Thelordsaid，grimly：“Heisnotfarwrongtofearme，maybe：
butheshallgoforthistime。Butifhebringmenotthosewomenwithinthreemonths’wearing，andiftherebebuttwouncomelyonesamongstthem，lethimlooktoit。Givehimhisgold，David。
Nowtakeyethenewman，andlethimrest，andgivehimmeatanddrink。
Andlookyou，David，ifhebenotinconditionwhenhecomethhometoUtterbol，thoushaltpayforitinonewayorother，ifnotinthineownperson，sincethouartold，anddeftofservice，thenthroughthosethatbedeartothee。Gonow！”
DavidsmiledonRalphandledhimoutuntoatentnotfaroff，andtherehemademuchofhim，andbadebringmeatanddrinkandallheneeded。
Withalhebadehimnottotryfleeing，lesthebeslain；andheshowedhimhownightheguardswereandhowmany。
Gladwastheoldmanwhenhesawthecaptiveputagoodfaceonmatters，andthathewasnotdown-hearted。InsooththathatredofthetyrantmingledwithhopesustainedRalph’sheart。
HehadbeenmindedwhenhewasbroughtbeforethelordtohaveshowntheletteroftheQueenofGoldburg，andtodefyhimifhestillheldhimcaptive。Butwhenhehadbeheldhimandhisfellowshipawhilehethoughtbetterofit。
Forthoughtheyhadabundanceofrichplenishing，andgayraiment，andgoodweaponsandarmour，howbeitofstrangeanduncouthfashion，yethedeemedwhenhelookedonthemthattheywouldscarcehavethesoulsofmenintheirbodies，butthattheywereutterlyvilethroughandthrough，liketheshapesofanevildream。
ThereforehethoughtshameofittoshowtheQueen’slettertothem，evenasifhehadshownthemtheverynakedbodyofher，whohadbeensopiteouskindtohim。Alsohehadnomindtowearhisheartonhissleeve，butwouldkeephisowncounsel，andlethisfoemenspeakandshowwhatwasintheirminds。
Forthiscausehenowmadehimselfsweet，andwasofgoodcheerwitholdDavid，deeminghimtobeagreatmenthere；
asindeedhewas，beingthechiefcounselloroftheLordofUtterbol；thoughforsoothnotsomuchhiscounsellorasthathedurstcounselotherwisethanastheLorddesiredtogo；unlesshethoughtthatitwouldbringhissaidLord，andthereforehimself，toverypresentperilanddamage。
Inshort，thoughthismanhadnotbeenboughtformoney，hewaslittlebetterthanathrallofthehighersort，asforsoothwerealltheLord’smen，savingthebestandtrustiestofhiswarriors：
andtheseweremenwhomtheLordsomewhatfearedhimself：
though，ontheotherhand，hecouldnotbutknowthattheyunderstoodhowthedreadoftheLordofUtterbolwasashieldtothem，andthatifitweretodieoutamongstmen，theirownskinswerenotworthmanydays’purchase。
SothenDavidspakepleasantlywithRalph，andateanddrankwithhim，andsawthathewaswellbeddedforthenight，andlefthiminthefirstwatch。ButRalphlaydowninlittlemoretroublethanthenightbefore，when，thoughhewerebeingledfriendlytoUtterness，yethehadnotbeenabletothinkwhatheshoulddowhenhecamethere：whereasnowhethought：
Whoknowethwhatshallbetide？andformethereisnoughttodosavetolayholdoftheoccasionthatanothermaygiveme。
AndattheworstIscarcedeemthatIambeingledtotheslaughter。
RalphisBroughtontheRoadTowardsUtterbolButnowwhenitwasmorningtheystruckthetentsandladedthemonwains，andwenttheirwaystheselfsameroadthatRalphhadbeenmindedforyesterday；towittheroadtoUtterness；
butnowmustherideitunarmedandguarded：othershamehadhenone。
IndeedDavid，whostuckclosetohissideallday，wassosugarysweetwithhim，andpraisedandencouragedhimsodiligently，thatRalphbegantohavemisgivingsthatallthiskindnesswasbutastheflower-garlandswherewiththeheathentimesmenwerewonttodecktheslaughter-beastsfortheblood-offering。Yea，andintohismindcamecertaintalesofhowtherewereheathenmenyetintheworld，whobeguiledmenandwomen，andofferedthemuptotheirdevils，whomtheycalledgods：
