第10章

“Nay，Imaybetterthat。”saidRalph，“forIhavewherewithal。”

“Nevertheless。”saidthecarle，“wewillgothither，forhereisittooopenforsosmallacompanyasours，sincethiswant-wayhathanillname，andIshallleadtheewhereasweshallbesomewhatoutofthewayofmurder-carles。Socomeon，ifthoutrustethinme。”

Ralphyeasaidhim，andtheywenttogetherafurlongfromthewant-wayintoalittlehollowplacewherethroughranaclearstreambetwixtthick-leavedalders。ThecarleledRalphtotheverylipofthewatersothatthebushescoveredthem；

theretheysatdownanddrewwhattheyhadfromtheirwallets，andsofelltomeat；andamidstofthemeatthecarlesaid：

“FairKnight，asIsupposethouartone，IwillasktheeifanyneeddraweththeetoHampton？”

SaidRalph：“Theneedofgivingthego-bytotheBurgoftheFourFriths，sinceIheartellthatthefolkthereofberobbersandmurderers。”

“Thoushaltfindthatoutbetter，lord，bygoingthither；butIshalltellthee，thatthoughmenmayslayandstealtheretimeandtimeabout，yetinregardtoHamptonunderScaur，itisHeaven，whereinmensinnot。

AndIamonewhoshouldknow，forIhavebeenlongdwellinginHell，thatisHampton；andnowamIescapedthence，andammindedfortheBurg，ifperchanceImaybedeemedthereamangoodenoughtorideintheirhost，wherebyImightavengemesomewhatonthemthathaveundoneme：

someofwhommeseemethmusthaveputinthymouththatwordagainsttheBurg。

Isitnotso？”

“Maybe。”saidRalph，“forthouseemesttobeatrueman。”

Nomorehespakethoughhehadhalfamindtotellthecarleallthetaleofthatadventure；butsomethingheldhimbackwhenhethoughtofthatladyandherfairness。YetagainhisheartmisgavehimofwhatmightbetidethatothermaidenatHampton，andhewasunquiet，deemingthathemustneedsfollowherthither。

Thecarlelookedonhimcuriouslyandsomewhatanxiously，butRalph’seyesweresetonsomethingthatwasnotthere；

orelsemaybehadhelookedcloselyonthecarlehemighthavedeemedthatlongingtoavengehimwhereofhespokedidnotchangehisfacemuch；forintruththerewaslittlewrathinit。

Nowthecarlesaid：“Thouhastatalewhichthoudeemestunmeetformyears，asitwellmaybe。Well，thoumustspeak，orrefrainfromspeaking，whatthouwilt；butthouartsofairayoungknight，andsoblithewithapoorman，andwithalIdeemthatthoumayesthelpmetosomegainandgood，thatIwilltelltheeatruetale：

andfirstthattheBurgisagoodtownunderagoodlord，whoisnotyrantnoroppressorofpeacefulmen；andthatthoumayestdwellthereinpeaceastothefolkthereof，whobegoodfolk，albeittheybenodastardstoletthemselvesbecowedbymurder-carles。

AndnextIwilltelltheethatthefolkofthetownofHamptonbeverilyasharmlessandinnocentassheep；butthattheybeunderevillordswhoarenottheirtruelords，wholayheavyburdensonthemandtormentthemeventothedestroyingoftheirlives：

andlastlyIwilltelltheethatIwasoneofthosepoorpeople，thoughnotsomuchasheepasthemorepartofthem，thereforehavethesetyrantsrobbedmeofmycroft，andsetanothermaninmyhouse；

andmetheywouldhaveslainhadInotfledtothewoodthatitmightcoverme。AndhappyitwasformethatIhadneitherwife，norchick，norchild，elsehadtheydoneastheydidwithmybrother，whosewifewastoofairforhim，sincehedweltatHampton；sothattheytookherawayfromhimtomakesportforthemoftheDryTree，whodwellintheCastleoftheScaur，whoshallbethymastersifthougoestthither。

