But furthermore, wax they will not; such as they be now, such shall
they be till I at least see the last of them and the earth.
Birdalone wondered at this word, and the place seemed changed to her,
yea, was grown somewhat dreary; but she said to the carle: And thou,
dost thou change in any wise, since these change not? He laughed
somewhat grimly, and said: The old that be here change from old to
dead; how could I change to better? Yea, the first thing I had to do
here was to bury an old man. Quoth she: And were there any children
here then? Yea, said he; these same, or I can see no difference in
them. Said Birdalone: And how long ago is that? And how camest
thou hither? His face became foolish, and he gibbered rather than
spake: No, I wot not; no, no, no, not a whit, a whit. But presently
after was he himself again, and telling her a tale of a great lady of
the earl-folk, a baron's dame, and how dear he was unto her. He lay
yet on the grass, and she stood before him, and presently he put
forth a hand to her gown-hem and drew her to him thereby, and fell to
caressing her feet; and Birdalone was ashamed thereat, and a little
angry.
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