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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13438-0.txt b/13438-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3c6d90 --- /dev/null +++ b/13438-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10738 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13438 *** + + A KING'S COMRADE: + +A Story of Old Hereford, + +by Charles W. Whistler + + PREFACE. + + INTRODUCTORY. + + CHAPTER I. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO ENGLAND. + + CHAPTER II. HOW WILFRID KEPT A PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND + + CHAPTER III. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT THE ATHELING. + + CHAPTER IV. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH + + CHAPTER V. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT FOLK, AND OTHERS. + + CHAPTER VI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH ETHELBERT THE KING. + + CHAPTER VII. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY BEGAN WITH PORTENTS. + + CHAPTER VIII. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO THE PALACE OF SUTTON. + + CHAPTER IX. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN WOVE HER PLOTS. + + CHAPTER X. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL LOST HIS NAME AS A GOOD + + CHAPTER XI. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING WENT TO HIS REST. + + CHAPTER XII. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN HAD HER WILL. + + CHAPTER XIII. HOW WILFRID AND ERLING BEGAN THEIR SEARCH. + + CHAPTER XIV. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH CARE THRUST ON HIM. + + CHAPTER XV. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS REWARDED. + + CHAPTER XVI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE MORE WITH OFFA. + + CHAPTER XVII. HOW WILFRID AND HIS CHARGE MET JEFAN THE + + CHAPTER XVIII. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE GUARDED HIS GUESTS. + + CHAPTER XIX. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME TO WESSEX. + + + +PREFACE. + + +Hereford Cathedral bears the name of Ethelbert of East Anglia, king +and martyr, round whose death, at the hands of the men of Offa of +Mercia, this story of his comrade centres, and dates its foundation +from Offa's remorse for the deed which at least he had not +prevented. In the sanctuary itself stands an ancient battered +statue--somewhat hard to find--of the saint, and in the pavement +hard by a modern stone bears a representation of his murder. The +date of the martyrdom is usually given as May 20, 792 A.D. + +A brief mention of the occurrence is given under that date in the +"Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," and full details are recorded by later +historians, Matthew of Westminster and Roger of Wendover being the +most precise and full. The ancient Hereford Breviary preserves +further details also, for which I am indebted to my friend the Rev. +H. Housman, B.D., of Bradley. + +These authorities I have followed as closely as possible, only slightly +varying the persons to whom the portents, so characteristic of the +times, occurred, and referring some--as is quite possible, without +detracting from their significance to men of that day--to natural +causes. Those who searched for the body of the king are unnamed by the +chroniclers, and I have, therefore, had no hesitation in putting the +task into the hands of the hero of the tale. The whole sequence of +events is unaltered. + +Offa's own part in the removal of the hapless young king is given +entirely from the accounts of the chroniclers, and the characters +of Quendritha the queen and her accomplice Gymbert are by no means +drawn here more darkly than in their pages. The story of her voyage +and finding by Offa is from Brompton's Annals. + +The first recorded landing of the Danes in Wessex, with which the +story opens, is from the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle;" the name of the +sheriff, and the account of the headstrong conduct which led to his +end, being added from Ethelwerd. The exact place of the landing is +not stated; but as it was undoubtedly near Dorchester, it may be +located at Weymouth with sufficient probability. For the reasons +which led to the exile of Ecgbert, and to his long stay at the +court of Carl the Great, the authority is William of Malmesbury. +The close correspondence between the Mercian and Frankish courts +is, of course, historic--Offa seeming most anxious to ally himself +with the great Continental monarch, if only in name. The position +of the hero as an honoured and independent guest at the hall of +Offa would certainly be that assigned to an emissary from Carl. + +With regard to the proper names involved, I have preferred to use +modern forms rather than the cumbrous if more correct spelling of +the period. The name of the terrible queen, for example, appears on +her coins as "Cynethryth," and varies in the pages of the +chroniclers from "Quendred" to the form chosen as most simple for +use today. And it has not seemed worth while to substitute the +ancient names of places for those in present use which sufficiently +retain their earlier form or meaning. + +The whole story of King Ethelbert's wooing and its disastrous +ending is a perfect romance in all truth, without much need for +enhancement by fiction, and perhaps has its forgotten influence on +many a modern romance, by the postponement of a wedding day until +the month of May--so disastrous for him and his bride--has passed. + +C. W. WHISTLER. + +STOCKLAND, 1904. + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +A shore of dull green and yellow sand dunes, beyond whose low tops +a few sea-worn pines and birch trees show their heads, and at whose +feet the gray sea hardly breaks in the heavy stillness that comes +with the near thunder of high summer. The tide is full and nearing +the turn, and the shore birds have gone elsewhere till their food +is bared again at its falling. Only a few dotterels, whose eggs lie +somewhere near, run and flit, piping, to and fro, for a boat and +two men are resting at the very edge of the wave as if the ebb +would see them afloat again. + +Armed men they are, too, and the boat is new and handsome, graceful +with the beautiful lines of a northern shipwright's designing. She +has mast and sail and one steering oar, but neither rowlocks nor +other oars to fit in them. One of the men is pacing quietly up and +down the sand, as if on the quarterdeck of a ship, and the other +rests against the boat's gunwale. + +"Nigh time," says one, glancing at the fringe of weed which the +tide is beginning to leave. + +"Ay, nigh, and I would it were past and over. It is a hard doom." + +"No harder than is deserved. The doom ring and the great stone had +been the end in days which I can remember. That was the old Danish +way." + +The other man nods. + +"But the jarl is merciful, as ever." + +"When one finds a coiled adder, one slays it. One does not say, +'Bide alive, because I saw you too soon to be harmed by you.' Mercy +to the beast that might be, but not to the child who shall some day +set his hand on it." + +"Eh, well! The wind is off shore, and it is a far cry to succour, +and Ran waits the drowning." + +"I know not that Ran cares for women." + +"Maybe a witch like herself. They are coming!" + +Now through a winding gap in the line of dunes comes from inland a +little company of men and women, swiftly and in silence. The two +men range themselves on either bow of the boat, and stand at +attention as the newcomers near them, and so wait. Maybe there are +two-score people, led by a man and woman, who walk side by side +without word or look passing between them. The man is tall and +handsome, armed in the close-knit ring-mail shirt of the Dane, with +gemmed sword hilt and golden mountings to scabbard and dirk, and +his steel helm and iron-gray hair seem the same colour in the +shadowless light of the dull sky overhead. One would set his age at +about sixty years. + +But the woman at his side is young and wonderfully lovely. She is +dressed in white and gold, and her hair is golden as the coiled +necklace and armlets she wears, and hangs in two long plaits far +below her knees, though it is looped in the golden girdle round her +waist. Fastened to the girdle hangs the sheath of a little dagger, +but there is no blade in it. She is plainly of high rank, and +unwedded. Now her fair face is set and hard, and it would almost +seem that despair was written on it. + +After those two the other folk seem hardly worth a glance, though +they are richly dressed, and the men are as well armed as the jarl +their leader. Nor do they seem to have eyes for any but those two +at their head, and no word passes among them. Their faces also are +set and hard, as if they had somewhat heavy to see to, and would +fain carry it through to the end unflinching. + +So they come to the edge of the sea, where the boat waits them, and +there halt; and the tall jarl faces the girl at his side, and +speaks to her in a dull voice, while the people slowly make a half +circle round them, listening. + +"Now we have come to the end," he says, "and from henceforth this +land shall know you and the ways of you no more. There were other +dooms which men had thought more fitting for you, but they were +dooms of death. You shall not die at our hands. You are young, and +you have time to bethink you whither the ways you have trodden +shall lead you. If the sea spares you, begin life afresh. If it +spares you not, maybe it is well. No others shall be beguiled by +that fair face of yours. The Norns heed not the faces of men." + +He pauses; but the girl stands silent, hand locked in hand, and +with no change of face. Nor does she look at her accuser, but gazes +steadily out to the still sea, which seems endless, for there is no +line between sea and sky in the hot haze. For all its exceeding +beauty, hers is an evil face to look on at this time. And the women +who gaze on her have no pity in their eyes, nor have the men. + +Once again the great jarl speaks, and his words are cold and +measured. + +"Also, I and our wisest hold that what you have tried to compass +was out of the longing for power that ever lies in the heart of +youth. We had done no more than laugh thereat had you been content +to try to win your will with the ancient wiles of woman that lie in +beauty and weakness. But for the evil ways in which you have +wrought the land is accursed, and will be so as long as we suffer +you. Go hence, and meet elsewhere what fate befalls you. In the +skill you have in the seaman's craft is your one hope. We leave it +you." + +Then, without a word of answer or so much as a look aside, the girl +of her own accord steps into the boat; and at a sign from their +lord the two men launch her from the shelving sand into the sea, +following her, knee deep, among the little breakers that hardly +hinder their steps. They see that in her look is deepest hate and +wrath, but they pay no heed to it. And even as their hands leave +the gunwale, the girl goes to the mast, and with the skill and ease +of long custom hoists the sail, and so making fast the halliard +deftly, comes aft again to ship the steering oar, and seat herself +as the breeze wakes the ripples at the bow and the land slips away +from her. She has gone, and never looks back. + +Then a sort of sigh whispers among the women folk on shore; but it +is not as a sigh of grief, but rather as if a danger had passed +from the land. They know that the boat must needs drive but as the +wind takes her, for oars wherewith to row against it are none, and +the long summer spell of seaward breezes has set in. The jarl folds +his arms and bides still in his place, and the two men still stand +in the water, watching. And so the boat and its fair burden of +untold ill fades into the mist and grows ghostly, and is lost to +sight; and across the dunes the clouds gather, and the thunder +mutters from inland with the promise of long-looked-for rain to a +parched and starving folk. + +* * * * + +Through the long summer morning Offa, the young King of Mercia, has +hunted across the rich Lindsey marshes which lie south of the +Humber; and now in the heat of the noon he will leave his party +awhile and ride with one thane only to the great Roman bank which +holds back the tides, and seek a cool breath from the salt sea, +whose waves he can hear. So he sets spurs to his great white steed, +and with the follower after him, rides to where the high sand dunes +are piled against the bank, and reins up on their grassy summit, +and looks eastward across the most desolate sands in all England, +gull-haunted only. + +"Here is a marvel," he cries, turning to his thane. "Many a time +have I hunted along this shore, but never before have I seen the +like of this here." + +He laughs, and points below him toward the sand, and his thane +rides nearer. The tide has crept almost to the foot of the ancient +sea wall, and gently rocking on it lies a wondrously beautiful boat +with red and white sail set, but with no man, or aught living +beyond the white terns which hover and swoop about it, to be seen. + +"'Tis a foreign boat," says the thane. "Our folk cannot frame such +an one as this. Doubtless she has broken her line from astern of +some ship last night, and so has been wafted hither." + +"Men do not tow a boat with her sail set," laughs the king. "Let us +go and see her." + +So they ride shoreward across the dunes, and ever the breeze edges +the boat nearer and nearer, till at last she is at rest on the edge +of the tide, lifting now and then as some little wave runs beneath +her sharp stern. For once the North Sea is still, and even the +brown water of the Humber tides is blue across the yellow sands. + +The horses come swiftly and noiselessly across the strand, but the +white steed of the king is restless as he nears the boat, sniffing +the air and tossing his head. The king speaks to him, thinking that +it is the swinging sail which he pretends to fear. And then the +horse starts and almost rears, for at the sound of the clear voice +there rises somewhat from the hollow of the little craft, and the +king himself stays in amaze. + +For he sees before him the most wondrously beautiful maiden his +eyes have rested on, golden-haired and blue-eyed, wan and weary +with the long voyage from the far-off shore, and holding out to him +piteous hands, blistered with the rough sheet and steering oar. She +says naught, but naught is needed. + +"Lady," he says, doffing his gold-circled cap, "have no fear. All +is well, and you are safe. Whence come you?" + +But he has no answer, for the maiden sinks back into the boat +swooning. Then in all haste the king sends his thane for help to +the party they have left; and so he sits on the boat's gunwale and +watches the worn face pityingly. + +Now come his men, and at his word they tend the maiden with all +care, so that very soon she revives again, and can tell her tale. +Beyond the hunger and thirst there has indeed been little hardship +to a daughter of the sea in the summer weather, for the breeze has +been kindly and steady, and the boat stanch and swift. There has +been rain too, gentle, and enough to stave off the utmost thirst. + +All this she tells the king truly; and then he must know how she +came to lose her own shore. And at that she weeps, but is ready. In +the long hours she has conned every tale that may be made, and it +is on her lips. + +She is the orphan daughter of a Danish jarl, she says, and her +father has been slain. She has been set adrift by the chief who has +taken her lands, for her folk had but power to ask that grace for +her. He would have slain her, but that they watched him. Doubtless +he had poisoned their minds against her, or they would not have +suffered thus far of ill to her even. Otherwise she cannot believe +so ill of them. It is all terrible to her. + +And so, with many tears, she accounts for her want of oars, and +provides against the day when some chapman from beyond seas shall +know her and tell the tale of her shame. At the end she weeps, and +begs for kindness to an outcast pitifully. + +There is no reason why men should not believe the tale, and told +with those wondrous tear-dimmed eyes on them, they doubt not a word +of it. It is no new thing that a usurper should make away with the +heiress, and doubtless they think her beauty saved her from a worse +fate. + +So in all honour the maiden is taken to Lincoln, and presently +given into the care of one of the great ladies of the court. + +But as they ride homeward with the weary maiden in the midst of the +company, Offa the king is silent beyond his wont, so that the thane +who rode yonder with him asks if aught is amiss. + +"Naught," answers Offa. "But if it is true that men say that none +but a heaven-sent bride will content me, maybe this is the one of +whom they spoke." + +Now, if it was longing for power and place which had tempted this +maiden to ill in the old home, here she sees her way to more than +her wildest dream plain before her; and she bends her mind to +please, and therein prospers. For when wit and beauty go hand in +hand that is no hard matter. So in no long time it comes to pass +that she has gained all she would, and is queen of all the Mercian +land, from the Wash to the Thames, and from Thames to Trent, and +from Severn to the Lindsey shore; for Offa has wedded her, and all +who see her rejoice in his choice, holding her as a heaven-sent +queen indeed, so sweetly and lowly and kindly she bears herself. +Nor for many a long year can she think of aught which would bring +her more power, so that even she deems that the lust of it is dead +within her. Only for many a year she somewhat fears the coming of +every stranger from beyond the sea lest she may be known, until it +is certain that none would believe a tale against their queen. + +Yet when that time comes there are old counsellors of the Witan who +will say among themselves that they deem Quendritha the queen the +leader and planner of all that may go to the making great the +kingdom of the Mercians; and there are one or two who think within +themselves that, were she thwarted in aught she had set her mind +on, she might have few scruples as to how she gained her ends. But +no man dare put that thought into words. + + + +CHAPTER I. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO ENGLAND. + + +Two fair daughters had Offa, the mighty King of Mercia, and +Quendritha his queen. The elder of those two, Eadburga, was wedded +to our Wessex king, Bertric, in the year when my story begins, and +all men in our land south of the Thames thought that the wedding +was a matter of full rejoicing. There had been but one enemy for +Wessex to fear, besides, of course, the wild Cornish, who were of +no account, and that enemy was Mercia. Now the two kingdoms were +knit together by the marriage, and there would be lasting peace. + +Wherefore we all rejoiced, and the fires flamed from the hilltops, +and in the towns men feasted and drank to the alliance, and dreamed +of days of unbroken ease to come, wherein the weapons, save always +for the ways of the border Welsh, should rust on the wall, and the +trodden grass of the old camps of the downs on our north should +grow green in loneliness. And that was a good dream, for our land +had been torn with war for overlong--Saxon against Angle, +Kentishman against Sussexman, Northumbrian against Mercian, and so +on in a terrible round of hate and jealousy and pride, till we +tired thereof, and the rest was needed most sorely. + +And in that same year the shadow of a new trouble fell on England, +and none heeded it, though we know it over well now--the shadow of +the coming of the Danes. My own story must needs begin with that, +for I saw its falling, and presently understood its blackness. + +I had been to Winchester with my father, Ethelward the thane of +Frome Selwood, to see the bringing home of the bride by our king, +and there met a far cousin of ours, with whom it was good to enjoy +all the gay doings of the court for the week while we were there. +He belonged to Dorchester, and taking as much fancy to my company +as a man double his age can have pleasure in the ways of a lad of +eighteen, he asked me to ride home with him, and so stay in his +house for a time, seeing the new country, and hunting with him for +a while before I went home. And my father being very willing that I +should do so, I went accordingly, and merry days on down and in +forest I had with Elfric the thane, this new-found cousin of ours. + +So it came to pass that one day we found ourselves on the steep of +a down whence we could overlook the sea and the deep bay of +Weymouth, with the great rock of Portland across it; and the width +and beauty of that outlook were wonderful to me, whose home was +inland, in the fair sunshine of late August. We had come suddenly +on it as we rode, and I reined up my horse to look with a sort of +cry of pleasure, so fair the blue water and dappled sky and +towering headland, grass and woodland and winding river, leaped on +my eyes. And in the midst of the still bay three beautiful ships +were heading for the land, the long oars rising and falling +swiftly, while the red and white striped sails hung idly in the +calm. One could see the double of each ship in the water, broken +wonderfully by the ripple of the oars, and after each stretched a +white wake like a path seaward. + +My cousin stayed his horse also with a grip of the reins that +brought him up short, and he also made an exclamation, but by no +means for the same reason as myself. + +"Ho!" he said, "what are these ships?" + +Then he set his hand to his forehead and looked long at them from +under it, while I watched them also, unknowing that there was +anything unusual in the sight for one who lived so near the sea and +the little haven of Weymouth below us. + +"Well, what do you think of them?" I asked presently. + +"On my word, I do not know," he answered thoughtfully. "They are no +Frisian traders, and I have never seen their like before. Moreover, +it seems to me that they are full of armed men. See how the sun +sparkles on their decks here and there!" + +But we were too far off to make out more than that, and as we +watched it was plain that the ships would make for the river mouth +and haven. + +"We will ride down and see more of them," said my cousin. "I only +hope--" + +There he stayed his words; but I saw that his face had grown grave +of a sudden, and knew that some heavy thought had crossed his mind. + +"What?" I asked. + +"It must be impossible," he said slowly--"and this is between you +and me--for it seems foolish. But have you heard of the northern +strangers who have harried the Welsh beyond the Severn sea?" + +I had heard of them, of course, for they traded with the Devon men +at times, having settled in towns of their own in Wales beyond the +Severn. It was said that they were heathen, worshipping the same +gods whom our forefathers had worshipped, and were akin to +ourselves, with a tongue not unlike our own at all, and easy to be +understood by us. Also they had fought the Welsh, as we had to +fight them; but one heard of them only as strangers who had naught +to do with us Saxons. + +"Well, then," my cousin said, "suppose these are more of the +northern folk." + +"If they are, they will have come to trade," I said lightly. "But +they will more likely be men from the land across this sea--men +from the land of the Franks, such as we saw at Winchester the other +day." + +"Maybe, maybe," he said. "We shall see presently." + +So we rode on. I dare say we had four miles to go before we came to +the outskirts of Weymouth village, and by that time the ships were +in the haven. By that time also the Weymouth folk were leaving the +place, and that hastily; and before we were within half a mile of +the nearest houses we met two men on horseback, who rode fast on +the road toward Dorchester. + +"What is amiss?" cried my cousin as they neared us. + +The men knew him well, and stayed. + +"Three strange ships in the haven, and their crews ashore armed, +and taking all they can lay their hands on. We are going to the +sheriff; where is he?" + +"Home at Dorchester. Whence are the ships? Have they hurt any one?" + +"We cannot tell whence they are. They speak a strange sort of +English, as it were, like the Northumbrian priest we have. +Red-headed, big men they are, and good-tempered so far, seeing that +none dare gainsay them. But they are most outrageously thievish." + +"What have they taken, then?" + +"Ask the bakers and butchers. Now they are gathering up all the +horses, and they say they are going to drive the cattle." + +"Sheriff's business that, in all truth. Get to him as soon as you +may. I will go and see if I can reason with them meanwhile." + +"Have a care, thane!" they cried, and spurred their horses again. + +Then my cousin turned to me, and his face was grave. + +"Wilfrid," he said, "you had better go with those messengers. I am +going to see if aught can be done; but it sounds bad. I don't like +an armed landing of this sort." + +"No, cousin," I answered. "Let me go with you. It would be hard if +you must send me back, for I would fain see the ships. That talk of +driving the cattle can be naught but a jest." + +"Likely enough," he answered, laughing. "It is no new thing for a +crew to come ashore and clear out the booths of the tradesmen +without troubling to pay offhand. Presently their captains will +come and pay what is asked, grumbling, and there will be no loss to +our folk. As for this talk of taking the horses--well, a sailor +always wants a ride when he first comes ashore, if it is only on an +ass. Then if there is not enough meat ready to hand in the town, no +doubt they would say they would find it for themselves. Well, come +on, and we will see." + +So we rode on, but the laugh faded from the face of my kinsman as +we did so. + +"They have no business to come ashore armed," he said, half to +himself, "and Weymouth folk ought to be used to the ways of seamen +by this time. I don't like it, Wilfrid." + +Nevertheless, we did not stop, and presently came among the first +houses of the village, where there was a little crowd of the folk, +half terrified, and yet not altogether minded to fly. They said +that the strangers were sacking the houses along the water's edge, +but not harming any one. However, they were taking all the ale and +cider casks they could find on board their ships, and never a word +of payment. + +"Do not go near them," said my cousin. "Doubtless some one will pay +presently, and I will go and speak with their head men. Maybe they +can't find any one who can rightly understand their talk." + +"Oh ay," said an old man, "it passes me to know how a thane like +your worship can understand all sorts of talk they use in England. +It is all the likes of us can compass to understand even a Mercian; +but I warrant you would ken what a Northumbrian means easily." + +He shook his head with much wisdom, and we left him grumbling at +the speech of the priest we had already heard of. + +We passed down the straggling shoreward street, and as we neared +the waterside we heard the shouts and laughter of the strangers +plainly enough. And over the houses were the mastheads of their +three ships. One of them had a forked red flag, whereon was a raven +worked in black, so well that it was easy to see what bird it was +meant for. It was the raven of the Danish sea kings, but that meant +naught to us yet. The terror which went before and the weeping that +bided after that flag were yet to come. + +The next thing was that from the haven rode swiftly half a dozen +mounted men toward us, and the first glance told us that here were +warriors whose very war gear was new to us. Three of them had +close-fitting coats of ring mail, and wore burnished round helms of +bronze or steel; while the others, who were also helmed, had +jerkins of buff leather, gilded and cut in patterns on the edges of +the short sleeves and skirts. Their arms were bare, save that one +had heavy golden bracelets above the elbow; and they all wore white +trousers, girt to the leg loosely with coloured cross-gartering, +which reached higher than ours. I had never seen such mail as +theirs, and straightway I began to wonder if I might not buy a suit +from them. + +But most different from any arming of ours was that each had a +heavy axe either in his hand or slung to his saddle, and that their +swords were longer, with very handsome hilts. Only two had spears, +and these were somewhat shorter than ours and maybe heavier. They +were better armed warriors than ever I had seen before, even at +Winchester. + +Some word passed among these men as they saw us; but they came on, +making no sign of enmity of any sort. Perhaps that was because, +being in hunting gear and with naught more than the short sword and +seax one always wears, we had no weapons, and were plainly on +peaceful business. + +And as in spite of their arms they seemed peaceful enough also, my +cousin and I waited for them, so that they pulled up to speak to +us, that man who wore the bracelets being at their head. + +"Friends," said my cousin quietly, as they stared at him, "there is +no war in the land, and we are wont to welcome strangers. No need +for all this weapon wearing." + +"Faith, I am glad to hear it," said the leader, with a grim smile. +"We thought there might be need. There mostly is when we come +ashore." + +One could understand him well enough, if his speech was rougher +than ours. The words were the same, if put together somewhat +differently and with a new way of speaking them. It was only a +matter of thinking twice, as it were, and one knew what he meant. +Also he seemed to understand us better than we him, doubtless by +reason of years of travelling and practice in different tongues of +the northern lands. + +"The arms somewhat terrify our folk," said my cousin, not heeding +the meaning which might lie in the words of the chief. "But I +suppose you have put in for food and water." + +"For ale and beef--that is more like it," said the Dane. "Having +found which we are going away again. The sooner we find it the +better, therefore, and maybe you will be glad to help us to what we +seek." + +"Our folk tell me that you are helping yourselves somewhat freely +already," answered the thane. "One may suppose that, like honest +seamen, you mean to face the reckoning presently." + +"Oh ay, we always pay, if we are asked," answered the chief; and as +he said it he hitched his sword hilt forward into reach in a way +which there was no mistaking. + +"It is a new thing to us that seamen should hint that they will pay +for what they need with the cold steel. We are not such churls as +to withhold what a man would seek in his need." + +"No man ever withholds aught from us, if so be we have set our +minds on it," said the chief, with a great laugh. + +Then he turned to his men, who were all round us by this time, +listening. + +"Here, take these two down to the ships, and see that they escape +not; they will be good hostages." + +In a moment, before we had time so much as to spur our horses, much +less to draw sword, we were seized and pinioned by the men in spite +of the rearing of the frightened steeds. Plainly it was not the +first time they had handled men in that wise. Then, with a warrior +on either side of us, we were hurried seaward; and I thought it +best to hold my tongue, for there was not the least use in +protesting. So also thought my cousin, for he never said a word. + +Along the rough wharves there was bustle and