"
Then they arose and thanked the Sage with whole hearts and
praised his wisdom. But while the old man mended the fire
Ralph went up to Ursula and took her hand, and said:
"Welcome to life, fellow-farer!" and he gazed earnestly into
her eyes, as though he would have her fall into his arms:
but whereas she rather shrank from him, though she looked
on him lovingly, if somewhat shyly, he but kissed her hand,
and laid him down again, when he had seen her lying in her place.
And therewith they fell asleep and slept sweetly.
CHAPTER 8
They Come to the Sea of Molten Rocks
When they woke again the sun was high above their heads, and they saw
the Sage dighting their breakfast. So they arose and washed the night off
them in the stream and ate hastily, and got to horse on a fair forenoon;
then they rode the mountain neck east from that valley; and it was a long
slope of stony and barren mountain nigh waterless.
And on the way Ursula told Ralph how the man who was scared by
the wizardry last night was verily the nephew of the Lord from whom
she had stolen her armour by wheedling and a seeming promise.
"But," said she, "his love lay not so deep but that he would
have avenged him for my guile on my very body had he taken us."
Ralph reddened and scowled at her word, and the Sage led them
into the other talk.
So long was that fell, that they were nigh benighted
ere they gained the topmost, or came to any pass.
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