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023 - Book 2 Chapter 1 · Pirate

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Speaker 1: Book two, Chapter one of the Pirate by Sir Walter Scott.
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Speaker 1: The LibriVox recording is in the public domain, read by
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Speaker 1: Dion Johns set Lake City, Utah. But lost to me,
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Speaker 1: forever lost those joys which reason scatters and which time
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Speaker 1: destroys no more than midnight fairy train. I view all
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Speaker 1: in the merry moonlight, tippling dew, even the last lingering
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Speaker 1: fiction of the brain, the church Yard Ghost, is now
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Speaker 1: at rest again the library the moral bard, from whom
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Speaker 1: we borrow the motto of this chapter has touched a
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Speaker 1: theme with which most readers have some feelings that vibrate unconsciously. Superstition,
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Speaker 1: when not arrayed in her full horrors, but laying a
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Speaker 1: gentle hand only on her suppliants, had charms which we
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Speaker 1: fail not to regret. Even in those stages of society
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Speaker 1: from which her influence is well nigh banished by the
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Speaker 1: light of reason and general education, at least in more
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Speaker 1: ignorant periods, her system of ideal terrors had something in
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Speaker 1: them interesting to minds which had few means of excitement.
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Speaker 1: This is more especially true of those lighter modifications of
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Speaker 1: superstitious feelings and practices which mingle in the amusements of
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Speaker 1: the ruder ages, and are like the auguries of Halloween
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Speaker 1: in Scotland, considered partly as matter of merriment, partly as
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Speaker 1: sad and prophetic. Earnest and with similar feelings, People even
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Speaker 1: of tolerable education, have in our times the cell of
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Speaker 1: a fortune teller upon a frolic, as it is termed,
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Speaker 1: and yet not always in a disposition absolutely skeptical towards
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Speaker 1: the responses they receive. When the sisters of Burgwestra arrived
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Speaker 1: in the apartment destined for a breakfast as ample as
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Speaker 1: that which we have described on the preceding morning, and
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Speaker 1: had undergone a jocular rebuke from the u Dollar for
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Speaker 1: their late attendants, they found the company, most of whom
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Speaker 1: had already breakfasted, engaged in an ancient Norwegian custom of
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Speaker 1: the character which we have just described. It seems to
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Speaker 1: have been borrowed from those poems of the Skulls, in
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Speaker 1: which champions and heroines are so often represented as seeking
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Speaker 1: to know their destiny from some sorceress or prophetess, who,
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Speaker 1: as in the legend called by Gray the Descent of Odin,
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Speaker 1: awakens by the force of runic rhyme, the unwilling revealer
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Speaker 1: of the doom of fate, and compels from her answers,
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Speaker 1: often of dubious import, but which were then believed to
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Speaker 1: express some shadow of the events of futurity and Old
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Speaker 1: Sybil euphani Fey, the housekeeper we have already mentioned, was
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Speaker 1: installed in the recess of a large window, studiously darkened
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Speaker 1: by bearskins and other miscellaneous drapery, so as to give
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Speaker 1: it something the appearance of a Laplander's hut, and accommodated
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Speaker 1: like a confessional chair, with an aperture which permitted the
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Speaker 1: person within to hear with ease whatever question should be put,
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Speaker 1: though not to see the queerest here seated. The veluspa
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Speaker 1: or Sybil was to listen to the rhythmic enquiries which
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Speaker 1: should be made to her and return an extemporaneous answer.
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Speaker 1: The drapery was supposed to prevent her from seeing by
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Speaker 1: what individuals she was consulted, and the intended or accidental
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Speaker 1: reference which the answer given under such circumstances bore to
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Speaker 1: the situation of the person by whom the question was asked.
