtsavethequestandthefellowthatiswiththem。”

Shelookedonhimsadly，andhismanythoughtstongue-tiedhimawhile；

butatlasthesaid：“Mustthouverilygoonthisquest？”

“Ah。”shesaid，“nowsinceIhaveseentheeandspokenwiththeeagain，allneedthereisthatIshouldfollowitatonce。”

Thentheybothkeptsilence，andwhenshespokeagainhervoicewasasifsheweregayagainstherwill。Shesaid：

“HereamIcometothesewant-ways，andtherearethreeroadsbesidestheoneIcameby，andIwotthatthisthatgoethsouthwillbringmetotheBurgoftheFourFriths；andsomuchI

knowofthefolkofthesaidBurgthattheywouldmockatmeifIaskedthemofthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。

AndasforthewesternwayIdeemthatthatwillleadmebackagaintothepeopledpartswhereofIknow；thereforeIammindedtotaketheeasternway。Whatsayestthou，fairlord？”

SaidRalph：“IhaveheardoflatethatitleadethpresentlytoHamptonundertheScaur，wheredwellethapeopleofgoodwill。”

“Whotoldtheethistale？”saidshe。Ralphanswered，reddeningagain，“Iwastoldbyonewhoseemedtoknowbothofthatfolk，andoftheBurgoftheFourFriths，andshesaidthatthefolkofHamptonwereagoodfolk，andthattheyoftheBurgwereevil。”

Thedamselsmiledsadlywhensheheardhimsay’She，’andwhenhehaddoneshesaid：“AndIhaveheard，andnotfromyesterday，thatatHamptondwelleththeFellowshipoftheDryTree，andthatthoseofthefellowshiparerobbersandreivers。

Neverthelesstheywillperchancebelittleworsethantheothers；

andthetaletellsthatthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEndisbytheDryTree；sothitherwillIatalladventure。

AndnowwillIsayfarewelltothee，foritismostlikethatI

shallnotseetheeagain。”

“O，maiden！”saidRalph，“whywiltthounotgobacktoBourtonAbbas？

ThereImightsoonmeettheeagain，andyet，indeed，IalsoamliketogotoHampton。ShallInotseetheethere？”

Sheshookherheadandsaid：“Nay，sinceImustgosofar，Ishallnottarry；and，soothtosay，ifIsawtheecominginatonegateIshouldgooutbytheother，forwhyshouldIdallywithagriefthatmaynotbeamended。

ForindeedIwotthatthoushaltsoonforgettowishtoseeme，eitheratBourtonAbbasorelsewhere；soIwillsaynomorethanonceagainfarewell。”

Thenshecameclosetohimandputherhandsonhisshouldersandkissedhismouth；andthensheturnedawayswiftly，caughtuphercloak，andgatlightlyintothesaddle，andsoshookherreinsandrodeawayeasttowardHampton，andleftRalphstandingtheredowncastandponderingmanythings。

Itwasstillsoearlyinthesummermorning，andheknewsolittlewhattodo，thatpresentlyheturnedandwalkedbacktohislairamongstthehazels，andtherehelaydown，andhisthoughtsbythenwereallgonebackagaintothelovelyladywhomhehaddelivered，andhewonderedifheshouldeverseeheragain，and，soothtosay，hesorelydesiredtoseeher。

Amidstsuchthoughtshefellasleepagain，forthenightyetowedhimsomethingofrest，soyoungashewasandsohardashehadtoiled，bothbodyandmind，duringthepastday。

NowMustRalphRideForItWhenheawokeagainthesunwasshiningthroughthehazelleaves，thoughitwasyetearly；hearoseandlookedtohishorse，andledhimoutofthehazelcopseandstoodandlookedabouthim；andlo！amancomingslowlythroughthewoodonRalph’srighthand，andmakingasitseemedforthewant-way；

hesawRalphpresently，andstopped，andbentabowwhichheheldinhishand，andthencametowardshimwarily，withthearrownocked。

ButRalphwenttomeethimwithhisswordinhissheath，andleadingFalconbytherein，andthemanstoppedandtooktheshaftfromthestring：

hehadnoarmour，buttherewasalittleaxeandawood-knifeinhisgirdle；

hewascladinhomespun，andlookedlikeacarleofthecountry-side。

NowhegreetedRalph，andRalphgavehimtheseleoftheday，andsawthatthenew-comerwasbothtallandstrong，darkofskinandblack-haired，butofacheerfulcountenance。HespakefrankandfreetoRalph，andsaid：

“Whitheraway，lord，outofthewoodlandhall，andthedwellingofdeerandstrong-thieves？Iwouldthatthedeerwouldchoosethemacaptain，andgatherheadanddestroythethieves——andsomefewotherswiththem。”

SaidRalph：“ImayscarcetelltheetillIknowmyself。

AwhileagoIwasmindedfortheBurgoftheFourFriths；

butnowIamforHamptonunderScaur。”

“Yea？”saidthecarle，“whentheDevildrives，tohellmustwe。”

“Whatmeanestthou，goodfellow？”saidRalph，“IsHamptonthensoevilanabode？”Andindeeditwasinhismindthattheadventureoftheladyledcaptiveboresomeevilwithit。

Saidthecarle：“IfthouwertnotastrangerinthesepartsI

neednottoanswerthyquestion；butIwillansweritpresently，yetnottillwehaveeaten，forIhunger，andhaveinthiswalletbothbreadandcheese，andthouartwelcometoasharethereof，ifthouhungerestalso，asismostlike，whereasthouartyoungandfreshcoloured。”

“Soitis。”saidRalph，laughing，“andIalsomayhelptospreadthistableinthewilderness，sincethereareyetsomecrumbsinmywallet。

Letussitdownandfalltoatonce。”

“Byyourleave，SirGentleman。”saidthecarle，“wewillgoafewyardsfurtheron，wherethereisawoodlandbrook，whereofwemaydrinkwhenmybottlefaileth。”