butallthisranoffhimsoon，whenhebethoughthimhowlittlewisdomtherewasinrunningtomeettheevil，whichmightbeontheway，andthatwayaroughandperilousone。
Sohepluckedupheart，andspakefreelyandgailywithDavidandoneortwootherswhorodeanigh。
Theywereamidstofthecompany：theLordwentfirstafterhisfore-runnersinalitterdoneaboutwithpreciouscloths；
andtwoscorehorsemencamenext，fullyarmedaftertheirmanner。
ThenrodeRalphwithDavidandahalfdozenofthemagnates：
thencameasortofcooksandotherservingmen，butnonewithoutaweapon，andlastanotherscoreofmen-at-arms：sothathesawthatfleeingwasnottobethoughtofthoughhewasnotbound，andsaveforlackofweaponsrodelikeafreeman。
Thedaywasclearasyesterdayhadbeen，whereforeagainRalphsawthedistantmountain-toplikeacloud；andhegazedatitlongtillDavidsaid：“Iseethatthouartgazinghardatthemountains，andperchanceartlongingtobebeyondthem，wereitbuttoseewhatlikethelandisonthefurtherside。
Ifalltalesbetruethouartbestthissidethereof，whateverthylotmaybe。”
“Liethdeathontheothersidethen？”quothRalph。“Yea。”saidDavid，“butthatisnotall，sinceheisnotasleepelsewhereintheworld：
butmensaythatovertherearethingstobeseenwhichmightslayastrongmanforpurefear，withoutstrokeofswordordintofaxe。”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“buthowwasitthenwithhimthatbuildedGoldburg？”
“O。”saidDavid，“hastthouheardthattale？Well，theysayofhim，whocerteswentoverthosemountains，anddrankoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，thathewasoneofthelucky：
yetforallhisluckneverhadhedrunkthedraughthadhenotbeenhelpedbyonewhohadlearnedmanythings，awomantowit。
Forhewasoneofthemwithwhomallwomenareinlove；
andthenceindeedwashisluck……Moreover，whenallissaid，’tisbutatale。”
“Yea。”quothRalphlaughing，“evenasthetalesoftheghostsandbugsthatabidethewayfarerontheothersideofyonderwhitemovelesscloud。”
Davidlaughedinhisturnandsaid：“Thouhastmethere；
andwhetherorno，thesetalesarenothingtous，whoshallneverleaveUtterbolagainwhilewelive，saveinsuchacompanyasthis。”
Thenheheldhispeace，butpresentlyspakeagain：“Hastthouheardanything，then，ofthosetalesoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd？
ImeanothersbesidethatconcerningthelordofGoldburg？”
“Yea，surelyIhave。”saidRalph，nowisechangingcountenance。SaidDavid：
“Deemestthouaughtofthem？deemestthouthatitmaybetruethatamanmaydrinkoftheWellandrecoverhisyouththereby？”
Ralphlaughedandsaid：“Master，itisratherformetoasktheehereof，thanthoume，sincethoudwellestsomuchnighertheretothanIhavedoneheretofore。”
Daviddrewupclosetohim，andsaidsoftly：“Nigher？Yea，butbelikenotsomuchnigher。”
“Howmeanestthou？”saidRalph。
SaidDavid：“Isitsonighthatamanmayleavehomeandcometheretoinhislife-time？”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“inmytalesitis。”
Saidtheoldmanstillsoftlier：“HadIdeemedthattrueIhadtriedtheadventure，whatevermightliebeyondthemountains，but(andhesighedwithal)Ideemituntrue。”
Therewithdroppedthetalkofthatmatter：andinsoothRalphwasloathtomakemanywordsthereof，lesthiseagernessshinethrough，andallthestoryofhimbeknown。
Anonitwasnoon，andthelordbadeallmenstayformeat：
