WhatRalphHeardoftheMattersoftheBurgoftheFourFrithsTherewasnocandleinthehallwhenheentered，butitwasnotsodarkthereinbuthemightseeRogersittingonastoolnearthechimney，andoppositetohimonthesettlesattwomen；oneverytallandbig，theothersmall；Rogerwaslookingawayfromthese，andwhistling；
　　anditcameintoRalph’smindthathewouldhavehimthinkthathehadnoughttodowiththem，whetherthatweresoornot。
　　ButheturnedroundasRalphcameupthehallandroseandcameuptohim，andfelltotalkingwithhimandaskinghimhowhelikedtheBurg；
　　andeverhespakefastandloud，sothatagainitcameonRalphthathewasplayingapart。
　　Ralphheededhimlittle，buteverlookedthroughthehall-duskonthosetwain，whopresentlyaroseandwenttowardthehalldoor，butwhentheywerebuthalf-wayacrossthefloorachamberlaincameinsuddenly，bearingcandlesinhishands，andthelightfellonthoseguestsandflashedbackfromasaladeontheheadofthebigman，andRalphsawthathewascladinalongwhitegaberdine，andhedeemedthathewastheverymanwhomhehadseenlastintheGreatPlaceatHigham，nighthechurch，andbeforethatupontheroad。
　　AsforthesmallermanRalphhadnoknowledgeofhim，forhecouldseebutlittleofhisface，whereashewaswrappedupinacloak，foraswarmastheeveningwas，andworeaslouchhatwithal；
　　buthiseyesseemedgreatandwondrousbright。
　　ButwhentheyweregoneRalphaskedRogerifheknewaughtofthem，oriftheyhadtoldhimaught。“Nay。”saidRoger，“theycameinhereasIsatalone，andhadtheirmeat，andspakenoughttome，andlittletoeachother。
　　IdeemthemnottobeoftheBurg。Nay，soothtosay，Idoubtiftheybetruemen。”
　　Ashespakecameinasortofthetownsmensomewhatmerryandnoisy，andcalledformeatanddrinkandmorelights；
　　sothattheboardwasbroughtandthehallwasspeedilyastir。
　　Thesemen，whilesupperwasbeingdight，felltotalkingtoRalphandRoger，andaskingthemquestionsofwhenceandwhither，butnowiseuncourteously：towhomRogeransweredwiththetalewhichhehadtoldRalph，andRalphtoldwhathewould，andthatwasbutlittle。
　　Butwhentheboardwasdighttheybadethemsitdownwiththemandeat。
　　Ralphsatdownatonce，andRogerwouldhaveservedhim，butRalphbadehimdoitnot，andconstrainedhimtositbyhisside，andtheytwosatalittleapartfromthetownsmen。
　　Sowhentheyhadeatentheirfill，andwinewasbrought，andmenweredrinkingkindly，RalphbegantoaskRogerconcerningthosewomenwhomhehadseeninthestreet，andthecaptiveswhomhehadseenbroughtinbythehost，andiftheywereofonekindred，andgenerallyhowitwaswiththem：andhespakesomewhatsoftlyasifhewouldnotbreakintothetalkofthetownsmen：
　　butRogeransweredhiminaloudvoicesothatallcouldhear：
　　“Yea，lord，Iwilltelltheethetaleofthem，whichsettethforthwellboththewisepolicyandthegreatmercyofthefolkoftheBurgandtheirrulers。”
　　SaidRalph：“ArethesewomenalsooftheDryTree？
　　ForIperceivethemtobebornofthefoesoftheBurg。”
　　Nowthetownsmenhadlettheirtalkdropawhiletolistentothetalkofthealiens；andRogeransweredstillinaloudvoice：
　　“Nay，nay，itisnotso。Thesequeensareindeedwar-takenthralls，butnotfromthemoftheDryTree，ortheywouldhavebeenslainatonce，likeasthecarlesofthoseaccursedones。
　　ButtheseareofthefolkoftheWheat-wearers，evenasthosewhomthousawestbroughtto-dayamidsttheotherspoil。
　　AndtothisfolktheBurgshowethmercy，andwhensothehostgoethagainstthemandover-comethandthatiswell-nighwhenevertheymeet
　　theseworthylordsslaynowomanofthem，butthemenonly，whethertheybeoldoryoungoryoungest。Asfortheirwomentheyarebroughthitherandsoldatthemarket-crosstothehighestbidder。
　　Andthishonourtheyhave，thatsuchofthemasbefair，andthatisthemorepartoftheyoungerones，fetchnoillpenny。
