CHAPTER 24
Ralph Heareth More Tidings of the Damsel
The second day, while the merchants saw to their chaffer, most of themen-at-arms, and Ralph with them, spent their time again in thosegoodly gardens; where, indeed, some of them made friends of fair womenof the place; in which there was less risk than had been for aliens insome towns, whereas at Cheaping Knowe such women as were weddedaccording to law, or damsels in the care of their kindred, or slaveswho were concubines, had not dared so much as to look on a man.
The third day time hung somewhat heavy on Ralph's hands, not but thatthe Companions were well at ease, but rather because himseemed that hewas not stirring in the quest.
But the next day Clement bade him come see that thrall-merchantaforesaid, and brought him to a corner of the market-place, where was athrong looking on at the cheaping. They went through the throng, andbeside a stone like a leaping-on stone saw a tall man, goodly ofpresence, black bearded, clad in scarlet; and this was the merchant;and by him were two of his knaves and certain weaponed men who hadbrought their wares to the cheaping. And some of these were arrayedlike those foemen of the mountains. There was a half score and threeof these chattels to be sold, who stood up one after other on thestone, that folk might cheapen them. The cheaping was long about,because they that had a mind to buy were careful to know what they werebuying, like as if they had been cheapening a horse, and most of thembefore they bid their highest had the chattels away into the merchant'sbooth to strip them, lest they should buy damaged or unhandsome bodies;and this more especially if it were a woman, for the men were alreadywell nigh naked. Of women four of them were young and goodly, andRalph looked at them closely; but they were naught like to the woman ofhis quest.
Now this cheaping irked Ralph sorely, as was like to be, whereas, ashath been told, he came from a land where were no thralls, none butvavassors and good yeomen: yet he abode till all was done, hanselpaid, and the thralls led off by their new masters. Then Clement ledhim up to the merchant, to whom he gave the sele of the day, and said:"Master, this is the young knight of whom I told thee, who deemeth thata woman who is his friend hath been brought to this market and soldthere, and if he might, he would ransom her."
The merchant greeted Ralph courteously, and bade him and Clement comeinto his house, where they might speak more privily. So did they, andhe treated them with honour, and set wine and spices before them, andbade Ralph say whatlike the woman was. Ralph did so, and wondered athimself how well and closely he could tell of her, like as a picturepainted. And, moreover, he drew forth that piece of her gown which hehad come on by the Mid-Mountain House.
So when he had done, the merchant, who was a man sober of aspect andsomewhat slow of speech, said: "Sir, I believe surely that I have seenthis damsel, but she is not with me now, nor have I sold her ever; buthither was she brought to be sold by a man of the mountain folk notvery many days ago. And the man's name was Bull Nosy, or the longnosedman of the kindred of the Bull, for in such wise are named the men ofthat unhappy folk. Now this was the cause why I might not sell her,that she was so proud and stout that men feared her, what she might doif they had her away. And when some spake to see her body naked, shedenied it utterly, saying that she would do a mischief to whomsoevertried it. So I spake to him who owned her, and asked him if he thoughtit good to take her a while and quell her with such pains as wouldspoil her but little, and then bring her to market when she was meeker.But he heeded my words little, and led her away, she riding on a horseand he going afoot beside her; for the mountain-men be no horsemen."
Said Ralph: "Dost thou know at all whither he will have led her?" Saidthe merchant: "By my deeming, he will have gone first of all to thetown of Whiteness, whither thy Fellowship will betake them ere long:for he will be minded to meet there the Lord of Utterbol, who is forsuch like wares; and he will either give her to him as a gift, forwhich he will have a gift in return, or he will sell her to my lord ata price if he dare to chaffer with him. At least so will he do if hebe wise. Now if the said lord hath her, it will be somewhat more thanhard for thee to get her again, till he have altogether done with her;for money and goods are naught to him beside the doing of his will.But there is this for thy comfort, that whereas she is so fair a woman,she will be well with my lord. For I warrant me that she will not dareto be proud with him, as she was with the folk here."
"Yea," said Ralph, "and what is this lord of Utterbol that all folk,men and women, fear him so?" Said the merchant: "Fair sir, thou mustpardon me if I say no more of him. Belike thou mayst fall in with him;and if thou dost, take heed that thou make not thyself great with him."
So Ralph thanked the merchant and departed with Clement, of whompresently he asked if he knew aught of this lord of Utterbol. SaidClement: "God forbid that I should ever meet him, save where I weremany and he few. I have never seen him; but he is deemed by all men asthe worst of the tyrants who vex these lands, and, maybe, themightiest."
So was Ralph sore at heart for the damsel, and anon he spake to Bullagain of her, who deemed somewhat, that his kinsman had been minded atthe first to sell her to the lord of Utterbol. And Ralph thinks hisgame a hard one, yet deems that if he could but find out where thedamsel was, he might deliver her, what by sleight, what by boldness.