Page:The Story and Song of Black Roderick.djvu/85

Rh ‘For I have worked long for thee and well,’ quoth she, ‘and I beg of thee to let me carry forth as much treasure as my strength can bear.’

‘That,’ saith he, ‘thou shalt have; all thou canst carry thou mayst take forth, if thou wilt give me for payment seven more years of service.’

Now, when the little bride heard this she bowed her head and wept.

‘Seven long years,’ saith she, ‘shall I serve thee more.’ She took Black Roderick by the hand, and stood by him at the open doors. ‘Go thou upward,’ saith she, ‘and await me in heaven.’

Then she closed the flaming gates, and took her place behind them. But the soul of Black Roderick crouched outside, as a dog lieth on the threshold of his master. For seven long years he let no one approach the flaming gates, so that not once were they opened during the last seven years of her trial. And when the day came for her to go forth, the little bride flung the gates apart