'
'It is well, son,' said the Alderman, 'let it be as thou sayest:
soothly this matter must needs be brought before the Great Folk-mote.
Now will I ask if any other hath any word to say, or any rede to give
before this Gate-thing sundereth?'
But no man came forward, and all men seemed well content and of good
heart; and it was now well past noontide.
CHAPTER XXVI. THE ENDING OF THE GATE-THING
But just as the Alderman was on the point of rising to declare the
breaking-up of the Thing, there came a stir in the throng and it
opened, and a warrior came forth into the innermost of the ring of
men, arrayed in goodly glittering War-gear; clad in such wise that a
tunicle of precious gold-wrought web covered the hauberk all but the
sleeves thereof, and the hem of it beset with blue mountain-stones
smote against the ankles and well-nigh touched the feet, shod with
sandals gold-embroidered and gemmed. This warrior bore a goodly
gilded helm on the head, and held in hand a spear with gold-garlanded
shaft, and was girt with a sword whose hilts and scabbard both were
adorned with gold and gems: beardless, smooth-cheeked, exceeding
fair of face was the warrior, but pale and somewhat haggard-eyed:
and those who were nearby beheld and wondered; for they saw that
there was come the Bride arrayed for war and battle, as if she were a
messenger from the House of the Gods, and the Burg that endureth for
ever.
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