　　YetformypartIwerelothtocheapensuchwares：fortheymakebutevilservants，beingproud，andnotabidingstripeslightly，ortoilingtheharderforthem；andtheybesomewhattoohandywiththeknifeiftheydeemthemselvesputupon。SpeakIsooth，mymasters？”quothhe，turningtowardthemofthetown。
　　Saidaburghersomewhatstrickeninyears，“Noughtbutsooth；
　　peaceablemenliketomeeschewsuchservants；allthemorebecauseofthis，thatifoneofthesequeensmisbehavewiththeknife，orstrayethfromhermaster’sbed，thelawsoftheBurgmeddlenottherein。
　　Forthewisemensaythatsuchfolkarenomorewithinthelawthankinebe，andmaynotfortheirdeedsbebroughtbeforeleetorassizeanymorethankine。Sothatifthemasterpunishhernotforhermisdoings，unpunishedsheneedsmustgo；yeaevenifherdeedbemeremurder。”
　　“Thatissooth。”saidasomewhatyoungerman；“yetwhilesitfarethillwiththematthehandsofourwomen。Towit，myfather’sbrotherhasevennowcomefromthewartofindhisthrallallspoiltbyhiswife：
　　andwhatremedymayhehaveagainsthiswife？hismoneyisgone，evenasifshehadhoughedhishorseorhisbestcow。”
　　“Yea。”saidathird，“wewerebetterwithoutsuchcattle。
　　Athrustwithaswordandallthetaletold，werethebetterwayofdealingwiththem。”
　　Saidanother；“Yetarethequeensgoodwebsters，and，lackingthem，figuredclothofsilkwouldbefar-fetchedanddear-boughthere。”
　　Ayoungmangailyclad，whohadbeeneyeingthespeakersdisdainfully，spakenextandsaid：“Fairsirs，yearespeakinglikehypocrites，andasifyourlawfulwiveswereheretohearkentoyou；
　　whereasyeknowwellhowgoodlythesethrallsbe，andthatmanyofthemcanbekindenoughwithal；andyewouldthinkyourselvesbutillbesteadifyemightnotcheapensuchjewelsforyourmoney。
　　WhichofyouwillgototheCrossnextSaturdayandtherebuyhimafairerwifethanhecanwedoutofourlineages？andawifewithalofwhosehumoursheneedtakenomoreaccountofthanthedullnessofhishoundortheskittishtemperofhismare，solongasthethongsmarts，andthetwigssting。”
　　Oneortwogrinnedashespake，butsomebenttheirbrowsathim，yetscarceinearnest，andthetalkthereoverdropped，nordidRalphaskanymorequestions；forhewassomewhatdown-hearted，callingtomindthefrankandfreemaidensofUpmead，andtheirfriendlywordsandheartykisses。
　　Andhimseemedtheworldwasworsethanhehadlookedtofindit。
　　Howsoever，theoldestandsoberestoftheguests，seeingthathewasastrangerandofnobleaspect，cameuntohimandsatbyhim，andfelltotellinghimtalesofthewarsofthemenoftheBurgwiththeWheat-wearers；
　　andhowintimepast，whenthetownwasbutlittlefenced，theWheat-wearershadstormedtheirgatesandtakenthecity，andhadmadeagreatslaughter；butyethadsparedmanyofthefighting-men，althoughtheyhadabidedthereasthemastersofthem，andheldthementhralledforthreegenerationsofmen：
　　afterwhichtimethesons’sonsoftheoldBurg-dwellershavinggrownverymanyagain，anddiversofthembeingtrustedinsundrymattersbytheconquerors，whooppressedthembutlittle，roseupagainstthemasoccasionserved，inthewinterseasonandtheYulefeast，andslewtheirmasters，saveforafewwhowerehiddenaway。
　　“Andthereafter。”quothhe，“didwemaketheBurgstrongandhardtowin，asyeseeitto-day；andwetookforourcaptaintheForestLord，whoere-whilehaddweltintheclearingsofthewildwood，andheweddedtheFairLadywhowastheson’sdaughterofhimwhohadbeenourlorderetheWheat-wearersovercameus；andwegrewsafeandfreeandmightyagain。
　　AndthesonoftheForestLord，hewhomwecalltheWar-smith，heitwaswhobeheldtheBurgtoomuchgiventopleasure，anddelightinginthesoftnessoflife；andhetookordertohardenourhearts，andtocauseallfreementolearnthecraftofwarandbattle，andletthewomenandthrallsandaliensseetoothercraftsmanshipandtochaffer；andevensoisitdoneashewould；andyeshallfindushardyofheartenough，thoughbelikenotsojoyousasmightbe。
　　Yetatleastweshallnotbeeasytoovercome。”