noise enough, for the +place swarmed with the mailed seamen, who had littered the roadway +with goods of all sorts from the houses and merchants' stores, and +were getting what they chose to take across the gang planks into +their ships. Here and there I saw some of our people standing +helpless in doorways, or looking from the loft windows and +stairways; but it was plain that the most of them had fled. There +were several boatloads of them crossing the bay with all speed for +safety. + +Next I saw that at the high stems and sterns of the ships stood +posted men, who seemed to be on watch, leaning on their spears, and +taking no part in the bustle. But every man worked with his arms +ready, and more men who had found horses rode out along the roads +as we came in. They were the pickets who would watch for the +raising of the country, or who would drive in the cattle from the +fields. + +Twice I had seen border warfare with the west Welsh on the Devon +side of our country, and so I knew what these horsemen were about, +or rather guessed it. But at the time all the affair was a confused +medley to me, if I seem to see it plainly now as I look back. Maybe +I saw more from the ships presently, for we were hurried on board, +handed over to the ship guard and there left, while our captors +rode away again. + +I only hoped that when the first messengers reached Beaduheard the +sheriff he would bring force enough with him. But I doubted it. + +The guard took our weapons from us, bound us afresh but not very +tightly, and set us with our backs against the gunwale of the fore +deck of the ship they had us on board, which was that with the +raven flag. Over us towered a wonderful carven dragon's head, +painted green and gilded, and at the stern of the ship rose what +was meant for its carven tail. The other ships had somewhat the +same adornment to their stems and stern posts, but they were not so +high or so handsome. Plainly this was the chief's own ship. + +Now I suppose that the presence of a captive or two was no new +thing to the men, for when they had secured us each to a ring bolt +with a short line, they paid little heed to us, but stood and +talked to one another with hardly a glance in our direction. Seeing +which my cousin spoke to me in a low voice. + +"This is a bad business, Wilfrid," he said. "Poor lad, I am more +than sorry I let you come with me. Forgive me. I ought to have +known that there was danger." + +"Trouble not at all," I said, as stoutly as I could, which is not +saying much. "I wanted to come, and there was no reason to think +that things would go thus. Even now I suppose we shall be let go +presently." + +Elfric shook his head. I could see that he was far more deeply +troubled than he cared to show, and my heart sank. + +"I cannot rightly make it all out," he said. "But these men are +certainly the northern strangers who have harried Wales, even as we +feared." + +"Well," I said, "we shall have the sheriff here shortly." + +"Beaduheard? I suppose so. Little help will be from him. It would +take three days to raise force enough to drive off these men, and +he is headstrong and hot tempered. His only chance is to scare them +away with a show of force, or, at best, to prevent their going +inland after plunder; for that is what they are here for." + +"Maybe they will hold us to ransom." + +"That is the best we can hope for. Of course I will pay yours." + +The bustle went on, and I watched the stowing of the plunder after +this, for I had no more to say. I thought of my father, and of the +trouble he would be in if he knew my plight, and tried to think +what a tale I should have to tell him when I reached home again. + +And then came an old warrior, well armed and handsome, with +iron-gray hair and beard, and he stepped on the deck and looked +curiously at us. + +"Captives, eh?" he said to the men. "Whence came they?" + +"Thorleif sent them in," answered one of the guard. "It was his +word that they would be good hostages." + +As I knew that this man spoke of his chief, it seemed to me that he +was hardly respectful; but I did not know the way of free Danes and +vikings as yet. There was no disrespect at all, in truth, but full +loyalty and discipline in every way. Only it sounded strangely to a +Saxon to hear no term of rank or respect added to the bare name of +a leader. + +Then the old warrior turned toward us, and looked us over again, +and I thought he seemed kindly, and, from his way, another chief of +some rank. + +"I suppose this is your son?" he said to Elfric directly. + +"My young cousin," answered the thane. "Let him go, I pray you; for +he is far from his own folk, and he was in my charge. You may bid +him ride home without a word to any man if you will, and he will +keep the trust." + +The warrior shook his head, but smiled. + +"No, I cannot do that. However, I suppose Thorleif will let you go +by and by. If our having you here saves trouble, you may be +thankful. We are not here to fight if we can help it." + +"Why, then," said Elfric, "unbind us, and we will bide here +quietly. You may take the word of a thane." + +"I have always heard that the word of a Saxon is to be relied on," +said the old warrior, and gave an order to the guard. + +Whereon they freed us, and glad I was to stretch my limbs again, +while my spirits rose somewhat. + +The old chief talked with us for a while after that, and made no +secret of whence the ships had come. It seemed that they were +indeed from Wales, had touched on the south coast of Ireland, and +thence had rounded the Land's End, and, growing short of food, had +put in here. Also, he told us that they had been "collecting +property," and were on the way home to Denmark. He thought they +were the first ships of the Danes to cruise in these waters, and +was proud of it. + +"It is a wondrously fair land of yours here," he said, looking +inland on the rolling downs and forest-hidden valleys. + +"Fairer than your own?" I asked. + +"Surely; else why should we care to leave our homes?" + +"Ho, Thrond!" shouted some man from the wharves, "here are cattle +coming in." + +The old warrior turned and left us, going ashore. Round the turning +of the street inland, whence we came, some of the mounted men were +driving our red cattle from the nearer meadows, and doing it well +as any drover who ever waited for hire at a fair. I saw that they +had great heavy-headed dogs, tall and smooth haired, which worked +well enough, though not so well as our rough gray shepherd dogs. +The ship we were in lay alongside the wooden wharf; and one could +watch all that went on, for the fore deck was high above the busy +crowd ashore. + +I wondered for a few minutes what the Danes would do with the +cattle; but they had no doubt at all. Before old Thrond had reached +them the work of slaughter had begun, and wonderfully fast the men +were carrying the meat on board the ships, heaping it in piles +forward, and throwing the hides over the heaps. I heard one of the +guards say to another that this was a good "strand hewing," that +being their name for this hasty victualling of the ships. + +More cattle came in presently, and sheep also, to be served in the +same way. There were a hundred and fifty men or so on each ship, +and I think that this was the first landing they had made since +they left Ireland, so that they were in need of plenty of stores. + +Then all in the midst of the bustle came the wild note of a war +horn from somewhere inland beyond the town, and in a moment every +man stood still where he happened to be, and listened. Twice again +the note sounded, and a horseman came clattering down to the shore. +He was Thorleif, the chief with whom we had spoken, and he reined +up the horse and lifted his hand, with a short, sharp order of some +kind. + +At that every man dropped what he was carrying, and the men who +were stowing the plunder on board the ships left their work and +hurried ashore, gripping their weapons from where they had set them +against the gunwales. There was a moment's wild hurrying on the +wharves, and then the warriors were drawn up in three lines along +the wharf, across the berths where they had laid the ships, and +facing the landward road. Only the ship guard never stirred. + +"If only we could get our men to form up like these!" said Elfric. +"See, every man knows his place, and keeps it. They are silent +also. Mind you the way of our levies?" + +I did well enough. Never had I seen aught like this. For our folk, +called up from plough and forest hastily--and now and then +only--have never been taught the long lesson of order and readiness +that these men had learned of necessity in the yearly battle with +wind and wave in their ships. Nor had they ever to face a foe any +better ordered than themselves. + +"Is the sheriff at hand?" I said breathlessly. + +"Maybe. I hope not closely." + +Down the street galloped a few more Danes, looking behind them as +they rode. They spoke to Thorleif, and he laughed, and then turned +their horses loose and leaped to their places in the ranks. +Thorleif dismounted also, and paced to and fro, as a waiting seaman +will, with his arms behind him. + +And then came a rush of horsemen, and my cousin gripped my arm, and +cried out in a choked voice: + +"Mercy!" he gasped, "is the man mad?" + +The new horsemen were men of our own from Dorchester. I saw one or +two of Elfric's housecarls among them, and the rest were the +sheriff's own men, with a few franklins who had joined him on the +road. + +At the head of the group rode Beaduheard himself, red and hot with +his ride, and plainly in a rage. His rough brown beard bristled +fiercely, and his hand griped the bridle so that the knuckles were +white. He had armed himself, and his men were armed also, but their +gear showed poorly beside the Danish harness. He had hardly more +than twenty men after him, and I thought he had outridden his +followers who were on foot. + +"O fool!" groaned Elfric. "What is the use of this?" + +But we could do nothing, and watched in anxiety to see what +Beaduheard had in his mind. It was impossible that he could have +ridden in here with no warning of the real danger, as we had ridden +two hours ago, before things had gone so far. Every townsman had +fled long since, and would be making for Dorchester. He must have +met them. + +Now he halted in front of that terrible silent line, while his men +seemed to shrink somewhat as they, too, pulled up. Then he faced +Thorleif as boldly as if he had the army of Wessex behind him, and +spoke his mind. + +"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted in his great voice. "We +can have no breaking of the king's peace here, let me tell you. Set +down those arms, and do your errand here as peaceful merchants, +whereto will be no hindrance. But concerning the lifting of cattle +which has gone on, I must have your leaders brought to Dorchester, +there to answer for the same." + +There was a moment's silence, and then the Danes broke into a great +roar of laughter. Even Thorleif's grim face had a smile on it, and +he set his hand to his mouth, and stroked his long moustache as if +hiding it, while he looked wonderingly at the angry man before him. +But beside me Elfric stamped his foot with impatience, and muttered +curses on the foolhardiness of the sheriff, which, indeed, I +suppose no one understands to this day. + +Some say that he took them for merchants, run wild indeed, but to +be brought to soberness by authority. Others think that finding +himself, as it were, in a wolf's mouth, he was minded to carry it +off with a high hand, seeing no other way out of the danger. But +most think that he had such belief in his own power that he did +indeed look to see these men bow to it, and lay down their arms +then and there. But none will ever know, by reason of what was to +come. + +"Throw down your arms!" he commanded again, when the laughter +ceased. + +His voice shook with rage. + +"Stay!" said Thorleif. "What is your authority?" + +The question was put very courteously, if coldly, and it was common +sense. + +"I am the sheriff of Dorchester. Whence are you that you should +defy the king's officer?" + +"Pardon," said Thorleif. "It is only at this moment that we have +learned that we have so great a man before us. As for your +question, we are hungry Danes who are looking for victuals. It is +our custom to go armed in a strange land, that we may protect our +ships at the least." + +"Trouble not for your ships, for none will harm them," Beaduheard +said, seeming to be somewhat pacified by the quiet way of the +chief. "Set down your arms, and render up yourself and the other +ship captains, and the theft of the cattle and damage here shall be +compounded for at Dorchester." + +Then Thorleif turned to his men and said: + +"You hear what the sheriff says; what is the answer?" + +That came in a crash and rattle of weapons on round shields that +rang over the bay, and sent the staring cattle headlong from where +they had been left at the wharf end, tail in air, down the beach. +There was no doubting what that meant, and Beaduheard, brave man as +he was, if foolish, recoiled. His men were already edging out of +the wide space toward the homeward track, and he glanced at them +and saw it. + +At that he seemed to form some sudden resolve; and calling to them, +he rode straight at Thorleif and griped him by the collar of his +mail shirt, crying that he arrested him in the name of Bertric the +king. Thorleif never struggled, but twisted himself round strongly, +and hauled the sheriff off his horse in a moment, and the two +rolled over and over on the ground, wrestling fiercely. Three or +four of Beaduheard's men rode up to their master's help in haste, +caring naught that a dozen of the Danes had sprung forward. There +was a wild shouting and stamping, and the horses went down as the +axes of the Danes flashed. Two more of the sheriff's men joined in, +and I saw the Danes hew off the points of their levelled spears. +Then into the huddled party of our men who were watching the +fight--still doubting whether they should join in or fly--rode a +dozen Danes from out of the country, axe and sword in hand, driving +them back on the main line of the vikings, and then the fight +seemed to end as suddenly as it began. Two or three horses went +riderless homeward, and that was how Dorchester learned that +Beaduheard the sheriff had met his end. + +The Danes fell back into their places, one or two with wounds on +them; and Thorleif rose up from the ground, shaking his armour into +place, and looking round him on those who lay there. They were all +Saxons. Not one had escaped. + +"Pick up the sheriff," he said to some of his men. "I never saw a +braver fool. Maybe he is not hurt." + +But, however he died, Beaduheard never moved again. Some of the +Danes said that a horse must have kicked him; Thorleif had never +drawn weapon. + +"Pity," said Thorleif. "He was somewhat of a Berserk; but he +brought it on himself." + +Which was true enough, and we knew it. Neither Elfric nor I had a +word to say to each other. The whole fight had sprung up and was +over almost before we knew what was happening. + +Then the Danes mounted the horses of the men who had fallen, caught +the others they had turned loose on the alarm, and were off on +their errands without delay. The ranks fell out, and went back to +their work as if nothing had happened, and the wharf buzzed with +peaceful-seeming noise again. + +That is how the first Danes came to Wessex. Men say that these +three ships were the first Danish vessels that came to all England; +and so it may be, as far as coming on viking raids is concerned. +Wales knew them, and Ireland, and now our turn had come. + + + +CHAPTER II. HOW WILFRID KEPT A PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND RACE. + + +All the rest of that afternoon we two had to bide on the narrow +fore deck of the long ship, watching the pillage of the little +town. Once I waxed impatient, and asked my cousin if we might not +try to escape, seeing that little heed was paid to us, and that our +staying here as hostages had been of no use. But he shook his head, +telling me that until he had spoken with Thorleif or Thrond, to +whom we had passed our word, we must bide; which I saw was right. + +Presently, as the evening began to close in, Thorleif came to us, +and with him was the old chief. After them came a man with food in +plenty in a ship's cauldron, and a leathern jack of ale, which he +set before us as we sat on the coils of rope which were stowed +forward. + +"Welsh mutton and Welsh ale," said Thorleif, smiling. "That is +plunder one may ask a Saxon to share without offence. Fall to, I +pray you." + +There was a rough courtesy in this, at the least intended, and we +were hungry, so we did not delay. And as we ate, the chief spoke +with us plainly. + +"I had hoped," he said, "to manage this raid without fighting, but +I never met so headstrong a man as your sheriff. Truly, I would +have sent him home in peace, if in a hurry, had we been given a +chance, but, as you saw, we had none. Now, if you will, I will send +one of you home to say that if your folk will pay us fair ransom in +coined silver or weighed gold, we will harry no more, and will not +burn the town. One of you shall go at once, and bring me word by +noon at latest tomorrow, while the other shall bide as hostage for +his return. We will do no harm to aught until the time is up." + +"Plain speaking, chief," said Elfric. "If we go, we must not have +more than a reasonable sum named, else will the message be +useless." + +Then they talked of what sum should be named, and in the end agreed +on what was possible, I think; at all events, it was far less than +has been paid to the like force of Danes since. The riches of our +peaceful Wessex were as yet unknown to the vikings, save by +hearsay; indeed, it has been said that these three ships came to +spy out the land. And then came the question as to which of us two +was to go. + +That was ended by Thorleif himself. I said that Elfric should go, +and he was most anxious that I should be freed from the clutches of +the Danes. And as we spoke thereof, neither of us being willing to +give way--for, indeed, it did not seem to me that it mattered much +whether I stayed, while Elfric had his own family, who would be +sorely terrified for him--Thorleif decided it. + +"Elfric the thane must go," he said, "for men will listen to him. +That is the main thing, after all. + +"We will not harm your cousin, thane, and you may be easy in your +mind." + +"Nay," said Thrond, "I think that Dorchester would pay ransom for +the thane willingly. Best let the lad go." + +"This is more a question of ransoming the town and countryside, +foster father," answered Thorleif. "The thane shall go." + +In a quarter of an hour he was gone, the Danes giving him back his +weapons and mounting him on his own horse. He told me that he had +no doubt that I should be freed by noon tomorrow, and so we parted +in good spirits, as far as ourselves were concerned. + +As to the trouble that had fallen on the land, that was another +matter. I did not rightly take it in, but it was heavy on his mind. +For myself, therefore, I was content enough; I had no reason to +think that the Danes were likely to treat me evilly in any way. + +Nor did they. On the other hand, as if I were one of themselves, +they set me by the chief when they made a feast presently, and did +not ask me questions about the country; which was what I feared. +Most likely their riders had learned all they would from others. + +When it grew dark they lighted great fires along the wharves, and +sat by them in their arms, drinking the Weymouth ale, and eating +the Dorset fare they had taken. The ship guards went ashore, and +their places were taken by others, and I saw strong pickets passing +out of the town to guard the ways into it. Thorleif would not risk +aught in the way of safeguard. After that was done, those whose +watch off it was went on board the ships, and slept under the +shelter of the gunwales, wrapped in their thick sea cloaks. They +gave me one, and bade me rest on the after deck by the chiefs; and +in spite of the strangeness of everything I slept dreamlessly, +being tired in mind as well as in body. + +Next morning things were to all seeming much the same. The Danes +had kept their word, and all was peaceful. There being nothing more +in the town left worth taking, they stowed everything carefully, +and made all ready for sailing. And then, halfway between noon and +sunrise, Elfric rode back. + +I did not see him, for he was not suffered to come beyond the line +of outposts, and all that he had to say, of course, I did not know +at the time. One came and told Thorleif that the thane waited to +speak with him, and he was gone from the ships for half an hour +with Thrond. When he came back his face was grimmer than ever, and +a red scar which crossed his forehead was burning crimson. He +stayed to speak to the men on the wharves, and some order he gave +was passed from one to another, and in ten minutes every man had +left the wharves and had passed inland, with him at their head. + +"Ho, that is it!" said one of the ship guard from the deck below +me. + +"What is it?" I asked, for I had been talking to the man in all +friendly wise, of ship and sea and strange lands. + +"Why, your folk will not pay, and so we must needs take payment for +ourselves in the viking's way." + +I said no more, nor did the man. I think he was sorry for me; but +it was not long before he called to me and pointed to the hillside +above the town. On it was a black throng of folk, slowly coming +down toward us. + +"Your people coming to drive us out," he said, laughing a short +laugh. + +Then he and his comrades bustled about the ship, setting every +loose thing in place, until the decks were clear. In the other +ships the guard were at the same work, and at last they cast off +all the shore lines but one at stem and stern. The ships might sail +at the moment their men were on board if they were beaten back. + +About that time the farther houses in Weymouth began to burn, and I +heard the Wessex war cry rise, hoarse and savage, as the foes met. +There were more of our men coming over the hill, and it was good to +me to see that the Danes, who watched as eagerly as I, waxed silent +and anxious. One said that there seemed a many folk hereabout, as +if the gathering against them was more than they cared for. + +Now I did not know what I had best wish for. Sometimes I thought +that if our men were beaten back they might come to terms, and I +should be freed. And it being a thing impossible that I could hope +that Wessex was to be beaten, and next to impossible that I should +so much as imagine she could, I mostly wondered what would happen +to me when the Danes had to seek the ships. But as the noise of the +fight drew nearer, and the black smoke from burning houses grew +thicker, I forgot myself, and only wished I was with Elfric in that +struggle; and at last I could stand it no longer. + +"Let me go, men," I said; "I cannot bide here." + +"We must, and you have to," said the friendly man. "We want to help +as much as you, but here we have to stay. Be quiet." + +"Ay, or we will bind you again," said another man shortly. + +But neither looked toward me; their eyes were on the road inland, +down which we could not see, for it opened at the end of the wharf. + +Now a wounded man or two crawled down that road, and some of the +guard helped them to the ships. They growled fiercely when their +comrades asked how things went, and thereby I knew that it was ill +for the Danes. The houses nearer the wharves were burning one after +another, as they were driven back. + +At last there came a rush of Danes down that road, and into the +seaward houses they went, and fired them. Then they came on board +the ships, and bade the ship guard relieve them at the front. More +than one of those who came thus had slight wounds on them, but they +did not heed them. + +"Keep still, lad," said my friend as he hurried away. "The men are +savage. We are getting the worst of it--not for the first time." + +Savage enough the men were, and I saw that the advice was good; so +I sat down on the steering bench and went on watching. But I was +not long left in peace. The noise of the fight came closer and +closer, and the wounded crept in a piteous stream to us. And then a +man would look to the after line from the ship to the bollard on +the wharf, and leaped on the after deck close to me. + +"Out of the way, you Saxon!" he said savagely, and with that sent +me across the deck with a fierce push which was almost a blow; and +that was the spark which was all I needed to set my smouldering +impatience alight. + +I recovered myself, and without a word hit him fairly in the face +with all my weight behind a good blow from the shoulder, and sent +him spinning in turn. He went headlong over the edge of the raised +deck, and lit among a group of his comrades, thereby saving himself +from what would have been a heavy fall on his head and shoulders. + +"Well hit, Saxon!" shouted a man from the nearest ship, and there +was a great roar of laughter thence. + +However, before his comrades, who had been watching the fires they +had lighted, knew rightly how the man had thus been hurled on them, +and were abusing him for clumsiness, he had his sword out, swearing +to end me; and I suppose he might have done so without any of the +others interfering had they understood the matter. But he was a +heavy man, and mailed moreover; whereby three or four were smarting +under his weight. So they fell on him and held his arm, thinking, +no doubt, that he was resenting their words; which was the saving +of me, for at that moment a roar came from the wharf, and slowly +out of the lane end we had been watching came Thorleif's men. Their +faces were toward the foe, and those who led the retreat were at +work with their bows, shooting over the heads of those before them +at the press which drove them back. And some leader from among +them, with lifted sword, signed to the ship guards to heed the open +end of the wharf, to my right. + +They forgot the little matter on hand, and ran ashore. Then I noted +that on that end of the wharf, where a narrow lane came down to the +water, there was another fight going on, and they had to support +the Danes there. The other end of the wharf was kept by a curve of +the shore, and that was safe. + +Presently all the Danes were back on the water front, and across +the end of the two entrances to its wide space they drew some heavy +wagons, which had been set there in readiness, blocking them. One +could only see now and then what was being done, as the wind +drifted the black smoke aside, for now every house was burning +fiercely. + +Then came a wild and yet orderly rush of the Danes to the ships, +and it was wonderful to see each man get to his post at the oars as +he came. Three men went to each oar port. One had the oar ready for +thrusting outboard, one stood by with his shield ready to protect +the rower, and the other, standing in the midship gangway, had his +bow ready. + +Thrond came on board with the first, and leaped to the steering +deck, where he grasped the tiller, paying no heed to me. His eyes +were on the lane end. I got out of his way, and stood by the stern +post, with my arm round the dragon tail. + +For I saw nothing else to do but to keep quiet. I did not know +rightly whether honour compelled me to stay as a captive still, but +I thought it did. But if not, in one way I could have escaped; for +I had been forgotten, and every man was watching the shore. I could +drop overboard and swim ashore somewhere beyond the reach of the +Danes, being a good swimmer; but as I say, I doubted if I might. So +I stayed, whether wrongly or not I will leave others to decide; but +seeing that I doubted, I think I need not be blamed for doing as I +did. + +One of the houses fell in with a tremendous crash, and an eddying +of smoke and flame across the wharf to leeward. Out of that smother +came running the men who had left the ships just now, stooping and +hiding their blackened faces from the sparks with their shields, +and they too found their posts at once. A dozen came on the after +deck with bows, and lined the shoreward gunwale. + +Hardly had they come on board when the rest came in a rush, +Thorleif being last of all. Behind them the wharf was empty, save +for one man whom an arrow out of the smoke caught up and smote. +Thorleif heard him fall, though in the turmoil of trampling feet I +could not; and he turned back to him, and lifted him as if he had +been a child, and bore him on board. Then the gang planks rattled +in, and the lines were cast off, and the ship began to move. + +Still the wharf was empty. I think the Saxons had been driven back +for a while, and that they did not yet know, so thick was the smoke +of the burning, that the barrier at the end of the lane was +unguarded. + +Now there were five yards between ship and shore--then ten--then +twenty. The oars took the water, and she headed for sea. Out of the +smoke came my people, and ran yelling across the open, and I seemed +to wake up. + +"Thrond," I cried, "I take back my promise. Let me go." + +"Eh!" he said, looking round. + +I was then with my hands on the gunwale, in the act of leaping +overboard, when he reached round and held me fast. + +"Steady, fool!" he said; "you will have a dozen arrows through you. + +"Here, hold him," he said sharply. + +And the men fell on me, binding me deftly with a few turns of a +line, and then troubling themselves no more about me. + +Next moment there was a sharp hiss, and an arrow from the shore +stuck in the deck close to me, and another chipped the tail of the +dragon and glanced into the sea. I mind noting that many another +such splinter had been taken from that stern post, and presently +saw--for I lay on my back, helpless--that a flint arrowhead still +showed itself through a new coat of paint. It was too deeply bedded +to be cut out, or else it was token of some honourable fight. It at +least had come from forward, whereas I thought that most of the +chips had come from astern, as this new one did. It is strange what +little things one will notice when at one's wits' end. + +The shouts ashore grew more faint, and at last were past. The crew +were very silent, but the oars swung steadily, and at last Thorleif +came from the midship gangway and saw me. The weary men laid in the +oars at that moment, and threw themselves down to rest. + +"Ho, Saxon!" he said, "on my word I had forgotten you. Who had you +tied up?" + +"I did," said Thrond. "He said somewhat about taking back a +promise, and wanted to go overboard." + +Thorleif stooped and unbound me, and I thanked him. + +"Well, you won't go overboard now," he said, nodding toward the +shore. + +The great rock of Portland was broad off on our right, and maybe we +were five miles from the nearest shore. Astern--for we were still +heading out to sea--the smoke of burning Weymouth hung black +against the blue sky. It was just such a day as yesterday, fair and +warm, and the land I loved had never seemed so lovely. + +"Let me go, chief," I said; "it is of no use for you to keep me." + +"Why," he answered, "I don't know that it is. But your folk would +pay no ransom, and it would seem foolish if I had let you go +offhand. Not but what your folk have not proved their wisdom, for +they have got rid of us pretty cheaply. Odin! how they swarmed on +us!" + +"Ay," growled Thrond. "I did not dream that so many men could be +gathered in so few hours; but they fought anyhow, and it was only a +matter of numbers. Well, the place is good enough, and it is but a +question of more ships next time." + +"Why did not you try an escape when we were all busy in the fight?" +asked Thorleif, turning to me. "I have lost more than one captive +in that way." + +I told him, and he looked kindly enough at me, and smiled in his +grim way. + +"You were right in saying that a Saxon's word was good, Thrond," he +said. + +"I am sorry we can in no way send you back now. Your cousin did his +best to win his folk to peace--and fought well when he could not. +Nay, he is not hurt, so far as I know." + +"Let me swim ashore, if there is no other way," I said, with a dull +despair on me. + +Thorleif looked at the sea and frowned. + +"I could not do it myself," he said. "There is a swift current +round yon headland. See, it is setting us eastward even now." + +But I did not wait to hear any more; I shook my shoes off, and over +I went. The wake of the swift vessel closed over my head as the men +shouted, and when I came to the surface I looked back once. It +seemed that Thorleif was preventing the men from sending a shower +of arrows after me, but in those few moments a long space of water +had widened between us; and I doubt whether they would have hit me, +for I could have dived. + +Then I headed for shore and freedom, and it was good to be in the +water alone with silence round me. As for the other two ships, they +were half a mile away from Thorleif's, and I did not heed them. So +I never looked back, but gave myself to the warm waves, and saved +my strength for the long swim before me. There was not much sea, +and what there was set more or less shoreward, so that it did not +hinder me. Presently I shook myself out of my tunic, and was more +free. + +I suppose that I swam steadily for an hour before I began to think +in earnest what a long way the land yet was from me. In another +half hour I had to try to make myself believe that it was growing +nearer. Certainly Portland was farther from me, but that was the +set of the current; and presently I knew, with a terrible sinking +of heart, that the land also was lessening in my sight. The current +was sweeping me away from it. + +When I understood that, I turned on my back and rested. Then I saw +that the ships were not so far away as I had expected. I seemed to +have made little way from them also; which puzzled me. They had not +yet set sail, and it was almost as if the oars were idle. I think +they were not more than a mile off. I could almost have wept with +vexation, so utterly did all the toil seem to be thrown away. +However, a matter of two hours in the water when as pleasant as +this was nothing to me, for I had stayed as long therein, many a +time, for sport. So I hoped to do better with the turn of the tide, +and let myself go easily to wait for it. + +We had left Weymouth when the flood had three hours more to run, so +I had not long to wait. It turned; and I knew when it turned, +because the wind against it raised a sea which bid fair to wear me +out. I had to go with it more or less. + +Then, indeed, the land seemed very dear to me, and I began to think +of home and of those who sat there deeming that all was well with +me. They would never know how I had ended. I will not say much of +all that went on in my mind, save only that I am ashamed of naught +that passed through it. Nor did I swim less strongly for the +thoughts, but struggled on steadily. + +And at last the sun set, and the wind came chill over the water, +and I knew that little hope was for me. Again I turned on my back +and rested, and I grew drowsy, I think. + +Now the daylight faded from the sky, and overhead the stars began +to come out; but as the sky darkened the sea seemed to grow +brighter. Presently all around me seemed to sparkle, and I wondered +listlessly that the stars were so bright in the water to one who +swam among their reflections. Then the little crests of foam on the +waves seemed on fire, and my arms struck sparks, as it were from +the water, as the sparks fly from the anvil. Only these were palest +blue, not red, and I wondered at them, thinking at first that they +were fancy, or from the shine of the bright stars above. + +And all of a sudden, ahead of me, moved swiftly in the sea and +across my way a sheet of dazzling blue brightness, and it +frightened me. Often as I had seen the sea and swum in it, I had +never seen the like of this, nor had heard of it. The sheet of +silver fire turned and drew toward me, and I ceased swimming, and +stood, treading water, watching it. Out of its midmost fires darted +long streaks of light, everywhere, lightning swift, coming and +going ceaselessly. + +Into the midst of that brightness rushed five bolts of flame, and +scattered it. The water boiled, alive with the darting fires around +me and under my feet, and my heart stood still with terror. Yet I +was not harmed. And then I saw one of those great white-hot silver +bolts hurl itself from sea to air in a wide arch, and fall back +again into the water with a mighty splash; and all the flying water +seemed to burn as it fled. + +Truly it was but a school of mackerel, and the porpoises which fed +on the silver fish, all made wonderful by the eerie fires of a +summer sea; but I could not tell that all at once. I think that I +knew what it was when the great sea pig leaped, for his shape was +plain to me. The shoal went its way, and after it the harmless +porpoises. But the sea was fairly alight now; all round me it shone +with its soft glow, and my body was wondrous with it, and I seemed +to float in naught but light. + +Then I think that I wandered in my mind, what with the fright and +weariness; for I had been five or six hours in the water, and it +was long since I had tasted food. It came to me that I was dead at +last, and that I was far in the sky, floating on bright air, with +stars above me and stars below. And that seemed good to me. I +rested, paddling just enough to keep myself upright and forget my +troubles in wonderment. + +Surely that was a voice singing! There was a strange melody I had +never heard the like of, and it came from the brightness not far +from me. I came back to knowledge of where I was with a start, +trying to make out from which direction it sounded. + +"This is a nixie trying to lure me to the depth," I thought. +"Truly, he need not take the trouble; for thither I must go +shortly, without any coaxing." + +I turned myself in the water, trying to see if I could make out the +singer, but I could not. Seeing that no other was likely to be +swimming in Portland race but myself, I had no thought that the +song was human. + +But I could find nothing. When my face was seaward, I saw far off +the ships I had left, indeed; and one seemed to have set her sail, +for it showed as a square patch of blackness against the sky, but +no voice could come from them to me. Presently I thought that +somewhat dark rose and fell on the little waves between me and her, +but that was doubtless the tunic I had given to the water. I did +not think of wondering why I still saw it after all this long swim, +but I seemed to have made no headway from the ships, which were as +near as when I last looked at them. + +So I turned again and swam easily, as I thought, shoreward. The +song went on, but it seemed to ring in my ears as the drone of our +miller's pipes comes up from the river on a still summer evening. +Yet it grew more plain. + +Then I saw the ships before me. I was swimming in a circle, my +right arm mastering the left, I suppose. That told me how weary I +was, if I had not known it to the full before. At that moment the +song, which was close to me, stopped, and a fiery arm rose from a +wave top against the sky, and seemed to hail me. + +"Ho, Wilfrid! have you had enough yet? By Aegir himself, you are a +fine swimmer!" + +Through the brightness came a sparkling head, round which the foam +curled in fleecy fire; and shining as I shone, Thorleif the viking +floated up to me and trod the water. + +"What, you also?" I said. "Both of us drowned together at last?" + +And with that I went into the brightness below me, and troubled no +more for anything. + + + +CHAPTER III. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT THE ATHELING. + + +It was indeed Thorleif whom I saw as the deadly faintness of utter +weariness and want of food came over me, and I sank. The Danes had +hardly lost sight of me from the ships, for they had drifted +backward and forward on the tide as I drifted, and I was never more +than a mile from them. Until the tide turned to the eastward there +had been no wind of any use to them, and that which came with +sunset was barely enough to give them steerage way. So they had +watched me for want of somewhat else to do, being worn out with the +long fight; and when I was far off, some keen-sighted seaman would +spy my head as it rose on a wave, and cry that the Saxon was yet +swimming. + +Now, if there is one thing that the northern folk of our kin think +much of in the way of sports, it is swimming, and it seems that I +won high praise from all. Maybe they did not consider how a man who +is trying to win his home again from captivity is likely to do more +than his best. At all events, I had never so much as tried a swim +like that before, nor do I think that I could compass it again. +Presently, when the turn of the tide brought with it no eddy into +the bay which set me homeward, Thorleif would let me go no longer, +and followed me in the boat with two men; which was easy enough, +for I swam between the ship and the place where the red glow of +burning Weymouth still shone in the northern sky. He could not +leave me to drown. + +For a time, in the growing dusk, he could not find me. Then the sea +fires showed me black against their glow, and the sea tempted him, +and he leaped in after me, singing to cheer me, for it was plain +that I was nearly spent. When he brought me up from the depth again +I had little of the drowned man about me, for I had fainted. I +remember coming round painfully after that swoon, and eating and +drinking, and straightway falling into a dreamless sleep on the +deck of the ship; and I also remember the untoldly evil and fishy +smell of the seal oil they had rubbed me with. + +When I came to myself, my first thought was that a solid wall of +that smell stood round me; but such were the virtues of the oil and +the rubbing that when I woke after eighteen hours' sleep I was not +so much as stiff. It would ill beseem me to complain thereof, +therefore, but it might have been fresher. + +When I woke from my great sleep it was long past noon. I lay in the +shelter of the gunwales under the curve of the high stern post, +wrapped in a yellow Irish cloak, and in my ears roared and surged a +deep-voiced song, which kept time with the steady roll of oars and +the thrashing of the water under their blades. The ship was +quivering in every timber with the pull of them, and I could feel +her leap to every stroke. The great red and white sail was set +also, and the westerly breeze was humming in it, and over the high +bows the spray arched and fell without ceasing as oar and sail +drove the sharp stem through the seas. Thorleif was in a hurry for +some reason. + +Only one man was on the after deck, steering, and he was fully +armed. Save that his brown arm swayed a little, resting on the +carven tiller, as the waves lifted the steering oar with a creak +now and then, he was motionless, looking steadily ahead under the +arch of the foot of the sail. The run of the deck set me higher +than him, and I could not see more than the feet of some men who +were clustered on the fore deck. But I could look all down the +length of the ship, and there every man was armed, even the rowers. +They had hung red and yellow wooden shields all along the gunwales, +raising the bulwark against sea and arrow flight alike by a foot +and more, and the rowers were fairly in shelter under them, if +there was to be a broadside attack. + +I never doubted that a fight was intended, though I could not tell +why. Every man was at his post--two to each oar bench beside the +rower, one with ready shield, and the other with bent bow, and +these were looking forward also as they sang that hoarse song which +had roused me. I do not know that I have ever heard aught so +terrible as that. The wildness and savageness of it bides with me, +and of a night when the wind blows round the roof I wake and think +I hear it again. But it set me longing for battle, even here on the +strange deck, and I would that I might join in it. + +And then I knew that my own weapons lay beside me, and I sprang up, +and grasped the sword and seax in haste to buckle them on. They +rattled, and the steersman turned his head and laughed at me. It +was old Thrond. + +"That is right, lad," he said, turning his head back to watch his +course again. "None the worse for the wetting, it seems." + +Truth to tell, I felt little of it, being altogether myself again +after the rest. So I laughed also, setting aside for the moment the +question of what my fate was to be. It was plain that the man who +saved me from the sea and gave me back my arms did not mean to make +a captive of me in any hard sort. + +"Only mightily hungry," I said. "It seems that I have slept +heavily." + +Thrond jerked his free thumb toward a pitcher and wooden bowl that +were set near me, without looking round. + +"So I suppose," he said. "Eat well, and then we will see what sort +of a viking you make. You have half an hour or so." + +Ale and beef there were, ready for me, and I took them and sat down +at the feet of the old chief, with my legs hanging over the edge of +the fore deck. Thence I could see that Thorleif was forward, and +that away to the northward of us a ship was heading across our +course, under sail only. The two other Danish ships were far astern +of us, but their oars were flashing in the sun as they made after +us. + +Then I looked northward for England, but there was only the sea's +rim, and over that a bank of white summer clouds. Under the sun, to +the south, was a long blue line of hills whose shapes were strange +to me, and that was the Frankish shore. We were far across the +Channel, and still heading eastward. + +"Thrond," I said, "are you after that ship yonder?" + +"Ay. She will be a Frankish trader going home, and worth +overhauling. Maybe there will be no fight, however; but one never +knows." + +Now it was in my mind to ask him what would be done with me, but I +did not. That was perhaps a matter which must be settled hereafter, +and not on the eve of a fight at sea. Moreover, I thought that a +Frankish ship was fair game for any one, and that if I were needed +there was no reason at all why I should not take a hand in the +fight. Certainly I should fare no worse for taking my plight in the +best way I could. So I held my tongue and went on eating. + +One or two of the men looked up from the oars and grinned at me, +and of these one had a black eye, being the man I had knocked off +the deck. It was plain that he bore no malice, so I smiled back at +him, and lifted the jug of ale toward him as I drank. He was a +pleasant-looking man enough, now that the savagery of battle had +passed from him. + +Now I would have it remembered that a Saxon lad reared on the west +Welsh marches is not apt to think much of a cattle raid and the +fighting that ends it, and that with these Danes, who were so like +ourselves, we had as yet no enmity. It seemed to me that being in +strange company I must even fit myself to it, and all was wonderful +to me in the sight of the splendid ship and her well-armed, +well-ordered crew. Maybe, had we not been speeding to a fight the +like of which I had never so much as heard of, I should have +thought of home and the fears of those who would hear that I was +gone; but as things were, how could I think of aught but what was +on hand? + +We were nearing the vessel fast, and seeing that she did not turn +her head and fly, old Thrond growled that there was some fight in +her. + +"Unless," he added with a hard chuckle, "they have never so much as +heard of a viking. Are there pirates in this sea, lad?" + +"They say that the seamen from the southern lands are, betimes. I +have heard of ships taken by swarthy men thence. The Cornish tin +merchants tell the tales of them." + +"Tin?" said Thrond. "Now I would that we had heard thereof before. +I reckon we passed some booty westward. Eh, well, we shall know +better next time." + +After that he was silent, watching the ship ahead. She was a great +heavy trader, with higher sides than this swift longship. + +And presently, as I watched her, a thought came to me, and I was +ashamed that I had not asked before if it was true that my cousin +had not been hurt in the fighting. + +"He was not harmed," answered the old chief. "He hurt us; he is a +good fighter. Get yon shield and hold it ready to cover me. It is +not worth while to have the helmsman shot, and it will set a man +free to fight forward." + +Now the ship was within arrow shot, and we could see that there +were few men on her decks. Thorleif hailed her to heave to, sending +an arrow on her deck by way of hint. Whereon she shot up into the +wind, and her sail rattled down. Thrond whistled to himself. + +"Empty as a dry walnut shell, or I am mistaken," he said between +his teeth. + +Then he shouted to Thorleif, and some order came back. The sail was +lowered, and the ship swung alongside the stranger under oars only, +while a rush of men came aft. Thorleif hailed the other ship to +send him a line from the bows, and one flew on board us as we shot +past. Then in a few moments we were under easy sail again, towing +the great trader slowly after us; and the men were grumbling at the +ease of the capture, thinking, with Thrond, that it boded a useless +chase. Thorleif came aft to speak with the shipmaster from our +stern. + +Then there climbed on the bows of the trader a tall, handsome young +man, at the sight of whom I could not withhold a cry of wonder, for +I knew him well. He was Ecgbert the atheling, nephew of our great +king Ina, and the one man whom Bertric feared as a rival when he +came to the throne. His father and mine had been close friends, and +we two had played and hunted together many a time, until the +jealousy of Bertric drove him to seek refuge with Offa of Mercia. I +thought him there yet. + +"Yield yourselves," said Thorleif, "and we will speak in peace of +ransom. I will come on board with a score of men, and harm none." + +"We have yielded, seeing that there was no other chance for as," +said Ecgbert quietly. "Come on board if you will, but on my word it +is hardly worth your while. We left in too great a hurry to bring +much with us." + +"Whence are you, then, and whither bound?" + +"From Mercia, by way of Southampton, and bound anywhere out of the +way of Quendritha the queen. We had a mind to go to Carl the king, +but any port in a storm!" + +"Well," said Thorleif, laughing, "I am coming on board. That must +be a terrible dame of whom you speak, if she has set the fear of +death on a warrior such as you seem to be." + +Then he bade the men haul on the cable, and the ships drew together +slowly. I had to leave the deck, being in the way of the men, and +Ecgbert did not see me, as far as I could tell. + +Thorleif and his men boarded the prize over her bows and went aft, +Ecgbert going with them. The two ships drifted apart again, and I +found my place by Thrond once more, while the men sat on the +gunwale, waiting for the time when their chief should return. + +"Who is the queen yon Saxon speaks of?" asked Thrond. + +I told him; and as we had heard much of her of late, I also told +him how men said that she had been found on the shore by the king +himself. Whereon Thrond's grave face grew yet more grave, and he +said: + +"Lad, is that a true tale?" + +"My father had it from the thane who was with the king when they +found her alone in her boat." + +"So her name was not Quendritha when she began that voyage?" + +"I have heard that she was a heathen. Mayhap the king gave her the +name when she was christened. It means 'the might of the king.'" + +So I suppose that he did, for the hope of what his wife should be. +Nor was the name ill chosen, as it turned out, for all men knew by +this time that the queen was the wisest adviser in all the council +of Mercia in aught to do with the greatness of the kingdom. + +"I have ever had it in my mind that she would get through that +voyage in safety," Thrond said. "Ran would not have her." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Lad, I saw her start thereon, or so I think. Tell me when she was +found." + +That I could do, within a very short time. My father and Offa had +been wedded in the same year, as I had heard him say but a few days +ago, at Winchester, as men talked of the bride whom we had +welcomed, Quendritha's daughter. And as he heard, Thrond's face +grew very dark. + +"That is she. Now I will tell you the beginning of that voyage. I +was a courtman then to the father of Thorleif, our jarl here, and I +myself made the boat ready and launched her in it." + +And then he told me that which I have set down at the beginning of +this tale--neither more nor less. What was the fullness of the evil +the woman had wrought he did not tell me, and I am glad. + +When he ended he sat silent and brooding for a long time. The ship +forged slowly and uneasily over the waves with the heavy trader +after her, and on our decks the men were silent, waiting for word +from Thorleif of what was to be done. We could hear him, now and +then, laughing with the crew of the other ship as if all went +easily. + +"Lad," said old Thrond, suddenly turning to me, "you had best +forget all this. It is dangerous to know aught of the secrets of +great folk; and if it comes to the ears of Quendritha that one is +telling such a tale of her, the life of the man who has told it +will not be worth much. Maybe I am wrong, and I speak of one who is +drowned long since; for, indeed, it seems out of the way of chance +that a girl could win across the sea from Denmark to a throne thus. +And if it is true, she has done even as Thorleif's father bade her, +and has left her ways of ill. + +"And, yet," he said again, "if ever you have to do with her, +remember what she may have been. It will be ill to offend her, or +to cross her in aught." + +"That is the hardest saying that our folk have of her," I said, +"but I have heard it many a time." + +"There is much in that saying," Thrond answered grimly. + +"Well," I answered shortly, "I suppose that if any man will set +himself against a king or a queen, he has to take the chances." + +"Small chance for such an one if the queen be--well, such another +as I helped to set adrift from our shore." + +Meaningly that was said, and I had no answer. I was glad that +Thorleif showed himself on the bows of the prize and hailed Thrond. + +"Send the Saxon lad on board here," he said; "we have met with a +friend of his." + +That could be none but the atheling, and I leaped up. The men were +heaving on the tow line, and the ships were slowly nearing each +other. + +"Thrond," I said breathlessly, "will Thorleif let me go?" + +"Of course," he answered, smiling. "We only picked you up again to +save your life. He had a mind to land you on the English shore +presently; for he said you had kept faith with us well, and he +could not let you suffer therefor." + +The bows of the trader grated against our stern, and one of the men +gave me a hoist over her gunwale with such good will that I landed +sprawling among the coils of rope on the fore deck. When I gathered +myself up I saw Ecgbert and Thorleif aft, while the Danes were +rummaging the ship, and I made my way to them. And as I came the +atheling stared at me, and then hastened forward with outstretched +hand of welcome. + +"Why, Wilfrid, old comrade, how come you here? I heard only of a +West Saxon, and whether this is luck for you or not I do not know." + +"Good luck enough, I think," I answered, with a great hand grip. "I +had not yet let myself wonder how long it would be before I saw +home again." + +His face fell, and he looked doubtfully at me. + +"I cannot take you home, Wilfrid; I am flying thence myself. The +Danish chief will set you ashore somewhere at his first chance, he +says." + +"Why, what is amiss again?" + +"The old jealousy, I suppose," he answered grimly. "As if a lad +like myself was likely to try to overturn a throne! Here had I +hardly settled down in Mercia as a fighter of the Welsh and +hanger-on of Offa's court, when there come Bertric's messengers, +asking that I should be given up, and backing the demand with a +request for closer alliance by marriage. Offa, being an honest man, +was for sending the message back unanswered. But the queen had a +mind for the match, and as I was in the way, it was plain to me +that I must be out of it. So I did not wait for Quendritha to +remove me, but removed myself." + +"Alone?" I asked. + +"Alone, and that hastily. You do not know the lady of Mercia, or +you would not ask." + +Now I thought to myself that in the last half hour I had learned +more of that lady than even Ecgbert knew, and I felt that he was +wise in time, if Thrond's tale was true; which, indeed, I began to +believe. But it did not seem right to me that an atheling of Wessex +should be alone, without so much as a housecarl to tend him and +stand at his back at need. I minded what my father taught me since +I could learn. + +"Here is your duty, son Wilfrid. First to God; then to the king; +then to the atheling, the king's son, and then to father and +mother; then to the shire reeve and the ealdorman, if so be that +they are loyal; and then to helpless woman and friendless poor man. +But to the weak first of all, against whomsoever will wrong them, +whether it be the king or myself." + +"Where will you go, atheling?" I asked, speaking low, for I had +many things warring in my mind. + +"I cannot tell yet. I am an outcast." + +Then I knelt on the deck before him and made him take my hands +between his own, and I said to him, while he tried to prevent me: + +"Whither you go I follow, to be your man in good or ill. Little use +I am, but some I may be; and at least the atheling of Wessex shall +not say that none would follow him." + +"Wilfrid," he cried, "I cannot suffer you to leave all for me." + +Then said Thorleif, who had been watching us in silence: + +"Take him, prince, for you will need him. He has kept faith with +us, though he might have escaped easily enough, because he thought +his word withheld him. And he has proved himself a man in battle +with the waters, as I know well. Let him go with you, and be glad +of him." + +"I am loath to take him from his folk to share my misfortunes." + +"That is naught," said Thorleif. "Pay a trader who is going to +England to tell other chapmen to pass the word to his folk where he +is. They will hear in a month or less." + +"Hearken to the chief, my prince," I said. "That is easy, and it +will be all I care for. If my father hears that I am with you, he +will be well content." + +"More than content, Wilfrid," said Ecgbert, smiling. "We of the +line of Ina know your folk of old. Well, be it as you will, for, on +my word, I am lonely; and I think, comrade, that if I had choice of +one to stand by me, the choice would have fallen on you. + +"There was little need, chief, for you to tell me that Wilfrid of +Frome was steadfast. We are old friends." + +"Bide so, then. Friends are not easily made," answered Thorleif, +laughing. "Now tell me what you are thinking of doing. Maybe I can +advise you, being an adventurer by choice, as it seems you must be +by need. But first I will offer you both a share in our cruise, if +you will turn viking and go the way of Hengist and Horsa, your +forbears. Atheling and thane's son you will be to us still, if you +have to take an oar now and then." + +"Kindly spoken," said Ecgbert; "but this I will tell you plainly. +It had not come into my mind to think that Bertric needed to fear +me until he showed that he did so. Had he left me to myself, I had +been as good a subject of Wessex as Wilfrid here. But now it seems +to me that maybe he has some good reason to think that the throne +might be or should have been mine. Wherefore it is in my mind to +seek the great King Carl, and learn what I can of his way of +warfare, that presently, when the time comes, I may be the more +ready to take that throne and hold it." + +"Why, then," said Thorleif, watching the face of the atheling, "I +will tell you this from out of my own knowledge of Wessex. If you +learn what Carl can teach you, you will, if you can raise a +thousand followers, walk through Wessex into Mercia, and thence +home by East Anglia to London town, and there sit with three crowns +on your head--the greatest king that has been in England yet. For +your folk know no more of fighting, though they are brave enough, +than a herd of cattle. But it will be many a long year before you +know enough, and then you will need to be able to use your +knowledge." + +"Can you tell me where to find Carl the king? It may be that I have +years enough before me to learn much." + +"Those who want to learn do learn," quoth Thorleif. "It is in my +mind that, unless a Flemish arrow ends you, Wessex will have to +choose between you and Bertric presently." + +Then he told us where he had last heard of the Frankish king, which +was somewhere on the eastern Rhine border. And at last, being taken +with the fearless way of the young atheling, said that if he would, +he himself would see him as far on his way as the Rhine mouth. And +in the end Ecgbert closed with the offer, and left the Frankish +ship accordingly. + +Thorleif's men had sought every corner of her by that time, and had +some store of silver money to show for their long chase, and were +satisfied. As for the shipmen of their prize, I think they were +well enough content to be let go in peace, and had little to say on +the matter. Ecgbert was for giving them the gold ring which he had +promised them as passage money, that being the only thing of value +he had beyond his weapons; but Thorleif would not suffer him to do +so, saying that his Danes would but take it from them straightway. + +So the great trader lumbered off southward, and I and the atheling +sat with Thrond and Thorleif, and told and heard all the story of +the raid on Weymouth until the stars came out. And I was well +content; for no Saxon can ask aught better than to serve his lord, +whether in wealth or distress. + +Now I might make a long story of that voyage with Thorleif, for +there were landings such as had been made at Weymouth, and once +just such another fight. And ever the lands where we touched grew +more strange to me, until we came to the low shores of the Rhine +mouths, hardly showing above the gray waves of the sea which washed +their sad-coloured sand dunes. And there Thorleif landed us at a +fishing village, among whose huts rose the walls of a building +which promised us shelter at least. + +Terribly frightened were the poor folk at our coming, but they took +us, with the guard Thorleif sent ashore with us, to the building, +and it turned out to be a monastery, where we were most welcome. +And there we bid farewell to the Danes, not without regret, for we +had been good comrades on the voyage. There was a great difference +between these crews of men from one village under their own chief, +and the terrible swarms of men, gathered none knows whence, and +with little heed to their leaders save in battle, which came in +after years. We saw the Dane at his best. + +Now after that the good abbot of the place passed us on from town +to town until at last we came to Herulstad, where Carl the mighty +lay with his army, still watching and fighting the heathen Saxons +of the Rhinelands. And there Ecgbert was welcomed in all +friendliness, and our wanderings were at an end. Even the arm of +Quendritha could not reach the atheling here, though Carl and Offa +were friendly, and messengers came and went between the two courts +from time to time. + +In that way I had messages sent home at last, and my mind was at +rest. It was, however, nearly a year before my folk heard of me, as +I learned afterward. But close on five years of warfare lay before +me ere I should set foot on English ground again. + + + +CHAPTER IV. