d for a long while, and coming out of it they beheld before
them a plain country fairly well grassed, but lo! on the field not far
from the roadside a pavilion pitched and a banner on the top thereof,
but the banner hung down about the staff, so that the bearing was not
seen: and about this pavilion, which was great and rich of fashion,
were many tents great and small, and there were horses tethered in the
field, and men moving about the gleam of armour.

At this sight the minstrel drew rein and stared about him wildly; but
Ralph said: "What is this, is it the peril aforesaid?" "Yea," quoth
the minstrel, shivering with fear. "What aileth thee?" said Ralph;
"have we not the let-pass, what then can befall us? If this be other
than the Lord of Utterbol, he will see our let-pass and let us alone;
or if it be he indeed, what harm shall he do to the bearers of his own
pass? Come on then, or else (and therewith he half drew his sword) is
this Lord of Utterbol but another name for the Devil in Hell?"

But the minstrel still stared wild and trembled; then he stammered out:
"I thought I should bring thee to Utterness first, and that some other
should lead thee thence, I did not look to see him. I dare not, I dare
not! O look, look!"

As he spake the wind arose and ran along the wood-side, and beat back
from it and stirred the canvas of the tents and raised the folds of the
banner, and blew it out, so that the bearing was clear to see; yet
Ralph deemed it naught dreadful, but an armoury fit for a baron, to
wit, a black bear on a castle-wall on a field of gold.

But as Ralph sat on his horse gazing, himseemed that men were looking
towards him, and a great horn was sounded hard by the pavilion; then
Ralph looked toward the minstrel fiercely, and laughed and said: "I
see now that thou art another traitor: so get thee gone; I have more to
do than the slaying of thee." And therewith he turned his horse's head,
and smote the spurs into the sides of him, and went a great gallop over
the field on the right side of the road, away from the gay pavilion;
but even therewith came a half-score of horsemen from the camp, as if
they were awaiting him, and they spurred after him straightway.

The race was no long one, for Ralph's beast was wearied, and the other
horses were fresh, and Ralph knew naught of the country before him,
whereas those riders knew it well. Therefore it was but a few minutes
till they came up with him, and he mad