The Well at the World's End: A Tale

  CHAPTER 16

  They Come to the House of the Sorceress

  On the morrow the kind people delayed them little, though they sorrowedfor their departure, and before noon were their old way-leaders readyfor them; and the old man and his two grandsons (for such they were)were much honoured of the simple people for their way-leading of theHeavenly Folk; for so they called Ralph and Ursula. So they gat themto the way in suchlike guise as before, only they had with them fivesumpter oxen instead of two; for the old man told them that not onlywas their way longer, but also they must needs pass through a terriblewaste, wherein was naught for their avail, neither man, nor beast, norherb. Even so they found it as he said; for after the first day's ridefrom the town they came to the edge of this same waste, and on thefourth day were deep in the heart of it: a desert it was, rather rockyand stony and sandy than mountainous, though they had hills to crossalso: withal there was but little water there, and that foul andstinking. Long lasted this waste, and Ralph thought indeed that it hadbeen hard to cross, had not their way-leaders been; therefore he mademarks and signs by the wayside, and took note of the bearings of rocksand mounds against the day of return.

  Twelve days they rode this waste, and on the thirteenth it began tomend somewhat, and there was a little grass, and sweet waters, and theysaw ahead the swelling hills of a great woodland, albeit they had tostruggle through marshland and low scrubby thicket for a day longer, orever they got to the aforesaid trees, which at first were naught butpines; but these failed in a while, and they rode a grass waste nearlytreeless, but somewhat well watered, where they gat them good store ofvenison. Thereafter they came on woods of oak and sweet-chestnut, withhere and there a beech-wood.

  Long and long they rode the woodland, but it was hard on May when theyentered it, and it was pleasant therein, and what with one thing, whatwith another, they had abundant livelihood there. Yet was June at itsfull when at last they came within sight of the House of the Sorceress,on the hottest of a fair afternoon. And it was even as Ralph had seenit pictured in the arras of the hall of the Castle of Abundance; alittle house built after the fashion of houses in his own land of thewest; the thatch was trim, and the windows and doors were unbroken, andthe garth was whole, and the goats feeding therein, and the wheat wastall and blossoming in the little closes, where as he had looked to seeall broken down and wild, and as to the house, a mere grass-grown heap,or at the most a broken gable fast crumbling away.

  Then waxed his heart sore with the memory of that passed time, and thesweetness of his short-lived love, though he refrained him all hemight: yet forsooth Ursula looked on him anxiously, so much his facewas changed by the thoughts of his heart.

  But the elder of the way-leaders saw that he was moved, and deemed thathe was wondering at that house so trim and orderly amidst the wildwood,so he said: "Here also do we after our behest to that marvellous andlovely Lady, that we suffer not this house to go to ruin: ever are someof our folk here, and every year about this season we send two or moreto take the places of those who have dwelt in the House year-long: soever is there someone to keep all things trim. But as to strangers, Ihave never in my life seen any Seeker of the Well herein, save once,and that was an old hoar man like to me, save that he was feebler inall wise than I be."

  Now Ralph heard him talking, yet noted his words but little; for it waswith him as if all the grief of heart which he had penned back for solong a while swelled up within him and burst its bounds; and he turnedtoward Ursula and their eyes met, and she looked shy and anxious on himand he might no longer refrain himself, but put his hands to his face(for they had now drawn rein at the garth-gate) and brake out aweeping, and wept long for the friend whose feet had worn that path sooften, and whose heart, though she were dead, had brought them thitherfor their thriving; and for love and sorrow of him Ursula wept also.

  But the old man and his grandsons turned their heads away from hisweeping, and got off their horses, and went up to the house-door,whereby were now standing a carle and a quean of their people. ButRalph slowly gat off his horse and stood by Ursula who was on theground already, but would not touch her, for he was ashamed. But shelooked on him kindly and said: "Dear friend, there is no need forshame; for though I be young, I know how grievous it is when the deadthat we have loved come across our ways, and we may not speak to them,nor they to us. So I will but bid thee be comforted and abide in thylove for the living and the dead." His tears brake out again at thatword, for he was but young, and for a while there was a lull in thestrife that had beset his days. But after a little he looked up, anddashed the tears from his eyes and smiled on Ursula and said: "Thetale she told me of this place, the sweetness of it came back upon me,and I might not forbear." She said: "O friend, thou art kind, and Ilove thee."

  So then they joined hands and went through the garth together, and upto the door, where stood the wardens, who, when they saw them turningthither, came speedily down the path to them, and would have knelt inworship to them; but they would not suffer it, but embraced and kissedthem, and thanked them many times for their welcome. The said wardens,both carle and quean, were goodly folk of middle age, stalwart, andkind of face.

  So then they went into the house together, and entered into theself-same chamber, where of old the Lady of Abundance had sickened forfear of the Sorceress sitting naked at her spell-work.

