The young man sat down, and Kettel took up the venison and went his
ways toward the door at the lower end of the hall; but ere he reached
it it opened, and a noisy crowd entered of men, women, boys, and
dogs, some bearing great wax candles, some bowls and cups and dishes
and trenchers, and some the boards for the meal.

The young man sat quiet smiling and winking his eyes at the sudden
flood of light let into the dark place; he took in without looking at
this or the other thing the aspect of his Fathers' House, so long
familiar to him; yet to-night he had a pleasure in it above his wont,
and in all the stir of the household; for the thought of the wood
wherein he had wandered all day yet hung heavy upon him. Came one of
the girls and cast fresh brands on the smouldering fire and stirred
it into a blaze, and the wax candles were set up on the dais, so that
between them and the mew-quickened fire every corner of the hall was
bright. As aforesaid it was long and narrow, over-arched with stone
and not right high, the windows high up under the springing of the
roof-arch and all on the side toward the street; over against them
were the arches of the shut-beds of the housemates. The walls were
bare that evening, but folk were wont to hang up hallings of woven
pictures thereon when feasts and high-days were toward; and all along
the walls were the tenter-hooks for that purpose, and divers weapons
and tools were hanging from them here and there. About the dais
behind the thwart-table were now stuck for adornment leavy boughs of
oak now just beginning to turn with the first frosts. High up on the
gable wall above the tenter-hooks for the hangings were carven fair
imagery and knots and twining stems; for there in the hewn atone was
set forth that same image with the rayed head that was on the outside
wall, and he was smiting the dragon and slaying him; but here inside
the house all this was stained in fair and lively colours, and the