There is little
more to tell of me, sweet lady. If I were to live, needs must I take
the poor price of my little one, to wit, the witch's money, and deal
with folk for my livelihood; wherefore I bought me cloth and silks,
having now the wherewithal, and set to work on broidery, for even
then was I a cunning needle-woman. So were God and the saints good
to me, and inclined the folk to me, that they were good and piteous,
and I lacked not work nor due livelihood; but after a while I wearied
of Utterhay, where my dear child should have been running about
before my feet; and having by this time gotten a little money
together, and being exceeding deft in my craft, I came on hither to
live, and, praise be to St. Ursula! I have found it easy to live:
and praise be to All-hallows withal that I have found thee, who art
so kind and lovely; and thou by seeming of the very age my child
should be if she be living: or how old art thou, dear lady?
Birdalone laid her hand on her breast, and she was turned pale, but
she said in a low voice: I deem that I am of twenty summers.
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