to tell of," said Roger, "whiles she is foul, whiles very fair,
whiles young and whiles old; whiles cruel and whiles kind. But note
this, when she is the kindest then are her carles the cruellest; and
she is the kinder to them because they are cruel."

Ralph pondered what he said, and wondered if this were verily the woman
whom he had delivered, or some other. As if answering to his unspoken
thought, Roger went on: "They speak but of one woman amongst them of
the Dry Tree, but in sooth they have many others who are like unto her
in one way or other; and this again is a reason why they may not lay
hands on the very Queen of them all."

Therewithal they came unto the hostel, and found it fair enough within,
the hall great and goodly for such a house, and with but three
chapmen-carles therein. Straightway they called for meat, for it was
now past noon, and the folk of the house served them when the grooms
had taken charge of Falcon. And Roger served Ralph as if he were
verily his man. Then Ralph went to his chamber aloft and rested a
while, but came down into the hall a little before nones, and found
Roger there walking up and down the hall floor, and no man else, so he
said to him: "Though thou art not of the Burg, thou knowest it; wilt
thou not come abroad then, and show it me? for I have a mind to learn
the ways of the folk here."

Said Roger, and smiled a little: "If thou commandest me as my lord, I
will come; yet I were better pleased to abide behind; for I am weary
with night-waking and sorrow; and have a burden of thought, one which I
must bear to the end of the road; and if I put it down I shall have to
go back and take it up again."

Ralph thought that he excused himself with more words than were needed;
but he took little heed of it, but nodded to him friendly, and went out
of the house afoot, but left his weapons and armour behind him by the
rede of Roger.

CHAPTER 13

The Streets of the Burg of the Four Friths

He went about the streets and found them all much like to the one which
they had entered by the north gate; he saw no poor or wretched houses,
and none very big as of great lords; they were well and stoutly
builded, but as aforesaid not much adorned either with carven work or
painting: there were folk enough in the streets, and now Ralph, as was
like to be, looked specially at the women, and thought many of them
little better-favoured than the men, being both dark and low; neither
w