ThenspeechcameintoClement’smouth，andhesaid：“Wife，itisasIsaidbefore，whenthygossiphadjustdepartedfromus。
　　Itwasmeetenoughthatthoushouldsthavelovedhimbetterthanme；
　　butnowitisevenlesstobeundonethanever，whenhehascomebackbringingwithhimawomansovaliantandlovelyasismyLadyUrsula。
　　Sothoumuste’entakethelifethatfatehathsentthee。”
　　Katherinelaughedthroughhertears，andsaid：“Withal，goodman，Ihavebeennobadwifetothee。Andmoreover，lookthou，gossipdear：
　　whenIwaswanderingaboutwithClementamongstmanyperils，whenourneedseemedsorest，thenwouldIthinktogivethebeadstoClement；
　　butsosoonasIbegantospeaktohimoftheWellattheWorld’sEndhewouldbelittlethetaleofit，andwouldbidmelooktoitifitwerenotso，thatwheretheworldendeththecloudsbegin。”
　　Asshespoke，Ralphlifteduphishandandpointedtothewindow，andsaid：
　　“Friends，aswewerespeakingofallthesemarvelswewereforgettingtheneedofUpmeadsandthedayofbattle；andlonow！howthedawniswideningandthecandlesfading。”
　　Scarcewerethewordsoutofhismouth，whenonthequietnessofthebeginningofdaybrakeoutthesoundoffourtrumpets，whichweresoundinginthefourquartersofthetown，andblowingmentothegathering。
　　ThenroseupbothRalphandClementandtooktheirweapons，andtheykissedKatherineandwentsoberlyout-a-doorsintothemarket-place，wherealreadyweaponedmenwerestreamingintothemuster。
　　CHAPTER29
　　TheyGoDowntoBattleinUpmeadsBeforeitwaslightwereallmencomeintothemarket-place，andRalphandRichardandClementandStephena-Hurstfelltoandarrayedthemduly；andnow，whatwiththecompanywhichRalphhadledintoWulstead，whatwiththemenofthetown，andthemthathadfledfromUpmeadsthoughtheselastweremostlyoldmenandlads，theywereathousandandfourscoreandthree。
　　Ralphwouldgoafootashewentyesterday；buttodayheboreinhishandtheancientstaffofwar，thegold-writtenguisarme；
　　andhewentamongsttheShepherds，withwhomwerejoinedthefeeblefolkofUpmeads，menwhomhehadknownofoldandwhoknewhim，anditwasasiftheirheartshadcaughtfirefromhishighheart，andthatwhatevertheirpastdayshadbeentothem，thisdayatleastshouldbeglorious。
　　WithalanoncomesUrsulafromSt。Austin’swiththeSageofSwevenham，whosefacewasfullsmilingandcheerful。
　　Ursulaworethatdayahauberkunderhergown，andwashelmedwithasallet；andbecauseofherarmoursherodeuponalittlehorse。RalphgaveherintothewardingoftheSage，whowasarmedatallpoints，andlookedavaliantmanofwar。
　　ButRalph’sbrother，Hugh，hadgottenhimahorse，andhadfallenintothecompanyoftheChampions，sayingthathedeemedtheywouldgofurtherforththanasortofsheep-tendingchurlsandtherunawaysofUpmeads。
　　AsforRalph，hewalkedupanddowntheranksofthestoutmenoftheDown-country，andsawhowtheyhadbutlittlearmourfordefence，thoughtheirweaponsforcuttingandthrustinglookedfellandhandy。
　　SopresentlyheturnedabouttoGiles，who，asaforesaid，borealonghauberk，andsaid：“Friend，thewalkweareonto-dayisalongoneforcarryingburdens，andanhouraftersunriseitwillbehot。
　　WiltthounotdowiththyraimentasIdo？”Andtherewithhedidoffhishauberkandhisotherarmoursavehissallet。“Thisisgood。”
　　saidhe，“forthesuntoshineon，sothatImaybeseenfromfar；
　　buttheseothermattersaregoodforfolkwhofighta-horsebackoronawall；
　　westridershavenoneedofthem。”
　　ThenarosegreatshoutingfromtheShepherds，andmenstretchedoutthehandtohimandcalledhailonhisvaliantheart。
　　AmidstofwhichcriesGilesmuttered，butsoasRalphmighthearhim：
　　“ItisalldownhilltoUpmeads；Ishalltakeoffmyiron-coatcomingbackagain。”SoRalphclappedhimontheshoulderandbadehimcomebackwholeandwellinanycase。“Yea，andsoshaltthoucomeback。”saidhe。