“Thisismytale，andthine，Isay，Iasknot；butIdeemthatthoushaltdoillifthougonottotheBurgeitherwithmeorbythyselfalone；

eitherasaguest，orasagoodknighttotakeserviceintheirhost。”

NowsoitwasthatRalphwaswary；andthistimehelookedcloselyatthecarle，andfoundthathespakecoldlyforamanwithsomuchwrathinhisheart；thereforehewasindoubtaboutthething；

moreoverhecalledtomindthewordsoftheladywhomhehaddelivered，andherloveliness，andthekissesshehadgivenhim，andhewaslothtofindheraliar；andhewaslothalsotothinkthatthemaidenofBourtonhadbetakenhertosoeviladwelling。

Sohesaid：

“Friend，IknownotthatImustneedsbeapartakerinthestrifebetwixtHamptonandtheBurg，orgoeithertooneortheotherofthesestrongholds。

IstherenootherwayoutofthiswoodsavebyHamptonortheBurg？

ornootherplaceanigh，whereImayrestinpeaceawhile，andthengoonmineownerrands？”

SaidtheCarle：“ThereisathorpthatliethsomewhatwestoftheBurg，whichiscalledApthorp；butitisanopenplace，notfenced，andisdebateableground，whilesheldbythemoftheBurg，whilesbytheDryTree；andifthoutarrythere，andtheyoftheDryTreetakethee，soonisthineerrandsped；

andiftheyoftheBurgtakethee，thenshaltthoubeledintotheBurginworsecasethanthouwouldestbeifthougotheretouncompelled。

Whatsayestthou，therefore？WhoshallhurttheeintheBurg，atownwhichisundergoodandstronglaw，ifthoubeatrueman，asthouseemesttobe？Andifthouartseekingadventures，asmaywellbe，thoushaltsoonfindthemtherereadytohand。

IredetheecomewithmetotheBurg；for，tosaysooth，IshallfinditsomewhateasiertoenterthereinifIbeinthecompanyofthee，aknightandalord。”

SoRalphconsideredandthoughtthattherelayindeedbutlittleperiltohimintheBurg，whereasboththosemenwithwhomhehadstrivenwerehushedforever，andtherewasnoneelsetotellthetaleofthebattle，savethelady，whoseperilfromthemoftheBurgwasmuchgreaterthanhis；

andalsohethoughtthatifanythinguntowardbefel，hehadsomeonetofallbackoninoldOliver：yetontheotherhandhehadahankeringafterHamptonunderScaur，where，tosaysooth，hedoubtednottoseetheladyagain。

Sobetwixtonethingandtheother，speechhungonhislipsawhile，whensuddenlythecarlesaid：“Hist！thouhastleftthyhorsewithoutthebushes，andheiswhinnying“

(whichindeedhewas)，“thereisnownotimetolose。

Tohorsestraightway，forcertainlytherearefolkathand，andtheymaybefoemen，andaremostliketobe。”

TherewiththeybotharoseandhastenedtowhereFalconstoodjustoutsidethealderbushes，andRalphleapta-horsebackwithoutmoreado，andthecarlewaitednobiddingtoleapupbehindhim，andpointingtoagladeofthewoodwhichledtowardthehighway，criedout，“Spurthatway，thither！theyoftheDryTreeareabroadthismorning。

Spur！’tisforlifeordeath！”

RalphshookthereinandFalconleaptawaywithoutwaitingforthespur，whilethecarlelookedoverhisshoulderandsaid，“Yondertheycome！theyarethree；andevertheyridewellhorsed。Nay，nay！Theyarefour。”

quothhe，asashoutsoundedbehindthem。“Spur，younglord！spur！

Andthinehorseisamettlesomebeast。Yea，itwilldo，itwilldo。”

TherewithcametoRalph’searsthesoundoftheirhorse-hoofsbeatingtheturf，andhespurredindeed，andFalconflewforth。

“Ah。”criedthecarle！“buttakeheed，fortheyseethatthyhorseisgood，andoneofthem，thelast，hathabentTurkbowinhishand，andislayinganarrowonit；asevertheirwontistoshoota-horseback：aturnofthyrein，asifthinehorsewereshyingataweaselontheroad！”

