Theysawlightsinthechamberorevertheyentered，andwhentheycametothedoor，lo！therewithinwasKatherinewalkingupanddownthefloorasifsheknewnothowtocontainherself。SheturnedandsawRalphatthedoor，andshecriedaloudandrantowardshimwitharmsoutspread。
　　Butwhenshedrewnightohimandbeheldhimclosely，shewithheldher，andfallingdownonherkneesbeforehimtookhishandandfelltokissingitandweepingandcryingout，“Omylord，mylord，thouartcomeagaintous！”
　　ButRalphstoopeddowntoher，andliftedherup，andembracedherandkissedheronthecheeksandthemouth，andledhertothesettleandsatdownbesideherandputhisarmabouther；andClementlookedonsmiling，andsathimdownoveragainstthem。
　　ThenspakeKatherine：“Omylord！howgreatandmasterfulhastthougrown；neverdidIhopetoseetheecomebacksomightyaman。”
　　Andagainsheweptforjoy；butRalphkissedheragain，andshesaid，laughingthroughhertears：“MasterClement，thislordandwarriorhathbroughtbackwithhimsomethingthatIhavenotseen；andbelikehehathhadonefairwomaninhisarms，ormoreitmaybe，sinceIsawhimlast。
　　Forthoughhebutkissesmeashisgossipandfoster-mother，yetarehiskissescloserandkinderthantheywereaforetime。”
　　SaidClement：“SoothistheSage’sguess；yetverily，fairsir，Ihavetoldhersomewhatofthyjourneys，sofarasIknewofthem。”
　　SaidKatherine：“Dearlordandgossip，wiltthounottellmemorethereofnow？”
　　“What！”saidRalph；“shallInotsleepto-night？”
　　“Deargossip。”shesaid，“thouartover-mightytoneedsleep。Andah！
　　Ihadforgotteninthejoyofourmeetingthatto-morrowthougoesttobattle；
　　andhowifthoucomenotagain？”
　　“Fearnought。”saidRalph；“artthounotsomewhatforeseeing？
　　Dostthounotknowthatto-morroworthedayafterIshallcomebackunhurtandvictorious；andthenshallboththouandClementcometoUpmeadsandabidethereaslongasyewill；
　　andthenshallItelltheeamanytalesofmywanderings；
　　andUrsulamybeloved，shealsoshalltellthee。”
　　Katherinereddenedsomewhat，butshesaid：“WouldImightkissherfeet，dearlord。Butnow，Ipraythee，tellmesomewhat，nowatonce。”
　　“Soshallitbe。”saidRalph，“sincethouwilthaveit，deargossip；butwhenIhavedoneIshallasktheetotellmesomewhat，whereofhathlongbeenwonderinmymind；
　　andmeseemeththatbythetimewearebothdonewithtales，Ishallneedsbeputtingonmyhelmagain——Nay，againItelltheeitisbutashowofbattlethatIgoto！”
　　SothenhewentandsatbyClement’sside，andbeganandtoldoverasshortlyasmightbethetidingsofhisjourneys。
　　Andoftsheweptforpitythereat。
　　Butwhenhewasdoneandhehadsatbeholdingher，andsawhowgoodlyawomanshewas，andhowstraightandwellknitofbody，hesaid：
　　“Gossip，Iwondernow，ifthoualsohastdrunkoftheWell；
　　forthouarttoofairandgoodlytobeoftheagethatwecallthee。
　　Howisthis！AlsotellmehowthoucamestbythispairofbeadsthatseemtohaveledmetotheWellattheWorld’sEnd？
　　ForasIsaide’ennow，Ihavelongmarvelledhowthouhadstthemandwhere。”
　　“Fairsir。”saidClement，“asforherdrinkingoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，itisnotso；butthisisagoodwoman，andavaliant，andofgreatwisdom；andsuchwomenwearwell，evenasawell-wroughtpieceofarmourthathathbornemanystrokesofthecraftsman’shand，andhathinitsomedealofhisverymindandthewisdomofhim。
　　ButnowlethertelltheehertalewhichforsoothIknownot，fornightisgrowingold。”
　　DameKatherineTellsofthePairofBeads，andWhenceSheHadThemKatherinecastfriendlylooksonthemandsaid：“Gossip，andthou，Clement，Iwillmakeacleanbreastofitonceforall。
　　InthedayswhenIwasfirstweddedtoMasterClementyonder，hefoundhisbedcoldwithoutme，forhewasahotlover；
