She came and sat down by him again, and said to him: "Thy questions I
have answered; but thou hast not yet told me the tale of thy captivity."
Her voice sounded exceeding sweet to him, and he looked on her face and spake
as kindly as he knew how, and said: "A short tale it is to-night at least:
I came from Whitwall with a Company of Chapmen, and it was thee I was
seeking and the Well at the World's End. All went well with me, till I
came to Goldburg, and there I was betrayed by a felon, who had promised
to lead me safe to Utterness, and tell me concerning the way unto the Well.
But he sold me to the Lord of Utterbol, who would lead me to his house;
which irked me not, at first, because I looked to find thee there.
Thereafter, if for shame I may tell the tale, his lady and wife
cast her love upon me, and I was entangled in the nets of guile:
yet since I was told, and believed that it would be ill both for thee
and for me if I met thee at Utterbol, I took occasion to flee away,
I will tell thee how another while."
She had turned pale as she heard him, and now she said: "It is indeed
God's mercy that thou camest not to Utterbol nor foundest me there,
for then had both we been undone amidst the lusts of those two;
or that thou camest not there to find me fled, else hadst thou been undone.
My heart is sick to think of it, even as I sit by thy side."
Said Ralph: "Thy last word maketh me afraid and ashamed to ask thee a thing.
Pages:
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462