ThenspeechcameintoClement’smouth，andhesaid：“Wife，itisasIsaidbefore，whenthygossiphadjustdepartedfromus。
Itwasmeetenoughthatthoushouldsthavelovedhimbetterthanme；
butnowitisevenlesstobeundonethanever，whenhehascomebackbringingwithhimawomansovaliantandlovelyasismyLadyUrsula。
Sothoumuste’entakethelifethatfatehathsentthee。”
Katherinelaughedthroughhertears，andsaid：“Withal，goodman，Ihavebeennobadwifetothee。Andmoreover，lookthou，gossipdear：
whenIwaswanderingaboutwithClementamongstmanyperils，whenourneedseemedsorest，thenwouldIthinktogivethebeadstoClement；
butsosoonasIbegantospeaktohimoftheWellattheWorld’sEndhewouldbelittlethetaleofit，andwouldbidmelooktoitifitwerenotso，thatwheretheworldendeththecloudsbegin。”
Asshespoke，Ralphlifteduphishandandpointedtothewindow，andsaid：
“Friends，aswewerespeakingofallthesemarvelswewereforgettingtheneedofUpmeadsandthedayofbattle；andlonow！howthedawniswideningandthecandlesfading。”
Scarcewerethewordsoutofhismouth，whenonthequietnessofthebeginningofdaybrakeoutthesoundoffourtrumpets，whichweresoundinginthefourquartersofthetown，andblowingmentothegathering。
ThenroseupbothRalphandClementandtooktheirweapons，andtheykissedKatherineandwentsoberlyout-a-doorsintothemarket-place，wherealreadyweaponedmenwerestreamingintothemuster。
CHAPTER29
TheyGoDowntoBattleinUpmeadsBeforeitwaslightwereallmencomeintothemarket-place，andRalphandRichardandClementandStephena-Hurstfelltoandarrayedthemduly；andnow，whatwiththecompanywhichRalphhadledintoWulstead，whatwiththemenofthetown，andthemthathadfledfromUpmeads(thoughtheselastweremostlyoldmenandlads)，theywereathousandandfourscoreandthree。
Ralphwouldgoafootashewentyesterday；buttodayheboreinhishandtheancientstaffofwar，thegold-writtenguisarme；
andhewentamongsttheShepherds，withwhomwerejoinedthefeeblefolkofUpmeads，menwhomhehadknownofoldandwhoknewhim，anditwasasiftheirheartshadcaughtfirefromhishighheart，andthatwhatevertheirpastdayshadbeentothem，thisdayatleastshouldbeglorious。
WithalanoncomesUrsulafromSt。Austin’swiththeSageofSwevenham，whosefacewasfullsmilingandcheerful。
Ursulaworethatdayahauberkunderhergown，andwashelmedwithasallet；andbecauseofherarmoursherodeuponalittlehorse。RalphgaveherintothewardingoftheSage，whowasarmedatallpoints，andlookedavaliantmanofwar。
ButRalph’sbrother，Hugh，hadgottenhimahorse，andhadfallenintothecompanyoftheChampions，sayingthathedeemedtheywouldgofurtherforththanasortofsheep-tendingchurlsandtherunawaysofUpmeads。
AsforRalph，hewalkedupanddowntheranksofthestoutmenoftheDown-country，andsawhowtheyhadbutlittlearmourfordefence，thoughtheirweaponsforcuttingandthrustinglookedfellandhandy。
SopresentlyheturnedabouttoGiles，who，asaforesaid，borealonghauberk，andsaid：“Friend，thewalkweareonto-dayisalongoneforcarryingburdens，andanhouraftersunriseitwillbehot。
WiltthounotdowiththyraimentasIdo？”Andtherewithhedidoffhishauberkandhisotherarmoursavehissallet。“Thisisgood。”
saidhe，“forthesuntoshineon，sothatImaybeseenfromfar；
buttheseothermattersaregoodforfolkwhofighta-horsebackoronawall；
westridershavenoneedofthem。”
ThenarosegreatshoutingfromtheShepherds，andmenstretchedoutthehandtohimandcalledhailonhisvaliantheart。
AmidstofwhichcriesGilesmuttered，butsoasRalphmighthearhim：
“ItisalldownhilltoUpmeads；Ishalltakeoffmyiron-coatcomingbackagain。”SoRalphclappedhimontheshoulderandbadehimcomebackwholeandwellinanycase。“Yea，andsoshaltthoucomeback。”saidhe。
