The Roots of the Mountains: Wherein Is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale, Their Friends, Their Neighbours, Their Foemen, and Their Fellows in ArmsMorris, William
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The Roots of the Mountains: Wherein Is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale, Their Friends, Their Neighbours, Their Foemen, and Their Fellows in Arms
Morris, William
Fantasy fiction
But the Sun-beam had noted her at first, even amongst the fair women of
Burgstead, and she so steady and bright beside the wandering timorous
eyes and lowering faces of the thralls. But suddenly, as eye met eye,
she saw her face change; she saw her cheek whiten, her eyes stare, and
her lips quiver, and she knew at once who it was; for she had not seen
her before as Folk-might had. Then the Sun-beam cast her eyes adown,
lest her compassion might show in her face, and be a fresh grief to her
that had lost the wedding and the love; and so she passed on.
As for Folk-might, he had seen her at once amongst all that folk as he
came into the street, and in sooth he was looking for her; and when he
saw her face change, as the sight of the Sun-beam smote upon her heart,
his own face burned with shame and anger, and he looked back at her as he
went toward the House. But she saw him not, nor noted him; and none
deemed it strange that he looked long on the Bride, the treasure of
Burgstead. But for some while Folk-might was few-spoken and sharp-spoken
amongst the chieftains; for he was slow to master his longing and his
wrath.
So when all the Guests had entered the door of the House of the Face, the
Alderman turned back, and, standing on the threshold of his House, spake
unto the throng:
‘Men of the Dale, and ye Outlanders who may be here, know that this is a
happy day; for hither have come to us Guests, men of the kindred of the
Gods, and they are even those of whom Face-of-god my son hath told you.
And they are friends of our friends and foes of our foes. These men are
now in my House, as is but right; but when they come forth I look to you
to cherish them in the best way ye know, and make much of them, as of
those who may help us and who may by us be holpen.’
Therewith he went in again and into the Hall, and bade show the
New-comers to the daïs; and wine of the best, and meat such as was to
hand, was set before them. He bade men also get ready high feast as
great as might be against the evening; and they did his bidding
straightway.
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ALDERMAN GIVES GIFTS TO THEM OF SHADOWY VALE.
IN the Hall of the Face Folk-might sat on the daïs at the right hand of
the Alderman, and the Sun-beam on his left hand. But Iron-face also had
beheld the Bride how her face changed, and he knew the cause, and was
grieved and angry and ashamed thereof: also he bethought him how this
stranger was sitting in the very place where the Bride used to sit, and
of all the love, as of a very daughter, that he had had for her; howbeit
he constrained himself to talk courteously and kindly both to Folk-might
and the Sun-beam, as behoved the Chief of the House and the Alderman of
the Dale. Moreover, he was not a little moved by the goodliness and
wisdom of the Sun-beam and the manliness of Folk-might, who was the most
chieftain-like of men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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