It is nought unwonted, that we do, even though we forget the
trouble of the people to think of our own joy for a while.'
The smile died out of her face as she spoke, and she said:
'O friend, this much may I say for myself in all sooth, that indeed I
would die for the kindred and its good days, nor falter therein; but
if I am to die, might I but die in thine arms!'
He looked very lovingly on her, and put his arm about her and kissed
her and said: 'What ails us to stand in the doom-ring and bear
witness against ourselves before the kindred? Now I will say, that
whatsoever the kindred may or can call upon me to do, that will I do,
nor grudge the deed: I am sackless before them. But that is true
which I spake to thee when we came together up out of Shadowy Vale,
to wit, that I am no strifeful man, but a peaceful; and I look to it
to win through this war, and find on the other side either death, or
life amongst a happy folk; and I deem that this is mostly the mind of
our people.'
She said: 'Thou shalt not die, thou shalt not die!'
'Mayhappen not,' he said; 'yet yesterday I could not but look into
the slaughter to come, and it seemed to me a grim thing, and darkened
the day for me; and I grew acold as a man walking with the dead.
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