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH MARKET. + + +Looking back on them, it seems that those five years with Carl the +Great were long, but in truth they went fast enough. With Ecgbert I +went everywhere that war was to be waged, whether on the still half +heathen, unwillingly christened Saxons, who were our own kin of the +old land; or across on the opposite frontier, where the terrible +Moors of Spain had not yet forgotten Roncesvalles. For us it was +fighting, and always fighting, and little of that most splendid +court of the king did we see; for Ecgbert had set himself to learn +all that he might, and he was not one to do things by halves. Nor +had I any wish to be anywhere but near him. + +They were good years, therefore, if we had our share of danger and +hardship to the full, and must needs bear the marks of it ever +after. Once I was sorely wounded, and Ecgbert tended me through +that as a brother rather than as my lord--even as I would have +tended him, only that he was never hurt. Some of us grew to think +that he had a charmed life; but I thought that he was kept for the +sake of what was to be in days to come, when England was worn out +with warfare between the kingdoms, and would welcome a strong hand +over her from north to south. + +I know not whether it was Carl himself who bade Ecgbert wait for +that day, but it is likely. The atheling was in no haste to return +to England, and it was his word that until he was needed he should +bide here and learn. + +But when the time went on he had thought for me, and one April day, +as we rode together, he bade me go home and see that all was well +with my folk. I had some fever on me at that time, for we were +among the Frisian marshlands, and it had fallen on me when I was +weak from the wound I spoke of, so that I could not shake it off. +It came every third day, and held me in its grip for the afternoon, +cold as ice, and then hot as fire, and so leaving me little the +worse, but always thin and yellow to look on. Moreover, it always +seemed to come on the wrong day for me, when I needed to be most +busy, so that over and over again Ecgbert had to ride out without +me. There were plenty more of us in the same case that year, when +we were hunting Frisian heathen rebels to their strongholds in +their fens. + +"I must lose you in one way or the other, comrade," Ecgbert said. +"Either you will die here, which is the worst that could befall +you, or else you must go home to England. Now there is a fair +chance for you, for Carl is sending some messengers with presents +to the young King of East Anglia, who has yet to be crowned. Go +with them, and take him greetings from me." + +But before I could bring myself to agree to parting from him he had +to put this before me in many ways, for I could not bear to leave +him. And at last he laid his commands on me that I must go. He said +it was time that he had a friend who knew his hopes in England, +watching how matters went for him, and that I could best do it. So +there was no way out of it, and I had to go. + +And when I knew that, there woke in me the longing for England +which lies deep in the heart of every one of her sons, wheresoever +he may be across the seas, and the days were weary before Carl's +messengers should sail. I think that Ecgbert envied me, with the +same longing on him; but one could only know it from his silences, +or from the way in which he would talk to me of all that I should +see again. + +Two days before we sailed I was sent for by Carl himself; which was +an honour indeed for me. Very kindly he thanked me for past +services, as if I had not rather served Ecgbert than himself; and +he gave me new arms of the best from head to foot, and a heavy bag +of gold moreover, that I might not say that Carl the Great was +sparing of his reward to those who had fought for him. I did not +need that, for he had been more than generous to us for all these +years, and any man knows that it is an honour to have served with +the greatest of kings, and to have spoken freely with him. + +I told Ecgbert that I must return to him when I was free from the +fever, but he shook his head. + +"Nay, but you have your work at home, and mine lies here," he said. +"Your father has no other child, and, he needs you. I am well off +here till that day we wot of comes. Wait for it in patience, and +then we shall meet again. There will be no comrade like you for me +till then, but I shall know I have one at least who will welcome me +presently if you go now." + +He made it light for me; but it was a hard parting, and I will say +no more of it. The ship left the little Frisian port whence we +sailed, and he stood on the shore and watched us until I could see +him no more; then for a time a loneliness fell on me which made me +a poor companion for the gay Frankish nobles with whom I was to go +to East Anglia. + +Not that it mattered much after an hour or so, when we met the +waves of the open sea; for they were no sort of companion to any +one, even to themselves, and the seamen had their laugh at them. + +But for myself, not being troubled with the sickness, the sea +worked wonders. For the first time for many a long month the ague +fit had less hold on me when its time came next day. Then a Frisian +sailor saw that I had the illness he knew so well and over well, +and would have me take some bitter draught he made for me out of +willow bark, saying that Carl's leeches knew somewhat less than +nothing concerning ague. Whether it was the sea air, or the +draught, or both, the fit did not come when next it was due; and +the seaman said I was cured, for the power of the ill was broken. +He had time to say that again, for we had head winds the whole way +across, and were nigh a week before we made the mouth of the great +river which goes up to Norwich, where we hoped to find the king, +Ethelbert. And by that time the Franks were themselves again, and +my colour was coming back, and the joy of home was on me, and we +were gay enough. + +It was on the last day of April that we saw the English shores +again, early in the morning, with the sun on the low green hills of +Norfolk. By sunset we were far in the heart of the land, at +Norwich, and across the wide river the cuckoo was calling. We had +left a leafless land, and here all was decked in the sweet green of +the first leaves, and all the banks were yellow with the primroses. +I heard the Franks scoffing at the houses of the town, and at the +wooden tower of the church which rose from among them; but I cared +not at all, for nothing like the beauty of sky and land had they to +show me beyond the sea. + +And when the men thronged to the wharf, it seemed to me that never +had I looked on their like for goodliness and health, as their +great English laugh rang out over their work, and the sound of the +English voices made the old music for me. + +The king was not at Norwich, but inland at Thetford, and there we +must seek him. But his steward rode down to us from the hall, which +stands a mile from the river, on its hill. Thither we were led in +all state as the messengers of the great king, and there we bided +for a day or two while they made ready a train of horses which +should take us to our journey's end. We had some wondrous gifts for +Ethelbert from Carl. + +There is only one of these Frankish companions of mine of whom I +need speak, and that one was a young noble from our old land, named +Werbode. I had seen somewhat of him in these last wars, for he had +led the men of his father, and had been set under Ecgbert, who had +won to high command. So we were both Saxons, and of about the same +age; and it was pleasant to find ourselves together on the voyage, +for he was a good comrade, and, like myself, not altogether +thinking and feeling with the Franks. + +So we saw much of each other on the voyage, and now it was pleasant +to take him about the old town, and show him what the new home of +the Saxon kin was like here in England. There was a great fair +going on at this time, and we enjoyed it; for though there was not +the richness of wares we had been wont to see at the like +gatherings of merchants and chapmen beyond the seas, here were +mirth and freedom, and rough plenty, which were as good, or better. + +And presently he said that here we had horses which were as fine as +any he had ever seen, and that put a thought into my mind. I would +buy one for myself rather than ride one found me by the town reeve; +for I had to get home to Somerset, and I would make no delay. + +"Well, then," says Werbode, "let us go and see if you people have +forgotten the ancient Saxon manner of horse dealing." + +So we went to the horse fair, and there our foreign dress drew +every dealer in the place round us as soon as I had looked in the +mouth of one likely steed. After which, as may be supposed, it was +not likely that I could make any choice at all; but we two sat on +the bench outside the town gate, and had, I think, every horse in +the fair trotted past us, whether good or bad. And at last the +noise, and to tell the truth the wrangling of the dealers, grew +tiresome, and we went our way, some other buyer having taken their +notice for a moment. + +And then it chanced that we came to a quiet place where a man, +armed and with two armed helpers, had a string of slaves for sale. +The poor folk were lying and sitting on the ground, with that dull +look on them which I hate to see, and I was going to pass them, +throwing them a penny as I did so. Werbode was laughing at the ways +of the horse dealers, and did not notice them; for the sight was +common enough after any war of ours with Carl, when the captives +who could not ransom them were sold. + +And then one of them leaped up with a great cry, and hailed me by +name. + +"Wilfrid! Wilfrid of Weymouth!" + +I turned sharply enough at that call, for the last thing that one +could have expected was that my name should be known here in the +land of the East Angles. And who of all whom I knew in the years +gone by would name me as of Weymouth? I had but been there as a +stranger. + +"Wilfrid the swimmer!" said the man, stretching his bound hands to +me. + +The slave trader cracked his whip and rated the man for daring to +call to me thus, bidding him be silent. But I lifted my hand, and +he held his peace, doffing his cap to me with all reverence for the +fine dress and jewelled weapons--Carl's gift--that I wore. + +I did not heed his words of apology, but looked at the ragged, +brown-faced man who called to me. He was thin and wiry, with a +yellow beard, and his hands were hard with some heavy work. Yet his +face was in some way not altogether strange to me, though I could +not name him. He was no thrall of ours or of my cousin's, so far as +I could tell. + +"Wilfrid--thane--whatever you are now," he said, for I would not +suffer the trader to prevent his words, "you gave me a black eye at +Weymouth, and thereafter drank 'skoal' to me when we chased the +trading ship." + +Thereat Werbode laughed. + +"Faith," he said, "if every thrall to whom I have given a black eye +or so has a claim on me--" + +But his words went on unheard as far as I was concerned. I seemed +to have the very smell of the smoke of burning Weymouth in my +nostrils, and the wild rowing song came back to me. I minded the +man well, and it went to my heart to see the free Danish warrior +tied here at the mercy of this evil-eyed slaver, for I knew that he +was as free born as myself. + +I turned sharply on the merchant, and asked him how it came about +that he had this man for sale. + +"He is a freeman, and I know him," I said. + +Nevertheless it came into my mind that he had been taken prisoner +at the time of some such landing as that wherein I had first seen +him. + +"He is a shipwrecked foreigner, lord," was the answer; "a +masterless man whom I bought from the Lindsey thane on whose manor +shore he was stranded." + +But it seemed to me that there was a look of fear in the eyes of +this slave trader. It came when I, whom he had taken for a Frank +noble from my dress, spoke to him in good Wessex. Whereby I had a +shrewd guess that all was not so fair and lawful as he would make +it seem. + +"He lies," growled the Dane. "Some thrall picked me up, and this +man took me from him. He was on the prowl for castaways on the morn +of the storm. Nigh dead I was, or would have fought." + +He spoke low and quickly, and the trader seemed not to understand +his Danish. But I saw that he spoke the truth. + +Now I think that if this shipmate of mine had been fairly taken +captive as he raided, I should have let him take the reward of his +work. But this chance was a different matter. + +"Show me the receipt for payment to that thane of whom you speak," +I said. "If you can, well and good; if not, then we will go to the +sheriff and see this matter righted. I know the man as a freeman." + +"Ay, in his own land," said the trader, beginning to bluster. "What +is that to me? Here in England he is masterless--" + +"No," said the Dane; "this is my master. Heard you not how I owned +to a black eye from him?" + +And he looked at me in a half proud way which told me how the bonds +had broken him, and yet how they had not yet made him shameless if +he must beg me for help to freedom. + +Then said Werbode quietly: + +"Where is that receipt? I suppose that if you paid for his man, my +friend has to repay you for ransoming him. It is a simple matter." + +"I do not carry it with me, stranger. You know not this land of +ours. It is at my inn. I can show it, of course." + +"Well, then," said I, "I will take my man and answer for him. Bring +the writing to the house of the sheriff, where I lodge, and what is +there set down I will pay you." + +Now there were a dozen idlers gathered by this time, and seeing +that the trader hesitated, I called to one, who seemed to be a +forester by his staff and green jerkin, and bade him fetch the +sheriff, if he could find him. I would have the matter settled +here. Whereon the slaver gave in. + +"Well, then," he grumbled, "I hold you answerable for him. Take +him, and get your money ready. + +"Let him free," he said, turning to his men. + +That they did with somewhat more readiness than one would have +expected. The Dane shook himself and looked round him. And then, +without a word of warning, he sprang straight at the slaver and +wrested his whip from him. Then he swung him round by the collar of +his leather jerkin, and lashed him in spite of the sword which the +man drew. The idlers shouted, and Werbode laughed, while the two +men had all they could do to prevent the other slaves from breaking +away; or else they themselves had no reason to object to seeing +their master tasting his own sauce. + +The heavy plaits of the whiplash curled round the legs of the +trader, and he writhed. They caught his short sword and twitched it +from his hand, to send it flying among the gathering crowd, and +then the man lay down and howled for mercy. But the thralls of the +crowd were only too pleased with the sport, and as I and Werbode +did not interfere, to do so was no one else's business. + +At last the Dane held his hand, and left his tyrant groaning. He +broke the whip stock and twisted the thong from the end of the +fragment. Then he tied it round the neck of the slaver, and rose up +and saluted me in the way of the Danish courtman. + +"Whither, lord?" he asked, quite coolly. "I am ready." + +"Better go back to the sheriffs," I said. "Maybe we shall have to +answer for this, and we will tell him first." + +"No," he said, with the ghost of a smile; "you will not set eyes on +this man again. What I told you is true. He has no more right to me +than the thrall who found me; less, maybe, for I suppose the thrall +would have taken me to his lord, who had some claim on me for a +castaway." + +The crowd closed in round the slaver, and the other slaves raised a +sort of wretched cheer as we went away. Soon we turned the corner +of the street and came to the outskirts of the fair again, and none +had followed us. There the decent folk stared at us and our ragged +follower somewhat, and a thought came to me. + +"Comrade," I said, for I could not mind his name, "let me rig you +out afresh before we part." + +"They call me Erling," he said. "Have you so many men to serve you +that we must needs part?" + +"No," I answered, "but I am no sort of a master to serve. I will +help an old comrade home, however." + +"Home was burnt a year ago," he said. "Let me bide with you, thane; +I must be some man's man. You will go back to the west presently, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, after a time. What of that? for it is not your way." + +"Your way is mine, unless you drive me from you. You have given me +my freedom, and I know it. Let me serve you freely." + +"Well," said I, "you will be my only servant when once I leave King +Carl's train, with which I have come." + +"So much the better," he said. "I am likely to be as handy a +servant as you can find, in most things." + +"Oh," said Werbode, laughing, "take him, Wilfrid. Free service is +not to be despised. Moreover, if you want any one well and soundly +beaten, here is your man." + +"I can keep the thane's back at a pinch, young sir," said the Dane +quietly. "That mayhap is more than most will do if they are hired." + +"Faith, I believe you could," said Werbode, looking the man's wiry +frame up and down. + +"Take him, Wilfrid." + +"Why, then," said I, "so I will, and gladly, for just so long as I +please you as a master. And when you will leave me, you shall go +without blame. Now let us see to clothing you afresh." + +So we went to the quarter of the fair where such things as we +needed were to be had, and there we took pleasure in fitting my new +follower out in all decent housecarl attire, not by any means +sparing for good leather jerkin and Norwich-cloth hose and hood, +for I would not have him looked down on by our Frankish servants. +And, indeed, with weapon on hip and round helm on head, over washed +face and combed hair, he seemed a different man altogether. The old +free walk of the seaman came back to him, and he looked the world +in the face again as the free warrior he was. + +He had been Thorleif's own court man, he told me, and knew the ways +of one who should follow his lord, whether in hall or field, and I +will say at once that so he did. I had little to teach him beyond +some Saxon ways which came strangely to him at first. + +We went back to the king's hall, and there I told the sheriff +somewhat of the business with the slaver, and he laughed. + +"Not the first time I have heard the like," he said. "If the man +complains, pay him. But if he is a man stealer, as is likely, you +will hear naught of him, and he will get him from Norwich as fast +as he may." + +As I suppose he did, for neither I nor the sheriff heard more of +him, and next day his place in the market was empty. + +I asked Erling of his shipwreck, and if Thorleif had been lost, but +he could not tell me. He had been washed off the fore deck as the +ship met a great breaker, and with him had come an oar, which he +clung to for long hours, making his way shoreward as best he might. +The ship was in danger at the time, and he lost sight of her very +soon. Presently some eddy of tide took him and cast him on the +sands of Humber mouth, and there he lay till he was found. That was +a month ago, and since then he had been hawked up and down the +coast with the other slaves till we met. + +"But I was such a scarecrow, and so savage withal, that no man +would look at me," he said. "It was a good day for me when the +knave brought me to Norwich. Mayhap it was a lucky day for him +also, for sooner or later I should have got adrift, and then you +would not have been looking on to hold me from paying him somewhat +more than a beating." + +Next day was the last of the fair, and again I went to seek a +horse, with my new follower after me. There was less choice but +more quiet, and soon I found that Erling knew more of the points of +a steed than I did. A Dane is a born horse dealer. So I sent him +one way while I went another, and when I was almost despairing of +finding what I thought would suit me, he came in search of me, +leading a great skew-bald horse, bright brown and white in broad +splashes all over him, in no sort of pattern. After him came a man +who might be a farmer, and looked as if he cared not whether he +sold the beast or kept him. + +"The best horse in the fair, thane," Erling said to me. "I will not +praise his colour; but if you forget that and look at his build, +you will like him." + +So I did; but if a man wanted to be noticed everywhere in such wise +that folk would reckon a week's time from the day when the man on +the skew-bald rode through the village, he could not choose a +better mount, and I said so, laughing. + +"There is somewhat in that," Erling allowed; "but if you ride +through the foe at the head of your men on such an one, none can +deny that you did it. Nor can your men say that they lost sight of +you." + +In the end I mounted and tried the horse. Presently I rode him out +of the town and away across the heaths, and had no fault to find +with him. Indeed, by the time that I brought him back I did not +care if he was of all the colours of the rainbow, for he was the +best horse I ever backed. + +Then the franklin who owned him asked me a long price for him, and +I left Erling to settle that. Afterwards I knew that the man was a +known breeder of these horses, and that men thought me lucky to get +the steed. I think the Dane managed to bate somewhat of the price, +but very little, for it was a matter of taking or leaving with the +owner. + +After that I bought a horse for Erling, or rather he chose one and +I paid for it; but that was a small matter, for the last day of the +fair brought prices down. + +Then I had to put up with the jests of my friend Werbode concerning +my new horse, and the older Franks thought his colour was a bit of +vanity on my part. Werbode said that he was an unsafe beast to go +chicken stealing on, for he would be too well known on a dark +night; and the others said that they supposed that men would know +that I had come home now. But that sort of jest one gets used to in +camp life, and I cared not. I had a better steed than any one of +them, whether here or across the sea, and presently, as we +travelled toward Thetford, they knew it, and forgot to laugh at his +skin. + +So we left Norwich, and rode across the moorlands to find the king; +and the gladness of homecoming grew on me every day, so that I +longed for the state affair to be over, that I might turn my +horse's head south and west for my own home. And thus, in all +gladness, and joying in every mile of the way, we came to Thetford, +strong with its earthen ramparts above its still river, and were +made most welcome at the hall of Ethelbert the king. There had gone +messengers before us to tell of our coming, and the greeting was +fitting for the men of Carl the Great. + +Truly I saw the Franks smile at one another as we were led into the +great hall, homely and pleasant, with its open timbered roof and +central hearth, arms and antlers and heads of forest game on walls, +and bright hangings round the high place at the upper end; for it +was but a hut compared with the palaces of their own master. But +when Ethelbert the king came from his chamber to greet us, they had +no eyes for aught but him. Young and handsome and free of speech +and look as he was, none could doubt that here was one who was +worthy of his throne, for in every way he seemed a king indeed. He +minded me of Ecgbert, and if he did that, it may be certain that I +need add no more to my praise of him. + +Now it happened that the day after we reached Thetford was a +Sunday, and I need not tell what a pleasure it was to me to hear +again the old English services that once I had thought so long, as +a boy will. And on that day, for the first time, it came to me that +my man, Erling the viking, was a stark heathen, Odin's man. Truly +he came to the church with me, and there he stood and stared at all +that went on, quietly and reverently enough, but in such wise that +I thought that he had somewhere seen the like before. So presently +when we came forth from the church I asked him if he had no +knowledge of the faith. + +"Ay," he said; "I have helped to burn a church or two in my time, +and now I am sorry therefor. I have heard good words in this place, +so that I think I know why you were ready to risk gold to free a +captive. Let me go with you again." + +"I will find some good priest who shall tell you more and teach +you," said I. + +But he shook his head. + +"That is another matter," he answered. "Let be for a time. I am +content to go your way and see what it is; but no man, if he is +worth aught, will leave the gods of his fathers offhand, not even +for the faith which is good for you and for Carl the king, and this +king here who has death written on his handsome face." + +"What mean you by that?" I asked, almost angrily. "On the face of +Ethelbert?" + +"Ay," he answered. "Cannot you see it?" + +"Seldom have I seen a stronger or more healthy man! This is sheer +foolishness." + +"I do not speak of health," he answered. "Eh, well, we of the old +race have the second sight now and then. On my word, I wish I had +it not. Pay no heed to me an you will; it is best not." + +Then he laughed, because I was almost angered with him, and said +that maybe fasting with the slaver had made his mind full of +forebodings. + +"There was a boding in it at one time that the slaver was nigh his +death, if so be that I got loose," he said. "That ended in a +whipping for him. But I would that this Ethelbert had not that thin +red line round his neck. It sets strange thoughts in one's head." + +I told him to hold his peace, and he did so. But somewhat that +night made me look to see what he meant. The king had no line such +as he spoke of on his sunburned throat, so far as I could see. + + + +CHAPTER V. