“Shehadbuttwiceorthricespokentomesomanywordstogetherasthis；
butlansweredneveraword，butstoodwatchingherwarily。
Andofasuddenshegaveforthadreadfulscreamingroar，wherewithallthewoodrangagain，andrushedatme；
butmyhandcamefrombehindmyback，andhowitwasIknownot，butshetouchedmenottillthebladehadsunkintoherbreast，andshefellacrossmyfeet，herrighthandclutchingmyraiment。
SoIloosedherfingersfromthecloth，shudderingwithhorrorthewhile，anddrewmyselfawayfromherandstoodalittlealoof，wonderingwhatshouldhappennext。AndindeedIscarcebelievedbutshewouldpresentlyriseupfromthegroundandclutchmeinherhands，andbeginthetormentingofme。Butshemovednomore，andthegrassallaboutherwasreddenedwithherblood；
andatlastIgatheredhearttokneeldownbesideher，andfoundthatshenomorebreathedthanoneofthoseconiesorpartridgeswhichIhadbeenusedtoslayforher。
“ThenIstoodandconsideredwhatIshoulddo，andindeedI
hadbeenponderingthisallthewayfromtheDalethereto，incaseIshouldescapemymistress。SoIsoonmadeupmymindthatIwouldnotdwellinthathouseevenforonenight；
lestmymistressshouldcometomethoughdead，andtormentme。
Iwentintothehousewhileitwasyetlight，andlookedaboutthechamber，andsawthreegreatbookstherelaidonthelectern，butdurstnothavetakenthemevenhadIbeenabletocarrythem；
nordurstIeventolookintothem，forfearthatsomespellmightgettoworkinthemiftheywereopened；butIfoundaryeloafwhereofIhadeatensomewhatinthemorning，andanotheruntouched，andhangingtoahornofthelecternIfoundthenecklacewhichmymistresshadtakenfromthedeadwoman。
TheseIputintomyscrip，andastothenecklace，lwilltelltheehowIbestoweditlateron。ThenIsteppedoutintothetwilightwhichwasfairandgolden，andfullfainIwasofit。
ThenIdrovethegoatsoutoftheirhouseandwentmywaytowardstheDaleofLore，andsaidtomyselfthatthecarlinewouldteachmewhatfurthertodo，andIcametherebeforethesummerdarkhadquiteprevailed，andsleptsweetlyandsoftlyamongstmygoatsafterIhadtetheredtheminthebestofthepasture。
YetMoreoftheLady’sStory“Lothou，beloved。”shesaid，“thouhastseenmeinthewildwoodwithlittlegoodquickenedinme：dothnotthineheartsinkatthethoughtofthyloveandthylifegivenovertothekeepingofsuchanone？”Hesmiledinherface，andsaid：
“Belikethouhastdoneworsethanallthouhasttoldme：
andthesedayspastIhavewonderedoftenwhattherewasinthestorieswhichtheyoftheBurghadagainstthee：
yetsoothtosay，theytoldlittleofwhatthouhastdone：
nomorebelikethanbeingtheirfoe。”Shesighedandsaid：
“Well，hearken；yetshallInottelltheeeverydeedthatI
havebeenpartakerin。
“IsatintheDalethatnextdayandwashappy，thoughIlongedtoseethatfairmanagain：soothtosay，sincemymistresswasdead，everythingseemedfairertome，yeaevenmineownface，asIsawitinthepoolsofthestream，thoughwhilesIwonderedwhenIshouldhaveanothermistress，andhowshewoulddealwithme；
andeverIsaidIwouldaskthecarlinewhenshecameagaintome。
Butallthatdayshecamenot：nordidImarvelthereat。
Butwhensevendayspassedandstillshecamenot，IfelltowonderingwhatIshoulddo：formybreadwasallgone，andIdurstnotgobacktothehousetofetchmeal；thoughtherewasstoreofitthere。Howbeit，Idrankofthemilkofthegoats，andmadecurdsthereofwiththewoodlandroots，andateofthewood-berrieslikeasthouhastdone，friend，e’ennow。
Anditwaseasierformetofindalivelihoodinthewoodsthanithadbeenformostfolk，sowellasIknewthem。
