NowBullhaddonehiswailingforhiskinsman，andheseemedtowakeupasfromadream，andlookedabouttheringofmenandspake：“Hereisagreattodo，mymasters！
Whatwillyewithme？Haveyeheard，orisityourcustom，thatwhenamancomethonthedeadcorpseofhisbrother，hisownmother’sson，heturnethitoverwithhisfoot，asifitwerethecarcaseofadog，andsogoethonhisway？
ThisIask，thatalbeitIbebutawar-takenthrall，Ibesufferedtolaymybrotherinearthandheapahoweoverhiminthesemountains。”
TheyallmurmuredayeasaytothissaveRalph。Hehadbeensoberedbyhisfall，andwasstandingupnowbetwixtClementandthecaptain，whohadunboundhishands，nowthattheothershadcomeup；
hehunghishead，andwasashamedofhisfurybyseeming。
ButwhenBullhadspoken，andtheothershadanswered，RalphsaidtoBull，wrathfullystill，butlikeamaninhiswits：
“Whydidstthousaythatthouwouldestslayher？”“Hastthoufoundher？”saidBull。“Nay。”quothRalph，sullenly。“Well，then。”
saidBull，“whenthoudostfindher，wewillspeakofit。”
SaidRalph：“Whydidstthousaythatshehathslainhim？”
“Iwasputoutofmywitsbythesightofhimdead。”saidBull；
“ButnowIsaymayhappenshehathslainhim。”
“Andmayhappennot。”saidClement；“lookheretothecleavingofhisskullrightthroughthisironheadpiece，whichhewillhaveboughtatCheapingKnowe(forIhaveseensuchlikeinthearmourers’booththere)：itmusthavetakenastrongmantodothis。”
“Yea。”quoththecaptain，“andabigswordtoboot：
thisisthestrokeofastrongmanwieldingagoodweapon。”
SaidBull：“Well，andwillmymasterbidmeforegovengeanceformybrother’sslaying，orthatIbearhimtopurse？
Thenlethimslaymenow，forIamhisthrall。”SaidRalph：
“Thoushaltdoasthouwiltherein，andIalsowilldoasIwill。
Forifsheslewhim，thetakingofhercaptiveshouldbesetagainsttheslaying。”“Thatisbutright。”saidthecaptain；
“butSirRalph，Ibidtheetakethewordofanoldman-at-armsforit，thatsheslewhimnot；neithershe，noranyotherwoman。”
SaidClement：“Well，letallthisbe。Buttellme，lordRalph，whatthouwouldstdo，sincenowthouartcometothyselfagain？”
SaidRalph：“Iwouldseekthewildernesshereabout，ifperchancethedamselbethrustintosomecleftorcavern，aliveordead。”
“Well。”saidClement，“thisismyrede。SinceBullShockheadwouldburyhisbrother，andlordRalphwouldseekthedamsel，andwhereasthereiswateranigh，andthesuniswellnighset，letuspitchourtentsandabideheretillmorning，andletnightbringcounseluntosomeofus。
Howsayye，fellows？”
Nonenaysaidit，andtheyfelltopitchingthetents，andlightingthecooking-fires；butBullatoncebetookhimtodiggingagraveforhisbrother，whilstRalphwiththecaptainandfourotherswentandsoughtallabouttheplace，andlookedintoallcleftsofrocks，andfoundnotthemaiden，noranytokenofher。
Theywerelongaboutit，andwhentheywerecomebackagain，anditwasnight，thoughthemoonshoneout，therewasBullShockheadstandingbythehoweofhisbrotherBullNosy，whichwasheapeduphighovertheplacewheretheyhadfoundhim。
SowhenBullsawhim，heturnedtohimandsaid：
“King’sson，Ihavedonewhatneedswasforthispresent。
Now，wiltthouslaymeformyfault，orshallIbethymanagain，andservetheetrulyunlessthebloodfeudcomebetweenus？”
SaidRalph：“Thoushaltservemetruly，andhelpmetofindhimwhohathslainthybrother，andcarriedoffthedamsel；foreventhusithathbeendonemeseemeth，sinceaboutherewehaveseennosignsofheraliveordead。
Butto-morrowweshallseekwiderereIrideonmyway。”
“Yea。”saidBull，“andIwillbeoneinthesearch。”
Sothentheygatthemtotheirsleeping-berths，andRalph，contrarytohiswont，laylongawake，ponderingthesethings；
tillatlasthesaidtohimselfthatthiswoman，whomhecalledDorothea，wascertainlyalive，andwottedthathewasseekingher。
