The Well at the World's End: A Tale Page 4

  CHAPTER 3

  Ralph Cometh to the Cheaping-Town

  He slept in an upper chamber in a turret of the House, which chamberwas his own, and none might meddle with it. There the next day heawoke in the dawning, and arose and clad himself, and took his wargearand his sword and spear, and bore all away without doors to the side ofthe Ford in that ingle of the river, and laid it for a while in alittle willow copse, so that no chance-comer might see it; then he wentback to the stable of the House and took his destrier from the stall(it was a dapple-grey horse called Falcon, and was right good,) andbrought him down to the said willow copse, and tied him to a tree tillhe had armed himself amongst the willows, whence he came forthpresently as brisk-looking and likely a man-at-arms as you might see ona summer day. Then he clomb up into the saddle, and went his wayssplashing across the ford, before the sun had arisen, while thethrostle-cocks were yet amidst their first song.

  Then he rode on a little trot south away; and by then the sun was up hewas without the bounds of Upmeads; albeit in the land thereabout dweltnone who were not friends to King Peter and his sons: and that waswell, for now were folk stirring and were abroad in the fields; as aband of carles going with their scythes to the hay-field; or a maidenwith her milking-pails going to her kine, barefoot through the seedinggrass; or a company of noisy little lads on their way to the nearestpool of the stream that they might bathe in the warm morning after thewarm night. All these and more knew him and his armour and Falcon hishorse, and gave him the sele of the day, and he was nowise troubled atmeeting them; for besides that they thought it no wonder to meet one ofthe lords of Upmeads going armed about his errands, their own errandswere close at home, and it was little likely that they should go thatday so far as to Upmeads Water, seeing that it ran through the meadowsa half-score miles to the north-ward.

  So Ralph rode on, and came into the high road, that led one way backagain into Upmeads, and crossed the Water by a fair bridge late buildedbetween King Peter and a house of Canons on the north side, and theother way into a good cheaping-town hight Wulstead, beyond which Ralphknew little of the world which lay to the south, and seemed to him awondrous place, full of fair things and marvellous adventures.

  So he rode till he came into the town when the fair morning was stillyoung, the first mass over, and maids gathered about the fountainamidst the market-place, and two or three dames sitting under thebuttercross. Ralph rode straight up to the house of a man whom heknew, and had often given him guesting there, and he himself was notseldom seen in the High House of Upmeads. This man was a merchant, whowent and came betwixt men's houses, and bought and sold many thingsneedful and pleasant to folk, and King Peter dealt with him much andoften. Now he stood in the door of his house, which was new andgoodly, sniffing the sweet scents which the morning wind bore into thetown; he was clad in a goodly long gown of grey welted with silver, ofthin cloth meet for the summer-tide: for little he wrought with hishands, but much with his tongue; he was a man of forty summers,ruddy-faced and black-bearded, and he was called Clement Chapman.

  When he saw Ralph he smiled kindly on him, and came and held hisstirrup as he lighted down, and said: "Welcome, lord! Art thou cometo give me a message, and eat and drink in a poor huckster's house, andthou armed so gallantly?"

  Ralph laughed merrily, for he was hungry, and he said: "Yea, I will eatand drink with thee and kiss my gossip, and go my ways."

  Therewith the carle led him into the house; and if it were goodlywithout, within it was better. For there was a fair chamber panelledwith wainscot well carven, and a cupboard of no sorry vessels of silverand latten: the chairs and stools as fair as might be; no king's mightbe better: the windows were glazed, and there were flowers and knotsand posies in them; and the bed was hung with goodly web from over seasuch as the soldan useth. Also, whereas the chapman's ware-bowers werehard by the chamber, there was a pleasant mingled smell therefromfloating about. The table was set with meat and drink and vessel ofpewter and earth, all fair and good; and thereby stood the chapman'swife, a very goodly woman of two-score years, who had held Ralph at thefont when she was a slim damsel new wedded; for she was come of no meankindred of the Kingdom of Upmeads: her name was Dame Katherine.

  Now she kissed Ralph's cheek friendly, and said: "Welcome, gossip! thouart here in good time to break thy fast; and we will give thee a trimdinner thereafter, when thou hast been here and there in the town anddone thine errand; and then shalt thou drink a cup and sing me a song,and so home again in the cool of the evening."

