Her beauty was so exceeding, and so far beyond all memory of her that
his mind had held, that once more fear of her fell upon Face-of-god,
and he stood still with beating heart till she should speak to him.
But she came forward swiftly with both her hands held out, smiling
and happy-faced, and looking very kindly on him, and she took his
hands and said to him:
'Now welcome, Gold-mane, welcome, Face-of-god! and twice welcome art
thou and threefold. Lo! this is the day that thou asked for: art
thou happy in it?'
He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them timorously, but said
nought; and therewithal Sure-foot came running forth from the Hall,
and fell to bounding round about them, barking noisily after the
manner of dogs who have met their masters again; and still she held
his hands and beheld him kindly. Then she called the hound to her,
and patted him on the neck and quieted him, and then turned to Face-
of-god and laughed happily and said:
'I do not bid thee hold thy peace; yet thou sayest nought. Is well
with thee?'
'Yea,' he said, 'and more than well.'
'Thou seemest to me a goodly warrior,' she said; 'hast thou met any
foemen yesterday or this morning?'
'Nay,' said he, 'none hindered me; thou hast made the ways easy to
me.
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