Andthenitseemedtohimthathecouldbeholdherthroughthedarknessofnight，cladinthegreenfloweredgownashehadfirstseenher，andshebewailinghercaptivityandthelongtarryingofthedelivererasshewenttoandfroinagreatchamberbuildedofmarbleanddoneaboutwithgoldandbrightcolours：
andoreverheslept，hedeemedthistobeavisionofwhatthenwas，ratherthanamemoryofwhathadbeen；anditwassweettohisverysoul。
CHAPTER27
ClementTellsofGoldburgNowwhenitwasmorningheroseearlyandrousedBullandthecaptain，andtheysearchedindiversplaceswheretheyhadnotbeenthenightbefore，andevenagoodwaybackabouttheroadtheyhadriddenyesterday，butfoundnotidings。AndRalphsaidtohimselfthatthiswasnaughtbutwhathehadlookedforafterthatvisionofthenight。
Soherodewithhisfellowssomewhatshamefacedthattheyhadseenthatsuddenmadnessinhim；butwaspresentlyofbettercheerthanhehadbeenyet。HerodebesideClement；theywentdownhillspeedily，andthewildernessbegantobetter，andtherewasgrassatwhiles，andbusheshereandthere。Alittleafternoontheycameoutofapasscleftdeepthroughtherocksbyaswiftstreamwhichhadoncebeenfargreaterthanthen，andclimbedupasteepridgethatlayacrosstheroad，andlookingdownfromthetopofit，beheldtheopencountryagain。
Butthiswasotherwisefromwhattheyhadbeheldfromthemountain’sbrowaboveCheapingKnowe。ForthencethemountainsbeyondWhiteness，eventhosethattheyhadjustridden，werecleartobeseenlikethewalloftheplaincountry。Buthere，lookingadown，thelandbelowthemseemedbutagreatspreadingplainwithnohillsrisingfromit，savethatfarawaytheycouldseeacertainbreakinit，andamidstthat，somethingthatwasbrighterthanthefaceofthelandelsewhere。
ClementtoldRalphthatthiswasGoldburgandthatitwasbuiltonagatheringofhills，notgreat，butgoingupsteepfromtheplain。
Andtheplain，saidhe，wasnotsowhollyflatandevenasitlookedfromupthere，butswelledatwhilesintodownsandlowhills。
HetoldhimthatGoldburgwasanexceedingfairtowntobehold；
thatthelordwhohadbuiltithadbroughtfromoverthemountainsmasonsandwood-wrightsandartificersofallkinds，thattheymightmakeitasfairasmightbe，andthathesparedonitneitherwealthnortoilnorpains。
ForinsoothhedeemedthatheshouldfindtheWellattheWorld’sEnd，anddrinkthereof，andlivelongandyoungandfairpastallrecord；
thereforehadhebuildedthiscity，tobethehouseandhomeofhislong-enduringjoyance。
NowsomesaidthathehadfoundtheWell，anddrankthereof；
othersnaysaidthat；butalldeemedthattheyknewhowthatGoldburgwasnotdonebuildingerethatlordwasslaininatumult，andthatwhatwasthenundonewascobbledupaftertheuncomelyfashionofthetownsthereabout。
Clementsaidmoreoverthat，thishappylorddead，thingshadnotgonesowellthereashadbeenlookedfor。Forsoothithadbeenthatlord’swillandmeaningthatallfolksinGoldburgshouldthrive，boththosewhowroughtandthoseforwhomtheywrought。
Butitwentnotso，butthereweremanypoorfolkthere，andfewwealthy。
AgainsaidClementthatthoughthetillersandtoilersofGoldburgwerenotforthemostpartmerethrallsandchattels，asinthelandsbeyondthemountainsbehindthem，yetweretheylittlemorethrivingforthatcause；whereastheybelongednottoamaster，whomustatworstfeedthem，andtonomanor，whoseacrestheymighttillfortheirlivelihood，andonwhosepasturestheymightfeedtheircattle；norhadtheyanytohelporsustainthemagainsttheoppressorandtheviolentman；
sothattheytoiledandswinkedanddiedwithnoneheedingthem，savetheythathadtheworkoftheirhandsgoodcheap；andtheyforsoothheededthemlessthantheirdraughtbeastswhomtheymustneedsbuywithmoney，andwhosebelliestheymustneedsfill；
whereasthesepoorwretcheswereslaveswithoutaprice，andifonediedanothertookhisplaceonthechancethattherebyhemightescapepresentdeathbyhunger，fortherewasagreatmanyofthem。
