Also I will do my best to busy them when I am home
in Burgdale.'
Therewith came up Wood-wise, and fell to talk with them; and his mind
it was that these foemen were but a band of strayers, and had had no
inkling of Shadowy Vale till they had heard them talking together as
they came up the path from the Vale, and that then they had made that
ambush behind the Elders' Rocks, so that they might slay the men, and
then bear off the woman. He said withal that it would be best to
carry their corpses further on, so that they might be cast over the
cliffs into the fierce stream of the Shivering Flood.
Amidst this talk came up men from the Vale, a score of them, well
armed; and they ran to meet the wayfarers; and when they heard what
had befallen, they rejoiced exceedingly, and were above all glad that
Face-of-god had shown himself doughty and deft; and they deemed his
rede wise, to set a watch thereabouts till Folk-might came home, and
said that they would do even so.
Then spake the Sun-beam and said:
'Now must ye wayfarers depart; for the road is but rough, and the day
not over-long.'
Then she turned to Face-of-god and put her hand on his shoulder, and
brought her face close to his and spake to him softly:
'Doth this second parting seem at all strange to thee, and that I am
now so familiar to thee, I whom thou didst once deem to be a very
goddess? And now thou hast seen me redden before thine eyes because
of thee; and thou hast seen me grow pale with fear because of thee;
and thou hast felt my caresses which I might not refrain; even as if
I were altogether such a maiden as ye warriors hang about for a nine
days' wonder, and then all is over save an aching heart--wilt thou do
so with me? Tell me, have I not belittled myself before thee as if I
asked thee to scorn me? For thus desire dealeth both with maid and
man.
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