“Yea,” she said, “and thou to me; but other things have befallen, and there is change betwixt.”

“Nay, what change?” said Ralph.

Even by the firelight he saw that she reddened as she answered: 
“I was a free woman then; now am I but a runaway thrall.” 
Then Ralph laughed merrily, and said, “Then are we brought
the nigher together, for I also am a runaway thrall.”

She smiled and looked down:  then she said:  “Wilt thou tell me how that befell?”

“Yea,” said he, “but I will ask thee first a question or two.”  She nodded a yeasay, and looked on him soberly, as a child waiting to say its task.

Said Ralph:  “When we parted at the want-ways of the Wood Perilous thou saidst that thou wert minded for the Well at the World’s End, and to try it for life or death.  But thou hadst not then the necklace, which now I see thee bear, and which, seest thou! is like to that about my neck.  Wilt thou tell me whence thou hadst it?”

She said:  “Yea; it was given unto me by a lady, mighty as I deem, and certainly most lovely, who delivered me from an evil plight, and a peril past words, but whereof I will tell thee afterwards.  And she it was who told me of the way to the Well at the World’s End, and many matters concerning them that seek it, whereof thou shalt wot soon.”

Said Ralph:  “As to how thou wert made a thrall thou needest not to tell me; for I have learned that of those that had to do with taking thee to Utterbol.  But tell me; here are met we two in the pathless wilds, as if it were on the deep sea, and we two seeking the same thing.  Didst thou deem that we should meet, or that I should seek thee?”

Now was the fire burning somewhat low, but he saw that she looked on him steadily; yet withal her sweet voice trembled a little as she answered:  “Kind friend, I had a hope that thou wert seeking me and wouldst find me:  for indeed that fairest of women who gave me the beads spake to me of thee, and said that thou also wouldst turn thee to the quest of the Well at the World’s End; and already had I deemed thine eyes lucky as well as lovely.  But tell me, my friend, what has befallen that lady that she is not with thee?  For in such wise she spake of thee, that I deemed that naught would sunder you save death.”

“It is death that hath sundered us,” said Ralph.

Then she hung her head, and sat silent a while, neither did he speak till she had risen up and cast more wood upon the fire; and she stood before it with her back towards him.  Then he spake to her in a cheerful voice and said:  “Belike we shall be long together:  tell me thy name; is it not Dorothy?” She turned about to him with a smiling face, and said:  “Nay lord, nay:  did I not tell thee my name before?  They that held me at the font bid the priest call me Ursula, after the Friend of Maidens.  But what is thy name?”

“I am Ralph of Upmeads,” quoth he; and sat a while silent, pondering his dream and how it had betrayed him as to her name, when it had told him much that he yet deemed true.