The Well at the World's End: A Tale

  CHAPTER 7

  The Maiden of Bourton Abbas

  So went he through the gate, and many, both of men and maids gazed athim, for he was fair to look on, but none meddled with him.

  There was a goodly fauburg outside the gate, and therein were fairhouses, not a few, with gardens and orchards about them; and when thesewere past he rode through very excellent meadows lying along the water,which he crossed thrice, once by a goodly stone bridge and twice byfords; for the road was straight, and the river wound about much.

  After a little while the road led him off the plain meads into acountry of little hills and dales, the hill-sides covered withvineyards and orchards, and the dales plenteous of corn-fields; and nowamongst these dales Higham was hidden from him.

  Through this tillage and vine-land he rode a good while, and thought hehad never seen a goodlier land; and as he went he came on husbandmenand women of the country going about their business: yet were they nottoo busy to gaze on him, and most greeted him; and with some he gaveand took a little speech.

  These people also he deemed well before the world, for they were wellclad and buxom, and made no great haste as they went, but looked aboutthem as though they deemed the world worth looking at, and as if theyhad no fear either of a blow or a hard word for loitering.

  So he rode till it was noon, and he was amidst a little thorp of greystone houses, trim enough, in a valley wherein there was more ofwild-wood trees and less of fruit-bearers than those behind him. Inthe thorp was a tavern with the sign of the Nicholas, so Ralph deemedit but right to enter a house which was under the guard of his masterand friend; therefore he lighted down and went in. Therein he found alad of fifteen winters, and a maiden spinning, they two alone, whohailed him and asked his pleasure, and he bade them bring him meat anddrink, and look to his horse, for that he had a mind to rest a while.So they brought him bread and flesh, and good wine of the hill-side, ina little hall well arrayed as of its kind; and he sat down and thedamsel served him at table, but the lad, who had gone to see to hishorse, did not come back.

  So when he had eaten and drunk, and the damsel was still there, helooked on her and saw that she was sad and drooping of aspect; andwhereas she was a fair maiden, Ralph, now that he was full, fell topitying her, and asked her what was amiss. "For," said he, "thou artfair and ailest nought; that is clear to see; neither dwellest thou inpenury, but by seeming hast enough and to spare. Or art thou a servantin this house, and hath any one misused thee?"

  She wept at his words, for indeed he spoke softly to her; then shesaid: "Young lord, thou art kind, and it is thy kindness that draweththe tears from me; else it were not well to weep before a young man:therefore I pray thee pardon me. As for me, I am no servant, nor hasany one misused me: the folk round about are good and neighbourly; andthis house and the croft, and a vineyard hard by, all that is mine ownand my brother's; that is the lad who hath gone to tend thine horse.Yea, and we live in peace here for the most part; for this thorp, whichis called Bourton Abbas, is a land of the Abbey of Higham; though it bethe outermost of its lands and the Abbot is a good lord and a defenceagainst tyrants. All is well with me if one thing were not."

  "What is thy need then?" said Ralph, "if perchance I might amend it."And as he looked on her he deemed her yet fairer than he had done atfirst. But she stayed her weeping and sobbing and said: "Sir, I fearme that I have lost a dear friend." "How then," said he, "why fearestthou, and knowest not? doth thy friend lie sick between life anddeath?" "O Sir," she said, "it is the Wood which is the evil anddisease."

  "What wood is that?" said he.

  She said: "The Wood Perilous, that lieth betwixt us and the Burg ofthe Four Friths, and all about the Burg. And, Sir, if ye be minded toride to the Burg to-day, do it not, for through the wood must thou wendthereto; and ye are young and lovely. Therefore take my rede, andabide till the Chapmen wend thither from Higham, who ride many incompany. For, look you, fair lord, ye have asked of my grief, and thisit is and nought else; that my very earthly love and speech-friend rodefive days ago toward the Burg of the Four Friths all alone through theWood Perilous, and he has not come back, though we looked to see him inthree days' wearing: but his horse has come back, and the reins andthe saddle all bloody."

  And she fell a-weeping with the telling of the tale. But Ralph said(for he knew not what to say): "Keep a good heart, maiden; maybe he issafe and sound; oft are young men fond to wander wide, even as Imyself."

  She looked at him hard and said: "If thou hast stolen thyself awayfrom them that love thee, thou hast done amiss. Though thou art alord, and so fair as I see thee, yet will I tell thee so much."

