have a merry life of it if she but do somewhat after the
Lord's will."

Ralph looked askance at him fiercely, but the other heeded it naught:
then said Ralph, "And how if she do not his will?" Said Morfinn,
grinning: "Then hath my Lord a many servants to do his will." Ralph
held his peace for a long while; at last he turned a cleared brow to
Morfinn and said; "Dost thou tell of the Lord of Utterbol that he is a
good lord and merciful to his folk and servants?"

"Fair sir," said the minstrel; "thou hast bidden me not speak of one
woman, now will I pray thee not to speak of one man, and that is my
Lord of Utterbol."

Ralph's heart fell at this word, and he asked no question as to
wherefore.

So now they rode on both, rather more than soberly for a while: but the
day was fair; the sun shone, the wind blew, and the sweet scents
floated about them, and Ralph's heart cast off its burden somewhat and
he fell to speech again; and the minstrel answered him gaily by
seeming, noting many things as they rode along, as one that took
delight in the fashion of the earth.

It was a fresh and bright morning of early autumn, the sheaves were on
the acres, and the grapes were blackening to the vintage, and the
beasts and birds at least were merry. But little merry were the
husbandmen whom they met, either carles or queans, and they were
scantily and foully clad, and sullen-faced, if not hunger-pinched.

If they came across any somewhat joyous, it was here and there certain
gangrel folk resting on the wayside grass, or coming out of woods and
other passes by twos and threes, whiles with a child or two with them.
These were of aspect like to the gipsies of our time and nation, and
were armed all of them, and mostly well clad after their fashion.
Sometimes when there were as many as four or five carles of them
together, they would draw up amidst of the highway, but presently would
turn aside at the sight either of Ralph's war-gear or of the minstrel's
raiment. Forsooth, some of them seemed to know him, and nodded
friendly to him as they passed by, but he gave them back no good day.

They had now ridden out of the lands of Goldburg, which were narrow on
that side, and the day was wearing fast. This way the land was fair
and rich, with no hills of any size. They crossed a big river twice by
bridges, and small streams often, mostly by fords.

Some two hours before sunset they came upon a place where a byway
joined the high road