"
"Yea," said Ralph, "but how if I be taken thither?" Quoth Redhead:
"I can see this, that thou art so favoured that thou mayst go
whither thou wilt about the camp with none to hinder thee.
Therefore it will be easy for thee to depart by night and cloud,
or in the grey of morning, when thou comest to a good pass,
whereof I will tell thee. And still I say, go thou not to Utterbol:
for thou art over good to be made a devil of, like to us,
and therefore thou shalt be tormented till thy life is spoilt,
and by that road shalt thou be sent to heaven."
"But thou saidst even now," said Ralph, "that I was high in the
Lord's grace." "Yea," said Redhead, "that may last till thou hast
command to do some dastard's deed and nay-sayest it, as thou wilt:
and then farewell to thee; for I know what my Lord meaneth for thee."
"Yea," said Ralph, "and what is that?" Said Redhead; "He hath
bought thee to give to his wife for a toy and a minion, and if she
like thee, it will be well for a while: but on the first occasion
that serveth him, and she wearieth of thee (for she is a woman
like a weather-cock), he will lay hand on thee and take the manhood
from thee, and let thee drift about Utterbol a mock for all men.
For already at heart he hateth thee."
Ralph stood pondering this word, for somehow it chimed in with
the thought already in his heart. Yet how should he not go
to Utterbol with the Damsel abiding deliverance of him there:
and yet again, if they met there and were espied on, would not
that ruin everything for her as well as for him?
At last he said: "Good fellow, this may be true, but how shall I know it for
true before I run the risk of fleeing away, instead of going on to Utterbol,
whereas folk deem honour awaiteth me.
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