"
This word pleased Ralph, for he was young and lightly put
faith in men's words, and loved to be well thought of,
and was fain of good fellowship withal. So he said:
"This is a good word of thine, and I thank thee for it;
and look to it that in my adventures, and the reward of them
thou shalt have thy due share. Lo here my hand on it!"
Roger took his hand, yet therewith his face seemed
a little troubled, but he said nought. Then spoke Ralph:
"True it is that I am not fain to take the wages of the Burg;
for it seems to me that they be hard men, and cruel and joyless,
and that their service shall be rather churlish than knightly.
Howbeit, let night bring counsel, and we will see to this to-morrow;
for now I am both sleepy and weary." Therewith he called
the chamberlain, who bore a wax light before him to his chamber,
and he did off his raiment and cast himself on his bed, and fell
asleep straightway, before he knew where Roger was sleeping,
whether it were in the hall or some place else.
CHAPTER 15
How Ralph Departed From the Burg of the Four Friths
Himseemed he had scarce been asleep a minute ere awoke with a sound
of someone saying softly, "Master, master, awake!" So he sat
up and answered softly in his turn: "Who is it? what is amiss,
since the night is yet young?"
"I am thy fellow-farer, Roger," said the speaker, "and this thou hast
to do, get on thy raiment speedily, and take thy weapons without noise,
if thou wouldst not be in the prison of the Burg before sunrise.
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