ant of the day howso he might, without going out-adoors
again; and the carline came and spake with him; but whatever he asked
her about the lady, she would not tell aught of any import, so he
refrained him from that talk, and made a show of hearkening when she
spake of other matters; as tales concerning the folk of the land, and
the Fathers of the Thorn, and so forth.

On the next morning he arose and said to himself, that whatever betid,
he would bide in the castle and the Plain of Abundance till the lady
came; and he went amongst the haymaking folk in the morning and ate his
dinner with them, and strove to be of good cheer, and belike the carles
and queens thought him merry company; but he was now wearying his heart
with longing, and might not abide any great while in one place; so
when, dinner over, they turned to their work again, he went back to the
Castle, and read in that book, and looked at the pictures thereof, and
kept turning his wonder and hope and fear over and over again in his
mind, and making to himself stories of how he should meet the Lady and
what she would say to him, and how he should answer her, till at last
the night came, and he went to his bed, and slept for the very
weariness of his longing.

When the new day came he arose and went into the hall, and found the
carline there, who said to him, "Fair sir, will thou to the wood again
to-day?" "Nay," said Ralph, "I must not, I dare not." "Well," she said,
"thou mayest if thou wilt; why shouldst thou not go?" Said Ralph,
reddening and stammering: "Because I fear to; thrice have I been away
long from the castle and all has gone well; but the fourth time she
will come and find me gone."

The carline laughed: "Well," she said, "I shall be here if thou goest;
for I promise thee not to stir out of the house whiles thou art away."
Said Ralph: "Nay, I will abide here." "Yea," she said, "I see: thou
trustest me not. Well, no matter; and to-day it will be handy if thou
abidest. For I have an errand to my brother in the flesh, who is one
of the brethren of the Thorn over yonder. If thou wilt give me leave,
it will be to my pleasure and gain."

Ralph was glad when he heard this, deeming that if she left him alone
there, he would be the less tempted to stray into the wood again.
Besides, he deemed that the Lady might come that day when he was alone
in the Castle, and that himseemed would make the meeting sweeter yet.
So he yea-said the carline's askin