第14章

Rogerlookedhardathimandsaid：“Notso，younglord；ifthougoestIwillgowiththee，forthouhastwonmyheart，Iknownothow：

andIwouldverilybethyservant，tofollowtheewhithersoeverthougoest；

forIthinkthatgreatdeedswillcomeofthee。”

ThiswordpleasedRalph，forhewasyoungandlightlyputfaithinmen’swords，andlovedtobewellthoughtof，andwasfainofgoodfellowshipwithal。Sohesaid：

“Thisisagoodwordofthine，andIthanktheeforit；

andlooktoitthatinmyadventures，andtherewardofthemthoushalthavethydueshare。Loheremyhandonit！”

Rogertookhishand，yettherewithhisfaceseemedalittletroubled，buthesaidnought。ThenspokeRalph：

“TrueitisthatIamnotfaintotakethewagesoftheBurg；

foritseemstomethattheybehardmen，andcruelandjoyless，andthattheirserviceshallberatherchurlishthanknightly。

Howbeit，letnightbringcounsel，andwewillseetothisto-morrow；

fornowIambothsleepyandweary。”Therewithhecalledthechamberlain，whoboreawaxlightbeforehimtohischamber，andhedidoffhisraimentandcasthimselfonhisbed，andfellasleepstraightway，beforeheknewwhereRogerwassleeping，whetheritwereinthehallorsomeplaceelse。

HowRalphDepartedFromtheBurgoftheFourFrithsHimseemedhehadscarcebeenasleepaminuteereawokewithasoundofsomeonesayingsoftly，“Master，master，awake！”Sohesatupandansweredsoftlyinhisturn：“Whoisit？whatisamiss，sincethenightisyetyoung？”

“Iamthyfellow-farer，Roger。”saidthespeaker，“andthisthouhasttodo，getonthyraimentspeedily，andtakethyweaponswithoutnoise，ifthouwouldstnotbeintheprisonoftheBurgbeforesunrise。”

Ralphdidashewasbiddenwithoutmorewords；foralreadywhenhelaydownhisheartmisgavehimthathewasinnosafeplace；

helookedtohisweaponsandarmourthattheyshouldnotclash，anddowntheycameintothehallandfoundthedooronthelatch；

soouttheywentandRalphsawthatitwassomewhatcloudy；

themoonwassetanditwasdark，butRalphknewbythescentthatcameinonthelightwind，andalittlestirofblendedsounds，thatitwashardondawning；andeventherewithheheardthechallengeofthewardersonthewallsandtheircryingofthehour；andthechimesofthebelfryrangclearandloud，andseemingcloseabovehim，twohoursandahalfaftermidnight。

Rogerspakenot，andRalphwasman-at-armsenoughtoknowthathemustholdhispeace；andthoughhelongedsoretohavehishorseFalconwithhim，yethewottedthatitavailednottoaskofhishorse，sincehedurstnotaskofhislife。

SotheywentonsilentlytilltheywereoutoftheGreatPlaceandcameintoanarrowstreet，andsointoanotherwhichledthemstraightintothehouselessspaceunderthewall。

Rogerledrightonasifheknewthewaywell，andinatwinklingweretheycometoaposterninthewallbetwixttheEastGateandtheSouth。BythesaidposternRalphsawcertainmenstanding；

andontheearthnearby，whereashewaskeen-eyed，hesawmorethanonemanlyingmoveless。

SpakeRogersoftlytothemenwhostoodontheirfeet：

“Istheropetwined？”“Nay，rope-twiner。”saidoneofthem。

ThenRogerturnedandwhisperedtoRalph：“Friends。Getoutthysword！”

Wherewithalthegatewasopened，andtheyallpassedoutthroughthewall，andstoodabovetheditchintheangle-nookofasquaretower。

ThenRalphsawsomeofthemenstoopandshootoutabroadplankovertheditch，whichwasdeepbutnotwidethereabout，andstraightwayhefollowedtheothersoverit，goinglastsaveRoger。

Bythentheywereontheothersidehesawaglimmerofthedawnintheeasternheaven，butitwasstillmorethandusk，andnomanspokeagain。

Theywentonsoftlyacrosstheplainfieldsoutsidethewall，creepingfrombushtobush，andfromtreetotree，forhere，ifnowhereaboutthecircuitoftheBurg，wereafewtreesgrowing。