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Speaker 1: Often furnished food for laughter, and sometimes has it happened
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Speaker 1: for more serious reflection. The Sibyl was usually chosen from her,
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Speaker 1: possessing the talent of improvisation in the Norse poetry, no
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Speaker 1: unusual accomplishment, where the minds of many were stored with
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Speaker 1: old verses, and where the rules of metrical composition are
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Speaker 1: uncommonly simple, the questions were also put in verse. But
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Speaker 1: as this power of extemporaneous composition, though common, could not
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Speaker 1: be supposed universal, the mediums of an interpreter might be
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Speaker 1: used by any quarest which interpreter, holding the consultor of
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Speaker 1: the oracle by the hand and standing by the place
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Speaker 1: from which the oracles were issued, had the task of
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Speaker 1: rendering into verse this subject of enquiry. On the present occasion,
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Speaker 1: Claude Hulcrow was summoned by the universal voice to perform
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Speaker 1: the part of interpreter, And, after shaking his head and
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Speaker 1: muttering some apology for decay of memory and poetical powers,
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Speaker 1: contradicted at once by his own conscious smile of confidence
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Speaker 1: and by the general shout of the company, the light
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Speaker 1: hearted old man came forward to play his part in
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Speaker 1: the proposed entertainment. But just as it was about to commence,
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Speaker 1: the arrangement of parts was singularly altered. Of the fitful head,
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Speaker 1: whom everyone excepting the two sisters believed to be at
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Speaker 1: the distance of many miles. Suddenly, and without greeting, entered
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Speaker 1: the apartment, walked majestically up to the bare skin tabernacle,
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Speaker 1: and signed to the female who was there seated to
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Speaker 1: abdicate her sanctuary. The old woman came forth, shaking her
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Speaker 1: head and looking like one overwhelmed with fear. Nor indeed,
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Speaker 1: were there many in the company who saw with absolute
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Speaker 1: composure the sudden appearance of a person so well known
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Speaker 1: and so generally dreaded as Norna. She paused a moment
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Speaker 1: at the entrance of the tent, and as she raised
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Speaker 1: the skin which formed the entrance, she looked up to
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Speaker 1: the north, as if employing from that quarter a strain
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Speaker 1: of inspiration. Then signing to these surprised guests that they
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Speaker 1: might approach in sane accession the shrine in which she
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Speaker 1: was about to install herself, she entered the tent and
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Speaker 1: was shrouded from their sight that this was a different
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Speaker 1: sport from what the company had meditated, and to most
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Speaker 1: of them seemed to present so much more of earnest
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Speaker 1: than of game, that there was no alacrity shown to
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Speaker 1: consult the oracle. The character and pretensions of Norna seemed
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Speaker 1: to almost all present, too serious for the part which
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Speaker 1: she had assumed. The men whispered to each other, and
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Speaker 1: the women, according to Claude Holcrow, realized the description of
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Speaker 1: glorious John Dryden with horror. Shuddering in a heap, they ran.
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Speaker 1: The pause was interrupted by the loud, manly voice of
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Speaker 1: the U dollar. Why does the game stand still? My masters?
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Speaker 1: Are you afraid? Because my kinswoman is to play our velspha?
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Speaker 1: Is it kindly done in her to do for us
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Speaker 1: what none in the isles can do so well? And
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Speaker 1: will we not bulk our sport for it, but rather
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Speaker 1: go on the merrier. There was still a pause in
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Speaker 1: the company, and Magnus Troyle added, it shall never be
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Speaker 1: said that my kinswoman sat in her bower unhulst, as
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Speaker 1: if she were some of the old mountain giantesses, and
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Speaker 1: all from faint heart. I will speak first myself, but
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Speaker 1: the rhyme comes worse from my tongue than when I
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Speaker 1: was a score of years younger. Claude Halcrow, you must
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Speaker 1: stand by me hand in hand. They approached the shrine
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Speaker 1: of the supposed Sybil, and after a moment's consultation together
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Speaker 1: Hulcrow thus expressed the query of his friend and patron.
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Speaker 1: Now the u Dollar, like many persons of consequence in Zetland, who,
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Speaker 1: as Sir Robert Sibild has to testified for them, had
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Speaker 1: begun thus early to apply both to commerce and navigation,
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Speaker 1: was concerned to some extent in the whale fishery of
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Speaker 1: the season, and the bard had been directed to put
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Speaker 1: into his halting verse and enquiry concerning its success. Claude Hulcrow, Mother, darksome, mother,
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Speaker 1: dread dweller on the fitful head, Thou canst see what
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Speaker 1: deeds are done under the never setting sun, Look through
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Speaker 1: sleet and look through frost. Look to Greenland's caves and coast.
