第17章

Sohecameupwiththecountryfolkandgreetedthem，andtheydidasmuchbyhimincourteouswords：

theyweregoodlyandwell-shapen，bothmenandwomen，gayandjoyousofdemeanourandwellcladasforfolkwhoworkafield。

SoRalphwentfromonetoanotherandgavethemawordortwo，andwaswellpleasedtowatchthemattheirworkawhile；butyethewouldfainspeaksomewhatmorewithoneorotherofthem。

Atlastundertheshadeofatallelm-treehesawanoldmansittingheedingtheouterraimentofthehaymakersandtheirvictualandbottlesofdrink；andhecameuptohimandgavehimtheseleoftheday；andtheoldmanblessedhimandsaid：

“Artthoudwellinginmylady’scastle，fairlord？”

“Awhileatleast。”saidRalph。Saidtheoldman：

“Wethanktheeforcomingtoseeus；andmeseemethfromthelookoftheethouartworthytodwellinmyLady’sHouse。”

“Whatsayestthou？”saidRalph。“Issheagoodladyandagracious？”

“Oyea，yea。”saidthecarle。SaidRalph：“Thoumeanest，Isuppose，thatsheisfairtolookon，andsoft-spokenwhensheispleased？”

“Imeanfarmorethanthat。”saidthecarle；“surelyisshemostheavenlyfair，andhervoiceislikethemusicofheaven：

butwithalherdeeds，andthekindnessofhertouspoormenandhusbandmen，arenoworsethanshouldflowforthfromthatloveliness。”

“Willyoubeherservants？”saidRalph，“orwhatareye？”Saidthecarle：

“Webeyeomenandhervavassors；thereisnothralldominourland。”

“Doyeliveingoodpeaceforthemorepart？”saidRalph。

Saidthecarle：“Timehasbeenwhencruelbattleswerefoughtinthesewood-lawns，andmanypoorpeopleweredestroyedtherein：

butthatwasbeforethecomingoftheLadyofAbundance。”

“Andwhenwasthat？”saidRalph。“Iwotnot。”saidtheoldcarle；

“Iwasborninpeaceandsuckledinpeace；andinpeaceIfelltothelovingofmaidens，andIweddedinpeace，andbegatchildreninpeace，andinpeacetheydwellaboutme，andinpeaceshallIdepart。”

“Whatthen。”saidRalph(andagrievousfearwasborninhisheart)，“isnottheLadyofAbundanceyoung？”Saidthecarle：

“IhaveseenherwhenIwasyoungandalsosinceIhavebeenold，andeverwasshefairandlovely，andslenderhanded，asstraightasaspear，andassweetaswhiteclover，andgentle-voicedandkind，anddeartooursouls。”

“Yea。”saidRalph，“andshedothnotdwellinthiscastlealways；

whereelsethendothshedwell？”“Iwotnot。”saidthecarle，“butitshouldbeinheaven：forwhenshecomethtousallourjoysincreaseinusbythehalf。”

“Lookyou，father。”saidRalph，“MayitnothavebeenmorethanoneLadyofAbundancethatthouhastseeninthylife-days；andthatthisonethatnowis，isthedaughter’sdaughteroftheonewhomthoufirstsawest——

howsayestthou？”Thecarlelaughed：“Nay，nay。”saidhe，“Itisnotso：

neverhastherebeenanotherliketoherinallways，inbodyandvoice，andheartandsoul。ItisasIsay，sheisthesameasshewasalways。”

“Andwhen。”saidRalph，withabeatingheart，“doesshecomehither？

Isitatsomesetseason？”“Nay，fromtimetotime，atallseasons。”

saidthecarle；“andasfairsheiswhenshegoethoverthesnow，aswhenherfeetaresetamidsttheJunedaisies。”

NowwasRalphsofullofwonderthathescarceknewwhattosay；

buthebethoughthimofthatfairwasteontheothersideoftheforest，thecountrythroughwhichthatwideriverflowed，sohesaid：

“Andthatlandnorth-awaybeyondthewildwood，canstthoutellmethetaleofitswars，andifitwerewastedinthesamewarsthattormentedthisland？”Thecarleshookhishead：

“Astothelandbeyondthiswood。”quothhe，“Iknownoughtofit，forbeyondthewoodgowenever：nay，mostoftenwegobutalittlewayintoit，nofurtherthanwecanseetheglimmeroftheopendaylightthroughitstrees，——thedaylightofthelandofAbundance——

thatisenoughforus。”

