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029 - Book 3 Chapter 8 Part 1 · Bridal Wreath

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Speaker 1: Book three, Chapter eight of the Bridal Wreath by secret unset.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter eight,
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Speaker 1: Part one. The year proved a rarely good one over
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Speaker 1: all the north part of the dale. The hay crop
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Speaker 1: was heavy and it was got in dry. The folk
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Speaker 1: came home from the Satyrs in autumn with great store
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Speaker 1: of dairy stuff and full and fat flocks and herds.
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Speaker 1: They had been mercifully spared from wild beasts too. This
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Speaker 1: year the corn stood tall and thick, as few folks
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Speaker 1: could call to mind having seen it before. It grew full,
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Speaker 1: eared and ripened well, and the weather was fair as
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Speaker 1: heart could wish. Between Saint Bartholomew's and the Virgin's Birth Feast,
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Speaker 1: the time when night frosts were most to be feared.
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Speaker 1: It rained a little and was mild and cloudy, But
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Speaker 1: thereafter the time of harvest went by with sun and
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Speaker 1: wind and mild misty nights. The week after Michaelmas, most
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Speaker 1: of the corn had been garnered all over the parish.
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Speaker 1: At Urrengard, all folks were toiling and moiling, making ready
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Speaker 1: for the great wedding. The last two months Kristen had
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Speaker 1: been so busy from morning to night that she had
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Speaker 1: but little time to trouble over aught but her work.
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Speaker 1: She saw that her bosom had filled out. The small
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Speaker 1: pink nipples were grown brown, and they were tender as
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Speaker 1: smarting hurts when she had to get out of bed
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Speaker 1: in the cold. But it passed over when she had
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Speaker 1: worked herself warm. And after that she had no thought
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Speaker 1: but of all she must get done before evening. When
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Speaker 1: now and again she was forced to straighten up her
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Speaker 1: back and stand and rest a little, she felt that
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Speaker 1: the burden she bore was growing heavy, But to look
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Speaker 1: on she was still slim and slender as she had
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Speaker 1: ever been. She passed her hands down her long, shapely thighs. No,
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Speaker 1: she would not grieve over it now. Sometimes a faint,
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Speaker 1: creeping longing would come over her with the thought like enough,
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Speaker 1: in a month or so she might feel the child
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Speaker 1: quick within her. By that time she would be at Hussiby.
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Speaker 1: Maybe Erelon would be glad. She shut her eyes and
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Speaker 1: fixed her teeth on her betrothal ring. Then she saw
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Speaker 1: before her Rlan's face pale and moved as he stood
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Speaker 1: in the hall here in the winter, and said the
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Speaker 1: words of Espousal with a loud, clear voice. So be
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Speaker 1: God my witness, and these men standing here, that I
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Speaker 1: here Lon Nicholasson, do espouse Christin Lavrn's daughter according to
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Speaker 1: the laws of God and men, on such conditions as
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Speaker 1: here have been spoken before these witnesses standing hereby that
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Speaker 1: I shall have thee to my wife, and thou shalt
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Speaker 1: have me to thy husband, so long as we two
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Speaker 1: do live, to dwell together in wedlock, with all such
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Speaker 1: fellowship as God's law in the law of the land
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Speaker 1: do appoint. As she ran on errands from house to
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Speaker 1: house across the farm place, she stayed a moment. The
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Speaker 1: rowan trees were so thick with berries. This year twould
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Speaker 1: be a snowy winter. The sun shone over the pale
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Speaker 1: stubble fields, where the corn sheaves stood piled on their stakes.
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Speaker 1: If this weather might only hold over the wedding, Laverreans
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Speaker 1: stood firmly to it that his daughter should be wedded
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Speaker 1: in church. It was fixed therefore that the wedding should
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Speaker 1: be in the chapel at Sunboo. On the Saturday, the
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Speaker 1: bridal train was to ride over the hills to Varga.
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Speaker 1: They were to lie for the night at Sunboo and
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Speaker 1: the neighboring farms, and ride back on Sunday after the
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Speaker 1: wedding mass. The same evening after Vespers, when the holy
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Speaker 1: day was ended, the wedding feast was to be held
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Speaker 1: and Lavrens was to give his daughter away to Erlon,
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Speaker 1: and after midnight the bride and bridegroom were to be
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Speaker 1: put to bed. On Friday afternoon, Kristin stood in the
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Speaker 1: upper hall balcony watching the bridle train come, riding from
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Speaker 1: the north past the charred ruins of the church on
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Speaker 1: the hillside. It was ere Lon coming with all his groomsmen.
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Speaker 1: She strained her eyes to pick him out among the others.
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Speaker 1: They must not see each other. No man must see
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Speaker 1: her now before she was led forth tomorrow in her
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Speaker 1: bridle dress. Where the ways divided, a few women left
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Speaker 1: the throng and took the road to Urengard. The men
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Speaker 1: rode on toward Lugerbreu. They were to sleep there that night.
