第13章

WhatRalphHeardoftheMattersoftheBurgoftheFourFrithsTherewasnocandleinthehallwhenheentered，butitwasnotsodarkthereinbuthemightseeRogersittingonastoolnearthechimney，andoppositetohimonthesettlesattwomen；oneverytallandbig，theothersmall；Rogerwaslookingawayfromthese，andwhistling；

anditcameintoRalph’smindthathewouldhavehimthinkthathehadnoughttodowiththem，whetherthatweresoornot。

ButheturnedroundasRalphcameupthehallandroseandcameuptohim，andfelltotalkingwithhimandaskinghimhowhelikedtheBurg；

andeverhespakefastandloud，sothatagainitcameonRalphthathewasplayingapart。

Ralphheededhimlittle，buteverlookedthroughthehall-duskonthosetwain，whopresentlyaroseandwenttowardthehalldoor，butwhentheywerebuthalf-wayacrossthefloorachamberlaincameinsuddenly，bearingcandlesinhishands，andthelightfellonthoseguestsandflashedbackfromasaladeontheheadofthebigman，andRalphsawthathewascladinalongwhitegaberdine，andhedeemedthathewastheverymanwhomhehadseenlastintheGreatPlaceatHigham，nighthechurch，andbeforethatupontheroad。

AsforthesmallermanRalphhadnoknowledgeofhim，forhecouldseebutlittleofhisface，whereashewaswrappedupinacloak，foraswarmastheeveningwas，andworeaslouchhatwithal；

buthiseyesseemedgreatandwondrousbright。

ButwhentheyweregoneRalphaskedRogerifheknewaughtofthem，oriftheyhadtoldhimaught。“Nay。”saidRoger，“theycameinhereasIsatalone，andhadtheirmeat，andspakenoughttome，andlittletoeachother。

IdeemthemnottobeoftheBurg。Nay，soothtosay，Idoubtiftheybetruemen。”

Ashespakecameinasortofthetownsmensomewhatmerryandnoisy，andcalledformeatanddrinkandmorelights；

sothattheboardwasbroughtandthehallwasspeedilyastir。

Thesemen，whilesupperwasbeingdight，felltotalkingtoRalphandRoger，andaskingthemquestionsofwhenceandwhither，butnowiseuncourteously：towhomRogeransweredwiththetalewhichhehadtoldRalph，andRalphtoldwhathewould，andthatwasbutlittle。

Butwhentheboardwasdighttheybadethemsitdownwiththemandeat。

Ralphsatdownatonce，andRogerwouldhaveservedhim，butRalphbadehimdoitnot，andconstrainedhimtositbyhisside，andtheytwosatalittleapartfromthetownsmen。

Sowhentheyhadeatentheirfill，andwinewasbrought，andmenweredrinkingkindly，RalphbegantoaskRogerconcerningthosewomenwhomhehadseeninthestreet，andthecaptiveswhomhehadseenbroughtinbythehost，andiftheywereofonekindred，andgenerallyhowitwaswiththem：andhespakesomewhatsoftlyasifhewouldnotbreakintothetalkofthetownsmen：

butRogeransweredhiminaloudvoicesothatallcouldhear：

“Yea，lord，Iwilltelltheethetaleofthem，whichsettethforthwellboththewisepolicyandthegreatmercyofthefolkoftheBurgandtheirrulers。”

SaidRalph：“ArethesewomenalsooftheDryTree？

ForIperceivethemtobebornofthefoesoftheBurg。”

Nowthetownsmenhadlettheirtalkdropawhiletolistentothetalkofthealiens；andRogeransweredstillinaloudvoice：

“Nay，nay，itisnotso。Thesequeensareindeedwar-takenthralls，butnotfromthemoftheDryTree，ortheywouldhavebeenslainatonce，likeasthecarlesofthoseaccursedones。

ButtheseareofthefolkoftheWheat-wearers，evenasthosewhomthousawestbroughtto-dayamidsttheotherspoil。

AndtothisfolktheBurgshowethmercy，andwhensothehostgoethagainstthemandover-cometh(andthatiswell-nighwhenevertheymeet)

theseworthylordsslaynowomanofthem，butthemenonly，whethertheybeoldoryoungoryoungest。Asfortheirwomentheyarebroughthitherandsoldatthemarket-crosstothehighestbidder。

Andthishonourtheyhave，thatsuchofthemasbefair，andthatisthemorepartoftheyoungerones，fetchnoillpenny。

