Withal he bade him not to try fleeing, lest he be slain; and he showed
him how nigh the guards were and how many.
Glad was the old man when he saw the captive put a good face
on matters, and that he was not down-hearted. In sooth that hatred
of the tyrant mingled with hope sustained Ralph's heart.
He had been minded when he was brought before the lord to
have shown the letter of the Queen of Goldburg, and to defy
him if he still held him captive. But when he had beheld
him and his fellowship a while he thought better of it.
For though they had abundance of rich plenishing, and gay raiment,
and good weapons and armour, howbeit of strange and uncouth fashion,
yet he deemed when he looked on them that they would scarce
have the souls of men in their bodies, but that they were utterly
vile through and through, like the shapes of an evil dream.
Therefore he thought shame of it to show the Queen's letter
to them, even as if he had shown them the very naked body of her,
who had been so piteous kind to him. Also he had no mind
to wear his heart on his sleeve, but would keep his own counsel,
and let his foemen speak and show what was in their minds.
For this cause he now made himself sweet, and was of good
cheer with old David, deeming him to be a great man there;
as indeed he was, being the chief counsellor of the Lord
of Utterbol; though forsooth not so much his counsellor
as that he durst counsel otherwise than as the Lord desired
to go; unless he thought that it would bring his said Lord,
and therefore himself, to very present peril and damage.
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