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Speaker 1: Kristin went down to meet the comers. She felt wearied
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Speaker 1: after the bath, and the skin of her head was
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Speaker 1: sore from the strong lye her mother had used to
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Speaker 1: wash her hair that it might shine fair and bright
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Speaker 1: on the morrow, Lady Oshild slipped down from her saddle
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Speaker 1: into Lavern's arms. How can she keep so light and young,
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Speaker 1: thought Kristin. Her son's Sirmunin's wife, Lady Catherine, might have
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Speaker 1: passed for older than she, a big plump dame with
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Speaker 1: dull and hueless skin and eyes. Strange, thought Kristin. She
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Speaker 1: is ill favored and he is unfaithful, and yet folks
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Speaker 1: say they live well and kindly together. Then there were
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Speaker 1: two daughters of Sir bard Paterson, one married and one unmarried.
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Speaker 1: They were neither comely nor ill favored. They looked honest
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Speaker 1: and kind, but held themselves something stiffly in the strange company.
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Speaker 1: Laverrens thanked them courteously that they had been pleased to
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Speaker 1: honor this wedding at the cost of so far a journey,
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Speaker 1: so late in the year. Erelon was bred in our
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Speaker 1: father's house when he was a boy, said the elder,
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Speaker 1: moving forward to greet Kristin. But now two youths came
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Speaker 1: riding into the farm place at a sharp trot. They
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Speaker 1: leaped from their horses and rushed laughing after Kristen, who
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Speaker 1: ran indoors and hid herself. They were trown Yessling's two
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Speaker 1: young sons, fair and likely lads. They had brought the
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Speaker 1: bridal crown with them from Sunbow in a casket. Tron
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Speaker 1: and his wife were not to come till Sunday, when
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Speaker 1: they would join the bridle train. After the mass, Christen
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Speaker 1: fled into the hearth room, and Lady Oshild, coming after,
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Speaker 1: laid her hands on the girl's shoulders and drew down
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Speaker 1: her face to hers to kiss it. Glad am I
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Speaker 1: that I lived to see this day, said Lady Oshild.
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Speaker 1: She saw how thin they were grown Christin's hands that
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Speaker 1: she held in hers. She saw that all else about
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Speaker 1: her was grown thin, but that her bosom was high
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Speaker 1: and full. All the features of the face were grown
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Speaker 1: smaller and finer than before. The temples seemed as though
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Speaker 1: sunken in the shadow of the heavy damp hair. The
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Speaker 1: girl's cheeks were round no longer, and her fresh hue
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Speaker 1: was faded, but her eyes were grown much larger and darker.
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Speaker 1: The Oshild kissed her again. I see well you have
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Speaker 1: had much to strive against Kristin, she said to night.
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Speaker 1: Will I give you a sleepy drink that you may
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Speaker 1: be rested and fresh tomorrow Kristin's lips began to quiver. Hush,
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Speaker 1: said Lady Oshild, patting her hand. Aye, joy already that
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Speaker 1: I shall deck you out tomorrow. None have seen a
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Speaker 1: fairer bride eye trow than you shall be tomorrow. Lavrens
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Speaker 1: rode over to Laugebroo to feast with his guests who
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Speaker 1: were housed there. The men could not praise the food enough.
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Speaker 1: Better Friday food than this a man could scarce find
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Speaker 1: in the richest monastery. There was rye meal, porridge, boiled beans,
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Speaker 1: and white bread. For fish, they had only trout, salted
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Speaker 1: and fresh and fat dried halibit. As time went on
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Speaker 1: and the men drank deeper, they grew ever more wanton
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Speaker 1: of mood, and the jests broken on the bridegroom's head
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Speaker 1: ever more gross. All Erlon's groomsmen were much younger than he,
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Speaker 1: his equals in age, and his friends were all long
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Speaker 1: since wedded men. The darling jest among the groomsmen now
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Speaker 1: was that he was so aged a man and yet
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Speaker 1: was to mount the bridal bed for the first time.
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Speaker 1: Some of Erlan's older kinsmen, who yet kept their wits,
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Speaker 1: sat in dread at each new sally that the talk
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Speaker 1: would come in upon matters it were best not to touch.
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Speaker 1: Sir Bard of Hesnes kept an eye on Lavyrin's. The
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Speaker 1: host drank deep, but it seemed not that the ale
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Speaker 1: made him more joyful. He sat in the high seat,
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Speaker 1: his face growing more and more strained, even as his
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Speaker 1: eyes grew more fixed. But Erlon, who sat on his
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Speaker 1: father in law's right hand, answered in kind. The wanton
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Speaker 1: jest flung at him and laughed much. His face was
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Speaker 1: flushed red and his eyes sparkled. Of a sudden, Laverrens
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Speaker 1: flew out that cart, son in law, while I remember,
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Speaker 1: what have you done with the cart you had of
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Speaker 1: me on loan in the summer? Cart, said Erlen, have
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Speaker 1: you forgot already that you had a cart on loan
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Speaker 1: from me in the summer? God knows twas so good
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Speaker 1: a cart. I look not ever to see a better,
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Speaker 1: For I thought to it myself when twas making in
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Speaker 1: my own smithy on the farm. You promised, and you swore.
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Speaker 1: I take God to witness, and my housefolk know it. Besides,
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Speaker 1: you gave your word to bring it back to me.
