The Well at the World’s End quotes

Then the heart arose within him, and he drew the sword from the scabbard, and waved it about his head, and shook it toward the south, and cried out, “

Now, welcome world, and be thou blessed from one end to the other, from the ocean sea to the uttermost mountains!

”

As he spake his tears brake out again, and Ralph strode on fast, so as to outgo him, thinking it unmannerly to seem as if he noted not his sorrow; yet withal unable to say aught to him thereof.

Moreover it irked him to hear a grown man weeping for grief, even though it were but a priest.

Within a while the priest caught up with him, his tears all staunched, and fell to talk with him cheerfully concerning the wood, and the Little Land and the dwellers therein and the conditions of them, and he praised them much, save the women.

“I have a mind to try it,” said he; “If I set thee on thine horse and bound thine hands for thee, and linked thy feet together under the beast’s belly; belike thou wouldest come. Shall I have slain my brother-in-arms for nought?”

“Thou hast the mind,” said she, “hast thou the might?”

“So I deem,” said he, smiling grimly.

“Well,” said the knight, “perchance thou hast more mercy than I looked for of thee; though I misdoubt thee that thou mayst yet pray me or some other to slay him for thee.

Thou art merciful, my Queen, though not to me, and a churl were I if I were less merciful than thou.

Therefore will I give his life to him, yet not to thee will I give him if I may help it—Lo you, Sweet! he is just opening his eyes.”

Ralph sprang up and turned to the horse, and found the saddlebags on him, and took from them bread and flesh, and a flask of good wine, and brought them to the Lady, who laughed and said:

“Thou art a good seeker and no ill finder.”

Then she gave the wounded man to drink of the wine, so that he stirred somewhat, and the colour came into his face a little.

And she touched his cheek with her other hand; and he sighed and knit his brows somewhat, and said: “But who is this man that he should slay me? And why is he thy tyrant, that thou must flee from him?”

She laughed and said: “Fair creature, he is my husband.”

Then Ralph flushed red, and his visage clouded, and he opened his mouth to speak; but she stayed him and said:

… her, and though she yet shrank from him a little and the eager flame of his love, he might not be gainsayed, and she gave herself to him and let her body glide into his arms, and loved him no less than he loved her.

And there between them in the wilderness was all the joy of love that might be.

“My lack?” said he; “I lack nought now, that I may not have when I will.” And he put his arms about her shoulders and strained her to his bosom. But she strove with him, and freed herself and laughed outright, and said:

“Thou art a bold man, and rash, my knight, even unto me. Yet must I see to it that thou die not of hunger.”

He said merrily: “Yea, by St. Nicholas, true it is: a while ago I felt no hunger, and had forgotten that men eat; for I was troubled with much longing, and in doubt concerning my life;

“Yet thou hast never sent a dream to me.” She laughed and said: “What! hast thou never dreamed of me since we met at the want-way of the Wood Perilous?” “Never,” said he. She stroked his cheek fondly, and said: “

Young art thou, sweet friend, and sleepest well a-nights. It was enough that thou thoughtest of me in thy waking hours.

” Then she went on with her tale.

But mayhappen thou mayst tell me of one thing that thou desirest more than another.” Said Ralph: “I desire to die.” And the tears started in his eyes therewith. But Richard spake, smiling on him kindly:

“That way is open for thee on any day of the week. Why hast thou not taken it already?”

But Ralph answered naught. Richard said: “Is it not because thou hopest to desire something; if not today, then tomorrow, or the next day or the next?” Still Ralph spake no word; but he wept. Quoth Richard:

“O nay, nay!” said Ralph, “all this guess of thine is naught, saying that she was kind indeed.

Even as heaven is kind to them who have died martyrs, and enter into its bliss after many torments.

”

“

Little for peace, but much for profit

,” said Clement; “for these lands be fruitful of wine and oil and wheat, and neat and sheep; withal metals and gems are dug up out of the mountains;

Now Ralph saith to him: “Which wilt thou—be slain, or serve me?” Said the carle, grinning, yet not foully: “

Guess if I would not rather serve thee!

” “Wilt thou serve me truly?” said Ralph. “Why not?” quoth the carle: “yet I warn thee that if thou beat me, save in hot blood, I shall put a knife into thee when I may.”

and Ralph departed his share with his thrall, and the man was hungry and ate well; so that Clement said mockingly: “

Thou feedest thy thrall over well, lord, even for a king’s son: is it so that thou art minded to fatten him and eat him?

” Then some of the others took up the jest, and bade the carle refrain him of the meat, so that he might not fatten, and might live the longer.

