" He looked on her wistfully and said:
"But thou wert dear to me then."
"Yea," she said, "and thou to me; but other things have befallen,
and there is change betwixt."
"Nay, what change?" said Ralph.
Even by the firelight he saw that she reddened as she answered:
"I was a free woman then; now am I but a runaway thrall."
Then Ralph laughed merrily, and said, "Then are we brought
the nigher together, for I also am a runaway thrall."
She smiled and looked down: then she said: "Wilt thou tell
me how that befell?"
"Yea," said he, "but I will ask thee first a question or two."
She nodded a yeasay, and looked on him soberly, as a child waiting
to say its task.
Said Ralph: "When we parted at the want-ways of the Wood
Perilous thou saidst that thou wert minded for the Well
at the World's End, and to try it for life or death.
But thou hadst not then the necklace, which now I see thee bear,
and which, seest thou! is like to that about my neck.
Wilt thou tell me whence thou hadst it?"
She said: "Yea; it was given unto me by a lady, mighty as I deem,
and certainly most lovely, who delivered me from an evil plight,
and a peril past words, but whereof I will tell thee afterwards.
And she it was who told me of the way to the Well at the World's End,
and many matters concerning them that seek it, whereof thou
shalt wot soon."
Said Ralph: "As to how thou wert made a thrall thou needest not to tell me;
for I have learned that of those that had to do with taking thee
to Utterbol.
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