'
She bowed her head soberly, and chose from among the guests four
women of the saddest and most grievous, and no man of their kindred
spake for going along with them; then she went her ways home, leading
one of them by the hand, and strange was it to see those twain going
through sun and shade together, that poor wretch along with the
goodliest of women.
Then came forward one after other of the worthy goodmen of the Dale,
and especially such as were old, and they led away one one man, and
another two, and another three, and often would a man crave to go
with a woman or a woman with a man, and it was not gainsaid them. So
were all the guests apportioned, and ill-content were those goodmen
that had to depart without a guest; and one man would say to another:
'Such-an-one, be not downcast; this guest shall be between us, if he
will, and shall dwell with thee and me month about; but this first
month with me, since I was first comer.' And so forth was it said.
Now to prevent the time to come, it may be said about the Runaways,
that when they had been a little while amongst the Burgdalers, well
fed and well clad and kindly cherished, it was marvellous how they
were bettered in aspect of body, and it began to be seen of them that
they were well-favoured people, and divers of the women exceeding
goodly, black-haired and grey-eyed, and very clear-skinned and white-
skinned; most of them were young, and the oldest had not seen above
forty winters.
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