some of
evil gods of the land. But as he pondered a flourish of trumpets was
blown, and all men sprang up, and the captain said to Ralph: "Now hath
our Lord done his dinner and we must to horse." Anon they were on the
way again, and they rode long and saw little change in the aspect of
the land, neither did that cloudlike token of the distant mountains
grow any greater or clearer to Ralph's deeming.

CHAPTER 34

The Lord of Utterbol Will Wot of Ralph's Might and Minstrelsy

A little before sunset they made halt for the night, and Ralph was
shown to a tent as erst, and had meat and drink good enough brought to
him. But somewhat after he had done eating comes David to him and
says: "Up, young man! and come to my lord, he asketh for thee."

"What will he want with me?" said Ralph.

"Yea, that is a proper question to ask!" quoth David; "as though the
knife should ask the cutler, what wilt thou cut with me? Dost thou
deem that I durst ask him of his will with thee?" "I am ready to go
with thee," said Ralph.

So they went forth; but Ralph's heart fell and he sickened at the
thought of seeing that man again. Nevertheless he set his face as
brass, and thrust back both his fear and his hatred for a fitter
occasion.

Soon they came into the pavilion of the Lord, who was sitting there as
yester eve, save that his gown was red, and done about with gold and
turquoise and emerald. David brought Ralph nigh to his seat, but spake
not. The mighty lord was sitting with his head drooping, and his arm
hanging over his knee, with a heavy countenance as though he were
brooding matters which pleased him naught. But in a while he sat up
with a start, and turned about and saw David standing there with Ralph,
and spake at once like a man waking up: "He that sold thee to me said
that thou wert of avail for many things. Now tell me, what canst thou
do?"

Ralph so hated him, that he was of half a mind to answer naught save by
smiting him to slay him; but there was no weapon anigh, and life was
sweet to him with all the tale that was lying ahead. So he answered
coldly: "It is sooth, lord, that I can do more than one deed."

"Canst thou back a horse?" said the Lord. Said Ralph: "As well as
many." Said the Lord: "Canst thou break a wild horse, and shoe him,
and physic him?"

"Not worse than some," said Ralph.

"Can'st thou play with sword and spear?" said the Lord.

"Better than some few," said Ralph. "How shall I k