Then he spake to Ralph: “They are turning back: they are beaten, and withal they love not the open road: yet slacken not yet, young knight, unless thou lovest thine horse more than thy life; for they will follow on through the thicket on the way-side to see whether thou wert born a fool and hast learned nothing later.”
“Yea,” said Ralph, “and now I deem thou wilt tell me that to the Burg I needs must.”
“Yea, forsooth,” said the carle, “nor shall we be long, riding thus, ere we come to the Burg Gate.”
“Yea, or even slower,” said Ralph, drawing rein somewhat, “for now I deem the chase done: and after all is said, I have no will to slay Falcon, who is one of my friends, as thou perchance mayest come to be another.”
Thereafter he went a hand-gallop till the wood began to thin, and there we
