Then was Ralph overflowing with thanks, but the Lord heeded him naught, but looked askance at him and sourly.  And he rose up withal, and led the damsel by the hand into another chamber; and she minced in her gait and leaned over to the Lord and spake softly in his ear and laughed, and he laughed in his turn and toyed with her neck and shoulders.

But the great men turned and went their ways from the Tower, and Ralph went with Otter and was full of glee, and as merry as a bird.  But Otter looked on him, and said gruffly:  “Yea now, thou art like a song-bird but newly let out of his cage.  But I can see the string which is tied to thy leg, though thou feelest it not.”

“Why, what now?” quoth Ralph, making as though he were astonished.  “Hearken,” said Otter:  “there is none nigh us, so I will speak straight out; for I love thee since the justing when we tried our might together.  If thou deemest that thou art verily free, ride off on the backward road when we go forward; I warrant me thou shalt presently meet with an adventure, and be brought in a captive for the second time.”  “How then,” said Ralph, “hath not the Lord good will toward me?”

Said Otter:  “I say not that he is now minded to do thee a mischief for cruelty’s sake; but he is minded to get what he can out of thee.  If he use thee not for the pleasuring of his wife (so long as her pleasure in thee lasteth) he will verily use thee for somewhat else.  And to speak plainly, I now deem that he will make thee my mate, to use with me, or against me as occasion may serve; so thou shalt be another captain of his host.”  He laughed withal, and said again:  “But if thou be not wary, thou wilt tumble off that giddy height, and find thyself a thrall once more, and maybe a gelding to boot.”  Now waxed Ralph angry and forgat his prudence, and said:  “Yea, but how shall he use me when I am out of reach of his hand?” “Oho, young man,” said Otter, “whither away then, to be out of his reach?”

“Why,” quoth Ralph still angrily, “is thy Lord master of all the world?” “Nay,” said the captain, “but of a piece thereof.  In short, betwixt Utterbol and Goldburg, and Utterbol and the mountains, and Utterbol and an hundred miles north, and an hundred miles south, there is no place where thou canst live, no place save the howling wilderness, and scarcely there either, where he may not lay hand on thee if he do but whistle.  What, man! be not downhearted! come with us to Utterbol, since thou needs must.  Be wise, and then the Lord shall have no occasion against thee; above all, beware of crossing him in any matter of a woman.  Then who knows” (and here he sunk his voice well nigh to a whisper) “but thou and I together may rule in Utterbol and make better days there.”

Ralph was waxen master of himself by now, and was gotten wary indeed, so he made as if he liked Otter’s counsel well, and became exceeding gay; for indeed the heart within him was verily glad at the thought of his escaping from thralldom; for more than ever now he was fast in his mind to flee at the time appointed by Redhead.