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Speaker 1: By the iceberg is a sail chasing of the swarthy whale. Mother, doubtful,
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Speaker 1: Mother dread tell Us has the good ship's bed. The
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Speaker 1: jest seemed to turn to ernest as all bending their
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Speaker 1: heads around, listen to the voice of Norna, who, without
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Speaker 1: a moment's hesitation, answered from the recesses of the tent
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Speaker 1: in which she was enclosed. Norna, the thought of the
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Speaker 1: aged is ever on gear, on his fishing, his furrow,
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Speaker 1: his flock, and his steer. But thrive may his fishing, flock, furrow,
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Speaker 1: and heard, while the aged for anguish shall tear his
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Speaker 1: gray beard. There was a momentary pause during which Triptolemus
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Speaker 1: had time to whisper if ten witches and as many
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Speaker 1: warlocks were to swear it, I will never believe that
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Speaker 1: a decent man will either feesh his beard or himself
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Speaker 1: about anything, so long as stock and crop goes as
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Speaker 1: it should do. But the voice from within the tent
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Speaker 1: resumed its low, monotonous tone of recitation and interrupting farther.
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Speaker 1: Commentary proceeded as follows Norna, the ship will laden as
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Speaker 1: bark need be lies deep in the furrow of the
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Speaker 1: eye lind Sea. The breeze for Zettland blows fair and
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Speaker 1: soft and gaily. The garland is fluttering aloft. Seven good
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Speaker 1: fishes have spouted their last, and their jawbones are hanging
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Speaker 1: to yard en mast. Two are for Lerwick, and two
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Speaker 1: for Kirkwall, and three for Burgwestra, the choicest of all.
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Speaker 1: Now the powers above look down and protect us, said
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Speaker 1: bryce snail's foot, For it is more than woman's wit
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Speaker 1: that has spade out that furley. I saw them at
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Speaker 1: north Ronaldshaw, that had seen the good bark the olive
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Speaker 1: of Lerwick, that our worthy patron has such a great
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Speaker 1: share in that she may be called his own in
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Speaker 1: a manner. And they had broomed the ship, and as
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Speaker 1: sure as there are stars in heaven, she answered them
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Speaker 1: for seven fish exact as Norna has telled us in
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Speaker 1: her rhyme. Humph, seven fish exactly. And you heard it
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Speaker 1: at north Ronaldshaw, said Captain Cleveland. And I suppose told
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Speaker 1: it as a good piece of news when you came hither.
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Speaker 1: It never crossed my tongue, Captain answered the peddler. I
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Speaker 1: have kenned many chapmen, traveling merchants and such like, neglect
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Speaker 1: their goods to carry clashes and clavers up and down
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Speaker 1: from one countryside to another. But that is no traffic
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Speaker 1: of mine. I didn't believe I have mentioned the Olafs,
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Speaker 1: having made up her cargo to three folks since I
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Speaker 1: crossed to Dunrossness. But if one of those three had
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Speaker 1: spoken the news over again, and it is two to
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Speaker 1: one that such a thing happened, the old lady prophecies
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Speaker 1: upon velvet. Such was the speech of Cleveland, addressed to
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Speaker 1: Magnus Troil, and heard without any applause. The U dollars
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Speaker 1: were respect for his country extended to its superstitions, and
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Speaker 1: so did the interest which he took in his unfortunate kinswoman.
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Speaker 1: If he never rendered a precise assent to her high
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Speaker 1: supernatural pretensions, he was not at least desirous of hearing
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Speaker 1: them disputed by others. Norna, he said, his cousin an
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Speaker 1: emphasis on the word, held no communication with Bryce Snelsfoot
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Speaker 1: or his acquaintances. He did not pretend to explain how
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Speaker 1: she came by her information. But he had always remarked
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Speaker 1: that Scotsmen, and indeed strangers in general, when they came
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Speaker 1: to Zetland, were ready to find reasons for things which
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Speaker 1: remained sufficiently obscure to those whose ancestors had dwelt there
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Speaker 1: for ages. Captain Cleveland took the hint and bowed, without
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Speaker 1: attempting to defend his own skepticism. And now forward, my
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Speaker 1: brave hearts, said the you dollar and may all have
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Speaker 1: as good tidings as I have. Three wells cannot but yield.
