find upon the board, and so depart and go thy ways home. And yet
thou mayst look to it to see us again before thou diest.'

Therewith she held out her hand to him, and he took it and kissed it;
and she went to her chamber-aloft at the lower end of the hall. And
when she was gone, once more he had a deeming of her that she was of
the kindred of the Gods. At her departure him-seemed that the hall
grew dull and small and smoky, and the night seemed long to him and
doubtful the coming of the day.



CHAPTER VII. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND ON THE MOUNTAIN



So now went all men to bed; and Face-to-god's shut-bed was over
against the outer door and toward the lower end of the hall, and on
the panel about it hung the weapons and shields of men. Fair was
that chamber and roomy, and the man was weary despite his eagerness,
so that he went to sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow; but
within a while (he deemed about two hours after midnight) he was
awaked by the clattering of the weapons against the panel, and the
sound of men's hands taking them down; and when he was fully awake,
he heard withal men going up and down the house as if on errands:
but he called to mind what the Friend had said to him, and he did not
so much as turn himself toward the hall; for he said: 'Belike these
men are outlaws and Wolves of the Holy Places, yet by seeming they
are good fellows and nought churlish, nor have I to do with taking up
the feud against them. I will abide the morning. Yet meseemeth that