foryonderoldwisemanIhaveseenhereerstwithourheavenlyLady。
Butthoughthisfairwomanmaybehersister，itisnotshe。
Sotellmewhatisbecomeofher，foritislongsincewehaveseenher；
andwhatthoutellestus，thatsameshallwetrow，evenasifthouwertherangel。ForIspakewiththee，itisnightwoyearsagone，whenthouwertabidingthecomingofourLadyinthecastleyonderButnowIseeoftheethatthouartbrighter-faced，andmightierofaspectthanaforetime，anditisinmymindthattheLadyofAbundancemusthavelovedtheeandholpenthee，andblessedtheewithsomegreatblessing。”
SaidRalph：“Oldman，canstthoufeelsorrow，andcanstthoubearit？”
Thecarleshookhishead。“Iwotnot。”saidhe，“Ifearthywords。”
SaidRalph：“Itwerenaughttosaylessthanthetruth；andthisistheverytruth，thatthoushaltneverseethyLadyanymore。
Iwasthelastlivingmanthateversawheralive。”
Thenhespakeinaloudvoiceandsaid：“Lament，yepeople！fortheLadyofAbundanceisdead；yetsureIamthatshesendeththismessagetoyou，Liveinpeace，andloveyetheworksoftheearth。”
Butwhentheyheardhim，theoldmancovereduphisfacewiththefoldsofhisgown，andallthatfolkbrakeforthintoweeping，andcryingout：
“Woeforus！theLadyofAbundanceisdead！”andsomeoftheyoungermencastthemselvesdownontotheearth，andwallowed，weepingandwailing：
andtherewasnomantherethatseemedasifheknewwhichwaytoturn，orwhattodo；andtheirfaceswerefoolishwithsorrow。Yetforsoothitwasratherthecarlesthanthequeanswhomadeallthislamentation。
Atlasttheoldmanspake：“Fairsir，yehavebroughtusheavytidings，andweknownothowtoaskyoutotellusmoreofthetale。
Yetifthoumight’stbuttellushowtheLadydied？
Woe’smefortheword！”
SaidRalph：“Shewasslainwiththesword。”
Theoldmandrewhimselfupstiffandstark，theeyesofhimglitteredunderhiswhitehair，andwrathchangedhisface，andtheothermen-folkthrongedthemtohearkenwhatmoreshouldbesaid。
Buttheelderspakeagain：“Tellmewhoitwasthatslewher，forsurelyshallIslayhim，ordieinthepainelse。”
SaidRalph：“Becontent，thoumaystnotslayhim；hewasagreatandmightyman，abaronwhoboreagoldensunonabluefield。
Thoumaystnotslayhim。”“Yea。”saidtheoldman，“butIwill，orheme。”
“Liveinpeace。”saidRalph，“forIslewhimthenandthere。”
Theoldmanheldhispeaceawhile，andthenhesaid：
“Iknowtheman，forhehathbeenhereaforetime，andnotsolongago。
Butifhebedead，hehathabrotheryet，anexceedingmightyman：
hewillbecomingheretovexusandminishus。”
SaidRalph：“HewillnotstirfromwhereheliestillEarth’sbonesbebroken，formyswordlayinhisbodyyesterday。”
Theoldmanstoodsilentagain，andtheothercarlesthrongedhim；butthewomanstoodaloofstaringonRalph。
ThentheeldercameuptoRalphandkneltbeforehimandkissedhisfeet；thenheturnedandcalledtohimthreeoftheotherswhowereofthestoutestandmoststalwarth，andhespakewiththemawhile，andthenhecametoRalphagain，andagainkneltbeforehimandsaid：“Lord，yehavecometous，andfoundusvoidofcomfort，sincewehavelostourLady。
Butweseeinthee，thatshehathlovedtheeandblessedthee，andthouhastslainherslayerandhiskindred。
Andweseeoftheealsothatthouartagoodlord。
Othecomforttous，therefore，ifthouwouldestbeourLord！
Wewillservetheetrulysofaraswemay：yea，evenifthoubebesetbyfoes，wewilltakebowandbillfromthewall，andstandroundabouttheeandfightforthee。
Onlythoumustnotaskustogohencefromthisplace：
forweknownaughtbutthePlainofAbundance，andtheedgesofthewood，andtheBrethrenoftheHouseoftheThorn，whoarenotfarhence。Nowwepraytheebythyfathersnottonaysayus，sosoreasthouhastmadeourhearts。
Alsoweseeaboutthyneckthesame-likepairofbeadswhichourLadywaswonttobear，andwedeemthatyewereinonetaletogether。”
ThenwasRalphsilentawhile，buttheSagespaketotheelder：