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Speaker 1: Let me think how many hogsheads. There was an obvious
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Speaker 1: reluctance on the part of the guests to be the
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Speaker 1: next in consulting the oracle of the tent. Good news
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Speaker 1: are welcome to some folks if they come from the
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Speaker 1: devil himself, said the Mistress Babby Yellowly, addressing the Lady Gloroum,
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Speaker 1: for a similarity of disposition in some respects had made
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Speaker 1: a sort of intimacy betwixt them. But I think, my lady,
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Speaker 1: that this has over Mickel of rank witchcraft in it
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Speaker 1: to have the countenance of DAOs Christian folks like you
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Speaker 1: and me. My lady, there may be something in what
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Speaker 1: you say, my dame, replied the good lady Gloroum, But
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Speaker 1: we Heghlanders are not just like other folks. And this woman,
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Speaker 1: if she be a witch, being the foul's friend and
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Speaker 1: near kinswoman, it will be ill taken if we have
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Speaker 1: not our fortunes spade like all the rest of them.
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Speaker 1: And so my nieces may even step forward in their turn,
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Speaker 1: and no harm done. They will have time to repent.
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Speaker 1: Ye can in the course of nature if there be
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Speaker 1: anything wrong in it, Mistress Yellowly, While others remained under
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Speaker 1: similar uncertainty and apprehension Holcrow, who saw, by the knitting
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Speaker 1: of the old you Dollar's brows, and by a certain
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Speaker 1: impatient shuffle of his right foot, like the motion of
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Speaker 1: a man who, with difficulty refrains from stamping, that his
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Speaker 1: patience began to wax rather thin, gallantly declared that he
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Speaker 1: himself would in his own person, and not as a
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Speaker 1: procurator for others. Put the next query to the pythoness.
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Speaker 1: He paused a minute, collected his rhymes, and thus addressed
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Speaker 1: her Claude Hulcrow mother, doubtful mother, dread dweller of the
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Speaker 1: fitful head, Thou hast conned full many a rhyme that
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Speaker 1: lives upon the surge of time. Tell me, shall my
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Speaker 1: lays be sung like Hacun's of the Golden Tongue long
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Speaker 1: after hull Crow's dead and gone? Or shall Island's minstrel
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Speaker 1: own one note to rival glorious John. The voice of
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Speaker 1: the Sibyl immediately replied from her sanctuary, Norna, the infant
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Speaker 1: loves the rattle's noise. Age double childhood, hath its toys
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Speaker 1: that different far The descant rings as strikes a different
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Speaker 1: hand the strings. The eagle mounts the polar sky the
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Speaker 1: imber goose, unskilled to fly, must be content to glide
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Speaker 1: along where seal and sea dog list his song. Hull
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Speaker 1: Crow bit his lip, shrugged his shoulders, and then, instantly,
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Speaker 1: recovering his good humor and the ready, though slovenly power
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Speaker 1: of extemporaneous composition with which long habit had invested him,
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Speaker 1: he gallantly rejoined claude Holcrow bemind the imber goose to
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Speaker 1: play and haunt lone cave and silent bay. The archer's aim,
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Speaker 1: so shall I shun? So shall I escape the leveled
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Speaker 1: gun content my versus tuneless jingle with tools, sounding tides
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Speaker 1: to mingle, while to the ear of wandering white upon
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Speaker 1: the distant headland's height, softened by murmur of the sea,
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Speaker 1: the rude sounds seem like harmony. As the little bard
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Speaker 1: stepped back with an alert gait and satisfied air, general
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Speaker 1: applause followed the spirited manner in which he had acquiesced
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Speaker 1: in the doom which level him with an imburgose. But
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Speaker 1: his resigned and courageous submission did not even yet encourage
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Speaker 1: any other person to consult the redoubted Norna. The coward
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Speaker 1: fools said the u Dollar. Are you too afraid, Captain
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Speaker 1: Cleveland to speak to an old woman? Ask her anything?