Thustheycameintoalittlewoodandpassedthroughit，andthenRalphcouldseethatthemenweresixbesidesRoger；bytheglimmerofthegrowingdawnhesawbeforethemaspaceofmeadowswithhighhedgesaboutthem，andadimlinethathetookfortheroofofabarnorgrange，andbeyondthatadarkmassoftrees。

Stilltheypressedonwithoutspeaking；adogbarkednotfaroffandthecockswerecrowing，andclosebytheminthemeadowacowlowedandwenthustlingoverthebentsandthelong，unbittenbuttercups。

Daygrewapace，andbythentheywereunderthebarn-gablewhichhehadseenaloofhesawtheotherroofsofthegrangeandheardthebleatingofsheep。

Andnowhesawthosesixmenclearly，andnotedthatoneofthemwasverybigandtall，andonesmallandslender，anditcameintohismindthatthesetwowerenoneotherthanthetwainwhomhehadcomeuponthelastnightsittinginthehalloftheFlowerdeLuce。

Eventherewithcameamantothegateofthesheep-cotebythegrange，andcaughtsightofthem，andhadthewitstorunbackatonceshoutingout：

“Hugh，Wat，Richard，andallye，outwithyou，outadoors！Herebemen！

WaretheDryTree！Bowsandbills！Bowsandbills！”

WiththatthosefellowsofRalphmadenomoreado，butsetoffrunningattheirbesttowardthewoodaforesaid，whichcrownedtheslopeleadingupfromthegrange，andnowtooknocaretogosoftly，norheededtheclashingoftheirarmour。Ralphranwiththebestandenteredthewoodalongsidetheslimyouthaforesaid，whostayednotatthewood’sedgebutwentonrunningstill：

butRalphstayedandturnedtoseewhatwastoward，andbeheldhowthattallmanwasthelastoftheircompany，andereheenteredthewoodturnedaboutwithabentbowinhishand，andevenashenockedtheshaft，themenfromtheGrange，whowereseveninall，camerunningoutfrombehindthebarn-gable，cryingout：

“Hothieves！hoyeoftheDryTree，abidetillwecome！fleenotfromhandystrokes。”Thetallmanhadtheshafttohisearinatwinkling，andloosedstraightway，andnockedandloosedanothershaftwithoutstayingtonotehowthefirsthadsped。

ButRalphsawthatamanwasbeforeeachoftheshafts，andhadfallentoearth，thoughhehadnotimetoseeaughtelse，foreventherewiththetallmancaughthimbythehand，andcryingout，“Thethirdtime！”ranonwithhimaftertherestoftheircompany；

andwhereashewaslong-leggedandRalphlightfooted，theyspeedilycameupwiththem，whowererunningstill，butlaughingastheyran，andjeeringatthemenoftheBurgh；andthetallmanshoutedouttothem：“Yea，lads，thecounterfeitDryTreethattheyhaveraisedintheBurgshallbedryenoughthistime。”

“Truly。”saidanother，“tillwecometowateritwiththebloodofthesewretches。”

“Well，well，geton。”saidathird，“wastenotyourwindintalk；

thosecarleswillmakebutashortrunofittothewallslongasitwasforus，creepingandcreepingaswebehovedto。”

Thelongmanlaughed；“Thousayestsooth。”saidhe，“butthouartthelongestwindedofallintalking：

geton，lads。”

Theylaughedagainathiswordandspedonwithlessnoise；

whileRalphthoughtwithinhimselfthathewascomeintostrangecompany，fornowheknewwellthatthebigmanwasevenhewhomhehadfirstmetatthechurchyardgateofthethorpunderBearHill。

Yethedeemedthattherewasnoughtforitnowbuttogoon。

Withinawhiletheyallslackedsomewhat，andpresentlydidbutwalk，thoughswiftly，throughthepathsofthethicket，whichRalphdeemedfullsurelywaspartofthatsideoftheWoodPerilousthatlaysouthoftheBurgoftheFourFriths。

AndnowRogerjoinedhimselftohim，andspaketohimaloudandsaid：

“So，fairmaster，thouartoutoftheperilofdeathforthisbout。”

“Artthouallsosureofthat？”quothRalph，“orwhoarethesethatbewithus？meseemstheysmelloftheDryTree。”

