it was, and said withal: "Now I can do
nought save to bid thee gather thy valiance to thee and not to wound
my heart with the wildness of thy grief. And look thou, my dear; e'en
now thou wert saying thy yearning that mine arms were round about thy
body: now we are no longer altogether children, and I will tell thee
that it is many a day since I have longed for this; and now I know
that thou longest that our bodies might meet. Belike thou wilt deem me
hard and self-seeking if I tell thee that there is more joy in me for
the gain of that knowledge than there is sorrow in my heart for thy
pain."

"Nay, nay," she said, "but for that I deem thee the dearer and the
dearer."

"See then, sweetheart," said he, "how might it ever come about that we
might meed bodily if I abode ever at Wethermel and the Dale in peace
and quietness, while thou dwelt still with thy carlines on the other
side of this fierce stream? Must I not take chancehap and war by the
hand and follow where they lead, that I may learn the wideness of the
world, and compass earth and sea till I have gone about the Sundering
Flood and found thy little body somewhere in the said wide world? And
maybe this is the beginning thereof."

Now was the maiden a little comforted, and she said, smiling as well
as she might: "And belike thou art for the cheaping again? Dost thou
remember what a joy it was to thee to bring me those things and shoot
and cast them over the water unto me? Now this time when thou comest
back to the Dale I will ask thee to bring me one thing more, and then
I shall be satisfied."

"Yea, sweetheart, and what shall that be?" And sooth to say it went
against the grain with him that at the very moment of their parting
she should crave something, like a very child, for a fairing. But she
said: "O my dear, and what should it be but thou thyself?" And
therewith she could refrain her passion no longer, but brake out
a-weeping sorely again, so that her eyes could no longer behold him.
But she heard many caressing words come across the water, and many
farewells and words of grief, and yet she could not master her tears
so that she could see him clearly, neither could she speak one word in
answer. But at last she looked up and saw that he was gone from before
her, and dimly she saw him yet a little way gone down the water, and
he turned toward her and raised his hand and waved it to her. And
nought else she saw of him for that time save the gleam of his sca