Soft and sweet seemed that picture, till he
almost seemed to hear her sweet voice calling to him, and desire of
her so took hold of the youth, that it stirred him up to go swiftlier
as he strode on, the day brightening behind him.
Now was it nigh sunrise, and he began to meet folk on the way, though
not many; since for most their way lay afield, and not towards the
Burg. The first was a Woodlander, tall and gaunt, striding beside
his ass, whose panniers were laden with charcoal. The carle's
daughter, a little maiden of seven winters, riding on the ass's back
betwixt the panniers, and prattling to herself in the cold morning;
for she was pleased with the clear light in the east, and the smooth
wide turf of the meadows, as one who had not often been far from the
shadow of the heavy trees of the wood, and their dark wall round
about the clearing where they dwelt. Face-of-god gave the twain the
sele of the day in merry fashion as he passed them by, and the sober
dark-faced man nodded to him but spake no word, and the child stayed
her prattle to watch him as he went by.
Then came the sound of the rattle of wheels, and, as he doubled an
angle of the rock-wall, he came upon a wain drawn by four dun kine,
wherein lay a young woman all muffled up against the cold with furs
and cloths; beside the yoke-beasts went her man, a well-knit trim-
faced Dalesman clad bravely in holiday raiment, girt with a goodly
sword, bearing a bright steel helm on his head, in his hand a long
spear with a gay red and white shaft done about with copper bands.
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