andalbeitthisfolkwassomewhatwildandstrangeoffaithforChristianmen，yetwasitdaintyanddelicateasmightbe，anditssteeplesandbell-towerswerehighandwellbuilded，andadornedexceedingrichly。
　　Sotheylighteddownattheirhostel，andneverhadRalphseensuchanother，forthecourtwithinwasverygreatandwithafairgardenfilledwithflowersandorchard-trees，andamidstitwasafountainoffreshwater，builtinthegoodliestfashionofmany-colouredmarble-stones。Andthearchedandpillaredwayaboutthesaidcourtwasasfairasthecloisterofamitredabbey；andthehallfortheguestswasoflikefashion，vaultedwithmarvellouscunning，andwitharowofpillarsamidmost。
　　Theretheyabodeingoodentertainment；yetthisnotedRalph，thatasgoodlyaswasthefashionofthebuildingofthathouse，yetthehangingsandbeds，andstools，andchairs，andotherplenishingwerenoricherorbetterthanmightbeseeninthehostelryofanygoodtown。
　　Sotheywentbedward，andRalphsleptdreamlessly，aswasmostlyhiswont。
　　OfGoldburgandtheQueenThereofOnthemorrow，whenRalphandClementmetinthehall，Clementspakeandsaid：“LordRalph，asItoldtheeinWhitwall，wechapmenarenowattheendofouroutwardjourney，andinabouttwentydaystimeweshallturnbacktothemountains；
　　but，asIdeem，thouwiltbemindedtofollowupthyquestofthedamsel，andwhatsoeverelsethoumaystbeseeking。
　　NowthisthoumaystwelldowhileswearehereinGoldburg，andyetcomebackhitherintimetofarebackwithus：
　　andalso，ifthouwilt，thoumaysthavefellowsinthyquest，towitsomeofthoseourmen-at-arms，wholovetheewell。
　　Butnow，whenthouhastdonethybestthesedaysduring，ifthouhastthenfoundnaught，Icounseltheeandbeseechtheetocomethywaysbackwithus，thatwetwainmaywendtoUpmeadstogether，wherethoushaltlivewell，andbetterallthedeedsofthyfather。
　　Meseemeththiswillbemoremeetfortheethanthecastingawayofthylifeinseekingawoman，whomaybewillbenaughttotheewhenthouhastfoundher；orinchasingsomecastleintheclouds，thatshallbeneverthenighertothee，howfarsoeverthoufarest。
　　FornowItelltheethatIhaveknownthiswhilehowthouartseekingtheWellattheWorld’sEnd；andwhoknoweththatthereisanysuchthingontheearth？Come，then，thouartfair，andyoung，andstrong；andifyeseekwealththoushalthaveit，andmyfurtherancetotheutmost，ifthatbeaughtworth。
　　Bethinkthee，child，therearetheythatlovetheeinUpmeadsandthereabout，wereitbutthygossip，mywife，dameKatherine。”
　　SaidRalph：“MasterClement，Ithanktheeforallthatthouhastsaid，andthybehest，andthydeeds。
　　Thyredeisgood，andinallwayswillIfollowitsaveone；
　　towit，thatifIhavenotfoundthedamselereyeturnback，Imustneedsabideinthislandsearchingforher。
　　AndIpraythepardonbothoftheeandofthygossip，ifI
　　answernotyourloveasyewould，andperchanceasIshould。
　　Yea，andofUpmeadsalsoIcravepardon。ButindoingasIdo，mydeedshallbebutaccordingtothedutyboundenonmebymineoath，whenDukeOsmondmademeknightlastyear，inthechurchofSt。LaurenceofUpmeads。”
　　SaidClement：“Iseethatthereissomethingelseinitthanthat；
　　Iseetheetobeyoung，andthatloveanddesirebindtheeincloserbondsthanthyknightlyoath。Well，soitmustbe，andtillthouhasther，thereisbutonewomanintheworldforthee。”
　　“Nay，itisnotso，MasterClement。”saidRalph，“andIwilltelltheethis，sothatthoumaysttrowmynaysay；sinceIdepartedfromUpmeads，Ihavebeentakeninthetoilsoflove，anddesiredafairwoman，andIhavewonheranddeathhathtakenher。
　　Trowestthoumyword？”
　　“Yea。”saidClement，“buttooneofthyyearsloveisnotpluckedupbytheroot，anditsoongrowethagain。”ThensaidRalph，sadly：
　　“Nowtellmygossipofthiswhenthoucomesthome。”
