Sohecameupwiththecountryfolkandgreetedthem，andtheydidasmuchbyhimincourteouswords：
theyweregoodlyandwell-shapen，bothmenandwomen，gayandjoyousofdemeanourandwellcladasforfolkwhoworkafield。
SoRalphwentfromonetoanotherandgavethemawordortwo，andwaswellpleasedtowatchthemattheirworkawhile；butyethewouldfainspeaksomewhatmorewithoneorotherofthem。
Atlastundertheshadeofatallelm-treehesawanoldmansittingheedingtheouterraimentofthehaymakersandtheirvictualandbottlesofdrink；andhecameuptohimandgavehimtheseleoftheday；andtheoldmanblessedhimandsaid：
“Artthoudwellinginmylady’scastle，fairlord？”
“Awhileatleast。”saidRalph。Saidtheoldman：
“Wethanktheeforcomingtoseeus；andmeseemethfromthelookoftheethouartworthytodwellinmyLady’sHouse。”
“Whatsayestthou？”saidRalph。“Issheagoodladyandagracious？”
“Oyea，yea。”saidthecarle。SaidRalph：“Thoumeanest，Isuppose，thatsheisfairtolookon，andsoft-spokenwhensheispleased？”
“Imeanfarmorethanthat。”saidthecarle；“surelyisshemostheavenlyfair，andhervoiceislikethemusicofheaven：
butwithalherdeeds，andthekindnessofhertouspoormenandhusbandmen，arenoworsethanshouldflowforthfromthatloveliness。”
“Willyoubeherservants？”saidRalph，“orwhatareye？”Saidthecarle：
“Webeyeomenandhervavassors；thereisnothralldominourland。”
“Doyeliveingoodpeaceforthemorepart？”saidRalph。
Saidthecarle：“Timehasbeenwhencruelbattleswerefoughtinthesewood-lawns，andmanypoorpeopleweredestroyedtherein：
butthatwasbeforethecomingoftheLadyofAbundance。”
“Andwhenwasthat？”saidRalph。“Iwotnot。”saidtheoldcarle；
“Iwasborninpeaceandsuckledinpeace；andinpeaceIfelltothelovingofmaidens，andIweddedinpeace，andbegatchildreninpeace，andinpeacetheydwellaboutme，andinpeaceshallIdepart。”
“Whatthen。”saidRalph(andagrievousfearwasborninhisheart)，“isnottheLadyofAbundanceyoung？”Saidthecarle：
“IhaveseenherwhenIwasyoungandalsosinceIhavebeenold，andeverwasshefairandlovely，andslenderhanded，asstraightasaspear，andassweetaswhiteclover，andgentle-voicedandkind，anddeartooursouls。”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“andshedothnotdwellinthiscastlealways；
whereelsethendothshedwell？”“Iwotnot。”saidthecarle，“butitshouldbeinheaven：forwhenshecomethtousallourjoysincreaseinusbythehalf。”
“Lookyou，father。”saidRalph，“MayitnothavebeenmorethanoneLadyofAbundancethatthouhastseeninthylife-days；andthatthisonethatnowis，isthedaughter’sdaughteroftheonewhomthoufirstsawest——
howsayestthou？”Thecarlelaughed：“Nay，nay。”saidhe，“Itisnotso：
neverhastherebeenanotherliketoherinallways，inbodyandvoice，andheartandsoul。ItisasIsay，sheisthesameasshewasalways。”
“Andwhen。”saidRalph，withabeatingheart，“doesshecomehither？
Isitatsomesetseason？”“Nay，fromtimetotime，atallseasons。”
saidthecarle；“andasfairsheiswhenshegoethoverthesnow，aswhenherfeetaresetamidsttheJunedaisies。”
NowwasRalphsofullofwonderthathescarceknewwhattosay；
buthebethoughthimofthatfairwasteontheothersideoftheforest，thecountrythroughwhichthatwideriverflowed，sohesaid：
“Andthatlandnorth-awaybeyondthewildwood，canstthoutellmethetaleofitswars，andifitwerewastedinthesamewarsthattormentedthisland？”Thecarleshookhishead：
“Astothelandbeyondthiswood。”quothhe，“Iknownoughtofit，forbeyondthewoodgowenever：nay，mostoftenwegobutalittlewayintoit，nofurtherthanwecanseetheglimmeroftheopendaylightthroughitstrees，——thedaylightofthelandofAbundance——
thatisenoughforus。”
“Well。”saidRalph，“Ithanktheeforthetalethouhasttoldme，andwishtheemoreyearsofpeace。”
