and said: "Fair Sir,
there are tales going about concerning thee, some whereof are strange
enow, but none of them ill; and I deem by the look of thee that thou
shalt be both a stark champion and a good lord; and I deem that it
shall be my good luck, if I see more of thee, and much more. Now if
thou wilt, pass on with thine other fellows to the Flower de Luce, and
leave this my old fellow-in-arms with me, and he shall tell me of thy
mind; for I see that thou wouldest have somewhat of us; and since, I
doubt not by the looks of thee, that thou wilt not bid us aught
unknightly, when we know thy will, we shall try to pleasure thee."

"Yea, Lord Ralph," said Roger, "thou mayest leave all the business with
me, and I will come to thee not later than betimes to-morrow, and let
thee wot how matters have sped. And methinks ye may hope to wend
out-a-gates this time otherwise than thou didest before."

So Ralph gave him yeasay and thanked the man-at-arms and rode his ways
with the others toward the Flower de Luce, and whereas the sun was but
newly set, Ralph noted that the booths were gayer and the houses
brighter and more fairly adorned than aforetimes. As for the folk,
they were such that the streets seemed full of holiday makers, so
joyous and well dight were they; and the women like to those fair
thralls whom he had seen that other time, saving that they were not
clad so wantonly, however gaily. They came into the great square, and
there they saw that the masons and builders had begun on the master
church to make it fairer and bigger; the people were sporting there as
in the streets, and amongst them were some weaponed men, but the most
part of these bore the token of the Dry Tree.

So they entered the Flower de Luce, and had good welcome there, as if
they were come home to their own house; for when its people saw such a
goodly old man in the Sage, and so stout and trim a knight as was
Richard, and above all when they beheld the loveliness of Ralph and
Ursula, they praised them open-mouthed, and could scarce make enough of
them. And when they had had their meat and were rested came two of the
maids there and asked them if it were lawful to talk with them; and
Ralph laughed and bade them sit by them, and eat a dainty morsel; and
they took that blushing, for they were fair and young, and Ralph's face
and the merry words of his mouth stirred the hearts within them: and
forsooth it was not so much they that spake as Ursula a