Then she reddened at the untold thought, and
looked down and was silent. But the elder looked on her anxiously,
and said: It will be no such hard life for thee, for I have still
some work in me, and thou mayst do something in spite of thy slender
and delicate fashion. She laughed merrily, and said: Forsooth, good
sire, I might do somewhat more than something; for I am deft in all
such work as here ye need; so fear not but I should earn my
livelihood, and that with joy. Merry days shall we have then, said
he.
But therewith her eye caught the gleam of her golden sleeve, and she
thought of Aurea, and her heart smote her for her errand; then she
laid her hand on her girdle and called to mind little Viridis, and
the glitter of the ring on her finger brought the image of Atra
before her; then she rose up and said: Thou art kind, father, but I
may not; I have an errand; this day must I depart from thee. He
said: Thou hast broken my heart; if I were not so old, I would weep.
And he hung adown his head.
She stood before him abashed, as if she had done him a wrong.
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