Ralph Falleth in With Another Old Friend
Ralph went with Richard now without more words, and they came into the
market-place and unto Blaise's booth and house, which was no worse than
the best in the place; and the painters and stainers were at work on
the upper part of it to make it as bright and goodly as might be with
red and blue and green and gold, and all fair colours, and already was
there a sign hung out of the fruitful tree by the water-side. As for
the booth, it was full within of many wares and far-fetched and
dear-bought things; as pieces of good and fine cloth plumbed with the
seal of the greatest of the cities; and silk of Babylon, and spices of
the hot burning islands, and wonders of the silversmith's and the
goldsmith's fashioning, and fair-wrought weapons and armour of the
best, and every thing that a rich chapman may deal in. And amidst of
it all stood Blaise clad in fine black cloth welted with needle work,
and a gold chain about his neck. He was talking with three honourable
men of the Port, and they were doing him honour with kind words and the
bidding of help. When he saw Ralph and Richard come in, he nodded to
them, as to men whom he loved, but were beneath him in dignity, and
left not talking with the great men. Richard grinned a little thereat,
as also did Ralph in his heart; for he thought: "Here then is one of
the Upmeads kin provided for, so that soon he may buy with his money
two domains as big as Upmeads and call them his manors."
Now Ralph looks about him, and presently he sees a man come forward to
meet him from the innermost of the booth, and lo! there was come
Clement Chapman. His heart rose at the sight of him, and he thought of
his kind gossip till he could scarce withhold his tears. But Clement
came to him and cast his arms about him, and kissed him, and said:
"Thou shalt pardon me for this, lord, for it is the kiss of the gossip
which she bade me give thee, if I fell in with thee, as now I have,
praised be the Saints! Yet it irks me that I shall see little more of
thee at this time, for to-morrow early I must needs join myself to my
company; for we are going south awhile to a good town some fifty miles
hence. Nevertheless, if thou dwellest here some eight days I shall see
thee again belike, since thereafter I get me eastward on a hard and
long journey not without peril. How sayest thou?"
"I wot not," quoth Ralph looking at Richard. Said Richard: "Thou mayst
wot well, master Clement, that my lord is anhungered of the praise of
the folks, and is not like to abide in a mere merchant-town till the
mould grow on his back." "Well, well," said Clement, "however that may
be, I have now done my matters with this cloth-lord, Blaise, and he has
my florins in his pouch: so will not ye twain come with me and drink a
cup till he hath done his talk with these magnates?"
Ralph was nothing loth, for besides that he loved master Clement, and
that his being in company was like having a piece of his home anigh
him, he hoped to hear some tidings concerning the Well at the World's
End.
So he and Richard went with master Clement to the Christopher, a fair
ale-house over against the Great Church, and sat down to good wine; and
Ralph asked of Clement many things concerning dame Katherine his
gossip, and Clement told him all, and that she was well, and had been
to Upmeads, and had seen King Peter and the mother of Ralph; and how
she had assuaged his mother's grief at his departure by forecasting
fair days for her son. All this Ralph heard gladly, though he was
somewhat shamefaced withal, and sat silent and thinking of many
matters. But Richard took up the word and said: "Which way camest thou
from Wulstead, master Clement?" "The nighest way I came," said
Clement, "through the Woods Perilous." Said Richard: "And they of the
Dry Tree, heardest thou aught of them?" "Yea, certes," quoth Clement,
"for I fell in with their Bailiff, and paid him due scot for the
passage of the Wood; he knoweth me withal, and we talked together."
"And had he any tidings to tell thee of the champions?" said Richard.
Said Clement, "Great tidings maybe, how that there was a rumour that
they had lost their young Queen and Lady; and if that be true, it will
go nigh to break their hearts, so sore as they loved her. And that
will make them bitter and fierce, till their grief has been slaked by
the blood of men. And that the more as their old Queen abideth still,
and she herself is ever of that mind."
Ralph hearkened, and his heart was wounded that other men should speak
of his beloved: but he heard how Richard said: "Hast thou ever known
why that company of champions took the name of the Dry Tree?" "Why,
who should know that, if thou knowest it not, Richard of Swevenham?"
said Clement: "Is it not by the token of the Dry Tree that standeth in
the lands on the hither side of the Wall of the World?" Richard nodded
his head; but Ralph cried out: "O Master Clement, and hast thou seen
it, the Wall of the World?" "Yea, afar off, my son," said he; "or what
the folk with me called so; as to the Dry Tree, I have told thee at
Wulstead that I have seen it not, though I have known men who have told
me that they have seen it." "And must they who find the Well at the
World's End come by the Dry Tree?" "Yea, surely," said Clement. Quoth
Richard: "And thus have some heard, who have gone on that quest, and
they have heard of the Champions of Hampton, and have gone thither,
being deceived by that name of the Dry Tree, and whiles have been slain
by the champions, whiles have entered their company." "Yea," said
Clement, "so it is that their first error hath ended their quest. But
now, lord Ralph, I will tell thee one thing; to wit, that when I return
hither after eight days wearing, I shall be wending east, as I said
e'en now, and what will that mean save going somewhat nigher to the
Wall of the World; for my way lieth beyond the mountains that ye see
from hence, and beyond the mountains that lie the other side of those;
and I bid thee come with us, and I will be thy warrant that so far thou
shalt have no harm: but when thou hast come so far, and hast seen three
very fair cities, besides towns and castles and thorps and strange men,
and fair merchandize, God forbid that thou shouldest wend further, and
so cast away thy young life for a gay-coloured cloud. Then will be the
time to come back with me, that I may bring thee through the perils of
the way to Wulstead, and Upmeads at the last, and the folk that love
thee."
Richard held his peace at this word, but Ralph said: "I thank thee,
Master Clement, for thy love and thy helping hand; and will promise
thee to abide thee here eight days at the least; and meanwhile I will
ponder the matter well."