"
"Well," said Clement, "and when wilt thou depart?"
"To-morrow," said Ralph, "if my faring-fellow be ready for me by then."
"I am all ready," said the man: "if thou wilt ride out by the east
gate about two hours before noon to-morrow, I will abide thee
on a good horse with all that we may need for the journey:
and now I ask leave." "Thou hast it," said Clement.
So the man departed, and those two being left alone, Master Clement said:
"Well, I deemed that nothing else would come of it: and I fear
that thy gossip will be ill-content with me; for great is the peril."
"Yea," said Ralph, "and great the reward." Clement smiled and sighed,
and said: "Well, lad, even so hath a many thought before thee, wise men
as well as fools." Ralph looked at him and reddened, and departed
from him a little, and went walking in the cloister there to and fro,
and pondered these matters; and whatever he might do, still would
that trim figure be before his eyes which he had looked on so gladly
erewhile in the hostel of Bourton Abbas; and he said aloud to himself:
"Surely she needeth me, and draweth me to her whether I will or no."
So wore the day.
CHAPTER 31
The Beginning of the Road To Utterbol
Early next morning Ralph arose and called Bull Shockhead to him
and said: "So it is, Bull, that thou art my war-taken thrall."
Bull nodded his head, but frowned therewithal. Said Ralph:
"If I bid thee aught that is not beyond reason thou wilt do it,
wilt thou not?" "Yea," said Bull, surlily.
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