Therewith he turned him back into the house, and the others went their
ways; but Walter sat alone in his chamber a long while, and pondered
these things in his mind. And whiles he made up his mind that he would
think no more of the vision of those three, but would fare back to
Langton, and enter into the strife with the Reddings and quell them, or
die else. But lo, when he was quite steady in this doom, and his heart
was lightened thereby, he found that he thought no more of the Reddings
and their strife, but as matters that were passed and done with, and that
now he was thinking and devising if by any means he might find out in
what land dwelt those three. And then again he strove to put that from
him, saying that what he had seen was but meet for one brainsick, and a
dreamer of dreams. But furthermore he thought, Yea, and was Arnold, who
this last time had seen the images of those three, a dreamer of waking
dreams? for he was nought wonted in such wise; then thought he: At least
I am well content that he spake to me of their likeness, not I to him;
for so I may tell that there was at least something before my eyes which
grew not out of mine own brain. And yet again, why should I follow them;
and what should I get by it; and indeed how shall I set about it?
Thus he turned the matter over and over; and at last, seeing that if he
grew no foolisher over it, he grew no wiser, he became weary thereof, and
bestirred him, and saw to the trussing up of his goods, and made all
ready for his departure, and so wore the day and slept at nightfall; and
at daybreak comes Arnold to lead him to their keel, which hight the
Bartholomew. He tarried nought, and with few farewells went aboard ship,
and an hour after they were in the open sea with the ship's head turned
toward Langton on Holm.
CHAPTER IV: STORM BEFALLS THE BARTHOLOMEW, AND SHE IS DRIVEN OFF HER
COURSE
Now swift sailed the Bartholomew for four weeks toward the north-west
with a fair wind, and all was well with ship and crew. Then the wind
died out on even of a day, so that the ship scarce made way at all,
though she rolled in a great swell of the sea, so great, that it seemed
to ridge all the main athwart. Moreover down in the west was a great
bank of cloud huddled up in haze, whereas for twenty days past the sky
had been clear, save for a few bright white clouds flying before the
wind. Now the shipmaster, a man right cunning in his craft, looked long
on sea and sky, and then turned and bade the mariners take in sail and be
right heedful. And when Walter asked him what he looked for, and
wherefore he spake not to him thereof, he said surlily: "Why should I
tell thee what any fool can see without telling, to wit that there is
weather to hand?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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