ter, or it may be even as a daughter; for
ever to my eyes was she the old carline who learned me lore in the Dale
of the wildwood.

"But now a long while, years long, we abode in that House of the
Sorceress ere we durst seek further to the Well at the World's End.
And yet meseems though the years wore, they wore me no older; nay, in
the first days at least I waxed stronger of body and fairer than I had
been in the King's Palace in the Land of the Tower, as though some
foretaste of the Well was there for us in the loneliness of the desert;
although forsooth the abiding there amidst the scantiness of
livelihood, and the nakedness, and the toil, and the torment of wind
and weather were as a penance for the days and deeds of our past lives.
What more is to say concerning our lives here, saving this, that in
those days I learned yet more wisdom of the Teacher of Lore, and amidst
that wisdom was much of that which ye call sorcery: as the foreseeing
of things to come, and the sending of dreams or visions, and certain
other matters. And I may tell thee that the holy man who came to us
last even, I sent him the dream which came to him drowsing, and bade
him come to the helping of Walter the Black: for I knew that I should
take thy hand and flee with thee this morning e'en as I have done: and
I would fain have a good leech to Walter lest he should die, although I
owe him hatred rather than love. Now, my friend, tell me, is this an
evil deed, and dost thou shrink from the Sorceress?"

He strained her to his bosom and kissed her mouth, and then he said:
"Yet thou hast never sent a dream to me." She laughed and said: "What!
hast thou never dreamed of me since we met at the want-way of the Wood
Perilous?" "Never," said he. She stroked his cheek fondly, and said:
"Young art thou, sweet friend, and sleepest well a-nights. It was
enough that thou thoughtest of me in thy waking hours." Then she went
on with her tale.

CHAPTER 8

The Lady Maketh an End of Her Tale

"Well, my friend, after we had lived thus a long time, we set out one
day to seek to the Well at the World's End, each of us signed and
marked out for the quest by bearing such-like beads as thou and I both
bear upon our necks today. Once again of all that befell us on that
quest I will tell thee naught as now: because to that Well have I to
bring thee: though myself, belike, I need not its waters again."

Quoth Ralph: "And must thou lead me thy very self,