But so it is that I was thinking of this long journey, and of thee
and me together in it, and how we shall be with each other if we come
back again alive, with all things done that we had to do."
She stayed her speech awhile, and seemed to find it hard
to give forth the word that was in her; but at last she said:
"Friend, thou must pardon me; but that which thou sawest in me,
I also seemed to see in thee, that thou wert grown shy and cold with me;
but now I know it is not so, since thou hast seen me wrongly;
but that I have seen thee wrongly, as thou hast me."
Therewith she reached her hand to him, and he took it and kissed
it and caressed it while she looked fondly at him, and they fared
on sweetly and happily together. But as this was a-saying and
a-doing betwixt them, and a while after, they had heeded the Elder
little or not at all, though he rode on the right hand of Ralph.
And for his part the old man said naught to them and made as if
he heard them not, when they spake thuswise together.
Now they rode the wood on somewhat level ground for a while;
then the trees began to thin, and the ground grew broken;
and at last it was very rugged, with high hills and
deep valleys, and all the land populous of wild beasts,
so that about sunset they heard thrice the roar of a lion.
But ever the Sage led them by winding ways that he knew,
round the feet of the hills, along stream-sides for the most part,
and by passes over the mountain-necks when they needs must,
which was twice in the day.
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