YetformypartIwerelothtocheapensuchwares：fortheymakebutevilservants，beingproud，andnotabidingstripeslightly，ortoilingtheharderforthem；andtheybesomewhattoohandywiththeknifeiftheydeemthemselvesputupon。SpeakIsooth，mymasters？”quothhe，turningtowardthemofthetown。

Saidaburghersomewhatstrickeninyears，“Noughtbutsooth；

peaceablemenliketomeeschewsuchservants；allthemorebecauseofthis，thatifoneofthesequeensmisbehavewiththeknife，orstrayethfromhermaster’sbed，thelawsoftheBurgmeddlenottherein。

Forthewisemensaythatsuchfolkarenomorewithinthelawthankinebe，andmaynotfortheirdeedsbebroughtbeforeleetorassizeanymorethankine。Sothatifthemasterpunishhernotforhermisdoings，unpunishedsheneedsmustgo；yeaevenifherdeedbemeremurder。”

“Thatissooth。”saidasomewhatyoungerman；“yetwhilesitfarethillwiththematthehandsofourwomen。Towit，myfather’sbrotherhasevennowcomefromthewartofindhisthrallallspoiltbyhiswife：

andwhatremedymayhehaveagainsthiswife？hismoneyisgone，evenasifshehadhoughedhishorseorhisbestcow。”

“Yea。”saidathird，“wewerebetterwithoutsuchcattle。

Athrustwithaswordandallthetaletold，werethebetterwayofdealingwiththem。”

Saidanother；“Yetarethequeensgoodwebsters，and，lackingthem，figuredclothofsilkwouldbefar-fetchedanddear-boughthere。”

Ayoungmangailyclad，whohadbeeneyeingthespeakersdisdainfully，spakenextandsaid：“Fairsirs，yearespeakinglikehypocrites，andasifyourlawfulwiveswereheretohearkentoyou；

whereasyeknowwellhowgoodlythesethrallsbe，andthatmanyofthemcanbekindenoughwithal；andyewouldthinkyourselvesbutillbesteadifyemightnotcheapensuchjewelsforyourmoney。

WhichofyouwillgototheCrossnextSaturdayandtherebuyhimafairerwifethanhecanwedoutofourlineages？andawifewithalofwhosehumoursheneedtakenomoreaccountofthanthedullnessofhishoundortheskittishtemperofhismare，solongasthethongsmarts，andthetwigssting。”

Oneortwogrinnedashespake，butsomebenttheirbrowsathim，yetscarceinearnest，andthetalkthereoverdropped，nordidRalphaskanymorequestions；forhewassomewhatdown-hearted，callingtomindthefrankandfreemaidensofUpmead，andtheirfriendlywordsandheartykisses。

Andhimseemedtheworldwasworsethanhehadlookedtofindit。

Howsoever，theoldestandsoberestoftheguests，seeingthathewasastrangerandofnobleaspect，cameuntohimandsatbyhim，andfelltotellinghimtalesofthewarsofthemenoftheBurgwiththeWheat-wearers；

andhowintimepast，whenthetownwasbutlittlefenced，theWheat-wearershadstormedtheirgatesandtakenthecity，andhadmadeagreatslaughter；butyethadsparedmanyofthefighting-men，althoughtheyhadabidedthereasthemastersofthem，andheldthementhralledforthreegenerationsofmen：

afterwhichtimethesons’sonsoftheoldBurg-dwellershavinggrownverymanyagain，anddiversofthembeingtrustedinsundrymattersbytheconquerors，whooppressedthembutlittle，roseupagainstthemasoccasionserved，inthewinterseasonandtheYulefeast，andslewtheirmasters，saveforafewwhowerehiddenaway。

“Andthereafter。”quothhe，“didwemaketheBurgstrongandhardtowin，asyeseeitto-day；andwetookforourcaptaintheForestLord，whoere-whilehaddweltintheclearingsofthewildwood，andheweddedtheFairLadywhowastheson’sdaughterofhimwhohadbeenourlorderetheWheat-wearersovercameus；andwegrewsafeandfreeandmightyagain。

AndthesonoftheForestLord，hewhomwecalltheWar-smith，heitwaswhobeheldtheBurgtoomuchgiventopleasure，anddelightinginthesoftnessoflife；andhetookordertohardenourhearts，andtocauseallfreementolearnthecraftofwarandbattle，andletthewomenandthrallsandaliensseetoothercraftsmanshipandtochaffer；andevensoisitdoneashewould；andyeshallfindushardyofheartenough，thoughbelikenotsojoyousasmightbe。

Yetatleastweshallnotbeeasytoovercome。”

“Soindeeditseemeth。”saidRalph。“YetwillIaskofyoufirstonequestion，andthenanother。”

