Yet in the end she found him. She heard
him not, she saw him not, she knew not where he was, but undoubtedly for a
while she was with him, and awoke again, exhausted, but very happy.
Nya heard her story, weighing every word of it but saying nothing. Then
she signed to the dwarfs to bring her a bowl of dew, and stared in it for
a long while. The dwarf-women also stared into their bowls, and afterwards
came to her, talking to her on their fingers, after which all three of
them upset the dew upon a rock, "breaking the pictures."
"Hast thou seen aught?" asked Rachel eagerly.
"Yes, Maiden," answered the mother. "I and these wise women have seen
something, the same thing, and therefore a true thing. But ask not what it
was, for we may not tell thee, nor would it help thee if we did. Only be
of a good courage, for this I say, there is hope for thee."
So Rachel went to sleep, pondering on these words, of which neither she
nor Noie could guess the meaning. The next night when she prayed Nya to
lay the spell upon her, the old Mother would not.
"Not so," she said. "Thrice have I rent thy soul from thy body and sent it
afar, and this I may do no more and keep thee living, nor could I if I
would, for I grow feeble. Neither is it necessary, seeing that although
thou knowest it not, that spirit of thine, having found him, is with him
wherever he may be, yes, at his side comforting him.
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