The Collected Works of William Morris :: :: University of Virginia Library

She sat a little while, as though she thought
How best to speak, then said: “The day being good,
About noon yesterday in peaceful mood
I wandered by the brook-side, and at last
Behind a great grey stone myself I cast,
And slept, as fate would have it; when I woke

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At first I did but note the murmuring brook,
But as my hearing and my sight did clear
The sound of women's voices did I hear,
And in the stream two maidens did I see,
Our housefolk, and belike they saw not me,
Since I lay low adown, and up the stream
Their faces turned; I from a half-sweet dream,
I know not what, awaked, no sooner heard
Their first word, than sick-hearted and afeard
I grew, the cold and evil world to feel;
So hard it seemed, love, with my life to deal:
Bitterly clear I saw; as if alone
And dead, I saw the world; by a grey stone
Within the shallows, washing linen gear
They stood; their voices sounded sharp and clear;
Half smiles of pleasure and of goodlihead
Shone on their faces, as their rough work sped;
O God, how bright the world was!”

A flush came
Across her face; as stricken by some shame
She stammered, when she went on: “Thus their speech,
Broken amid their work mine ear did reach
As I woke up to care, for the one said:
‘Yea, certes, now has Kiartan good end made
Of all his troubles, things go well enow.’
‘Over well,’ said the other, ‘didst thou know?’
‘Know what?’ the first one said: ‘What know'st thou then?’
‘Nay, nought except the certain talk of men.’
‘Well, hear I not men too, what wilt thou say?’
She said: ‘Men talk that this is latter May,
And Kiartan sitteth still and nought is done
For the two thefts of Bathstead to atone.’
‘Fool!’ said the first one, ‘shall all fall to strife
For what in no wise maketh worse their life?’
‘Well, well, and what will Refna say thereto?
Things had been otherwise a while ago;
Scarce Kiartan's brother had stripped Gudrun's head

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Of what she loved, and yet 'scaped lying dead
By this time. Ospak, sure, is safe enow.’
‘Ah!’ said the other, ‘great things sayest thou!’
‘True words I speak, when this I say to thee,
That glad would Gudrun and our Kiartan be
If Bodli Thorleikson and Refna lay
Dead on the earth upon the selfsame day;
And this from all men's daily talk I draw;
Old friends are last to sever, saith the saw.’