“Well。”theFranklinsaid“thouseemestatrueman，andyetIwouldcounseltheetoputareinonthytonguewhenthouartmindedtotalkoftheDeviloftheDryTree，orthoumaystcometoharmintheBurg。”
Hewalkedawaytowardsthegallowstherewith；andRogersaid，almostasifheweretalkingtohimself；“Aheavy-footedfoolgoethyonder；
butafterthistalkwewerebetterhiddenbythewallsoftheFlower-de-Luce。”
Sotherewiththeywentontowardthehostel。
Butthemarketplacewaswide，andtheywereyetsomeminutesgettingtothedoor，anderetheycamethereRalphsaid，knittinghisbrowsanxiously：
“Isthiswomanfairorfoultolookon？”“Thatisnoughtsoeasytotellof。”saidRoger，“whilessheisfoul，whilesveryfair，whilesyoungandwhilesold；whilescruelandwhileskind。
Butnotethis，whensheisthekindestthenarehercarlesthecruellest；
andsheisthekindertothembecausetheyarecruel。”
Ralphponderedwhathesaid，andwonderedifthiswereverilythewomanwhomhehaddelivered，orsomeother。
Asifansweringtohisunspokenthought，Rogerwenton：
“TheyspeakbutofonewomanamongstthemoftheDryTree，butinsooththeyhavemanyotherswhoarelikeuntoherinonewayorother；andthisagainisareasonwhytheymaynotlayhandsontheveryQueenofthemall。”’
Therewithaltheycameuntothehostel，andfounditfairenoughwithin，thehallgreatandgoodlyforsuchahouse，andwithbutthreechapmen-carlestherein。Straightwaytheycalledformeat，foritwasnowpastnoon，andthefolkofthehouseservedthemwhenthegroomshadtakenchargeofFalcon。
AndRogerservedRalphasifhewereverilyhisman。
ThenRalphwenttohischamberaloftandrestedawhile，butcamedownintothehallalittlebeforenones，andfoundRogertherewalkingupanddownthehallfloor，andnomanelse，sohesaidtohim：“ThoughthouartnotoftheBurg，thouknowestit；wiltthounotcomeabroadthen，andshowitme？forIhaveamindtolearnthewaysofthefolkhere。”
SaidRoger，andsmiledalittle：“Ifthoucommandestmeasmylord，Iwillcome；yetIwerebetterpleasedtoabidebehind；forIamwearywithnight-wakingandsorrow；andhaveaburdenofthought，onewhichImustbeartotheendoftheroad；andifIputitdownI
shallhavetogobackandtakeitupagain。”
Ralphthoughtthatheexcusedhimselfwithmorewordsthanwereneeded；
buthetooklittleheedofit，butnoddedtohimfriendly，andwentoutofthehouseafoot，butlefthisweaponsandarmourbehindhimbytheredeofRoger。
CHAPTER13
TheStreetsoftheBurgoftheFourFrithsHewentaboutthestreetsandfoundthemallmuchliketotheonewhichtheyhadenteredbythenorthgate；hesawnopoororwretchedhouses，andnoneverybigasofgreatlords；theywerewellandstoutlybuilded，butasaforesaidnotmuchadornedeitherwithcarvenworkorpainting：
therewerefolkenoughinthestreets，andnowRalph，aswasliketobe，lookedspeciallyatthewomen，andthoughtmanyofthemlittlebetter-favouredthanthemen，beingbothdarkandlow；
neitherweretheygailyclad，thoughtheirraiment，likethehouses，wasstoutandwellwrought。Buthereandtherehecameonawomantallerandwhiterthantheothers，asthoughshewereofanotherblood；
allsuchoftheseashesawwerecladotherwisethanthedarkerwomen：
theirheadsuncoifed，uncoveredsaveforsomegarlandorsilkenband：
theirgownsyellowlikewheat-straw，butgailyembroidered；
sleevelesswithalandshort，scarcereachingtotheancles，andwhilessothinthattheywererathercladwiththeembroiderythanthecloth；
shoestheyhadnot，butsandalsboundontheirnakedfeetwithwhitethongs，andeachboreanironringaboutherrightarm。
Themorepartofthemenworeweaponsattheirsidesandhadstavesinhand，andwerecladinshortjerkinsbrownorblueofcolour，andlookedreadyforbattleifanymomentshouldcallthemthereto；
butamongthemweremenofdifferentfavourandstaturefromthese，tallerforthemostpart，unarmed，andcladinlonggownsoffaircolourswithclothsofthinandgay-colouredwebtwistedabouttheirheads。
Thesehetookformerchants，astheywereofteneststandinginandabouttheboothsandshops，whereofthereweresomeinallthestreets，thoughthemarketforvictualsandsuchlikehefoundoverforthatday，andbutscantilypeopled。