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Speaker 1: Ask her whether the twelve gun sloop at Kirkwall be
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Speaker 1: your consort or no. Cleveland looked at Minna, and, probably
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Speaker 1: conceiving that she watched with anxiety. His answer to her
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Speaker 1: father's question, he collected himself after a moment's hesitation. I
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Speaker 1: never was afraid of man or woman. Master Holcrow, you
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Speaker 1: have heard the question which our host desires me to ask.
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Speaker 1: Put it in my name and in your own way.
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Speaker 1: I pretend to as little skill in poetry as I
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Speaker 1: do in witchcraft. Halcrow did not wait to be invited
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Speaker 1: twice by grasping Captain Cleveland's hand in his According to
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Speaker 1: the form which the game prescribed, he put the query
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Speaker 1: which the U Dollar had dictated to the stranger in
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Speaker 1: the following words Claude Hulcrow, mother, doubtful mother, dread dweller
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Speaker 1: of the fitful head, A gallant bark from far abroad.
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Speaker 1: Saint Magnus hath her in his road with guns and firelocks,
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Speaker 1: not a few, a silken and a scarlet crew deep
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Speaker 1: stored with precious merchandise of gold and goods of rare
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Speaker 1: device what interest hath our comrade bold in bark and crew,
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Speaker 1: in goods and gold. There was a pause of unusual
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Speaker 1: duration ere the oracle would return any answer, and when
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Speaker 1: she replied, it was in a lower, though an equally
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Speaker 1: decided tone, with that which she had hitherto employed. Gold
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Speaker 1: is ruddy, fair and free. Blood is crimson and dark
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Speaker 1: to see. I looked out on Saint Magnus Bay, and
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Speaker 1: I saw a falcon that struck her prey, a gobbit
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Speaker 1: of flesh in her beak. She bore, and talons and
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Speaker 1: singles are dripping with gore. Let him that asks after
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Speaker 1: them look on his hand, and if there is blood
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Speaker 1: on it, he's one of their band. Cleveland smiled scornfully
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Speaker 1: and held out his hand. Few men have been on
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Speaker 1: the Spanish main as often as I have, without having
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Speaker 1: had to do with the guarda Costas once and again.
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Speaker 1: But there never was aught like a stain on my
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Speaker 1: hand that a wet towel would not wipe away. The
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Speaker 1: u Dollar added his voice, potential there is never peace
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Speaker 1: with Spaniards beyond the line. I have heard Captain Dragondeck
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Speaker 1: and honest old commodore the Malayer say so. An hundred times,
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Speaker 1: and they have both been down in the Bay of
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Speaker 1: Honduras and all thereabouts. I hate all Spaniards since they
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Speaker 1: came here and reft the fair Isle men of their
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Speaker 1: vivars in fifteen fifty eight. I have heard my grandfather
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Speaker 1: speak of it. And there is an old Dutch history
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Speaker 1: somewhere about the house that shows what work they made
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Speaker 1: in the low countries. Long since there is neither mercy
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Speaker 1: nor faith in them. True, true, my old friend said Cleveland.
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Speaker 1: They are as jealous of their Indian possessions as an
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Speaker 1: old man of his young bride. And if they can
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Speaker 1: catch you at disadvantage, the minds for your life is
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Speaker 1: the word, and we fight them with our colors nailed
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Speaker 1: to the mast. That is the way shouted the U Dollar.
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Speaker 1: The old British jack should never down. When I think
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Speaker 1: of the wooden walls, I almost think myself an Englishman,
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Speaker 1: only it would be becoming too like my Scottish neighbors.
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Speaker 1: But come no offense to any here, gentlemen, all our
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Speaker 1: friends and all are welcome. Come Brenda, go on with
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Speaker 1: the play. Do you speak next? You have Norse rhymes
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Speaker 1: enough we all know, but none that suit the game
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Speaker 1: we play at father, said Brenda, drawing back nonsense, said
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Speaker 1: her father, pushing her onward, while Holcrow seized on her
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Speaker 1: reluctant hand. Never let mistimed modesty, Mare, honest, mirth speak
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Speaker 1: for Brenda Holcrow. It is your trade to interpret maiden's thoughts.
