a noble knight; though he
sayeth that when he is right rich he will cast aside all chaffer;
naught of which he will do. As for the others, my lord Gregory is no
better, or indeed worse, save that he shall not be rich ever, having no
mastery over himself; while lord Hugh is like to be slain in some empty
brawl, unless he come back speedily to Upmeads."

"Yea, yea," said Ralph, "what then? I came not hither to hear thee
missay my mother's sons." But Richard went on: "As for thee, lord
Ralph, of thee I looked for something; but now I cannot tell; for the
heart in thee seemeth to be dead; and thou must look to it lest the
body die also." "So be it!" said Ralph.

Said Richard: "I am old now, but I have been young, and many things
have I seen and suffered, ere I came to Upmeads. Old am I, and I
cannot feel certain hopes and griefs as a young man can; yet have I
bought the knowledge of them dear enough, and have not forgotten.
Whereby I wot well that my drearihead is concerning a woman. Is it not
so?" "Yea," quoth Ralph. Said Richard: "Now shalt thou tell me
thereof, and so lighten thine heart a little." "I will not tell thee,"
said Ralph; "or, rather, to speak more truly, I cannot." "Yea," said
Richard, "and though it were now an easier thing for me to tell thee of
the griefs of my life than for thee to hearken to the tale, yet I
believe thee. But mayhappen thou mayst tell me of one thing that thou
desirest more than another." Said Ralph: "I desire to die." And the
tears started in his eyes therewith. But Richard spake, smiling on him
kindly: "That way is open for thee on any day of the week. Why hast
thou not taken it already?" But Ralph answered naught. Richard said:
"Is it not because thou hopest to desire something; if not to-day, then
to-morrow, or the next day or the next?" Still Ralph spake no word; but
he wept. Quoth Richard: "Maybe I may help thee to a hope, though thou
mayest think my words wild. In the land and the thorp where I was born
and bred there was talk now and again of a thing to be sought, which
should cure sorrow, and make life blossom in the old, and uphold life
in the young." "Yea," said Ralph, looking up from his tears, "and what
was that? and why hast thou never told me thereof before?" "Nay," said
Richard, "and why should I tell it to the merry lad I knew in Upmeads?
but now thou art a man, and hast seen the face of sorrow, it is meet
that thou shouldest hear of THE WELL AT THE