Outofoneofthesemarkets，whichwasthefishandfowlmarket，hecameintoalongstreetthatledhimdowntoagaterightoveragainstthatwherebyhehadenteredtheBurg；andashecametheretohesawthattherewasawidewayclearofallhousesinsideofthewall，sothatmen-at-armsmightgofreelyfromoneparttotheother；andhehadalsonotedthatawidewayledfromeachortoutofthegreatplace，andeachendednotbutinagate。
Butastoanycastleinthetown，hesawnone；andwhenheaskedaburgherthereof，thecarlelaughedinhisface，andsaidtohimthatthewholeBurg，housesandall，wasacastle，andthatitwouldturnouttobenoneoftheeasiesttowin。
AndforsoothRalphhimselfwasmuchofthatmind。
Nowhewasjustwithinthesouthgatewhenheheldthistalk，andthereweremanyfolktherebyalready，andmoreflockingthereto；
sohestoodtheretoseewhatshouldbetide；andanonheheardgreatblowingofhornsandtrumpetsallalongthewall，and，ashedeemed，otherhornsansweredfromwithout；andsoitwas；
forsoonthewithoutwardhornsgrewlouder，andthefolkfellbackoneithersideoftheway，andnextthegateswerethrownwideopen(whichbeforehadbeenshutsaveforawicket)andthereaftercamethefirstofacompanyofmen-at-arms，foot-men，withbillssome，andsomewithbows，andall-armedknightsandsergeantsa-horseback。
SostreamedintheseweaponedmentillRalphsawthatitwasagreathostthatwasenteringtheBurg；andhisheartrosewithinhim，sowarrior-liketheywereofmenandarray，thoughnobigmenoftheirbodies；andmanyofthemboresignsofbattleaboutthem，bothinthebatteringoftheirarmourandtherendingoftheirraiment，andthecloutstiedaboutthewoundsontheirbodies。
Afterawhileamongthewarriorscameherdsofneatandflocksofsheepandstringsofhorses，ofthespoilwhichthehosthadlifted；
andthenwainsfilled，somewithweaponsandwargear，andsomewithbalesofgoodsandhouseholdstuff。Lastcamecaptives，somegoingafootandsomeforwearinessborneinwains；
forallthesewar-takenthrallswerewomenandwomen-children；
ofmalestherewasnotsomuchasalittlelad。OfthewomenmanyseemedfairtoRalphdespitetheirgriefandtravel；
andashelookedonthemhedeemedthattheymustbeofthekindredandnationofthefairwhitewomenhehadseeninthestreets；
thoughtheywerenotcladlikethose，butdiversely。
SoRalphgazedonthispageanttillallhadpassed，andhewaswearywiththeheatandthedustandtheconfusedclamourofshoutingandlaughterandtalking；andwhereasmostofthefolkfollowedafterthehostandtheirspoil，thestreetsofthetownthereaboutweresoonleftemptyandpeaceful。
Soheturnedintoastreetnarrowerthanmost，thatwenteastfromtheSouthGateandwasmuchshadedfromtheafternoonsun，andwentslowlydownit，meaningtocomeabouttheinsideofthewalltillheshouldhittheEastGate，andsointotheGreatPlacewhenthefolkshouldhavegonetheirwayshome。
Hesawnofolkinthestreetsavehereandthereanoldwomansittingatthedoorofherhouse，andmaybeayoungchildwithher。
Ashecametowherethestreetturnedsomewhat，evensuchacarlinewassittingonacleanwhitedoor-steponthesunnyside，somewhatshadedbyatallrose-laureltreeinagreattub，andshesangasshesatspinning，andRalphstayedtolisteninhisidlemood，andheheardhowshesanginadry，harshvoice：
ClashedswordonshieldIntheharvestfield；AndnomanblamesTheredredflames，War’scandle-wickOnroofandrick。NowdeadliestheyeomanunweptandunknownOnthefieldhehathfurrowed，theridgehehathsown：
AndallinthemiddleofwethersandneatThemaidensaredrivenwithbloodontheirfeet；Foryet’twixttheBurg-gateandbattlehalf-wonThedust-drivenhighwaycreepsuphillandon，Andthesmokeofthebeaconsgoescoilingaloft，Whilethegatheringhornblowethloud，louderandoft。
ThrowwidethegatesFornoughtnightwaits；ThoughthechaseisdeadThemoon’so’erheadAndweneedtheclearOurspoiltoshare。
Shakethelotsinthehelmthenforbrethrenarewe，Andthegoodsofmymissingaregainfultothee。Lo！thinearethewethers，andhisarethekine；Andthecoltsofthemarshlandunbrokenarethine，Withthedapple-greystallionthattrampledhisgroom；
