orthward; then for more days we went east,
till one morning, just after sunrise, we saw land, black hills which we
had come near to during the night. And for two days we coasted along the
great cliffs where the water beat white at their black bases. Then we
came to some houses, then to a curve and dying down of the cliffs. Then
a great wind took us and we were blown in, and all the rest was storm.
Once we drove past a sandy desolate point of land that was gone in an
instant; and once the ship grew almost full of water which we baled out
in the darkness.

On the second night, as we were flying through the half-dusk--the moon
shone sometimes--we heard a deep rushing before us just a little louder
than the sea's rushing. In a moment there grew up in the darkness a
shore of waving trees--we were among rushes--the ship high on the ground.
We were splashing ashore in the dark and the swishing wind, and we sat
and listened under the tossing, complaining trees till daylight.

Two days' travelling under darkly-dripping branches brought us to a
hall. It looked familiar--it was our own hall!

We had come home!

How quickly wonders fade under joy, though sorrow preserves them long.
By that evening we had come to think of it as very natural.

Three days we passed in eating and drinking, and on the evening of the
third one we sat pale from our drinking along the board. Outside the
ship lay, having been brought round by those sent.

My lord sat on a low stool by the corner of the fire. The talking grew
slack and we yawned, the edge of our home-coming having been ground down
by welcoming. Some of us rose to go to our sleep.

Then my lord stirred, uneasily, for a moment, got up, walked slowly to
the end of the long room, and sat down. We glanced around at the sound
of his tread and then the little talking ceased, for we saw that he
meant to speak. After a moment he spoke.

"I will go there to-morrow, and I would know what men would accompany
me." His lips were tight closed and he was pale across the forehead.

No one spoke.

"Will no one go?" he asked softly.

After a moment, I said, "Where?" all the men frowning.

"To where we have come from, across the water," he answered, pressing
his lips together till he showed white round the mouth.

The men sat, perfectly silent.

He came slowly to his feet, stopped, and then began to speak, softly and
strangely, with a great kindness.

"Ye do not ask it, but though I believe ye