He looked at Clement anxiously as he spoke; and Clement smiled, for he said to himself that looking into Ralph’s heart on this matter was like looking into a chamber through an open window. But he said: “

Fear not but I will look to it; I am thy friend, and not thy schoolmaster.

”

But over clearly I see that it may not be so. For thy mind looketh on thy deeds to come, that they shall be shared by some other than me.

Friend, it seemeth strange and strange to me that I have come on thee so suddenly, and loved thee so sorely, and that I must needs say farewell to thee in so short a while. Farewell, farewell!

”

And he was bewildered by her words and sore ashamed that for all his grief for her he had no speech, and scarce a look for her; he knew not what to do or say.

So he left the Queen’s House and the court thereof, as though the pavement were growing red hot beneath his feet.

The lord said: “

Make thyself merry or sad, which thou wilt; but sing, or thou shalt be beaten.

Ho! Bring ye the harp.” Then they brought it as he bade.

Now Ralph, though he were but little used to the sight of great mountains, yet felt his heart rather rise than fall at the sight of them; for he said: “

Surely beyond them lieth some new thing for me, life or death: fair fame or the forgetting of all men.

” And it was long that he could not take his eyes off them.

“whiles I deem that if one were to get to the other side there would be a great plain like to this: whiles that there is naught save mountains beyond, and yet again mountains, like the waves of a huge stone sea.

Or whiles I think that one would come to an end of the world, to a place where is naught but a ledge, and then below it a gulf filled with nothing but the howling of winds, and the depth of darkness.

Moreover this is my thought, that all we of these parts should be milder men and of better conditions, if yonder terrible wall were away. It is as if we were thralls of the great mountains.”

Moreover this is my thought, that all we of these parts should be milder men and of better conditions, if yonder terrible wall were away.

It is as if we were thralls of the great mountains.

”

Now sat the Lady shaken with sobs, and weeping without stint; but she looked up at that word and said: “Nay, nay, Agatha, it is not so.

Today hath this man’s eyes been a candle to me, that I may see myself truly;

and I know that though I am a queen and not uncomely, I am but coarse and little-minded.

Agatha looked softly on her and said: “My Lady. Ye fair-skinned, open-faced women should look to it not to show yourselves angry before menfolk. For open wrath marreth your beauty sorely.

Leave scowls and fury to the dark-browed, who can use them without wrying their faces like a three months’ baby with the colic.

Now that is my last rede as now. For methinks I can hear the trumpets blowing for the arraying of the tourney. Wherefore I must go to see to matters, while thou hast but to be quiet.

Agatha looked softly on her and said: “My Lady.

Ye fair-skinned, open-faced women should look to it not to show yourselves angry before menfolk. For open wrath marreth your beauty sorely.

Leave scowls and fury to the dark-browed, who can use them without wrying their faces like a three months’ baby with the colic. Now that is my last rede as now. For methinks I can hear the trumpets blowing for the arraying of the tourney.

Said Redhead: “

There is no honour at Utterbol save for such as are unworthy of honour.

But thy risk is as I say, and I shall tell thee whence I had my tale, since I love thee for thy kindness to me, and thy manliness.

But the great men turned and went their ways from the Tower, and Ralph went with Otter and was full of glee, and as merry as a bird. But Otter looked on him, and said gruffly: “

Yea now, thou art like a songbird but newly let out of his cage. But I can see the string which is tied to thy leg, though thou feelest it not.

”

Ralph paled and he scowled on her, then he said: “And how knowest thou all the privity of the Lord of Utterbol? who telleth thee of all this?” She smiled and spake daintily: “

Many folk tell me that which I would know; and that is because whiles I conquer the tidings with my wits, and whiles buy it with my body.

Anyhow what I tell thee is the very sooth concerning this damsel, and this it is:

She looked on him solemnly, laid her hand on the beads about her neck, and answered: “By this token we must live as long as we may, whatsoever may befall; for at the worst may some road of escape be opened to us.

Yet O, how far easier it were to die than to be led back to Utterbol!

”

“My friend, doth aught ail me with thee? Wilt thou not tell me, so that I may amend it? For thou art grown of few words with me and turnest thee from me, and seemest as if thou heedest me little.

Thou art as a fair spring morning gone cold and overcast in the afternoon.

What is it then? we are going a long journey together, and belike shall find little help or comfort save in each other; and ill will it be if we fall asunder in heart, though we be nigh in body.”

or like the thrall-masters of the Burg of the Four Friths, who even now, it may be, are pierced by their own staff or overwhelmed by their own wall.

But rather I bid you to live in peace and patience without fear or hatred, and to succour the oppressed and love the lovely, and to be the friends of men, so that when ye are dead at last, men may say of you, they brought down Heaven to the Earth for a little while.