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Speaker 1: But that word you have not kept. Some of the
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Speaker 1: guests called out that this was no matter to talk
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Speaker 1: of now, But Laverns smote the board with his fist
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Speaker 1: and swore that he would know what Erlon had done
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Speaker 1: with his cart. Oh like enough, it lies still at
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Speaker 1: the farm at Niss, where we took boat out to voy,
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Speaker 1: said Arlen lightly. I thought naught twas meant so nicely
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Speaker 1: see you, father in law. Thus it was twas a
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Speaker 1: long and toilsome journey with a heavy laden cart over
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Speaker 1: the hills, and then we were come down to the fjord.
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Speaker 1: None of my men had a mind to bring the
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Speaker 1: cart all the way back here and then journey north
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Speaker 1: again over the hills to Tronheim, So we thought we
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Speaker 1: might let it be there for a time. Now, may
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Speaker 1: the devil fly off with me from where I sit
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Speaker 1: this very hour. If I have ever heard of your like,
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Speaker 1: Laverrens burst out, Is this how things are ordered in
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Speaker 1: your house? Doth the word lie with you or with
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Speaker 1: your men where they are to go or not to go?
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Speaker 1: Arlon shrugged his shoulders. True, it is much hath been
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Speaker 1: as it should not have been in my household. But
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Speaker 1: now will I have the cart sent south to you again?
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Speaker 1: When Kristin and I are come thither, dear my father
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Speaker 1: in law, said he, smiling and holding out his hand.
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Speaker 1: Be assured. Twill be changed times with all things, and
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Speaker 1: with me too, when once I have brought Kristin home
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Speaker 1: to be mistress of my house. Twas an ill thing,
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Speaker 1: this of the cart. But I promise you this shall
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Speaker 1: be the last time you have cause of grief against me.
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Speaker 1: Dear Laverns, said Baard Paterson. Forgive him in this small matter,
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Speaker 1: small matter or great began Laverrens, but checked himself and
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Speaker 1: took Erelan's hand. Soon after, he made the sign for
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Speaker 1: the feast to break up, and the guests sought their
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Speaker 1: sleeping places. On the Saturday before noon, all the women
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Speaker 1: and girls were busy in the old storehouse loft room,
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Speaker 1: some making ready the bridle bed, some dressing and adorning
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Speaker 1: the bride. Ronfreed had chosen this house or the bride house,
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Speaker 1: in part for its having the smallest loft room. They
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Speaker 1: could make room for many more guests in the new
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Speaker 1: storehouse loft, the one they had used themselves in summer
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Speaker 1: time to sleep in when Kristen was a little child.
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Speaker 1: Before Laverns had set up the great new dwelling house
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Speaker 1: where they lived now both summer and winter. But besides this,
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Speaker 1: there was no fairer house on the farm than the
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Speaker 1: old storehouse. Since Laverns had had it mended and set
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Speaker 1: in order, it had been nigh falling to the ground
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Speaker 1: when they moved into Joringard. It was adorned with the
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Speaker 1: finest wood carving, both outside and in, And if the
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Speaker 1: loft room were not great, twas the easier to hang
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Speaker 1: it richly with rugs and tapestries and skins. The bridal
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Speaker 1: bed stood ready made with silk covered pillows, fine hangings made,
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Speaker 1: as it were, a tent about it. Over the skins
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Speaker 1: and rugs. On the bed was spread a broidered silken cover.
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Speaker 1: Lid Ronfried and some other women were busy now hanging
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Speaker 1: tapestries on the timber walls and laying cushions in order
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Speaker 1: on the benches. Kristen sat in a great arm chair
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Speaker 1: that had been brought up thither. She was clad in
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Speaker 1: her scarlet bridle robe. Great silver brooches held it together
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Speaker 1: over her bosom and fastened the yellow silk shift showing
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Speaker 1: in the neck opening. Golden armlets glittered on the yellow
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Speaker 1: silken sleeves. A silver gilt belt was passed thrice around
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Speaker 1: her waist and on her neck, and bosom lay neck
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Speaker 1: chain over her neck chain, the uppermost her father's old
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Speaker 1: gold chain with the great reliquary cross. Her hands lying
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Speaker 1: in her lap were heavy with rings. Lady Osild stood
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Speaker 1: behind her chair, brushing her heavy gold brown hair out
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Speaker 1: to all sides. Tomorrow, shall you spread it loose for
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Speaker 1: the last time, she said, smiling, as she wound the
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Speaker 1: red and green silk cords that were to hold up
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Speaker 1: the crown around Kristen's head. Then the women came thronging
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Speaker 1: round the bride. Ronfret and geared of skulk, took the
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Speaker 1: great bridal crown of the yesling Kin from the board.
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Speaker 1: It was gilt all over, the points ended in alternate
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Speaker 1: crosses and clover leafs, and the circlet was set with
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Speaker 1: great rock crystals. They pressed it down on the bride's head.
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Speaker 1: Hinfreed was pale and her hands were shaking as she
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Speaker 1: did it. Kristin rose slowly to her feet. Ya eseus
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Speaker 1: how heavy twas to bear up all this gold and silver.
