"

Ralph blushed red, and said: "Nay, I will not ask her this." Then he
was silent; the new-comer looked from one to the other, and said
nothing. At last Ralph spake: "Look you, Clement, my friend, I wot
well how thou wouldst make my goings safe, even if it were to thy loss,
and I thank thee for it: but I deem I shall do no better than putting
myself into this man's hands, since he has a let-pass for the lands of
him of Utterbol: and meseemeth from all that I have heard, that a half
score or a score, or for the matter of that an hundred men-at-arms
would not be enough to fight a way to Utterbol, and their gathering
together would draw folk upon them, who would not meddle with two men
journeying together, even if they had no let-pass of this mighty man."
Clement sighed and grunted, and then said: "Well, lord, maybe thou art
right."

"Yea," said the guide, "he is as right as may be: I have not spoken
before lest ye might have deemed me untrusty: but now I tell thee this,
that never should a small band of men unknown win through the lands of
the Lord of Utterbol, or the land debatable that lieth betwixt them and
Goldburg."

Ralph nodded friendly at him as he spake; but Clement looked on him
sternly; and the man beheld his scowling face innocently, and took no
heed of it.

Then said Ralph: "As to Bull Shockhead, I will speak to him anon; but
I will not take him with me; for indeed I fear lest his mountain-pride
grow up over greenly at whiles and entangle me in some thicket of peril
hard to win out of."

"Well," said Clement, "and when wilt thou depart?" "To-morrow," said
Ralph, "if my faring-fellow be ready for me by then." "I am all ready,"
said the man: "if thou wilt ride out by the east gate about two hours
before noon to-morrow, I will abide thee on a good horse with all that
we may need for the journey: and now I ask leave." "Thou hast it,"
said Clement.

So the man departed, and those two being left alone, Master Clement
said: "Well, I deemed that nothing else would come of it: and I fear
that thy gossip will be ill-content with me; for great is the peril."
"Yea," said Ralph, "and great the reward." Clement smiled and sighed,
and said: "Well, lad, even so hath a many thought before thee, wise
men as well as fools." Ralph looked at him and reddened, and departed
from him a little, and went walking in the cloister there to and fro,
and pondered these matters; and whatever he might do, still would that