  Ralph reddened and answered nought; but deemed the maiden both fair andsweet. But she said: "Whether thou hast done well or ill, do noworse; but abide till the Chapmen come from Higham, on their way to theBurg of the Four Friths. Here mayst thou lodge well and safely if thouwilt. Or if our hall be not dainty enough for thee, then go back toHigham: I warrant me the monks will give thee good guesting as long asthou wilt."

  "Thou art kind, maiden," said Ralph, "but why should I tarry for anhost? and what should I fear in the Wood, as evil as it may be? Oneman journeying with little wealth, and unknown, and he no weakling, butbearing good weapons, hath nought to dread of strong-thieves, who everrob where it is easiest and gainfullest. And what worse may I meetthan strong-thieves?"

  "But thou mayest meet worse," she said; and therewith fell a-weepingagain, and said amidst her tears: "O weary on my life! And why shouldI heed thee when nought heedeth me, neither the Saints of God's House,nor the Master of it; nor the father and the mother that were once sopiteous kind to me? O if I might but drink a draught from the WELL ATTHE WORLD'S END!"

  He turned about on her hastily at that word; for he had risen todepart; being grieved at her grief and wishful to be away from it,since he might not amend it. But now he said eagerly:

  "Where then is that Well? Know ye of it in this land?"

  "At least I know the hearsay thereof," she said; "but as now thou shaltknow no more from me thereof; lest thou wander the wider in seeking it.I would not have thy life spilt."

  Ever as he looked on her he thought her still fairer; and now he lookedlong on her, saying nought, and she on him in likewise, and the bloodrose to her cheeks and her brow, but she would not turn her from hisgaze. At last he said: "Well then, I must depart, no more learned thanI came: but yet am I less hungry and thirsty than I came; and have thouthanks therefor."

  Therewith he took from his pouch a gold piece of Upmeads, which wasgood, and of the touch of the Easterlings, and held it out to her. Andshe put out her open hand and he put the money in it; but thought itgood to hold her hand a while, and she gainsayed him not.

  Then he said: "Well then, I must needs depart with things left as theyare: wilt thou bid thy brother bring hither my horse, for time presses."

  "Yea," she said (and her hand was still in his), "Yet do thine utmost,yet shalt thou not get to the Burg before nightfall. O wilt thou nottarry?"

  "Nay," he said, "my heart will not suffer it; lest I deem myself adastard."

  Then she reddened again, but as if she were wroth; and she drew herhand away from his and smote her palms together thrice and cried out:"Ho Hugh! bring hither the Knight's horse and be speedy!"

  And she went hither and thither about the hall and into the buttery andback, putting away the victual and vessels from the board and making asif she heeded him not: and Ralph looked on her, and deemed that eachway she moved was better than the last, so shapely of fashion she was;and again he bethought him of the Even-song of the High House atUpmeads, and how it befitted her; for she went barefoot after themanner of maidens who work afield, and her feet were tanned with thesun of hay harvest, but as shapely as might be; but she was clad goodlywithal, in a green gown wrought with flowers.

  So he watched her going to and fro; and at last he said: "Maiden, wiltthou come hither a little, before I depart?"

  "Yea,
" she said; and came and stood before him: and he deemed that shewas scarce so sad as she had been; and she stood with her hands joinedand her eyes downcast. Then he said:

  "Now I depart. Yet I would say this, that I am sorry of thy sorrow:and now since I shall never see thee more, small would be the harm if Iwere to kiss thy lips and thy face."

  And therewith he took her hands in his and drew her to him, and put hisarms about her and kissed her many times, and she nothing lothe byseeming; and he found her as sweet as May blossom.

  Thereafter she smiled on him, yet scarce for gladness, and said: "It isnot all so sure that I shall not see thee again; yet shall I do to theeas thou hast done to me."

  Therewith she took his face between her hands, and kissed himwell-favouredly; so that the hour seemed good to him.

  Then she took him by the hand and led him out-a-doors to his horse,whereby the lad had been standing a good while; and he when he saw hissister come out with the fair knight he scowled on them, and handled aknife which hung at his girdle; but Ralph heeded him nought. As forthe damsel, she put her brother aside, and held the stirrup for Ralph;and when he was in the saddle she said to him:

  "All luck go with thee! Forsooth I deem thee safer in the Wood than mywords said. Verily I deem that if thou wert to meet a company offoemen, thou wouldest compel them to do thy bidding."

  "Farewell to thee maiden," said Ralph, "and mayst thou find thy belovedwhole and well, and that speedily. Fare-well!"

  She said no more; so he shook his rein and rode his ways; but lookedover his shoulder presently and saw her standing yet barefoot on thedusty highway shading her eyes from the afternoon sun and looking afterhim, and he waved his hand to her and so went his ways between thehouses of the Thorp.