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The Well at the World's End: a tale by William Morris
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save that he shall not be rich ever, having no mastery over himself;
while lord Hugh is like to be slain in some empty brawl,
unless he come back speedily to Upmeads."

"Yea, yea," said Ralph, "what then? I came not hither
to hear thee missay my mother's sons." But Richard went on:
"As for thee, lord Ralph, of thee I looked for something;
but now I cannot tell; for the heart in thee seemeth to be dead;
and thou must look to it lest the body die also."
"So be it!" said Ralph.

Said Richard: "I am old now, but I have been young, and many
things have I seen and suffered, ere I came to Upmeads.
Old am I, and I cannot feel certain hopes and griefs as a young
man can; yet have I bought the knowledge of them dear enough,
and have not forgotten. Whereby I wot well that my drearihead
is concerning a woman. Is it not so?" "Yea," quoth Ralph.
Said Richard: "Now shalt thou tell me thereof, and so
lighten thine heart a little." "I will not tell thee,"
said Ralph; "or, rather, to speak more truly, I cannot."
"Yea," said Richard, "and though it were now an easier thing
for me to tell thee of the griefs of my life than for thee
to hearken to the tale, yet I believe thee. 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 to-day, then to-morrow, or the next day or the next?"
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