Theysawlightsinthechamberorevertheyentered，andwhentheycametothedoor，lo！therewithinwasKatherinewalkingupanddownthefloorasifsheknewnothowtocontainherself。SheturnedandsawRalphatthedoor，andshecriedaloudandrantowardshimwitharmsoutspread。
Butwhenshedrewnightohimandbeheldhimclosely，shewithheldher，andfallingdownonherkneesbeforehimtookhishandandfelltokissingitandweepingandcryingout，“Omylord，mylord，thouartcomeagaintous！”
ButRalphstoopeddowntoher，andliftedherup，andembracedherandkissedheronthecheeksandthemouth，andledhertothesettleandsatdownbesideherandputhisarmabouther；andClementlookedonsmiling，andsathimdownoveragainstthem。
ThenspakeKatherine：“Omylord！howgreatandmasterfulhastthougrown；neverdidIhopetoseetheecomebacksomightyaman。”
Andagainsheweptforjoy；butRalphkissedheragain，andshesaid，laughingthroughhertears：“MasterClement，thislordandwarriorhathbroughtbackwithhimsomethingthatIhavenotseen；andbelikehehathhadonefairwomaninhisarms，ormoreitmaybe，sinceIsawhimlast。
Forthoughhebutkissesmeashisgossipandfoster-mother，yetarehiskissescloserandkinderthantheywereaforetime。”
SaidClement：“SoothistheSage’sguess；yetverily，fairsir，Ihavetoldhersomewhatofthyjourneys，sofarasIknewofthem。”
SaidKatherine：“Dearlordandgossip，wiltthounottellmemorethereofnow？”
“What！”saidRalph；“shallInotsleepto-night？”
“Deargossip。”shesaid，“thouartover-mightytoneedsleep。Andah！
Ihadforgotteninthejoyofourmeetingthatto-morrowthougoesttobattle；
andhowifthoucomenotagain？”
“Fearnought。”saidRalph；“artthounotsomewhatforeseeing？
Dostthounotknowthatto-morroworthedayafterIshallcomebackunhurtandvictorious；andthenshallboththouandClementcometoUpmeadsandabidethereaslongasyewill；
andthenshallItelltheeamanytalesofmywanderings；
andUrsulamybeloved，shealsoshalltellthee。”
Katherinereddenedsomewhat，butshesaid：“WouldImightkissherfeet，dearlord。Butnow，Ipraythee，tellmesomewhat，nowatonce。”
“Soshallitbe。”saidRalph，“sincethouwilthaveit，deargossip；butwhenIhavedoneIshallasktheetotellmesomewhat，whereofhathlongbeenwonderinmymind；
andmeseemeththatbythetimewearebothdonewithtales，Ishallneedsbeputtingonmyhelmagain——Nay，againItelltheeitisbutashowofbattlethatIgoto！”
SothenhewentandsatbyClement’sside，andbeganandtoldoverasshortlyasmightbethetidingsofhisjourneys。
Andoftsheweptforpitythereat。
Butwhenhewasdoneandhehadsatbeholdingher，andsawhowgoodlyawomanshewas，andhowstraightandwellknitofbody，hesaid：
“Gossip，Iwondernow，ifthoualsohastdrunkoftheWell；
forthouarttoofairandgoodlytobeoftheagethatwecallthee。
Howisthis！AlsotellmehowthoucamestbythispairofbeadsthatseemtohaveledmetotheWellattheWorld’sEnd？
ForasIsaide’ennow，Ihavelongmarvelledhowthouhadstthemandwhere。”
“Fairsir。”saidClement，“asforherdrinkingoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，itisnotso；butthisisagoodwoman，andavaliant，andofgreatwisdom；andsuchwomenwearwell，evenasawell-wroughtpieceofarmourthathathbornemanystrokesofthecraftsman’shand，andhathinitsomedealofhisverymindandthewisdomofhim。
Butnowlethertelltheehertale(whichforsoothIknownot)，fornightisgrowingold。”
DameKatherineTellsofthePairofBeads，andWhenceSheHadThemKatherinecastfriendlylooksonthemandsaid：“Gossip，andthou，Clement，Iwillmakeacleanbreastofitonceforall。
InthedayswhenIwasfirstweddedtoMasterClementyonder，hefoundhisbedcoldwithoutme，forhewasahotlover；