What say ye, children?”

to hold war aloof and walk in free fields, and see my children growing up about me, and lie at last beside my fathers in the choir of St. Laurence.

The dead would I love and remember; the living would I love and cherish; and Earth shall be the well beloved house of my Fathers, and Heaven the highest hall thereof.

”

She looked on Ralph and said: “

I lost, and then I found, and then I lost again. Maybe I shall find the lost once more.

And for the rest, in all that this man will do, I will help, living or dead, for I know naught better to do.”

She put her hand upon the hand and said: “

Three months ago I lay on my bed at Bourton Abbas, and all the while here was this huge manless waste lying under the bare heavens and threatened by the storehouse of the fires of the earth: and I had not seen it, nor thee either, O friend; and now it hath become a part of me forever.

”

She looked on him and laughed as one over-happy, and said: “

Thou runnest forward swiftly to meet trouble, beloved! But I say that well will it be in those days if I love the folk then as well as now I love these trees and the wild things whose house they are.

”

Ralph sighed, and said: “

Yea, but even if we die not in the waste, yet this is piteous; so many lives passed away, so many hopes slain.

”

Slowly she spake and sleepily: “

It tasted good, and as if thy love were blended with it.

”

Said Ralph: “

Look, love! how the sea comes over the sand like the creeping of a sly wood-snake!

Shall we go hence and turn from the ocean sea without wetting our bodies in its waters?”

Forsooth, though this she told me not, I deem that she would have had the same gift of thee as her mistress would.

Well, lad, lucky are they with whom all women are in love.

So now I prithee trust so much in thy luck as to come with me to Utterbol.”

Bull reddened at his word, and said: “

Tush, man! praise the day when the sun has set.

” Then he turned to Ralph, and said:

So when he came up, and saw Ursula sitting on the grass with four or five men about her, he sickened for fear; but she rose up and came slowly and pale-faced to meet him, and said: “

Fear not, beloved, for steel kept out steel: I have no scratch or point or edge on me.

” So therewith he kissed her, and embraced her, and was glad.

“Yea, fool,” cried Ralph, “and what wilt thou do with these two?”

Said the King: “The traitor I will flay, and the woman I will bed.”

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere Ralph gave forth a great cry and drew his sword, set spurs to his horse, and gallopped on up the road with all his band at his back for they had drawn anigh amidst this talk.

Quoth Richard: “

Then is it better than well, and better than well; for now hast thou wedded into the World of living men, and not to a dream of the Land of Fairy.

”

But thou art grown wiser and mightier by far; so that thou art another manner man than thou wert, and the Master of Masters maybe. To Upmeads wilt thou go; but wilt thou abide there?

Upmeads is a fair land, but a narrow; one day is like another there, save when sorrow and harm is blent with it.

The world is wide, and now I deem that thou holdest the glory thereof in the hollow of thine hand.”

“What did another woman there?” Then he said in a calmer but weaker voice: “Nay, my wits shall wander no more from me; we will make the journey together, I and my wits. But O, young man, this I will say if I can.

Thou fleddest from her and forgattest her. I came to her and forgat all but her; yea, my very life I forgat.

”

Then he spake in a loud voice and said: “

Lament, ye people! for the Lady of Abundance is dead; yet sure I am that she sendeth this message to you, Live in peace, and love ye the works of the earth.

”

“

Thus was the Burg wounded with its own sword

: but the matter stopped not there: for when that victorious host of men and women came into the land of the Wheat-wearers, all men fled away in terror at first, thinking that it was a new onset of the men of the Burg;

Roger kept silence a little and then he said: “I grieve because Hampton is no more a strong place of warriors; two or three carles and a dozen of women dwell now in the halls and chambers of the Scaur.

Here on earth, all endeth. God send us to find the world without end!

”

And now we were best get to horse; for what with meat and minstrelsy, we have worn away the day till it wants but a little of noon. Go tell thy lord that I am ready.

Farewell peace, and welcome war and grudging!

”

The knight turned toward Ralph, grown wroth and surly, and that the more he saw Stephen and Richard grinning; he said: “Fair sir, ye have strengthened the old saw that saith,

Tell me what thy friends are, and I will tell thee what thou art.

Thou hast stolen our man with not a word on it.”

but so withal are the foemen that await them, and his are few, howsoever fierce. Therefore bid him this also.

Haste, haste, haste! But haste not overmuch, lest thou speed the worse

: in Bear Castle I see a mote of our folk, and thee amidst of it with thy champions, and I see the staves of the Shepherds rising round thee like a wood.