So when the sun was risen she stood up in the fore part
of the boat, and bade him turn the barque toward the shore,
and even as the bows ran upon the sand, she leapt out and let
the thicket cover her; nor have any of Goldburg seen her since,
or the Queen. But for my part I deem the woman to have been
none other than the Queen. Seest thou then! she is gone:
but the King Rainald her cousin reigns in her stead, a wise man,
and a mighty, and no tyrant or skinner of the people."
Ralph heard and pondered, and was exceeding sorry, and more had
he been but for the joyousness which came of the Water of the Well.
Howbeit he might not amend it: for even were he to seek for the Queen
and find her, it might well be worse than letting it be. For he knew
(when he thought of her) that she loved him, and how would it be if she
might not outwear her love, or endure the days of Goldburg, and he far away?
This he said to himself, which he might not have said to any other soul.
CHAPTER 9
They Come to Cheaping Knowe Once More. Of the King Thereof
Toward evening comes Redhead, and tells Ralph how he hired him
a dozen men-at-arms to follow him well-weaponed to Cheaping Knowe:
withal he counselled him to take a good gift with him to that same
town to buy the good will of the King there; who was a close-fist
and a cruel lord.
Afterwards they sat together in the court of that fair house before
good wine, Ralph and Ursula, and Redhead and the Sage of Swevenham,
and spake of many things, and were merry and kind together.
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