Yet, in verity, I to be even then able to perceive with mine inward
senses, how that the Maid did have a wondrous up-pouring of love for me,
but yet did be so perverse, and the more so, mayhap, because that her
love did so urge her unto loving admittings that I did be her Man. And
she, maybe, to have meant that she be the more humble presently, but yet
to go naughtily awhile more, and not, indeed, to have had the power
within her at that time, to have come unto me, and cast off her
waywardness, and askt that she be in mine arms, as all my heart did
desire.
And so, as I have told, I went silently, and mayhap with a little
dullness, that did be part of anger and part of hurt and part of that
same strange love-foolishness from which the Maid did suffer. And truly,
this doth be very contrary-seeming, only that you have seen my heart;
and all indeed the more human, that it doth be so contrariwise to the
brain-reason; and all to be desired, else did a man be no better than an
ant or a weariful machine.
And this to be truth and wholesomeness as you shall perceive, if that
you look deep enough, and do modify Reason with heart-understanding;
for, in verity, how shall that which we call Reason, bring any to the
full and the great knowledge. And this doth be a power of holy things,
and doth be a child that is born of Love and Reason, and in the one to
hold the two, and to know all things is the gift of this power; so that
no man may walk truly that hath only the first, neither any man do utter
wise that hath only the second.
And surely, I to cease from these thoughts, and to my tellings; and you
to your harkings and dear sympathy.
Now, when the sixth hour did be come, we made a halt and eat and drank,
and afterward went onward again, and so came presently clear of the two
monstrous fire-hills; and their great noise to be presently to our rear,
and likewise that quiet country that did be round their feet, and did
seem so utter husht and strange and doubly so, because of the upward
noise of the mountains, and because of the slow and subtle earth-shaking
that did be so constant, and because of all those things that I have
told.
Now, when we had made halt, the Maid had done her hair very uncomely
upon her head, and had lookt slyly to see whether I did note; but truly,
I took no heed; so that in the end she had it again in a pretty fashion,
and did sing naughtily and with an heart of mischief, as she did shape
it loose and wondrous nice about her head.
And I still to have no word for her; neither to show that I did watch
her with love and somewise a quaint pleasure of her perverseness, even
whilst that I did strive by silence and an aloofness that I bring her to
my side, as she did be in the first days; for truly I did ache that she
be near unto me, and to cease from her waywardness that did put a
distance of spirit between us, as you to perceive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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