“Well。”saidRalph，“Ithanktheeforthetalethouhasttoldme，andwishtheemoreyearsofpeace。”

“Andtothee，youngman。”saidthecarle，“Iwishagoodwishindeed，towitthatthoumayestseetheLadyofAbundanceherebeforethoudepartest。”

HiswordsoncemoremadeRalph’sheartbeatandhischeekflush，andhewentbacktothecastlesomewhatspeedily；forhesaidtohimself，afterthefollyoflovers，“Maybeshewillbecomeevennow，andInottheretomeether。”Yetwhenhecametothecastle-gatehisheartmisgavehim，andhewouldnotenteratonce，butturnedabouttogoroundthewallbythenorthandwest。

Inthecastlehesawnosoulsavetheolddamelookingoutofthewindowandnoddingtohim，butinthepastureallaboutwereneatherdsandshepherds，bothmenandwomen；

andatthenorth-westcorner，whereastheriverdrewquiteclosetothewall，hecameupontwodamselsofthefield-folkfishingwithanangleinaquietpoolofthestream。Hegreetedthem，andthey，whowereyoungandgoodly，returnedhisgreeting，butwereshamefacedathisgallantpresence，asindeedwasheatthethoughtsofhisheartmingledwiththesightoftheirfairness。

Sohepassedonatfirstwithoutmorewordsthanhisgreeting。

Yetpresentlyheturnedbackagain，forhelongedtohearsomewordmoreconcerningtheLadywhosecomingheabode。

Theystoodsmilingandblushingashecameuptothemagain，andheededtheirangleslittle。

SaidRalph：“Fairmaidens，doyeknowatallwhentheLadyofthecastlemaybelookedfor？”Theywereslowtoanswer，butatlastonesaid：

“No，fairsir，suchasweknownothingofthecomingsandgoingsofgreatfolk。”

SaidRalph，smilingonherforkindness，andpleasureofherfairness：

“Isitnotsothatyewillbegladofhercoming？”

Butsheansweredneveraword，onlylookedathimsteadily，withhergreatgreyeyesfixedinwonderment，whiletheotheronelookeddownasifintentonheranglingtools。

Ralphknewnothowtoaskanotherquestion，soheturnedaboutwithagreetingwordagain，andthistimewentonsteadilyroundaboutthewall。

AndnowinhisheartwaxedthedesireofthatLady，onceseen，ashedeemed，insuchstrangewise；buthewonderedwithinhimselfifthedevilhadnotsownthatlongingwithinhim：

whereasitmightbethatthiswomanonwhomhehadsethisheartwasherselfnorealwomanbutadevil，andoneofthegoddessesoftheancientworld，andhisheartwassoreandtroubledbymanydoubtsandhopesandfears；

buthesaidtohimselfthatwhenhesawherthencouldhejudgebetweenthegoodandtheevil，andcoulddoorforbear，andthatthesightofherwouldcureall。

Thusthinkinghewalkedswiftly，andwassoonroundatthecastlegateagain，andentered，andwentintothehall，wherewastheolddame，busiedaboutsomehouseholdmatter。

Ralphnoddedtoherandhastenedaway，lestsheshouldfalltotalkwithhim；andhesethimselfnowtogofromchambertochamber，thathemightlearnthecastle，whatitwas。

Hecameintotheguard-chamberandfoundthewallsthereofallhungwitharmourandweapons，cleanandingoodorder，thoughtherewasneveraman-at-armsthere，noranysoulexcepttheoldwoman。

Hewentupastairtherefromontothebattlements，andwentintothetowersofthewall，andfoundweaponsbothforhand，andforcastandshotineachoneofthem，andallreadyasifforpresentbattle；thenhecamedownintothecourtagainandwentintoaverygoodlyambulatoryoveragainstthehall，andheenteredadoortherefrom，whichwasbutonthelatch，andwentupalittlestairintoachamber，whichwasthegoodliestandtherichestofall。

Itsroofwasalldonewithgoldandbluefromoversea，anditspavementwroughtdelicatelyinAlexandrinework。

Onthedaiswasathroneofcarvenivory，andaboveitacanopyofbaudekinofthegoodliestfashion，andtherewasafoot-carpetbeforeit，wroughtwithbeastsandthehuntingofthedeer。

Asforthewallsofthatchamber，theywerehungwithamarvelloushallingofarras，whereinwaswroughtthegreenwood，andthereamidstinoneplaceapot-herbgarden，andagreengarthwithgoatstherein，andinthatgarthalittlethatchedhouse。

