y had eaten a morsel they made them ready for the road, and
the elder gave them victual for the way in their saddle-bags, saying:
"This shall suffice for the passing days, and when it is gone ye have
learned what to do."

Therewithall they gat to horse; but Ralph would have the Elder ride his
nag, while he went afoot by the side of Ursula. So the Sage took his
bidding, but smiled therewith, and said: "Thou art a King's son and a
friendly young man, else had I said nay to this; for it needeth not,
whereas I am stronger than thou, so hath my draught of the Well dealt
with me."

Thus then they went their ways; but Ralph noted of Ursula that she was
silent and shy with him, and it irked him so much, that at last he said
to her: "My friend, doth aught ail me with thee? Wilt thou not tell
me, so that I may amend it? For thou are grown of few words with me
and turnest thee from me, and seemest as if thou heedest me little.
Thou art as a fair spring morning gone cold and overcast in the
afternoon. What is it then? we are going a long journey together, and
belike shall find little help or comfort save in each other; and ill
will it be if we fall asunder in heart, though we be nigh in body."

She laughed and reddened therewithal; and then her countenance fell and
she looked piteously on him and said: "If I seemed to thee as thou
sayest, I am sorry; for I meant not to be thus with thee as thou
deemest. But so it is that I was thinking of this long journey, and of
thee and me together in it, and how we shall be with each other if we
come back again alive, with all things done that we had to do."

She stayed her speech awhile, and seemed to find it hard to give forth
the word that was in her; but at last she said: "Friend, thou must
pardon me; but that which thou sawest in me, I also seemed to see in
thee, that thou wert grown shy and cold with me; but now I know it is
not so, since thou hast seen me wrongly; but that I have seen thee
wrongly, as thou hast me."

Therewith she reached her hand to him, and he took it and kissed it and
caressed it while she looked fondly at him, and they fared on sweetly
and happily together. But as this was a-saying and a-doing betwixt
them, and a while after, they had heeded the Elder little or not at
all, though he rode on the right hand of Ralph. And for his part the
old man said naught to them and made as if he heard them not, when they
spake thuswise together.

Now they rode the w