they had chieftains and
Lords of Battle."

"That will be long ago," said he; "how then may she be living now?"

Said the Maid: "Doubtless that woman of yore agone is dead this many and
many a year; but they take to them still a new woman, one after other, as
they may happen on them, to be in the stead of the Ancient Mother. And
to tell thee the very truth right out, she that lieth dead in the
Pillared Hall was even the last of these; and now, if they knew it, they
lack a God. This shall we tell them."

"Yea, yea!" said Walter, "a goodly welcome shall we have of them then, if
we come amongst them with our hands red with the blood of their God!"

She smiled on him and said: "If I come amongst them with the tidings that
I have slain her, and they trow therein, without doubt they shall make me
Lady and Goddess in her stead."

"This is a strange word," said Walter "but if so they do, how shall that
further us in reaching the kindreds of the world, and the folk of Holy
Church?"

She laughed outright, so joyous was she grown, now that she knew that his
life was yet to be a part of hers. "Sweetheart," she said, "now I see
that thou desirest wholly what I desire; yet in any case, abiding with
them would be living and not dying, even as thou hadst it e'en now. But,
forsooth, they will not hinder our departure if they deem me their God;
they do not look for it, nor desire it, that their God should dwell with
them daily. Have no fear." Then she laughed again, and said: "What!
thou lookest on me and deemest me to be but a sorry image of a goddess;
and me with my scanty coat and bare arms and naked feet! But wait! I
know well how to array me when the time cometh. Thou shalt see it! And
now, my Master, were it not meet that we took to the road?"

So they arose, and found a ford of the river that took the Maid but to
the knee, and so set forth up the greensward of the slopes whereas there
were but few trees; so went they faring toward the hill-country.

At the last they were come to the feet of the very hills, and in the
hollows betwixt the buttresses of them grew nut and berry trees, and the
greensward round about them was both thick and much flowery. There they
stayed them and dined, whereas Walter had shot a hare by the way, and
they had found a bubbling spring under a grey stone in a bight of the
coppice, wherein now the birds were singing their best.

When they had eaten and had rested somewhat, the Maid arose