“Andtothee，youngman。”saidthecarle，“Iwishagoodwishindeed，towitthatthoumayestseetheLadyofAbundanceherebeforethoudepartest。”
HiswordsoncemoremadeRalph’sheartbeatandhischeekflush，andhewentbacktothecastlesomewhatspeedily；forhesaidtohimself，afterthefollyoflovers，“Maybeshewillbecomeevennow，andInottheretomeether。”Yetwhenhecametothecastle-gatehisheartmisgavehim，andhewouldnotenteratonce，butturnedabouttogoroundthewallbythenorthandwest。
Inthecastlehesawnosoulsavetheolddamelookingoutofthewindowandnoddingtohim，butinthepastureallaboutwereneatherdsandshepherds，bothmenandwomen；
andatthenorth-westcorner，whereastheriverdrewquiteclosetothewall，hecameupontwodamselsofthefield-folkfishingwithanangleinaquietpoolofthestream。Hegreetedthem，andthey，whowereyoungandgoodly，returnedhisgreeting，butwereshamefacedathisgallantpresence，asindeedwasheatthethoughtsofhisheartmingledwiththesightoftheirfairness。
Sohepassedonatfirstwithoutmorewordsthanhisgreeting。
Yetpresentlyheturnedbackagain，forhelongedtohearsomewordmoreconcerningtheLadywhosecomingheabode。
Theystoodsmilingandblushingashecameuptothemagain，andheededtheirangleslittle。
SaidRalph：“Fairmaidens，doyeknowatallwhentheLadyofthecastlemaybelookedfor？”Theywereslowtoanswer，butatlastonesaid：
“No，fairsir，suchasweknownothingofthecomingsandgoingsofgreatfolk。”
SaidRalph，smilingonherforkindness，andpleasureofherfairness：
“Isitnotsothatyewillbegladofhercoming？”
Butsheansweredneveraword，onlylookedathimsteadily，withhergreatgreyeyesfixedinwonderment，whiletheotheronelookeddownasifintentonheranglingtools。
Ralphknewnothowtoaskanotherquestion，soheturnedaboutwithagreetingwordagain，andthistimewentonsteadilyroundaboutthewall。
AndnowinhisheartwaxedthedesireofthatLady，onceseen，ashedeemed，insuchstrangewise；buthewonderedwithinhimselfifthedevilhadnotsownthatlongingwithinhim：
whereasitmightbethatthiswomanonwhomhehadsethisheartwasherselfnorealwomanbutadevil，andoneofthegoddessesoftheancientworld，andhisheartwassoreandtroubledbymanydoubtsandhopesandfears；
buthesaidtohimselfthatwhenhesawherthencouldhejudgebetweenthegoodandtheevil，andcoulddoorforbear，andthatthesightofherwouldcureall。
Thusthinkinghewalkedswiftly，andwassoonroundatthecastlegateagain，andentered，andwentintothehall，wherewastheolddame，busiedaboutsomehouseholdmatter。
Ralphnoddedtoherandhastenedaway，lestsheshouldfalltotalkwithhim；andhesethimselfnowtogofromchambertochamber，thathemightlearnthecastle，whatitwas。
Hecameintotheguard-chamberandfoundthewallsthereofallhungwitharmourandweapons，cleanandingoodorder，thoughtherewasneveraman-at-armsthere，noranysoulexcepttheoldwoman。
Hewentupastairtherefromontothebattlements，andwentintothetowersofthewall，andfoundweaponsbothforhand，andforcastandshotineachoneofthem，andallreadyasifforpresentbattle；thenhecamedownintothecourtagainandwentintoaverygoodlyambulatoryoveragainstthehall，andheenteredadoortherefrom，whichwasbutonthelatch，andwentupalittlestairintoachamber，whichwasthegoodliestandtherichestofall。
Itsroofwasalldonewithgoldandbluefromoversea，anditspavementwroughtdelicatelyinAlexandrinework。
Onthedaiswasathroneofcarvenivory，andaboveitacanopyofbaudekinofthegoodliestfashion，andtherewasafoot-carpetbeforeit，wroughtwithbeastsandthehuntingofthedeer。
Asforthewallsofthatchamber，theywerehungwithamarvelloushallingofarras，whereinwaswroughtthegreenwood，andthereamidstinoneplaceapot-herbgarden，andagreengarthwithgoatstherein，andinthatgarthalittlethatchedhouse。