　　“Soindeeditseemeth。”saidRalph。“YetwillIaskofyoufirstonequestion，andthenanother。”
　　“Askon。”saidtheburgher。
　　SaidRalph：“Howisitthatye，beingsostrong，shouldstillsufferthemoftheDryTree，takingamanhereandamanthere，whenyemightdestroythemutterly？”
　　TheBurgherreddenedandclearedhisthroatandsaid：
　　“Sir，itmustbemadecleartoyouthattheseevilbeastsarenoperiltotheBurgoftheFourFriths；alltheharmtheymaydous，isaswhenacurdogbitethamaninthecalfoftheleg；
　　wherebythemanshallbegrievedindeed，butthedogslain。
　　Suchgriefasthattheyhavedoneusatwhiles：butthegriefispaidforthus，thatthehuntingandslayingofthemkeepsourmeningoodtrim，andpleasuresthem；shortlytosayit，theyarethechiefdeerwherewithourwoodisstocked。”
　　Hestoppedawhileandthenwentonagainandsaid：“Tosaysooththeybenotveryhandyforcrushingasamancrushesawasp，becausesorcerygoeswiththem，andthewilesofonewhoistheirQueen，theevilestwomanwhoeverspatupontheblessedHostoftheAltar：
　　yetisshestrong，adevouringseaofsouls，Godhelpus！”
　　Andheblessedhimselftherewith。
　　SaidRalph：“YetawordontheseWheat-wearers；itseemeththatyeneverfailtoovercometheminbattle？”
　　“Butseldomatleast。”quoththeBurgher。
　　SaidRalph：“Thenitwerenogreatmatterforyoutogatherahostoverwhelming，andtotaketheirtownsandcastles，andforbidthemweapons，andmakethemyourthrallstotillthelandforyouwhichnowtheycalltheirs；sothatyemighthaveoftheirgettingsallsavewhatwereneedfulforthemtoliveasthralls。”
　　“Ideemitwereaneasything。”saidtheburgher。
　　QuothRalph：“Thenwhydoyenotso？”
　　“Itwerebutapoorgametoplay。”saidtheburgher。
　　“Suchoftheirwealthaswehaveamindto，wecanhavenowatthecostofabattleortwo，begunonehourandendedthenext：
　　werewetheirmasterssittingdownamidstoftheirhatred，andamidstoftheirplotting，yea，andintheveryplacewherethatwerethehottestandthickest，thebattlewouldbetobeginateverysun’suprising，norwoulditbeendedatanysunset。
　　Hah！whatsayestthou？”
　　SaidRalph：“Thisseemethtomebutthebaretruth；yetitislittleafterthemannerofsuchmasterfulmenasyebe。
　　Butwhythendoyeslayalltheircarlesthataretaken；
　　whereasyebearawaythewomenandmakethrallsofthemathome，thatistosay，foesineveryhouse？”
　　“Itmaybe。”saidtheBurgher，“thatthisisnotamongstthewisestofourdealings。Yetmaywedonootherwise；forthuswesworetodobyallthegreatestoathsthatwemightswear，inthedayswhenwefirstcastofftheiryoke，andyetwerenotoverstrongatthefirst；
　　andnowithathsogrownintoapartofourmanners，yea，andofourveryheartsandminds，thattheslayingofaWheat-weareristousalightermatterthanthesmitingofarabbitorafowmart。Butnow，lookyou，fairsir，mycompanyarisethfromtable；soIbidtheeagoodnight。
　　AndIgivetheeagoodredealongwiththegoodwish，towit，thatthouasknottoomanyquestionsinthiscityconcerningitsfoemen：
　　forhereisthestrangerlookeduponwithdoubt，ifheneitherwilltakethewagesoftheBurgforbattle，norhathaughttosell。”
　　Ralphreddenedathisword，andtheotherlookedathimsteadilyashespoke，sothatRalphdeemedthathemistrustedhim：
　　hedeemedmoreoverthatthreeorfouroftheotherslookedhardathimastheywenttowardsthedoor，whileRogerstoodsomewhatsmiling，andhummingasnatchofanoldsong。
　　Butwhentheotherguestshadleftthehostelry，Rogerlefthissinging，andturnedtoRalphandsaid：“Master，meseemsthattheymistrustus，andnowmaybeisthatperilthatIspakeofnigherthanIdeemedwhenwecameintotheBurgthismorning。
　　AndnowIwouldthatwewerewelloutoftheBurgandinthemerrygreenwoodagain，anditrepentsmethatIbroughttheehither。”
　　“Nay，goodfellow。”quothRalph，“heeditnot：besides，itwasme，notthee，thattheyseemedtodoubtof。Iwilldeparthenceto-morrowmorningnoworserthanIcame，andleavetheetoseekthyfortunehere；
　　andgoodluckgowiththee。”