knowestthoutherestingplaceofherbones？”
　　“WhenIhadheardthetaleoftheoldmanIwasmovedtomyinmostheart，andIscarceknewwhattosay。Butnowthislongwhilefearwasdeadinme，soIthoughtIwouldtelltheverysooth：
　　butIsaidfirst：’Sir，whatIwilltell，Iwilltellwithoutbeseeching，soIpraytheestandup。’Sodidhe，andIsaid：
　　’Geoffrey，whatbecameofthewhitehindafterthebannershadleftthewildwood“？Hestaredwildatme，andIdeemedthattearsbegantocomeintohiseyes；butIsaidagain：
　　’WhatbetidtodameJoyce’syoungestborn，thefairlittlemaidenthatweleftsickofafeverwhenwerodetoUp-castle？’
　　Stillhesaidnaughtbutlookedatmewondering：andsaid：
　　’Hastthoueveragainseenthatgreatoldoaknightheclearingbythewater，thehalfofwhichfellawayinthesummer-stormofthatlastJuly？’
　　“Thenverilythetearsgushedoutofhiseyes，andhewept，forasoldashewas；andwhenhecouldmasterhimselfhesaid：’Whoartthou？
　　Whoartthou？ArtthouthedaughterofmyLady，evenasthesearemysons？’
　　ButIsaid：’NowwillIanswerthyfirstquestion，andtelltheethattheLadythouseekestisverilyalive；andshehasthriven，forshehasdrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，andhasputfromhertheburdenoftheyears。
　　OGeoffrey，anddostthounotknowme？’AndIheldoutmyhandtohim，andIalsowasweeping，becauseofmythoughtoftheyearsgoneby；
　　forthisoldmanhadbeenthatswainwhohadnighdiedformewhenIfledwithmyhusbandfromtheoldking；andhebecameoneoftheDryTree，andhadfollowedmewithkindserviceaboutthewoodsinthedayswhenI
　　wasatmyhappiest。
　　“Butnowhefellonhiskneesbeforemenotlikeavassalbutlikealover，andkissedmyfeet，andwasbesidehimselfforjoy。
　　Andhissons，whoweremenofsomefortysummers，tallandwarrior-like，kissedmyhandsandmadeobeisancebeforeme。
　　“Nowwhenwehadcometoourselvesagain，oldGeoffrey，whowasnownaughtbutglad，spakeandsaid：’ItistoldamongstusthatwhenourhostdepartedfromtheLandoftheTower，afterthouhadsttakenthydueseatuponthethrone，thatthoudidstpromiseourchieftainshowthouwouldstonedaycomebacktothefellowshipoftheDryTreeanddwellamongstus。
　　Wiltthounowholdtothypromise？’Isaid：’OGeoffrey，ifthouartthelastofthoseseekers，andthouwertbutaboywhenIdweltwithyouofold，whooftheDryTreeislefttorememberme？’Hehunghisheadawhilethen，andspake：
　　’Oldarewegrown，yetartthoufittesttobeamongstyoungfolk：
　　unlessmineeyesarebeguiledbysomesemblancewhichwillpassawaypresently。’’Nay，’quothI，’itisnotso；
　　asIamnow，soshallIbeformanyandmanyaday。’
　　’Well，’saidGeoffrey，’whereverthoumaystbe，thoushaltbeQueenofmen。’
　　“’IlistnottobeQueenagain，’saidI。Helaughedandsaid：
　　’Iwotnothowthoumaysthelpit。’
　　“Isaid：’TellmeoftheDryTree，howthechampionshavesped，andhavetheygrowngreaterorless。’Saidhe：
　　’Theyarewarriorsandchampionsfromfathertoson；
　　thereforehavetheythrivennotoverwell；yettheyhaveleftthethickofthewood，andbuiltthemagreatcastleabovethelittletownhightHampton；sothatisnowcalledHamptonunderScaur，forupontheheightofthesaidScaurisourcastlebuilded：
　　andthereweholdusagainsttheBurgoftheFourFrithswhichhaththrivengreatly；thereisnonesogreatastheBurginallthelandsabout。’
　　“Isaid：’AndtheLandoftheTower，thriveththefolkthereofatall？’
　　’Nay，’hesaid，’theyhavebeenrenttopiecesbyfollyandwarandgreediness：intheGreatCityarebutfewpeople，grassgrowsinitsstreets；themerchantswendnotthewaysthatleadthither。
　　Naughtthriveththeresincethoustolestthyselfawayfromthem。’
　　“’Nay，’Isaid，’Ifledfromtheirmalice，lestIshouldhavebeenbroughtouttobeburnedoncemore；andtherewouldhavebeennonetorescuethen。’
　　’Wasitso？’saidoldGeoffrey；’wellitisallonenow；theirdayisdone。’
