CHAPTER XII. STONE-FACE TELLETH CONCERNING THE WOOD-WIGHTS
Early on the morrow Gold-mane arose and clad himself and went out-a-
doors and over the trodden snow on to the bridge over the Weltering
Water, and there betook himself into one of the coins of safety built
over the up-stream piles; there he leaned against the wall and turned
his face to the Thorp, and fell to pondering on his case. And first
he thought about his oath, and how that he had sworn to wed the
Mountain Woman, although his kindred and her kindred should gainsay
him, yea and herself also. Great seemed that oath to him, yet at
that moment he wished he had made it greater, and made all the
kindred, yea and the Bride herself, sure of the meaning of the words
of it: and he deemed himself a dastard that he had not done so.
Then he looked round him and beheld the winter, and he fell into mere
longing that the spring were come and the token from the Mountain.
Things seemed too hard for him to deal with, and he between a mighty
folk and two wayward women; and he went nigh to wish that he had
taken his father's offer and gone down to the Cities; and even had he
met his bane: well were that! And, as young folk will, he set to
work making a picture of his deeds there, had he been there.
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