chapman's ware-bowers were
hard by the chamber, there was a pleasant mingled smell therefrom
floating about. The table was set with meat and drink and vessel of
pewter and earth, all fair and good; and thereby stood the chapman's
wife, a very goodly woman of two-score years, who had held Ralph at the
font when she was a slim damsel new wedded; for she was come of no mean
kindred of the Kingdom of Upmeads: her name was Dame Katherine.

Now she kissed Ralph's cheek friendly, and said: "Welcome, gossip! thou
art here in good time to break thy fast; and we will give thee a trim
dinner thereafter, when thou hast been here and there in the town and
done thine errand; and then shalt thou drink a cup and sing me a song,
and so home again in the cool of the evening."

Ralph seemed a little troubled at her word, and he said: "Nay, gossip,
though I thank thee for all these good things as though I had them, yet
must I ride away south straightway after I have breakfasted, and said
one word to the goodman. Goodman, how call ye the next town southward,
and how far is it thither?"

Quoth Clement: "My son, what hast thou to do with riding south? As
thou wottest, going hence south ye must presently ride the
hill-country; and that is no safe journey for a lonely man, even if he
be a doughty knight like to thee, lord."

Said Ralph, reddening withal: "I have an errand that way."

"An errand of King Peter's or thine own?" said Clement.

"Of King Peter's, if ye must wot," said Ralph.

Clement were no chapman had he not seen that the lad was lying; so he
said:

"Fair lord, saving your worship, how would it be as to the speeding of
King Peter's errand, if I brought thee before our mayor, and swore the
peace against thee; so that I might keep thee in courteous prison till
I had sent to thy father of thy whereabouts?"

The young man turned red with anger; but ere he could speak Dame
Katherine said sharply: "Hold thy peace, Clement! What hast thou to
meddle or make in the matter? If our young lord hath will to ride out
and see the world, why should we let him? Yea, why should his father
let him, if it come to that? Take my word for it that my gossip shall
go through the world and come back to those that love him, as goodly as
he went forth. And hold! here is for a token thereof."

Therewith she went to an ark that stood in the corner, and groped in
the till thereof and brought out a little necklace of blue and green
stones