Whateverthouhastbeen，whatartthounow？Artthougoodorevil？
Wiltthoublessmeorbanme？ForitisthetruththatI
haveheardtalesandtalesofthee：manyweregood，thoughitmaybestrange；butsome，theyseemedtowarnmeofevilinthee。
Olookatme，andseeifIlovetheeornot！andImaynothelpit。
Sayonceforall，shallthatbeformyruinormybliss？
Ifthouhastbeenevil，thenbegoodthisonetimeandtellme。”
Sheneitherreddenednow，norpaledathiswords，buthereyesfilledwithtears，andranover，andshelookeddownonhimasawomanlooksonamanthatshelovesfromtheheart’sroot，andshesaid：“Omylordandlove，mayitbethatthoushaltfindmenoworsetotheethanthebestofallthosetales。
ForsoothhowshallItelltheeofmyself，when，whateverIsay，thoushaltbelieveeverywordItellthee？ButOmyheart，howshouldestthou，sosweetandfairandgood，betakenwiththeloveofanevilthing？AttheleastIwillsaythis，thatwhatsoeverIhavebeen，Iamgoodtothee——Iamgoodtothee，andwillbetruetothee。”
Hedrewherdowntohimashekneltthere，andtookhisarmsabouther，andthoughsheyetshrankfromhimalittleandtheeagerflameofhislove，hemightnotbegainsayed，andshegaveherselftohimandletherbodyglideintohisarms，andlovedhimnolessthanhelovedher。
Andtherebetweentheminthewildernesswasallthejoyoflovethatmightbe。
CHAPTER2
TheyBreakTheirFastintheWildwoodNowwhenitwashardonnoon，andtheyhadlainlonginthatgrassyplace，Ralphroseupandstooduponhisfeet，andmadeasonelistening。ButtheLadylookedonhimandsaid：
“Itisnaughtsaveahartandhishindrunninginthewood；
yetmayhappenwewerebestontheroad，foritisyetlong。”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“anditmaybethatmymasterwillgatherfolkandpursueus。”“Nay，nay。”shesaid，“thatweretowronghim，todeemthathewouldgatherfolktofollowoneman；ifhecome，hewillbebyhimselfalone。
WhenhefoundusgonehedoubtlesscasthimselfonSilverfax，myhorse，intrustofthebeastfollowingaftermyfeet。”
“Well。”saidRalph，“andifhecomealone，thereisyetaswordbetwixthimandthee。”
Shewasstandingupbyhimnowwithherhandonhisshoulder，“Hearnowthedarling，thechampion！howhetrustethwellinhisheartandhisrighthand。Butnay，Ihavecaredfortheewell。
Hearken，ifthouwiltnottakeitamissthatItelltheeallIdo，goodorevil。IsaidawordintheearofSilverfaxoreverIdeparted，andnowthegoodbeastknowsmymind，andwillleadthefiercelordalittleastray，butnottoomuch，lesthefollowuswithhiseagerheartandbeledbyhisownkeenwoodcraft。
Indeed，Ileftthehorsebehindtothatend，elsehadstthouriddenthewoodlandwayswithme，insteadofmywearyingtheebyourgoingafoot；andthouwiththyweaponsandwargear。”
Helookeduponhertenderly，andsaidsmiling：“Andthou，mydear，artthounotalittleweariedbywhatshouldwearyaknightandonebredafield？”“Nay。”shesaid，“seestthounothowIwalklightlyclad，whereasIhaveleftbehindmymantleandcote-hardie？”
Thereatshegathereduphergownintohergirdlereadyfortheway，andsmiledasshesawhiseyesembracethelovelinessofherfeet；
andshespakeasshemovedthemdaintilyontheflowerygrass：
“Soothtosay，Knight，Iamnoweaklingdame，whocannotmoveherlimbssaveinthedance，ortobackthewhitepalfreyandridethemeadows，goshawkonwrist；Iambothwell-knitandlight-footastheWood-wifeandGoddessofyoreagone。Manyatoilhathgonetothat，whereofImaytelltheepresently；butnowwewerebestonourway。
Yetbeforewego，Iwillatleasttelltheethis，thatinmyknowingofthesewoods，thereisnosorceryatall；forinthewoods，thoughnotinthesewoods，wasIbred；andherealsoIamathome，asImaysay。”
Handinhandthentheywentlightlythroughthehazelcopse，andsoonwasthewoodthickaboutthem，but，asbefore，theLadyledunfalteringlythroughthethicketpaths。NowRalphspakeandsaid：