　　“’Well，’Isaid，’comeintomyhouse，andeatanddrinkthereinandsleephereto-night，andto-morrowIshalltelltheewhatIwilldo。’
　　“Evensotheydid；andonthemorrowearlyIspaketoGeoffreyandsaid：
　　’WhathathbefallentheLandofAbundance，andthecastlemylordbuiltformethere；whichweheldasourrefugeallthroughtheWaroftheTower，bothbeforewejoinedustoyouinthewildwood，andafterwards？’Hesaid：
　　’Itisatpeacestill；noonehathlaidhandonit；thereisasimplefolkdwellingthereintheclearingofthewood，whichforgetteththeenot；
　　thoughforsoothstrangetalesaretoldoftheethere；andtheoldmendeemthatitisbutalittlesincethouhastceasedtocomeandgothere；
　　andtheyarereadytoworshiptheeassomewhatmorethantheBlessedSaints，wereitnotfortheFathersoftheThornwhoaretheirmasters。’
　　“Iponderedthisawhile，andthensaid：’Geoffrey，yeshallbringmehenceawaytothepeopledparts，andontheway，orwhenwearecomeamongstthecitiesandthekingdoms，wewillsettleitwhitherIshallgo。
　　Seethou！IwerefaintobeofthebrotherhoodoftheDryTree；
　　yetIdeemitwillscarcebethatIshallgoanddwelltherestraightway。’
　　“Therewiththeoldmanseemedcontent；andindeednowthatthefirstjoyofourmeeting，whenhisyouthsprangupinhimoncemore，wasover，hefoundithardtotalkfreelywithme，andwasdowncastandshybeforeme，asifsomethinghadcomebetwixtus，whichhadmadeourlivescoldtoeachother。
　　“SothatdaywelefttheHouseoftheSorceress，whichIshallnotseeagain，tillIcometherehandinhandwiththee，beloved。
　　Whenwecametothepeopledparts，GeoffreyandhissonsbroughtmetotheLandofAbundance，andIfounditallashehadsaidtome：
　　andItookupmydwellinginthecastle，anddespisednotthosefewfolkoftheland，butwaskindtothem：butthoughtheypraisedmygifts，andhonouredmeasthesaintsarehonoured，andthoughtheylovedme，yetitwaswithfear，sothatIhadlittlepartwiththem。
　　ThereIdweltthen；andthebookwhichthoudidstreadthere，parttrueandpartfalse，andaltogetherofmaliceagainstme，Iboughtofamonkwhocameourway，andwhoatfirstwassoreafearedwhenhefoundthathehadcometomycastle。AstothehallingoftheChamberofDais，Ihavetoldtheebeforehowmylord，theKing’sSon，diddomakeitinmemoryofthewildernesswhereinhefoundme，andthelifeofthralldomfromwhichhebroughtme。
　　ThereIdwelttillnighuponthesedaysinpeaceandquiet：
　　notdidIgototheDryTreeforalongwhile，thoughmanyofthemsoughttomethereattheCastleofAbundance；and，woeworththewhile！
　　therewasoftenestbutoneendtotheirguesting，thatofallgifts，theybesoughtmebutofone，which，alack！Imightnotgivethem：
　　andthatisthelovethatIhavegiventothee，beloved——And，oh！myfear，thatitwillweightoolightwiththee，towinmepardonoftheeforallthatthoumustneedspardonme，erethoucanstgivemeallthylove，thatIlongforsosorely。”
　　TheyGoOnTheirWayOnceMore“Looknow。”shesaid，“Ihaveheldtheesolongintalk，thattheafternooniswaning；nowisittimeforustobeonthewayagain；
　　notbecauseImisdoubtmeofthyfoeman，butbecauseIwouldtaketheetoafairerdwellingofthedesert，andonewhereIhaveerstabided；
　　andmoreover，therethoushaltnotaltogetherdieofhunger。
　　See，isitnotasifIhadthoughttomeettheehere？”
　　“Yea，ingoodsooth。”saidhe，“Iwotthatthoucanstseethestoryofthingsbeforetheyfall。”
　　Shelaughedandsaid：“ButallthisthathathbefallensinceI
　　setouttomeettheeattheCastleofAbundanceIforesawnot，anymorethanIcanforeseeto-morrow。OnlyIknewthatwemustneedspassbytheplacewheretoIshallnowleadthee，andImadeprovisionthere。Lo！nowthemarvelslain：
　　andinsuchwiseshallperishothermarvelswhichhavebeentoldofme；yetnotall。Comenow，letustotheway。”
　　Sotheyjoinedhandsandleftthepleasantplace，andwereagaingoingspeedilyamidsttheclosepinewoodsawhile，whereitwassmoothunderfootandsilentofnoiseswithal。