RalphstoopedhisheadandmadeFalconswerve，andheardtherewiththetwangofthebowstringandstraightwaytheshaftflewpasthisears。Falcongallopedon，andthecarlecriedout：

“ThereisthehighwaytowardtheBurg！Dothybest，dothybest！

Loyouagain！”

ForthesecondshaftflewfromtheTurkishbow，andthenoiseofthechasewasloudbehindthem。Onceagaintwangedthebow-string，butthistimethearrowfellshort，andthewoodlandman，turninghimselfaboutaswellashemight，shookhisclenchedfistatthechase，cryingoutinavoicebrokenbythegallop：

“Ha，thieves！IamRogeroftheRope-walk，Igototwistaropeforthenecksofyou！”

ThenhespaketoRalph：“Theyareturningback：theyarebeaten，andwithaltheylovenottheopenroad：yetslackennotyet，youngknight，unlessthoulovestthinehorsemorethanthylife；

fortheywillfollowonthroughthethicketontheway-sidetoseewhetherthouwertbornafoolandhastlearnednothinglater。”

“Yea。”saidRalph，“andnowIdeemthouwilttellmethattotheBurgIneedsmust。”

“Yea，forsooth。”saidthecarle，“norshallwebelong，ridingthus，erewecometotheBurgGate。”

“Yea，orevenslower。”saidRalph，drawingreinsomewhat，“fornowIdeemthechasedone：andafterallissaid，IhavenowilltoslayFalcon，whoisoneofmyfriends，asthouperchancemayestcometobeanother。”

Thereafterhewentahand-galloptillthewoodbegantothin，andtherewerefieldsoftillageaboutthehighway；andpresentlyRogersaid：

“Thoumaystbreathethynagnow，andridesingle，forweareamidstfriends；

notevenascoreoftheDryTreedareridesonightheBurgsavebynightandcloud。”

SoRalphstayedhishorse，andheandRogerlighteddown，andRalphlookedabouthimandsawastonetowerbuildedonalittleknollamidstawheatfield，andbelowitsomesimplehousesthatchedwithstraw；therewerefolkmoreoverworking，orcomingandgoingaboutthefields，whotooklittleheedofthetwowhentheysawthemstandingquietbythehorse’shead；

buteachandallofthesefolk，sofarascouldbeseen，hadsomeweapon。

ThensaidRalph：“Goodfellow，isthistheBurgoftheFourFriths？”

Thecarlelaughed，andsaid：“Simpleisthequestion，SirKnight：

yonderisawatch-toweroftheBurg，whereunderhusbandmencanlive，becausetherebemen-at-armstherein。AndallroundtheoutskirtsoftheFrankoftheBurgaretheresuch-liketowerstothenumberoftwenty-seven。Forthat，sayfolk，wasthetaleofthewintersoftheFairLadywhoerewhilebeganthebuildingoftheBurg，whenshewasfirstweddedtotheForestLord，whobeforethatbuildinghaddwelt，heandhisfathers，inthatchedhallsoftimberhereandthereabouttheclearingsofthewild-wood。Butnow，knight，ifthouwilt，thoumayestgoonsoftlytowardtheGateoftheBurg，andifthouwiltIwillwalkbesidethyrein，whichfellowship，asaforesaid，shallbeagaintome。”

SaidRalph：“Ipraytheecomewithme，goodfellow，andshowmehoweasiesttoenterthisstronghold。”So，whenFalconwaswellbreathed，theywenton，passingthroughgoodlyacresandwidemeadows，withhereandthereahomesteadonthem，andhereandthereacarle’scot。

Thencametheytoathorpofthesmallestonarisingground，fromthefurtherendofwhichtheycouldseethewallsandtowersoftheBurg。

Thereafterrightuptothewallswerenomorehousesorcornfields，noughtbutreachesofgreenmeadowsplenteouslystoredwithsheepandkine，andwithalittlestreamwindingaboutthem。