　　thereforewouldheoftenhavemewithhimonhisjourneys，howhardsoeverorperilousthewaymightbe。Yea，Clement，thoulookestthesooth，thoughthousayestitnot，Iwasnoughtloththereto，partlybecauseIwouldnotgrievethee，myman；
　　butpartly，andbelikemostly，becauseIwaswishfultoseethewaysoftheworldevenattheriskofbeingthrustoutoftheworld。
　　Soitbefellusonatimetomakeajourneytogether，ajourneyexceedinglong，inthecompanyofcertainchapmen，whereofsome，andnotafew，diedontheway。Butwelived，andcameintotheeasternpartsoftheearthtoacityrightancient，andfulfilledofmarvels，whichhightSarrastheHoly。
　　Theresawwewonderswhereofwereitoverlongtotellofhere；
　　butonewhileIwilltellthee，mylord。ButthisImustneedssay，thatIheardtellofawomandwellingthere，whowasnotoldbyseeming，buthadinherthewisdomoftenlives，andthelonginggatholdofmetoseeherandlearnwisdomofher。
　　SoIentreatedmanywhowerecalledwise，somewithprayers，andsomewithgiftsalso，tohelpmetospeechofher；
　　butIgatnothingeitherbyprayingorgiving；theythatwouldhavehelpedmecouldnot，andtheythatcouldwouldnot。
　　So，whatbetweenonethingandanother，thelongingtoseetheWiseWomangrewasitwereintoamadnessinme。Amidstofwhichwefellinwithamerchantexceedingwiseinancientlore，wholookedatmethoughClementknewitnotwitheyesoflove。
　　OfthismanIaskedconcerningtheWiseWoman，andheseeingmydesire，strovetouseitmerchant-like，andwoulddealwithmeandhaveinpaymentforhislearningagiftwhichIhadnoughttodotogive。
　　HowbeitmadnessandmydesireforspeechwiththeWiseWomangotthebetterofme，andIpromisedtogivenolessthanhewould，trustingtobeguilehimafterIhadgotmydesire，andbequitofhim。Soheledmetothewomanandwenthisways。
　　Shedweltallbyherselfinanookofanancientruinedpalace，erstthehouseoftheancientestofallthekingsofSarras。
　　WhenIcametoher，Isawnoughtdreadfulorugsomeabouther：
　　shewascheerfulofcountenanceandcourteousofdemeanour，andgreetedmekindlyasoneneighbourinthestreetofWulsteadmightdotoanother。Isawher，thatshewasbyseemingawomanofsomefortywinters，trimandwell-fashionedofbody，nowisebig，butslender，ofdarkredhairandbrowneyessomewhatsmall。
　　“Now，shesaidtome，’Ihavelookedfortheeawhile；nowthouartcome，thoushalttellmewhatthouneedest，andthyneedswillIfulfil。
　　Yetneedsmustthoudoathingformeinreturn，andmaybethouwiltdeemitagreatthing。Yetwhereasthouhasstruckabargainbeforethoucamesthither，ifIundothatforthee，thebargainwithmemaybenoughtsoburdensome。
　　Howsayestthou？’
　　“Well，IsawnowthatIwasinthetrap，forillhaditbeeninthosedayshadClementcometoknowthatIhaddoneamiss；
　　forhewasajealouslover，andaviolentman。”
　　Clementsmiledhereat，butsaidnought，andKatherinewenton：
　　“Trapornotrap，ifIwereeagerbefore，Iwasover-eagernow；
　　sowhenshebademesweartodoherwill，Isworeitwithouttarrying。
　　“Thenshesaid：’Sitdownbeforeme，andIwillteachtheewisdom。’
　　Whatdidsheteachme？sayye。Well，ifItoldyoubelikeyewouldbenonethewiser；butsomuchshetoldme，thatmyheartswelledwithjoyofthewisdomwhichIgarnered。
　　Saythou，Clement，ifIhavebeentheworserwomantothee，orthyfriends，ormine。”
　　“Nay，goodwife。”saidClement，“Ihavenoughtagainstthee。”
　　Katherinelaughedandwenton：
　　“AtlasttheWiseWomansaid，’Nowthatthouhastofmeallthatmayavailthee，comestheotherpartofourbargain，whereinIshalltakeandthoushaltgive。’
　　“QuothI，’Thatisbutfair，andthoushaltfindmetruetothee。’
　　Shesaid，’Ifthoubenot，Ishallknowit，andshallamenditinsuchwisethatitshallcosttheemuch。’
　　“Thenshelookedonmelongandkeenly，andsaidafterward：
　　’ForsoothIshouldforbearlayingthischargeupontheeifIdidnotdeemthatthouwouldstbenolessthantrue。
