The Well at the World's End: A Tale

  CHAPTER 30

  Ralph Brings His Father and Mother to Upmeads

  Short was the road back again to Wulstead, and whereas the day was notvery old when Ralph came there, he failed not to stop at Clement'shouse, and came into the chamber where sat Dame Katherine in pensivewise nigh to the window, with her open hands in her lap. Quoth Ralph:"Rejoice, gossip! for neither is Clement hurt, nor I, and all is donethat should be done." She moved her but little, but the tears cameinto her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "What, gossip?" quoth Ralph;"these be scarce tears of joy; what aileth thee?" "Nay," saidKatherine, "indeed I am joyful of thy tidings, though sooth to say Ilooked for none other. But, dear lord and gossip, forgive me my tearson the day of thy triumph; for if they be not wholly of joy, so alsoare they not wholly of sorrow. But love and the passing of the daysare bittersweet within my heart to-day. Later on thou shalt see fewfaces more cheerful and merry in the hall at Upmeads than this of thygossip's. So be merry now, and go fetch thy father and thy mother, andrejoice their hearts that thou hast been even better than thy word tothem. Farewell, gossip; but look to see me at Upmeads before many daysare past; for I know thee what thou art; and that the days willpresently find deeds for thee, and thou wilt be riding into peril, andcoming safe from out of it. Farewell!"

  So he departed and rode to the House of St. Austin, and the folkgathered so about him in the street that at the gate of the Priory hehad to turn about and speak to them; and he said: "Good people,rejoice! there are no more foemen of Wulstead anigh you now; and takethis word of me, that I will see to it in time to come that ye live inpeace and quiet here."

  Folk shouted for joy, and the fathers who were standing within the gateheard his word and rejoiced, and some of them ran off to tell KingPeter that his son was come back victorious already; so that by then hehad dismounted at the Guest-house door, lo! there was the King and hiswife with him, and both they alboun for departure. And when they sawhim King Peter cried out: "There is no need to say a word, my son;unless thou wouldst tell the tale to the holy father Prior, who, as yesee, has e'en now come out to us."

  Said Ralph: "Father and mother, I pray your blessing, and also theblessing of the father Prior here; and the tale is short enough: thatwe have overthrown them and slain the more part, and the others are nowbeing driven like a herd of swine into their stronghold of the WoodDebateable, where, forsooth, I shall be ere the world is one montholder. And in the doing of all this have but three of our men beenslain and a few hurt, amongst whom is thy son Hugh, but not sorely."

  "O yea, son," said his mother, "he shall do well enough. But now withthy leave, holy Prior, we will depart, so that we may sleep in the HighHouse to-night, and feel that my dear son's hand is over us to ward us."

  Then Ralph knelt before them, and King Peter and his wife blessed theirson when they had kissed and embraced each other, and they wept for joyof him. The Prior also, who was old, and a worthy prelate, and anancient friend of King Peter, might not refrain his tears at the joy ofhis friends as he gave Ralph his blessing. And then, when Ralph hadrisen up and the horses were come, he said to him: "One thing thou artnot to forget, young conqueror, to wit, that thou art to come hereearly one day, and tell me all thy tale at full length."

  "Yea, Prior," said Ralph, "or there is the High House of Upmeads forthee to use as thine own, and a rest for thee of three or four dayswhile thou hearkenest the tale; for it may need that."

  "Hearken," said King Peter softly to the Dame, "how he reckons it allhis own; my day is done, my dear." He spake smiling, and she said:"Soothly he is waxen masterful, and well it becometh the dearyoungling."

  Now they get to horse and ride their ways, while all folk blessed them.The two old folk rode fast and pressed their nags whatever Ralph mightdo to give them pastime of words; so they came into the plain field ofUpmeads two hours before sunset; and King Peter said: "Now I account itthat I have had one day more of my life than was my due, and thou, son,hast added it to the others whereas thou didst not promise to bring mehither till morrow."

  Ralph led them round by the ford, so that they might not come acrossthe corpses of the robbers; but already were the Upmeads carles at workdigging trenches wherein to bury them.

  So Ralph led his father and his mother to the gate of the garth of HighHouse; then he got off his horse and helped them down, and as he sodealt with his father, he said to him: "Thou art springy and limberyet, father; maybe thou wilt put on thine helm this year to ride theDebateable Wood with me."

  The old man laughed and said: "Maybe, son; but as now it is time forthee to enter under our roof-tree once more."

  "Nay," said Ralph, "but go ye in and sit in the high-seat and abide me.For did I not go straight back to you from the field of battle; and canI suffer it that any other hand than mine should lead my wife into thehall and up to the high-seat of my fathers; and therefore I go to fetchher from the house of Richard the Red where she is abiding me; butpresently I shall lead her in, and do ye then with us what ye will."

  Therewith he turned about and rode his ways to Richard's house, whichwas but a half-mile thence. But his father and mother laughed when hewas gone, and King Peter said: "There again! thou seest, wife, it ishe that commands and we that obey."

  "O happy hour that so it is!" said the Lady, "and happy now shall bethe wearing of our days."

  So they entered the garth and came into the house, and were welcomedwith all joy by Nicholas, and told him all that Ralph had said, andbade him array the house as he best might; for there was much folkabout the High House, though the Upmeads carles and queans had takenthe more part of the host to their houses, which they had deliveredfrom the fire and sword, and they made much of them there with a goodheart.