butIwillanswerallthreeasmyheartbiddethme。
　　Andfirst，Iwilltelltheethatmykissesareasthine；
　　andifthineareaughtbutthekissesoflove，thenamIbefooled。
　　Andnext，Isaythatifthouwiltbemyfriendindeed，Iwillnotsparetocalltheebeloved，ortobeallthyfriend。
　　Butastothythirdquestion；tellme，istherenottimeenoughforthat？”
　　Shefalteredasshespake，buthesaid：“Look，beloved，andseehowfairtheearthisto-day！Whatplaceandwhatseasoncanbegoodlierthanthis？
　　Andwereitnotwellthatwewholoveeachothershouldhaveourfulljoyoutofthissweetseason，whichasnowissomewhatmarredbyourdesire？”
　　“Ah，beloved！”shesaid，lookingshylyathim，“isitsomarredbythatwhichmarrethnotus？”
　　“Hearken！”hesaid；“howmuchlongershallthisfairnessandpeace，andourleisureandsafetyendure？Hereandnowtheearthrejoicethaboutus，andthereisnonetosayusnay；butto-morrowitmayallbeotherwise。
　　Bethinkthee，dear，ifbutanhouragothemonsterhadslainthee，andrenttheeerewehadlainineachother’sarms！”
　　“Alas！”shesaid，“andhadIlaininthinearmsanhundredtimes，oranhundredtimesanhundred，shouldnottheworldbebarrentome，wertthougonefromit，andthatcouldnevermorebe？
　　Butthoufriend，thouwell-beloved，fainwereItodothywillthatthoumightestbethehappier……andIwithal。
　　Andifthoucommandit，beitso！YetnowshouldItelltheeallmythought，anditisonmymind，thatforamanyhundredsofyears，yea，whileourpeoplewereyetheathen，whenamanshouldwedamaidallthefolkknewofit，andwerewitnessesofthedayandthehourthereof：nowthouknowestthatthetimedrawsnighwhenwemaylookforthosemessengersoftheInnocentFolk，whocomeeveryspringtothiscavetoseeiftherebeanywhomtheymayspeedonthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。Thereforeifthouwiltandnototherwise
　　Iwouldabidetheircomingifitbenotoverlongdelayed；
　　sothattheremaybeotherstowitnessourweddingbesidesGod，andthosehiscreatureswhodwellinthewilderness。
　　Yetshallallbeasthouwilt。”
　　“HowshallInotdoafterthybidding？”saidRalph。
　　“Iwillabidetheircoming：yetwouldthattheywerehereto-day！AndonethingIwillprayofthee，thatbecauseofthemthouwiltnotforbear，orcausemetoforbear，suchkissingandcaressingasismeetbetwixttroth-plightlovers。”
　　Shelaughedandsaid：“Nay，whyshouldItormentthee……orme？
　　Wewillnottarryforthis。”Andtherewithshetookherarmabouthisneckandkissedhimoft。
　　Thentheysaidnaughtawhile，butsatlisteninghappilytothesongofthepairingbirds。AtlastRalphsaid：
　　“Whatwasit，beloved，thatthouwertperchancetotellmeconcerningthethingthatcausedthinehearttoseethatthybetrothed，forwhomthouwepstorseemedsttoweepattheale-houseatBourtonAbbas，wasofnoavailtothee？”
　　Shesaid：“Itwasthesightofthee；andIthoughtalsohowImightneverbethine。ForthatIhavesorrowedmanyatimesince。”
　　SaidRalph：“Iamyoungandunmighty，yetlo！
　　IhealthysorrowasifIwereanexceedingmightyman。
　　AndnowItelltheethatIammindedtogobackwiththeetoUpmeadsstraightway；forlovewillprevail。”
　　“Nay。”shesaid，“thatwordisbutfromtheteethoutwards；
　　forthouknowest，asIdo，thattheperilsofthehomewardroadshallovercomeus，despiteoflove，ifwehavenotdrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd。”
　　Againtheyweresilentawhile，butanonshearosetoherfeetandsaid：
　　“NowmustIneedsdightvictualforustwain；butfirst“