　　ButnowIwilltryit，whereasIdeemthatthedaysofmylifehenceforwardshallnotbemany；andmanydayswouldittakemetofindawomanaslittlefoolishastheeandaslittlefalse，andtheretoasfairlyfashioned。’
　　“Therewithsheputherhandtoherneck，andtookthencetheself-samepairofbeadswhichIgavetothee，deargossip，andwhichpraisebetoAllHallows！thouhastborneeversince；andshesaid：’Nowhearken！
　　Thoushalttakethispairofbeads，anddowiththemasIbidthee。
　　Swearagainthereto。’SoIsworebyAllAngels；andshesaidagain：
　　’ThispairofbeadsshallonedayleadamanuntotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，butnowoman；forsooth，ifawomanhavethemofawoman，orthelikeofthem，fortherebeothers，theymayserveherforatoken；butwillbenotalismanorleading-stonetoher；
　　andthisItelltheelestthouseektotheWellonthestrengthofthem。
　　ForIbidtheegivethemtoamanthatthoulovest——thatthoulovestwell，whenheisinmostneed；onlyheshallnotbeofthineownblood。ThisisallthatIlayuponthee；andifthoudoit，thoushaltthrive，andifthoudoitnot，thoushaltcometoharm。
　　AndIwilltelltheenowthatthismeetingbetwixtusisnotbychance-hap，butofmybringingabout；forIhavelabouredtodrawtheetome，knowingthatthoualoneofwomenwouldavailmeherein。
　　Nowshaltthougohometothinehostel，andtakethisforatokenofmysooth-saying。Thewisemerchantwholedtheeuntomeisabidingthinehomecomingthathemayhaveoftheethatwhichthoupromisedsttohim。
　　Ifthenthoufindhimatthinehostel，andhetaketheebythehandandleadtheetobed，whereasClementisawaytillto-morroweven，thenshaltthoucallmeavainword-spinnerandaliar；butifwhenthoucomesthomethere，thefolktheresaytotheemerchantValeriusisriddenawayhastily，beingcalledafaronamessageoflifeanddeath，thenshaltthoutrowinmeasawisewoman。
　　Herewithdepart，andIbidtheefarewell。’
　　“SoIwentmywaystomyhosteltrembling，andatthedoorImetthechamberlain，whosaidtome，’Lady，themerchantValeriushathbeenhereseekingthee，andhesaidthathewouldabidethycoming；
　　butamidstofhisabidingcomethamanwhowouldspeaktohimprivily；
　　whereofitcamethathecalledforhishorseandbademetellthee，Lady，thathewassummonedonamatteroflifeanddeath，andwouldreturntokissthinehandsinfivedays’space。’
　　“SoIwottedthatthewomanhadspokensooth，andwaswiseandforeseeing，andsomethingofadreadofhercameuponme。
　　ButthenextevenbackcomethClement，andthedayafterwerodeawayfromSarrastheHoly，andValeriusIsawneveragain。
　　Andastothebeads，thereisnoughttotellofthemtilltheycameintothinehands；andsomethingtellsmethatitwasthewilloftheWiseWomanthattonootherhandstheyshouldcome。”
　　HereKatherinemadeanend，andboththemensatponderinghertalealittle。
　　AsforRalph，hedeemeditcertainthattheWiseWomanofSarraswouldbenoneotherthanshewhohadtaughtloretotheLadyofAbundance；
　　butwhysheshouldhavemeantthebeadsforhimhewottednot。
　　AgainhewonderedhowitwasthattheLadyofAbundanceshouldhavegiventhebeadstoUrsula，andwhethersheknewthattheyhadnomighttoleadhertotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。AndyetfurtherhewonderedhowitwasthatUrsula，unholpenbythetalisman，shouldhavedonesomuchtobringhimtotheWell；yea，andhowshewasthefirsttoseeitwhileheslept。
　　ButhishearttoldhimthatwhereashewasseekingtheWellwithher，shemustneedscomethitherwithhim，unlesstheywerebothcastaway；
　　withalKatherinelookedathimandsaid：“Yea，dearlord，Iwotwhatthouartthinkingof；butcouldestthouhavelefther，whenthouhadstoncefoundheragain，WellornoWell？”“Soothisthat。”saidRalph，“yetforallthatshehathdonewithouthelpoftalismanorwitchcraftisshethemoreworshipfulandthedearer。”