  Ralph seemed a little troubled at her word, and he said: "Nay, gossip,though I thank thee for all these good things as though I had them, yetmust I ride away south straightway after I have breakfasted, and saidone word to the goodman. Goodman, how call ye the next town southward,and how far is it thither?"

  Quoth Clement: "My son, what hast thou to do with riding south? Asthou wottest, going hence south ye must presently ride thehill-country; and that is no safe journey for a lonely man, even if hebe a doughty knight like to thee, lord."

  Said Ralph, reddening withal: "I have an errand that way."

  "An errand of King Peter's or thine own?" said Clement.

  "Of King Peter's, if ye must wot," said Ralph.

  Clement were no chapman had he not seen that the lad was lying; so hesaid:

  "Fair lord, saving your worship, how would it be as to the speeding ofKing Peter's errand, if I brought thee before our mayor, and swore thepeace against thee; so that I might keep thee in courteous prison tillI had sent to thy father of thy whereabouts?"

  The young man turned red with anger; but ere he could speak DameKatherine said sharply: "Hold thy peace, Clement! What hast thou tomeddle or make in the matter? If our young lord hath will to ride outand see the world, why should we let him? Yea, why should his fatherlet him, if it come to that? Take my word for it that my gossip shallgo through the world and come back to those that love him, as goodly ashe went forth. And hold! here is for a token thereof."

  Therewith she went to an ark that stood in the corner, and groped inthe till thereof and brought out a little necklace of blue and greenstones with gold knobs betwixt, like a pair of beads; albeit neitherpope nor priest had blessed them; and tied to the necklace was a littlebox of gold with something hidden therein. This gaud she gave toRalph, and said to him: "Gossip, wear this about thy neck, and let noman take it from thee, and I think it will be salvation to thee inperil, and good luck to thee in the time of questing; so that it shallbe to thee as if thou hadst drunk of the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END."

  "What is that water?" said Ralph, "and how may I find it?"

  "I know not rightly," she said, "but if a body might come by it, I hearsay it saveth from weariness and wounding and sickness; and it winnethlove from all, and maybe life everlasting. Hast thou not heard tell ofit, my husband?"

  "Yea," said the chapman, "many times; and how that whoso hath drunkthereof hath the tongue that none may withstand, whether in buying orselling, or prevailing over the hearts of men in any wise. But as forits wherabouts, ye shall not find it in these parts. Men say that itis beyond the Dry Tree; and that is afar, God wot! But now, lordRalph, I rede thee go back again this evening with Andrew, my nephew,for company: forsooth, he will do little less gainful than riding withthee to Upmeads than if he abide in Wulstead; for he is idle. But, mylord, take it not amiss that I spake about the mayor and the tipstaves;for it was but a jest, as thou mayest well wot."

  Ralph's face cleared at that word, and he stood smiling, weighing thechaplet in his hand; but Dame Katherine said:

  "Dear gossip, do it on speedily; for it is a gift from me unto thee:and from a gossip even king's sons may take a gift."

  Quoth Ralph: "But is it lawful to wear it? is there no wizardry withinit?"

  "Hearken to him!" she said, "and how like unto a man he speaketh; ifthere were a brawl in the street, he would strike in and ask no wordthereof, not even which were the better side: whereas here is myfalcon-chick
frighted at a little gold box and a pair of Saracen beads."

  "Well," quoth Ralph, "the first holy man I meet shall bless them forme."

  "That shall he not," said the dame, "that shall he not. Who wottethwhat shall betide to thee or me if he do so? Come, do them on, andthen to table! For seest thou not that the goodman is wearying formeat? and even thine eyes will shine the brighter for a mouthful,king's son and gossip."

  She took him by the hand and did the beads on his neck and kissed andfondled him before he sat down, while the goodman looked on, grinningrather sheepishly, but said nought to them; and only called on his boyto lead the destrier to stable. So when they were set down, thechapman took up the word where it had been dropped, and said: "So,Lord Ralph, thou must needs take to adventures, being, as thou deemest,full grown. That is all one as the duck taketh to water despite of thehen that hath hatched her. Well, it was not to be thought that Upmeadswould hold you lords much longer. Or what is gone with my lords yourbrethren?"