　　andshesmiledonhimwithal，“howisitthatthouhastnotaskedmeifthebeastdidmeanyhurt？Artthougrowncarelessofme，nowtheweddingissonigh？”
　　Hesaid：“Nay，butcouldInotseetheethatthouwertnothurt？
　　Therewasnomarkofblooduponthee，noranystainatall。”
　　Thenshereddened，andsaid：“Ah，Iforgothowkeen-eyesthouart。”
　　Andshestoodsilentalittlewhile，ashelookedonherandlovedhersweetness。Thenhesaid：“Iamexceedingfullofjoy，butmybodyisuneasy；soIwillnowgoandskinthattrollwhowentsonightoslaythee，andbreakupthecarcase，ifthouwiltpromisetoabideaboutthedoorofthehouse，andhavethyswordandthespearreadytohand，andtodonthinehelmandhauberktoboot。”
　　Shelaughedandsaid：“Thatwerebutstrangeattireforacook-maid，Ralph，myfriend；yetshallIdothywill，mylordandmylove。”
　　ThenwentRalphintothecave，andbroughtforththearmouranddiditonher，andkissedher，andsowenthiswaystothecarcaseofthebear，whichlaysometwofurlongsfromtheirdwelling；andwhenhecametothequarryhefelltowork，andwassometimeaboutit，sohugeasthebeastwas。
　　Thenhehungtheskinandthecarcaseonatreeofthegrove，andwentdowntotheriverandwashedhim，andthenwentlightlyhomewards。
　　CHAPTER14
　　NowCometheMessengersoftheInnocentFolkButwhenhehadcomeforthfromthechestnut-grove，andcouldseethefaceoftheirhouse-rockclearly，hebeheldnewtidings；
　　fortherewerefolkbeforethedoorofthedwelling，andUrsulawasstandingamidstofthem，forhecouldseethegleamofherarmour；
　　andwiththemenhecouldseealsocertainbeastsofburden，andanonthatthesewereoxen。Sohehastenedontofindwhatthismightmean，anddrewhisswordashewent。
　　Butwhenhecameuptotherock，hefoundtheretwoyoungmenandanelder，andtheyhadwiththemfiveoxen，threeforriding，andtwosumpterbeasts，laden：andUrsulaandthesemenweretalkingtogetherfriendly；sothatRalphdeemedthatthenew-comersmustbethemessengersoftheInnocentFolk。
　　Theyweregoodlymenallthree，somewhatbrownofskin，butwellfashioned，andofsmilingcheerfulcountenance，wellknit，andtall。Theelderhadalongwhitebeard，buthiseyewasbright，andhishandfirmandsmooth。
　　Theywereallcladinwhitewoollenraiment，andborenoarmour，buteachhadanaxewithagreenstoneblade，curiouslytiedtotheheft，andeachoftheyoungmencarriedastrongbowandaquiverofarrows。
　　Ralphgreetedthemen，andbadethemsitdownonthetoftandeatamorsel；theytookhisgreetingkindly，andsatdown，whileUrsulawentintothecavetofetchthemmattersfortheirvictual，andtherewasalreadyvenisonroastingatthefireonthetoft，intheplacewheretheywerewonttocooktheirmeat。
　　SothencameUrsulaforthfromthecave，andservedthenew-comersandRalphofsuchthingsasshehad，andtheyateanddranktogether；
　　andnonesaidaughtoftheirerrandtilltheyhaddonetheirmeat，buttheytalkedtogetherpleasantlyaboutthespring，andtheblossomsoftheplainandthemountain，andthewildthingsthatdweltthereabout。
　　Butwhenthemealwasover，thenew-comersrosetotheirfeet，andbowedbeforeRalphandUrsula，andtheeldertookupthewordandsaid：
　　“Yefairpeople，haveyeanyerrandinthewilderness，orareyechance-comerswhohavestrayedthusfar，andknownothowtoreturn？”
　　“Father。”saidRalph，“wehavecomealongwayonanerrandoflifeordeath；forweseektheWELLattheWORLD’SEND。
　　Andseeyethetokenthereof，thepairofbeadswhichwebear，eitherofus，andthefashionwhereofyeknow。”
　　Thentheelderbowedtothemagain，andsaid：“Itiswell；