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Speaker 1: Then Lady Ocild took her by the hand and led
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Speaker 1: her forward to a great tub of water, while the
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Speaker 1: bride'smaids flung open the door to the outer sunlight, so
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Speaker 1: that the light in the room should be bright. Look
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Speaker 1: now at yourself in the water, Kristen, said Lady Osild,
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Speaker 1: and Kristen bent over the tub. She caught a glimpse
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Speaker 1: of her own face rising up white through the water.
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Speaker 1: It came so so near that she saw the golden
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Speaker 1: crown above it. Round about many shadows, bright and dark,
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Speaker 1: were stirring in the mirror. There was somewhat she was
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Speaker 1: on the brink of remembering. Then twas as though she
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Speaker 1: was swooning away, she caught at the rim of the
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Speaker 1: tub before her. At that moment, Lady Oscild laid her
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Speaker 1: hand on hers and drove her nail so hard into
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Speaker 1: the flesh that Christen came to herself with the pain.
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Speaker 1: Blasts of a great horn were heard from down by
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Speaker 1: the bridge. Folk shouted up from the courtyard that the
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Speaker 1: bridegroom was coming with his train. The women led Kristin
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Speaker 1: out on to the balcony. In the courtyard was a
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Speaker 1: tossing mass of horses in state trappings and people in
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Speaker 1: festival apparel, all shining and glittering in the sun. Kristin
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Speaker 1: looked out beyond it all far out into the dale.
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Speaker 1: The valley of her home lay bright and still beneath
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Speaker 1: a thin, misty blue head. Up above the haze rose
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Speaker 1: the mountains gray with screes and black with forest, and
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Speaker 1: the sun poured down its light into the great bowl
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Speaker 1: of the valley from a cloudless sky. She had not
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Speaker 1: marked it before, but the trees had shed all their leaves.
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Speaker 1: The groves around shone naked and silver gray. Only the
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Speaker 1: alder thickets along the river had a little faded green
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Speaker 1: on their topmost branches, and here and there a birch
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Speaker 1: had a few yellow white leaves clinging to its outermost twigs.
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Speaker 1: But for the most part the trees were almost bare,
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Speaker 1: all but the rowans. They were still bright, with red
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Speaker 1: brown leaves around the clusters of their blood red berries.
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Speaker 1: In the still warm day, a faint, moldering smell of
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Speaker 1: autumn rose from the ashen covering of fallen leaves that
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Speaker 1: strewed the ground all about. Had it not been for
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Speaker 1: the rowans, it might have been early spring, and the
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Speaker 1: stillness too, But this was an autumn, still deathly still.
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Speaker 1: When the horn blast died away, no other sound was
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Speaker 1: heard in all the valley, but the tinkling of bells
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Speaker 1: from the stubble fields and fallows where the beasts wandered grazing.
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Speaker 1: The river was shrunken, small, its roars sunk to a murmur.
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Speaker 1: It was but a few strands of water running amidst
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Speaker 1: banks of sand, and great stretches of white round boulders.
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Speaker 1: No noise of becks from the hillsides. The autumn had
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Speaker 1: been so dry the fields all around still gleamed wet.
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Speaker 1: But twas but the wetness that oozes up from the
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Speaker 1: earth in autumn, howsoever warm the days may be, and
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Speaker 1: however clear the air. The crowd that filled the farm
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Speaker 1: place fell apart to make way for the bridegroom's train.
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Speaker 1: Straightway the young groom's men came riding forward. There went
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Speaker 1: a stir among the women in the balcony. Lady Osild
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Speaker 1: was standing by the bride. Bear you well now, Christin,
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Speaker 1: said she twill not be long now till you safe
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Speaker 1: under the linen cloth. Kristin nodded helplessly. She felt how
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Speaker 1: deathly white her face must be. Methinks I am all
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Speaker 1: too pale a bride, she said, in a low voice.
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Speaker 1: You are the fairest bride, said lady acild, and there
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Speaker 1: comes Erln, riding fairer peir than you, twain would be
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Speaker 1: far to seek. Now Rln himself rode forward under the balcony.
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Speaker 1: He sprang lightly from his horse, unhindered by his heavy
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Speaker 1: flowing garments. He seemed to Christen so fair that twas
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Speaker 1: pain to look on him. He was in dark raiment,
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Speaker 1: clad in a slashed silken coat, falling to the feet
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Speaker 1: leaf brown of hue, and inwoven with black and white.
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Speaker 1: About his waist, he had a gold bossed belt, and
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Speaker 1: at his left thigh hung a sword with gold on
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Speaker 1: hilt and sheath. Back over his shoulders fell a heavy
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Speaker 1: dark ark blue velvet cloak, and pressed down on his
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Speaker 1: coal black hair. He wore a black French cap of
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Speaker 1: silk that stood out at both sides and puckered wings,
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Speaker 1: and ended in two long streamers, whereof one was thrown
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Speaker 1: from his left shoulder, right across his breast, and out
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Speaker 1: behind over the other arm. Herlan bowed low before his
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Speaker 1: bride as she stood above, then went up to her
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Speaker 1: horse and stood by it with his hands on the
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Speaker 1: saddle bow, while Laverns went up the stairs. A strange
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Speaker 1: dizzy feeling came over Kristin at the sight of all
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Speaker 1: this splendor in this solemn garment of green velvet, falling
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Speaker 1: to his feet, her father might have been some stranger,
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Speaker 1: and her mother's face under the linen cloth showed ash
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Speaker 1: and gray against the red of her silken dress. Ronfreed
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Speaker 1: came forward and laid the cloak about her daughter's shoulders.