AndGileshaththegold-blossomedroseoftheloom。Lo！leapsoutthelastlotandnoughthaveIwon，Butthemaidenunmerry，bybattleundone。
Evenashersongendedcameoneofthosefairyellow-gowneddamselsroundthecornerofthestreet，bearinginherhandalightbasketfullofflowers：
andsheliftedupherheadandbeheldRalphthere；thenshewentslowlyanddroppedhereyelids，anditwaspleasanttoRalphtobeholdher；
forshewasasfairasneedbe。Hercorn-colouredgownwasdaintyandthin，andbutforitssilverembroideryhadhiddenherlimbsbutlittle；
therosinessofheranclesshowedamidstherwhitesandal-thongs，andthereweresilverringsandgoldonherarmsalongwiththeironring。
NowshelifteduphereyesandlookedshylyatRalph，andhesmiledatherwell-pleased，anddeemeditwouldbegoodtohearhervoice；
sohewentuptoherandgreetedher，andsheseemedtotakehisgreetingwell，thoughsheglancedswiftlyatthecarlineinthedoorway。
SaidRalph：“Fairmaiden，Iamastrangerinthistown，andhaveseenthingsIdonotwhollyunderstand；nowwiltthoutellmebeforelaskthenextquestion，whowillbethosewar-takenthrallswhomevennowIsawbroughtintotheBurgbythehost？ofwhatnationbethey，andofwhatkindred？”
Straightwaywasthedamselallchanged；sheleftherdaintytricks，anddrewherselfupstraightandstiff。Shelookedathimintheeyes，flushingred，andwithknitbrows，amoment，andthenpassedbyhimwithswiftandfirmfeetasonebothangryandashamed。
Butthecarlinewhohadbeheldthetwowithagrinonherwrinkledfacechangedaspectalso，andcriedoutfiercelyafterthedamsel，andsaid：
“What！dostthoufleefromthefairyoungman，andhesokindandsoftwiththee，thoujade？Yea，Isupposethoudostfetchandcarryforsomemistresswhoisyoungandafool，andwhohasnotyetlearnedhowtodealwiththedaughtersofthineaccursedfolk。
Ah！ifIhadbutmoneytobuysomeoneofyou，andagoodone，sheshoulddosomethingelseformethanshowingherfairnesstoyoungmen；andIwouldpayherforherlonglegsandherwhiteskin，tillsheshouldcurseherfatethatshehadnotbeenbornlittleanddark-skinnedandfree，andwithheelsun-bloodiedwiththebloodofherback。”
Thusshewenton，thoughthedamselwaslongoutofear-shotofhercurses；
andRalphtarriednottogetawayfromherspitefulbabble，whichhenowpartlyunderstood；andthatallthoseyellow-claddamselswerethrallstothefolkoftheBurg；andbelikewereofthekindredofthosecaptiveslate-takenwhomhehadseenamidstthehostatitsenteringintotheBurg。
Sohewanderedawaythencethinkingonwhatheshoulddotillthesunwasset，andhehadcomeintotheopenspaceunderneaththewalls，andhadgonealongittillhecametotheEastGate：
therehelookedaroundhimalittleandfoundpeopleflowingbackfromtheGreatPlace，wheretotheyhadgatheredtoseethehostmusteredandthespoilblessed；thenhewentonstillunderthewall，andnotednotthathereandthereamanturnedabouttolookuponhimcuriously，forhewasdeepinthought，concerningthethingswhichhehadseenandheardof，andponderedmuchwhatmighthavebefallenhisbrethrensincetheysunderedattheWant-waynightotheHighHouseofUpmeads。
WithalthechiefthingthathedesiredwastogethimawayfromtheBurg，forhefelthimselfunfreetherein；andhesaidtohimselfthatifhewereforcedtodwellamongthisfolk，thathehadbetterneverhavestolenhimselfawayfromhisfatherandmother；andwhilesevenhethoughtthathewoulddohisbestonthemorrowtogethimbackhometoUpmeadsagain。
Butthenwhenhethoughtofhowhislifewouldgoinhisoldhome，thereseemedtohimalack，andwhenhequestionedhimselfastowhatthatlackwas，straightwayheseemedtoseethatLadyoftheWildwoodstandingbeforethemen-at-armsinherscantyraimenttheminutebeforehislifewasatadventurebecauseofthem。
Andinsoothhesmiledtohimselfthenwithabeatingheart，ashetoldhimselfthataboveallthingshedesiredtoseethatLady，whatevershemightbe，andthathewouldfollowhisadventuretotheenduntilhemether。
AmidstthesethoughtshecameuntotheNorthGate，wherebyhehadfirstenteredtheBurg，andbythenitwasasdarkasthesummernightwouldbe；
sohewokeupfromhisdream，asitwere，andtookhiswaybrisklybacktotheFlowerdeLuce。