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT FOLK, AND OTHERS. + + +It must not be supposed that the gifts of Carl the Great were +given, and his greetings spoken, offhand, as it were, by us. There +must needs be a gathering of the Witan of the East Anglians, that +all might be done with full honour both to Carl and his embassy. I +must say that it somewhat irked me to be treated with much +ceremony, as a Frank and paladin of the great king, instead of +being hailed in all good fellowship as a thane of England, who was +glad to get home again. However, there was no help for it till our +errand was done; for it was out of his goodness that Carl had given +me a place among his messengers, saying that they must have some +one of their number who could act as interpreter, and I would not +be ungrateful even in seeming. + +So I had no chance yet of private speech with Ethelbert, when I +might give the message from Ecgbert; which was indeed the main +reason of my coming here instead of going straight home. That +chance would best be sought when the state business was done; for +since no man in all England rightly knew where Ecgbert was at this +time, and he had no mind that many should, my business would wait +well enough. So I bent myself to enjoy the feasting and the hunting +parties the court made for us all; and pleasant it was, in all +truth. And every day fresh companies of the great folk of the land +came in, till the town was full of thanes and ladies and their +trains, gathered to see and hear what had come from beyond the +seas. + +So one day I rode with Werbode, who was all eagerness to see the +land (to which his forbears would not come when Hengist asked them, +by the way, as he told me) across the great heaths that lie north +and east of Thetford, with Erling after us, leading two greyhounds +which had been lent us from the royal kennels. There were bustards +in droves on these heaths, and roe deer to be found easily enough +by those who had skill to seek them in the right places. The +bustards were nesting; but that is the time when one can best +course the great birds, and many a good gallop we had after them. + +Whereby we lost ourselves presently, and made light of it until we +had wandered for some hours, and then remembered that we had never +seen a man of whom to ask the way back to the town. Of course we +tried to make our way back by the sun, but ever there would seem to +grow up a thicket or wood before us, which we must skirt, or some +marshy lake shone across our path in a hollow of the heath; and it +was slow work, and the horses grew weary as ourselves. The hounds +trailed after us with bent heads, hardly rousing themselves to tug +at the long leash when a hare scudded from its form away from us, +for they had had their fill of sport by that time. And it grew near +sunset before we met with any trace of man. There was not even a +track across the wild upland which we could follow. + +"We shall have to make a night out of it," said I at last. +"However, that will not matter. Here is game enough for us and to +spare." + +"And no ale to wash it down withal," said Werbode and Erling in a +breath. + +"Why, then, we will find the best water we can," I answered; and we +rode on our way looking for a clear pool. + +And then the first sound which told us that any one was near came +to us. + +There rose from off to our left, where a patch of woodland lay, a +cry that made each one of us rein in his horse and stare at the +others. + +"That was some one in dire distress," said I. + +"A woman crying for help," said Werbode. + +Then we forgot our own plight, and set spurs to our horses and rode +toward the place whence the cry came. We heard it once more, and +that quickened us. My horse pricked up his ears, and broke into a +long stride that left the other two behind in a few minutes, as if +he knew that there was need for dire haste. I had to ride +carefully, too, for there were holes and great stones among the +heather. + +So I was the first to see what was amiss; and it seemed bad enough. +Round the spur of the cover I came, and there before me I saw a +wild throng of men, savage as any I have ever seen in the mines of +our Mendips--bareheaded save for great shocks of black hair, +barefooted and hoseless, dressed in untanned hides of deer and +sheep, and armed with uncouth clubs and spears on rough ash poles. +They did not hear my coming, and they had their faces from me at +first. Twenty or more of them there were; and two horses rolled on +the ground hard by them, and they had been hamstrung, as one glance +told me. One man, too, in the dress of a housecarl, lay not far +off, wounded sorely. He saw me, and beckoned wildly to me. And next +I knew why, for out of the throng came three men dragging a lady +roughly away from the rest; and as their comrades parted to let +them pass, I saw another man on the ground, and with his back to a +third a gray-haired noble, who held back the wild men with long +sweeps of his sword. He was trying to follow those who held the +lady. + +I saw all that at once, in a flash, for it broke on my eyes the +moment I cleared the thickets of the cover; and as I saw I shouted +and bore down on the throng, calling to my comrades to hasten. Then +the men knew that I was on them. + +They yelled to one another, and, without waiting to see if more +followed me, left the lady and the men who fought for her, and +scattered, flying. It seemed to me that the best thing I could do +was to keep them in a mind to fly, and I rode after them. One or +two I rode down; and I heard a wild outcry as some met Werbode and +Erling when they came up. But they did not make for the wood, as I +expected, but for the open heath. They ran like deer up the swell +of a rising ground and passed over it. + +When I came to the top of that I saw a wide stretch of bare land +before me, like miles of that which we had passed, hardly +heather-covered, and stony, and over it fled the men. There was no +place where they could hide. And yet before my very eyes they +vanished. One after another they went till but one was left, still +flying. I took my eyes from him for a moment, and he too was gone. +There was not so much as a bustard on the heath, which a moment +before had been full of fleeting figures. + +"They are trolls, thane!" cried Erling from beside me. + +He, too, had seen the moorland and the men who had gone. Then +Werbode rode up to me, and he looked and gasped. + +"They went over this hill! I would swear it!" he said. "Where are +they?" + +"I do not know," I answered blankly, and, to tell the truth, with a +bit of a chill down my back. "I should be better pleased if I did." + +"See," said Erling, pointing, "there are the mounds wherein they +live. They are trolls;" and with that he began to mutter I know not +what heathen spells against them. + +There were little low mounds everywhere, as I saw now. + +"Trolls!" said Werbode, with a laugh. "One can't slay trolls. I saw +Wilfrid cut one down, and there he lies even yet." + +"Nay, but one can, if so be the sword is rightly charmed," answered +Erling. + +"Well, they have gone," said I. "Do you two go and see after these +folk they were attacking, and I will bide here to watch that they +do not come back." + +"That is the work of the man, not the master," quoth Erling. "Here +I bide, for I have runes which are of power against any trolls. I +am not afraid." + +Nor did he seem so; and I told him to call if but one man showed +himself, and so rode back to the little party we had saved. The man +who I had seen was of rank was bending over the lady, who lay where +the wild men had left her; and his unhurt servant was watching +beside him. The wounded man was sitting up and trying to bind a +hurt in his thigh with a scarf, which, from its gold fringes, was +plainly that of his mistress. + +The thane rose up when he heard us coming, and saluted us. He was a +handsome man of sixty years or so, richly dressed, who had plainly +had a bad fall when his horse went down. There were three or four +of his assailants lying where they had been round him as I came. + +"Many thanks, sirs," he said. "It was going hard with us when you +came up. Now is no time for ceremony, or I would say more. I do not +know if my daughter lives yet." + +I dismounted, and Werbode held my horse while I went to the side of +the thane and looked at his charge. Wonderfully beautiful that +young maiden seemed in the red light of the sunset, even though her +face was white and her fair hair all tangled over her shoulders, +and her rich dress all in tatters from the hands of the wild men. +And at first I thought that she was dead. Then I minded that unless +she had died of fright, which was possible, I had seen no harm done +her beyond rough handling, while those who held her had fled from +me without delay or heed to how she fell from their hands; and I +knelt and tried to find the pulse in her wrist, very gently. + +Her white hand fell limp and cold, but the fluttering beat was +there. + +"Not dead, thane, but fainting," I said. "Let your man get water; +there is a pool yonder." + +The housecarl started toward it, but as he passed one of the +helpless horses, he turned to that and brought me a horn from the +saddlebags. It had wine in it, and that was better. The old thane +tried to get some of it into the lips of the lady, and succeeded +while I rubbed her hands. + +And all the while Werbode had his eyes on Erling, whose gaunt form +was clear against the sky as he sat still on his horse and watched +the heath for the trolls to return on us. Behind him the two hounds +sat, careless. + +"She is coming round," said the thane, with a sigh of relief. + +Seeing that so she was, I rose up and stood aside, not caring to be +right before her eyes as she opened them, lest she should be +frightened again. Slowly she came to herself, trembling, and +looking round fearful of what she might find about her. But when +she saw only her father and the man, she tried to smile and sat up, +with a little clutch at her disordered dress as if she wanted to +straighten it. + +"That is better," said the thane heartily. "Those thieves have +fled, and all will be well, thanks to our good friends here." + +The maiden looked round, and saw that I was a stranger, and at that +the colour came back of a sudden to her cheeks, and she tried to +set her hair hastily out of her eyes. Whereat her father laughed at +her, and then she was herself again. + +"I think we had better be going on before it grows dark," I said. +"Do you know the road to Thetford?" + +"My man here does. But you will not leave us--at least yet?" + +"We are seeking the same road," I answered. "Now our horses are at +the service of the lady and yourself. I suppose we are not far from +the town, if we cannot find it;" and I laughed. + +"Matter of ten or twelve miles, lord," said the housecarl. + +"Why, then, the sooner we go the better. Lucky that the May +twilight is long." + +"We have met you in the nick of time," said the old thane +courteously. "From your dress I take it that you are one of the +Frankish paladins we were on the way to see. But do they always +talk good Wessex at the court of King Carl?" + +"No," laughed Werbode. "Sometimes they talk old Saxon--as I do." + +The thane bowed, and let that matter rest. Then he looked ruefully +at the two crippled horses, and set his arm round the lady, who had +risen and was leaning on him. + +"I thank you for that offer of a horse," he said. "I had twelve +good men with me when we started across this moor, and you see all +who are left. One after another they have been shot by unseen men +as we rode, until these swarmed out on us as you saw." + +"Who are they?" I asked, rolling up my cloak to set it pillion-wise +behind my saddle for the lady. + +"The flintknappers, I suppose," he said. "But I am a stranger to +these parts, and I have but heard of them as dwelling about these +heaths." + +Then I would have the thane mount my horse; and I lifted the maiden +up behind him, and wrapped Werbode's cloak round her, having a +smile and thanks for the service. And when they were ready I +whistled for Erling, and he came back to us at a canter, looking +behind him now and then. But there was no sign of any follower. + +"Ten miles from the town," I said to him, "and more heath to cross. +We must hurry. But we cannot leave those horses to suffer." + +"Our horses; and I have tended them, lord," said the rough +housecarl, with a bit of a shake in his voice. "Leave that to me." + +He drew his seax, and we went on. The poor beasts could never rise +again, and that was the only way. The thane knew, and rode round +the wood end, and we went with him. Then Erling lifted the wounded +man on his own horse, and walked beside him. + +"You and I will ride in turn," said Werbode. "As I am mounted, I +will take first turn for a mile or two. It will be all the same in +the end." + +Presently Erling came alongside me, leaving the housecarl to mind +his comrade. He held out a broken arrow to me. + +"I said they were trolls," he remarked. "See, this is an elf shot." + +And truly the arrow which he had drawn from one of the horses had +as well wrought a flint head as I have ever seen--lustrous black, +and covered with tiny chippings. + +"It is a better made head than usual," I said; "but many a thrall +has naught but flint-headed arrows in his quiver as he tends the +swine in the forest. They are good enough against the forest +beasts." + +Erling laughed. "Maybe. But they have slain ten of this party. I +have no mind to hear them whistling about my ears again." + +"Again?" said I. + +"Oh ay; they had a shot or two at me yonder. The arrows came from +nowhere and missed me, so it did not seem worth while to call you. +I could not see any one." + +Now it seemed to me that I had found a cool and valiant man in this +Dane. + +"I think that I should have wanted to take cover," I said. "These +are perilous folk to have to do with. I wonder what became of +them?" + +"Gone into the mounds we saw," said he. "Betimes in our land men +have seen such mounds raised, as it were, on pillars at night, and +under them halls full of dancing trolls. But if the seer will go +near them, all is gone. And mostly thereafter he dies." + +"Not many trolls could get under those mounds we saw," I said. +"See, there are more here; they are too small for dwellings." + +There was indeed one of the heaps of earth close at hand to us, and +Werbode rode toward it to see that none of the wild men lurked in +its shelter. He reached it, and then his horse started and leaped +aside, almost falling; and through a rattle of falling stones my +comrade called to the steed to "hold up." + +Whereon we supposed, of course, that he had been served as the +horses of the thane had been crippled, and Erling and I ran to him, +sword in hand, bidding the others go on. But when we came to the +side of Werbode, we found him staring into a pit which seemed to +have opened under the weight of his horse; and there was no sign of +other danger. + +"Strange folk these," he said. "I suppose this is a trap. The +ground over it was as solid as anywhere, to all seeming. I was nigh +into it." + +The pit was ten feet deep or so, and it was plain that out of it +had come what made the mound, though one could not see how. When I +looked in I saw that the ground had given way over the roof of a +passage hewn in the soft chalk, and that the opening of it must +have fallen in long ago. The twisted stems of the sparse heather on +the mound and all around it told of years, if not of long ages, +that had passed undisturbed. + +"There is the trolls' house," said Erling, shrinking back somewhat. + +The level sunlight showed me walls of dull gray chalk, with the +marks of the pick on them still. There was a layer of black and +white flints bedded in either wall, halfway up, and on the floor +were piled stones chosen from it carefully. I wondered who had +handled them, and when. Erling moved a little aside, and a shaft of +sunlight darted down the passage and reached its end, and showed me +those who had wrought here. + +Two white skeletons sat against the wall, with a pile of flints +between them. There was a lamp hewn from chalk on the top of that, +and the stain of its smoky flame was on the wall behind it. One man +had a pick made of the brow tine of an antler, greater than any +which the red deer carry nowadays, across his knees, and another +like pick lay by the bones of the other skeleton. That one had a +broken thigh, and he seemed to bend over it in pain. + +"Holy saints," said Werbode, in a whisper, "they were buried +alive!" + +So they must have been; but who shall know when? They had delved in +the chalk for the flints they needed for their weapons, and their +mine had fallen in at the mouth, and they could not escape. The +stones had, doubtless, broken the leg of that one in falling. But +by the token of the deer-horn pick I take it that it was ages ago +when this happened, maybe before the days of the Welshmen whom we +found here. Yet even then, as the red sun lit up the place of their +death, we could see that the marks of their chalky hands bided on +the handles of their picks, fresh as if made yesterday. + +"Come away," said Erling. "I like it not. This is over troll-like +for me." + +I do not think that either of us was sorry to leave that sight. We +went one on either side of Werbode, with our arms across the +crupper of his horse, and hastened after the thane and his charge, +who were half a mile away by this time, waiting for us. But we +never heard any elvish arrow whistling after us, or saw any more of +the uncouth folk. + +I told him as we went on of the pit we had seen, and how Werbode +thought it was a trap. Whereon the housecarl laughed a little, and +said that it was but an ancient flint working. The men who had +fallen on the party were the descendants of those who had made it. +The flints had been worked here from time untold even till now, and +those who worked them today had all the craft of their forebears. + +"Why, then, they went into their workings when they fled from us," +I said. + +"No doubt, thane. Where else should they go?" he said. "They came +out of them on us." + +"I wonder you brought your master and the lady across this heath at +all," I said "it is a perilous place." + +"It grew late, and it is the nearest way," said the man humbly. +"Nor did I ever hear that the flintknappers, as we call them, +harmed any." + +"Nor did I," said the old thane. "It is somewhat fresh to me. Maybe +parties like ours have passed here so often during this last week +that at last the sight of gold and jewels has roused them to try to +take from a weak band." + +So we talked and went on as fast as we might, all the while keeping +a lookout around us. The lady had, in some way which is beyond me +altogether, set herself in such array again that I, for one, could +hardly tell that aught had been awry on her; and I wondered that +Werbode's red cloak had never seemed so graceful a garment on his +broad shoulders. But she said little or nothing, leaning her head +on her father as she rode with her arm round him, save when we +asked her if all was well. I think she was very tired. + +And so at last, with no more adventure, we came to the well-worn +track which we were making for, and by-and-by, in the May +moonlight, saw the twinkling lights of Thetford town, seeming to +welcome us into the shelter of its protecting ramparts. I was glad +to see them; but I had enjoyed that long tramp back, for some +reason which was not plain to me, unless it had been the talk of +the old thane and my comrades, and the sense of escape from danger. + +Now we came to the great hall, and the grooms thronged round us to +take the horses; and seeing that there was a lady, one told the +steward, and he bustled out to help her. But there I was at hand, +and lifted the maiden from the horse and set her on her feet, +having to support her for a moment, for she was weary and stiff. So +she stumbled a little and laughed at herself, and thanked me, and +was glad of my arm to help her toward the great door of the hall. + +Werbode and Erling went off with the horses to the stables, and +some of the housecarls took charge of the wounded man. I heard him +groan heavily as they took him from the horse. + +Then the thane gave his name to the steward, and that was the first +time I had learned it. + +"Sighard, thane of Mundesley, and his daughter, the Lady Hilda." + +They were led into the hall; and I went my way, or was going, for I +had only passed down the steps, when some one called me. + +"Paladin, one moment!" + +I turned, for the Frankish title could be meant for no one but +myself, and there was the old thane at the door. + +"I did but take my daughter into the house, and I have yet to thank +you and your comrades for your help. Believe me, I know how great +it has been; but one is confused at these times. I think we shall +meet again?" + +"Doubtless," I said. "But it was chance which brought us to you, as +we wandered." + +"For which chance I have need to be thankful. It is not every one, +however, who can make use of a chance as you did. If you had stood +and stared for a moment instead of spurring your horse, I should +have had a flint spear among my ribs. They ache at the thought +thereof even now. Tell me your names at least." + +"Wilfrid, son of the thane of Frome, in Somerset," I said. "I have +served with King Carl for some years, and am here with his messages +on my way home. My comrade is Werbode of old Saxony, one of the +messengers also. The third of us is my man, a Dane." + +Sighard laughed, as if highly amused. "That explains it all. I have +been puzzling all the way hither at the divers ways in which you +three spoke. Your Dane's tongue is almost good Anglian, and yet not +quite. Werbode's Saxon is quaint, but good enough, as it should be; +but broad Wessex from the mouth of a seeming Frank was too much. +Not the best master in the world could compass it for you. Now I am +right glad that you are of England. When she has got over her +fright and is rested, the girl shall thank you also." + +He shook hands with me heartily and left me, following his +daughter. Presently I saw him as we sat at table, and he lifted his +cup to me; but though he was on the high place, where of course we +were set, I was too far off to speak to him. + +Now I cannot say that I had much right to that title of paladin he +had given me, unless it was as a messenger from the palace of King +Carl. Thane I was in Wessex, now that I had come of age, by right +of lands that came to me from my mother's side; but our folk got +hold of the Frankish title, and used it for any one of us, so that +I had to accept it. I did tell the old noble who led us that it was +not by my wish that so they called me; but he stroked his beard and +laughed at me. + +"What does it matter?" he said; "it is naught but the old name for +a palace officer. It is near enough. Trouble not about it; for if +we have taken it to mean a warrior noble--well, I will not say that +you have not deserved it, else Carl had never sent you with us." + +One may guess that at supper that night I tried to see the Lady +Hilda. But among all the bright array of ladies at that feast I +could not spy her. And perhaps that is not to be wondered at, for +long ere we came up all the baggage had been lost. By this time her +court dress was being worn by swart women of the flint folk, far on +the wild heaths. I dare say they fought over it. + + + +CHAPTER VI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH ETHELBERT THE KING. + + +Early on the next morning Ethelbert the king sent for me, to ask me +concerning this affair with the flintknappers. Very pleasant he +was, too, and the first thing he did was to laugh at himself for +taking me for a Frank. + +"I ought to have seen that you were a Saxon," he said; "and if I +had had the courtesy to speak with you, I should have learned it at +once. I had a good friend once in that atheling of yours, who is +lost to us." + +His face clouded as he said that, and but that there were a dozen +courtiers present, I should have told him that Ecgbert was found +again for him, then and there; however, that would wait, and I +passed it over. Then he asked me of myself, and what I would do +when the state affair was ended; and I told him that I had no +greater wish than to find my way home at once. + +"That is a long ride," he said. "I think we can assist you. It is +in my mind to ride westward myself in a week or so to see Offa, on +a matter of business. That will take us far on your way, if you +care to ride with me." + +Now I wondered what this business might be, for the honest face of +the young king flushed somewhat as he spoke thereof; and one or two +of the courtiers behind his chair smiled at one another meaningly. +That was not for me to ask, but whatever it might be, I was glad of +the kindly offer. I thanked him, and then we spoke of the flint +folk, and I told him all I knew. + +Then, of course, we must talk of the court of King Carl, and of all +that I had seen and done beyond the sea, and the time went fast. I +had my breakfast with the king there in his private chamber, for he +wanted to hear of laws and the like, of which, to tell the truth, I +could let him know little. + +"Best ask the old paladin who is the head of the embassy, King +Ethelbert," I said presently. "I can tell you how Carl manages the +sword; but of the way he wields the sceptre, I cannot. Mayhap I +shall mislead you." + +"No," he answered; "I would hear how his way seems to a plain +Englishman as myself. My chancellor shall talk with the paladin." + +Then at last he started up, and cried: + +"Why, I have forgotten somewhat. I promised to take you to my +mother's bower to be thanked by the Lady Hilda. Come with me at +once." + +"There is Werbode," I said. + +"Let him wait," said Ethelbert. "It is the thane on the great pied +horse whom she will thank." + +I wondered whether it was the steed or myself she remembered best, +which was not courteous of me. Ethelbert laughed and told me so, +adding that he thought after all that the horse would be noticed +first. He was the first thing which had caught his own eye when we +rode into the palace yard on our coming, certainly, so I had to +stand another jest or two about him. + +We came to the bower, across a fair garden where the May flowers +were gay and sweet, and the king knocked at the door. It was a +handsome, low-built little hall which stood at right angles to the +great one, so that it had a door opening on the high place where we +sat at table. Its windows on this garden side were wide and high, +and this morning the heavy shutters were flung back from each, and +the curtains were drawn aside, for it faced south to the warm sun. +There were bright faces of the queen-mother's ladies at one or two +as they sat in the deep window seats working or spinning, and +anywise laughing with one another; whereon I grew bashful, for of +ladies' talk and presence I have a sort of fear, being more used to +camp than court, as I have said. + +However, we went in, and there we stood on a floor strewn with +sweet sedge in a fair hall, tapestry hung, full of sunlight, and of +ladies also. There was a high place here at one end, and on it sat +the mother of the king, not in any state, but working at a little +loom, whose beams were all carven and made beautiful for her royal +hands. There were two ladies helping her, and they rose as the king +entered, as did all the others, and there was a sudden silence. + +I should have been happier if only they had paid no heed to us, and +with all my heart I wished myself elsewhere. Nor did I dare look +round for the Lady Hilda, and so kept my eyes fixed more or less on +the ground, or else trying to seem unconcerned, looking foolish, no +doubt, in that effort. It came to me that one of my shoes was +muddy, and that I could not remember having combed my hair this +morning. + +Then the queen rose and came to meet her son with a smile and +morning greeting, setting her hands on his shoulder and kissing +him, and so turned to me as if to ask Ethelbert to say who I was. +And when she heard, I knelt and kissed the hand she held to me; and +my shyness went, for I was no longer at a loss for somewhat to +think of besides myself. I suppose the king or queen made some sign +at this time, for the ladies rustled back to their seats, and their +pleasant talk began again as if we were not present, only so low +that it was like the murmur of the bees outside as we came past the +hives. + +Now the queen asked me just a question or two of my journey--if the +crossing had been rough, and so on, and then said smiling: + +"But you have had another journey since then, and that handsome +horse of yours bore a double burden, they tell me. Here is the Lady +Hilda, who would thank you for somewhat you did for her." + +She beckoned, and a lady rose up from the window seat near by and +came forward. Truly I had to look twice before I was quite sure +that this was she, for here was a wonderfully stately young lady, +clad in white and gold and blue, all unlike the maiden who had +clung to her father as we rode yestereven. And if I had thought her +fair then, I saw now that she was the fairest of all those who +attended this homely and kindly-faced queen. She held out her hand +to me, and I bent and kissed it; and on the white wrist I saw the +blue marks of the clutch of the wild men, which made a great wrath +rise in my heart straightway. Yet I must say somewhat or seem +mannerless. + +"You have fared none the worse for your ride, lady?" I said. "I +fear you were weary." + +"I am black and blue with the claws of those folk," she said, +laughing ruefully; "they were grimy also. But I meant to try to +thank you for much kindness." + +She blushed somewhat, and I made haste to say that I was happy to +have served her in aught. But I would not have her forget my +comrades. + +"Ay, they helped you," she said; "I had not forgotten. And I had +the cloak of one of them. Will you thank him for it?" + +I said that I would, and added words about Werbode's pleasure in +the loan, and so on. One could not say much with all those eyes on +us, as it were, if I had had much to say. I was glad when the king +took up the talk and asked after the welfare of the lady. + +"I have sent men across that heath," he said; "at least they will +see to those who fell of your party. I hope they may bring back +some not much hurt after all. A fall from a horse will not be of +much account after half an hour." + +But she shook her head and paled, for, as her father had told me, +his men who had fallen were not mounted. The king saw that the +matter was hard for her to think of, and so turned the talk by +asking how she liked that steed of mine. + +"Sire," she said gravely, "when horse and rider first came suddenly +before my eyes, I thought that one of the saints had come to our +help. It was the most welcome sight I have ever seen, and I shall +ever love to look on a horse of that--of those--" + +"Patchwork colours," laughed the king. + +"Wilfrid, so long as you live you will no more be taken for a saint +than shall I again. Make the most thereof. Of a truth I will even +buy me a skew-bald mount and ride round corners in search of the +like reputation. Nay, sell me yours straightway!" + +"No, King Ethelbert," I answered--"not even to yourself after he +has won me that word, and since he has borne so fair a burden." + +"Let us go straightway," said Ethelbert. "You will not better that +speech if you bide here for an hour. + +"Farewell, mother; and farewell, ladies." + +He bowed, and I did my best to leave gracefully, all those who were +present rising again as he went, and returning his bow. The queen +was laughing at him, and I dared to see if the Lady Hilda had a +smile on her face. She had, and it did not pass when she met my +look; but behind the smile was something of the terror of last +evening, which had been brought back to her. It was in my mind as +we passed the door again that if the sight of me and my horse so +wrought on her, it were better that I kept away if I could; and I +would have the beast stabled in the town. + +Then said Ethelbert when we were halfway across the garden: + +"We shall have the company of that very fair lady to Offa's court. +She is going to the queen as one of her ladies for a time, by our +permission. Her mother was of Lincoln, and gave hospitality to +Quendritha when she was first found on the shore. Then she married +our thane of Mundesley here; whereby we have gained this fair +subject." + +Into my mind there came the thought of what old Thrond had told me, +and I would that this maiden could be warned. And that was just a +wild thought, for even Thrond could not say for certain that his +guess was true, and he had bidden me hold my peace; and thereon I +tried to consider that it was no concern of mine where the Lady +Hilda went, though it troubled me more than enough to think that +she was to go to Quendritha. So I said naught, and the king did not +expect any answer. + +"I suppose you have heard why we go thither," he went on quickly. +"If not, you will, and you may as well have it from myself." + +He glanced sidewise at me, and I bowed. I supposed I should hear +some words of policy or other. + +"They--that is, our wise folk and my good mother--have been saying +that I ought to marry. They have dinned that into my ears for the +last two months since I have been on the throne. It is a matter +which I had not thought of, and therefore I have been in no haste +to answer them; and they have grown impatient, saying that it is +for the good of the realm. Have you ever been at the court of King +Offa of Mercia?" + +I had not, and I think I had told him so before, when he asked me +if I would ride with him thither. + +He took my arm and turned to pace the garden back again, thinking. +I wondered that he took the trouble to tell me all this, as I was +so complete a stranger to him. + +"I am sorry for that," he said; "I would have asked you somewhat. +You would have answered it frankly, and without the thought of what +might please me, as our courtiers would of course stay to consider. +But tell me, what have you heard of Offa and his family?" + +Now I could say nothing of what I had heard from Thrond; that was +impossible. Nor did it seem to me to matter that of it I spoke not. +The life of Quendritha the queen had lain open to all England, as +one may say, for the last twenty years, and that was of more +account than the half-told tale of a wandering Dane. So I said +simply the truth. + +"I have ever heard of that royal house as the noblest and greatest +in all England--at least since Ina of Wessex died; but I have been +abroad for these five years, and I know not what they have +brought." + +"Why, then," he answered, laughing, "it is I who must tell you of +them. There was once a fair little playmate of mine in Offa's +house, his youngest daughter Etheldrida. Since you left England she +has grown up, and now--Well, you will not need telling the rest, +maybe?" + +He reddened and laughed, as if well content, and plain to me it was +that if Ethelbert meant to wed that playmate of whom he spoke he +was happy; for in this case certainly policy and inclination went +hand in hand. + +"Then both yourself and East Anglia will be happy, King Ethelbert," +said I, smiling in turn. "That is what you would tell me." + +"That is it. This princess has the fairness of her wondrous mother, +and promise of the wisdom of her father; and I have known her for +long years. Three weeks ago I sent with all solemnity to ask her +hand, and I need not tell you how I waited for the answer. It came +on the day before you landed, and now when your people have gone we +shall ride to Fernlea, and--well, I suppose there will be a +wedding." + +If Ethelbert when that day came looked as he looked at this moment, +there would in all truth be a handsome bridegroom. I thought that +the princess was to be envied, for more worth than that were the +words of every man of his land in his favour, whether as the +atheling of East Anglia or her king. And it was much for me that +here this open-hearted king was telling me his hopes as if I were +an old friend. Maybe that was