“MasterClement，howfardostthoumakeittoHigham-on-the-Way？”
　　“Amatteroffortymiles。”saidtheChapman；“because，asthouwottest，ifyeridesouthfromhence，yeshallpresentlybringyournoseupagainstthebigdowns，andmustneedsclimbthematonce；andwhenyeareatthetopofBearHill，andlooksouthawayyeshallseenoughtbutdownsondownswithneveraroadtocallaroad，andneveracastle，orchurch，orhomestead：noughtbutsomeshepherd’shut；
　　oratthemostthelittlehouseofaholymanwithalittlechapeltherebyinsomeswellyofthechalk，wherethewaterhathtrickledintoapool；forotherwisetheplaceiswaterless。”
　　Therewithhetookalongpullatthetankardbyhisside，andwenton：
　　“Highamisbeyondallthat，andoutintothefertileplain；
　　andalittleriverhightColdlakewindethaboutthemeadowsthere；
　　anditisafairland；thoughlookyouthewoolofthedownsisgood，good，good！Ihavefoisonofthisyear’sfleeceswithme。
　　YeshallraisenonesuchinUpmeads。”
　　Ralphsatsilentalittle，asifpondering，andthenhestartedupandsaid：
　　“GoodmasterClement，wehaveeatenthymeatandthanktheeforthatandothermatters。Wiltthounowbekinder，andbidthyboybringroundFalconourhorse；forwehavefartogo，andmustbegonestraight-away。”
　　“Yea，lord。”saidClement，“evensowillIdo。”Andhemutteredunderhisbreath；“Thoutalkestbig，mylad，withthy’we’；butthouartpressedlestNicholasbeherepresentlytofetchtheeback；
　　andtosaysoothIwouldhishandwereonthyshoulderevennow。”
　　Thenhespakealoudagain，andsaid：
　　“Imustnowbegonetomylads，andIwillsendoneroundwiththywar-horse。Buttakemyrede，mylord，andbecomethemanoftheAbbotofSt。Mary’sofHigham，andallwillbewell。”
　　Therewithheedgedhimselfoutofthechamber，andthedamefelltomakingamightyclatterwiththevesselandtrenchersandcupsontheboard，whileRalphwalkedupanddownthechamberhiswar-gearjinglinguponhim。
　　Presentlythedamelefthertable-clatterandcameuptoRalphandlookedkindlyintohisfaceandsaid：“Gossip，hastthouperchanceanymoney？”
　　Heflushedupred，andthenhisfacefell；yethespakegaily：
　　“Yea，gossip，Ihavebothwhiteandred：therearethreegoldencrownsinmypouch，andalittleflockofsilverpennies：
　　forsoothIsaynotasmanyaswouldreachfromheretoUpmeads，iftheywerelaidoneaftertheother。”
　　Shesmiledandpattedhischeek，andsaid：
　　“Thouartnoveryprudentchild，king’sson。Butitcomesintomymindthatmymasterdidnotmeantheetogoawayempty-handed；
　　elsehadhenotdepartedandleftustwaintogether。”
　　Therewithshewenttothecredencethatstoodinacorner，andopenedadrawerthereinandtookoutalittlebag，andgaveitintoRalph’shand，andsaid：“Thisisthegiftofthegossip；andthoumaysttakeitwithoutshame；
　　allthemorebecauseifthyfatherhadbeenaworserman，andaharderlordhewouldhavehadmoretogivethee。
　　Butnowthouhastasmuchormoreasanyoneofthybrethren。”
　　Hetookthebagsmilingandshame-faced，butshelookedonhimfondlyandsaid：
　　“NowIknownotwhetherIshalllayoldNicholasonthineheelswhenhecomethafterthee，ascomehewillfullsurely；
　　orwhetherIshallsuffertheoldsleuth-houndnoseoutthyslotofhimself，asfullsurelyhewillsetontoit。”
　　“Thoumightesttellhim。”saidRalph，“thatIamgonetotakeservicewiththeAbbotofSt。Mary’sofHigham：hah？”
　　Shelaughedandsaid：“Wiltthoudoso，lord，andfollowtheredeofthatgoodmanofmine，whothinkethhimselfaswiseasSolomon？”
　　Ralphsmiledandansweredhernothing。
　　“Well。”shesaid，“Ishallsaywhatlikesmewhenthehourisathand。
　　Lo，here！thinehorse。Abideyetamomentoftime，andthengowhitherthouneedsmust，likethewindofthesummerday。”