thereforewouldheoftenhavemewithhimonhisjourneys，howhardsoeverorperilousthewaymightbe。Yea，Clement，thoulookestthesooth，thoughthousayestitnot，Iwasnoughtloththereto，partlybecauseIwouldnotgrievethee，myman；
butpartly，andbelikemostly，becauseIwaswishfultoseethewaysoftheworldevenattheriskofbeingthrustoutoftheworld。
Soitbefellusonatimetomakeajourneytogether，ajourneyexceedinglong，inthecompanyofcertainchapmen，whereofsome，andnotafew，diedontheway。Butwelived，andcameintotheeasternpartsoftheearthtoacityrightancient，andfulfilledofmarvels，whichhightSarrastheHoly。
Theresawwewonderswhereofwereitoverlongtotellofhere；
butonewhileIwilltellthee，mylord。ButthisImustneedssay，thatIheardtellofawomandwellingthere，whowasnotoldbyseeming，buthadinherthewisdomoftenlives，andthelonginggatholdofmetoseeherandlearnwisdomofher。
SoIentreatedmanywhowerecalledwise，somewithprayers，andsomewithgiftsalso，tohelpmetospeechofher；
butIgatnothingeitherbyprayingorgiving；theythatwouldhavehelpedmecouldnot，andtheythatcouldwouldnot。
So，whatbetweenonethingandanother，thelongingtoseetheWiseWomangrewasitwereintoamadnessinme。Amidstofwhichwefellinwithamerchantexceedingwiseinancientlore，wholookedatme(thoughClementknewitnot)witheyesoflove。
OfthismanIaskedconcerningtheWiseWoman，andheseeingmydesire，strovetouseitmerchant-like，andwoulddealwithmeandhaveinpaymentforhislearningagiftwhichIhadnoughttodotogive。
HowbeitmadnessandmydesireforspeechwiththeWiseWomangotthebetterofme，andIpromisedtogivenolessthanhewould，trustingtobeguilehimafterIhadgotmydesire，andbequitofhim。Soheledmetothewomanandwenthisways。
Shedweltallbyherselfinanookofanancientruinedpalace，erstthehouseoftheancientestofallthekingsofSarras。
WhenIcametoher，Isawnoughtdreadfulorugsomeabouther：
shewascheerfulofcountenanceandcourteousofdemeanour，andgreetedmekindlyasoneneighbourinthestreetofWulsteadmightdotoanother。Isawher，thatshewasbyseemingawomanofsomefortywinters，trimandwell-fashionedofbody，nowisebig，butslender，ofdarkredhairandbrowneyessomewhatsmall。
“Now，shesaidtome，’Ihavelookedfortheeawhile；nowthouartcome，thoushalttellmewhatthouneedest，andthyneedswillIfulfil。
Yetneedsmustthoudoathingformeinreturn，andmaybethouwiltdeemitagreatthing。Yetwhereasthouhasstruckabargainbeforethoucamesthither，ifIundothatforthee，thebargainwithmemaybenoughtsoburdensome。
Howsayestthou？’
“Well，IsawnowthatIwasinthetrap，forillhaditbeeninthosedayshadClementcometoknowthatIhaddoneamiss；
forhewasajealouslover，andaviolentman。”
Clementsmiledhereat，butsaidnought，andKatherinewenton：
“Trapornotrap，ifIwereeagerbefore，Iwasover-eagernow；
sowhenshebademesweartodoherwill，Isworeitwithouttarrying。
“Thenshesaid：’Sitdownbeforeme，andIwillteachtheewisdom。’
Whatdidsheteachme？sayye。Well，ifItoldyoubelikeyewouldbenonethewiser；butsomuchshetoldme，thatmyheartswelledwithjoyofthewisdomwhichIgarnered。
Saythou，Clement，ifIhavebeentheworserwomantothee，orthyfriends，ormine。”
“Nay，goodwife。”saidClement，“Ihavenoughtagainstthee。”
Katherinelaughedandwenton：
“AtlasttheWiseWomansaid，’Nowthatthouhastofmeallthatmayavailthee，comestheotherpartofourbargain，whereinIshalltakeandthoushaltgive。’
“QuothI，’Thatisbutfair，andthoushaltfindmetruetothee。’
Shesaid，’Ifthoubenot，Ishallknowit，andshallamenditinsuchwisethatitshallcosttheemuch。’
“Thenshelookedonmelongandkeenly，andsaidafterward：
’ForsoothIshouldforbearlayingthischargeupontheeifIdidnotdeemthatthouwouldstbenolessthantrue。