Andamidstallthisgreenerywerefiguredoverandoveragaintwowomen，whereofoneoldandtheotheryoung；andtheoldonewascladingrandattire，withgoldchainsandbroochesandrings，andsatwithherhandsbeforeherbythehousedoor，orstoodlookingonastheyoungoneworked，spinningordigginginthegarth，ormilkingthegoatsoutsideofit，orwhatnot；
andthisonewascladinsorryandscantyraiment。
WhatallthismightmeanRalphknewnot；butwhenhehadlookedlongatthegreeneryanditsimages，hesaidtohimselfthatifhewhowroughtthatclothhadnotdonetheyoungwomanafterthelikenessoftheLadywhomhehadhelpedinthewildwood，thenitmusthavebeendonefromhertwinsister。
Longheabodeinthatchamberlookingatthearras，andwonderingwhetherthesitterintheivorythronewouldbeanyotherthanthethrallinthegreenwoodcot。
Heabodetheresolongthattheduskbegantogatherinthehouse，andhecouldseetheimagesnomore；forhewasfilledwiththesweetnessofdesirewhenhelookedonthem。
Thenhewentbackslowlytothehall，andfoundthecarline，whohadlightedthewaxlightsandmademeatreadyforhim；andwhenshesawhimshecriedoutjoyously：“Ah，Iknewthatthouwouldstcomeback。
Artthouwellcontentwithourlittleland？”
“Ilikeitwell，dame。”saidhe；“buttellme，ifthoucanst，whatisthemeaningofthehallinginthechamberwiththeivorythrone？”
Saidthecarline：“Thereofshallanothertellthee，whocantellofitbetterthanI；butitisnoughttohidethatyonderchamberisthechamberofestateofourLady，andshesitteththeretohearthecasesoffolkandtogivedooms。”
Theoldwomancrossedherselfasshespoke，andRalphwonderedthereat，butaskednomorequestions，forhewasscarcesorrythatthecarlinewouldnottellhimthereof，lestsheshouldspoilthetale。
Sopassedtheevening，andhewenttobedandsleptasayoungmanshould，andthenextdayhewasupbetimesandwentabroadandmingledwiththecarlesandqueensafield；butthistimehespakenotoftheLady，andheardnoughttoheedfromanyofthatfolk。
Sohewentbacktothecastleandgathimabowandarrows，andenteredthethicketofthewoodnighwhereheandRogerfirstcameoutofit。
Hehadprayedayoungmanofthefolktogowithhim，buthewasnotoverwillingtogo，thoughhewouldnotsaywherefore。SoRalphwenthimselfbyhimselfandwanderedsomewayintothewood，andsawnoughtworsethanhimself。Ashecameback，makingacircuittowardtheopenmeadows，hehappenedonaherdofdeerinalonelyplace，halfwoodhalfmeadow，andthereheslewahartwithoneshaft，forhewasadeftbowman。
Thenhewentandfetchedaleashofcarles，whowentwithhimsomewhatlessthanhalfwillingly，andbetweenthemtheybrokeupthehartandcarriedhimhometothecastle，wherethecarlinemetthem。
ShesmiledonRalphandpraisedthevenison，andsaidwithalthatthehuntingwaswelldone；“For，asfondandasfairasthoumaystbe，itisnotgoodthatyoungmenshouldhavetheirmindssetononethingonly。”
Therewithsheledhimintohismeat，andsethimdownandservedhim；
andallthewhileofhisdinnerhewaslongingtoaskherifshedeemedthattheLadywouldcomethatday，sinceitwasthelastdayofthosewhichRogerhadbiddenhimwait；butthewordswouldnotoutofhismouth。
Shelookedathimandsmiled，asthoughshehadaguessofhisthought，andatlastshesaidtohim：“Thytongueistiedto-day。Hastthou，afterall，seensomethingstrangeinthewood？”Heshookhisheadfornaysay。
Saidshe：“Why，then，dostthounotaskmoreconcerningtheWellattheWorld’sEnd？”
Helaughed，andsaid：“MaybebecauseIthinkthatthoucanstnottellmethereof。”“Well。”shesaid，“ifIcannot，yetthebookmay，andthisevening，whenthesunisdown，thoushalthaveit。”
“Ithankthee，mother。”saidhe；“butthisisnowthelastdaythatRogerbademewait。Dostthouthinkthathewillcomebackto-night？”andhereddenedtherewith。“Nay。”shesaid，“Iknownot，andthoucarestnotwhetherhewillcomeornot。