Soworethedays，andshecamenot，andIbegantothinkthatI
shouldseethewisecarlinenomore，asindeedfelloutatthattime；
andthedaysbegantohangheavyonmyhands，andIfelltothinkingofthatwaytothewestandthepeopledparts，whereofthecarlinehadtoldme；andwhilesIwentoutoftheDaleandwentawayhitherandthitherthroughthewoods，andsofar，thatthriceIsleptawayoutoftheDale：
butIknewthatthepeopledpartswouldbestrangetomeandI
fearedtofacethemallalone。
“ThusworethedaystillJulywasonthewane，andonamorningearlyIawokewithunwontedsoundsinmineears；andwhenmyeyeswerefairlyopenIsawamanstandingovermeandawhitehorsecroppingthegrasshardby。Andmyheartwasfullandfain，andIsprangtomyfeetandshowedhimasmilinghappyface，forIsawatoncethatitwasthatfairmancomebackagain。
Butlo！hisfacewaspaleandworn，thoughhelookedkindlyonme，andhesaid：’Omybeloved，Ihavefoundthee，butIamfaintwithhungerandcanspeakbutlittle。’
Andeventherewithhesankdownonthegrass。ButIbestirredmyself，andgavehimmilkofmygoats，andcurdsandberries，andthelifecameintohimagain，andIsatdownbyhimandlaidhisheadinmylap，andhesleptalongwhile；andwhenheawoke(anditwastowardssunset)hekissedmyhandsandmyarms，andsaidtome：’Fairchild，perhapsthouwiltcomewithmenow；
andevenifthouartathrallthoumayestfleewithme；
formyhorseisstrongandfat，thoughIamweak，forhecanmakehisdinneronthegrass。’
“ThenhelaughedandInoless；butIfedhimwithmypoorvictualagain，andasheateIsaid：’Iamnomistress’sthrallnow；fortheeveningofthedaywhereonIsawtheeIslewher，elsehadsheslainme。’
’Thesaintsbepraised，’saidhe：’Thouwiltcomewithme，then？’
’Oyea，’saidI。ThenIfeltshamefacedandIreddened；butIsaid：
’Ihaveabidedheremanydaysforawisewomanwhohathtaughtmemanythings；
butwithallhopedthatthouwouldstcomealso。’
“Thenheputhisarmsaboutmyshouldersandlovedmemuch；
butatlasthesaid：“YetisitnowanotherthingthanthatwhichIlookedfor，whenItalkedofsettingtheebymeonthegoldenthrone。FornowamIabeatenman；IhavefailedofthatIsought，andsufferedshameandhungerandmanyills。
YeteverIthoughtthatImightfindtheehereorhereby。’
Thenathoughtcameintomymind，andIsaid：’Elsemaybethouhadstfoundwhatthousoughtest，andovercometheevilthings。’
’Maybe，’hesaid；’itisnowbutalittlematter。’“
“Asforme，Icouldhavenoguessatwhatwerethebetterthingshehadmeantforme，andmyheartwasfullofjoy，andallseemedbetterthanwell。Andwetalkedtogetherlongtillthedaywasgone。
ThenwekissedandembracedeachotherintheDaleofLore，andthedarknessofsummerseemedbutshortforourdelight。”
TheLadyTellsSomewhatofHerDoingsAfterSheLefttheWildernessRalphstayedherspeechnow，andsaid：“WhenIaskedoftheeintheLandofAbundance，thereweresomewhoseemedtosaythatthouhastletmoremenlovetheethanone：
anditwasatormenttometothinkthatevensoitmightbe。
Butnowwhenthineownmouthtellethmeofoneofthemitirksmelittle。Dostthouthinkitlittle-heartedinme？”
“Ofriend。”shesaid，“Iseethatsoitiswiththeethatthouwouldstfindduecauseforlovingme，whateverthoufoundesttrueofme。
OrdostthoudeemthatIwasanotherwomaninthosedays？Nay，Iwasnot：
IcanseemyselfstillmyselfallalongthewayIhavegone。”
Shewassilentalittle，andthenshesaid：“Fearnot，Iwillgivetheemuchcausetoloveme。ButnowIknowthymindthebetter，IshalltelltheelessofwhatbefellmeafterIleftthewilderness；