Thenthehornsblewfordeparture，andtheywenttheirwaysoutofthemarket-place，andoutintothefieldsthroughthenewwoodenwallofWulstead。RichardledthewaywithahalfscoreoftheChampions，butherodebutalittlewaybeforeRalph，whomarchedattheheadoftheShepherds。
Sotheywentinthefreshmorningovertheoldfamiliarfields，andstrangeitseemedtoRalphthathewasleadinganhostintothelittlelandofUpmeads。
Speedilytheywent，thoughingoodorder，anditwasbutalittleaftersunrisewhentheywerewendingtowardthebrowofthelittlehillwhencetheywouldlookdownintothefairmeadswhoseimageRalphhadseenonsomanydaysofperilandweariness。
AndnowRichardandhisfore-ridershadcomeupontothebrowandsatthereontheirhorsesclearagainstthesky；
andRalphsawhowRicharddrewhisswordfromthescabbardandwaveditoverhishead，andheandhismenshouted；
thenthewholehostsetupagreatshout，andhastenedupthebent，butwiththeendoftheirshoutandthesoundofthetrampoftheirfeetandtherattleoftheirwar-gearwasmingledaconfusednoiseofcriesawayoff，andtheblowingofhorns，andasRalphandhiscompanycamecrowdingupontothebrow，helookeddownandsawthehappymeadowsblackwithweaponedmen，andarmourgleamingintheclearmorning，andthepointsofweaponscastingbackthelowsun’sraysandglitteringlikethesparksinadyingfireofstraw。
Thenagainhelooked，andlo！theHighHouserisingoverthemeadowsunburnedandunhurt，andthebannerofthefruitedtreehangingforthfromthetopmosttowerthereof。
Thenhefeltahandcomeontohischeek，andlo，Ursulabesidehim，hercheeksflushedandhereyesglittering；andshecriedout：
“Othinehome，mybeloved，thinehome！”Andheturnedtoherandsaid；“Yea，presently，sweetheart！”“Ah。”shesaid，“willitbelong？andtheysomany！”“Andwesomighty！”saidRalph。
“Nay，itwillbebutalittlewhile。WisemanofSwevenham，seetoitthatmybelovedisanighmeto-day，forwhereIam，therewillbesafety。”
TheSagenoddedyeasayandsmiled。
ThenRalphlookedalongtheridgetorightandleftofhim，andsawthatallthehosthadcomeupandhadasightofthefoemen；
ontherightstoodtheShepherdsstaringdownintothemeadowandlaughingforthejoyofbattleandtherageoftheoppressed。
OntheleftsattheChampionsoftheDryTreeontheirhorses，andtheyalsoweretossinguptheirweaponsandroaringlikelionsfortheprey；
anddownbelowtheblackcrowdhaddrawntogetherintoorderedranks，andstilltheclamourandruderoaringofthewarriorsarosethence，andbeatagainstthehill’sbrow。
NowsofierceandreadywerethemenofRalph’scompanythatitwasanearthingbutthatthey，andtheShepherdsinespecial，didnotrushtumultuouslydownthehillallbreathlessandinillorder。
ButRalphcriedouttoRichardtogoleft，andGilestogoright，andstaytheonsetforawhile；andtobidtheleaderscometohimwherehestood。
Thenthetumultamidsthisfolklulled，andStephena-HurstandRogerandthreeothersoftheDryTreecametohim，andGilesbroughtthreeoftheShepherds，andtherewasClementandafellowofhis。
SowhentheywerecomeandstandinginaringroundRalph，hesaidtothem：
“Brothersinarms，yeseethatourfoesareallinarraytomeetus，havinghadbelikesomespyinWulstead，whohathbroughtthemthetaleofwhatwastoward。Albeitmethinksthatthisirksnoteitheryounorme；
forotherwisewemighthavefoundthemstraggling，andscatteredfarandwide，whichwouldhavemadeourlabourthegreater。
Nowyecanseewithyoureyesthattheyaremanymorethanwebe，evenwereNicholastoissueoutoftheHighHouseagainstthem，asdoubtlesshewilldoifneedbe。Brethren，thoughtheybesomany，yetmyhearttellsmethatweshallovercomethem；yetifweleaveourstrengthandcomedowntothem，bothourtoilshallbegreater，andsomeofus，belikemany，shallbeslain；andevilshouldIdeemitifbutascoreofmyfriendsshouldlosetheirlivesonthisjoyousdaywhenatlastIseeUpmeadsagainaftermanytroubles。
Whereforemyredeisthatweabidetheironsetonthehillsidehere；andneedsmusttheyfallonus，whereaswehaveWulsteadandfriendsbehindus，andtheynoughtbutNicholasandthebowsandbillsoftheHighHouse。
