And when I had been in the dale a little, thither came the carline, and sat
down by me and fell to teaching me wisdom, and showed me letters and told me
what they were, and I learned like a little lad in the chorister's school.
"Thereafter I mastered my fear of my mistress and went
to that dale day by day, and learned of the carline;
though at whiles I wondered when my mistress would let loose
her fury upon me; for I called to mind the threat she had
made to me on the day when she offered up my white goat.
And I made up my mind to this, that if she fell upon me with deadly
intent I would do my best to slay her before she should slay me.
But so it was, that now again she held her hand from my body,
and scarce cast a word at me ever, but gloomed at me,
and fared as if hatred of me had grown great in her heart.
"So the days went by, and my feet had worn a path through
the wilderness to the Dale of Lore, and May had melted into June,
and the latter days of June were come. And on Midsummer Day I went
my ways to the dale according to my wont, when, as I as driving
on my goats hastily I saw a bright thing coming over the heath
toward me, and I went on my way to meet it, for I had no fear now,
except what fear of my mistress lingered in my heart; nay, I looked
that everything I saw of new should add some joy to my heart.
So presently I saw that it was a weaponed man riding a white horse,
and anon he had come up to me and drawn rein before me.
Pages:
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217