But now he said eagerly:
"Where then is that Well? Know ye of it in this land?"
"At least I know the hearsay thereof," she said; "but as now thou shalt
know no more from me thereof; lest thou wander the wider in seeking it.
I would not have thy life spilt."
Ever as he looked on her he thought her still fairer;
and now he looked long on her, saying nought, and she on him
in likewise, and the blood rose to her cheeks and her brow,
but she would not turn her from his gaze. At last he said:
"Well then, I must depart, no more learned than I came:
but yet am I less hungry and thirsty than I came; and have
thou thanks therefor."
Therewith he took from his pouch a gold piece of Upmeads, which was good,
and of the touch of the Easterlings, and held it out to her.
And she put out her open hand and he put the money in it; but thought
it good to hold her hand a while, and she gainsayed him not.
Then he said: "Well then, I must needs depart with things left as they are:
wilt thou bid thy brother bring hither my horse, for time presses."
"Yea," she said (and her hand was still in his), "Yet do
thine utmost, yet shalt thou not get to the Burg before nightfall.
O wilt thou not tarry?"
"Nay," he said, "my heart will not suffer it; lest I deem myself a dastard."
Then she reddened again, but as if she were wroth; and she drew her
hand away from his and smote her palms together thrice and cried out:
"Ho Hugh! bring hither the Knight's horse and be speedy!"
And she went hither and thither about the hall and into the buttery
and back, putting away the victual and vessels from the board and making
as if she heeded him not: and Ralph looked on her, and deemed that each
way she moved was better than the last, so shapely of fashion she was;
and again he bethought him of the Even-song of the High House at Upmeads,
and how it befitted her; for she went barefoot after the manner of maidens
who work afield, and her feet were tanned with the sun of hay harvest,
but as shapely as might be; but she was clad goodly withal, in a green
gown wrought with flowers.
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