nd the Sage; for
Ralph was somewhat few spoken, whereas he pondered concerning the
coming days, and what he half deemed that he saw a-doing at Upmeads.
But at last they found their tongues, and said how that already rumour
was abroad that they were in the Burg who had drunk of the Water of the
Well at the World's End; and said one: "It is indeed a fair sight to
see you folk coming back in triumph; and so methinks will many deem if
ye abide with us over to-morrow, and yet, Lady, for a while we are
well-nigh as joyous as ye can be, whereas we have but newly come into
new life also: some of us from very thralldom of the most grievous, and
I am of those; and some of us in daily peril of it, like to my sister
here. So mayhappen," said she, smiling, "none of us shall seek to the
Well until we have worn our present bliss a little threadbare."

Ursula smiled on her, but the Sage said: "Mayhappen it is of no avail
speaking of such things to a young and fair woman; but what would
betide you if the old Burgers were to come back and win their walls
again?" The maid who had been a thrall changed countenance at his
word; but the other one said: "If the Burgers come back, they will find
them upon the walls who have already chaced them. Thou mayst deem me
slim and tender, old wise man; but such as mine arm is, it has upheaved
the edges against the foe; and if it be a murder to slay a Burger, then
am I worthy of the gallows." "Yea, yea," quoth Richard, laughing, "ye
shall be double-manned then in this good town: ye may well win, unless
the sight of you shall make the foe over fierce for the gain."

Said the Sage "It is well, maiden, and if ye hold to that, and keep
your carles in the same road, ye need not to fear the Burgers: and to
say sooth, I have it in my mind, that before long ye shall have both
war and victory."

Then Ralph seemed to wake up as from a dream, and he arose, and said:
"Thou art in the right, Sage, and to mine eyes it seemeth that both
thou and I shall be sharers in the war and the victory." And therewith
he fell to striding up and down the hall, while the two maidens sat
gazing on him with gleaming eyes and flushed cheeks.

But in a little while he came back to his seat and sat him down, and
fell to talk with the women, and asked them of the town and the
building therein, and the markets, whether they throve; and they and
two or three of the townsmen or merchants answered all, and told him
how fair their es