Part 3 (2/2)

As he moved, I saw that he was not laughing. As he came down to the beach, I could see the same excitement in his eyes that had always been there when he came near her, since his hair began to grizzle, and she used to bring the cynical old father's friend his beer in the great hall after meat-a little maiden.

He pa.s.sed me and turning at a word behind me, I saw him meet young Lord Erik; smiling again. But the young man's face was troubled, that face on which all emotions were like shadows on even water.

Not a word, after my lord's greeting, pa.s.sed.

Suddenly, my lord called to me over his shoulder:

”Lord Erik wishes to go home, wilt thou take s.h.i.+p with him and come back to me?”

Their figures were dim in the lessened light.

”Let another man go; I stay. Send one of the younger men,” I answered.

My lord held out his hand to me. Young Lord Erik's face was white in the dusk.

Over our beer, by the firelight, I could see the glances Hildur threw to young Lord Erik, I could see his hard-shut mouth; I could see my lord's cynical smile and the gleam of the excitement in his eyes; I could see old Lord Raud, daintily fingering his beer-mug-handle-thoughts far away.

And I was glad I had stayed by my lord.

So, the next day young Lord Erik went north with the s.h.i.+p. And my lord stood on the beach smiling gaily and called out gay words of next summer. And the young face brightened for a moment as the s.h.i.+p drew away.

Well, all that day I followed my lord about, smiling at his gay moods, quiet when he forgot-which gave me pleasure. I am sure he tried to leave me behind him sometimes, after mid-day, by fast walking, but I came.

And toward evening, as we tramped back along the beach to the hall, I coming behind, my lord turned, and started running. In a moment I caught him; and he bent suddenly over my shoulder, with a sound like a seal grunting. So, I held him for a moment till he shook himself into himself again and walked up towards the castle, I falling back again; we never said anything about this.

Now I go out on a long ending, that is only true. After some days of silent smiling on the part of Hildur-to me she looked very ugly-and much laughter-which cheered old Lord Raud-on the part of my lord, he asked Lord Raud to give him the maiden now, for he was anxious to take her away. So my lord spoke to her about it, and she said yes.

Then we went away; and old Lord Raud stood on the beach, our s.h.i.+p being back, and large tears came down from his eyes. So we all went home again and took the maiden with us.

There is little use in telling a tale of women. Yet some scenes rest with me that concern my lord, so I tell it all. Thus those two used to walk past the door of the hall, and past again, while I stood in the doorway; and I would hear what they said, for my lord did not care for me, and it was very loving. But after it was over he would go down to the water and look out, and stretch his arms, and yawn-then break in with a laugh and walk back again.

Often in mid-summer came s.h.i.+ps, and their men were well fed and liked us.

Hildur used to be gay now only when these s.h.i.+ps would come; in the winter she was silent.

The house was badly kept; many times I have made rough sowing for my lord, so that he would not know.

When spring came and the sea was bright at the early morning, we would often get drunk in the hall toward night after standing watching the glancing of little waves through the lazy day. I used to put water in my lord's beer that he might not drink too much. He never used to speak of young Erik now; of which I was glad; he was only a boy.

So the spring went by and the green of the leaves grew darker and the sunlight lingered over the sea till late. There were no good dishes in the hall, and the women who cooked never thought of the things my lord liked. Hildur would go to her chamber early, and we all would wander out along the sea-sh.o.r.e, away from the clatter of dishes the women made. And when it grew dark we would come in and sing over great beer-tankards; but we loved the beer better than the soon-died-out singing.

We were weary in the suns.h.i.+ne, and old sea-sagas came to us so easily.

The women were cross, and children cried, instead of running about in the forest. I do not know what is in man, or how himself works on himself; we are parts of the woods, the sea, the far light. The spring was running into summer; the free air in the night made us gasp like tired dogs, and we felt smothered.

That night my lord sat on a piece of rock overlooking the sea, I was behind him. All in front of us was dark, but we could hear the sound of the water come from away and all along the coast.

Then, out of the silence that lies under the world, came over the edge of the sea, the bare, silver, edge of the moon, lighting slowly the tips of the waves. No mist around her; the unroofed, upward depths of the sky, full of suspended stars, that seemed to wink, being alive. She rose out of the sea, reaching toward us the elves-bridge she carries, over which we cannot see the spirits pa.s.s; sending out her still beckoning that she sends to all men. The little waves danced joyously in the light; there was no sound at all from the sh.o.r.e, only the water whispering on the sands.

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