s thou didst
bring him safe through the mountains unto Goldburg? And but for that
there had been no Well, either for him or for me."

But Clement stood with his head hanging down, and his face reddening.
Till Ralph said to him: "Hail, friend! many a time we thought of this
meeting when we were far away and hard bestead; but this is better than
all we thought of. But now, Clement, hold up thine head and be a stout
man of war, for thou seest that we are not alone."

Said Clement: "Yea, fair lord, and timely ye come, both thou and thy
company; and now that I have my speech again which joy hath taken away
from me at the first, I shall tell thee this, that if ye go further
than the good town ye shall be met and fought withal by men who are
over-many and over-fierce for us." "Yea," said Ralph, "and how many be
they?" Quoth Clement: "How many men may be amongst them I wot not, but
I deem there be some two thousand devils."

Now Ralph reddened, and he took Clement by the shoulder, and said:
"Tell me, Clement, are they yet in Upmeads?" "Sooth to say," said
Clement, "by this while they may be therein; but this morn it was yet
free of them; but when thou art home in our house, thy gossip shall
belike tell thee much more than I can; for she is foreseeing, and hath
told us much in this matter also that hath come to pass." Then spake
Ralph: "Where are my father and my mother; and shall I go after them
at once without resting, through the dark night and all?"

Said Clement, and therewith his face brightened: "Nay, thou needest go
no further to look for them than the House of Black Canons within our
walls: there are they dwelling in all honour and dignity these two days
past." "What!" said Ralph, "have they fled from Upmeads, and left the
High House empty? I pray thee, Clement, bring me to them as speedily
as may be."

"Verily," said Clement, "they have fled, with many another, women and
children and old men, who should but hinder the carles who have abided
behind. Nicholas Longshanks is the leader of them down there, and the
High House is their stronghold in a way; though forsooth their stout
heads and strong hands are better defence."

Here Ralph brake in: "Sweetling Ursula, though thy feet have worn a
many miles to-day, I bid thee hasten back to the company and tell
Richard that it is as I said, to wit, that friends, and good guesting
await them; so let them hasten hither and come within gates at once.
For as for m