ButnowIwilltryit，whereasIdeemthatthedaysofmylifehenceforwardshallnotbemany；andmanydayswouldittakemetofindawomanaslittlefoolishastheeandaslittlefalse，andtheretoasfairlyfashioned。’
“Therewithsheputherhandtoherneck，andtookthencetheself-samepairofbeadswhichIgavetothee，deargossip，andwhich(praisebetoAllHallows！)thouhastborneeversince；andshesaid：’Nowhearken！
Thoushalttakethispairofbeads，anddowiththemasIbidthee。
Swearagainthereto。’SoIsworebyAllAngels；andshesaidagain：
’ThispairofbeadsshallonedayleadamanuntotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，butnowoman；forsooth，ifawomanhavethemofawoman，orthelikeofthem，(fortherebeothers，)theymayserveherforatoken；butwillbenotalismanorleading-stonetoher；
andthisItelltheelestthouseektotheWellonthestrengthofthem。
ForIbidtheegivethemtoamanthatthoulovest——thatthoulovestwell，whenheisinmostneed；onlyheshallnotbeofthineownblood。ThisisallthatIlayuponthee；andifthoudoit，thoushaltthrive，andifthoudoitnot，thoushaltcometoharm。
AndIwilltelltheenowthatthismeetingbetwixtusisnotbychance-hap，butofmybringingabout；forIhavelabouredtodrawtheetome，knowingthatthoualoneofwomenwouldavailmeherein。
Nowshaltthougohometothinehostel，andtakethisforatokenofmysooth-saying。Thewisemerchantwholedtheeuntomeisabidingthinehomecomingthathemayhaveoftheethatwhichthoupromisedsttohim。
Ifthenthoufindhimatthinehostel，andhetaketheebythehandandleadtheetobed，whereasClementisawaytillto-morroweven，thenshaltthoucallmeavainword-spinnerandaliar；butifwhenthoucomesthomethere，thefolktheresaytotheemerchantValeriusisriddenawayhastily，beingcalledafaronamessageoflifeanddeath，thenshaltthoutrowinmeasawisewoman。
Herewithdepart，andIbidtheefarewell。’
“SoIwentmywaystomyhosteltrembling，andatthedoorImetthechamberlain，whosaidtome，’Lady，themerchantValeriushathbeenhereseekingthee，andhesaidthathewouldabidethycoming；
butamidstofhisabidingcomethamanwhowouldspeaktohimprivily；
whereofitcamethathecalledforhishorseandbademetellthee，Lady，thathewassummonedonamatteroflifeanddeath，andwouldreturntokissthinehandsinfivedays’space。’
“SoIwottedthatthewomanhadspokensooth，andwaswiseandforeseeing，andsomethingofadreadofhercameuponme。
ButthenextevenbackcomethClement，andthedayafterwerodeawayfromSarrastheHoly，andValeriusIsawneveragain。
Andastothebeads，thereisnoughttotellofthemtilltheycameintothinehands；andsomethingtellsmethatitwasthewilloftheWiseWomanthattonootherhandstheyshouldcome。”
HereKatherinemadeanend，andboththemensatponderinghertalealittle。
AsforRalph，hedeemeditcertainthattheWiseWomanofSarraswouldbenoneotherthanshewhohadtaughtloretotheLadyofAbundance；
butwhysheshouldhavemeantthebeadsforhimhewottednot。
AgainhewonderedhowitwasthattheLadyofAbundanceshouldhavegiventhebeadstoUrsula，andwhethersheknewthattheyhadnomighttoleadhertotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。AndyetfurtherhewonderedhowitwasthatUrsula，unholpenbythetalisman，shouldhavedonesomuchtobringhimtotheWell；yea，andhowshewasthefirsttoseeitwhileheslept。
ButhishearttoldhimthatwhereashewasseekingtheWellwithher，shemustneedscomethitherwithhim，unlesstheywerebothcastaway；
withalKatherinelookedathimandsaid：“Yea，dearlord，Iwotwhatthouartthinkingof；butcouldestthouhavelefther，whenthouhadstoncefoundheragain，WellornoWell？”“Soothisthat。”saidRalph，“yetforallthatshehathdonewithouthelpoftalismanorwitchcraftisshethemoreworshipfulandthedearer。”
