But the stranger he had slain outright; and the one whom he had
smitten in the hall died before the dawn, thrusting all help aside,
and making no sound of speech.
When these tidings came to Burgstead they seemed great to men, and to
Gold-mane more than all. So he and many others took their weapons
and fared up to Wildlake's Way, and so came to the Woodland Carles.
But the Woodlanders had borne out the carcasses of those felons and
laid them on the green before Wood-grey's door (for that was the name
of the dead goodman), and they were saying that they would not bury
such accursed folk, but would bear them a little way so that they
should not be vexed with the stink of them, and cast them into the
thicket for the wolf and the wild-cat and the stoat to deal with; and
they should lie there, weapons and silver and all; and they deemed it
base to strip such wretches, for who would wear their raiment or bear
their weapons after them.
There was a great ring of folk round about them when they of
Burgstead drew near, and they shouted for joy to see their
neighbours, and made way before them. Then the Dalesmen cursed these
murderers who had slain so good a man, and they all praised his
manliness, whereas he ran out into the night naked and wounded after
his foe, and had fallen like his folk of old time.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148