Therewith she held out her hand to him, and he went on his knees and
took it, sobbing, and kissed it. But she said, and smiled on him:
Now I see that thou wilt do what I prayed of thee, and lead me hence
and put me on the road to the Castle of the Quest. He said: I will
lead thee to the Castle of the Quest.
Said Birdalone: Then shall it be as I promised, that I will be thy
dear friend while both we live. And now, if thou canst, be a little
merrier, and come and sit with me, and let us eat our meat, for I
hunger.
He smiled, but woefully, and presently they sat down to their meat;
and he strove to be somewhat merry of mood, and to eat as one at a
feast; but whiles his heart failed him, and he set his teeth and tore
at the grass, and his face was fierce and terrible to look on; but
Birdalone made as if she heeded it nought, and was blithe and
debonair with him. And when they had done their meat he sat looking
at her a while, and at last he said: Lady, dost thou deem that, when
all is said, I have done somewhat for thee since first we met the day
before yesterday at the lower end of the Black Valley? Yea, she
said, as erst I spake, all things considered I deem that thou hast
done much.
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