this autumn?'

Face-of-god answered somewhat stiffly: 'Nay, I am not;' and then
more kindly, and smiling, 'All roads lead not down to the Plain,
friend.'

'What road then farest thou away from us?' said the goodwife.

'The way of my will,' he answered.

'And what way is that?' said she; 'take heed, lest I get a longing to
know. For then must thou needs tell me, or deal with the carle there
beside thee.'

'Nay, goodwife,' said Face-of-god, 'let not that longing take thee;
for on that matter I am even as wise as thou. Now good speed to thee
and to the new-comer!'

Therewith he went close up to the wain, and reached out his hand to
her, and she gave him hers and he kissed it, and so went his ways
smiling kindly on them. Then the carle cried to his kine, and they
bent down their heads to the yoke; and presently, as he walked on, he
heard the rumble of the wain mingling with the tinkling of their
bells, which in a little while became measured and musical, and
sounded above the creaking of the axles and the rattle of the gear
and the roll of the great wheels over the road: and so it grew
thinner and thinner till it all died away behind him.

He was now come to where the river turned away from the sheer rock-
wall, which was not so high there as in most other places, as there