andalbeitthisfolkwassomewhatwildandstrangeoffaithforChristianmen，yetwasitdaintyanddelicateasmightbe，anditssteeplesandbell-towerswerehighandwellbuilded，andadornedexceedingrichly。
Sotheylighteddownattheirhostel，andneverhadRalphseensuchanother，forthecourtwithinwasverygreatandwithafairgardenfilledwithflowersandorchard-trees，andamidstitwasafountainoffreshwater，builtinthegoodliestfashionofmany-colouredmarble-stones。Andthearchedandpillaredwayaboutthesaidcourtwasasfairasthecloisterofamitredabbey；andthehallfortheguestswasoflikefashion，vaultedwithmarvellouscunning，andwitharowofpillarsamidmost。
Theretheyabodeingoodentertainment；yetthisnotedRalph，thatasgoodlyaswasthefashionofthebuildingofthathouse，yetthehangingsandbeds，andstools，andchairs，andotherplenishingwerenoricherorbetterthanmightbeseeninthehostelryofanygoodtown。
Sotheywentbedward，andRalphsleptdreamlessly，aswasmostlyhiswont。
OfGoldburgandtheQueenThereofOnthemorrow，whenRalphandClementmetinthehall，Clementspakeandsaid：“LordRalph，asItoldtheeinWhitwall，wechapmenarenowattheendofouroutwardjourney，andinabouttwentydaystimeweshallturnbacktothemountains；
but，asIdeem，thouwiltbemindedtofollowupthyquestofthedamsel，andwhatsoeverelsethoumaystbeseeking。
NowthisthoumaystwelldowhileswearehereinGoldburg，andyetcomebackhitherintimetofarebackwithus：
andalso，ifthouwilt，thoumaysthavefellowsinthyquest，towitsomeofthoseourmen-at-arms，wholovetheewell。
Butnow，whenthouhastdonethybestthesedaysduring，ifthouhastthenfoundnaught，Icounseltheeandbeseechtheetocomethywaysbackwithus，thatwetwainmaywendtoUpmeadstogether，wherethoushaltlivewell，andbetterallthedeedsofthyfather。
Meseemeththiswillbemoremeetfortheethanthecastingawayofthylifeinseekingawoman，whomaybewillbenaughttotheewhenthouhastfoundher；orinchasingsomecastleintheclouds，thatshallbeneverthenighertothee，howfarsoeverthoufarest。
FornowItelltheethatIhaveknownthiswhilehowthouartseekingtheWellattheWorld’sEnd；andwhoknoweththatthereisanysuchthingontheearth？Come，then，thouartfair，andyoung，andstrong；andifyeseekwealththoushalthaveit，andmyfurtherancetotheutmost，ifthatbeaughtworth。
Bethinkthee，child，therearetheythatlovetheeinUpmeadsandthereabout，wereitbutthygossip，mywife，dameKatherine。”
SaidRalph：“MasterClement，Ithanktheeforallthatthouhastsaid，andthybehest，andthydeeds。
Thyredeisgood，andinallwayswillIfollowitsaveone；
towit，thatifIhavenotfoundthedamselereyeturnback，Imustneedsabideinthislandsearchingforher。
AndIpraythepardonbothoftheeandofthygossip，ifI
answernotyourloveasyewould，andperchanceasIshould。
Yea，andofUpmeadsalsoIcravepardon。ButindoingasIdo，mydeedshallbebutaccordingtothedutyboundenonmebymineoath，whenDukeOsmondmademeknightlastyear，inthechurchofSt。LaurenceofUpmeads。”
SaidClement：“Iseethatthereissomethingelseinitthanthat；
Iseetheetobeyoung，andthatloveanddesirebindtheeincloserbondsthanthyknightlyoath。Well，soitmustbe，andtillthouhasther，thereisbutonewomanintheworldforthee。”
“Nay，itisnotso，MasterClement。”saidRalph，“andIwilltelltheethis，sothatthoumaysttrowmynaysay；sinceIdepartedfromUpmeads，Ihavebeentakeninthetoilsoflove，anddesiredafairwoman，andIhavewonheranddeathhathtakenher。
Trowestthoumyword？”
“Yea。”saidClement，“buttooneofthyyearsloveisnotpluckedupbytheroot，anditsoongrowethagain。”ThensaidRalph，sadly：