　　TherewithshewentoutofthechamberandcamebackagainwithascripwhichshegavetoRalphandsaid：“Hereinisaflaskofdrinkforthewaterlesscountry，andalittlemeatfortheway。
　　Faretheewell，gossip！LittledidIlookforitwhenIroseupthismorningandnothingirkedmesavethedulnessofourtown，andthelittlenessofmen’sdoingstherein，thatIshouldhavetocutoffapieceofmylifefrommethismorning，andsay，farewellgossip，asnowagainIdo。”
　　Therewithshekissedhimoneithercheekandembracedhim；
　　anditmightbesaidofherandhimthatshelethimgothereafter；
　　forthoughasaforesaidhelovedher，andpraisedherkindness，hescarceunderstoodtheeagernessofherloveforhim；
　　whereasmoreovershesawhimnotsooftenbetwixtUpmeadsandWulstead：andbelikesheherselfscarceunderstoodit。
　　Albeitshewasachildlesswoman。
　　Sowhenhehadgottohorse，shewatchedhimridingamoment，andsawhowhewavedhishandtoherasheturnedthecornerofthemarket-place，andhowaknotofladsandlassesstoodstaringonhimaftershelostsightofhim。Thensheturnedherbackintothechamberandlaidherheadonthetableandwept。
　　Thencameinthegoodmanquietlyandstoodbyherandsheheededhimnot。Hestoodgrinningcuriouslyonherawhile，andthenlaidhishandonhershoulder，andsaidassheraisedherfacetohim：
　　“Sweetheart，itavailethnought；whenthouwertyoungandexceedingfair，hewasbutalittlebabe，andthouwertlookinginthosedaystohavebabesofthineown；andthenitwastoosoon：
　　andnowthatheissuchabeauteousyoungman，andaking’ssonwithal，andthouartweddedtoacarefulcarleofnoweakheart，andthouthyselfartmorethantwo-scoreyearsold，itistoolate。Yetthoudidstwelltogiveourlordthemoney。
　　Lo！hereiswherewithaltofillupthelackinthychest；
　　andhereisatoyfortheeinplaceofthepairofbeadsthougavesthim；andIbidtheelookonitasifIhadgivenhimmyshareofthemoneyandthebeads。”
　　SheturnedtoClement，andtookthebagofmoney，andthechapletwhichheheldouttoher，andshesaid：
　　“Godwotthouartnoillman，myhusband，butwouldGodI
　　hadasonliketohim！”
　　Shestillweptsomewhat；butthechapmansaid：“Letitrestthere，sweetheart！letitrestthere！Itmaybeayearortwainbeforethouseesthimagain：andthenbelikeheshallbecomebackwithsomewomanwhomhelovesbetterthananyother；
　　andwhoknowsbutinawayhemaydeemhimselfourson。
　　Meanwhilethouhastdonewell，sweetheart，sobeglad。”
　　Therewithhekissedherandwenthiswaystohismerchandize，andshetothe
　　RalphRideththeDownsAsforRalph，herodeonwithamerryheart，andpresentlycametoanendoftheplaincountry，andthegreatdownsroseupbeforehimwithawhiteroadwindinguptothetopofthem。
　　Justbeforetheslopesbegantorisewasalittlethorpbesideastream，andtherebyafairchurchandalittlehouseofCanons：
　　soRalphrodetowardthechurchtoseeifthereinwereanaltarofSt。Nicholas，whowashisgoodlordandpatron，thathemightaskofhimablessingonhisjourney。
　　Butashecameuptothechurchyard-gatehesawagreatblackhorsetiedtheretoasifabidingsomeone；andashelighteddownfromhissaddlehesawamancominghastilyfromoutthechurch-doorandstridingswiftlytowardthesaidgate。
　　Hewasabigman，andarmed；forhehadabrightsteelsalletonhishead，whichcoveredhisfaceallsavetheendofhischin；andplateshehadonhislegsandarms。
　　Heworeagreencoatoverhisarmour，andthereonwaswroughtingoldanimageofatreeleafless：hehadalittlesteelaxeabouthisneck，andagreatswordhungbyhisside。
