and wish thee better luck; and I would have thee for my fellow
in this quest."

"Nay," said Redhead, "it may not be: I will not burden thy luck with
my ill-luck...and moreover I am seeking something which I may gain at
Utterbol, and if I have it, I may do my best to say good-night to that
evil abode."

"Yea," said Ralph, "and I wish thee well therein." Said Redhead,
stammering somewhat; "It is even that woman of the Queen's whereof I
told thee. And now one last word, since I must not be over long in thy
tent, lest some one come upon us. But, fair sir, if thy mind misgive
thee for this turning aside from Utterbol; though it is not to be
doubted that the damsel whom thou seekest hath been there, it is not
all so sure that thou wouldst have found her there. For of late, what
with my Lord and my Lady being both away, the place hath been scant of
folk; and not only is the said damsel wise and wary, but there be
others who have seen her besides my Lord, and who so hath seen her is
like to love her; and such is she, that whoso loveth her is like to do
her will. So I bid thee in all case be earnest in thy quest; and think
that if thou die on the road thy damsel would have died for thee; and
if thou drink of the Well and come back whole and safe, I know not why
thou shouldest not go straight to Utterbol and have the damsel away
with thee, whosoever gainsay it. For they (if there be any such) who
have drunk of the Well at the World's End are well looked to in this
land. Now one more word yet; when I come to Utterbol, if thy damsel be
there still, fear not but I will have speech of her, and tell of thee,
and what thou wert looking to, and how thou deemedst of her."

Therewith he turned and departed hastily.

But Ralph left alone was sorely moved with hope and fear, and a longing
that grew in him to see the damsel. For though he was firmly set on
departure, and on seeking the sage aforesaid, yet his heart was drawn
this way and that: and it came into his mind how the damsel would fare
when the evil Lord came home to Utterbol; and he could not choose but
make stories of her meeting of the tyrant, and her fear and grief and
shame, and the despair of her heart. So the minutes went slow to him,
till he should be in some new place and doing somewhat toward bringing
about the deliverance of her from thralldom, and the meeting of him and
her.

BOOK THREE

The Road To The Well At World's End.

CHAPTER 1

An