about the chapmen at the gates not so woe-begone, and goodly enough.

Of the lord of Whiteness, Clement told that he paid tribute to him
of Cheaping Knowe, rather for love of peace than for fear of him;
for he was no ill lord, and free men lived well under him.

So the chapmen lodged in the market-place; and in two days time
Ralph got speech of the Deacon of the Chapmen of the Town;
who told him two matters; first that the lord of Utterbol had not
been in Whiteness these six months; and next that the wild man
had verily brought the damsel into the market; but he had turned
away thence suddenly with her, without bringing her to the stone,
and that it was most like that he would have the lord of Utterbol
buy her; who, since he would be deeming that he might easily
bend her to his will, would give him the better penny for her.
"At the last," quoth the Deacon, "the wild man led her away toward
the mountain pass that goeth to Goldburg, the damsel and he alone,
and she with her hands unbound and riding a little horse."
Of these tidings Ralph deemed it good that all traces of her were
not lost; but his heart misgave him when he thought that by this
time she must surely be in the hands of the lord of Utterbol.



CHAPTER 26

They Ride the Mountains Toward Goldburg


Five days the Fellowship abode at Whiteness, and or ever they