“Itisgoodthatthouleadmewhitherthouwilt；butthisImaysay，thatitiscleartomethatwearenotonthewaytotheCastleofAbundance。”
“Evenso。”saidshe；“indeedhadIcometotheethere，asIwasminded，Ishouldpresentlyhavebroughttheeonthewaywhichwearewendingnow，oronenightoit；andthatisthatwhichleadethtoHamptonunderScaur，andtheFellowshipofChampionswhodwellontherock。”
SaidRalph：“Itiswell；yetwillItelltheethetruth，thatalittlesojourninthatfairhousehadlikedmebetter。
FainhadIbeentoseetheesittinginthineivorychairinthychamberofdaiswiththewallshungroundwiththeewoveninpictures——wiltthounottellmeinwordsthestoryofthosepictures？andalsoconcerningthebookwhichIread，whichwasalsoofthee？”
“Ah。”shesaid，“thouhastreadinthebook——well，Iwilltelltheethestoryverysoon，andthatthemoresincetherearematterswrittenwronginthebook。”Therewithshehurriedhimon，andherfeetseemednevertired，thoughnow，tosaysooth，hebegantogosomewhatheavily。
Thenshestayedhim，andlaughedsweetlyinhisface，andsaid：
“ItisalongwhilenowsincethebeginningoftheJuneday，andmeseemsIknowthylack，andtheslakingofitliethsomewhatnearerthanHamptonunderScaur，whichweshallnotreachthesetwodaysifwegoafootalltheway。”
“Mylack？”saidhe；“Ilacknoughtnow，thatImaynothavewhenIwill。”
Andheputhisarmsabouthershouldersandstrainedhertohisbosom。
Butshestrovewithhim，andfreedherselfandlaughedoutright，andsaid：“Thouartaboldman，andrash，myknight，evenuntome。
YetmustIseetoitthatthoudienotofhunger。”Hesaidmerrily：
“Yea，bySt。Nicholas，trueitis：awhileagoIfeltnohunger，andhadforgottenthatmeneat；forIwastroubledwithmuchlonging，andindoubtconcerningmylife；butnowamIfreeandhappy，andhungrytherewithal。”
“Look。”shesaid，pointinguptotheheavens，“itisnowpasttwohoursafternoon；thatisnightwohourssinceweleftthelawnamidstthehazels，andthoulongesttoeat，asisbutright，solovelyasthouartandyoung；andIwithallongtotelltheesomethingofthatwhereofthouhastaskedme；
andlastly，itisthehottestoftheday，yea，sohot，thatevenDiana，theWood-wifeofyoreagone，mighthavefaintedsomewhat，ifshehadbeengoingafootaswetwainhavebeen，andlittleistheriskofourrestingawhile。
Andherebyisaplacewhererestisgoodasregardstheplace，whatevertherestersmaybe；itisalittleasidethestraightestway，butmeseemswemayborrowanhourorsoofourjourney，andhopetopayitbackerenightfall。Come，champion！”
TherewithshelednorththroughathicketofmingledtreestillRalphheardwaterrunning，andanontheycametoalittlespaceaboutabrook，grassyandclearoftreessaveafewbigthorn-bushes，withagreenridgeorbankontheotherside。
Thereshestayedhimandsaid：“Dooffthywar-gear，knight。
Thereisnaughttofearhere，lessthantherewasamidstthehazels。”
Sodidhe，andshekneeleddownanddrankoftheclearwater，andwashedherfaceandhandstherein，andthencameandkissedhimandsaid：“LovelyimpofUpmeads，Ihavesomebreadoflastnight’smealinmyscriphere，andunderthebankIshallfindsomewoodlandmeatwithal；abidealittleandthetaleandthefoodshallcomebacktotheetogether。”
Therewithshesteppedlightlyintothestream，andstoodthereinaminutetolethernakedfeetfeelthecoldripple(forshehadstrippedoffherfoot-gearasshefirstcametothewater)，andthenwenthitherandthithergatheringstrawberriesaboutthebank，whilehewatchedher，blessingher，tillhewellnighweptatthethoughtofhishappiness。
Backshecameinalittlewhilewithgoodstoreofstrawberriesinthelapofhergown，andtheysatdownonthegreenlipofthebrook，andshedrewthebreadfromherscripandtheyatetogether，andshemadehimdrinkfromthehollowofherhands，andkissedhimandweptoverhimforjoy，andtheeagernessofherlove。
Soatlastshesatdownquietlybesidehim，andfelltospeakingtohim，asataleistoldintheinglenookonanevenofYule-tide。
