CHAPTER 17
Ralph Cometh to the House of Abundance
Therewithal they gat to horse and rode away through that stony land,wherein was no river, but for water many pools in the bottoms, withlittle brooks running from them. But after a while they came upon aridge somewhat high, on the further side whereof was a wide valleywell-grassed and with few trees, and no habitation of man that theymight see. But a wide river ran down the midst of it; and it was nowfour hours after noon. Quoth Roger: "The day wears and we shall by nomeans reach harbour before dark night, even if we do our best: art thouwell used to the water, lord?" "Much as a mallard is," said Ralph.Said Roger: "That is well, for though there is a ford some mile and ahalf down stream, for that same reason it is the way whereby men mostlycross the water into the wildwood; and here again we are more like tomeet foes than well-wishers; or at the least there will be question ofwho we are, and whence and whither; and we may stumble in our answers."Said Ralph: "There is no need to tarry, ride we down to the water."
So did they, and took the water, which was deep, but not swift. On thefurther side they clomb up a hill somewhat steep; at the crown theydrew rein to give their horses breath, and Ralph turned in his saddleand looked down on to the valley, and as aforesaid he was clear-sightedand far-sighted; now he said: "Fellow-farer, I see the riding of folkdown below there, and meseems they be spurring toward the water; andthey have weapons: there! dost thou not see the gleam?"
"I will take thy word for it, fair sir," said Roger, "and will evenspur, since they be the first men whom we have seen since we left thethickets." And therewith he went off at a hand gallop, and Ralphfollowed him without more ado.
They rode up hill and down dale of a grassy downland, till at last theysaw a wood before them again, and soon drew rein under the boughs; fornow were their horses somewhat wearied. Then said Ralph: "Here havewe ridden a fair land, and seen neither house nor herd, neithersheep-cote nor shepherd. I wonder thereat."
Said Roger: "Thou wouldst wonder the less didst thou know the story ofit." "What story?" said Ralph. Quoth Roger: "A story of war andwasting." "Yea?" said Ralph, "yet surely some bold knight or baron hathrights in the land, and might be free to build him a strong house andgather men to him to guard the shepherds and husbandmen from burnersand lifters." "Sooth is that," said Roger; "but there are other thingsin the tale." "What things?" said Ralph. Quoth Roger: "Ill hap andsorrow and the Hand of Fate and great Sorcery." "And dastards withal?"said Ralph. "Even so," said Roger, "yet mingled with valiant men.Over long is the tale to tell as now, so low as the sun is; so now ridewe on with little fear of foemen. For look you, this wood, like thethickets about the Burg of the Four Friths, hath an evil name, and fewfolk ride it uncompelled; therefore it is the safer for us. And yet Iwill say this to thee, that whereas awhile agone thou mightest havedeparted from me with little peril of aught save the stumbling on someof the riders of the Burg of the Four Friths, departing from me nowwill be a hard matter to thee; for the saints in Heaven only knowwhitherward thou shouldest come, if thou wert to guide thyself now.This a rough word, but a true one, so help me God and Saint Michael!What sayest thou; art thou content, or wilt thou cast hard words at meagain?"
So it was that for all that had come and gone Ralph was light-heartedand happy; so he laughed and said: "Content were I, even if I were notcompelled thereto. For my heart tells me of new things, and marvellousand joyous that I shall see ere long."
"And thine heart lieth not," said Roger, "for amidst of this wood isthe house where we shall have guesting to-night, which will be to thee,belike, the door of life and many marvels. For thence have folk soughtere now to the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END."
Ralph turned to him sharply and said: "Many times in these few dayshave I heard that word. Dost thou know the meaning thereof? For as tome I know it not." Said Roger: "Thou mayest well be as wise as I amthereon: belike men seek to it for their much thriving, and oftenestfind it not. Yet have I heard that they be the likeliest with whom allwomen are in love."
Ralph held his peace, but Roger noted that he reddened at the word.
Now they got on horseback again, for they had lighted down to breathetheir beasts, and they rode on and on, and never was Roger at fault:long was the way and perforce they rested at whiles, so that night fellupon them in the wood, but the moon rose withal. So night being fairlycome, they rested a good while, as it would be dawn before moonset.Then they rode on again, till now the summer night grew old and waned,but the wood hid the beginnings of dawn.
At last they came out of the close wood suddenly into an open plain,and now, as the twilight of the dawn was passing into early day, theysaw that wide grassy meadows and tilled fields lay before them, with alittle river running through the plain; and amidst the meadows, on agreen mound, was a white castle, strong, and well built, though not ofthe biggest.
Roger pointed to it, and said, "Now we are come home," and cried on hiswearied beast, who for his part seemed to see the end of his journey.They splashed through a ford of the river and came to the gate of thecastle as day drew on apace; Roger blew a blast on a great horn thathung on the gate, and Ralph looking round deemed he had never seenfairer building than in the castle, what he could see of it, and yet itwas built from of old. They waited no long while before they wereanswered; but whereas Ralph looked to see armed gatewards peer from thebattlements or the shot window, and a porter espying them through alattice, it happened in no such way, but without more ado the wicketwas opened to them by a tall old woman, gaunt and grey, who greetedthem courteously: Roger lighted down and Ralph did in likewise, andthey led their horses through the gate into the court of the castle;the old woman going before them till they came to the hall door, whichshe opened to them, and taking the reins of their horses led them awayto the stable, while those twain entered the hall, which was as goodlyas might be. Roger led Ralph up to a board on the dais, whereon therewas meat and drink enow, and Ralph made his way-leader sit down by him,and they fell to. There was no serving-man to wait on them nor a carleof any kind did they see; the old woman only, coming back from thehorses, served them at table. Ever as she went about she looked longon Ralph, and seemed as if she would have spoken to him, but as often,she glanced at Roger and forbore.
So when they were well nigh done with their meat Ralph spake to thecarline and said: "Belike the lord or the lady of this house are abedand we shall not see them till the morrow?"
Ere the carline could speak Roger broke in and said: "There is neitherlord nor lady in the castle as now, nor belike will there be to-morrowmorning, or rather, before noon on this day; so now ye were better tolet this dame lead thee to bed, and let the next hours take care ofthemselves."
"So be it," said Ralph, who was by this time heartily wearied, "shallwe two lie in the same chamber?"
"Nay," said the carline shortly, "lodging for the master and lodgingfor the man are two different things."
Roger laughed and said nought, and Ralph gave him good night, andfollowed the carline nothing loth, who led him to a fair chamber overthe solar, as if he had been the very master of the castle, and he laydown in a very goodly bed, nor troubled himself as to where Roger lay,nor indeed of aught else, nor did he dream of Burg, or wood, or castle,or man, or woman; but lay still like the image of his father's fatheron the painted tomb in the choir of St. Laurence of Upmeads.