Or in playing upon my shepherd's pipe, or in listening to the roar of the sea and the forest.
And Halfred laid my head upon his broad breast, and folded both his arms around it, and laid his hand upon it, and was still and silent for a long time.
And I brought him water to drink from the fountain, and milk from my flock; and would have drawn the stone from the wound, but he said--
"Leave it, my dear son--the end draws near.
"But I feel the band taken away from my brain, which for many many years has pressed upon it.
"And all becomes clear and bright to my thoughts. I can see inwardly again how all has been, now that I can no longer see outward things.
"And for thee, and for myself, before I die, I will set forth clearly and exactly how all has been. Give me once again milk from thy flock to drink."
And I gave him to drink, and he laid his head again upon my knee, and began to tell me, quite clearly and distinctly, all that had come to pass since that midsummer night.
And from his lips have I learned all, onward from that midsummer night, which in the earlier pages of this book I have written out. And much have I also learned from him, of those earlier times of which my foster parents could know nothing.
And I have kept it all in faithful remembrance.
And as the evening fell he came to the end of his account, and he said,
"Lay my face so that once more the sun shall shine upon it. Fain would I feel the dear Lord once again."
"It must certainly be spring. A perfume of wild roses floats to me."
And I told him that he lay under a blooming rose-bush.
And then a blackbird raised his sweet song from the bush.
"Thus I hear once more the blackbird's evening song," said Halfred.
"Now farewell all. Sun and sea, forest and stars of heaven, wild rose perfume, and songs of birds; and farewell to thee, my dear son. I thank thee that thou hast released me from madness, and an evil life.
"I can, to requite thee, as all my heritage, leave thee only this hammer. Guard it faithfully.
"Whether there be Gods--I know not. Methinks that men can never search it out. But I tell thee, my son, whether Gods live or not, hammer throwing, and harp playing, and sunshine, and the kiss of woman, these are the rewards of life.