Ralph Heareth More Tidings of the Damsel
The second day, while the merchants saw to their chaffer, most of the
men-at-arms, and Ralph with them, spent their time again in those
goodly gardens; where, indeed, some of them made friends of fair women
of the place; in which there was less risk than had been for aliens in
some towns, whereas at Cheaping Knowe such women as were wedded
according to law, or damsels in the care of their kindred, or slaves
who were concubines, had not dared so much as to look on a man.
The third day time hung somewhat heavy on Ralph's hands, not but that
the Companions were well at ease, but rather because himseemed that he
was not stirring in the quest.
But the next day Clement bade him come see that thrall-merchant
aforesaid, and brought him to a corner of the market-place, where was a
throng looking on at the cheaping. They went through the throng, and
beside a stone like a leaping-on stone saw a tall man, goodly of
presence, black bearded, clad in scarlet; and this was the merchant;
and by him were two of his knaves and certain weaponed men who had
brought their wares to the cheaping. And some of these were arrayed
like those foemen of the mountains. There was a half score and three
of these chattels to be sold, who stood up one after other on the
stone, that folk might cheapen them. The cheaping was long about,
because they that had a mind to buy were careful to know what they were
buying, like as if they had been cheapening a horse, and most of them
before they bid their highest had the chattels away into the merchant's
booth to strip them, lest they should buy damaged or unhandsome bodies;
and this more especially if it were a woman, for the men were already
well nigh naked. Of women four of them were young and goodly, and
Ralph looked at them closely; but they were naught like to the woman of
his quest.
Now this cheaping irked Ralph sorely, as was like to be, whereas, as
hath been told, he came from a land where were no thralls, none but
vavassors and good yeomen: yet he abode till all was done, hansel
paid, and the thralls led off by their new masters. Then Clement led
him up to the merchant, to whom he gave the sele of the day, and said:
"Master, this is the young knight of whom I told thee, who deemeth that
a woman who is his friend hath been brought to this market and sold
there, and if he might, he would ransom her."
The merchant greeted Ralph courteously, and bade him and Clement come
into his house, where they might speak more privily. So did they, and
he treated them with honour, and set wine and spices before them, and
bade Ralph say whatlike the woman was. Ralph did so, and wondered at
himself how well and closely he could tell of her, like as a picture
painted. And, moreover, he drew forth that piece of her gown which he
had come on by the Mid-Mountain House.
So when he had done, the merchant, who was a man sober of aspect and
somewhat slow of speech, said: "Sir, I believe surely that I have seen
this damsel, but she is not with me now, nor have I sold her ever; but
hither was she brought to be sold by a man of the mountain folk not
very many days ago. And the man's name was Bull Nosy, or the longnosed
man of the kindred of the Bull, for in such wise are named the men of
that unhappy folk. Now this was the cause why I might not sell her,
that she was so proud and stout that men feared her, what she might do
if they had her away. And when some spake to see her body naked, she
denied it utterly, saying that she would do a mischief to whomsoever
tried it. So I spake to him who owned her, and asked him if he thought
it good to take her a while and quell her with such pains as would
spoil her but little, and then bring her to market when she was meeker.
But he heeded my words little, and led her away, she riding on a horse
and he going afoot beside her; for the mountain-men be no horsemen."
Said Ralph: "Dost thou know at all whither he will have led her?" Said
the merchant: "By my deeming, he will have gone first of all to the
town of Whiteness, whither thy Fellowship will betake them ere long:
for he will be minded to meet there the Lord of Utterbol, who is for
such like wares; and he will either give her to him as a gift, for
which he will have a gift in return, or he will sell her to my lord at
a price if he dare to chaffer with him. At least so will he do if he
be wise. Now if the said lord hath her, it will be somewhat more than
hard for thee to get her again, till he have altogether done with her;
for money and goods are naught to him beside the doing of his will.
But there is this for thy comfort, that whereas she is so fair a woman,
she will be well with my lord. For I warrant me that she will not dare
to be proud with him, as she was with the folk here."
"Yea," said Ralph, "and what is this lord of Utterbol that all folk,
men and women, fear him so?" Said the merchant: "Fair sir, thou must
pardon me if I say no more of him. Belike thou mayst fall in with him;
and if thou dost, take heed that thou make not thyself great with him."
So Ralph thanked the merchant and departed with Clement, of whom
presently he asked if he knew aught of this lord of Utterbol. Said
Clement: "God forbid that I should ever meet him, save where I were
many and he few. I have never seen him; but he is deemed by all men as
the worst of the tyrants who vex these lands, and, maybe, the
mightiest."
So was Ralph sore at heart for the damsel, and anon he spake to Bull
again of her, who deemed somewhat, that his kinsman had been minded at
the first to sell her to the lord of Utterbol. And Ralph thinks his
game a hard one, yet deems that if he could but find out where the
damsel was, he might deliver her, what by sleight, what by boldness.