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Speaker 1: Then Laverrens took the bride's hand and led her down
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Speaker 1: to Rln. The bridegroom lifted her to the saddle, and
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Speaker 1: himself Zelph mounted. They stayed their horses side by side,
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Speaker 1: these two beneath the bridle balcony, while the train began
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Speaker 1: to form and ride out through the courtyard gate. First
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Speaker 1: the priests Syrah Erich Sierra Tormud from Ulfswolden, and a
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Speaker 1: brother of the Holy Cross from Hamer, a friend of Lovereign's.
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Speaker 1: Then came the groom's men and the bride'smaids, pair by pear,
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Speaker 1: and now twas for Airlin and her to ride forth.
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Speaker 1: After them came the bride's parents, the kinsmen, friends and
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Speaker 1: guests in a long line down betwixt the fences to
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Speaker 1: the highway. There rode for a long way onward was
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Speaker 1: strewn with clusters of rowan berries, branches of pine, and
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Speaker 1: the last white dog fennel of autumn. And folks stood
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Speaker 1: thick along the waysides where the train passed by, greeting
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Speaker 1: them with a great shouting. On the Sunday, just after sunset,
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Speaker 1: the bridal train rode back to Urreingard through the first
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Speaker 1: falling folds of darkness. The Bonne fires shone out red
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Speaker 1: from the courtyard of the bridle House. Minstrels and fiddlers
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Speaker 1: were singing and making drums and fiddles speak as the
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Speaker 1: crowd of riders drew near to the warm red glare
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Speaker 1: of the fires. Kristen came near to falling her length
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Speaker 1: on the ground when Arelon lifted her from her horse
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Speaker 1: beneath the balcony of the upper hall. Twas so cold
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Speaker 1: upon the hills, she whispered, I am so weary. She
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Speaker 1: stood for a moment, and when she climbed the stairs
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Speaker 1: to the loft room, she swayed and tottered at each step.
21:37
Speaker 1: Up in the hall, the half frozen wedding guests were
21:40
Speaker 1: soon warmed up again. The many candles burning in the
21:43
Speaker 1: room gave out heat, smoking hot dishes of food were
21:47
Speaker 1: borne around, and wine, mead and strong ale circled about.
21:52
Speaker 1: The loud hum of voices and the noise of many
21:55
Speaker 1: eating sounded like a far off roaring in Easton's ears.
22:01
Speaker 1: It seemed as she sat there she would never be
22:04
Speaker 1: warm through again. In a while, her cheeks began to burn,
22:10
Speaker 1: but her feet were still unthawed, and shudders of cold
22:14
Speaker 1: ran down her back. All the heavy gold that was
22:18
Speaker 1: on her head and body forced her to lean forward
22:21
Speaker 1: as she sat in the high seat by Erln's side.
22:26
Speaker 1: Every time her bridegroom drank to her, she could not
22:29
Speaker 1: keep her eyes from the red stains and patches that
22:33
Speaker 1: stood out on his face so sharply as he began
22:36
Speaker 1: to grow warm after his ride in the cold. They
22:39
Speaker 1: were the marks left by the burns of last summer.
22:43
Speaker 1: The horror had come upon her last evening when they
22:47
Speaker 1: sat over the supper board at Sunboo, and she met
22:51
Speaker 1: Bjorn Gunnerson's lightless eyes fixed on her and air long, unwinking,
22:57
Speaker 1: unwavering eyes. They had dressed up Sir Bjorn in knightly raiment.
23:03
Speaker 1: He looked like a dead man brought to life by
23:07
Speaker 1: an evil spell. At night she had lain with Lady Oshild,
23:11
Speaker 1: the bridegroom's nearest kinswoman in the wedding company. What is
23:16
Speaker 1: amiss with you, Kristin, said Lady Oshild, a little sharply.
