Also he
said that they would leave us to the new tribe of their folk, far
wilder than they, whom they looked for in the Dale in about a moon's
wearing; so that they needs must seek to other lands. Also this same
talk would we hear whenever it pleased any of them to mock us their
bed-thralls. Now, my sweet lord, this is nought but the very sooth.'
Again spake Face-of-god after a while:
'Tell me, sister, hast thou heard of any of the Dusky Men being slain
in the wood?'
'Yea,' she said, and turned pale therewith and caught her breath as
one choking; but said in a little while:
'This alone was it hard for me to tell thee amongst all the I griefs
I have borne, whereof I might have told thee many tales, and will do
one day if thou wilt suffer it; but fear makes this hard for me. For
in very sooth this was the cause of my fleeing, that my master was
brought in slain by an arrow in the wood; and he was to be borne to
bale and burned in three days' wearing; and we three bed-thralls of
his, and three of the best of the men-thralls, were to be burned
quick on his bale-fire after sore torments; therefore I fled, and hid
a knife in my bosom, that I might not be taken alive; but sweet was
life to me, and belike I should not have smitten myself.
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