They are an idle boast and empty. I am only a
weak woman--and alone."
Almost was she to breaking down again, but she was brave. And then
Bertric spoke for the three of us.
"Lady," he said, "we are homeless wanderers, but we would not have
you think yourself altogether alone so long as we can plan for you.
Mayhap we can do no more, but, at least, we shall see. I cannot
think that all hope is lost. See, we have the ship, and it is high
summer. Not one of us can be worse off than we have been of late,
and we may win to comfort once more."
Thereat she looked at the three of us, and rose up and stretched
her hands toward us, as in greeting.
"I will trust you," she said. "I will think of you as friends and
brothers in trouble, and in enmity to Heidrek the evildoer. It must
be that you three have wrought loyally together through the long
storm, and you can never be aught but friends thereafter, for you
have tried one another. Let me be as the fourth of you without
favour."
"Lady," said Dalfin, "I have sisters at home, and they were wont to
share all the sport of myself and my brothers, even as you say, as
of our number without favour. But always the sisters had the
favoured place, because we willed it, and should be unhappy if it
were otherwise.
Pages:
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76