　　Thenthehornsblewfordeparture，andtheywenttheirwaysoutofthemarket-place，andoutintothefieldsthroughthenewwoodenwallofWulstead。RichardledthewaywithahalfscoreoftheChampions，butherodebutalittlewaybeforeRalph，whomarchedattheheadoftheShepherds。
　　Sotheywentinthefreshmorningovertheoldfamiliarfields，andstrangeitseemedtoRalphthathewasleadinganhostintothelittlelandofUpmeads。
　　Speedilytheywent，thoughingoodorder，anditwasbutalittleaftersunrisewhentheywerewendingtowardthebrowofthelittlehillwhencetheywouldlookdownintothefairmeadswhoseimageRalphhadseenonsomanydaysofperilandweariness。
　　AndnowRichardandhisfore-ridershadcomeupontothebrowandsatthereontheirhorsesclearagainstthesky；
　　andRalphsawhowRicharddrewhisswordfromthescabbardandwaveditoverhishead，andheandhismenshouted；
　　thenthewholehostsetupagreatshout，andhastenedupthebent，butwiththeendoftheirshoutandthesoundofthetrampoftheirfeetandtherattleoftheirwar-gearwasmingledaconfusednoiseofcriesawayoff，andtheblowingofhorns，andasRalphandhiscompanycamecrowdingupontothebrow，helookeddownandsawthehappymeadowsblackwithweaponedmen，andarmourgleamingintheclearmorning，andthepointsofweaponscastingbackthelowsun’sraysandglitteringlikethesparksinadyingfireofstraw。
　　Thenagainhelooked，andlo！theHighHouserisingoverthemeadowsunburnedandunhurt，andthebannerofthefruitedtreehangingforthfromthetopmosttowerthereof。
　　Thenhefeltahandcomeontohischeek，andlo，Ursulabesidehim，hercheeksflushedandhereyesglittering；andshecriedout：
　　“Othinehome，mybeloved，thinehome！”Andheturnedtoherandsaid；“Yea，presently，sweetheart！”“Ah。”shesaid，“willitbelong？andtheysomany！”“Andwesomighty！”saidRalph。
　　“Nay，itwillbebutalittlewhile。WisemanofSwevenham，seetoitthatmybelovedisanighmeto-day，forwhereIam，therewillbesafety。”
　　TheSagenoddedyeasayandsmiled。
　　ThenRalphlookedalongtheridgetorightandleftofhim，andsawthatallthehosthadcomeupandhadasightofthefoemen；
　　ontherightstoodtheShepherdsstaringdownintothemeadowandlaughingforthejoyofbattleandtherageoftheoppressed。
　　OntheleftsattheChampionsoftheDryTreeontheirhorses，andtheyalsoweretossinguptheirweaponsandroaringlikelionsfortheprey；
　　anddownbelowtheblackcrowdhaddrawntogetherintoorderedranks，andstilltheclamourandruderoaringofthewarriorsarosethence，andbeatagainstthehill’sbrow。
　　NowsofierceandreadywerethemenofRalph’scompanythatitwasanearthingbutthatthey，andtheShepherdsinespecial，didnotrushtumultuouslydownthehillallbreathlessandinillorder。
　　ButRalphcriedouttoRichardtogoleft，andGilestogoright，andstaytheonsetforawhile；andtobidtheleaderscometohimwherehestood。
　　Thenthetumultamidsthisfolklulled，andStephena-HurstandRogerandthreeothersoftheDryTreecametohim，andGilesbroughtthreeoftheShepherds，andtherewasClementandafellowofhis。
　　SowhentheywerecomeandstandinginaringroundRalph，hesaidtothem：
　　“Brothersinarms，yeseethatourfoesareallinarraytomeetus，havinghadbelikesomespyinWulstead，whohathbroughtthemthetaleofwhatwastoward。Albeitmethinksthatthisirksnoteitheryounorme；
　　forotherwisewemighthavefoundthemstraggling，andscatteredfarandwide，whichwouldhavemadeourlabourthegreater。
　　Nowyecanseewithyoureyesthattheyaremanymorethanwebe，evenwereNicholastoissueoutoftheHighHouseagainstthem，asdoubtlesshewilldoifneedbe。Brethren，thoughtheybesomany，yetmyhearttellsmethatweshallovercomethem；yetifweleaveourstrengthandcomedowntothem，bothourtoilshallbegreater，andsomeofus，belikemany，shallbeslain；andevilshouldIdeemitifbutascoreofmyfriendsshouldlosetheirlivesonthisjoyousdaywhenatlastIseeUpmeadsagainaftermanytroubles。
　　Whereforemyredeisthatweabidetheironsetonthehillsidehere；andneedsmusttheyfallonus，whereaswehaveWulsteadandfriendsbehindus，andtheynoughtbutNicholasandthebowsandbillsoftheHighHouse。
