"
Said Redhead: "There is no honour at Utterbol save for such as are
unworthy of honour. But thy risk is as I say, and I shall tell thee
whence I had my tale, since I love thee for thy kindness to me,
and thy manliness. It was told me yester-eve by a woman who is in the
very privity of the Lady of Utterbol, and is well with the Lord also:
and it jumpeth with mine own thought on the matter; so I bid thee beware:
for what is in me to grieve would be sore grieved wert thou cast away."
"Well," said Ralph, "let us sit down here on the bank and then tell me more;
but go on with thine angling the while, lest any should see us."
So they sat down, and Redhead did as Ralph bade; and he said:
"Lord, I have bidden thee to flee; but this is an ill land
to flee from, and indeed there is but one pass whereby ye
may well get away from this company betwixt this and Utterbol;
and we shall encamp hard by it on the second day of our faring hence.
Yet I must tell thee that it is no road for a dastard; for it leadeth
through the forest up into the mountains: yet such as it is,
for a man bold and strong like thee, I bid thee take it:
and I can see to it that leaving this company shall be easy to thee:
only thou must make up thy mind speedily, since the time draws
so nigh, and when thou art come to Utterbol with all this rout,
and the house full, and some one or other dogging each footstep
of thine, fleeing will be another matter.
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