because to his subjects he did not +care to speak thus, or could not, by reason of old habit. He was +wise beyond his years, being, as I think, about two years younger +than myself. And as to this match, of course it was plain that Offa +in furthering it was in nowise unwilling to link the land to the +east of Mercia to himself in so peaceful a bond as he had linked +Wessex in the year when I left home. It did come into my mind that +thus in time the descendants of that mighty king would be likely to +rule from the Humber to the Channel, but that was a dim thought of +years to come. There was Ecgbert to be counted on. + +And at that I wondered whether this were, as it almost seemed a +good chance, a fitting time for me to remind the king of him. He +himself had told me carefully that in aught I said of his doings I +must be cautious; and now I could not tell what Ethelbert might not +think right to make known to Offa, and so to Quendritha. + +Ethelbert went on telling me of the coming journey, having found a +listener who was no courtier, and did not heed that I was silent. +And so we paced the garden, while he chatted hopefully, and I +turned over somewhat heavier matters in my mind. + +Once I did well-nigh tell him of Ecgbert, and then forbore; for at +that moment he said somewhat of Quendritha which almost made me +think that he feared her. Whereon I was troubled to think that this +bright and happy young king should be drawn into the net of her +pride and policy, and again thought myself foolish for giving two +thoughts to a matter which did not concern me. If the king was +happy and yon fair maiden was content, they knew more of the queen +than I. So I ended my questionings by a hearty wish that old Thrond +had never told me that wild tale of his, and said naught of my +prince, but listened patiently to the king until some one came and +prayed him to meet the council, which he had forgotten. + +I followed him to the great hall, and thence went to the stables, +and so met with Werbode and Erling, and rode hawking with them all +that afternoon. And when we came back we heard that tomorrow was +the day for the meeting of the Witan, to hear and see what King +Carl had to say and had sent. + +Now, of all that wonderful gathering in the hall at Thetford I need +say little. I know that our Franks had somewhat despised our +buildings, for indeed they seemed somewhat poor to me after the +mighty piles which Carl had reared. But such a wealth of colour and +jewels decking so gallant an assemblage of brave men and fair +ladies even Carl's court could not match, and so they told me. As +we stood before the high place our Frankish dress seemed almost +plain beside the English, richly as we were clad. + +Then I found that I, by reason of having to interpret, was thrust +somewhat more forward than I liked; but there was no help for it, +and I went through it all as well as I knew how. Maybe it was lucky +that I had that talk in all confidence with the king in the garden, +for I was now in nowise afraid of him, though he sat there crowned +and with his sceptre. I was afraid, however, of the Lady Hilda, +knowing just where she stood behind the queen, and one would have +thought that with her I might have claimed more close acquaintance +than with the king; which is curious, for if I had not known her at +all, I should have cared naught for all the ladies present, having +business that needed other thoughts on hand. + +However, after it was all over, the old paladin, who was our chief, +thanked me, and spoke some honest words of praise for the way in +which his message had been set before the Witan and the king; and +gave me, moreover, a ring, set with a ruby from some far Eastern +land, as a kindly remembrance of himself; so I verily believe that +I did not manage so badly. + +After that was a day or two more of feasting and hunting, and then +the embassy would return. I was sorry to part with Werbode, but I +bade him carry back messages to Ecgbert, and in them I told him +that I waited for the time when his message should best be spoken. +Werbode knew not what that meant, but did not trouble to ask. He +would give my message, and would also tell the atheling of the +coming marriage. I had no doubt that it would be understood well by +him to whom it was sent. At that time there were none of the Franks +who knew or cared who Ecgbert was, save Carl; and if by chance my +friend had spoken to any of these East Anglians of the Saxon leader +under whom he had warred for Carl, the name of Ecgbert would mean +naught to them. A Wessex atheling has no honour in East Anglia, and +I doubt whether it had ever been heard here. + +On the day after the great ceremony I noticed that Erling went +about somewhat silently, and I thought that he very likely had a +wish to cross the sea with the Franks, and so make his way home by +land from the Rhine mouth. I asked him, therefore, if it was so, +saying that I would give him money enough for all needs. + +"It is not that, master," he said; and when he called me master +(which I had forbidden him, for he was more of a comrade, and I +would not have him remember whence I took him), I knew that he was +in earnest--"not that, for I would not leave you; unless, indeed +this means that you would have me go?" + +"No, comrade, that I would not. But you are downcast, and I thought +that you might have the longing for home on you. Well, what is it?" + +"It is naught," he said. + +But so plain it was that somewhat was amiss that I pressed him, and +at last he said that he would tell me if I would not be angry with +him. We were alone at the time, sitting on a great log in the +corner of the courtyard, waiting for supper. + +"Saw you aught strange about the robe which this young king had on +yesterday, when you stood before him?" he asked first. "You were +close to him." + +"I did not notice anything beyond that it was wonderfully wrought +with gold and colours. The queen made it, they tell me." + +He sighed, and his face fell. + +"I have heard that the Christian folk hold most precious such robes +as are marked with the blood of one who has died for his faith. Are +you sure that this robe is not such an one?" + +"I know it is not. The queen made it new for the coronation." + +He was silent for a while, looking on the ground and shifting his +foot in the dust, and some fear rose in my mind as to what he would +tell me. + +"Eh, well," he said, sighing again, "mayhap the sun was in my eyes +before I looked on him." + +"Is it the second sight again, Erling?" I asked in a low voice, for +that was what I feared. + +"Ay. Methought I saw that royal robe all spotted with blood as he +sat in it." + +"What does that portend?" I said. + +He lifted his eyes slowly to mine, and answered, "Why need you +ask?" + +I did not answer him, for, in truth, I only asked with a half hope +that he might have some other interpretation of this portent than +that of violent death, which seemed the plain meaning of it--that +is, if he saw aught, and I had no reason to disbelieve him. I tried +to think that his glance had met the sun for a moment before he +looked on the king; but I could not think it, for in the hall was +no chance thereof. And then he spoke again slowly, with his eyes +still on the ground. + +"Thrond, who is my uncle, saw the same on the mail of my father not +long before he fell. He said at that time that so it had often been +in our family; but this has not come to me until I came here. I had +no second sight up to this time." + +"It is sent for some reason, therefore," said I. "Now, is it +possible to avert the doom which seems written?" + +He shook his head. "I have never heard so," he answered. + +"Yet the king does not seem fey," said I, "and there is no man in +all this land who would harm him. Ah, maybe you saw the robe as of +a saint, because all men hold him most saintly!" + +"May it he so," he answered. "You are Christian folk, and it may +mean that; I will hope it does. How should a heathen man know what +is for you? Over you the Norns may have no power. Pay no heed to +me." + +"No," said I. "We ride to Offa with the king in a few days, and if +you and I have fears for him, there are two who will watch him +carefully. That is why the sight has come to you, I think. There is +danger, and we may meet it." + +Thereat he cheered up, for the thought of facing a peril heartened +him. His heathen fear of fate was enough to make any man downcast +when it seemed to promise naught but ill, and I verily believe that +he thought the way of the Christian might be altogether different +from his. But I liked his second sight not at all, for of course we +Saxons know that when it is given it is not to be despised. My +father had many times told me of the like before I heard this. + +After that I asked now and then if there was any danger to be +guarded against on the way to Fernlea, and I was told by all that +there was none. Hardly would a strong guard be needed, for the hand +of Offa was heavy on ill doers, and his land had peace from end to +end. + +So then I began to think the portent altogether heathenish, and +half forgot it. And with that I hoped that Erling would not often +be taken in this way. + +I rode with the Franks for an hour or two on their road back to +Norwich, homeward, and then took leave of them, riding back to +Thetford with Erling alone, for the king had but set the embassy as +far as the gates of the town. And as I watched them pass across the +heaths and at last disappear behind a hill, it seemed to me that I +had my life to begin afresh, for the days when I was one of the +paladins of King Carl of the Franks were past and done with. Many +were the lessons I had learned therein, and I have never regretted +those five years; and, best of all, in them I had been the friend +and close comrade of Ecgbert, who I know had then all the promise +of his greatness of the days to come. + + + +CHAPTER VII. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY BEGAN WITH PORTENTS. + + +Seeing that Carl the Great was at this time, and I suppose always +will be, the model of what a king should be, Ethelbert had many +things to ask me of him, and out of the hours which he spent in +questioning me it came to pass that he took pleasure in my company +at other times as well, treating me as a close comrade. That sort +of thing is apt to be perilous in time, for it makes jealousies +about a court if there is favour for one more than for another of +the courtiers; but as I was no more than a passing stranger, who +had not the least intention of biding here, I escaped that. Nor do +I think that any one was jealous of me, for the honour which Carl +had set on me for the sake of Ecgbert hung about me, as it were, +and I suppose that half the court thought that I had to take some +message on to Offa from my late lord. + +Moreover, for good and wise reasons of his own, Ethelbert had no +close companions of his own age, and maybe longed for such, finding +in myself one to whom he could speak his mind of his own affairs +without any thought of favour or policy rising up to cloud my +answers to him, as his guest. + +So in a few days I told him of Ecgbert, and gave him those messages +of which I have spoken, being sure that with him they were safe. +And I was glad that I did so, for his joy on hearing of his friend +was good to see. As for the rest of the hopes of our atheling, he +may have had his own thoughts, but he said plainly that the day +when Wessex would need him might come, and that if it did none +would more willingly welcome him home again. + +"But," he said, "I think that best of all Ecgbert would wish to +come home in peace at once, and set all ambition aside. Presently, +if we are careful, I may be able to speak to Offa of him again. +Nay, but have no fear; I understand how matters are with Bertric, +and will risk naught. I think we may find that Offa, who is +friendly with King Carl, knows more of Ecgbert than you might +guess." + +So that matter dropped, and I had done my errand. But for the sake +of Ecgbert I was all the more welcome to the king, for I had to +tell him of the wars and the deeds of his friend. I do not think +that any will wonder that thus I saw more of the king than +otherwise might have been my lot. + +Now there was another of whom I saw much at this time before we +started to ride westward, and that, of course, was the Lady Hilda. +She, I found, was going to Fernlea, rather that she might be one of +the ladies who should attend the bride whom it was hoped that the +king would bring home, than as going to remain with Quendritha, and +I must say that I was glad thereof. With her and her father I rode +many a mile hawking, and both of them seemed to hold me as an old +friend by reason of that lucky chance which brought about our first +meeting; and the only fault I had to find with the journey we +looked for was that in Offa's court would end my friendship with +them. + +So it happened one day as we rode thus that while the thane had +crossed a stream, beating up the far bank for a heron, we fell into +talk of the journey and its ending. + +"What is amiss with it all?" she asked. "The good queen seems +terribly downcast about it. Is not the princess her choice?" + +"Altogether so, as the king tells me. Perhaps the queen has +mother-like fears for the safety of this only son of hers, and lets +them get on her mind overmuch." + +"That would be hardly like our queen," she answered, laughing; "she +is above that foolishness. No, but there is somewhat more." + +"Then," said I, thinking that this was fancy, "it will be some +trouble of state which is at the bottom of her anxiety. That none +of us can mend." + +"It may be that," she said; "but it is some heavy trouble. I have +never seen her so downcast until yesterday. It is a sudden thing." + +There we left the subject, and I thought little more of it until +the next morning, which was that of the day before we started. It +had become a custom that I should wait on the king at his first +rising, when he had most leisure to talk with me, and this time I +found the queen with him in his chamber. She looked sad and +anxious, as I thought. + +"Wilfrid," she said to me when the fitting greetings were over, +"you are a stranger here, and no thought of policy will come into +your mind. Tell me truly what you think of this; it may be that +your word will have some weight with my son." + +Ethelbert smiled, but it was not quite his usual untroubled smile +at all. + +"It is not fair to ask Wilfrid," he said; "maybe he puts much faith +in these omens." + +"No, but he is of Wessex," she said. "He cares naught for alliance +or court, or for any of those things which blind our eyes. I want +him to answer me as if I were just a franklin's wife who is in +doubt. + +"Listen, then, if you will." + +She turned to me with a sort of appeal, and spoke quietly, though I +saw that she was almost weeping. + +"Last night I dreamed a dream, and in it I waited in the church +here for the bells to ring for the wedding of my son and +Etheldrida, whom he loves. It was in my mind that all the good folk +would come in their best array, and that so we should sing a great +'Te Deum' for the happiness of all. And indeed there was a voice +from the belfry--but it was of the great bell alone, as of a knell +for the dead. And indeed it seemed that the people came--but they +came softly and weeping, and they were clad all in black. And then +they sang--but it was the psalm 'De Profundis.'" + +I think that I paled, for I minded those other things which Erling +had told me. The lady, who looked in my face, saw it, and she grew +white also--whiter than she had been before. + +"Lady," I stammered, "I have no wit to read these things. It were +well to ask the good bishop, for he is wise." + +"Ay, too wise," she said. "I would hear simplicity." + +Then Ethelbert rose up and set his arm round his mother very +gently, and said gravely: + +"Mother, know you not of what you have dreamed? Even as you told it +first to me, and now again, I seemed to be back on that day, not so +long past, when we buried my father. So it was in the church at +that time, and it was the most terrible thing which you have known. + +"Is it wonderful, Wilfrid, that it should come back thus in the +night watches?" + +"It is not wonderful," I said. + +"Lady, I think that the king is right. + +"But, King Ethelbert, if I am to say my mind, I would put off the +journey for the sake of the peace of the queen your mother." + +"And thereby offend Offa, and maybe hurt that little playmate of +mine? No, it cannot be. And what should the dream be but that we +say?" + +Then the queen said plainly: + +"I fear for you, my son--I fear Quendritha. In the days gone by +your wise father was wont to say that if ever danger came from +Mercia to East Anglia, it would be by reason of her ambition and +longing for power and width of realm." + +"Why, mother, then surely in gaining the East Anglian throne for +her daughter she gains all she would. And she is Offa's queen, and +in his court can be no danger to me or any man. Presently you shall +surely dream again, and that dream shall show you the old sorrow +turned to joy, for you will have a fair daughter to drive away your +loneliness. She will be all you need, for I know that I can be of +little help to you. The dream was of the sorrow which is passing to +make way for joy to come." + +Then the queen made shift to smile, and told him that she deemed +that her fears might be foolish. But to me it seemed that even as +she had said, the thought of policy and state came first of +necessity, setting aside such a vision as any simple thane would +surely have thought held him from a journey he would take. Indeed, +many a one would have given it up for far less, for I have known +men turn back when already started, because a harmless hare crossed +their path or a lone magpie sat on a wayside tree. Maybe I minded +such like myself once, but service with Carl mended that. If he +bade a man do a thing, that man had to do it, omen or none. Whereby +I found that mostly these journey tokens, as one may call them, +came to naught, and certainly I should not have done that if I had +been able to mind them. And yet I do not know if aught would turn a +true lover from the way which leads him toward the lady of his +choice. + +"One thing only I do fear from this dream of yours, my mother," the +king said after a little while. "Can it mean harm to Etheldrida? +Was it for her that the knell passed, and shall I find her gone +from me? It is many days since I heard from her or of her." + +Now when it came to that, I knew that nothing would stay the king, +and so also did his mother. Whereon she was eager as himself to say +that the dream was but wrought of her sorrow. + +"Why, then," said Ethelbert, "you and Wilfrid may laugh at me if +you will; for I have dreamed a dream to set against yours, because +I think it has a good meaning. I thought that I was in a city, and +that from its marketplace rose heavenward a great beam of light, +like a pathway. And so I would climb it, but I could not. Then I +had wings, and up it at last I sailed as a ship sails on the path +of sunlight on an evening sea. Surely that promises a happy journey +for me. Fear no more, therefore, my mother." + +Then we went from him, for state business called him, and I would +take the queen across the garden to the bower door. There was +little ceremony in this quiet court, and no waiting ladies were +biding her return outside. And when we were alone there she turned +to me, and her eyes were dim and pitiful. + +"Friend," she said, "yon beam of light led to heaven. I do not know +what it all means, but I fear--I fear terribly." + +"Lady," I said, "many a time I have known men who thought they had +ill dreams on the night before a battle, and naught came of them. I +have forgotten to trouble myself much therewith." + +"Nay, but they are sent at times for our warning." + +"It may be so. I should be foolish if I did not believe what wiser +men than I tell me of their messages. But if there is ill before +the king, can it be anywise turned aside? What if he were persuaded +not to go?" + +"Oh," she said, with a little sob, "then his troth would be broken, +and that in itself would bring ill. It seems dark all round me." + +Then I said, for she was in sore distress: + +"Lady, I am a stranger and hardly known to you, but I am to ride +with your son. Will it be aught if I tell you that I will watch him +as if he were my own atheling, and if need be die for him, with his +own thanes?" + +"It is much," she said eagerly, "much; for in that court where I +fear for him you will be a stranger, and may hear and note more +than our folk, for if ill is plotted they may be careless of you. I +shall have less fear now that I may feel that one at least shares +in my dread. I do not know how to thank you for the promise." + +She set forth her hand to mine, and I bent and kissed it; but she +pressed my great fingers as my own mother used to press them. Then +she said in a low voice: + +"I do not fear Offa, for he is noble in all he does. I fear +Quendritha." + +"I have heard that she is to be feared. Can you tell me more of +her?" + +"You will see her as the fairest woman in all the land, and will +but know her as the softest spoken. Once or twice I have seen what +looks may lie under that fair outward show, and I know that in her +heart is the rage for power and ever more power, let it be what it +may. It goes ill with the lady of her train who shares a secret +with her, if the secret is the lady's. I cannot think how harm may +come to Ethelbert from her; but none know how it may not. I pray +you remember that." + +I promised, and then she led me to her doorway; and there I left +her, but not before she had thanked me again. I suppose that to +share a burden even with me helped somewhat to lighten it. And in +all truth I meant to do my part in watching, and if possible +guarding, the king. Perhaps it would be as the queen said, that +being in and yet not of his train I might be able to look on at all +that went on more easily. + +To that end I kept my Frankish dress, though I had meant to take to +plain Saxon wear once more, with the knowledge that none would +wonder that Carl's man was kept near the king, and that in Offa's +court I should not be taken for an Anglian of his train. + +Now the day came when we should set out on the long ride across +England to the Welsh border, where Offa had set his throne for the +time. As may be supposed, we went first of all on that morning to +the church in the dim daybreak, and there heard mass and sought for +blessing on our going and returning, and then I went and saw all +ready for the ride. I had bought two more horses, good enough for +change of mount now and then, one brown and the other black; and +Erling was to lead them, with our belongings on a pack. The king +would travel steadily, but no more slowly than might be managed, +and we were to have no wagons or the like to hinder us, though +there were three ladies besides the Lady Hilda who were to go with +us. + +It was past sunrise when I went to find Erling, but the morning was +dull and dark. It was hot, too, for no breath of wind stirred the +trees, and I seemed to notice a silence around me. That was because +the thrushes and blackbirds were not singing after their wont in +the dewy daybreak of May time, and I thought they waited for the +sun to break out. + +When I came to the stables there was bustle everywhere, of course; +but the grooms seemed troubled in some way out of the common, and +Erling himself came to meet me with a puzzled face which told me +that all was not well. + +"There is thunder in the air, thane," he said. "If I mistake not, +we shall have somewhat out of the way, too. The horses are feeling +it--unless some thrall has poisoned the whole stable." + +Truly the horses were looking strangely. Their coats stared, and +their ears were cold and damp, while they seemed glad of the +company of the men, whinnying low and rubbing themselves against +them as they came into the stalls. I heard one thrall say to +another that the whole stable had surely been witch ridden in the +night. + +"Get the horses into the open," I said. "It is stifling in this +stable. Maybe that is what is wrong." + +My own horse was standing ready, and he greeted me, after his wont, +with a little neigh; but he was wet, and his coat had lost the +gloss of which Erling was so proud. I did not like it at all, but +as every horse in the place seemed to be in the same way or worse, +I put it down to the thundery feel in the air. I led him out +myself, and there were two thanes of our party, who had come for +their horses. + +"Why, paladin," said one, "what is amiss with the skew-bald? You +can't ride him today if he is as bad as he looks." + +I told him that his own horse was much in the same case, and added +that I thought with Erling that it was the thundery weather which +upset the stable, though I had never known the like before. + +"I suppose that the king will not start until it clears," I said. + +"Ay, but he will," said the other thane, looking at the gray sky. +"Seldom does he put off a start, and today of all days there is a +strong cable pulling him westward." + +Now Erling came out with the other horses, and the thane and his +comrade glanced at them, and hurried to see to their own steeds. +There was no sound of pawing hoofs and coaxing voices to be heard +as one by one the horses were led out. It might have been the +clearing of a sheep fold for all the spirit there was in the +beasts. + +I mounted, and rode with Erling after me out of the courtyard into +the open. On the green were gathering the twenty thanes or so who +made up the party, and across it was drawn up the mounted escort. +There was the usual gathering of onlookers, and by the gate stood +the king's own huntsmen, with hawks and hounds. + +The first thing I noticed was that the birds were dull and uneasy, +and that the dogs were still more so. The hooded hawks sat with +ruffled feathers, and one or two of the hounds lay on their backs, +with paws drawn to them as if they feared a beating, while the rest +whined, and had no eagerness in them. It seemed closer here than in +the courtyard even, and every one was watching the sky and speaking +in a low voice. Each sound seemed over loud, and overhead the hot +haze brooded without sign of breaking. + +The king's chaplain came out, and a lay brother brought him his +mule. He looked at it as I had looked at my horse just now, and his +brow knitted. He was rather a friend of mine. + +"Father," I said, "there is somewhat strange in the air. Look at +all the beasts; they feel more than we can." + +He nodded to me gravely. Then he said, with his hand smoothing the +wet coat of his mule, which at any other time would have resented +the touch with a squeal, but now did not heed him: + +"It minds me of one day in Rome when I was a lad there, at college, +learning. There is a great burning mountain at Naples, and it was +smoking at the time. Then there came--" + +"Way for the king!" cried the marshal who waited at the gate, and +the good father had to stand aside with his tale unfinished. + +Ethelbert came forth with a smiling return to our salute, and with +him came his mother and the four ladies who were to bear us company +on the way. One of these was, of course, the Lady Hilda, and I +dismounted and left my horse to a groom for the time, having +promised myself the pleasure of helping her to mount. + +At that moment the marshal, who was a thane set over all the +ordering of the journey, went to the king and asked him if it might +not be his pleasure to wait for an hour to see if the weather +broke. I think that the king was so taken up with parting words to +the queen that he had hardly noticed the gloom and heat, and +certainly he had not noted the uneasiness of the horses, which was +growing more and more. So he only turned for a moment to the thane, +signing to the man to bring his horse. + +"Nay, but a dull start often forebodes a bright ending to a +journey. We will go," he said, laughing. + +"Now farewell, mother, for the last time." + +He bent his knee for her blessing, doffing his cap as he did so. +And even as he bent I was aware of a dull rumble, not loud or like +thunder, but as if all the wains of the host of King Carl were +passing toward us from far off. Hilda stood by me at that moment, +and she heard it. + +For the life of me, though I knew that no wagons were near us, I +could not help glancing round for them, and as I did so I saw the +end of a thrall's mud hut across a field fall out. The king leaped +up and set his foot in the stirrup, and at that moment the earth +heaved and shook under us, and the whole oaken hall and buildings +round us creaked and groaned like a ship in a ground swell, while +Hilda clung to my arm in terror. Her horse, which the thane, her +father, held, trembled and broke out into white foam all over, +stumbling forward. + +I do not think that the king felt it; indeed, as he was swinging +himself into the saddle at the moment, he could not have done so. +But his horse reared almost on end with terror, and any less +perfect rider must have had a heavy fall. All around us were +plunging horses and shouting men, but he did not seem to heed them. +He had all he could do to get his horse in hand again, and I think +his eyes were misty with that parting. + +He gave the horse the rein, crying to us to follow, and so passed +down the dim street and out under the green arches of the lane +beyond at a gallop, as gay and hopeful a lover as heart could wish. +Doubtless to him the shouts seemed but the cries of good speed, and +the plunging of the maddened horses but the sounds of mounting; for +the way had been left clear for him westward, and he did not look +back. + +Out of the houses of the town I saw the folk running and crying, +not in farewell to him, but in wild terror of rattling roofs and +crumbling walls. They did not heed him; but I saw him wave his hand +to them, for he thought they cheered him, as he passed too swiftly +to note either pale faces or woeful cries. + +Then after him rode their hardest the men of the escort and others +who were already mounted, and the tumult stilled suddenly. They say +that the queen swooned there on the pavement at the gate; and I do +not doubt it, though her ladies took her so quickly away that I did +not see her. Hilda was almost fainting on my arm, and I had to drag +her away from the wild frenzy of her horse, which the thane could +hardly hold. + +I saw two or three men stand staring at Erling, who was in trouble +with his charges, and then they went to his help. And next I was +aware that somewhat soft rubbed my sleeve, and I started and +turned. It was my own horse, who sought me in danger, and would +tell me in his own way that he was there. In that glance I noted +that his eye was bright again, and in a minute or two he shook +himself heartily. Thereby I knew that there was no more of this +terror to come, or he would have felt it yet. + +"Thane," I said, "see. The skew-bald has not lost his senses like +that beast. Let us set Hilda on him. The marshal will help to shift +the saddle." + +But Hilda came to herself again, and tried to laugh, saying that +there was never yet a horse of which she was afraid. Nor would she +hear of a change, for when her horse grew more quiet it was plain +that its terror had passed away. She took herself gently from my +arm, and spoke bravely now. + +"What was it?" she asked me while Sighard soothed the beast. + +"Why," answered