at time, and three days wore, and on
the morning of the fourth day came Richard to Ralph, and said to him:
"Foster-son, I am sorry for the word I must say, but Clement Chapman
came within the gates this morning early, and the company with which he
is riding are alboun for the road, and will depart at noon to-day, so
that there are but four hours wherein we twain may be together; and
thereafter whatso may betide thee, it may well be, that I shall see thy
face no more; so what thou wilt tell me must be told straightway. And
now I will say this to thee, that of all things I were fain to ride
with thee, but I may not, because it is Blaise whom I am bound to serve
in all ways. And I deem, moreover, that troublous times may be at hand
here in Whitwall. For there is an Earl hight Walter the Black, a fair
young man outwardly, but false at heart and a tyrant, and he had some
occasion against the good town, and it was looked for that he should
send his herald here to defy the Port more than a half moon ago; but
about that time he was hurt in a fray as we hear, and may not back a
horse in battle yet. Albeit, fristed is not forgotten, as saith the
saw; and when he is whole again, we may look for him at our gates; and
whereas Blaise knows me for a deft man-at-arms or something more, it is
not to be looked for that he will give me to thee for this quest. Nay,
of thee also it will be looked for that thou shouldest do knightly
service to the Port, and even so Blaise means it to be; therefore have
I lied to him on thy behalf, and bidden Clement also to lie (which
forsooth he may do better than I, since he wotteth not wholly whither
thou art minded), and I have said thou wouldst go with Clement no
further than Cheaping Knowe, which lieth close to the further side of
these mountains, and will be back again in somewhat more than a
half-moon's wearing. So now thou art warned hereof."

Ralph was moved by these words of Richard, and he spake: "Forsooth, old
friend, I am sorry to depart from thee; yet though I shall presently be
all alone amongst aliens, yet now is manhood rising again in me. So
for that cause at least shall I be glad to be on the way; and as a
token that I am more whole than I was, I will now tell thee the tale of
my grief, if thou wilt hearken to it, which the other day I might not
tell thee."

"I will hearken it gladly," said Richard. And therewith they sat down
in a window, for they were within doors in the hostel