the second
time." "How then," said Ralph, "hath not the Lord good will toward me?"

Said Otter: "I say not that he is now minded to do thee a mischief for
cruelty's sake; but he is minded to get what he can out of thee. If he
use thee not for the pleasuring of his wife (so long as her pleasure in
thee lasteth) he will verily use thee for somewhat else. And to speak
plainly, I now deem that he will make thee my mate, to use with me, or
against me as occasion may serve; so thou shalt be another captain of
his host." He laughed withal, and said again: "But if thou be not
wary, thou wilt tumble off that giddy height, and find thyself a thrall
once more, and maybe a gelding to boot." Now waxed Ralph angry and
forgat his prudence, and said: "Yea, but how shall he use me when I am
out of reach of his hand?" "Oho, young man," said Otter, "whither away
then, to be out of his reach?"

"Why," quoth Ralph still angrily, "is thy Lord master of all the
world?" "Nay," said the captain, "but of a piece thereof. In short,
betwixt Utterbol and Goldburg, and Utterbol and the mountains, and
Utterbol and an hundred miles north, and an hundred miles south, there
is no place where thou canst live, no place save the howling
wilderness, and scarcely there either, where he may not lay hand on
thee if he do but whistle. What, man! be not downhearted! come with us
to Utterbol, since thou needs must. Be wise, and then the Lord shall
have no occasion against thee; above all, beware of crossing him in any
matter of a woman. Then who knows" (and here he sunk his voice well
nigh to a whisper) "but thou and I together may rule in Utterbol and
make better days there."

Ralph was waxen master of himself by now, and was gotten wary indeed,
so he made as if he liked Otter's counsel well, and became exceeding
gay; for indeed the heart within him was verily glad at the thought of
his escaping from thralldom; for more than ever now he was fast in his
mind to flee at the time appointed by Redhead.

So Otter said: "Well, youngling, I am glad that thou takest it thus,
for I deem that if thou wert to seek to depart, the Lord would make it
an occasion against thee."

"Such an occasion shall he not have, fellow in arms," quoth Ralph.
"But tell me, we ride presently, and I suppose are bound for Utterness
by the shortest road?" "Yea," said Otter, "and anon we shall come to
the great forest which lieth along our road all the way to Utterness
and beyond