  Said Ralph: "They have departed at all adventure, north, east, andwest, each bearing our father's blessing and a bag of pennies. And tospeak the truth, goodman, for I perceive I am no doctor at lying, myfather and mother would have me stay at home when my brethren weregone, and that liketh me not; therefore am I come out to seek my luckin the world: for Upmeads is good for a star-gazer, maybe, or asimpler, or a priest, or a worthy good carle of the fields, but not fora king's son with the blood running hot in his veins. Or what sayestthou, gossip?"

  Quoth the dame: "I could weep for thy mother; but for thee nought atall. It is good that thou shouldest do thy will in the season of youthand the days of thy pleasure. Yea, and I deem that thou shalt comeback again great and worshipful; and I am called somewhat foreseeing.Only look to it that thou keep the pretty thing that I have just giventhee."

  "Well," said the chapman, "this is fine talk about pleasure and thedoing of one's will; nevertheless a whole skin is good wares, though itbe not to be cheapened in any market of the world. Now, lord, go thouwhere thou wilt, whether I say go or abide; and forsooth I am no man ofKing Peter's, that I should stay thee. As for the name of the nexttown, it is called Higham-on-the-Way, and is a big town plenteous ofvictuals, with strong walls and a castle, and a very rich abbey ofmonks: and there is peace within its walls, because the father abbotwages a many men to guard him and his, and to uphold his rights againstall comers; wherein he doth wisely, and also well. For much folkflocketh to his town and live well therein; and there is great recourseof chapmen thither. No better market is there betwixt this andBabylon. Well, Sir Ralph, I rede thee if thou comest unhurt toHigham-on-the-Way, go no further for this time, but take service withthe lord abbot, and be one of his men of war; thou may'st then becomehis captain if thou shouldest live; which would be no bad adventure forone who cometh from Upmeads."

  Ralph looked no brighter for this word, and he answered nought to it:but said presently:

  "And what is to be looked for beyond Higham if one goeth further? Dostthou know the land any further?"

  The carle smiled: "Yea forsooth, and down to the Wood Perilous, andbeyond it, and the lands beyond the Wood; and far away through them. Isay not that I have been to the Dry Tree; but I have spoken to one whohath heard of him who hath seen it; though he might not come by adraught of the Well at the World's End."

  Ralph's eyes flashed, and his cheeks reddened as he listened hereto;but he spake quietly:

  "Master Clement, how far dost thou make it to Higham-on-the-Way?"

  "A matter of forty miles," said the Chapman; "because, as thou wottest,if ye ride south from hence, ye shall presently bring your nose upagainst the big downs, and must needs climb them at once; and when yeare at the top of Bear Hill, and look south away ye shall see noughtbut downs on downs with never a road to call a road, and never acastle, or church, or homestead: nought but some shepherd's hut; or atthe most the little house of a holy man with a little chapel thereby insome swelly of the chalk, where the water hath trickled into a pool;for otherwise the place is waterless." Therewith he took a long pull atthe tankard by his side, and went on:

  "Higham is beyond all that, and out into the fertile plain; and alittle river hight Coldlake windeth about the meadows there; and it isa fair land; though look you the wool of the downs is good, good, good!I have foison of this year's fleeces with me. Ye shall raise none suchin Upmeads."

  Ralph sat silent a little, as if pondering, and then he started up andsaid: "Good master Clement, we have eaten thy meat and thank thee forthat and other matters. Wilt thou now be kinder, and bid thy boy bringround Falcon our horse; for we have far to go, and must begonestraight-away."

  "Yea, lord," said Clement, "even so will I do." And he muttered underhis breath; "Thou talkest big, my lad, with thy 'we'; but thou artpressed lest Nicholas be here presently to fetch thee back; and to saysooth I would his hand were on thy shoulder even now."

  Then he spake aloud again, and said:

  "I must now begone to my lads, and I will send one round with thywar-horse. But take my rede, my lord, and become the man of the Abbotof St. Mary's of Higham, and all will be well."

