CHAPTER 28
Now They Come to Goldburg
That night they slept yet amongst the mountains, or rather in
the first of the hill country at their feet; but on the morrow they
rode down into the lowlands, and thereby lost all sight of Goldburg,
and it was yet afar off, so that they rode four days through
lands well-tilled, but for the most part ill-housed, a country
of little hills and hollows and rising grounds, before they came
in sight of it again heaving up huge and bright under the sun.
It was built partly on three hills, the buttresses of a long ridge
which turned a wide river, and on the ridge itself, and partly on
the flat shore of the river, on either side, hillward and plainward:
but a great white wall girt it all about, which went right over
the river as a bridge, and on the plain side it was exceeding high,
so that its battlements might be somewhat evened with those of
the hill-wall above. So that as they came up to the place they
saw little of the town because of the enormity of the wall;
scarce aught save a spire or a tall towering roof here and there.
So when they were come anigh the gate, they displayed their banners and
rode right up to it; and people thronged the walls to see their riding.
One by one they passed through the wicket of the gate: which gate itself
was verily huge beyond measure, all built of great ashlar-stones; and when
they were within, it was like a hall somewhat long and exceeding high,
most fairly vaulted; midmost of the said hall they rode through a noble
arch on their right hand, and lo another hall exceeding long, but lower
than the first, with many glazen windows set in its townward wall;
and when they looked through these, they saw the river running underneath;
for this was naught but the lower bridge of the city and they learned
afterwards and saw, that above the vault of this long bridge rose up
the castle, chamber on chamber, till its battlements were level with
the highest towers of the wall on the hill top.
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