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Speaker 1: The poet bowed to the beautiful young woman with the
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Speaker 1: devotion of a poet and the gallantry of a traveler,
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Speaker 1: and having in a whisper, reminded her that she was
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Speaker 1: in no way responsible for the nonsense he was about
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Speaker 1: to speak. He paused, looked upward, simpered as if he
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Speaker 1: had caught a sudden idea, and at length set off.
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Speaker 1: In the following verses, Claude Halcrow, mother, doubtful mother, dread
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Speaker 1: dweller of the fitful head. Well thou knowest, it is
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Speaker 1: thy task to tell what beauty will not ask. Then
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Speaker 1: steep thy words in wine and milk, and weave a
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Speaker 1: doom of gold and silk, for we would know. Shall
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Speaker 1: brend to prove in love and happy in her love?
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Speaker 1: The prophetess replied, almost immediately from behind her curtain, Norna
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Speaker 1: untouched by love. The maiden's breast is like the snow
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Speaker 1: on Rhona's crust high seated in the middle sky, in
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Speaker 1: bright and barren purity. But by the sunbeam, gently kissed
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Speaker 1: scarce by the gazing eye, tis mes Ere down the
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Speaker 1: lonely valley, stealing fresh grass and growth, its coarse revealing
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Speaker 1: it cheers the flock, revives the flower and decks some
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Speaker 1: happy shepherd's bower. A comfortable doctrine and most justly spoken,
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Speaker 1: said the you Dollar, seizing the blushing Brenda as she
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Speaker 1: was endeavoring to escape. Never think shame for the matter,
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Speaker 1: my girl. To be the mistress of some honest man's house,
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Speaker 1: and the means of maintaining some old Norse name, making
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Speaker 1: neighbors happy, the poor, easy, and relieving strangers is the
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Speaker 1: most creditable lot a young woman can look to, and
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Speaker 1: I heartily wish it to all hear. Come who speaks next?
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Speaker 1: Good husbands are going, Mattie groat setter, My pretty Clara,
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Speaker 1: come and have your share. The lady gloroum shook her
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Speaker 1: head and could not, she said altogether. Prove enough said enough, said,
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Speaker 1: replied Magnus, no compulsion. But the play shall go on
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Speaker 1: till we are tired of it. Here Minna, I have
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Speaker 1: got you at command. Stand forth, my girl. There are
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Speaker 1: plenty of things to be ashamed of besides old fashioned
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Speaker 1: and innocent pleasantry. Come. I will speak for you myself,
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Speaker 1: though I am not sure I can remember rhyme enough
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Speaker 1: for it. There was a slight color which passed rapidly
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Speaker 1: over Minna's face, but she instantly regained her composure and
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Speaker 1: stood erect by her father as one superior to any
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Speaker 1: little jest to which her situation might give rise. Her father,
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Speaker 1: after some rubbing of his brow and other mechanical efforts
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Speaker 1: to assist his memory, at length, recovered very sufficient to
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Speaker 1: put the following query, though in less gallant strains than
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Speaker 1: those of Hulcrow Magnus Troyle. Mother speak, and do not tarry.
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Speaker 1: Here's a maiden fain would marry? Shall she marry? Aye?
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Speaker 1: Or not? If she marry? What's her lot? A deep
26:15
Speaker 1: sigh was uttered within the tabernacle of the soothsayer, as
26:19
Speaker 1: if she compassionated the subject of the doom which she
26:23
Speaker 1: was obliged to pronounce. She then, as usual, returned her response,
26:29
Speaker 1: Norna untouched by love. The maiden's breast is like the
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Speaker 1: snow on Rona's crest, so pure, so free from earthly dye.
26:40
Speaker 1: It seems whilst leaning on the sky part of the
26:44
Speaker 1: heaven to which 'tis nigh, But passion, like the wild
26:48
Speaker 1: march rain, may soil the wreath with many a stain.
