So mayhappen," said she, smiling, "none of us shall seek to the Well
until we have worn our present bliss a little threadbare."
Ursula smiled on her, but the Sage said: "Mayhappen it is of no avail
speaking of such things to a young and fair woman; but what would betide you
if the old Burgers were to come back and win their walls again?" The maid who
had been a thrall changed countenance at his word; but the other one said:
"If the Burgers come back, they will find them upon the walls who have
already chaced them. Thou mayst deem me slim and tender, old wise man;
but such as mine arm is, it has upheaved the edges against the foe; and if it
be a murder to slay a Burger, then am I worthy of the gallows." "Yea, yea,"
quoth Richard, laughing, "ye shall be double-manned then in this good town:
ye may well win, unless the sight of you shall make the foe over fierce
for the gain."
Said the Sage "It is well, maiden, and if ye hold to that, and keep
your carles in the same road, ye need not to fear the Burgers:
and to say sooth, I have it in my mind, that before long ye shall
have both war and victory."
Then Ralph seemed to wake up as from a dream, and he arose, and said:
"Thou art in the right, Sage, and to mine eyes it seemeth that
both thou and I shall be sharers in the war and the victory."
And therewith he fell to striding up and down the hall, while the two
maidens sat gazing on him with gleaming eyes and flushed cheeks.
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