Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/60

 from the water. There was but some fifty feet of water between them, but all gurgling and rushing and talking, so the child raised a shrill and clear voice as she clapped her hands together and cried: O thou beauteous creature, what art thou? Osberne laughed, and said in a loud voice: I am a man, but young of years, so that they call me a boy, and a bairn, and a lad. But what art thou? Nay, nay, she said, I must be nigher to thee; it is over-wide here amidst the waters' speech. Fare up to the top on thy side, and so will I. And therewith she turned about and fell to climbing up the side of the cliff by the broken black staves and the shaly slips. And though Osberne were a boy, yea and a tough one in some ways, he trembled and his heart beat quick to see the little creature wending that perilous upright road, and he might not take his eyes off her till she had landed safely on the greensward; then he turned and went swiftly up the eastern knoll, and reached the edge of the sheer rock just as the maiden came running up the ness on her side. He spake not, for he was eyeing her closely, and she might not speak awhile for lack of breath. At last she said: Now are we as near to each other as we may be to-day; yea for many days, or it may be for all our lives long: so now let us talk. She set her two feet together and held her hands in front of her, and so stood as if she looked for him to begin. But the words came not speedily to his mouth, and at last she said: I wonder why thou wilt not speak again; for thy laugh was as the voice of a dear