26:52
Speaker 1: We gaze the lovely visions gone. A torrent fills the
26:56
Speaker 1: bed of stone, that, hurrying to instructions, shock, leaps headlong
27:03
Speaker 1: from the lofty rock. The u Dollar heard this reply
27:07
Speaker 1: with high resentment. By the bones of the murder, he said,
27:11
Speaker 1: his bold visage becoming suddenly ready. This is an abuse
27:16
Speaker 1: of courtesy. And were it any but yourself that had
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Speaker 1: classed my daughter's name and the word destruction together, they
27:24
Speaker 1: had better have left the word unspoken. But come forth
27:29
Speaker 1: of the tent, thou old golldragon, he said, with a smile.
27:33
Speaker 1: I should have known that thou canst not long joy
27:37
Speaker 1: in anything that smacks of mirth. God help thee. His
27:42
Speaker 1: summons received no answer, and after waiting a moment, he
27:46
Speaker 1: again addressed her, Nay, never be sullen with me, kinswoman.
27:51
Speaker 1: Though I did speak a hasty word, thou knowest I
27:55
Speaker 1: bear malice to no one, least of all to THEE.
27:58
Speaker 1: So come forth and let us shake hands. Thou mightst
28:02
Speaker 1: have foretold the wreck of my ship and boats, or
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Speaker 1: a bad herring fishery, and I should have said never
28:10
Speaker 1: a word that Minna or Brenda, you know, are things
28:13
Speaker 1: which touch me nearer. But come out, shake hands, and
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Speaker 1: let there be an end on it. Norna returned no
28:22
Speaker 1: answer whatever to his repeated invocations, and the company began
28:27
Speaker 1: to look upon each other with some surprise. When the
28:31
Speaker 1: U Dollar, raising the skin which covered the entrance of
28:34
Speaker 1: the tent, discovered that the interior was empty, the wonder
28:39
Speaker 1: was now general and not unmixed with fear, for it
28:44
Speaker 1: seemed impossible that Norna could have, in any manner escaped
28:49
Speaker 1: from the tabernacle in which she was enclosed without having
28:53
Speaker 1: been discovered by the company. Gone, however, she was, and
28:57
Speaker 1: the U Dollar, after a moment's consideration, dropped the skin
29:02
Speaker 1: curtain again over the entrance of the tent. My friends,
29:06
Speaker 1: he said, with a cheerful countenance, we have long known
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Speaker 1: my kinswoman, and that her ways are not like those
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Speaker 1: of the ordinary folks of this world. But she means
29:18
Speaker 1: well by Hayland, and hath the love of a sister
29:22
Speaker 1: for me and for my house, And no guest of
29:26
Speaker 1: mine needs either to fear evil or to take offense
29:30
Speaker 1: at her hand. I have little doubt she will be
29:34
Speaker 1: with us at dinner time. Now heaven forbid, said missus
29:38
Speaker 1: Babby yellowly. For my good lady gloroam to tell your
29:43
Speaker 1: ladyship the truth. I like no comers that can come
29:48
Speaker 1: and go like a glance of the sun or the
29:51
Speaker 1: whisk of a whirlwind. Speak lower, Speak lower, said the
29:56
Speaker 1: lady Glorom. And be thankful that yon Carlyn hasn't taken
30:01
Speaker 1: the house side away with her. The like of her
30:05
Speaker 1: have played worse pranks, and so has she herself, unless
30:09
Speaker 1: she is the sore light on. Similar murmurs ran through
30:14
Speaker 1: the rest of the company until the U Dollar uplifted
30:17
Speaker 1: his stentorian and imperative voice to put them to silence,
30:22
Speaker 1: and invited, or rather commanded the attendants of his guests
30:27
Speaker 1: to behold the boats set off for the hoff or
30:30
Speaker 1: deep sea fishing. The wind has been high since sunrise,
30:35
Speaker 1: he said, and had kept the boats in the bay,
30:38
Speaker 1: but now it was favorable and they would sail immediately.
30:43
Speaker 1: This sudden alteration of the weather occasioned sundry nods and
30:47
Speaker 1: winks amongst the guests, who were not indisposed to connect
30:52
Speaker 1: it with Norna's sudden disappearance, but without giving vent to
30:56
Speaker 1: observations which could not but be disagreeable to their host,
31:01
Speaker 1: they followed his stately step to the shore, as the
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Speaker 1: herd of deer follows the leading stag, with all manner
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Speaker 1: of respectful observance. End of Chapter one,