"
And therewith a man came from out the barrier and did off his
headpiece and ran straight toward Ralph, who saw at once that it
was Clement Chapman; he made no more ado, but coming up to Ralph fell
to clipping him in his arms, while the tears ran down his face.
Then he stood aloof and gazed upon him speechless a little while,
and then spake: "Hail, and a hundred times hail! but now I
look on thee I see what hath betid, and that thou art too
noble and high that I should have cast mine arms about thee.
But now as for this one, I will be better mannered with her."
Therewith he knelt down before Ursula, and kissed her feet, but reverently.
And she stooped down and raised him up, with a merry countenance
kissed his face, and stroked his cheeks with her hand and said:
"Hail, friend of my lord! Was it not rather thou than he who
delivered me from the pain and shame of Utterbol, whereas thou
didst bring him safe through the mountains unto Goldburg?
And but for that there had been no Well, either for him or for me."
But Clement stood with his head hanging down, and his face reddening.
Till Ralph said to him: "Hail, friend! many a time we thought of this meeting
when we were far away and hard bestead; but this is better than all we
thought of. But now, Clement, hold up thine head and be a stout man of war,
for thou seest that we are not alone."
Said Clement: "Yea, fair lord, and timely ye come, both thou
and thy company; and now that I have my speech again which joy
hath taken away from me at the first, I shall tell thee this,
that if ye go further than the good town ye shall be met and
fought withal by men who are over-many and over-fierce for us.
Pages:
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709