The Roots of the Mountains | Page 8

wont? But here
comes my mate of the kettle, and the women and lads. Sit down by the
hearth away from their hurry, and I will fetch thee the hand-water.'
The young man sat down, and Kettel took up the venison and went his
ways toward the door at the lower end of the hall; but ere he reached it
it opened, and a noisy crowd entered of men, women, boys, and dogs,
some bearing great wax candles, some bowls and cups and dishes and
trenchers, and some the boards for the meal.
The young man sat quiet smiling and winking his eyes at the sudden
flood of light let into the dark place; he took in without looking at this
or the other thing the aspect of his Fathers' House, so long familiar to
him; yet to-night he had a pleasure in it above his wont, and in all the
stir of the household; for the thought of the wood wherein he had
wandered all day yet hung heavy upon him. Came one of the girls and
cast fresh brands on the smouldering fire and stirred it into a blaze, and
the wax candles were set up on the dais, so that between them and the
mew-quickened fire every corner of the hall was bright. As aforesaid it
was long and narrow, over-arched with stone and not right high, the
windows high up under the springing of the roof-arch and all on the
side toward the street; over against them were the arches of the
shut-beds of the housemates. The walls were bare that evening, but folk
were wont to hang up hallings of woven pictures thereon when feasts
and high-days were toward; and all along the walls were the
tenter-hooks for that purpose, and divers weapons and tools were
hanging from them here and there. About the dais behind the
thwart-table were now stuck for adornment leavy boughs of oak now
just beginning to turn with the first frosts. High up on the gable wall

above the tenter-hooks for the hangings were carven fair imagery and
knots and twining stems; for there in the hewn atone was set forth that
same image with the rayed head that was on the outside wall, and he
was smiting the dragon and slaying him; but here inside the house all
this was stained in fair and lively colours, and the sun-like rays round
the head of the image were of beaten gold. At the lower end of the hall
were two doors going into the butteries, and kitchen, and other
out-bowers; and above these doors was a loft upborne by stone pillars,
which loft was the sleeping chamber of the goodman of the house; but
the outward door was halfway between the said loft and the hearth of
the hall.
So the young man took the shoes from his feet and then sat watching
the women and lads arraying the boards, till Kettel came again to him
with an old woman bearing the ewer and basin, who washed his feet
and poured the water over his hands, and gave him the towel with fair-
broidered ends to dry them withal.
Scarce had he made an end of this ere through the outer door came in
three men and a young woman with them; the foremost of these was a
man younger by some two years than the first-comer, but so like him
that none might misdoubt that he was his brother; the next was an old
man with a long white beard, but hale and upright; and lastly came a
man of middle-age, who led the young woman by the hand. He was
taller than the first of the young men, though the other who entered
with him outwent him in height; a stark carle he was, broad across the
shoulders, thin in the flank, long-armed and big-handed; very noble and
well-fashioned of countenance, with a straight nose and grey eyes
underneath a broad brow: his hair grown somewhat scanty was done
about with a fillet of golden beads like the young men his sons. For
indeed this was their father, and the master of the House.
His name was Iron-face, for he was the deftest of weapon-smiths, and
he was the Alderman of the Dalesmen, and well-beloved of them; his
kindred was deemed the noblest of the Dale, and long had they dwelt in
the House of the Face. But of his sons the youngest, the new- comer,
was named Hall-face, and his brother the elder Face-of-god; which

name was of old use amongst the kindred, and many great men and
stout warriors had borne it aforetime: and this young man, in great love
had he been gotten, and in much hope had he been reared, and therefore
had he been named