d, even as she
endureth in youth, and she shall love me for ever, and I her for ever."

So he thought; but yet amidst these happy thoughts came in this evil
one, that whereas all the men-folk spoke well of her and worshipped
her, the women-folk feared her or hated her; even to the lecherous old
woman who had praised the beauty of her body for his torment. So he
thought till his head grew heavy, and he went and lay down in his bed
and slept, and dreamed of the days of Upmead; and things forgotten in
his waking time came between him and any memories of his present
longing and the days thereof.

He awoke and arose betimes in the morning, and when he had breakfasted
he bade the carline bring him his weapons. "Wilt thou again to the
wood?" said she. "Didst thou not bid me fare thither yesterday?" said
he. "Yea," she said; "but to-day I fear lest thou depart and come not
back." He laughed and said: "Seest thou not, mother, that I go afoot,
and I in hauberk and helm? I cannot run far or fast from thee. Also"
(and here he broke off his speech a little) "where should I be but
here?"

"Ah," she said, "but who knows what may happen?" Nevertheless she went
and fetched his war-gear and looked at him fondly as he did it on, and
went his ways from the hall.

Now he entered the wood more to the south than he had done yesterday,
and went softly as before, and still was he turning over in his mind
the thoughts of last night, and ever they came back. "Might I but see
her! Would she but love me! O for a draught of the Well at the
World's End, that the love might last long and long!"

So he went on a while betwixt the trees and the thickets, till it was a
little past noon. But all on a sudden a panic fear took him, lest she
should indeed come to the castle while he was away, and not finding
him, depart again, who knows whither; and when this thought came upon
him, he cried aloud, and hastened at his swiftest back again to the
castle, and came there breathless and wearied, and ran to the old
woman, and cried out to her; "Is she come? is she come?"

The carline laughed and said, "Nay, she is not, but thou art come:
praise be to the saints! But what aileth thee? Nay, fear not, she
shall come at last."

Then grew Ralph shamefaced and turned away from her, and miscalled
himself for a fool and a dastard that could not abide the pleasure of
his lady at the very place whereto she had let lead him. So he wore
through the remn