two hours after noon
Richard nodded a yeasay , and the Sage said no word more ; but Ursula cast her anxious look on Ralph as though she understood what was moving in him ; and therewith those others rode away lightly , but Ralph turned slowly from the oak-tree , and might not forbear looking on to the short sward round about , as if he hoped to see some token left behind . Then he lifted up his face as one awaking , shook his rein , and rode after the others down the long water . So they turned from the water anon , and rode the woodland ways , and lay that night by a stream that ran west . They arose betimes on the morrow , and whereas the Sage knew the woodland ways well , they made but a short journey of it to the Castle of Abundance , and came into the little plain but two hours after noon , where saving that the scythe had not yet wended the tall mowing grass in the crofts which the beasts and sheep were not pasturing , all was as on that other tide . The folk were at work in their gardens , or herding their cattle in the meads , and as aforetime they were merry of countenance and well-clad , fair and gentle to look on . There were their pleasant cots , and the little white church , and the fair walls of the castle on its low mound , and the day bright and sunny , all as aforetime , and Ralph looked on it all , and made no countenance of being moved beyond his wont . So they came out of the wood , and rode to the ford of the river , and the carles and queans came streaming from their garths and meads to meet them , and stood round wondering at them ; but an old carle came from out the throng and went up to Ralph , and hailed him , and said : `` Oh , Knight !