The Well at the World's End: A Tale

  CHAPTER 5

  Yet More of the Lady's Story

  "Lo thou, beloved," she said, "thou hast seen me in the wildwood withlittle good quickened in me: doth not thine heart sink at the thoughtof thy love and thy life given over to the keeping of such an one?" Hesmiled in her face, and said: "Belike thou hast done worse than allthou hast told me: and these days past I have wondered often what therewas in the stories which they of the Burg had against thee: yet soothto say, they told little of what thou hast done: no more belike thanbeing their foe." She sighed and said: "Well, hearken; yet shall I nottell thee every deed that I have been partaker in.

  "I sat in the Dale that next day and was happy, though I longed to seethat fair man again: sooth to say, since my mistress was dead,everything seemed fairer to me, yea even mine own face, as I saw it inthe pools of the stream, though whiles I wondered when I should haveanother mistress, and how she would deal with me; and ever I said Iwould ask the carline when she came again to me. But all that day shecame not: nor did I marvel thereat. But when seven days passed andstill she came not, I fell to wondering what I should do: for my breadwas all gone, and I durst not go back to the house to fetch meal;though there was store of it there. Howbeit, I drank of the milk ofthe goats, and made curds thereof with the woodland roots, and ate ofthe wood-berries like as thou hast done, friend, e'en now. And it waseasier for me to find a livelihood in the woods than it had been formost folk, so well as I knew them. So wore the days, and she came not,and I began to think that I should see the wise carline no more, asindeed fell out at that time; and the days began to hang heavy on myhands, and I fell to thinking of that way to the west and the peopledparts, whereof the carline had told me; and whiles I went out of theDale and went away hither and thither through the woods, and so far,that thrice I slept away out of the Dale: but I knew that the peopledparts would be strange to me and I feared to face them all alone.

  "Thus wore the days till July was on the wane, and on a morning early Iawoke with unwonted sounds in mine ears; and when my eyes were fairlyopen I saw a man standing over me and a white horse cropping the grasshard by. And my heart was full and fain, and I sprang to my feet andshowed him a smiling happy face, for I saw at once that it was thatfair man come back again. But lo! his face was pale and worn, thoughhe looked kindly on me, and he said: 'O my beloved, I have found thee,but I am faint with hunger and can speak but little.' And eventherewith he sank down on the grass. But I bestirred myself, and gavehim milk of my goats, and curds and berries, and the life came into himagain, and I sat down by him and laid his head in my lap, and he slepta long while; and when he awoke (and it was towards sunset) he kissedmy hands and my arms, and said to me: 'Fair child, perhaps thou wiltcome with me now; and even if thou art a thrall thou mayest flee withme; for my horse is strong and fat, though I am weak, for he can makehis dinner on the grass.'

  "Then he laughed and I no less; but I fed him with my poor victualagain, and as he ate I said: 'I am no mistress's thrall now; for theevening of the day whereon I saw thee I slew her, else had she slainme.' 'The saints be praised,' said he: 'Thou wilt come with me, then?''O yea,' said I. Then I felt shamefaced and I reddened; but I said: 'Ihave abided here many days for a wise woman who hath taught me manythings; but withal I hoped that thou wouldst come also.'

  "Then he put his arms about my shoulders and loved me much; but at lasthe said: 'Yet is it now another thing than that which I looked for,when I talked of setting thee by me on the golden throne. For now am Ia beaten man; I have failed of that I sought, and suffered shame andhunger and many ills. Yet ever I thought that I might find thee hereor hereby.' Then a thought came into my mind, and I said: 'Else maybethou hadst found what thou soughtest, and overcome the evil things.''Maybe,' he said; 'it is now but a little matter.'"

  "As for me, I could have no guess at what were the better things he hadmeant for me, and my heart was full of joy, and all seemed better thanwell. And we talked together long till the day was gone. Then wekissed and embraced each other in the Dale of Lore, and the darkness ofsummer seemed but short for our delight."