23:21
Speaker 1: Now is the time for you to bear up stiffly
23:24
Speaker 1: to the end, not give way. Thus I am thinking,
23:30
Speaker 1: said Christen, cold, with dread on all them we have
23:34
Speaker 1: brought to sorrow that we might see this day tis
23:39
Speaker 1: not joy alone. I trow that you too have had,
23:44
Speaker 1: said Lady Osild. Not here loaned at the least, And
23:48
Speaker 1: methinks it has been worse still for you. I am
23:53
Speaker 1: thinking on his helpless children, said the bride again. I
23:57
Speaker 1: am wondering if they know their father is drinking to
24:00
Speaker 1: day at his wedding feast. Think on your own child,
24:05
Speaker 1: said the lady, Be glad that you are drinking at
24:08
Speaker 1: your wedding with him who is its father. Kristen lay awhile,
24:14
Speaker 1: weak and giddy. Twas so strange to hear that name
24:18
Speaker 1: that had filled her heart and mind each day for
24:21
Speaker 1: three months and more, and whereof yet she had not
24:25
Speaker 1: dared speak a word to a living soul. It was
24:28
Speaker 1: but for little though that this helped her. I am
24:31
Speaker 1: thinking of her who had to pay with her life
24:35
Speaker 1: because she held ere long. Dear, she whispered, shivering, Well,
24:41
Speaker 1: if you come not to pay with your life yourself
24:44
Speaker 1: ere you are half a year older, said lady Arsiald harshly,
24:49
Speaker 1: be glad while you may. What shall I say to you, Kristin,
24:54
Speaker 1: said the old woman in a while, despairingly, have you
24:58
Speaker 1: clean lost courage? This day of all days? Soon enough
25:03
Speaker 1: will it be required of you, twain, that you shall
25:05
Speaker 1: pay for all you have done amiss, have no fear
25:08
Speaker 1: that it will not be so. But Kristen felt as
25:12
Speaker 1: though all things in her soul were slipping, slipping, as
25:17
Speaker 1: though all were toppling down that she had built up
25:21
Speaker 1: since that day of horror at Hagen, in that first time,
25:25
Speaker 1: when wild and blind with fear, she had thought but
25:29
Speaker 1: of holding out one day more, and one day more,
25:33
Speaker 1: And she had held out till her load grew lighter,
25:37
Speaker 1: and at last grew even light. When she had thrown
25:42
Speaker 1: off all thought, but this one thought that now their
25:45
Speaker 1: wedding day was coming, at last, Erelon's wedding day, at last.
25:51
Speaker 1: But when she and Herelon knelt together in the wedding mass,
25:56
Speaker 1: all around her seemed but some trickery of the sight.
26:00
Speaker 1: The tapers, the pictures, the glittering vessels, the priests and
26:05
Speaker 1: their copes and white gowns, all those who had known
26:08
Speaker 1: her where she had lived before. They seemed like visions
26:12
Speaker 1: of a dream, standing there close packed in the church
26:15
Speaker 1: in their unwonted garments. But Sir Bjorne stood against a pillar,
26:19
Speaker 1: looking at those two with his dead eyes, and it
26:23
Speaker 1: seemed to her that that other who was dead must
26:27
Speaker 1: needs have come back with him on his arm. She
26:31
Speaker 1: tried to look up at Saint Olaf's picture. He stood there,
26:35
Speaker 1: red and white and comely, leaning on his axe, treading
26:39
Speaker 1: his own sinful human nature underfoot. But her glance would
26:43
Speaker 1: ever go back to Sir Bjorn, and nigh to him,
26:47
Speaker 1: she saw Helena ormsdaughter's dead face, looking unmoved upon her
26:54
Speaker 1: an heir Lon. They had trampled her underfoot that they
26:58
Speaker 1: might come hither, and she grudged it not to them.
27:03
Speaker 1: The dead woman had arisen and flung off her all
27:06
Speaker 1: the great stones that Christen had striven to heap up
27:10
Speaker 1: above her, herln's wasted youth, his honor and his welfare,
27:16
Speaker 1: his friend's good graces, his soul's health. The dead woman
27:21
Speaker 1: had shaken herself free from them all. He would have me,
27:25
Speaker 1: and I would have him. You would have him, and
27:29
Speaker 1: he would have you, said Elina, I have paid, and
27:35
Speaker 1: he must pay, and you must pay when your time comes.
27:40
Speaker 1: When the time of sin is fulfilled, it brings forth death.
27:47
Speaker 1: It seemed to her she was kneeling with Rlon on
27:50
Speaker 1: a cold stone. He knelt there with the red burnt
27:54
Speaker 1: patches on his pale face. She knelt under the heavy
27:58
Speaker 1: bridal crown and felt the dull, crushing weight within her,
28:04
Speaker 1: the burden of sin that she bore. She had played
28:09
Speaker 1: and wantoned with her sin, had measured it as in
28:13
Speaker 1: a childish game, Holy Virgin, Now the time was nigh
28:18
Speaker 1: when it should lie full born before her, looking at
28:22
Speaker 1: her with living eyes, show her on itself, the brands
28:27
Speaker 1: of sin, the hideous deformity of sin, strike in hate
28:34
Speaker 1: with misshapen hands at its mother's breast, when she had
28:38
Speaker 1: borne her child, when she saw the marks of her
28:42
Speaker 1: sin upon it, and yet loved it as she had
28:46
Speaker 1: loved her sin. Then would the game be played to
28:50
Speaker 1: an end? Kristen thought, what if she shrieked aloud? Now
28:56
Speaker 1: a shriek that would cut through the song and the
28:59
Speaker 1: deep voices in toning the mass, and echoed out over
29:03
Speaker 1: the people's heads. Would she be rid? Then of Elena's face,
29:08
Speaker 1: would there come life into the dead man's eyes. But
29:12
Speaker 1: she clenched her teeth together, Holy King Olaf, I cry
29:18
Speaker 1: upon THEE above all in heaven. I pray for help
29:23
Speaker 1: to THEE, for I know thou didst love God's justice
29:27
Speaker 1: above all things. I will call upon THEE that thou
29:32
Speaker 1: hold thy hand over the innocent that is in my womb.
