said the damsel, "we will go forth. And know, O Warden, that this
weaponed man only is of mind to fare over the edge of the Glittering
Plain; but we twain shall come back hither again, and fare inwards."

Said the Warden: "Nought is it to me what ye will do when you are past
this house. Nor shall any man who goeth out of this garth toward the
mountains ever come back inwards save he cometh in the company of new-
corners to the Glittering Plain."

"Who shall hinder him?" said the Sea-eagle.

"The KING," said the Warden.

Then there was silence awhile, and the man said:

"Now do as ye will." And therewith he turned back into the house and
shut the door.

But the Sea-eagle and the damsel stood gazing on one another, and at
Hallblithe; and the damsel was downcast and pale; but the Sea-eagle cried
out:

"Forward now, O Hallblithe, since thou willest it, and we will go with
thee and share whatever may befall thee; yea, right up to the very edge
of the Glittering Plain. And thou, O beloved, why dost thou delay? Why
dost thou stand as if thy fair feet were grown to the grass?"

But the damsel gave a lamentable cry, and cast herself down on the
ground, and knelt before the Sea-eagle, and took him by the knees, and
said betwixt sobbing and weeping: "O my lord and love, I pray thee to
forbear, and the Spearman, our friend, shall pardon us. For if thou
goest, I shall never see thee more, since my heart will not serve me to
go with thee. O forbear! I pray thee!"

And she grovelled on the earth before him; and the Sea-eagle waxed red,
and would have spoken but Hallblithe cut his speech across, and said
"Friends, be at peace! For this is the minute that sunders us. Get ye
back at once to the heart of the Glittering Plain, and live there and be
happy; and take my blessing and thanks for the love and help that ye have
given me. For your going forward with me should destroy you and profit
me nothing. It would be but as the host bringing his guests one field
beyond his garth, when their goal is the ends of the earth; and if there
were a lion in the path, why should he perish for courtesy's sake?"

Therewith he stooped down to the damsel, and lifted her up and kissed her
face; and he cast his arms about the Sea-eagle and said to him:
"Farewell, shipmate!"

Then the damsel gave him the wallet of victual, and bade him farewell,
weeping sorely; and he looked kindly on them for a moment of time, and
then turned away f