So he went on a while betwixt the trees and the thickets, till it was a little past noon.  But all on a sudden a panic fear took him, lest she should indeed come to the castle while he was away, and not finding him, depart again, who knows whither; and when this thought came upon him, he cried aloud, and hastened at his swiftest back again to the castle, and came there breathless and wearied, and ran to the old woman, and cried out to her; “Is she come? is she come?”

The carline laughed and said, “Nay, she is not, but thou art come:  praise be to the saints!  But what aileth thee?  Nay, fear not, she shall come at last.”

Then grew Ralph shamefaced and turned away from her, and miscalled himself for a fool and a dastard that could not abide the pleasure of his lady at the very place whereto she had let lead him.  So he wore through the remnant of the day howso he might, without going out-adoors again; and the carline came and spake with him; but whatever he asked her about the lady, she would not tell aught of any import, so he refrained him from that talk, and made a show of hearkening when she spake of other matters; as tales concerning the folk of the land, and the Fathers of the Thorn, and so forth.

On the next morning he arose and said to himself, that whatever betid, he would bide in the castle and the Plain of Abundance till the lady came; and he went amongst the haymaking folk in the morning and ate his dinner with them, and strove to be of good cheer, and belike the carles and queens thought him merry company; but he was now wearying his heart with longing, and might not abide any great while in one place; so when, dinner over, they turned to their work again, he went back to the Castle, and read in that book, and looked at the pictures thereof, and kept turning his wonder and hope and fear over and over again in his mind, and making to himself stories of how he should meet the Lady and what she would say to him, and how he should answer her, till at last the night came, and he went to his bed, and slept for the very weariness of his longing.

When the new day came he arose and went into the hall, and found the carline there, who said to him, “Fair sir, will thou to the wood again to-day?” “Nay,” said Ralph, “I must not, I dare not.”  “Well,” she said, “thou mayest if thou wilt; why shouldst thou not go?” Said Ralph, reddening and stammering:  “Because I fear to; thrice have I been away long from the castle and all has gone well; but the fourth time she will come and find me gone.”

The carline laughed:  “Well,” she said, “I shall be here if thou goest; for I promise thee not to stir out of the house whiles thou art away.”  Said Ralph:  “Nay, I will abide here.”  “Yea,” she said, “I see:  thou trustest me not.  Well, no matter; and to-day it will be handy if thou abidest.  For I have an errand to my brother in the flesh, who is one of the brethren of the Thorn over yonder.  If thou wilt give me leave, it will be to my pleasure and gain.”