　　Ralphstoodlookingonhimwithhishandonthelatchofthegate，butwhenthemancametheretohetoreitopenroughlyandshovedthroughatonce，drivingRalphback，sothathewell-nighoversethim，andsosprangtohishorseandswunghimselfintothesaddle，justasRalphsteadiedhimselfandruffleduptohim，halfdrawinghisswordfromthescabbardthewhile。
　　Buttheman-at-armscriedout，“Putitback，putitback！
　　Ifthoumustneedsdealwitheverymanthatshoveththeeinhishaste，thylifeisliketobebutshort。”
　　Hewassettlinghimselfinhissaddleashespoke，andnowheshookhisrein，androdeoffspeedilytowardthehill-road。
　　ButwhenhewassofaroffthatRalphmightbutseehisfacebutasapieceofreddishcolour，hereinedupforamomentoftime，andturningroundinhissaddlelifteduphissalletandlefthisfacebare，andcriedoutasiftoRalph，“Thefirsttime！”
　　Andthenletthehead-piecefallagain，andsetspurstohishorseandgalloppedaway。
　　Ralphstoodlookingathimashegotsmalleronthelongwhiteroad，andwonderingwhatthismightmean，andhowtheunknownmanshouldknowhim，ifhedidknowhim。
　　Butpresentlyhelethiswonderrunoffhim，andwenthiswaysintothechurch，whereinhefoundhisgoodlordandfriendSt。Nicholas，andsosaidapaternosterbeforehisaltar，andbesoughthishelp，andmadehisoffering；andthendepartedandgattohorseagain，androdesoftlythewaytothedowns，forthedaywashot。
　　Thewaywassteepandwinding，withahollowcupofthehillsbelowit，andaboveitabentsosteepthatRalphcouldseebutafewyardsofitonhislefthand；butwhenhecametothehill’sbrowandcouldlookdownonthesaidbent，hesawstrangefiguresonthefacethereof，donebycuttingawaytheturfsothatthechalkmightshowclear。Atreewithleaveswasdoneonthathill-side，andoneitherhandofitabeastlikeabearrampingupagainstthetree；andthesesignswereveryancient。
　　Thishill-sidecarvingcouldnotbeseenfromthethorpbeneath，whichwascalledNetherton，becausethebentlookedwestwarddownintothehollowofthehillabovesaid；butfromnighertoWulsteadtheywerecleartosee，andRalphhadoftenbeheldthem，butneversonigh：
　　andthathillwascalledafterthemBearHill。Atthetopofitwasanearth-workoftheancientfolk，whichalsowascalledBearCastle。
　　AndnowRalphrodeoverthehill’sbrowintoit；forthewallshadbeenbeatendowninplaceslongandlongago。
　　Nowherodeupthewall，andatthetopmostofitturnedandlookedabackonthebluecountrywhichhehadriddenthroughstretchingmanyaleaguebelow，andtriedifhecouldpickoutUpmeadsfromamongstthediversewealthofthesummerland：
　　butUpmeadsWaterwashidden，andhecouldseenothingtobesureoftotellhimwhereaboutstheHighHousestood；
　　yethedeemedthathecouldmakeouttheDebateableWoodandthehillsbehinditwellenough。Thenheturnedhishorseabout，andhadthedown-countrybeforehim；longlinesofhillstowit，onerisingbehindtheotherlikethewavesofasomewhatquietsea：
　　notreesthereon，norhousesthathemightseethence：
　　noughtbutagreenroadthatwentwavingupanddownbeforehimgreenerthanthemainfaceoftheslopes。
　　Helookedatitallforaminuteortwoasthesouth-westwindwentpasthisears，andplayedastrangetuneontheinnumerablestemsofthebentsandthehard-stalkedblossoms，towhichthebeessangcounterpoint。
　　Thentheheartarosewithinhim，andhedrewtheswordfromthescabbard，andwaveditabouthishead，andshookittowardthesouth，andcriedout，“Now，welcomeworld，andbethoublessedfromoneendtotheother，fromtheoceanseatotheuttermostmountains！”
　　Awhileheheldthewhitesteelinhisfist，andthensheathedtheblade，androdedownsoberlyovertheturfbridgeacrosstheancientfosse，andsocameontothegreenroadmademanyagesbeforebyanancientpeople，andsotrottedsouthalongfairandsoftly。