Chapter Text
Bítelice cealde hæfde gébeon séo Níewe-York niht, and in his hléor Jim gefélde þá hǽte cerran þá hwíle þe hé niþerstág þá hlædre tó þám cléafan. Hé gehogde þæt séo hwelcnes fremdestu be þisse wyrde næs geeardian in ǽrnesse, ac wæs geeardian in tunglum. Hwæðer hé þæt gefrige lícode oððe ne lícode, hé ne tócnéow. gefélenne weorold-candele and wind-rǽs on his hýde þanécan hé lǽfde of hira flet-ræstum—geséonne morgen-steorran and ǽfen-steorran in morgnum and in ǽfennum, and ne geséonne híe swá eald-gesíþas þá hwíle þe þá Geornness geláþ ofer þá úlerád—þæt héo wæs hám hé hæfde gewitan; hé hæfde ne gewitan swá ungelíc wæs Eorþe.
“Séo Edith céolere bið un-gefræge mægþ, Léof Spock,” cwæð hé þá hwíle þe hé un-scrýdde his cyrtel.
“Sóðlíce, mín héafod,” cwæð Spock. Ne forþlócode hé, ac hé ofstód his líegetuláde besmiþian. “For hire hygecræfte ic wæs forsǽtad.”
“Héo frægn gif in campe wit wǽron geador,” cwæð Jim. Hé hæfde gemynted wesan þá gewyrde pleglic, ac þá word þúhte tó him wlacu. Hé nisse hwá.
“Undóm selden,” cwæð Spock. Tó Jim hé lætemest lócode. “Geald hæfde hire riht-gescéad gehríne séo ǽghwǽrnes campes æt þisse þrage in stǽre Eorþe.”
“Geald,” cwæð Jim. Þá éagan Spockes hine geunstildon, ac hé nisse hwá ne þæt.
Be Spocke se stól æmtig wæs. Jim þreodode, þá besæt. Næs micel gerúm be þǽre weorc-bence. McCoy wolde cweden þæt Wélandingas hæfdon ceald blód, ac earm Spockes, onhrínende his, wæs wearm, þéah wearm geond his wyllenum hemeþe. Hé hæfde béonde hebbende isern-styccu innan his searwe, ac nú hæfde gestilled his hand.
“Séo is hwæt-hwára gelíce uncer Læce McCoy heard-sǽligum,” sófte cwæð Jim. “Séon morþor-cwealm gehwǽr ymbþringende.”
Hé wæs eallmǽst glæd—næs frum-cyrr—þæt ne meahte frignan Spocke gif hé mearn. Nealles þúhte fremde for be him sittan, bescéawiende, mearciende gelíc wegférend wolde mearcian fuglas: séo stifnes his eaxla brádra, his forþ-heald héafod hræfnsweart. Séo uncúþness and cúþness his gehendnyse. Þæt hrægl þæt hé hæfde stolen for Spocke—þǽt cearfulíce fealden grǽg in þám sweor-cláþe, þá fieldas in slífan—for him, gefélde hé þæt seah hé níewan léodan, ungelícan léodan. Nese, nese, þes næs riht.
“Hwíl-tidum ácast þú, Léof Spock,” cwæð hé, “gif hwelc gelicness uncer hæbbe fore-drogen þis?”
“Séo wyrd mín wyrcende gemyndelice líegetuláde of ofer-isernum and æfter forgietende þæt cunnunga,” cwæð Spock, “genéahlice tweógendlic bið swá béon unnytwierþu.”
Þæt ne gehygd Jimes hæfde wesan. Án wæs séo ansíen wlites Spockes, wlite hwæs and hoga, cúþ and geswǽs lád ofer gehǽmum tunglum gelic.
“Ne mynte ic wyrcende þone rím-wyrhtan,” cwæð hé.
“Ic nisse of hwæt þú trahtast, mín héafod,” cwæð Spock.
Náwðer eall næs Jim—ac his án syndrige mód-geþanc wisse sóþe, wisse swíþe, and hit wolde gefrægen. Þá eall-swá hé ne hit cwiþ, þéah hit cwiþ, Edith céolere tó him hæfde cweden.
“Ic trahtige án þæt gif wit wunoden in géarum gefyrnum,” cwæð hé, “in géardagum, in náthwelc orleghwíle Eorþan—ic sméage mé on þám naman þám wit hæfden unc áháten. Þám weorce wit hæfden wohrt.”
“Gif in orleghwílum Eorþan wunoden wit, mín héafod, náhwǽr geméted wit hæfden,” cwæð Spock. Niþerstigon eft his handa in þæt searu. Jim bescéawode tó hira styringe, lang-gefingeredum and warum.
“Witodlice, Léof Spock,” cwæð hé. “Án elhygd wæs.”
Hé ástód and gráp Spockes eaxle. “Þú scealt slǽpan,” hé cwæð. “Ic þearf þé béon hál þæt þú meaht lǽdan ús hám.”
Ne forþlócode Spock, ac hé hóf his hand þæt his fingras hrinon for-leóhtlice ofer fingras Jimes.
“Gyse, mín fréa,” hé cwæð.