For though he but kisses me as his gossip and foster-mother, yet are
his kisses closer and kinder than they were aforetime."
Said Clement: "Sooth is the Sage's guess; yet verily, fair sir,
I have told her somewhat of thy journeys, so far as I knew of them."
Said Katherine: "Dear lord and gossip, wilt thou not tell me
more thereof now?"
"What!" said Ralph; "shall I not sleep to-night?"
"Dear gossip," she said, "thou art over-mighty to need sleep. And ah!
I had forgotten in the joy of our meeting that to-morrow thou goest to battle;
and how if thou come not again?"
"Fear nought," said Ralph; "art thou not somewhat foreseeing?
Dost thou not know that to-morrow or the day after I shall
come back unhurt and victorious; and then shall both thou
and Clement come to Upmeads and abide there as long as ye will;
and then shall I tell thee a many tales of my wanderings;
and Ursula my beloved, she also shall tell thee."
Katherine reddened somewhat, but she said: "Would I might kiss her feet,
dear lord. But now, I pray thee, tell me somewhat, now at once."
"So shall it be," said Ralph, "since thou wilt have it,
dear gossip; but when I have done I shall ask thee to tell
me somewhat, whereof hath long been wonder in my mind;
and meseemeth that by the time we are both done with tales,
I shall needs be putting on my helm again.--Nay, again I tell
thee it is but a show of battle that I go to!"
So then he went and sat by Clement's side, and began and told
over as shortly as might be the tidings of his journeys.
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