But he said: "Hail, daughter! It is sweet to see
thee so, and to wot that thou art in the hands of a mighty man:
for I know that Ralph thy man is minded for his Father's House,
and the deeds that abide him there; and I think we may journey
a little way together; for as for me, I would go back to Swevenham
to end my days there, whether they be long or short."
But Ralph said: "As for that, thou mayst go further than Swevenham,
and as far as Upmeads, where there will be as many to love and cherish
thee as at Swevenham."
The old man laughed a little, and reddened withal, but answered nothing.
Then they untrussed their sumpter-beast, and took meat and drink from
his burden, and they ate and drank together, sitting on the green grass there;
and the twain made great joy of the Sage, and told him the whole tale;
and he told them that he had been abiding there since the spring-tide,
lest they might have turned back without accomplishing their quest,
and then may-happen he should have been at hand to comfort them,
or the one of them left, if so it had befallen. "But," quoth he,
"since ye have verily drunk of the Well at the World's End, ye have come
back no later than I looked for you."
That night they slept in the bower there, and on the morrow betimes,
the Sage drove together three or four milch goats that he pastured there,
and went their ways over the plain, and so in due time entered into the
lava-sea.
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