The Well at the Worlds End | Page 9

wares, though it be not
to be cheapened in any market of the world. Now, lord, go thou where
thou wilt, whether I say go or abide; and forsooth I am no man of King
Peter's, that I should stay thee. As for the name of the next town, it is
called Higham-on-the-Way, and is a big town plenteous of victuals,
with strong walls and a castle, and a very rich abbey of monks: and
there is peace within its walls, because the father abbot wages a many
men to guard him and his, and to uphold his rights against all comers;
wherein he doth wisely, and also well. For much folk flocketh to his
town and live well therein; and there is great recourse of chapmen
thither. No better market is there betwixt this and Babylon. Well, Sir
Ralph, I rede thee if thou comest unhurt to Higham-on-the-Way, go no
further for this time, but take service with the lord abbot, and be one of
his men of war; thou may'st then become his captain if thou shouldest
live; which would be no bad adventure for one who cometh from
Upmeads."
Ralph looked no brighter for this word, and he answered nought to it:

but said presently:
"And what is to be looked for beyond Higham if one goeth further?
Dost thou know the land any further?"
The carle smiled: "Yea forsooth, and down to the Wood Perilous, and
beyond it, and the lands beyond the Wood; and far away through them.
I say not that I have been to the Dry Tree; but I have spoken to one who
hath heard of him who hath seen it; though he might not come by a
draught of the Well at the World's End."
Ralph's eyes flashed, and his cheeks reddened as he listened hereto; but
he spake quietly:
"Master Clement, how far dost thou make it to Higham-on-the-Way?"
"A matter of forty miles," said the Chapman; "because, as thou wottest,
if ye ride south from hence, ye shall presently bring your nose up
against the big downs, and must needs climb them at once; and when
ye are at the top of Bear Hill, and look south away ye shall see nought
but downs on downs with never a road to call a road, and never a castle,
or church, or homestead: nought but some shepherd's hut; or at the
most the little house of a holy man with a little chapel thereby in some
swelly of the chalk, where the water hath trickled into a pool; for
otherwise the place is waterless." Therewith he took a long pull at the
tankard by his side, and went on:
"Higham is beyond all that, and out into the fertile plain; and a little
river hight Coldlake windeth about the meadows there; and it is a fair
land; though look you the wool of the downs is good, good, good! I
have foison of this year's fleeces with me. Ye shall raise none such in
Upmeads."
Ralph sat silent a little, as if pondering, and then he started up and said:
"Good master Clement, we have eaten thy meat and thank thee for that
and other matters. Wilt thou now be kinder, and bid thy boy bring
round Falcon our horse; for we have far to go, and must begone
straight-away."

"Yea, lord," said Clement, "even so will I do." And he muttered under
his breath; "Thou talkest big, my lad, with thy 'we'; but thou art pressed
lest Nicholas be here presently to fetch thee back; and to say sooth I
would his hand were on thy shoulder even now."
Then he spake aloud again, and said:
"I must now begone to my lads, and I will send one round with thy
war-horse. But take my rede, my lord, and become the man of the
Abbot of St. Mary's of Higham, and all will be well."
Therewith he edged himself out of the chamber, and the dame fell to
making a mighty clatter with the vessel and trenchers and cups on the
board, while Ralph walked up and down the chamber his war-gear
jingling upon him. Presently the dame left her table-clatter and came up
to Ralph and looked kindly into his face and said: "Gossip, hast thou
perchance any money?"
He flushed up red, and then his face fell; yet he spake gaily: "Yea,
gossip, I have both white and red: there are three golden crowns in my
pouch, and a little flock of silver pennies: forsooth I say not as many as
would reach from here to Upmeads, if they were laid one after the
other."
She smiled and patted his cheek, and said:
"Thou art no very prudent child, king's son. But it comes into my mind
that my