Butifanyhaveaughttosayagainstitlethimspeak，butbespeedy；
foralreadyIseeastirintheirarray，andIdeemthattheywillsendmentochallengeustocomedowntothem。”
ThenspakeStephena-Hurst：“I，andweallmeseemeth，deemthatthouartintheright，Captain；thoughsoothtosay，whenwefirstseteyesonthesedogsagain，thebloodsostirredinusthatwewereliketoletallgoandridedownonthem。”
SaidRichard：“Thoubiddestuswisdomofwar；letthemhavethehillagainstthem。”SaidClement：“Yea，fortheyarewelllearnedandwellarmed；
anothersortoffolktothosewildmenwhomweotherthrewinthemountains。”
Andinlikewisesaidtheyall。
ThenspakeStephenagain：“Lord，sincethouwiltfightafootwithourfriendsoftheShepherds，weoftheDryTreearemindedtofareinlikewiseandtoforegoourhorses；
butifthougainsayit——“
“Champion。”saidRalph，“Idogainsayit。Thouseesthowmanyofthembehorsed，andwithalyeitiswhomustholdthechaseofthem；
forIwillthatnomanofthemshallescape。”
Theylaughedjoyouslyathisword，andthenhesaid：
“Gonow，andgiveyourleadersofscoresandtensthewordthatIhavesaid，andcomebackspeedilyforalittlewhile；
fornowIseethreemensunderingthemfromtheirbattle，andonebearethawhiteclothattheendofhisspear；
theseshallbethechallengers。”
Sotheydidafterhisbidding，andbythentheyhadcomebacktoRalphthosethreemenwereatthefootofthehill，whichwasbutlow。ThenRalphsaidtohiscaptains：
“Standbeforeme，sothatIbenotseenofthemuntiloneofyouhathmadeanswer，’Speakofthistoourleaderandcaptain。’“
Evensotheydid；andpresentlythosethreecamesonighthattheycouldseethewhitesoftheireyes。Theywereallthreewellarmed，buttheforemostofthemwascladinwhitesteelfromheadtofoot，sothathelookedlikeasteelimage，allbuthisface，whichwaspaleandsallowandgrim。
Heandhistwofellows，whentheywererightnigh，rodeslowlyallalongthefrontofRalph’sbattlesthrice，andnonespakeaughttothem，andtheygavenowordtoany；
butwhentheycameoveragainstthecaptainswhostoodbeforeRalphforthefourthtime，theyreinedupandfacedthem，andtheleaderputbackhissalletandspakeinagreatandroughvoice：
“Yemen！wehaveheardthesethreehoursthatyewerecoming，whereforewehavedrawnoutintothemeadswhichwehavetaken，thatyemightseehowmanyandhowvaliantwebe，andmightfearus。
Whereforenow，yebrokenreiversoftheDryTree，yesillyshepherdsofsillysheep，yeweaversandapprenticesofWulstead，andiftherebyanymore，yefools！wegiveyoutwochoicesthismorn。
Eithercomedowntousintothemeadowyonder，thatwemayslayyouwithlesslabour，orelse，whichwillbethebetterforyou，giveuptoustheUpmeadsthrallswhobewithyou，andthenturnyourfacesandgobacktoyourhouses，andabidetheretillwecomeandpullyououtofthem，whichmaybesomewhileyet。
Hah！whatsayye，fools？”
ThenspakeClementandsaid：“Yemessengersoftherobbersandoppressors，whymakeyethisroaringtothecommonpeopleandthesergeants？
WhyspeakyenotwithourCaptain？”
Criedoutthechallenger，“WherethenistheCaptainoftheFools？
ishehidden？canhehearmyword？”
Scarcewasitoutofhismoutherethecaptainsfellawaytorightandleft，andthere，standingbyhimself，wasRalph，holdingtheancientletteredwar-staff；hisheadwasbare，fornowhehaddoneoffhissallet，andthesunandthewindplayedinhisbrighthair；gloriouswashisface，andhisgreyeyesgleamedwithwrathandmasteryashespakeinaclearvoice，andtherewassilenceallalongtherankstohearkenhim：
“Omessengeroftherobbers！Iamthecaptainofthisfolk。
Iseethatthevoicehathdiedawaywithinthejawsofyou；
butitmattersnot，forIhaveheardthywindytalk，andthisistheanswer：wewillneitherdepart，norcomedowntoyou，butwillabideourdeathbyyourhandshereonthishill-side。
Gowiththisanswer。”
