The Well at the World's End: A Tale
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CHAPTER 2
They Break Their Fast in the Wildwood
Now when it was hard on noon, and they had lain long in that grassyplace, Ralph rose up and stood upon his feet, and made as onelistening. But the Lady looked on him and said: "It is naught save ahart and his hind running in the wood; yet mayhappen we were best onthe road, for it is yet long." "Yea," said Ralph, "and it may be thatmy master will gather folk and pursue us." "Nay, nay," she said, "thatwere to wrong him, to deem that he would gather folk to follow one man;if he come, he will be by himself alone. When he found us gone hedoubtless cast himself on Silverfax, my horse, in trust of the beastfollowing after my feet."
"Well," said Ralph, "and if he come alone, there is yet a sword betwixthim and thee."
She was standing up by him now with her hand on his shoulder, "Hear nowthe darling, the champion! how he trusteth well in his heart and hisright hand. But nay, I have cared for thee well. Hearken, if thouwilt not take it amiss that I tell thee all I do, good or evil. I saida word in the ear of Silverfax or ever I departed, and now the goodbeast knows my mind, and will lead the fierce lord a little astray, butnot too much, lest he follow us with his eager heart and be led by hisown keen woodcraft. Indeed, I left the horse behind to that end, elsehadst thou ridden the woodland ways with me, instead of my wearyingthee by our going afoot; and thou with thy weapons and wargear."
He looked upon her tenderly, and said smiling: "And thou, my dear, artthou not a little wearied by what should weary a knight and one bredafield?" "Nay," she said, "seest thou not how I walk lightly clad,whereas I have left behind my mantle and cote-hardie?" Thereat shegathered up her gown into her girdle ready for the way, and smiled asshe saw his eyes embrace the loveliness of her feet; and she spake asshe moved them daintily on the flowery grass: "Sooth to say, Knight, Iam no weakling dame, who cannot move her limbs save in the dance, or toback the white palfrey and ride the meadows, goshawk on wrist; I amboth well-knit and light-foot as the Wood-wife and Goddess of yoreagone. Many a toil hath gone to that, whereof I may tell theepresently; but now we were best on our way. Yet before we go, I willat least tell thee this, that in my knowing of these woods, there is nosorcery at all; for in the woods, though not in these woods, was Ibred; and here also I am at home, as I may say."
Hand in hand then they went lightly through the hazel copse, and soonwas the wood thick about them, but, as before, the Lady ledunfalteringly through the thicket paths. Now Ralph spake and said: "Itis good that thou lead me whither thou wilt; but this I may say, thatit is clear to me that we are not on the way to the Castle ofAbundance." "Even so," said she; "indeed had I come to thee there, as Iwas minded, I should presently have brought thee on the way which weare wending now, or one nigh to it; and that is that which leadeth toHampton under Scaur, and the Fellowship of Champions who dwell on therock."
Said Ralph: "It is well; yet will I tell thee the truth, that a littlesojourn in that fair house had liked me better. Fain had I been to seethee sitting in thine ivory chair in thy chamber of dais with the wallshung round with thee woven in pictures--wilt thou not tell me in wordsthe story of those pictures? and also concerning the book which I read,which was also of thee?"
"Ah," she said, "thou hast read in the book--well, I will tell thee thestory very soon, and that the more since there are matters writtenwrong in the book." Therewith she hurried him on, and her feet seemednever tired, though now, to say sooth, he began to go somewhat heavily.
Then she stayed him, and laughed sweetly in his face, and said: "It isa long while now since the beginning of the June day, and meseems Iknow thy lack, and the slaking of it lieth somewhat nearer than Hamptonunder Scaur, which we shall not reach these two days if we go afoot allthe way."
"My lack?" said he; "I lack nought now, that I may not have when Iwill." And he put his arms about her shoulders and strained her to hisbosom. But she strove with him, and freed herself and laughedoutright, and said: "Thou art a bold man, and rash, my knight, evenunto me. Yet must I see to it that thou die not of hunger." He saidmerrily: "Yea, by St. Nicholas, true it is: a while ago I felt nohunger, and had forgotten that men eat; for I was troubled with muchlonging, and in doubt concerning my life; but now am I free and happy,and hungry therewithal."
"Look," she said, pointing up to the heavens, "it is now past two hoursafter noon; that is nigh two hours since we left the lawn amidst thehazels, and thou longest to eat, as is but right, so lovely as thou artand young; and I withal long to tell thee something of that whereofthou hast asked me; and lastly, it is the hottest of the day, yea, sohot, that even Diana, the Wood-wife of yore agone, might have faintedsomewhat, if she had been going afoot as we twain have been, and littleis the risk of our resting awhile. And hereby is a place where rest isgood as regards the place, whatever the resters may be; it is a littleaside the straightest way, but meseems we may borrow an hour or so ofour journey, and hope to pay it back ere nightfall. Come, champion!"
Therewith she led north through a thicket of mingled trees till Ralphheard water running, and anon they came to a little space about abrook, grassy and clear of trees save a few big thorn-bushes, with agreen ridge or bank on the other side. There she stayed him and said:"Do off thy war-gear, knight. There is naught to fear here, less thanthere was amidst the hazels." So did he, and she kneeled down and drankof the clear water, and washed her face and hands therein, and thencame and kissed him and said: "Lovely imp of Upmeads, I have somebread of last night's meal in my scrip here, and under the bank I shallfind some woodland meat withal; abide a little and the tale and thefood shall come back to thee together." Therewith she stepped lightlyinto the stream, and stood therein a minute to let her naked feet feelthe cold ripple (for she had stripped off her foot-gear as she firstcame to the water), and then went hither and thither gatheringstrawberries about the bank, while he watched her, blessing her, tillhe well nigh wept at the thought of his happiness.
Back she came in a little while with good store of strawberries in thelap of her gown, and they sat down on the green lip of the brook, andshe drew the bread from her scrip and they ate together, and she madehim drink from the hollow of her hands, and kissed him and wept overhim for joy, and the eagerness of her love. So at last she sat downquietly beside him, and fell to speaking to him, as a tale is told inthe ingle nook on an even of Yule-tide.