“Oldman，howgreatisthelossoftheLadytoyou？”
“Heavyloss，wiseoldman。”saidthecarle，“asthouthyselfmaystknow，havingknownher。”
“Andwhatdidsheforyou？”saidtheSage。Saidtheelder：
“Weknowthatshewasgracioustous；neverdidshelaytaxortaleonus，andwhilesshewouldgiveusofherstore，andthatoften，andabundantly。Wedeemalsothateverytimewhenshecametousourincreasebecamemoreplenteous，whichiswellseenbythis，thatsinceshehathceasedtocome，theseasonshavebeenniggarduntous。”
TheSagesmiledsomewhat，andtheoldmanwenton：
“Butchieflytheblessingwastoseeherwhenshecametous：
forverilyitseemedthatwhereshesetherfeetthegrassgrewgreener，andthattheflowersblossomedfairerwheretheshadowofherbodyfell。”
Andtherewiththeoldmanfella-weepingagain。
TheSageheldhispeace，andRalphstillkeptsilence；andnowofthesemenalltheyoungeroneshadtheireyesuponUrsula。
AfterawhileRalphspakeandsaid：“Oelder，andyefolkofthePeopleofAbundance，trueitisthatyourLadywhoisdeadlovedme，anditisthroughherthatIambecomeaFriendoftheWell。
NowmeseemeththoughyehavelostyourLady，whomyesolovedandworshipped，Godwotnotwithoutcause，yetIwotnotwhyyenowcryoutforamaster，sinceyedwellhereinpeaceandquietandallwealth，andtheFathersoftheThornareheretodogoodtoyou。Yet，ifyewillitinsooth，IwillbecalledyourLord，inmemoryofyourLadywhomyeshallnotseeagain。AndastimewearsIwillcomeandlookonyouandhearkentoyourneeds：
andifyecometofearthatanyshouldfalluponyouwiththestronghand，thensendyeamessagetome，RalphofUpmeads，downbythewater，andIwillcometoyouwithsuchfollowingasneedbe。
Andasforservice，thisonlyIlayuponyou，thatyelooktotheCastleandkeepitingoodorder，andwarditagainstthievesandrunagates，andgiveguestingthereintoanywanderingknightorpilgrim，orhonestgoodman，whoshallcometoyou。
Nowisallsaid，mymasters，andIprayyouletusdepartinpeace；
fortimepresses。”
Thenallthey(andthistimewomenaswellasmen)criedoutjoyfully：
“Hailtoourlord！andlonglifetoourhelper。”Andthewomenwithaldrewnearertohim，andsomecamecloseuptohim，asiftheywouldtouchhimorkisshishand，butbyseemingdurstnot，butstoodblushingbeforehim，andhelookedonthem，smilingkindly。
Buttheoldmanlaidhishandonhiskneeandsaid：
“Lord，wouldstthounotlightdownandenterthyCastle；
fornonehathmorerighttherenowthanthou。
ThePrioroftheThornhathtoldusthatthereisnolineageoftheLadylefttoclaimit；andnoneothermighteverhaveclaimeditsavetheBaronofSunway，whomthouhastslain。
Andelsewouldwehaveslainhim，sinceheslewourLady。”
Ralphshookhisheadandsaid：“Nay，oldfriend，andnewvassal，thiswemaynotdo：wemustonspeedily，forbelikethereisworkforustodonearerhome。”
“Yea，Lord。”saidthecarle，“butatleastlightdownandsitforawhileunderthisfairoak-treeintheheatoftheday，andeatamorselwithus，anddrinkacup，thatthyluckmayabidewithuswhenthouartgone。”
Ralphwouldnotnaysayhim；soheandallofthemgotofftheirhorses，andsatdownonthegreengrassundertheoak：
andthatpeoplegatheredaboutandsatdownbythem，savethatamanyofthewomenwenttotheirhousestofetchoutthevictual。
Meanwhilethecarlesfelltospeechfreelywiththewayfarers，andtoldthemmuchconcerningtheirlittleland，wereithearsay，orstarksooth：suchastalesofthewightsthatdweltinthewood，wodehouses，andelf-women，anddwarfs，andsuchlike，andhowfearfulitweretodealwithsuchcreatures。
Amongstothermatterstheytoldhowahermit，aholyman，hadcometodwellinthewood，inaclearingbutalittlewaythencetowardthenorth-west。ButwhenRalphaskedifhedweltonthewaytothefordoftheSwellingFlood，theyknewnotwhathemeant；
forthewoodwastothemasawall。
HereontheSageheldoneoftheyoungermenintalk，andtaughthimwhathemightofthewaytotheBurgoftheFourFriths，sothattheymightverilysendamessengertoUpmeadsifneedwere。