　　Clementnoddedyeasay，andRalphspakeagaininamoment：
　　“AndnowwillIbeginmysearchinGoldburgbyprayingtheetobringmetospeechofmerchantsandotherswhomayhaveseenorheardtidingsofmydamsel。”
　　HelookedatClementanxiouslyashespoke；andClementsmiled，forhesaidtohimselfthatlookingintoRalph’sheartonthismatterwaslikelookingintoachamberthroughanopenwindow。
　　Buthesaid：“FearnotbutIwilllooktoit；Iamthyfriend，andnotthyschoolmaster。”
　　TherewithhedepartedfromRalph，andwithinthreedayshehadbroughthimtospeechofallthosewhowereliketoknowanythingofthematter；
　　andoneandalltheysaidthattheyhadseennosuchwoman，andthatasfortheLordofUtterbol，hehadnotbeeninGoldburgthesethreemonths。
　　Butoneofthemerchantssaid：“MasterClement，ifthisyoungknightisbounforUtterbol，hebearethhislifeinhishand，asthouknowestfullwell。
　　NowIredetheebringhimtoourQueen，whoisgoodandcompassionate，andifshemaynothelphimotherwise，yetbelikeshemaygivehiminwritingtoshowtothattyrant，whichmaystandhiminstead：
　　foritdoesnotdoforanymantogoagainstthewillofourLadyandQueen；
　　whowillsurelypayhimbackforhisill-willsomedayorother。”
　　SaidClement：“Itiswellthoughtof，andIwillsurelydoasthoubiddest。”
　　Soworefourdays，and，thattimeduring，Ralphwasgoingtoandfroaskingquestionsoffolkthathecameacross，aspeoplenewcometothecityandhuntersfromthemountain-feetandtheforestsoftheplain，andmarinersandsuchlike，concerningthedamselandtheLordofUtterbol；andBullalsowentaboutseekingtidings：
　　butwhereasRalphaskeddownrightwhathewantedtoknow，Bullwaswary，andratherledmenontotalkwithhimconcerningthosethingsthanaskedthemoftheminsuchwisethattheysawthequestion。
　　Albeititwasallone，andnotidingscametothem；indeed，thenameoftheLordofUtterbolwhomforsoothBullnamednotseemedtofreezethespeechofmen’stongues，andtheycommonlywentawayatoncewhenitwasspoken。
　　OnthefifthdaycameClementtoRalphandsaid：
　　“NowwillIbringtheetotheQueen，andsheisyoung，andsofair，andwithalsowise，thatitseemstomenotallsosurebutthatthesightofherwillmakeanendofthyquestonceforall。
　　Sothatmeseemsthoumayestabidehereinalifefarbetterthanwanderingamongstuncouthfolk，perilousandcruel。
　　Yea，sothoumaysthaveitifthouwilt，beingsoexceedinggoodly，andwise，andwell-spoken，andofhighlineage。”
　　Ralphheardandreddened，butgavehimbacknoanswer；
　　andtheywenttogethertotheHighHouseoftheQueen，whichwaslikeapieceoftheKingdomofHeavenforloveliness，somanypillarsastherewereofbrightmarblestone，andgilded，andthechapiterscarvedmostexcellently：
　　notmanyhangingsonthewalls，forthewallsthemselveswerecarven，andpaintedwithpicturesinthemostexcellentmanner；
　　thefloorswithalweresodaintythattheyseemedasiftheyweremadefornonebutthefeetofthefairestofwomen。
　　Andallthiswassetamidstofgardens，thelikeofwhichtheyhadneverseen。
　　Buttheyenteredwithoutmoreado，andwerebroughtbythepagestotheLady’sinnermostchamber；andiftherestofthehouseweregoodly，thiswasgoodlier，andamarvel，sothatitseemedwroughtratherbygoldsmithsandjewellersthanbymasonsandcarvers。
　　YetindeedmanyhadsaidwithClementthattheQueenwhosattherewasthegoodliestpartthereof。
　　NowshespaketoClementandsaid：“Hail，merchant！
　　Isthistheyoungknightofwhomthoutellest，hewhoseekethhisbelovedthathathbeenborneawayintothralldombyevilmen？”
　　“Evenso。”saidClement。ButRalphspake：“Nay，Lady，thedamselwhomIseekisnotmybeloved，butmyfriend。
　　Mybelovedisdead。”
　　TheQueenlookedonhimsmilingkindly，yetwasherfacesomewhattroubled。
