ien hall, he heard a noise
without of talking and laughter, and presently the pattering of feet
therewith, and then women came into the hall, a score or more, some
young, some old, some fair enough, and some hard-featured and uncomely,
but all above the stature of the women whom he had seen in his own land.

So he stood amidst the hall-floor and abided them; and they saw him and
his shining war-gear, and ceased their talking and laughter, and drew
round about him, and gazed at him; but none said aught till an old crone
came forth from the ring, and said "Who art thou, standing under weapons
in our hall?"

He knew not what to answer, and held his peace; and she spake again:
"Whither wouldest thou, what seekest thou?"

Then answered Hallblithe: "THE HOUSE OF THE UNDYING."

None answered, and the other women all fell away from him at once, and
went about their business hither and thither through the hall. But the
old crone took him by the hand, and led him up to the dais, and set him
next to the midmost high-seat. Then she made as if she would do off his
war-gear, and he would not gainsay her, though he deemed that foes might
be anear; for in sooth he trusted in the old carle that he would not
bewray him, and moreover he deemed it would be unmanly not to take the
risks of the guesting, according to the custom of that country.

So she took his armour and his weapons and bore them off to a shut-bed
next to that wherein lay the ancient man, and she laid the gear within
it, all save the spear, which she laid on the wall-pins above; and she
made signs to him that therein he was to lie; but she spake no word to
him. Then she brought him the hand-washing water in a basin of latten,
and a goodly towel therewith, and when he had washed she went away from
him, but not far.

This while the other women were busy about the hall; some swept the floor
down, and when it was swept strawed thereon rushes and handfuls of wild
thyme: some went into the buttery and bore forth the boards and the
trestles: some went to the chests and brought out the rich hangings, the
goodly bankers and dorsars, and did them on the walls: some bore in the
stoups and horns and beakers, and some went their ways and came not back
a while, for they were busied about the cooking. But whatever they did,
none hailed him, or heeded him more than if he had been an image, as he
sat there looking on. None save the old woman who brought him the fore-
supper, to w