And I tell thee right out, that if thou
gainsay this, I shall deem it unfriendly in thee, and that those
lovely words which thou didst speak e'en now were but words alone,
and that thou art not as true as I have deemed thee.
She laughed amidst her tears, and said: Dear lad, doom me not till I
have been found guilty! I shall nowise naysay thee this, for I love
thee, and now and ever shalt thou be unto me as a brother, thou and
Robert also; for even so have ye done by me. But thou wottest, dear
lad, that whiles and again must sister sunder from brother, and even
so it has to be now.
Then they sat silent all four; and thereafter Birdalone arose and did
off her sallet, and kissed and embraced Gerard and his sons, and bade
them farewell, and she and the young men wept. Then she armed
herself and gat to horse, and went her ways towards Greenford, having
nought with her but the raiment and arms that her body bore, and her
horse, and some gold pieces and gems in a little pouch. So rode she;
and the others turned back sadly toward the Five Crafts.
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