sohisservingmenbusiedthemabouthisdinner，andDavidwentwiththem。
Thenthemen-at-armsbadeRalphsitamongthemandsharetheirmeat。
Sotheysatdownallbythewayside，andtheyspakekindlyandfriendlytoRalph，andespeciallytheircaptain，amansomewhatlowofstature，butlong-armedliketheLord，amanofmiddleage，beardlessandspareofbody，butwiryandtough-looking，withhairofthehueofthedustofthesandstonequarry。Thismanfella-talkingwithRalph，andaskedhimofthemanneroftiltingandcourteousjoustingbetweenknightsinthecountriesofknighthood，tillthattalkdroppedbetweenthem。
ThenRalphlookedroundupontheland，whichhadnowworsenedagain，andwaslittlebetterthanroughmoorland，littlefed，andnotatalltilled，andhesaid：“Thisisbutasorrylandforearth’sincrease。”
“Well。”saidthecaptain，“Iwotnot；itbearethploverandwhimbrelandconiesandhares；yea，andmenwithal，somefew。
Andwhereasitbearethnaughtelse，thatcomethofmylord’swill：
fordeemestthouthatheshouldsufferarichlandbetwixthimandGoldburg，thatitmightsustainanhostbigenoughtodealwithhim？”
“Butisnotthishisland？”saidRalph。
Saidthecaptain：“Nay，andalsoyea。Noneshalldwellinitsaveashewilleth，andtheyshallpayhimtribute，beitneversolittle。
Yetsomethereareofthem，whoaretohimasthehoundsbetothehunter，andthesesameheevenwageth，sothatifaughtrareandgoodlycomeththeirwaytheyshallbringittohishands；asthouthyselfknowesttothycost。”
“Yea。”saidRalphsmiling，“andisMorfinntheUnmannedoneofthesecurs？”
“Yea。”saidthecaptain，withagrin，“andoneoftherichestofthem，indespiteofhisfiddleandminstrel’sgear，andhislackofmanhood：
forheisoneofthecunningestofmen。ButmyLordunmannedhimforsomegoodreason。”
Ralphkeptsilenceandwhileandthensaid：“WhydoththeGoldburgfolksufferallthisfelony，robberyandconfusion，soneartheirborders，andthelanddebateable？”
Saidthecaptain，andagainhegrinned：“Passingforthyhardwords，sirknight，whydostthousuffermetoleadtheealongwhitherthouwouldestnot？”
“BecauseIcannothelpmyself。”saidRalph。
Saidthecaptain：“EvensoitiswiththeGoldburgfolk：
iftheyraisehandagainstsomeofthesestrong-thievesorman-stealers，hehasbuttosendthewar-arrowroundaboutthesedeserts，asyedeemthem，andhewillpresentlyhaveasroughacompanyofcarlesforhisfellowsasneedbe，saytenhundredofthem。
AndtheGoldburgfolkarenotveryhandyatafraywithouttheirwalls。
Forsoothwithinthemitisanothermatter，andbesidenotevenourLordofUtterbolwouldseeGoldburgbrokendown，no，notforallthathemightwinthere。”
“Isitdeemedaholyplaceintheland，then？”saidRalph。
“Iwotnotthemeaningofholy。”saidtheother：“butallwedeemthatwhenGoldburgshallfall，theworldshallchange，sothatlivingthereinshallbehardtothemthathavenotdrunkofthewateroftheWellattheWorld’sEnd。”
Ralphwassilentawhileandeyedthecaptaincuriously：
thenhesaid：“HavetheGoldburgerssodrunk？”Saidthecaptain：
“Nay，nay；butthewordgoesthatundereachtowerofGoldburgliethayouthandamaidenthathavedrunkofthewater，andmightnotdiesavebypointandedge。”
ThenwasRalphsilentagain，foroncemorehefellponderingthematterifhehadbeenledawaytobeofferedasabloodofferingtosomeofevilgodsoftheland。
Butasheponderedaflourishoftrumpetswasblown，andallmensprangup，andthecaptainsaidtoRalph：
“NowhathourLorddonehisdinnerandwemusttohorse。”
Anontheywereonthewayagain，andtheyrodelongandsawlittlechangeintheaspectoftheland，neitherdidthatcloudliketokenofthedistantmountainsgrowanygreaterorclearertoRalph’sdeeming。
