Wherefore it is no wonder though she were
dismayed when she awoke early on the morrow, and beheld nought before
her save the landless water.
But about noon she deemed she saw a little cloud in the offing that
moved not as the other clouds, and she watched it closely at first,
and it changed not any the more, and she grew weary of watching it
and strove to sleep, turning her head to the after part of her ferry;
and thus betwixt sleeping and waking she wore away three hours: then
she stood up and looked ahead, and lo, the white cloud had taken
shape, and was a white castle far away (for the day was exceeding
clear), sitting, as it seemed, on the very face of the water. The
boat sped on swiftly thitherward, so that it was not right long ere
Birdalone beheld the green shore on either side of the said castle,
and at last, three hours before sunset, she was drawing nigh thereto,
and beheld it all clearly, what it was.
It was brand-new, and was fair enough, builded part of stone and
lime, part of framed work, but was but middling big. As she drew
nigher yet, she saw that there were folk on the walls of it, and they
seemed to see her, for a horn was winded from the battlement, and
folk were running together to somewhither.
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