“Nowtellmygossipofthiswhenthoucomesthome。”
Clementnoddedyeasay，andRalphspakeagaininamoment：
“AndnowwillIbeginmysearchinGoldburgbyprayingtheetobringmetospeechofmerchantsandotherswhomayhaveseenorheardtidingsofmydamsel。”
HelookedatClementanxiouslyashespoke；andClementsmiled，forhesaidtohimselfthatlookingintoRalph’sheartonthismatterwaslikelookingintoachamberthroughanopenwindow。
Buthesaid：“FearnotbutIwilllooktoit；Iamthyfriend，andnotthyschoolmaster。”
TherewithhedepartedfromRalph，andwithinthreedayshehadbroughthimtospeechofallthosewhowereliketoknowanythingofthematter；
andoneandalltheysaidthattheyhadseennosuchwoman，andthatasfortheLordofUtterbol，hehadnotbeeninGoldburgthesethreemonths。
Butoneofthemerchantssaid：“MasterClement，ifthisyoungknightisbounforUtterbol，hebearethhislifeinhishand，asthouknowestfullwell。
NowIredetheebringhimtoourQueen，whoisgoodandcompassionate，andifshemaynothelphimotherwise，yetbelikeshemaygivehiminwritingtoshowtothattyrant，whichmaystandhiminstead：
foritdoesnotdoforanymantogoagainstthewillofourLadyandQueen；
whowillsurelypayhimbackforhisill-willsomedayorother。”
SaidClement：“Itiswellthoughtof，andIwillsurelydoasthoubiddest。”
Soworefourdays，and，thattimeduring，Ralphwasgoingtoandfroaskingquestionsoffolkthathecameacross，aspeoplenewcometothecityandhuntersfromthemountain-feetandtheforestsoftheplain，andmarinersandsuchlike，concerningthedamselandtheLordofUtterbol；andBullalsowentaboutseekingtidings：
butwhereasRalphaskeddownrightwhathewantedtoknow，Bullwaswary，andratherledmenontotalkwithhimconcerningthosethingsthanaskedthemoftheminsuchwisethattheysawthequestion。
Albeititwasallone，andnotidingscametothem；indeed，thenameoftheLordofUtterbol(whomforsoothBullnamednot)seemedtofreezethespeechofmen’stongues，andtheycommonlywentawayatoncewhenitwasspoken。
OnthefifthdaycameClementtoRalphandsaid：
“NowwillIbringtheetotheQueen，andsheisyoung，andsofair，andwithalsowise，thatitseemstomenotallsosurebutthatthesightofherwillmakeanendofthyquestonceforall。
Sothatmeseemsthoumayestabidehereinalifefarbetterthanwanderingamongstuncouthfolk，perilousandcruel。
Yea，sothoumaysthaveitifthouwilt，beingsoexceedinggoodly，andwise，andwell-spoken，andofhighlineage。”
Ralphheardandreddened，butgavehimbacknoanswer；
andtheywenttogethertotheHighHouseoftheQueen，whichwaslikeapieceoftheKingdomofHeavenforloveliness，somanypillarsastherewereofbrightmarblestone，andgilded，andthechapiterscarvedmostexcellently：
notmanyhangingsonthewalls，forthewallsthemselveswerecarven，andpaintedwithpicturesinthemostexcellentmanner；
thefloorswithalweresodaintythattheyseemedasiftheyweremadefornonebutthefeetofthefairestofwomen。
Andallthiswassetamidstofgardens，thelikeofwhichtheyhadneverseen。
Buttheyenteredwithoutmoreado，andwerebroughtbythepagestotheLady’sinnermostchamber；andiftherestofthehouseweregoodly，thiswasgoodlier，andamarvel，sothatitseemedwroughtratherbygoldsmithsandjewellersthanbymasonsandcarvers。
YetindeedmanyhadsaidwithClementthattheQueenwhosattherewasthegoodliestpartthereof。
NowshespaketoClementandsaid：“Hail，merchant！
Isthistheyoungknightofwhomthoutellest，hewhoseekethhisbelovedthathathbeenborneawayintothralldombyevilmen？”
“Evenso。”saidClement。ButRalphspake：“Nay，Lady，thedamselwhomIseekisnotmybeloved，butmyfriend。
Mybelovedisdead。”