Father Selred for me, "just what I was going to +tell the paladin--such an earthquake as I felt on a like day in +Rome years ago. But why it comes here in quiet England, where is no +fiery mountain to disquiet the earth, I cannot say." + +"Father, it is the end of the world!" said a thrall, forgetting our +presence in his terror. + +"Not so, my son. The thousand years of prophecy are not at an end +yet; and there are more foretellings of Holy Writ yet to be +fulfilled. It is just the old earth shaking herself after a sleep." + +The man's face cleared, and he shrank back with a low bow, +frightened at his own boldness. All seemed to have found their +tongues again, and were telling how the matter had seemed to them +without waiting to know whether they were listened to. + +"No hurry," said Sighard; "the king cannot keep up that pace, and +anywise will have to wait the pack-horse train somewhere. Let us +see all well first." + +Maybe we waited for half an hour after that, for the ladies were +sorely frightened. We had the horses walked to and fro for a while, +and presently they were themselves again. And there came no more +trembling of the ground, while the clouds grew blacker, and a +short, sharp thunderstorm swept over us. It was good to feel the +cleared air again, and to smell the scent that rises after rain, +and to hear the song of the birds break out around us. + +Yet on every face was a fear that would not be put aside. Men +thought that the earthquake boded ill for the journey of the king +and what might come thereof. + +So when the rain had passed we rode away after the king, followed +by the pack horses, and before noon caught him up. He had heard +then what had happened to set his steed beyond control, and his +face was grave also. Even he could not help fearing that the +earthquake, coming at that moment as it did, might be sent as a +token which he must hear though the dreams of his mother went for +naught. + +"And yet," he said to Father Selred and myself as we rode beside +him, "I am doing what I deem best for throne and realm, and I have +no thought of guile or harm to any man. Nor can I see that I have +to fear any from Offa, or that at his court can be danger to me." + +"Journey and reason therefor are alike good so far as man can see +or plan," said Selred the priest. "I would that every journey was +undertaken as fully innocently. I cannot think that any tokens have +been sent to warn you from it. Yet if there had been aught amiss in +your plans, it is true that there have been tokens enough to scare +any man from evil." + +"Maybe it all means naught but danger on the journey. Well, we knew +there was always that in any ride. For the rest, we are in the +hands of Him who orders all and can see beyond our ken. We will go +on till the tokens, if tokens they be, are plain in their meaning." + +Father Selred approved, gravely. Then he muttered somewhat to +himself, and laughed. It was Latin, but the king told me afterward +what it meant. Some old Roman poet had made a song in which he said +that a man who was just and straightforward in his purposes need +not fear if the world fell, shattered in ruins, around him. + +It was a good saying, and surely that was the way of Ethelbert of +East Anglia. Maybe the one thing which did trouble him was his +thought of the terror of his mother, and of her anxiety for him. + +But it was a long while before the rest of us shook off the fear of +what all this might betoken. Perhaps of all I had the most reason +to think that ill was before the king, for Erling, though he said +no more to me, was plainly full of bodings. And I have heard that +other men dreamed dreams of terror and told them to one another. +Only Ethelbert was always cheerful, singing as he rode and laughing +with us, so that we ought to have been ashamed to be dull. + +Save for what was in my mind, I cannot say that the miles went +slowly. The days were bright and warm, and ever did I take more +pleasure in the old home land. And always when Ethelbert had his +counsellors round him I rode with Hilda and her father, and I think +that I wished that journey might never end, after a while. + +For I was going homeward to where mother and father waited me, in +the first place. Then I had pleasant companions, and most of all +this one of whom I have just spoken. I had a good horse under me, +and a comrade in Erling who served me silently with that best of +service that is given for love. I was high in honour with this +wonderful young king, for the sake of Ecgbert first, I think, then +of King Carl, and lastly because he did indeed seem to like my own +company. I do not think that one could need more to add to +pleasure. + +I have seen the progresses of kings before this and since, and +often it has been that after their passing there has been +grumbling, and the hearty hope that the long and greedy train which +ate men out of house and home, borrowed their best horses, and +otherwise made a little famine in their wake, might never come that +way again. But this Ethelbert left, as it were, a track of +happiness across England, in hall and in village, in cot and in +forest. He had ridden with so small a train that he might +overburden none of those who had to entertain him on his way, and +he stayed nowhere overlong. Everywhere he seemed to leave smiles +and wishes that he would honour that house or that town again on +his return, and not a man to whom he had spoken, if it were but a +word of thanks, would ever forget how Ethelbert the Anglian looked +on him with that kindly glance of his. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO THE PALACE OF SUTTON. + + +By Ely and Huntingdon and Northampton, and so through the very +heart of England, across the sweet Avon at Stratford, our way took +us, under trees that had their first leaves fresh and sweet on +them, and past orchards pink and white, with the bees busy among +the bloom. I had seen many a fair country beyond the sea in the +wide realms of Carl, but none so sweet as this to my mind. The warm +rain that came and stayed us now and then but made it all the +sweeter; and I mind, with a joy that bides with me, the hours of +waiting in old halls and quiet monasteries. + +That black cloud of fears cleared away presently, for it was in all +truth a very bridal procession in which we rode. Everywhere the +news went before us that hither came the well-loved king to bear +away the sweet daughter of Mercia, and from town and hamlet the +bells greeted us, and the folk donned their holiday gear to come to +meet us. I had not known that the name of Ethelbert, young as he +was, could have been so held in love across the land. But Father +Selred told me that never had been such a king as he, as there +surely had never been such promise of the days when he was the heir +to the throne. + +First in all he was in the minds of every man who knew him, whether +in war or peace, council or chamber, and maybe he was the only one +who did not know it. I learned much of him in that ride, and always +with a growing love of him and a deeper wonder. He thought for +every one but himself. + +Nor was there a church, however small, which he passed on that +happy journey toward his bride which was not the richer and +brighter for some gift of his, left on the altar after the morning +mass, which always began our day, or given quietly after the +evensong which ended it. One might know his road now by the words +of the people, who will say with more than pride that once +Ethelbert crossed the threshold of their church and gave this or +that gift. I have seen richer gifts given, and heard more words +said; but what he gave seemed always that which was wanted, and the +word he spoke was always the best that could have been. And I have +wondered at the mighty churches which Carl the Great had reared and +was still rearing, but in some wise it seemed to me that the way of +Ethelbert was of more worth. + +Now, seeing that we had started with our minds full of portents, it +is not by any means wonderful that we found more on the road. For a +time, if a horse did but cast a shoe, the thane it belonged to +shook his head and wished that naught ill might come of the little +delay. And once, when we stumbled into a fog among the river +country of the midlands, where one would expect to meet with it, +there was nigh a panic in the company, so that the thanes crowded +round Ethelbert and begged him to return. Whereon he laughed at +them gaily. + +"Thanes, thanes!" he cried, "one can no more see to return than to +go forward! I might take it as a warning not to go back, just as +well. Did none of you ever see a fog before? Had it fallen on you +while hunting, you would have done naught but grumble and wait its +lifting." + +But they were terrified, as it seemed, beyond reason; and, indeed, +it was as thick as any Friesland fog I have ever seen, and it grew +blacker for an hour or so, while we had perforce to wait under +dripping trees till we could see to go on. Even a horse will lose +his way home in such a fog as that. + +And at last they begged the king to pray that it might clear from +off us, and so he knelt and did so. It was strange to hear his +clear voice rising from the midst of half-seen men and steaming +horses, praying for the light. And then the fog lifted as suddenly +as it had come, and the sun shone out. + +"See," he said, "our fears are like this mist, and cloud our +senses. Surely the fears shall pass likewise from the heart of him +who prays. So read I the token, if token it be." + +All that day thereafter we rode in brightest sunshine, and men were +fairly ashamed to say more of ill-luck and the like. And so also in +lovely weather we went for the fourteen days of our journey, until +we came to the place where we should cross the Severn at Worcester, +and but a day's long ride was before us. + +After that time of the mist Ethelbert noticed Erling, and would +call him and speak long with him of the ways of his home, as I +thought. + +At Worcester we waited while a message went from the town to Offa, +and next day there came to meet us some score of the best thanes of +the Welsh borderland, who should be our guides to the end of the +journey. Hard warriors and scarred with tokens of the long wars +they were, but pleasant and straightforward in their ways, as +warriors should be. Only I did not altogether like the smooth way +of the man who was their leader. His name was Gymbert, and he was +of mixed Welsh and English blood, as I was told, and he was also +high in honour with Offa, and with Quendritha herself; which in +itself spoke well for him, but nevertheless in some way I cared not +for him. + +They feasted us that night in Worcester, and early next morning we +rode out westward again on the last stage of our journey, the king +leading us with this thane at his side, followed by the rest of the +Mercians and his own thanes. So I, not altogether unwillingly, rode +with Hilda in the rear of the party, feeling somewhat downcast to +think that this was the last time I was at all likely to be her +companion. + +I suppose that there is not a more wonderful outlook in all England +than from the Malvern heights, save only that from our own +Quantocks, in the west. I hold that the more wonderful, for there +one has the sea, and across it the mountains of Wales, which one +misses here, while it were hard to say whence the eye can range the +furthest. + +I told Hilda so as we reined up the horses for a moment at the top +of the steep to breathe them, and she sighed, with all the wonder +before her. We of the hill countries do not know all the pleasure +that comes into the heart of one from the level east counties, as +he looks for the first time from a height over the lands spread out +below. I had been long enough in Friesland now to learn some of +that wonder for myself anew. + +"Well," she said, "you will be back again at home in your hills +shortly, and all this ride will be forgotten. Where does your home +lie? Can it be seen?" + +I pointed south or thereabout. I could almost fancy that I should +be able to see the far blue line of the Mendips under the sun, so +bright it all was and clear. + +Then she asked if my folk knew that I was on my way home. + +"No; else I had ridden straightway from Thetford to them. They +think that I am yet with the Franks across the sea, and a few days +can make no difference to them. Nor could I be so churlish as to +refuse the king's offer of help on my way." + +"I wonder how you will find all when you get back?" + +"And so do I. There were merchants from Bristol who brought me a +message that all was well with them six months ago, and by the same +hands I sent back word that so it was with me. Possibly that +message has reached them about this time." + +That was the third time I had heard from home during these years, +and I was lucky to have heard at all. It seems that my father had +bidden friends of ours at the ports to let him hear of men from +across the seas who were to go to the court of Carl. + +"Ah," she said, "I hope so. That would be more than joy to your +mother. And then for you to follow so quickly on the message! that +will be wonderful. I would that I could see that meeting." + +She turned and laughed in the pleasure of the thought, and I +suppose there was that in my eyes which told her that I had the +same wish. Maybe I should have said so, but she flushed a little, +and gave me no time. + +"But I shall be on the way back to East Anglia with the princess, +and I will picture it all. Some day, when you come back to see the +king, as you say he has asked you, I shall hear of it." + +Now it was in my mind that it was possible that I might be back in +Thetford, or wherever Ethelbert's court might be at the time, +sooner than I had any wish. For if aught had happened amiss at +home, so that our lands, for want of the heir, had fallen into the +hands of Bertric, I should be left with naught but my sword for +heritage. Then--for the king had spoken of these chances to me--I +was to come straightway back to him and take service with him. My +knowledge of the ways in which Carl handled his men would be of use +to him, and a place and honour would wait me. But I would not think +much of such sorrow for me, though that it was possible, of course, +may have been the great reason which made me silent when there were +words I had more than once had it on the tip of my tongue to say to +Hilda. Could I have known for certain that home and wealth yet +waited for me, I know that I must needs have asked her to share +them, now that at the end of this daily companionship I learned +what my thoughts of her had grown to be. + +"Ay, I shall be back with Ethelbert at some time," I said. "I do +not forget promises." + +After that we rode down the long hill silently enough, and the way +did not seem so bright to me. And so through the long day we rode, +stopping for an hour or two at the strong oaken hall, moated and +stockaded, of some great border thane for the midday meal. There +were the marks of fire on roof and walls; for once the wild Welsh +had tried to burn it, and failed, in a sudden raid before Offa had +curbed them with the mighty earthwork that runs from Dee to Severn +to keep the border of his realm. "Offa's Dyke" men call it, and so +it will be called to the end of time. + +And now we were on the way of the war host from west to east, the +way of the Welshmen, and making toward the ford of the Wye, which +they were wont to cross, so that we call it the "ford of the host," +the "Hereford." + +It was late when we came into the little town of Fernlea, which +stands on the gentle rise above the ford, for the five-and-twenty +miles or so of this day's work had been heavy across the hills. The +great stronghold palace whither we were bound lay some miles +northward, and it seemed right that we waited here till the next +day, that into it we might pass with all travel stains done away +with and in full state. + +Already there had been a royal camp pitched for us by Offa's folk, +and I was glad that we had not to bide in the town. One could not +wish for better weather for the open, and the lines of gay tents, +with the pavilion for the king in their midst, seemed homely and +pleasant to me with memory of the days which seemed so long ago +when the camp of Carl was my only home. + +As soon as we reached this camp under the hill, where the town +stockading rose strong and high against the Welsh, the thane I have +already mentioned, Gymbert, arranged our lodging, he being the +king's marshal in charge of us, and also warden of the palace. He +was a huge man, burly and strong, somewhat too smooth spoken, as I +thought, but pleasant withal. He gave me a tent to myself, somewhat +apart from the king's pavilion, as a Frankish stranger, I suppose. + +"Your thralls will bide with the rest," he said; "they can find +shelter in the tents there are yonder. If some of them have to bide +outside, it will not hurt them." + +"Well enough you ken that, Gymbert," said Erling curtly, in good +Welsh. + +I understood him, of course, for we had Welsh thralls enough at +home, but I wondered that he knew the tongue. Gymbert understood +him also, for his face flushed red and he bit his lip. But he +pretended not to do so. + +"Your Frankish tongue is a strange one," he said. "What does the +man want?" + +"I think that he means that outside the tent is as pleasant as in, +as you hint," I said. "But he will bide here across my door, as is +his wont." + +"Outside, I suppose?" said Gymbert, with a laugh. "Well, as you +like." + +He rode away, and I looked at Erling wonderingly. The Dane was +watching him with a black scowl on his face. + +"Where on earth did you learn the British tongue?" I said; "and +what know you of Gymbert?" + +"I learned the Welsh yonder," Erling answered, nodding westward. "I +lived in the little town men call Tenby for three years. There also +I heard of this man. He was a thrall himself once, and freed by +this queen for some service or another. He is a well-hated man, +both by Saxon and Welsh, being of both races, and therefore of +neither, as one may say." + +"He seems to be trusted by the king, though!" + +Erling shrugged his shoulders. "He has fought well for him, and is +rewarded. Were there aught to be had by betraying Offa, he would +betray him. Take a bad Saxon and a false Welshman, and that is +saying much, and weld them into one, and you have Gymbert." + +"This is hearsay from the Welsh he has fought," said I; "one need +not heed it." + +"I suppose not," quoth Erling; "but I never heard aught else of +him. And he has the face of a traitor." + +With that he turned to his horses and began loosening the pack from +that one which bore it. There was no more to be got out of him, as +I knew, and so, leaving him to set the tent in order, I went my way +toward the river, being minded for a good swim therein after the +long, dusty way. And turning over what Erling had said of himself, +I remembered that Thorleif had told me how he had come from Wales +round the Land's End to Weymouth. I thought rightly that he had +picked up Erling there. + +I had a good hour's swim in a deep pool of the river, and enjoyed +it to the full. The current was swift, and it was good to battle +with it, and then to turn and swing downward past the fern-covered +banks and under the shade of the trees with its flow. And while I +was splashing in the pool, a franklin came running from his field +with his hoe, waving wildly to me. + +"Come out, master, I pray you!" he gasped; "the water is full forty +feet deep there!" + +"Is that so?" I said gravely. "I will go and see." + +With that I dived, and stayed under as long as I could, not being +able to find the bottom after all. + +And when I came up again the honest face of the franklin was white +and his eyes stared in terror. So I laughed at him. + +"I believe the pool is as deep as you say; but would seven feet of +water be any safer?" + +"Nay, master, but it would drown me. Yet come out, I do pray you. +It gives me the cold terror to see you so overbold." + +Then came Father Selred along the bank, and the man begged him to +bid me leave the water; and so we both laughed at him, until the +franklin waxed cross and went his way, saying that I was a fool for +not biding in the shoal water up yonder by the great tree. I could +walk across there waist deep, he said, grumbling. + +Then I came out, and the father told me that the king would be here +anon. We walked to and fro waiting for him, and presently he came +with Hilda's father, Sighard, in attendance. The four of us sat +down on the river bank, under the great tree of which the franklin +had spoken, and watched the trout in the shallows till Ethelbert +lay back with his arms under his head, and said that he was tired +with the ride and would sleep. + +He closed his eyes, and we went on talking in low voices for an +hour or so while he slept. And then the horns rang from the distant +camp to tell us that the evening meal was spread in the great +pavilion. But the king did not hear them, and I looked doubtfully +at him, wondering if he should be waked. + +"Wilfrid," said Father Selred in a whisper, "surely the king dreams +wondrous things. His face is as the face of a saint!" + +And so indeed it was as he lay there in the evening light, and I +wondered at him. There was no smile around his mouth, but stillness +and, as it seemed, an awe of what he saw, most peaceful, so that I +almost feared to look on him. The horns went again, soft and mellow +in the distance from across the evening meadows. The kine heard +them, and thought them the homing call, and so lifted their lazy +heads and waded homeward through the grass. + +"Ethelbert, my king," said Sighard gently. + +The eyes of the king opened, and he roused. + +"Was that your voice, my thane," he asked, "or was it the voice of +my dream?" + +"I called you, lord, for the horns are sounding." + +"Thanks; but I would I had dreamed more! I do not know if I should +have learned what it all meant had I slept on." + +"What was it, my son?" said Selred. + +The king was silent for a little, musing. + +"It was a good dream, I think," he said. "I will tell you, and you +shall judge. You mind the little wooden church which stands here in +Fernlea town? Well, in my dream I stood outside that, and it seemed +small and mean for the house of God, so that I would that it were +built afresh. Then it seemed to me that an angel came to me, +bearing a wondrous vessel full of blood, and on the little church +he sprinkled it; and straightway it began to grow and widen +wondrously, and its walls became of stone instead of timber and +wattle, and presently it stood before me as a mighty church, great +as any of those of which Carl's paladin here tells me. + +"Then I heard from within the sound of wonderful music and the +singing of many people; and I went near to listen, for the like of +that was never yet heard in our land. And when I was even at the +door, from out the church came in many voices my own name, as if it +were being mingled with praises--and so you woke me." + +"It is a good dream," said Sighard bluntly. "It came from the +wondering why Offa let so mean a church stand, and from the horns, +and from my speaking your name. Strange how things like that will +weave themselves into the mind of a sleeping man to make a wonder." + +"It is a good dream," said Selred the priest, after a moment's +thought. I doubt not that it was in your mind to give some gift to +the church. Mayhap you shall ask Offa to restore it presently, for +memory of your wedding; and thereafter men will pray there for you +as the founder of its greatness." + +"Yet the angel, and that he bore and sprinkled?" + +"It seems to me," I said, "that it was a vision of the Holy Grail; +and happy would King Arthur or our Wessex Ina have held you that +you saw it, King Ethelbert." + +"Ay," he said, "if I might think that it was so!" + +Again the horns rang, and he leaped up. + +"We must not keep them waiting," he cried. "Come!" + +"More dreams," grumbled Sighard the old thane to me as the king +went on before us with the chaplain. "On my word, we have been +dream-ridden like a parcel of old women on this journey, till we +shall fear our own shadows next. There is Hilda as silent as a +mouse today, and I suppose she has been seeing more portents. I +mind that a black cat did look at us out of a doorway this +morning." + +So he growled, scoffing, and I must say that I was more than half +minded to agree with him. Only the earthquake did seem more than an +everyday token. + +"I suppose that the earthquake which we felt was sent for +somewhat?" I said. + +"Why, of course; such like always are. But seeing that it was felt +everywhere we have ridden, even so far as Northampton, and likely +enough further on yet, I don't see why we should take it as meant +for the king." + +Then he began to laugh to himself. + +"When one comes to think thereof," he chuckled, "there must have +been scores of men who felt it just as they were starting +somewhere; and I warrant every one of them took it to himself, and +put off his business! Well, well, I can tell what it did portend, +however, for Ethelbert, and that is a mighty change in his +household so soon as he gets his new wife home. Earthquake, +forsooth! Mayhap he will wish he had hearkened to its message when +she turns his house upside down." + +"Nay," I said, smiling; "one has not heard that of the princess." + +"She is Quendritha's daughter," he said grimly, and growing grave +of a sudden. "That is the one thing against this wedding, to my +mind. If she is like her mother, or indeed like her sister +Eadburga, who wedded your king, there is an end for peace to +Ethelbert, and maybe to East Anglia." + +Now I had heard little or nothing of how that last match turned +out; I only knew that when I was taken from home we were full of +rejoicing over it. So I heard now for the first time that over all +the land of Wessex were whispers of ill done by our new queen--of +men who crossed her in aught dying suddenly, or going home to +linger awhile and come to a painful end. I heard that she bore rule +rather than the king, and that her sway was heavy, and so on in +many counts against her. The tales were the same as those I had +heard often of late about her mother, Quendritha, and with all my +heart I hoped that the Princess Etheldrida was not as those two. I +had heard naught but good of her, at all events, and I will say now +that all I had heard was true. There could be no sweeter maiden in +all the land than she. I heard the same good words of her only +brother, Ecgfrith, and I suppose that those two bore more likeness +to their mighty father than to the queen. + +All this half-stifled talk of untold ill from Quendritha lay heavy +on my mind; and it came to me that Sighard was a true man, and that +to him I might tell the tale Thrond told me. I must share that +secret with some one who might, if he deemed it wise, warn King +Ethelbert in such sort that he should beware of her, now and +hereafter. So after a little while I said: + +"Thane, I have heard that Quendritha came ashore--" + +"Ay," he said sharply, looking round him. "But that is a tale which +is best let alone. It is true enough. My wife's folk took her in at +Lincoln." + +"Is it known whence she came?" I went on, paying no heed to a +warning sign he made; for we were far from the camp yet, and the +king was a hundred yards ahead of us. + +"Let be, Wilfrid; hold your peace on that. There are men who have +asked that question in all simplicity, and they have gone." + +"Why, is there aught amiss in coming ashore as she did?" + +"Hold your peace, I tell you. On my word, it is as well, though, +that you have had it out with me here in the meadows. Listen: there +is no harm in the drifting hither. What sent her adrift?" + +"I have sailed for a month with Danes," I said. "I have met with a +man who once set a girl adrift." + +As I said that I looked him meaningly in the face, and he grew +pale. + +"So," he said slowly, "you have heard that tale also. There was a +Danish chapman who came to our haven at Mundesley, where I live, +and told it there to me. That was a year after the boat was found. +I bade him be silent, but there was no need. When he heard that the +girl had become what she is, he fled the land. And, mind you, he +could not be certain, nor can I." + +"Nor could the man who told me. But my Dane is the nephew of that +man." + +Sighard grasped my arm. + +"Speak to him, and bid him hold his tongue if he has heard the +tale, else he and you are dead men. Get to him at once." + +I thought, indeed, that there was need to do so, though Erling was +in nowise talkative. For if, as was pretty certain, the tale of the +coming of Quendritha went round the groups of men at the camp +fires, he might say that he had heard of one set adrift from his +own land. + +So instead of going in at once with the king to the pavilion, I ran +down to the lines where the horses were picketed, and found Erling +on his way to the supper, which was spread under some trees for our +servants. I took him aside and walked out into the open with him. + +"Erling," I said, "do you mind that tale which Thrond tells +concerning a damsel set afloat?" + +"Ay, more than mind it--I saw it done! She went from our village. I +was a well-grown lad of fourteen then. Now I know what you would +say. It is the word of Thrond that this Quendritha, whom men fear +so, is she. He says so, since you spoke to him." + +"Have you breathed a word thereof to any one?" I asked, with a sort +of cold fear coming on me. + +I had no mind to die of poison. + +"Not likely; here of all places. I mind what that maiden was in the +old days. From all accounts she has but held herself back somewhat +here. But had you had aught to do with her, I should have warned +you, master." + +I set my hand on his shoulder. + +"I know you would. Now you will see the queen tomorrow. Tell me, +then, if this is indeed she." + +"Ay, I shall know her well enough. What I fear is that she may know +me!" + +Grim as his voice was, that made me laugh. + +"Seeing that you were but a lad when she last set eyes on you--and +now you are ten years older than myself, bearded and scarred +moreover--I do not fear that for you in the least." + +"Nor will she have need to scan me," he said. "Of course I need not +fear it." + +Then I asked him if he had more of the second sight. + +"Naught fresh, master. Only that look on the face of the young king +deepens, and ever there is the red line round his neck. I fear for +him." + +So did I, but of that we spoke no more. I tried all I knew to +fathom that fear of mine, and the most I could do was to make it +seem more and more needless and foolish. And presently, when we sat +at the table, and I saw the king speaking with the Mercians, and +noted their admiring looks at him, and their eagerness to listen to +him, I thought that Sighard was right, and that I was frayed with +shadows of my own making. I knew enough of men by this time to see +that here was no thought of ill toward Ethelbert. + + + +CHAPTER IX. