Page:Wood Beyond the World.djvu/191

 said, now I see that thou desirest wholly what I desire; yet in any case, abiding with them would be living and not dying, even as thou hadst it e’en now. But, forsooth, they will not hinder our departure if they deem me their God; they do not look for it, nor desire it, that their God should dwell with them daily. Have no fear. Then she laughed again, and said: What! thou lookest on me and deemest me to be but a sorry image of a goddess; and me with my scanty coat and bare arms and naked feet! But wait! I know well how to array me when the time cometh. Thou shalt see it! And now, my Master, were it not meet that we took to the road?

So they arose, and found a ford of the river that took the Maid but to the knee, and so set forth up the green-sward of the slopes whereas there were but few trees; so went they faring toward the hill-country.

At the last they were come to the feet of the very hills, and in the hollows betwixt the buttresses of them grew nut and berry trees, and the green-sward round about them was both thick and much flowery. There they stayed them and dined, whereas Walter had shot a hare by the way, and they had