forwhateverIdidandwhateverIendured，stillitwasalwaysImyselfthatwasthere，anditismethatthoulovest。Moreover，mylifeinthewildernessisastrangerthingtotelltheeofthanmydealingswiththefolk，andwithKingsandBaronsandKnights。
Butthereafterthoushalthearofmewhattalesthouwiltofthesematters，asthedaysandtheyearspassoverourheads。
“Nowonthemorrowwewouldnotdepartatonce，becausetherewehadsomevictual，andtheking’ssonwasnotyetsowellfedasheshouldbe；soweabodeinthatfairplaceanotherday，andthenwewentourwayswestward，accordingtotheredeofthecarline；
anditwasmanydaysbeforewegatusoutofthewilderness，andwewereoftenhardputtoitforvictual；whilesIsatbehindmyknighta-horseback，whilesheledthebeastwhileIrodealone，andnotseldomIwentafoot，andthatnowiseslowly，whileherodethewhitehorse，forIwasaslight-footthenasnow。
“AndofthewaywewentIwilltelltheenoughtasnow，becausesureitisthatifwebothlive，thouandIshalltreadthatroadtogether，butwithourfacesturnedtheotherway；
foritistheroadfromtheWellattheWorld’sEnd，whereI
myselfhavebeen，orelseneverhadthineeyesfallenonme。”
Ralphsaid，“EvensomuchIdeemedbyreadinginthebook；
yetitwasnottoldclearlythatthouhadstbeenthere。”
“Yea。”shesaid，becausethesaidbookwasmadenotbymyfriendsbutmyfoes，andtheywouldhavemendeemthatmylengthofdaysandtheenduranceofmybeautyandnever-dyingyouthofmyheartcamefromevilanddevilishsources；
andifthouwilttrustmyworditisnotso，forintheWellattheWorld’sEndisnoevil，butonlytheQuenchingofSorrow，andClearingoftheEyesthattheymaybehold。
Andhowgooditisthattheylookontheenow。Andmoreover，thehistoryofthatbookispartlyfalseofintentionandill-will，andpartlyaconfusedmedleyoftrueandfalse，whichhascomeofmerechance-hap。
“Hearkennow。”shesaid，“tillItelltheeinfewwordwhatbefellmebeforeIcametodrinktheWateroftheWell。
Afterwehadpassedlongdesertsofwoodandheath，andgonethroughlandsexceedingevilandperilous，anddespairedoflifeforthehorrorofthoseplaces，andseennomen，wecameatlastamongstasimplefolkwhodealtkindlywithus，yea，andmore。
Thesefolkseemedtomehappyandofgoodwealth，thoughtomylordtheyseemedpoorandlackingofthegoodsoftheworld。Forsooth，bythattimewelackedmorethanthey，forwewerewornwithcoldandhunger，andhardlife：
thoughforme，indeed，happyhadbeenthedaysofmywayfaring，butmylordrememberedthedaysofhisrichesandthekingdomofhisfather，andtheworshipofmightymen，andallthathehadpromisedmeonthehappydaywhenIfirstbeheldhim：
sobelikehewasscarcesohappyasIwas。
“Itwasspringtimewhenwecametothatfolk；forwehadwornthroughtheautumnandwinteringettingclearofthewilderness。
Notthatthewaywaslong，asIfoundoutafterwards，butthatwewentastrayinthewoodland，andatlastcameoutofitintoadreadfulstonywastewhichwestrovetocrossthrice，andthriceweredrivenbackintothegreenwoodbythirstandhunger；butthefourthtime，havinggottenusstoreofvictualbymywoodcraft，weoverpasseditandreachedthepeopledcountry。
“Yea，springwasontheearth，aswe，mylordandI，camedownfromthedesolatestonyheaths，andwenthandandhandacrosstheplain，wheremenandwomenofthatfolkwerefeastingroundaboutthesimpleroofsandwoodlandhallswhichtheyhadraisedthere。Thentheylefttheirgamesandsportsandrantous，andwewalkedonquietly，thoughweknewnotwhetherthemeetingwastobefordeathorlife。