　　Shesaid：“Masterchapman，thytimehereisnotoverlongforallthatthouhasttodo；sowegivetheeleavetodepartwithourthanksforbringingafriendtoseeus。Butthisknighthathnoaffairstolookto：
　　soifhewillabidewithusforalittle，itwillbeourpleasure。”
　　SoClementmadehisobeisanceandwenthisways。ButtheQueenbadeRalphsitbeforeher，andtellherofhisgriefs，andshelookedsokindlyandfriendlyuponhimthattheheartmeltedwithinhim，andhemightsaynoword，forthetearsthatbrakeoutfromhim，andheweptbeforeher；whileshelookedonhim，thecolourcomingandgoinginherface，andherlipstrembling，andlethimweepon。
　　Buthethoughtnotofher，butofhimselfandhowkindshewastohim。
　　Butafterawhilehemasteredhispassionandbegan，andtoldherallhehaddoneandsuffered。Longwasthetaleinthetelling，foritwassweettohimtolaybeforeherbothhisgriefandhishope。
　　Shelethimtalkon，andwhilesshelistenedtohim，andwhiles，not，butallthetimeshegazedonhim，yetsometimesaskance，asifshewereashamed。
　　Asforhim，hesawherfacehowfairandlovelyshewas，yetwastherelittlelonginginhisheartforher，morethanforoneofthepaintedwomenonthewall，foraskindandasdearashedeemedher。
　　Whenhehaddone，shekeptsilenceawhile，butatlastsheenforcedher，andspake：“Saditisforthemotherthatboretheethatthouartnotinherhouse，whereinallthingswouldbekindandfamiliartothee。
　　Maybethouartseekingforwhatisnot。Ormaybethoushaltseekandshaltfind，andtheremaybenaughtinwhatthoufindest，whereoftogivetheesuchgiftsasaremeetforthyfaithfulnessandvaliancy。
　　Butinthinehomeshouldstthouhaveallgiftswhichthoumayestdesire。”
　　Thenwasshesilentawhile，andthenspake：“YetmustIneedssaythatIwouldthatthinehomewereinGoldburg。”
　　Hesmiledsadlyandlookedonher，butwithnoastonishment，andindeedhestillscarcethoughtofherashesaid：
　　“LadyandQueen，thouartgoodtomebeyondmeasure。
　　Yet，lookyou！OnehomeIhad，andleftit；anotherI
　　lookedtohave，andIlostit；andnowIhavenohome。
　　MaybeindaystocomeIshallgobacktomineoldhome；
　　andwhilesIwonderwithwhateyesitwilllookonme。
　　Formerryisthatland，anddear；andIhavebecomesorrowful。”
　　“Fearnot。”shesaid；“Isayagainthatinthinehomeshallallthingslookkindlyonthee。”
　　Oncemoreshesatsilent，andnoworddidhisheartbidhimspeak。
　　Thenshesighedandsaid：“Fairlord，Ibidtheecomeandgointhishouseasthouwilt；butwhereastherearemanyfolkwhomustneedsseeme，andmanythingsareappointedformetodo，thereforeIpraytheetocomehitherinthreedays’space，andmeanwhileIwilllooktothematterofthysearch，thatImayspeedtheeonthewaytoUtterness，whichisnogreatwayfromUtterbol，andisthelasttownwhereofweknowaught。
　　AndIwillwritealetterfortheetogivetothelordofUtterbol，whichhewillheed，ifheheedethaughtmygood-willorenmity。
　　Ibeseechtheecomeforitinthreedayswearing。”
　　Therewithshearoseandtookhishandandledhimtothedoor，andhedeparted，blessinghergoodness，andwonderingathercourtesyandgentlespeech。
　　Forthosethreedayshewasstillseekingtidingseverywhere，tillfolkbegantoknowofhimfarandwide，andtotalkofhim。
　　AndatthetimeappointedhewenttotheQueen’sHouseandwasbroughttoherchamberasbefore，andshewasalonetherein。
　　Shegreetedhimandsmiledonhimexceedingkindly，buthemightnotfailtonoteofherthatshelookedsadandherfacewaswornbysorrow。Shebadehimsitbesideher，andsaid：
　　“Hastthouanytidingsofthewomanwhomthouseekest？”
　　“Nay，nay。”saidhe，“andnowIammindedtocarryonthesearchout-a-gates。Ihavesomegoodfriendswhowillgowithmeawhile。
　　Butthou，Lady，hastthouheardaught？”