  Great joy they made together, and the wardens set meat and drink beforethe guests, and they ate and drank and were of good cheer. But theelder who had brought them from Chestnut-dale said: "Dear friends, Ihave told you that these two young men are my grand-children, and theyare the sons of this man and woman whom ye see; for the man is my son.And so it is, that amongst us the care of the Quest of the Well at theWorld's End hath for long been the heritage of our blood, going with usfrom father to son. Therefore is it naught wonderful, though I havebeen sundry times at this house, and have learned about the place allthat may be learned. For my father brought me hither when I was yet aboy; that time it was that I saw the last man of whom we know for surethat he drank of the Water of the Well, and he was that old hoar manlike unto me, but, as I said, far weaker in all wise; but when he cameback to us from the Well he was strong and stalwart, and a better manthan I am now; and I heard him tell his name to my father, that he wascalled the Sage of Swevenham."

  Ralph looked on Ursula and said: "Yea, father, and it was through himthat we had our lore concerning the way hither; and it was he that badeus abide your coming in the rock-house of the Vale of Sweet-chestnuts."

  "Then he is alive still," said the elder. Said Ralph: "Yea, and asfair and strong an old man as ye may lightly see." "Yea, yea," said theelder, "and yet fifty years ago his course seemed run."

  Then said Ralph: "Tell me, father, have none of your own folk soughtto the Well at the World's End?" "Nay, none," said the elder. SaidRalph: "That is strange, whereas ye are so nigh thereto, and have suchabundant lore concerning the way."

  "Son," said the elder, "true it is that the water of that Well shallcause a man to thrive in all ways, and to live through many generationsof men, maybe, in honour and good-liking; but it may not keep any manalive for ever; for so have the Gods given us the gift of death lest weweary of life. Now our folk live well and hale, and without thesickness and pestilence, such as I have heard oft befall folk in otherlands: even as I heard the Sage of Swevenham say, and I wondered at hiswords. Of strife and of war also we know naught: nor do we desireaught which we may not easily attain to. Therefore we live long, andwe fear the Gods if we should strive to live longer, lest they shouldbring upon us war and sickness, and over-weening desire, and wearinessof life. Moreover it is little that all of us should seek to the Wellat the World's End; and those few that sought and drank should bestronger and wiser than the others, and should make themselves earthlygods, and, maybe, should torment the others of us and make their livesa very burden to be borne. Of such matters are there tales currentamongst us that so it hath been of yore and in oth
er lands; and ill itwere if such times came back upon us."

  Ralph hung his head and was silent; for the joy of the Quest seemeddying out as the old man's words dropped slowly from his mouth. But hesmiled upon Ralph and went on: "But for you, guests, it is otherwise,for ye of the World beyond the Mountains are stronger and more godlikethan we, as all tales tell; and ye wear away your lives desiring thatwhich ye may scarce get; and ye set your hearts on high things,desiring to be masters of the very Gods. Therefore ye know sicknessand sorrow, and oft ye die before your time, so that ye must depart andleave undone things which ye deem ye were born to do; which to all menis grievous. And because of all this ye desire healing and thriving,whether good come of it, or ill. Therefore ye do but right to seek tothe Well at the World's End, that ye may the better accomplish thatwhich behoveth you, and that ye may serve your fellows and deliver themfrom the thralldom of those that be strong and unwise and unkind, ofwhom we have heard strange tales."

  Ralph reddened as he spake, and Ursula looked on him anxiously, butthat talk dropped for the present, and they fell to talking of lighterand more familiar matters.

  Thereafter they wandered about the woods with the wardens and theway-leaders, and the elder brought them to the ancient altar in thewood whereon the Sorceress had offered up the goat; and the howe of thewoman dight with the necklace of the Quest whom the Lady found dead inthe snow; and the place nigh the house where the Sorceress used totorment her thrall that was afterwards the Lady of Abundance; yea, andthey went further afield till they came to the Vale of Lore, and theHeath above it where they met, the King's Son and the Lady. All theseand other places were now become as hallowed ground to the InnocentPeople, and to Ralph no less. In the house, moreover, was a fair arkwherein they kept matters which had belonged to the Lady, as her shoesand her smock, wrapped in goodly cloth amidst well-smelling herbs; andthese things they worshipped as folk do with relics of the saints. Inanother ark also they showed the seekers a book wherein was writtenlore concerning the Well, and the way thereto. But of this book hadthe Sage forewarned Ralph and his mate, and had bidden them look to itthat they should read in it, and no otherwhere than at that ancientaltar in the wood, they two alone, and clad in such-like gear as theywore when they hearkened to his reading by his hermitage. And so itwas that they found the due raiment in the ark along with the book.Therefore day after day betimes in the morning they bore the said bookto the altar and read therein, till they had learned much wisdom.

  Thus they did for eight days, and on the ninth they rested and weremerry with their hosts: but on the tenth day they mounted their horsesand said farewell, and departed by the ways they had learned of, theytwo alone. And they had with them bread and meal, as much as theymight bear, and water-skins moreover, that they might fill them at thelast sweet water before they came to the waterless desert.