Came he then to Birdalone and took his two hands about
her head, and lifted her face unto him, and kissed
it kindly, as a father might kiss a daughter, and
said: Farewell, dear child, and take heed to
the word that Arthur spake yesterday, and go not from
the castle even a little way save with good and sure
company.
Then came Hugh to her, and took her hand somewhat
timidly; but she put up her face to him in simple
wise, and he kissed either cheek of her, and said
no more than: Farewell, Birdalone!
Lastly came Arthur, and stood before her a little;
and then he knelt down on the stones before her and
kissed her feet many times, and she shuddered and
caught her breath as they felt his kisses; but neither
he nor she spake a word, and he stood up and turned
away at once toward the Sending Boat, and boarded
her first of the three; and the others followed straightway.
Thereafter the Champions bared each an arm, and let
blood flow thence into a bowl, and reddened stem and
stern of their barge, and then all three spake the
spell together thus, as Birdalone had taught them:
The red raven-wine now
Hast thou drunk, stern and bow:
Wake then, and awake,
And the northern way take!
The way of the Wenders forth over the flood,
For the will of the Senders is blent with the blood.
Went all as before thereafter, that the Sending Boat
stirred under them, and then turned about and pointed
her bows to the northward, and sped swiftly over the
waters. It was a fair sunny day, with no cloud,
nought save the summer haze lying on the lake far away.
Birdalone stood watching the speeding of the boat,
till she could see it no longer, not even as a fleck
on the face of the waters. Then she turned away
and went toward her chamber, saying to herself that
the sundering was easier to bear than she had deemed
it would be, and that she had a many things to do
that day. But when she came into her chamber,
and shut the door, she looked about her on the things
which had grown so familiar to her in these few latter
days, and she stood watching the bright sunshine that
streamed across the floor and lay warm upon her feet;
then she took three steps toward the window, and saw
the lake lying all a-glitter under the sun, and her
heart failed her withal, and she had no might so much
as to think about her sorrow and caress it, but fell
down where she was swooning on to the floor, and lay
there, while all the house began to stir about her.
Here ends the Third Part of the Water of the Wondrous
Isles, which is called Of the Castle of the Quest,
and begins the fourth Part of the said tale, which
is called Of the Days of Abiding.
Now came Birdalone to herself, and that was but little
joy unto her, and she yet lay still on the floor for
a while, for she loathed the hour that was to come.
Then the life stirred in her, and whereas she would
not that her women should find her there, she stood
up, and clad herself somewhat more seemly; yet she
did on her black raiment; and determined in her mind
that nought would she wear save black unadorned while
her friends were away.
