d to see her ere now; but when we meet
apart from folk, something we shall be able to say to each other, which
belike neither she nor I had liked to leave unsaid till we meet again."

So came they to the chief quarters of the fighting men, and Ralph had
all the leaders called to him, and he spake to them of how they should
do on the morrow, both footmen and horsemen, whatwise they should stand
together, and how they should fall on; and he told them all as clearly
as if he were already in the field with the foe before him; so that
they wondered at him, so young in years, being so old in the wisdom of
war. Withal they saw of him that he had no doubt but that they should
come to their above on the morrow; and all men, not only of the tried
men-at-arms of the Dry Tree, but they of the Shepherds also, even those
of them who had never stricken a stroke in anger, were of high heart
and feared not what should befall.

So when all this business was over, they turned about and came their
ways home to Clement's house again.

They saw lights in the chamber or ever they entered, and when they came
to the door, lo! there within was Katherine walking up and down the
floor as if she knew not how to contain herself. She turned and saw
Ralph at the door, and she cried aloud and ran towards him with arms
outspread. But when she drew nigh to him and beheld him closely, she
withheld her, and falling down on her knees before him took his hand
and fell to kissing it and weeping and crying out, "O my lord, my lord,
thou art come again to us!" But Ralph stooped down to her, and lifted
her up, and embraced her and kissed her on the cheeks and the mouth,
and led her to the settle and sat down beside her and put his arm about
her; and Clement looked on smiling, and sat him down over against them.

Then spake Katherine: "O my lord! how great and masterful hast thou
grown; never did I hope to see thee come back so mighty a man." And
again she wept for joy; but Ralph kissed her again, and she said,
laughing through her tears: "Master Clement, this lord and warrior
hath brought back with him something that I have not seen; and belike
he hath had one fair woman in his arms, or more it may be, since I saw
him last. For though he but kisses me as his gossip and foster-mother,
yet are his kisses closer and kinder than they were aforetime."

Said Clement: "Sooth is the Sage's guess; yet verily, fair sir, I have
told her somewhat of thy journeys,