ises to his feet, and stands
facing Ralph, looking sheepish, with his hands hanging down by his
sides; and Ralph, who was thinking of other folk, wondered what he
would. So he said: "Hail, good fellow! What wouldst thou?" Said the
man: "I would thank thee." "What for?" said Ralph, but as he looked on
him he saw that it was Redhead, whose pardon he had won of the Lord
yesterday; so he held out his hand, and took Redhead's, and smiled
friendly on him. Redhead looked him full in the face, and though he
was both big and very rough-looking, he had not altogether the look of
a rascal.

He said: "Fair lord, I would that I might do something for thine
avail, and perchance I may: but it is hard to do good deeds in Hell,
especially for one of its devils."

"Yea, is it so bad as that?" said Ralph. "For thee not yet," said
Redhead, "but it may come to it. Hearken, lord, there is none anigh us
that I can see, so I will say a word to thee at once. Later on it may
be over late: Go thou not to Utterbol whatever may betide."

"Yea," said Ralph, "but how if I be taken thither?" Quoth Redhead: "I
can see this, that thou art so favoured that thou mayst go whither thou
wilt about the camp with none to hinder thee. Therefore it will be
easy for thee to depart by night and cloud, or in the grey of morning,
when thou comest to a good pass, whereof I will tell thee. And still I
say, go thou not to Utterbol: for thou art over good to be made a devil
of, like to us, and therefore thou shalt be tormented till thy life is
spoilt, and by that road shalt thou be sent to heaven."

"But thou saidst even now," said Ralph, "that I was high in the Lord's
grace." "Yea," said Redhead, "that may last till thou hast command to
do some dastard's deed and nay-sayest it, as thou wilt: and then
farewell to thee; for I know what my Lord meaneth for thee." "Yea,"
said Ralph, "and what is that?" Said Redhead; "He hath bought thee to
give to his wife for a toy and a minion, and if she like thee, it will
be well for a while: but on the first occasion that serveth him, and
she wearieth of thee (for she is a woman like a weather-cock), he will
lay hand on thee and take the manhood from thee, and let thee drift
about Utterbol a mock for all men. For already at heart he hateth
thee."

Ralph stood pondering this word, for somehow it chimed in with the
thought already in his heart. Yet how should he not go to Utterbol
with the Damsel abiding deliver