Andamidstallthisgreenerywerefiguredoverandoveragaintwowomen，whereofoneoldandtheotheryoung；andtheoldonewascladingrandattire，withgoldchainsandbroochesandrings，andsatwithherhandsbeforeherbythehousedoor，orstoodlookingonastheyoungoneworked，spinningordigginginthegarth，ormilkingthegoatsoutsideofit，orwhatnot；

andthisonewascladinsorryandscantyraiment。

WhatallthismightmeanRalphknewnot；butwhenhehadlookedlongatthegreeneryanditsimages，hesaidtohimselfthatifhewhowroughtthatclothhadnotdonetheyoungwomanafterthelikenessoftheLadywhomhehadhelpedinthewildwood，thenitmusthavebeendonefromhertwinsister。

Longheabodeinthatchamberlookingatthearras，andwonderingwhetherthesitterintheivorythronewouldbeanyotherthanthethrallinthegreenwoodcot。

Heabodetheresolongthattheduskbegantogatherinthehouse，andhecouldseetheimagesnomore；forhewasfilledwiththesweetnessofdesirewhenhelookedonthem。

Thenhewentbackslowlytothehall，andfoundthecarline，whohadlightedthewaxlightsandmademeatreadyforhim；andwhenshesawhimshecriedoutjoyously：“Ah，Iknewthatthouwouldstcomeback。

Artthouwellcontentwithourlittleland？”

“Ilikeitwell，dame。”saidhe；“buttellme，ifthoucanst，whatisthemeaningofthehallinginthechamberwiththeivorythrone？”

Saidthecarline：“Thereofshallanothertellthee，whocantellofitbetterthanI；butitisnoughttohidethatyonderchamberisthechamberofestateofourLady，andshesitteththeretohearthecasesoffolkandtogivedooms。”

Theoldwomancrossedherselfasshespoke，andRalphwonderedthereat，butaskednomorequestions，forhewasscarcesorrythatthecarlinewouldnottellhimthereof，lestsheshouldspoilthetale。

Sopassedtheevening，andhewenttobedandsleptasayoungmanshould，andthenextdayhewasupbetimesandwentabroadandmingledwiththecarlesandqueensafield；butthistimehespakenotoftheLady，andheardnoughttoheedfromanyofthatfolk。

Sohewentbacktothecastleandgathimabowandarrows，andenteredthethicketofthewoodnighwhereheandRogerfirstcameoutofit。

Hehadprayedayoungmanofthefolktogowithhim，buthewasnotoverwillingtogo，thoughhewouldnotsaywherefore。SoRalphwenthimselfbyhimselfandwanderedsomewayintothewood，andsawnoughtworsethanhimself。Ashecameback，makingacircuittowardtheopenmeadows，hehappenedonaherdofdeerinalonelyplace，halfwoodhalfmeadow，andthereheslewahartwithoneshaft，forhewasadeftbowman。

Thenhewentandfetchedaleashofcarles，whowentwithhimsomewhatlessthanhalfwillingly，andbetweenthemtheybrokeupthehartandcarriedhimhometothecastle，wherethecarlinemetthem。

ShesmiledonRalphandpraisedthevenison，andsaidwithalthatthehuntingwaswelldone；“For，asfondandasfairasthoumaystbe，itisnotgoodthatyoungmenshouldhavetheirmindssetononethingonly。”

Therewithsheledhimintohismeat，andsethimdownandservedhim；

andallthewhileofhisdinnerhewaslongingtoaskherifshedeemedthattheLadywouldcomethatday，sinceitwasthelastdayofthosewhichRogerhadbiddenhimwait；butthewordswouldnotoutofhismouth。

Shelookedathimandsmiled，asthoughshehadaguessofhisthought，andatlastshesaidtohim：“Thytongueistiedto-day。Hastthou，afterall，seensomethingstrangeinthewood？”Heshookhisheadfornaysay。

Saidshe：“Why，then，dostthounotaskmoreconcerningtheWellattheWorld’sEnd？”

Helaughed，andsaid：“MaybebecauseIthinkthatthoucanstnottellmethereof。”“Well。”shesaid，“ifIcannot，yetthebookmay，andthisevening，whenthesunisdown，thoushalthaveit。”

“Ithankthee，mother。”saidhe；“butthisisnowthelastdaythatRogerbademewait。Dostthouthinkthathewillcomebackto-night？”andhereddenedtherewith。“Nay。”shesaid，“Iknownot，andthoucarestnotwhetherhewillcomeornot。