“Askon。”saidtheburgher。

SaidRalph：“Howisitthatye，beingsostrong，shouldstillsufferthemoftheDryTree，takingamanhereandamanthere，whenyemightdestroythemutterly？”

TheBurgherreddenedandclearedhisthroatandsaid：

“Sir，itmustbemadecleartoyouthattheseevilbeastsarenoperiltotheBurgoftheFourFriths；alltheharmtheymaydous，isaswhenacurdogbitethamaninthecalfoftheleg；

wherebythemanshallbegrievedindeed，butthedogslain。

Suchgriefasthattheyhavedoneusatwhiles：butthegriefispaidforthus，thatthehuntingandslayingofthemkeepsourmeningoodtrim，andpleasuresthem；shortlytosayit，theyarethechiefdeerwherewithourwoodisstocked。”

Hestoppedawhileandthenwentonagainandsaid：“Tosaysooththeybenotveryhandyforcrushingasamancrushesawasp，becausesorcerygoeswiththem，andthewilesofonewhoistheirQueen，theevilestwomanwhoeverspatupontheblessedHostoftheAltar：

yetisshestrong，adevouringseaofsouls，Godhelpus！”

Andheblessedhimselftherewith。

SaidRalph：“YetawordontheseWheat-wearers；itseemeththatyeneverfailtoovercometheminbattle？”

“Butseldomatleast。”quoththeBurgher。

SaidRalph：“Thenitwerenogreatmatterforyoutogatherahostoverwhelming，andtotaketheirtownsandcastles，andforbidthemweapons，andmakethemyourthrallstotillthelandforyouwhichnowtheycalltheirs；sothatyemighthaveoftheirgettingsallsavewhatwereneedfulforthemtoliveasthralls。”

“Ideemitwereaneasything。”saidtheburgher。

QuothRalph：“Thenwhydoyenotso？”

“Itwerebutapoorgametoplay。”saidtheburgher。

“Suchoftheirwealthaswehaveamindto，wecanhavenowatthecostofabattleortwo，begunonehourandendedthenext：

werewetheirmasterssittingdownamidstoftheirhatred，andamidstoftheirplotting，yea，andintheveryplacewherethatwerethehottestandthickest，thebattlewouldbetobeginateverysun’suprising，norwoulditbeendedatanysunset。

Hah！whatsayestthou？”

SaidRalph：“Thisseemethtomebutthebaretruth；yetitislittleafterthemannerofsuchmasterfulmenasyebe。

Butwhythendoyeslayalltheircarlesthataretaken；

whereasyebearawaythewomenandmakethrallsofthemathome，thatistosay，foesineveryhouse？”

“Itmaybe。”saidtheBurgher，“thatthisisnotamongstthewisestofourdealings。Yetmaywedonootherwise；forthuswesworetodobyallthegreatestoathsthatwemightswear，inthedayswhenwefirstcastofftheiryoke，andyetwerenotoverstrongatthefirst；

andnowithathsogrownintoapartofourmanners，yea，andofourveryheartsandminds，thattheslayingofaWheat-weareristousalightermatterthanthesmitingofarabbitorafowmart。Butnow，lookyou，fairsir，mycompanyarisethfromtable；soIbidtheeagoodnight。

AndIgivetheeagoodredealongwiththegoodwish，towit，thatthouasknottoomanyquestionsinthiscityconcerningitsfoemen：

forhereisthestrangerlookeduponwithdoubt，ifheneitherwilltakethewagesoftheBurgforbattle，norhathaughttosell。”

Ralphreddenedathisword，andtheotherlookedathimsteadilyashespoke，sothatRalphdeemedthathemistrustedhim：

hedeemedmoreoverthatthreeorfouroftheotherslookedhardathimastheywenttowardsthedoor，whileRogerstoodsomewhatsmiling，andhummingasnatchofanoldsong。

Butwhentheotherguestshadleftthehostelry，Rogerlefthissinging，andturnedtoRalphandsaid：“Master，meseemsthattheymistrustus，andnowmaybeisthatperilthatIspakeofnigherthanIdeemedwhenwecameintotheBurgthismorning。

AndnowIwouldthatwewerewelloutoftheBurgandinthemerrygreenwoodagain，anditrepentsmethatIbroughttheehither。”

“Nay，goodfellow。”quothRalph，“heeditnot：besides，itwasme，notthee，thattheyseemedtodoubtof。Iwilldeparthenceto-morrowmorningnoworserthanIcame，andleavetheetoseekthyfortunehere；

andgoodluckgowiththee。”