“Yea，orrebelsandrunawaystherefrom。”saidRoger，withadrygrin。

“Butwhosoevertheymaybe，thoushaltseethattheywillsufferustodepartwhitherwewill，ifwelikenottheircompany。

Iwillbethywarrantthereof。”

“Moreover。”saidRalph，“IhavelostFalconmyhorse；

itisasoremissofhim。”

“Maybe。”quothRoger，“butatleastthouhastsavedthyskin；andwhereastherearemanyhorsesontheearth，thereisbutoneskinofthine：

becontent；ifthouwilt，thoushallwinsomewhatinexchangeforthinehorse。”

Ralphsmiled，butsomewhatsourly，andeventherewithheheardashrillwhistlealittlealoof，andthemenstayedandheldtheirpeace，fortheyweretalkingtogetherfreelyagainnow。

Thenthebigmanputhisfingerstohismouthandwhistledagaininanswer，athirdwhistleansweredhim；andlo，presently，astheircompanyhastenedon，thevoicesofmen，andanontheycameintoalittlewood-lawnwhereinstandingaboutorlyingonthegrassbesidetheirhorsesweremorethanascoreofmenwellarmed，butwithoutanybannerortoken，andallinwhitearmourwithwhiteGaberdinesthereover；

andtheyhadwiththem，asRalphjudged，somedozenofhorsesmorethantheyneededfortheirownriding。

Greatwasthejoyatthismeeting，andtherewasembracingandkissingoffriends：butRalphnotedthatnomanembracedthatslenderyouth，andthatheheldhimsomewhatalooffromtheothers，andallseemedtodohimreverence。

Nowspakeoneoftherunaways：“Well，lads，herebeallwefourwellmetagainalongwiththosetwainwhocametohelpusatourpinch，astheirwontis，andRogerwithal，goodatneedagain，andafriendofhis，asitseemeth，andwhomweknownot。

Seeyetothat。”

Thenstoodforththebigmanandsaid：“Heisafairyoungknight，asyemaysee；andheridethseekingadventures，andRogerdidustowitthathewasabidingintheBurgathisperil，andwouldhavehimaway，evenifitweresomewhatagainsthiswill：andwewerewillingthatitshouldbeso，allthemoreasIhaveaguessconcerningwhatheis；

andaforeseeingmanmightthinkthatluckshouldgowithhim。”

TherewithheturnedtoRalphandsaid：“Howsayye，fairsir，willyetakeguestingwithusawhileandlearnourways？”

SaidRalph：“CertainIamthatwhitheryewillhavemego，thithermustI；yetIdeemthatIhaveanerrandthatliesnotyourway。

ThereforeifIgowithyou，yemustsolookuponitthatIaminyourfellowshipasonecompelled。Tobeshortwithyou，Icraveleavetodepartandgomineownroad。”

Ashespokehesawtheyouthwalkingupanddowninshortturns；buthisfacehecouldscarceseeatall，whatforhisslouchedhat，whatforhiscloak；

andatlasthesawhimgouptothetallmanandspeaksoftlytohimawhile。

Thetallmannoddedhishead，andastheyouthdrewrightbacknightothethicket，spaketoRalphagain。

“Fairsir，wegrantthineasking；andaddthistheretothatwegivetheethemanwhohasjoinedhimselftothee，RogeroftheRope-walktowit，tohelptheeontheroad，sothatthoumaystnotturnthyfacebacktotheBurgoftheFourFriths，wherethineerrand，andthylifewithal，weresoonspednow，orrunintoanyothertrapwhichtheWoodPerilousmayhaveforthee。

Andyetifthouthinkbetterofit，thoumaystcomewithusstraightway；

forwehavenoughttodototarryhereanylonger。Andinanycase，hereisagoodhorsethatwewillgivethee，sincethouhastlostthysteed；

andRogerwhoridethwiththee，healsoiswellhorsed。”

Ralphlookedhardatthebigman，whonowhadhissaladethrownbackfromhisface，toseeifhegaveanytokenofjeeringormalice，butcouldseenoughtsuch：nay，hisfacewasgraveandserious，notill-fashioned，thoughitwerebothlongandbroadlikehisbody：

hischeek-bonessomewhathigh，hiseyesgreyandmiddlinggreat，andlooking，asitwere，faraway。