Butthecountryyouthsaidtherewasnoneedtothinkthereof，asnomanoftheirswoulddarethejourneythroughthewood，andthatiftheyhadneedofamessenger，oneoftheFathersoftheThornwoulddotheirerrand，whereastheywereholymen，andknewthefaceoftheworldfullwell。
Nowinthiswhilethefolkseemedtohavegottentheircourageagain，andtobecheery，andtohavelosttheirgrieffortheLady：
andofthemaidensleftabouttheoakweremorethantwoorthreeveryfair，whostoodgazingatRalphasiftheywereexceedingfainofhim。
Butamidstthesethingscamebackthewomenwiththevictual；
towitbreadinbaskets，andcheesesbothfreshandold，andhoney，andwood-strawberries，andeggscookeddiversely，andskewersofwhitewoodwithgobbetsofroastedlamb’sflesh，andsaladgoodplenty。AllthesetheyborefirsttoRalphandUrsula，andtheirtwofellows，andthendealtthemtotheirownfolk：
andtheyfeastedandweremerryindespiteofthattaleofeviltidings。
Theybroughtalsobowlsandpitchersofwinethatwasgoodandstrong，andcideroftheirorchards，andcalledmanyahealthtothenewLordandhiskindred。
Thusthentheyabodea-feastingtillthesunwaswesteringandtheshadowswaxedaboutthem，andthenatlastRalphroseupandcalledtohorse，andtheotherwayfarersarosealso，andthehorseswereleduptothem。Thenthemaidens，madeboldbythejoyofthefeast，andbeingstirredtotheheartbymuchbeholdingofthisbelovedLord，castofftheirshamefacednessandcrowdedabouthim，andkissedhisraimentandhishands：
someeven，thoughtrembling，andmoreforlovethanfear，prayedhimforkisses，andhe，nothingloath，laughedmerrilyandlaidhishandsontheirshouldersortookthembythechins，andsethislipstothesweetnessoftheircheeksandtheirlips，ofthosethataskedandthosethatrefrained；sothattheirheartsfailedthemforloveofhim，andwhenhewasgone，theyknewnothowtogobacktotheirhouses，ortheplacesthatwerefamiliartothem。
Therewithheandhisgotintotheirsaddlesandrodeawayslowly，becauseofthethrongingaboutthemofthatfolk，whofollowedthemtotheedgeofthewood，andevenenteredalittlethereinto；
andthenstoodgazingonRalphandhisfellowsaftertheyhadspurredonandwereridingdownagladeofthewoodland。
CHAPTER17
TheyFallinWithThatHermitSomuchhadtheytarriedoverthisgreetingandfeasting，thatthoughtheyhadhopedtohavecometothehermit’shousethatnight，heofwhomthatfolkhadtoldthem，itfellnotso，whereasthedayhadagedsomucheretheyleftthePlainofAbundancethatitbegantoduskbeforetheyhadgonefar，andtheymustneedsstayandawaitthedawnthere；sotheydighttheirlodgingaswellastheymight，andlaydownandsleptunderthethickboughs。
Ralphwokeaboutsunrise，andlookingupsawamanstandingoverhim，anddeemedatfirstthatitwouldbeRichardortheSage；butashisvisioncleared，hesawthatitwasneitherofthem，butanewcomer；
astoutcarlecladinrusset，withagreatstaffinhishandandashort-swordgirttohisside。Ralphsprangup，stillnotutterlyawake，andcriedout，“Whoartthou，carle？”Themanlaughed，andsaid：
“Yea，thouartstillthesamebrisklad，onlyfilledouttosomethingmorewarrior-likethanofold。Butitisunmeettoforgetoldfriends。
Whydostthounothailme？”
“BecauseIknowtheenot，goodfellow。”saidRalph。
Butevenashespoke，helookedintotheman’sfaceagain，andcriedout：“BySt。Nicholas！butitisRogeroftheRopewalk。
Butlookyou，fellow，ifIhavesomewhatfilledout，thou，whowastalwaysblack-muzzled，artnowbecomeashairyasawodehouse。
Whatdostthouinthewilds？”SaidRoger：“Didtheynottelltheeofahermitnewcometotheseshaws？”“Yea。”saidRalph。
“Iamthatholyman。”quothRoger，grinning；“notthatIamsomuchofthat，either。Ihavenotcomehithertoprayorfastovermuch，buttorestmysoulandbeoutofthewayofmen。
