[Dynamicpower-devel] world,

[Schueth <fa...@fa...>]

Tones we sat down side by side. And now she shows me two of my smaller
shells, and dipping hers into the stew I did the like, and though we had
no salt (the which set my wits at work) and though we lacked for bread,
a very excellent meal we made of it, and the moon shedding its glory all
about us. The meal done, and while she cleansed the things at a rill
that murmured hard by, I made up the fire (for after the heat of the
day, night struck chill) and by the time she came back I had the flame
crackling merrily. And now as she sat over against me on the stone, I
saw she had been weeping. And she, knowing I saw this, nodded her head,
scorning all subterfuge. "I feared you had met with some mischance and
lay hurt, Martin--or worse--" "You mean dead?" "Aye, dead." "Would it
have mattered so much?" "Only that I should have died likewise!"
"Because of the loneliness?" says I. "Indeed," she sighed, staring into
the fire, "because of the loneliness." "I serve some purpose, then, in
the scheme of things?" "Yes, Martin, you teach a woman how, even in this
desolation, being weak and defenceless she may trust to a man's honour
and find courage and great comfort in his strength. 'Twas foolish of me
to be horror-struck at your stained garments when you had been slaying
that I might eat." "'Tis all forgot!" says I, hastily. "And as for the
murders on the ship--O Martin, as if you might ever make me belie