NowTheyCometoGoldburgThatnighttheysleptyetamongstthemountains，orratherinthefirstofthehillcountryattheirfeet；butonthemorrowtheyrodedownintothelowlands，andtherebylostallsightofGoldburg，anditwasyetafaroff，sothattheyrodefourdaysthroughlandswell-tilled，butforthemostpartill-housed，acountryoflittlehillsandhollowsandrisinggrounds，beforetheycameinsightofitagainheavinguphugeandbrightunderthesun。
Itwasbuiltpartlyonthreehills，thebuttressesofalongridgewhichturnedawideriver，andontheridgeitself，andpartlyontheflatshoreoftheriver，oneitherside，hillwardandplainward：
butagreatwhitewallgirtitallabout，whichwentrightovertheriverasabridge，andontheplainsideitwasexceedinghigh，sothatitsbattlementsmightbesomewhatevenedwiththoseofthehill-wallabove。Sothatastheycameuptotheplacetheysawlittleofthetownbecauseoftheenormityofthewall；
scarceaughtsaveaspireoratalltoweringroofhereandthere。
Sowhentheywerecomeanighthegate，theydisplayedtheirbannersandroderightuptoit；andpeoplethrongedthewallstoseetheirriding。
Onebyonetheypassedthroughthewicketofthegate：whichgateitselfwasverilyhugebeyondmeasure，allbuiltofgreatashlar-stones；andwhentheywerewithin，itwaslikeahallsomewhatlongandexceedinghigh，mostfairlyvaulted；midmostofthesaidhalltheyrodethroughanoblearchontheirrighthand，andloanotherhallexceedinglong，butlowerthanthefirst，withmanyglazenwindowssetinitstownwardwall；
andwhentheylookedthroughthese，theysawtheriverrunningunderneath；
forthiswasnaughtbutthelowerbridgeofthecityandtheylearnedafterwardsandsaw，thatabovethevaultofthislongbridgeroseupthecastle，chamberonchamber，tillitsbattlementswerelevelwiththehighesttowersofthewallonthehilltop。
Thustheypassedthebridge，andturningtotheleftatitsending，cameintotheWater-StreetofGoldburg，wheretheriver，withwidequaysoneithersidethereof，ranbetwixtthehouses。
Asforthese，beneaththedwellingswentafairarchedpassageliketotheambulatoryofanabbey；andeveryhouseallalongthisstreetwasapalaceforitsgoodliness。Thehouseswerebuiltofwhitestonesandredandgrey；withshapelypillarstothecloister，andallaboutcarvingsofimageryandknotsofflowers；
goodlywerethewindowsandallglazed，asfairasmightbe。
Ontheriverweregreatbarges，andothercraftsuchaswerenotsea-goers，river-shipsthatmightgetthemthroughthebridgesandfurnishedwithmaststhatmightbeloweredandshipped。
Muchpeoplewasgatheredtoseethechapmenenter，yetscarcesomanyasmightbelookedforinsogoodlyatown；yea，andmanyofthefolkwerecladfoully，andwerehaggardofcountenance，andcriedonthechapmenforalms。
Howbeitsomewerecladgailyandrichlyenough，andwerefairoffavourasanythatRalphhadseensinceheleftUpmeads：
andamongstthesegoodlyfolkwerewomennotafew，whosegearandbearingcalledtoRalph’smindthewomenoftheWheatwearerswhomhehadseenerstintheBurgoftheFourFriths，whereastheyweresomewhatwantonlycladinscantyandthinraiment。
Andofthese，thoughtheywerenotallthralls，weremanywhowereinservitude：for，asClementdidRalphtowit，thoughthetillersofthesoil，andtheherdsmen，inshortthehewersofwoodanddrawersofwater，weremenmasterless，yetrichmenmightanddidbuybothmenandwomenforservantsintheirhouses，andfortheirpleasureandprofitindiverswise。
Sotheyrodetotheirhostelinthemarketplace，whichlayalittlebackfromtheriverinaningleoftheridgeandoneofitsbuttresses；
andallroundthesaidmarketwerehousesasfairasthefirsttheyhadseen：
butabove，onthehill-sides，saveforthecastleandpalaceoftheQueen(forawomanruledinGoldburg)，werethehousesbutlow，poorlybuiltofpostandpan，andthatchedwithstraw，orreed，orshingle。
Butthegreatchurchwasallalongonesideofthemarketplace；