29:37
Speaker 1: Turn away God's wrath from the innocent, Turn it upon
29:42
Speaker 1: me a men in the precious name of the Lord.
29:47
Speaker 1: My children, said Elena's voice. Are they not guiltless? Yet?
29:53
Speaker 1: Is there no place for them in the lands where
29:56
Speaker 1: Christians dwell? Your child is begot and outside the law,
30:02
Speaker 1: even as were my children. No rights can you claim
30:06
Speaker 1: for it in the land you have strayed away from,
30:10
Speaker 1: any more than I for mine. Holy Olaf. Yet do
30:15
Speaker 1: I pray for grace, Pray thou for mercy for my son.
30:20
Speaker 1: Take him beneath thy guard. So shall I bear him
30:24
Speaker 1: to Thy church on my naked feet. So shall I
30:28
Speaker 1: bear my golden garland of maidenhood into thee and lay
30:32
Speaker 1: it down upon thy altar, if thou wilt but help me,
30:36
Speaker 1: ah men. Her face was set hard as stone. In
30:41
Speaker 1: her struggled to be still and calm, but her whole
30:45
Speaker 1: body throbbed and quivered as she knelt there through the
30:48
Speaker 1: holy mass that wedded her to Rlon. And now as
30:53
Speaker 1: she sat beside him in the high seat at home,
30:57
Speaker 1: all things around her were but as in a fevered dream.
31:03
Speaker 1: There were minstrels playing on harps and fiddles in the
31:06
Speaker 1: loft room, and the sound of music and song rose
31:09
Speaker 1: from the hall below. In the courtyard outside there was
31:13
Speaker 1: a red glare of fire from without. When the door
31:16
Speaker 1: was opened for the dishes and tankards to be borne
31:19
Speaker 1: in and out. Those around the board were standing. Now
31:23
Speaker 1: she was standing up between her father and Arlon. Her
31:27
Speaker 1: father made known with a loud voice that he had
31:30
Speaker 1: given Erelon Nicholson his daughter Christen to wife. Erelon thanked
31:36
Speaker 1: his father in law, and he thanked all good folk
31:39
Speaker 1: who had come together there to honor him and his wife.
31:43
Speaker 1: She was to sit down, they said, And now Arlon
31:47
Speaker 1: laid his bridal gifts in her lap. Syrah Erich and
31:51
Speaker 1: Sir Moon and Bardsen unrolled deeds and read aloud from
31:54
Speaker 1: them concerning the jointures and settlements of the wedded Pear,
31:58
Speaker 1: while the grooms minced around with spears in their hands.
32:02
Speaker 1: And now and again during the reading, or when gifts
32:05
Speaker 1: and bags of money were laid on the table, smote
32:08
Speaker 1: with the butts upon the floor, the tables were cleared away.
32:13
Speaker 1: Ere Lon led her forth upon the floor, and they
32:16
Speaker 1: danced together. Kristin thought, her groomsmen and our bridesmaids, they
32:23
Speaker 1: are all too young for us. All they that were
32:26
Speaker 1: young with us are gone from these places. How is
32:31
Speaker 1: it we are come back hither? You are so strange,
32:35
Speaker 1: Kristin whispered Erelen, as they danced. I am afraid of you, Kristen,
32:42
Speaker 1: Are you not happy? They went from house to house
32:46
Speaker 1: and greeted their guests. There were many lights in all
32:50
Speaker 1: the rooms, and everywhere crowds of people drinking and singing
32:54
Speaker 1: and dancing. As seemed to Kristin she scarce knew her
32:58
Speaker 1: home again, and she had lost all knowledge of time. Hours,
33:02
Speaker 1: and the pictures of her brain seemed strangely to float about,
33:06
Speaker 1: loosely mingled with each other. The autumn night was mild.
33:11
Speaker 1: There were minstrels in the courtyard too, and people dancing
33:14
Speaker 1: around the bonfire. They cried out that the bride and
33:18
Speaker 1: bridegroom must honor them too, And then she was dancing
33:22
Speaker 1: with Earlon on the cold, dewy sward. She seemed to
33:25
Speaker 1: wake a little then, and her head grew more clear.
33:29
Speaker 1: Far out in the darkness, a band of white mist
33:31
Speaker 1: floated above the murmur of the river. The mountains stood around,
33:35
Speaker 1: coal black against the star sprinkled sky. Earlon led her
33:39
Speaker 1: out of the ring of dancers and crushed her to
33:42
Speaker 1: him in the darkness under the balcony. Not once have
33:46
Speaker 1: I had the chance to tell you you are so fair,
33:50
Speaker 1: so fair, and so sweet. Your cheeks are red as flames.
33:55
Speaker 1: He pressed his cheek to hers as he spoke, Kristen,
33:59
Speaker 1: what is it ails you? I am so weary, so weary,
34:06
Speaker 1: She whispered back. Soon will we go and sleep, answered
34:11
Speaker 1: her bridegroom, looking up at the sky. The milky way
34:15
Speaker 1: had wheeled and now lay all but north and south.
34:19
Speaker 1: Mind you that we have not once slept together since
34:23
Speaker 1: that one only night I was with you in your
34:26
Speaker 1: bower at Skulk. Soon after, Syra Erich shouted with a
34:30
Speaker 1: loud voice out over the farmstead that now it was Monday.