  Therewith he edged himself out of the chamber, and the dame fell tomaking a mighty clatter with the vessel and trenchers and cups on theboard, while Ralph walked up and down the chamber his war-gear jinglingupon him. Presently the dame left her table-clatter and came up toRalph and looked kindly into his face and said: "Gossip, hast thouperchance any money?"

  He flushed up red, and then his face fell; yet he spake gaily: "Yea,gossip, I have both white and red: there are three golden crowns in mypouch, and a little flock of silver pennies: forsooth I say not as manyas would reach from here to Upmeads, if they were laid one after theother."

  She smiled and patted his cheek, and said:

  "Thou art no very prudent child, king's son. But it comes into my mindthat my master did not mean thee to go away empty-handed; else had henot departed and left us twain together."

  Therewith she went to the credence that stood in a corner, and opened adrawer therein and took out a little bag, and gave it into Ralph'shand, and said: "This is the gift of the gossip; and thou mayst takeit without shame; all the more because if thy father had been a worserman, and a harder lord he would have had more to give thee. But nowthou hast as much or more as any one of thy brethren."

  He took the bag smiling and shame-faced, but she looked on him fondlyand said:

  "Now I know not whether I shall lay old Nicholas on thine heels when hecometh after thee, as come he will full surely; or whether I shallsuffer the old sleuth-hound nose out thy slot of himself, as fullsurely he will set on to it."

  "Thou mightest tell him," said Ralph, "that I am gone to take servicewith the Abbot of St. Mary's of Higham: hah?"

  She laughed and said: "Wilt thou do so, lord, and follow the rede ofthat goodman of mine, who thinketh himself as wise as Solomon?"

  Ralph smiled and answered her nothing.

  "Well," she said, "I shall say what likes me when the hour is at hand.Lo, here! thine horse. Abide yet a moment of time, and then go whitherthou needs must, like the wind of the summer day."

  Therewith she went out of the chamber and came back again with a scripwhich she gave to Ralph and said: "Herein is a flask of drink for thewaterless country, and a little meat for the way. Fare thee well,gossip! Little did I look for it when I rose up this morning andnothing irked me save the dulness of our town, and the littleness ofmen's doings therein, that I should have to cut off a piece of my lifefrom me this morning, and say, farewell gossip, as now again I do."

  Therewith she kissed him on either cheek and embraced him; and it mightbe said of her and him that she let him go thereafter; for though asaforesaid he loved her, and praised her kindness, he scarce understoodthe eagerness of her love for him; whereas moreover she saw him not sooften betwixt Upmeads and Wulstead: and belike she herself scarceunderstood it. Albeit she was a childless woman.

  So when
he had got to horse, she watched him riding a moment, and sawhow he waved his hand to her as he turned the corner of themarket-place, and how a knot of lads and lasses stood staring on himafter she lost sight of him. Then she turned her back into the chamberand laid her head on the table and wept. Then came in the goodmanquietly and stood by her and she heeded him not. He stood grinningcuriously on her awhile, and then laid his hand on her shoulder, andsaid as she raised her face to him:

  "Sweetheart, it availeth nought; when thou wert young and exceedingfair, he was but a little babe, and thou wert looking in those days tohave babes of thine own; and then it was too soon: and now that he issuch a beauteous young man, and a king's son withal, and thou artwedded to a careful carle of no weak heart, and thou thyself art morethan two-score years old, it is too late. Yet thou didst well to giveour lord the money. Lo! here is wherewithal to fill up the lack in thychest; and here is a toy for thee in place of the pair of beads thougavest him; and I bid thee look on it as if I had given him my share ofthe money and the beads."

  She turned to Clement, and took the bag of money, and the chaplet whichhe held out to her, and she said: "God wot thou art no ill man, myhusband, but would God I had a son like to him!"

  She still wept somewhat; but the chapman said: "Let it rest there,sweetheart! let it rest there! It may be a year or twain before thouseest him again: and then belike he shall be come back with some womanwhom he loves better than any other; and who knows but in a way he maydeem himself our son. Meanwhile thou hast done well, sweetheart, so beglad."

  Therewith he kissed her and went his ways to his merchandize, and sheto the ordering of her house, grieved but not unhappy.