　　thenisthisourerrandwithyou，tobeyourway-leadersasfarastheHouseoftheSorceress，whereyeshallhaveotherhelp。
　　Willyesetoutonthejourneyto-day？Inonehourshallwebeready。”
　　“Nay。”saidRalph，“wewillnotdeparttilltomorrowmorn，ifitmaybeso。
　　TherewithIbidyousitdownandrestyou，whileyehearkenawordwhichI
　　havetosaytoyou。”
　　Sotheysatdownagain，andRalpharoseandtookUrsulabythehand，andstoodwithherbeforetheelder，andsaid：
　　“Thismaiden，whoismyfellow-farerintheQuest，Idesiretowedthissamenight，andshealsodesirethme：
　　thereforeIwouldhaveyouaswitnesseshereto。
　　ButfirstyeshalltellusifourweddingandtheknowingeachothercarnallyshallbetoourhurtintheQuest；
　　forifthatbeso，thenshallwebridleourdesiresandperformourQuestintheirdespite。”
　　Theoldmansmileduponthemkindly，andsaid：“Nay，son，wehearnotthatitshallbetheworseforyouinanywisethatyeshallbecomeoneflesh；andrightjoyfulitistous，notonlythatwehavefoundfolkwhoseektotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，butalsothatthereissuchloveasI
　　perceivethereisbetwixtsuchgoodlyandholyfolkasyebe。
　　Forhitherwecomeyearbyyearaccordingtothebehestthatwemadetothefairestwomanoftheworld，whenshecamebacktousfromtheWellattheWorld’sEnd，anditismanyandmanyayearagosincewefoundanyseekersaftertheWelldwellinghere。Thereforehavewethemorejoyinyou。
　　Andwehavebroughthithermattersgoodforyou，asraiment，andmeal，andwine，onoursumpter-beasts；thereforeasyehavefeastedusthismorning，soshallwefeastyouthiseven。
　　Andifyewill，weshallbuildforyouinthegroveyondersuchaboweraswebuildforourownfolkonthenightofthewedding。”
　　Ralphyeasaidthis，andthankedthem。Sothentheeldercried：
　　“Up，mysons，andshowyourdeftnesstothesedearfriends！”
　　Thentheyoungmenarose，naughtloth，andwhentheyhadhoppledtheiroxenandtakentheburdensfromoffthem，theyallwentdownthemeadowtogetherintothechestnutgrove，andtheyfelltoandcutwillowboughs，andsuch-likewood，anddravestakesandwovethetwigstogether；andRalphandUrsulaworkedwiththemastheybade，andtheywereallverymerrytogether：
　　becauseforthosetwowanderersitwasagreatdelighttoseethefacesofthechildrenofmenoncemoreaftersomanymonths，andtoholdconversewiththem；whilefortheirparttheyoungmenmarvelledatUrsula’sbeauty，andthepithandgoodlinessofRalph。
　　Bythenitwasnigheveningtheyhadmadeaverygoodlywattledbower，androofeditwiththeskinsthatwereinthecave，andhungitaboutwithgarlands，andstrewnflowersonthefloorthereof。
　　Andwhenallwasdonetheywentbacktothetoftbeforetherock-chamber，wheretheelderhadopenedtheloads，andhadtakenmealthence，andwasmakingcakesatthefire。
　　Andtherewaswinethereinwell-hoopedkegs，andwoodencupsfairlycarven，andraimentoffinewhitewoolforthosetwain，broideredinstrangebutbeauteousfashionwiththefeathersofbright-huedbirds。
　　Sothenwerethosetwainarrayedforthebridal；andthemeatwasdightandthecupsfilled，andtheysatdownonthegrassytoftalittlebeforesunset，andfeastedtillthenightwascome，andwasgrownalllightwiththemoon；andthenRalphroseup，andtookUrsula’shand，andtheystoodbeforetheelder，andbadehimandtheyoungmenbearwitnessthattheywerewedded：
　　thenthosetwainkissedthenewcomersanddepartedtotheirbridalbowerhandinhandthroughthefreshnessofthenight。