34:37
Speaker 1: The women came to lead the bride to bed. Kristen
34:40
Speaker 1: was so weary that she was scarce able to struggle
34:43
Speaker 1: and hold back, as twas fit and seemly she should do.
34:47
Speaker 1: She let herself be seized and led out of the
34:50
Speaker 1: loft room by Lady Oshild and geared of skulk. The
34:53
Speaker 1: groom's men stood at the foot of the stair with
34:55
Speaker 1: burning torches and naked swords. They formed a ring around
34:59
Speaker 1: the true hoop of women and attended Kristin across the
35:02
Speaker 1: farm place and up into the old loft room. The
35:05
Speaker 1: women took off her bridle finery piece by piece, and
35:09
Speaker 1: laid it away. Kristin saw that over the bed foot
35:13
Speaker 1: hung the violet velvet robe she was to wear on
35:16
Speaker 1: the morrow, and upon it lay a long, snow white,
35:19
Speaker 1: finely pleated linen cloth. It was the wife's linen cloth.
35:25
Speaker 1: Herlon had brought it for her tomorrow. She was to
35:28
Speaker 1: bind up her hair in a knot and fasten the
35:31
Speaker 1: head linen over it. It looked to her so fresh
35:35
Speaker 1: and cool and RESTful. At last, she was standing before
35:40
Speaker 1: the bridal bed on her naked feet, bare armed, clad
35:44
Speaker 1: only in the long golden yellow silken shift. They had
35:48
Speaker 1: set the crown on her head again. The bridegroom was
35:51
Speaker 1: to take it off when they two were left alone.
35:55
Speaker 1: Ronfret laid her hands on her daughter's shoulders and kissed
35:58
Speaker 1: her on the cheek. The mother's face and hands were
36:02
Speaker 1: strangely cold, but it was as though sobs were struggling
36:06
Speaker 1: deep in her breast. Then she threw back the coverings
36:10
Speaker 1: of the bed and bathed the bride, seat herself in it.
36:14
Speaker 1: Kristin obeyed and leaned back on the pillows heaped up
36:16
Speaker 1: against the bed head. She had to bend her head
36:19
Speaker 1: a little forward to keep on the crown. Lady Osild
36:23
Speaker 1: drew the coverings up to the bride's waist and laid
36:26
Speaker 1: her hands before her on the silken cover lid. Then
36:29
Speaker 1: took her shining hair and drew it forward over her
36:32
Speaker 1: bosom and the slender, bare upper arms. Next, the men
36:37
Speaker 1: led the bridegroom into the loft room. Moon and Bardsen
36:40
Speaker 1: unclasped the golden belt and sword from Rlan's waist when
36:45
Speaker 1: he leaned over to hang it on the wall above
36:47
Speaker 1: the bed. He whispered something to the bride. Christin knew
36:50
Speaker 1: not what he said, but she did her best to smile.
36:55
Speaker 1: The groom's men unlaced Herlan's silken robe and lifted off
36:59
Speaker 1: the long, heavy garment and over his head. He sat
37:02
Speaker 1: him down in the great chair, and they helped him
37:04
Speaker 1: off with his spurs and boots. Once and once only
37:08
Speaker 1: the bride found courage to look up and meet his eyes.
37:13
Speaker 1: Then began the good nights. Before long all the wedding
37:16
Speaker 1: guests were gone from the loft. Last of all, lavns
37:20
Speaker 1: Burgelsen went out and shut the door of the bride house.
37:24
Speaker 1: Rlan stood up, stripped off his underclothing and flung it
37:28
Speaker 1: on the benches. He stood by the bed, took the
37:31
Speaker 1: crown and the silken cords from off her hair, and
37:34
Speaker 1: laid them away on the table. Then he came back
37:37
Speaker 1: and mounted into the bed. Kneeling by her side, he
37:41
Speaker 1: clasped her round the head and pressed it in against
37:44
Speaker 1: his hot naked breast, while he kissed her forehead all
37:48
Speaker 1: along the red streak the crown had left on it.
37:51
Speaker 1: She threw her arms about his shoulders and sobbed aloud.
37:56
Speaker 1: She had a sweet, wild feeling that now the horse,
38:00
Speaker 1: the phantom visions were fading into air. Now now once
38:05
Speaker 1: again naught was left but he and she. He lifted
38:09
Speaker 1: up her face a moment, looked down into it, and
38:13
Speaker 1: drew his hand down over her face and body, with
38:16
Speaker 1: a strange haste and roughness, as though he tore away
38:20
Speaker 1: a covering. Forget, he begged, in a fiery whisper, Forget all,
38:27
Speaker 1: my Christen, all but this, that you are my own wife,
38:32
Speaker 1: and I am your own husband. With his hand he
38:37
Speaker 1: quenched the flame of the last candle, then threw himself
38:41
Speaker 1: down beside her in the dark. He too was sobbing.
38:44
Speaker 1: Now never have I believed it, never in all these years,
38:49
Speaker 1: that we should see this day. End of Chapter eight,
38:54
Speaker 1: Part one,