CHAPTER3
TheLadyTellethRalphofthePastDaysofHerLife“Nowshaltthouhearofmesomewhatmorethanthearrasandthebookcouldtellthee；andyetnotall，fortimewouldfailustherefor——
andmoreovermyheartwouldfailme。IcannottellwhereIwasbornnorofwhatlineage，norofwhoweremyfatherandmother；
forthisIhaveknownnotofmyself，norhasanytoldme。
ButwhenIfirstrememberanything，Iwasplayingaboutagarden，whereinwasalittlehousebuiltoftimberandthatchedwithreed，andthegreattreesoftheforestwereallaboutthegardensaveforalittlecroftwhichwasgrownoverwithhighgrassandanothersomewhatbigger，whereinweregoats。Therewasawomanatthedoorofthehouseandshespinning，yetcladinglitteringraiment，andwithjewelsonherneckandfingers；thiswasthefirstthingthatIremember，butallasitwereamatterofeveryday，anduseandwont，asitgoeswiththememoriesofchildren。
OfsuchmattersIwillnottelltheeatlarge，forthouknowesthowitwillbe。Nowthewoman，whoaslcametoknowwasneitheroldnoryounginthosedays，butofmiddleage，Icalledmother；butnowIknowthatshewasnotmymother。
Shewashardandsternwithme，butneverbeatmeinthosedays，savetomakemedowhatIwouldnothavedoneunbeaten；andastomeatIateanddrankwhatIcouldget，asshedid，andindeedwaswell-fedwithsimplemeatsasthoumayestsupposefromtheaspectofmeto-day。Butasshewasnotfiercebutrathersourtomeinherdailywontinmyyoungestdayssoalsoshewasnevertender，oreverkissedmeorcaressedme，foraslittleasIwas。
AndIlovedhernaught，nordiditevercomeintomymindthatI
shouldloveher，thoughIlovedawhitegoatofoursanddeemeditdearandlovely；andafterwardsotherthingsalsothatcametomefromtimetotime，asasquirrelthatIsavedfromaweasel，andajackdawthatfellfromatallash-treenighourhousebeforehehadlearnedhowtofly，andahouse-mousethatwouldrunupanddownmyhandandarm，andothersuch-likethings；
andshortlyImaysaythatthewildthings，eventotheconiesandfawnslovedme，andhadbutlittlefearofme，andmademehappy，andIlovedthem。
“Further，asIgrewup，thewomansetmetodosuchworkasI
hadstrengthforasneedswas；fortherewasnomandweltanighusandseldomdidIeverseemanorwomanthere，andheldnoconversewithany，saveasIshalltelltheepresently：
thoughnowandagainamanorawomanpassedby；whattheywereI
knewnot，northeirwhenceandwhither，butbyseeingthemIcametoknowthattherewereotherfolkintheworldbesidesustwo。
NoughtelseIknewsavehowtospin，andtotendourgoatsandmilkthem，andtosetsnaresforbirdsandsmalldeer：
thoughwhenIhadcaughtthem，itirkedmesoretokillthem，andIhadletthemgoagainhadInotfearedthecarline。
EverydayearlyIwasputforthfromthehouseandgarth，andforbiddentogobackthithertilldusk。Whilethedayswerelongandthegrasswasgrowing，Ihadtoleadourgoatstopastureinthewood-lawns，andmusttakewithmerockandspindle，andspinsomuchofflaxorhairasthewomangaveme，orbebeaten。
Butwhenthewintercameandthesnowwasontheground，thenthatwatchingandsnaringofwildthingswasmybusiness。
“AtlastonedayoflatesummerwhenI，nowofsomefifteensummers，waspasturingthegoatsnotfarfromthehouse，theskydarkened，andtherecameupsogreatastormofthunderandlightning，andhugedriftofrain，thatIwasafraid，andbeingsoneartothehouse，Ihastenedthither，drivingthegoats，andwhenIhadtetheredthemintheshedofthecroft，Icrepttremblinguptothehouse，andwhenI
wasatthedoor，heardtheclackoftheloomintheweaving-chamber，anddeemedthatthewomanwasweavingthere，butwhenIlooked，beholdtherewasnooneonthebench，thoughtheshuttlewasflyingfromsidetoside，andtheshedopeningandchanging，andthesleycominghomeindueorder。TherewithalIheardasoundasofonesingingasonginalowvoice，butthewordsIcouldnotunderstand：