TheQueenlookedonhimsmilingkindly，yetwasherfacesomewhattroubled。
Shesaid：“Masterchapman，thytimehereisnotoverlongforallthatthouhasttodo；sowegivetheeleavetodepartwithourthanksforbringingafriendtoseeus。Butthisknighthathnoaffairstolookto：
soifhewillabidewithusforalittle，itwillbeourpleasure。”
SoClementmadehisobeisanceandwenthisways。ButtheQueenbadeRalphsitbeforeher，andtellherofhisgriefs，andshelookedsokindlyandfriendlyuponhimthattheheartmeltedwithinhim，andhemightsaynoword，forthetearsthatbrakeoutfromhim，andheweptbeforeher；whileshelookedonhim，thecolourcomingandgoinginherface，andherlipstrembling，andlethimweepon。
Buthethoughtnotofher，butofhimselfandhowkindshewastohim。
Butafterawhilehemasteredhispassionandbegan，andtoldherallhehaddoneandsuffered。Longwasthetaleinthetelling，foritwassweettohimtolaybeforeherbothhisgriefandhishope。
Shelethimtalkon，andwhilesshelistenedtohim，andwhiles，not，butallthetimeshegazedonhim，yetsometimesaskance，asifshewereashamed。
Asforhim，hesawherfacehowfairandlovelyshewas，yetwastherelittlelonginginhisheartforher，morethanforoneofthepaintedwomenonthewall，foraskindandasdearashedeemedher。
Whenhehaddone，shekeptsilenceawhile，butatlastsheenforcedher，andspake：“Saditisforthemotherthatboretheethatthouartnotinherhouse，whereinallthingswouldbekindandfamiliartothee。
Maybethouartseekingforwhatisnot。Ormaybethoushaltseekandshaltfind，andtheremaybenaughtinwhatthoufindest，whereoftogivetheesuchgiftsasaremeetforthyfaithfulnessandvaliancy。
Butinthinehomeshouldstthouhaveallgiftswhichthoumayestdesire。”
Thenwasshesilentawhile，andthenspake：“YetmustIneedssaythatIwouldthatthinehomewereinGoldburg。”
Hesmiledsadlyandlookedonher，butwithnoastonishment，andindeedhestillscarcethoughtofherashesaid：
“LadyandQueen，thouartgoodtomebeyondmeasure。
Yet，lookyou！OnehomeIhad，andleftit；anotherI
lookedtohave，andIlostit；andnowIhavenohome。
MaybeindaystocomeIshallgobacktomineoldhome；
andwhilesIwonderwithwhateyesitwilllookonme。
Formerryisthatland，anddear；andIhavebecomesorrowful。”
“Fearnot。”shesaid；“Isayagainthatinthinehomeshallallthingslookkindlyonthee。”
Oncemoreshesatsilent，andnoworddidhisheartbidhimspeak。
Thenshesighedandsaid：“Fairlord，Ibidtheecomeandgointhishouseasthouwilt；butwhereastherearemanyfolkwhomustneedsseeme，andmanythingsareappointedformetodo，thereforeIpraytheetocomehitherinthreedays’space，andmeanwhileIwilllooktothematterofthysearch，thatImayspeedtheeonthewaytoUtterness，whichisnogreatwayfromUtterbol，andisthelasttownwhereofweknowaught。
AndIwillwritealetterfortheetogivetothelordofUtterbol，whichhewillheed，ifheheedethaughtmygood-willorenmity。
Ibeseechtheecomeforitinthreedayswearing。”
Therewithshearoseandtookhishandandledhimtothedoor，andhedeparted，blessinghergoodness，andwonderingathercourtesyandgentlespeech。
Forthosethreedayshewasstillseekingtidingseverywhere，tillfolkbegantoknowofhimfarandwide，andtotalkofhim。
AndatthetimeappointedhewenttotheQueen’sHouseandwasbroughttoherchamberasbefore，andshewasalonetherein。
Shegreetedhimandsmiledonhimexceedingkindly，buthemightnotfailtonoteofherthatshelookedsadandherfacewaswornbysorrow。Shebadehimsitbesideher，andsaid：
“Hastthouanytidingsofthewomanwhomthouseekest？”
“Nay，nay。”saidhe，“andnowIammindedtocarryonthesearchout-a-gates。Ihavesomegoodfriendswhowillgowithmeawhile。
Butthou，Lady，hastthouheardaught？”