　　NowRalphsaid：“Beloved，thouhasttoldmeofmanythings，butnaughtconcerninghowthoucamesttobeweddedtotheKnightoftheSun，andofthydealingswithhim。”
　　Saidshe，reddeningwithal：“Iwilltelltheenomorethanthis，unlessthoucompelme：thathewouldhavemewedhim，asitwereagainstmywill，tillIceasedstrivingagainsthim，andI
　　wentwithhimtoSunway，whichisnogreatwayfromtheCastleofAbundance，andtherebefellthattreasonofWaltertheBlack，wholovedmeandprayedformylove，andwhenIgainsaidhim，sworebyallthatwasholy，beforemylord，thatitwasIwhosoughthislove，andhowIhadtoldandtaughthimwaysofwitchcraft，wherebywemightfulfillourlove，sothattheBaronshouldkeepawifeforanotherman。AndtheKnightoftheSun，whosehearthadbeenfilledwithmanytalesofmywisdom，trueandfalse，believedhisfriendwhomheloved，andstillbelievethhim，thoughheburnethfortheloveofmenow；whereasinthosefirstdaysofthetreason，heburnedwithloveturnedtohatred。
　　Soofthiscamethatshamingandcasting-forthofme。
　　WhereofIwilltelltheebutthis，thatthebrotherofmylord，eventhetallchampionwhomthouhastseen，cameuponmepresently，whenIwascastforth；becausehewascomingtoseetheKnightoftheSunathishome；andhelovedme，butnotafterthefashionofhisbrother，butwaskindandmildwithme。
　　SothenIwentwithhimtoHamptonandtheDryTree，andgreatjoymadethefolkthereofofmycoming，whereastheyrememberedtheiraskingofaforetimethatIwouldcometobeaQueenoverthem，andtherehaveIdwelteversincebetwixtHamptonandtheCastleofAbundance；andthattallchampionhasbeeneverasabrotheruntome。”
　　SaidRalph，“AndthouarttheirQueenthere？”“Yea。”shesaid，“inafashion；
　　yethavetheyanotherwhoismightierthanI，andmight，ifshedurst，hangmeoverthebattlementsoftheScaur，forsheisafierceandhardwoman，andnownolongeryounginyears。”
　　“Isitnotsothen。”saidRalph，“thatsomeoftheilldeedsthataretoldoftheeareofherdoing？”
　　“Itisevenso。”shesaid，“andwhileswhenshehasspokenthewordImaynotbeagainstheropenly，thereforeIusemywisdomwhichI
　　havelearned，tosetfreelucklesswightsfromherangerandmalice。
　　MorebytokenthelasttimeIdidthuswastheverynightofthedayweparted，afterthouhadstescapedfromtheBurg。”
　　“Inwhatwisewasthat？”saidRalph。Shesaid：“WhenIrodeawayfromtheeonthathappydayofmydeliverancebythee，myheartlaughedforjoyofthelifethouhadstgivenme，andoftheethegiver，andIsworetomyselfthatIwouldsetfreethefirstcaptiveordeath-doomedcreaturethatI
　　cameacross，inhonourofmypleasureanddelight：
　　nowspeedilyIcametoHamptonandtheScaur；
　　foritisnotveryfarfromthewant-waysofthewood：
　　andthereIheardhowfourofourfolkhadbeenledawaybythemenoftheBurg，thereforeitwascleartomethatImustsetthesemenfreeifIcould；besides，itpleasedmetothinkthatIcouldwalkaboutthestreetsofthefoemensafely，whohadbeenbutjustledthitherwardtotheslaughter。
　　ThouknowesthowIspedtherein。ButwhenIcamebackagaintoourpeople，afterthouhadstriddenawayfromuswithRoger，Iheardthesetidings，thattherewasonenew-comeintoourprison，awomantowit，whohadbeenhaledbeforeouroldQueenforaspyanddoomedbyher，andshouldbetakenforthandslain，belike，inadayortwo。SoIsaidtomyselfthatI
　　wasnotfreeofmyvowasyet，becausethosefriendsofmine，Ishouldinanycasehavedonemybesttodeliverthem：
　　thereforeIdeemedmyoathboundmetosetthatwomanfree。
　　Sointhenight-tidewhenallwasquietIwenttotheprisonandbroughtherforth，andledherpastallthegatesandwards，whichwasaneasythingtome，somuchasIhadlearned，andcamewithherintothefieldsbetwixtthethorpofHamptonandthewood，whenitwasmoredaylightthandawn，sothatIcouldseeherclearly，andnowordasyethadwespokentoeachother。Butthenshesaidtome：