Surely I should
now be standing amongst my people of the Face, whereto I am going ere
long.'
He said: 'Beloved, I am now become thy kindred and thine home, and
it is meet for thee to stand beside me.'
She cast her eyes adown and answered not; and she fell a-pondering of
how sorely she had desired that fair dale, and now she would leave
it, and be content and more than content.
But now the kindreds had sundered, they upon the dais ranked
themselves together there in the House which their fathers had
builded; and when they saw themselves so meetly ordered, their hearts
being full with the sweetness of hope accomplished and the joy of
deliverance from death, song arose amongst them, and they fell to
singing together; and this is somewhat of their singing:
Now raise we the lay
Of the long-coming day!
Bright, white was the sun
When we saw it begun:
O'er its noon now we live;
It hath ceased not to give;
It shall give, and give more
From the wealth of its store.
O fair was the yesterday! Kindly and good
Was the wasteland our guester, and kind was the wood;
Though below us for reaping lay under our hand
The harvest of weeping, the grief of the land;
Dumb cowered the sorrow, nought daring to cry
On the help of to-morrow, the deed drawing nigh.
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