And in sooth he smiled to himself then with a beating heart,
as he told himself that above all things he desired to see that Lady,
whatever she might be, and that he would follow his adventure
to the end until he met her.
Amidst these thoughts he came unto the North Gate, whereby he had first
entered the Burg, and by then it was as dark as the summer night would be;
so he woke up from his dream, as it were, and took his way briskly back
to the Flower de Luce.
CHAPTER 14
What Ralph Heard of the Matters of the Burg of the Four Friths
There was no candle in the hall when he entered, but it was not so dark
therein but he might see Roger sitting on a stool near the chimney,
and opposite to him on the settle sat two men; one very tall and big,
the other small; Roger was looking away from these, and whistling;
and it came into Ralph's mind that he would have him think
that he had nought to do with them, whether that were so or not.
But he turned round as Ralph came up the hall and rose and came up to him,
and fell to talking with him and asking him how he liked the Burg;
and ever he spake fast and loud, so that again it came on Ralph
that he was playing a part.
Ralph heeded him little, but ever looked through the hall-dusk
on those twain, who presently arose and went toward the hall door,
but when they were but half-way across the floor a chamberlain came
in suddenly, bearing candles in his hands, and the light fell on
those guests and flashed back from a salade on the head of the big man,
and Ralph saw that he was clad in a long white gaberdine, and he
deemed that he was the very man whom he had seen last in the Great
Place at Higham, nigh the church, and before that upon the road.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112