CHAPTER X--THAT CARLINE COMETH TO THE ROOF OF THE WOLFINGS
Now it was three days after this that the women were gathering to theWomen's-Chamber of the Roof of the Wolfings a little before the afternoonchanges into evening. The hearts of most were somewhat heavy, for thedoubt wherewith they had watched the departure of the fighting-men stillhung about them; nor had they any tidings from the host (nor was it likethat they should have). And as they were somewhat down-hearted, so itseemed by the aspect of all things that afternoon. It was not yet theevening, as is aforesaid, but the day was worn and worsened, and allthings looked weary. The sky was a little clouded, but not much; yet wasit murky down in the south-east, and there was a threat of storm in it,and in the air close round each man's head, and in the very waving of theleafy boughs. There was by this time little doing in field and fold (forthe kine were milked), and the women were coming up from the acres andthe meadow and over the open ground anigh the Roof; there was the grassworn and dusty, and the women that trod it, their feet were tanned andworn, and dusty also; skin-dry and weary they looked, with the sweatdried upon them; their girt-up gowns grey and lightless, theirhalf-unbound hair blowing about them in the dry wind, which had in it nomorning freshness, and no evening coolness.
It was a time when toil was well-nigh done, but had left its achingbehind it; a time for folk to sleep and forget for a little while, tillthe low sun should make it evening, and make all things fair with hislevel rays; no time for anxious thoughts concerning deeds doing, whereinthe anxious ones could do nought to help. Yet such thoughts those stay-at-homes needs must have in the hour of their toil scarce over, theirrest and mirth not begun.
Slowly one by one the women went in by the Women's-door, and the Hall-Sunsat on a stone hard by, and watched them as they passed; and she lookedkeenly at all persons and all things. She had been working in the acres,and her hand was yet on the hoe she had been using, and but for her faceher body was as of one resting after toil: her dark blue gown wasungirded, her dark hair loose and floating, the flowers that had wreathedit, now faded, lying strewn upon the grass before her: her feet bare forcoolness' sake, her left hand lying loose and open upon her knee.
Yet though her body otherwise looked thus listless, in her face was nolistlessness, nor rest: her eyes were alert and clear, shining like twostars in the heavens of dawn-tide; her lips were set close, her browknit, as of one striving to shape thoughts hard to understand into wordsthat all might understand.
So she sat noting all things, as woman by woman went past her into thehall, till at last she slowly rose to her feet; for there came two youngwomen leading between them that same old carline with whom she had talkedon the Hill-of-Speech. She looked on the carline steadfastly, but gaveno token of knowing her; but the ancient woman spoke when she came nearto the Hall-Sun, and old as her semblance was, yet did her speech soundsweet to the Hall-Sun, and indeed to all those that heard it and shesaid:
"May we be here to-night, O Hall-Sun, thou lovely Seeress of the mightyWolfings? may a wandering woman sit amongst you and eat the meat of theWolfings?"
Then spake the Hall-Sun in a sweet measured voice: "Surely mother: allmen who bring peace with them are welcome guests to the Wolfings: norwill any ask thine errand, but we will let thy tidings flow from thee asthou wilt. This is the custom of the kindred, and no word of mine own; Ispeak to thee because thou hast spoken to me, but I have no authorityhere, being myself but an alien. Albeit I serve the House of theWolfings, and I love it as the hound loveth his master who feedeth him,and his master's children who play with him. Enter, mother, and be gladof heart, and put away care from thee."
Then the old woman drew nigher to her and sat down in the dust at herfeet, for she was now sitting down again, and took her hand and kissed itand fondled it, and seemed loth to leave handling the beauty of the Hall-Sun; but she looked kindly on the carline, and smiled on her, and leaneddown to her, and kissed her mouth, and said:
"Damsels, take care of this poor woman, and make her good cheer; for sheis wise of wit, and a friend of the Wolfings; and I have seen her before,and spoken with her; and she loveth us. But as for me I must needs bealone in the meads for a while; and it may be that when I come to youagain, I shall have a word to tell you."
Now indeed it was in a manner true that the Hall-Sun had no authority inthe Wolfing House; yet was she so well beloved for her wisdom and beautyand her sweet speech, that all hastened to do her will in small mattersand in great, and now as they looked at her after the old woman hadcaressed her, it seemed to them that her fairness grew under their eyes,and that they had never seen her so fair; and the sight of her seemed sogood to them, that the outworn day and its weariness changed to them, andit grew as pleasant as the first hours of the sunlight, when men arisehappy from their rest, and look on the day that lieth hopeful before themwith all its deeds to be.
So they grew merry, and they led the carline into the Hall with them, andset her down in the Women's-Chamber, and washed her feet, and gave hermeat and drink, and bade her rest and think of nothing troublous, and inall wise made her good cheer; and she was merry with them, and praisedtheir fairness and their deftness, and asked them many questions abouttheir weaving and spinning and carding; (howbeit the looms were idle asthen because it was midsummer, and the men gone to the war). And thisthey deemed strange, as it seemed to them that all women should know ofsuch things; but they thought it was a token that she came from far away.
But afterwards she sat among them, and told them pleasant tales of pasttimes and far countries, and was blithe to them and they to her and thetime wore on toward nightfall in the Women's-Chamber.