blood, and her heart and her mind grew up along with her body.
Herein also was she wise, to wit, how to give wrath the go-by, so
that she oft found the wood a better home than the house: for now
she knew that the witch-wife would enter it never; wherefore she
loved it much, and haunted it daily if she might.

Amidst all this she lived not unmerrily; for the earth was her
friend, and solaced her when she had suffered aught: withal she was
soon grown hardy as well as strong; and evil she could thole, nor let
it burden her with misery.



CHAPTER V. OF BIRDALONE, AND HOW SHE IS GROWN INTO MAIDENHOOD



Wear the years and the years amidst such days as these, and now is
Birdalone grown a dear maiden of seventeen summers; and yet was her
life not unhappy; though the mirth of her childhood was somewhat
chastened in her, and she walked the earth soberly and measurely, as
though deep thoughts were ever in her head: though, forsooth, it is
not all so sure that her serious face and solemn eyes were but a part
of the beauty which was growing with the coming forth of childhood
into youth and maidenhood. But this at least is sure, that about
this time those forebodings which had shown her that she had no call
to love and honour her mistress took clearer shape, and became a
burden on her, which she might never wholly shake off. For this she
saw, that she was not her own, but a chattel and a tool of one who
not only used her as a thrall in the passing day, but had it in her