' Albeit now was her sorrow but little, and much was her
hope, and her foresight of days to be; though all the Dale, yea,
every leaf and twig of it whereby her feet had ever passed, and each
stone of the fair houses, was to her as a picture that she could look
on from henceforth for ever.
Of the Bride it is to be said that she was now much mended, and she
caused men bear her on a litter out into the Marketplace, that she
might look on the departure of her folk. She had seen Face-of-god
once and again since the Day of Battle, and each time had been kind
and blithe with him; and for Iron-face, she loved him so well that
she was ever loth to let him depart from her, save when Folk-might
was with her.
And now was the Alderman standing beside her, and she said to him:
'Friend and kinsman, this is the day of departure, and though I must
needs abide behind, and am content to abide, yet doth mine heart ache
with the sundering; for to-morrow when I wake in the morning there
will be no more sending of a messenger to fetch thee to me. Indeed,
great hath been the love between me and my people, and nought hath
come between us to mar it.
Pages:
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611