　　Butifanyhaveaughttosayagainstitlethimspeak，butbespeedy；
　　foralreadyIseeastirintheirarray，andIdeemthattheywillsendmentochallengeustocomedowntothem。”
　　ThenspakeStephena-Hurst：“I，andweallmeseemeth，deemthatthouartintheright，Captain；thoughsoothtosay，whenwefirstseteyesonthesedogsagain，thebloodsostirredinusthatwewereliketoletallgoandridedownonthem。”
　　SaidRichard：“Thoubiddestuswisdomofwar；letthemhavethehillagainstthem。”SaidClement：“Yea，fortheyarewelllearnedandwellarmed；
　　anothersortoffolktothosewildmenwhomweotherthrewinthemountains。”
　　Andinlikewisesaidtheyall。
　　ThenspakeStephenagain：“Lord，sincethouwiltfightafootwithourfriendsoftheShepherds，weoftheDryTreearemindedtofareinlikewiseandtoforegoourhorses；
　　butifthougainsayit——“
　　“Champion。”saidRalph，“Idogainsayit。Thouseesthowmanyofthembehorsed，andwithalyeitiswhomustholdthechaseofthem；
　　forIwillthatnomanofthemshallescape。”
　　Theylaughedjoyouslyathisword，andthenhesaid：
　　“Gonow，andgiveyourleadersofscoresandtensthewordthatIhavesaid，andcomebackspeedilyforalittlewhile；
　　fornowIseethreemensunderingthemfromtheirbattle，andonebearethawhiteclothattheendofhisspear；
　　theseshallbethechallengers。”
　　Sotheydidafterhisbidding，andbythentheyhadcomebacktoRalphthosethreemenwereatthefootofthehill，whichwasbutlow。ThenRalphsaidtohiscaptains：
　　“Standbeforeme，sothatIbenotseenofthemuntiloneofyouhathmadeanswer，’Speakofthistoourleaderandcaptain。’“
　　Evensotheydid；andpresentlythosethreecamesonighthattheycouldseethewhitesoftheireyes。Theywereallthreewellarmed，buttheforemostofthemwascladinwhitesteelfromheadtofoot，sothathelookedlikeasteelimage，allbuthisface，whichwaspaleandsallowandgrim。
　　Heandhistwofellows，whentheywererightnigh，rodeslowlyallalongthefrontofRalph’sbattlesthrice，andnonespakeaughttothem，andtheygavenowordtoany；
　　butwhentheycameoveragainstthecaptainswhostoodbeforeRalphforthefourthtime，theyreinedupandfacedthem，andtheleaderputbackhissalletandspakeinagreatandroughvoice：
　　“Yemen！wehaveheardthesethreehoursthatyewerecoming，whereforewehavedrawnoutintothemeadswhichwehavetaken，thatyemightseehowmanyandhowvaliantwebe，andmightfearus。
　　Whereforenow，yebrokenreiversoftheDryTree，yesillyshepherdsofsillysheep，yeweaversandapprenticesofWulstead，andiftherebyanymore，yefools！wegiveyoutwochoicesthismorn。
　　Eithercomedowntousintothemeadowyonder，thatwemayslayyouwithlesslabour，orelse，whichwillbethebetterforyou，giveuptoustheUpmeadsthrallswhobewithyou，andthenturnyourfacesandgobacktoyourhouses，andabidetheretillwecomeandpullyououtofthem，whichmaybesomewhileyet。
　　Hah！whatsayye，fools？”
　　ThenspakeClementandsaid：“Yemessengersoftherobbersandoppressors，whymakeyethisroaringtothecommonpeopleandthesergeants？
　　WhyspeakyenotwithourCaptain？”
　　Criedoutthechallenger，“WherethenistheCaptainoftheFools？
　　ishehidden？canhehearmyword？”
　　Scarcewasitoutofhismoutherethecaptainsfellawaytorightandleft，andthere，standingbyhimself，wasRalph，holdingtheancientletteredwar-staff；hisheadwasbare，fornowhehaddoneoffhissallet，andthesunandthewindplayedinhisbrighthair；gloriouswashisface，andhisgreyeyesgleamedwithwrathandmasteryashespakeinaclearvoice，andtherewassilenceallalongtherankstohearkenhim：
　　“Omessengeroftherobbers！Iamthecaptainofthisfolk。
　　Iseethatthevoicehathdiedawaywithinthejawsofyou；
　　butitmattersnot，forIhaveheardthywindytalk，andthisistheanswer：wewillneitherdepart，norcomedowntoyou，butwillabideourdeathbyyourhandshereonthishill-side。
　　Gowiththisanswer。”