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN WOVE HER PLOTS. + + +Great was the welcome which Ethelbert of East Anglia had from Offa +of Mercia when we reached the great stronghold of Sutton Walls on +the next morning, riding there in all state and due array in our +best holiday gear, with those Mercian thanes who had met us as +escort before and after us. The morning was bright and clear, and I +thought I had never seen so fair a procession as this with which +the king went to meet his bride. + +I had heard much of this palace of Offa's from the Mercians and +from Ethelbert himself, but it was a far stronger place than I had +expected. Seeing that here, on the newly-conquered Welsh border +lands, no man could tell when the wild Britons might swarm across +the ford, and bring fire and sword in revenge on the lands they had +lost, if the king would have a palace here, it must be a very +strong hold, and Offa had indeed made one. + +The Romans had chosen the place long ago, having the same foe to +watch and the same ford to keep, and on the low hill, which they +saw was best for strength and position alike, they had set a great +square camp with high earthen walls and deep moat below them. Once +they had had their stone houses within it, but they had gone. The +last of them were cleared when Offa drove out the Welsh and set his +own place there after our fashion. Then he had repaired the +earthworks, and crowned them afresh with a heavy timber stockade, +making new gates and bridges across the moat. + +Across the bridge which faces toward Wales we rode, between lines +of country folk, who thronged outside the stockading to see our +coming; and so with their cheers to greet us we came into a great +open courtyard, with long buildings for thralls and kitchens and +the like on either side of it, and right opposite the gate, facing +toward it, the timber hall of the king itself. A little chapel, +cross crowned, stood on its left, and the guest house and guard +rooms for the housecarls to the right, stretching across the centre +of the camp where once the Roman huts had been. + +The hall was high and long, and had a wide porch and doorway in the +end which faced the gate. Behind it one could see the roofs of +other buildings which joined it, and beyond it again were stables, +and byres, and kennels, and barns, and the countless other offices +which a great house needs, filling up the rest of the space the +stockade enclosed. Nor were they set at random, as one mostly sees +them; but all having been built at once, they stood in little +streets, as it were, most orderly to look on, with a wider street +running from the back of the hall to the gate which led toward +Mercia through the midst. + +Presently I learned that the queen's bower was a lesser hall, which +joined the back of the great palace hall itself, and that there +were other buildings, which were not to be seen at first. It was +the greatest palace in all England, and I wished that the Franks, +who had little praise for our dwellings, had seen this before they +went back home. It is true that all was built of timber, while the +Franks used stone; but that last no Angle or Saxon cares for while +good oak and ash and chestnut are to be had. + +I did not pay much heed to the place at the time when we rode in, +beyond a swift glance round me. There was that which held my eyes +from the first on the wide steps that led to the hall door. There +stood Offa and his queen to meet their guest, with the nobles of +Mercia round them in a wondrous gathering, blazing with colour, and +gold, and jewels, and the white horse banner of Mercia over them. + +To right and left along the front of chapel and guest house were +lines of the scarred housecarls who had followed Offa and won the +land for him, bright with flashing helms and weapons; and close +behind the group on the steps were some black-robed priests, who +had a vested bishop in their midst. + +So they waited while we dismounted, and then Ethelbert went forward +alone toward the king and queen, carrying his helm in his hand, and +with only a little golden circlet round his fair hair. I mind that +the bright sun flashed from it as he went till there seemed a halo +round his head, like to the ring of light they paint round the +heads of the saints in the churches. And I thought that even Offa +seemed less kingly than did he, though the great king was fully +robed and wearing his crown. I think he had on a white tunic with a +broad golden hem, and a crimson cloak fastened on his shoulder with +cross-shaped brooch, golden and gemmed, while his hose were of dark +blue, cross-gartered with gold. + +And then I must look at the queen, and I saw the most wonderfully +beautiful lady who ever lived outside of a gleeman's tale, so that +hardly could Guinevere herself, King Arthur's queen, have been more +beautiful. She was tall and yet not thin, and her golden hair fell +in two long plaits almost to the ground over her pale green dress. +From her shoulders hung a cloak of deeper green, wondrously wrought +with crimson and gold and silver, and fastened with golden +brooches. She also wore her crown; but even if she had not had it, +none could mistake her for any but the queen among all the ladies +who stood behind her, and they were of the noblest of that land. + +I thought that the Princess Etheldrida would be there also, for +beside the king was Ecgfrith the atheling; but she was not. They +say that she had some maidenly fear of meeting this husband of +hers, who was to be, in the open court thus. + +Now Offa smiled and came down the steps to meet Ethelbert, and set +his hand on his shoulder and kissed him in a royal greeting, and so +led him to the queen, who waited him with a still face, which at +least had naught but friendliness in it. One would say that it was +such a look as a fond mother might well turn on the man who would +take her loved daughter from her, not unwilling, but half doubting +for her. There seemed no look of ill, and none of guile, in her +blue eyes as Ethelbert bent and kissed her hand; and she too bent +and kissed his forehead. + +And at that moment from my shoulder growled Erling, and his face +was white and troubled: + +"Yonder is she!" + +Then he shrank away behind me, and so took himself beyond her +sight. I did not see him again until the queen had left. + +The words struck a sort of chill into me, and I looked more closely +at the queen. Maybe I was twenty paces from her, and one of many, +so that she paid no heed to me. And as I looked again I seemed to +see pride, and mayhap cruelty, in the straight, thin lips and +square, firm chin. It was a face which would harden with little +change, and the blue eyes would be naught but cold at any time. + +And it came to me that it was a face to be feared; yet I did not +know why one should fear aught for Ethelbert from her. + +Now those greetings were over, and Offa led Ethelbert into the +hall. Then Gymbert the marshal came and took us to our quarters, +that we might prepare for the feast, giving some of us in charge of +his men, while he led away the leaders of the party himself toward +the guest hall by the palace. + +One took charge of me, and led me round the little church to the +back of the hall, telling me that the king had given special orders +that the Frankish noble was to have some lodging of his own. It did +not seem to be worth while for me to explain the case to this man, +who would, doubtless, be sorely put out if I wanted to remain with +the other thanes; so I said nothing, but followed him to the rear +of the great hall, where a long building with a lean-to roof had +been set against it, behind the chapel, and as it were continuing +it. Inside it was like a great room, rush-strewn, and with a hearth +in its midst, round which the servants of those who were lodged +there might sleep, and along one side of it were chambers, small +and warm, with sliding doors opening into the room. I found Father +Selred there before me, and it seemed that he also was to have one +of these chambers, the priest's house being full, and I was glad of +it. Soon after that they brought Sighard, Hilda's father, there +also, and I thought I was in good company, and had no wish to go +further. + +I told the man to bid Erling the Dane come hither when his work in +the stables was done, and so he left me. Sighard's men, of whom +there were two, had followed him with his packs. + +Now they take Ethelbert to his chamber, and Offa and Quendritha +seek their own in the queen's bower. + +"A gallant son-in-law this of ours, in all truth," says the king +gaily. + +"Ay. And now you hold East Anglia in your hand, King Offa." + +"Faith, I suppose so," he answers, laughing--"that is, if +Etheldrida can manage him as you rule me, my queen! She is ever a +dutiful daughter." + +"If this young king were to die, the crown he wears with so good a +grace would then fall to you," says the queen, coldly enough. + +"Heaven forbid that so fair a life were cut short! Do not speak so +of what may not be for many a long year, as one may hope." + +"Then if he outlives you, he will make a bid for Mercia." + +"Nay, but he is loyal, and Ecgfrith will be his brother. It will be +good for our son that he has two queens for sisters--Wessex and +Anglia are his supporters. But there is no need to speak thus; it +is ill omened." + +"Nay, but one must look forward. There would be no realm like yours +if East Anglia were added thereto," says the queen slowly. + +"We are adding it, wife, by this marriage, surely, as nearly as one +may." + +"It were better if it were in your own hands," she persists. + +"Truly, you think that none can rule but yourself. Let it be, my +queen. You will have a new pupil in statecraft in your son-in-law." + +So says Offa, half laughing, and yet with a doubt in his mind as to +what the queen means. Then he adds, for her face is cloudy: + +"Trouble not yourself over these matters which are of the years to +come; today all is well." + +"Ay, today. But when the time comes that Ethelbert knows his +strength? I will mind you that East Anglia has had a king ere this +nigh as powerful as yourself. He will have other teachers in +king-craft besides ourselves." + +"Why, you speak as if you thought there would be danger to our +realm from Ethelbert in the days to come?" + +"So long as there is a young king there, who can tell?" + +Then says Offa, "I am strong enough to take care of that. Moreover, +he will be our son-in-law. I wit well that not so much as a mouse +will stir in his court but you will know it;" and he laughs. + +At that she says plainly in a low voice: + +"You have East Anglia in your hands. If Ethelbert did not return +thither, it is yours." + +Whereon Offa rises, and his face grows red with wrath. + +"Hold your peace!" he says. "What is this which you are hinting? +Far from me be the thought of the death of Ethelbert, in whatever +way it may come." + +And so, maybe knowing only too well what lies behind the words of +the queen, he goes his way, wrathful for the moment. And presently +he forgets it all, for the spell of his love for Quendritha is +strong, and by this time he knows that her longing for power is apt +to lead her too far, in word at least, sometimes. + +But we knew naught of this. It was learned long afterward from one +to whom Offa told it, and I have set it here because it seems +needful. + +Nor can I tell, even if I would, how Ethelbert met Etheldrida, his +promised bride. We saw them both at the great feast to which we +were set down in an hour or so, and the great roar of cheering +which went up was enough to scare the watching Welshmen from the +hills beyond the river, where all day long they wondered at the +thronging folk around the palace, and set their arms in order, lest +Offa should come against them across the ford of the host again. +Their camp fires were plain to be seen at night, for they were +gathering in fear of him. + +All the rest of that day we feasted; and such a feast as that I had +never seen, nor do I suppose that any one of those present will +ever see the like of it. Three kings sat on the high place, for +Ecgfrith reigned with his father; and there was the queen, and she +who should be a queen before many days had gone by. It was the word +of all that those two, Ethelbert and the princess, were the most +royal of all who were present, whether in word or in look, and in +all the wide hall there was not one who did not hail the marriage +with pleasure. It was plain to be known that there was no plot laid +by these honest Mercian nobles against their guest. One feels aught +of that sort in the air, as it were, and it holds back the tongues +of men and makes their eyes restless. + +There were some fifty or more who sat with the kings on the high +place at the end of the hall opposite the great door, thanes and +their ladies, of rank from earl to sheriff. They set me at one end +of the high table also, as a stranger of the court of Carl, asking +me nothing of my own rank, but most willing to honour the great +king through his man. And that was all the more pleasant because +next above me was the Lady Hilda, so that I was more than content. +She had found that she was indeed to ride home with the new-made +bride, and had spoken with her already. + +"See," she said, "the omens have come to naught. We were most +foolish to be troubled by them. Saw you ever a fairer face than +Etheldrida's?" + +And that was the thought of all of us who so much as remembered +that such a thing as a portent of ill had ever crossed the path of +the king on his way hither. + +So the business of eating was ended at last, and then the servants +cleared the long boards which ran lengthwise down the hall for the +folk of lesser rank, and there was a great shifting of places as +all turned toward the high seats to hear what Offa had to say to +his guests. And when that little bustle was ended he welcomed +Ethelbert kindly and frankly, and so would drink to him in all +ceremony. + +Then Quendritha rose from her seat and took a beaker from the +steward, and filled the king's golden horn from it. As she did so I +saw Offa look at her with a little questioning smile, as if asking +her somewhat; but she did not answer in words. She passed him, and +filled the cup of the young king who was her guest, and so sat down +again. Then Offa and Ethelbert pledged each other, and the cheers +of all the great company rose to hail them. + +Not long after that the queen and the ladies went their way, and we +were left to end the evening with song and tale, after the old +fashion. Those gleemen of Offa's court were skilful, and he had +both Welsh and English harpers, who harped in rivalry. Soon +Ethelbert left the hall, and men smiled to one another, for they +deemed that he was seeking some quiet with the princess. But he was +only following his own custom, and I knew that he would most likely +be in the little chapel for the last service of the day. + +Offa sat on, and it seemed to me that his face grew flushed, and +his voice somewhat loud, as the time passed. His courtiers noted it +also. + +"Our king is merry," one said to me. "It is not often that he will +drink the red wine which your Frankish lord sent him." + +"Ay," said another Mercian. "I saw him lift his brows when the +queen filled his horn with it awhile ago. But he has kept to it +ever since." + +I did not heed this much, but there was more in it than one would +think. What the drinking of that potent wine might lead to was to +be seen. I hold that Offa was not himself thereafter, though none +might say that he was aught but as a king should be--not, like the +housecarls at the end of the hail, careless of how the unwonted +plenty of that feast blinded them and stole their wits. + +Presently, indeed, the noise and heat of the hall irked me, and I +found my way out. It was a broad moonlight night, and the shadows +were long across the courtyard. There was a strong guard at the +gate, which was closed, and far off to the westward there twinkled +a red fire or two on hill peaks. They were the watch fires of the +Welshmen, and I suppose they looked at the bright glare from the +palace windows as I looked at their posts. + +In the little chapel the lamp burned as ever, but no one stirred +near it. I thought I would find Father Selred in our lodging, and +turned that way; and as I passed the corner of the chapel I met a +man who was coming from the opposite direction. + +"Ho!" he said, starting a little; "why, it is the Frank. What has +led you to leave the hall so early?" + +Then I knew that it was Gymbert the marshal. + +"I might ask you the same," I said, laughing. "I have not learned +to keep up a feast overlong in the camps of Carl, however, and I +was for my bed." + +"Nay, but a walk will bring sleep," he said. "I have my rounds to +make, and I shall be glad of a companion. Come with me awhile." + +So we visited the guard, and with them spoke of the fires I had +seen, and laughed at the fears of those who had lighted them. + +"All very well to laugh," said the captain at the gate; "but if the +Welsh are out, it will be ill for any one who will ride westward +tonight. Chapman, or priest, or beggar man, he is likely to find a +broad arrow among his ribs first, and questioned as to what his +business may be afterward." + +Then we went along the ramparts to the rearward gate; and it seemed +as if Gymbert had somewhat on his mind, for he fell silent now and +then, for no reason which I could fathom. However, he asked me a +few questions about the life in Carl's court, and so on, until he +learned that I was a Wessex man, and that I was not going back to +him. + +"Then you are at a loose end for the time?" he said. "Why not take +service here with Offa?" + +"I am for home so soon as this is over," I said. "If all is well +there, I have no need to serve any man." + +"So you have not been home yet," he said slowly, as if turning over +some thought in his mind. "What if I asked you to help me in some +small service here and now? You are free, and no man's man, as one +may say." + +"Nor do I wish to be," I answered dryly. + +I did not like this Gymbert. + +"No offence," he said quickly. "You are a Frank as one may say, and +a stranger, and such an one may well be useful in affairs of state +which need to be kept quiet. I could, an you will, put you in the +way of some little profit, on the business of the queen, as I +think." + +"Well, if the queen asks me to do her a service, that may be. These +matters do not come from second hand, as a rule." + +He glanced sidewise at me quickly, and I minded the face of another +queen, whose hand had been on my arm while she had spoken to me +with the tears in her eyes. + +"Right," he said, laughing uneasily. "But if one is told to seek +for, say, a messenger?" + +"I am a thane," I said. "To a thane even a queen may speak +directly." + +"You Wessex folk are quick-tempered; or is that a Frankish trick +you have picked up?" he sneered. "Nay, but I will not offend you." + +Then he was silent for a time while we walked on. I thought that +the queen had hardly sent a message to me in that way, and that he +had made some mistake. I would leave him as soon as we turned back +toward the hall. We were alone on the rampart, with the stables +below us on one side and the high stockading on the other; and then +he dropped that subject, and talked of my home going in all +friendly wise. + +"There are always chances," he said. "Come and take service with +Offa if aught goes amiss at home." + +"I have promised to go to Ethelbert, if so I must," I answered, +thinking to end his seemingly idle talk. + +I had put up with it because I was his guest in a way, seeing that +he was the marshal, and it does not do to offend needlessly those +who hold one's comfort in their hands. + +End his talk this did, suddenly, and why I could not tell. + +"Why," he said, "then you are his man after all! I deemed that you +had but ridden westward with him for your own convenience." + +"So it was, more or less," I said, somewhat surprised at his tone. + +And when I looked at him his face seemed white in the moonlight. + +"Of his kindness he bade me bear him company." + +But he made no answer, and half he halted and made as if to speak. +Again he went on, but said naught until we came to the steps which +led down from the rampart to the rear gate. On the top of them he +turned and said in a low voice, staying me with his hand on my arm: + +"Say naught to any man of what I said concerning a state need of +the queen's, for mayhap I took too much on myself when I spoke +thereof; there may be no need after all." + +I laughed a little, for I did but think that he had been trying to +make out that he held high honour in the counsels of Quendritha, +out of vanity, not knowing what my rank was. + +"If she does send for me, I shall remember it, not else," I +answered. + +And then, as he had the guard to visit, I left him, and went across +the broad street, from the gate to the hall through the huts, back +to my lodging. There I found Father Selred, and together we waited +for Sighard. Erling sat on the settle by the door, with his weapons +laid handy to him, on guard. + +"All seems well, father," I said; "there is naught but friendliness +here." + +"Well indeed," he answered. "It is good to hear the talk of priests +and nobles alike; they know the worth of our young king." + +"Well, and what is the talk of the housecarls, Erling?" I asked. + +"Good also," he growled. "But I would that I kenned the talk of her +of whom I have seen overmuch in the days gone by." + +Then he remembered that of this matter Father Selred knew nothing, +and he swore under his breath at his own foolishness; but the good +father had not heard him, or his rough Danish prevented his +understanding. + +"What says he of the men?" he asked. + +And when I told him he was well content, saying that from high to +low all had a warm welcome for our king. + +But even now Offa rises from the table and leaves the hall, all men +rising with him. So he passes out of the door on the high place and +seeks his own chamber, and there to him comes Quendritha. + +"I have dreamed a dream, my king," she says, standing before him, +for he has thrown himself into a great chair, wearily. "I have +dreamed that your realm stretched from here on the Wye and the +mountains of the Welsh even to the sea that bounds the lands from +the Wash to the Thames. What shall that portend?" + +"A wedding, and a son-in-law whom you may bend to your will," +answers the king; but his eyes are bright, and there comes a flash +into them. + +That would be a mighty realm indeed, greater than any which had yet +been in our land. If the East Anglian levies were his, he would +march across Wales at their head, with the Mercian hosts to right +and left of him. He might even wrest Northumbria from the hold of +her kings. + +Quendritha sees that flash, and knows that the cup has done its +work. The mind of the king is full of imaginings. So she sits by +him, and her voice seems to blend with his thoughts, and he does +not hinder her as she sets before him the might and glory of the +kingdom that would be his if that dream were true. And so she wakes +the longing for it in the mind of Offa, and plays on it until he is +half bent to her will; and her will is that the dream should come +true, and that shortly. + +Then at last she says, "And all this is but marred because of a +niddering lad who will leave the hall at a feast for the whining of +the priests yonder! In truth, a meet leader of men, and one who +will be a source of strength to our realm! It makes me rage to +think that but he is in the way. It is ill for his own land, as it +seems to me." + +"Ay, wife," says Offa. "But he is in the way, and there is an end +thereof." + +"He is in your hand, and there are those who would say that Heaven +itself has set him there. Listen. He hunts with you tomorrow. Have +you never heard of an arrow which went wide of its mark--by +mischance?" + +Again the eyes of the king flash, but he does not look on the +queen. + +"Who would deem it mischance?" he says. "No man. And I were +dishonoured evermore." + +"Not your arrow, not yours, but another's--mayhap yonder Frank's. +He is a stranger, and would care naught if reward was great; then +afterward he should be made to hold his peace." + +And at that she smiles evilly. A stray Frank's life was naught to +her if he was in her way. + +"Say no more. The thing is not possible for me; it is folly." + +"Folly, in truth, if you let Ethelbert keep you from the realm +which waits you. Were he gone, there is not so much as an atheling +who would make trouble there for you." + +"Peace, I say. Ethelbert is my guest, and more than that. He shall +go as he came--in honour. What may lie in the days to come, who +shall know?" + +"He who acts now shall see. Until the Norns set the day of doom for +a man, he makes his own future. Surely they set his end on +Ethelbert when he came here." + +So she says in the old heathen way, but Offa does not note it. It +is in his mazed mind that Ethelbert wrongs him by living to hold +back the frontier of Mercia from the eastern sea. + +"He is my guest, and I may not touch him," he says dully. "All the +world would cry out on me if harm came to him here. And yet--" + +"You shall not harm him," Quendritha says quickly. "There are other +ways. Your own name shall be free from so much as shadow of blame. +Now I would that I myself had made an end before ever I said a word +to you." + +"Had you done so--Peace. Let it be. You set strange thoughts, and +evil, in my mind, wife." + +Then she leaves him, and in her face is triumph, for Offa has +forbidden her nothing. Outside the door waits Gymbert, as if on +guard, alone. + +"All goes well. Have you sounded yon Frank?" she says. + +"He is no Frank, but a Wessex thane and a hired man of Carl's; +moreover, he is Ethelbert's friend." + +"Fool!" she says. "How far went you with him? What does he know--or +suspect?" + +"Naught," answers Gymbert stiffly. + +And with that he tells her what passed between us. + +"Come to me tomorrow early," Quendritha says, and goes her way. + +But we slept in peace, deeming all well. Only Erling, sleeping +armed across my door, was restless, for the cold eyes of the queen +seem to be on him in his dreams. + + + +CHAPTER X. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL LOST HIS NAME AS A GOOD HUNTSMAN. + + +There was to be a great hunt on this next day after we came to +Sutton, the stronghold palace. + +It had been made ready beforehand--men driving the game from the +farther hills and woodlands into the valley of the Lugg, and then +drawing a line of nets and fires across a narrow place in its upper +reaches, that the wild creatures might not stray beyond reach +again. I should hardly like to say how many thralls watched the +sides of that valley from this barrier to a mile or two from the +palace. Nor do I know if all the tales they told of the countless +head of game, deer and boar, wolf and fox, roe and wild white +cattle, which had been driven for the kings, are true, but I will +say that never have I seen such swarming woods as those through +which we rode after the morning meal. + +I had no thought that Offa seemed otherwise than as we met him +yesterday, and I suppose that all thought, or perhaps all +remembrance, of what he and his queen had talked of last night had +gone from him. Gay and friendly he was, and we heard him jesting +lightly with Ethelbert as they led us. With them went Gymbert, +smooth and pleasant as ever; and he nodded to me as his eye lit on +me, and smiled without trace of aught but friendliness. I looked +for nothing else, indeed; but seeing what he and Quendritha had so +nearly asked me to do that day, it may be a marvel that he hid his +thoughts so well. + +Presently I had reason to wonder at somewhat which happened to me, +and that would have been no matter for wonder at all if I had but +known that the queen was doubtful how much I had gathered from that +talk of mine with her servant. Of course I had not suspected +anything, but a plotter will always go in fear that a chance word +will undo all. + +Now we rode with bow and quiver on shoulder, and boar spear in +hand, as we had been bidden. All of our party, save the ladies, +from East Anglia were present, and about the same number of Mercian +thanes. Besides these there were swarms of foresters, and the +thralls who drove the game. Hounds in any number were with us, in +leash, mostly boar hounds. And as for myself, I rode the skew-bald, +whom I had called "Arrowhead," in jest, after that little matter of +the flint folk. It was the Lady Hilda who chose the name, and I had +had the flint head Erling gave me set in silver for her in +Thetford, as a charm, for they are always held lucky. + +I suppose I might have sold that horse a dozen times, and that for +double what I gave for him, by this time. There was not an Anglian +who rode with us but wanted him, for he seemed tireless, and here +already was a horse dealer from the south who was plaguing Erling +for him. All of which, of course, made me the less willing to part +with him, even had I not found him the best steed I ever knew, +after a fortnight's steady use of him. + +When we came to the narrowing part of the valley where the great +drive up to the nets was to begin, I was set by the head forester +off to the right of the line, being bidden to shoot any large game +which broke back, save only the boar. Most of them would go +forward, it was thought, and those which went back would be set up +by the hounds again at the end of the drive, men being in line also +behind us to harbour them. I cannot say that I have so much liking +for this sort of sport as for the wilder hunting in the open, with +as much chance for the quarry as for the man; but sport enough of a +sort there was. The bright little Lugg river lay on our left, and +for a mile on that side on which we were the woods and hills were +full of men, who drew together in a lessening curve as we rode +slowly onward. It was good to hear the shouts and the baying of the +hounds in the clear May morning. + +Men said it was Offa's last hunt of the season; and that is likely, +seeing that the time grew late. If it was, there is no doubt that +he meant it to be his greatest also. Mile by mile, and presently +furlong by furlong, as we went the game grew thicker, until the +covers and thickets seemed alive with deer which tried to break +back, and the undergrowth on either hand of me rustled and crackled +with the wild rush of smaller game, to which I soon forgot to pay +any heed. And soon I had no arrows to waste on anything less than a +stag of ten, leaving aught else to be dealt with by the foresters +behind me. + +Once or twice Gymbert rode across the rear of the line, and called +to me in cheery wise as he did so. He seemed to be seeing that no +man was out of his place; which was somewhat needful, since as we +drew together the arrows must be aimed heedfully. + +Which matter was plain to me shortly. A great red hind crossed me, +and I let her go, though I had an arrow on the string, and had +aimed. Even as I lowered the bow, over my shoulder, and grazing it, +came another shaft, missing the hind and myself alike. Some one had +shot from behind at her. + +"Ho," shouted Erling, who rode behind me, "clumsy lout, whoever you +are! That is over near to be sportsmanlike. Have a care, will you?" + +I turned sharply with the same thought, and angrily. But I could +not see any man near enough to have shot, for the trees were thick, +and we were in a glade of a great wood. Whoever it was had crossed +this glade out of our sight, and doubtless was somewhat ashamed of +himself. It was in my mind to tell Gymbert if he came near me +again. The man who would shoot so carelessly was not safe in a +drive like this. + +Nor had Erling seen any one. He had heard a horse behind us, +however. Now he pulled the arrow from a sapling where it had stuck, +and showed it me. It was a handsome shaft enough. + +Of course I forgot the matter directly. It was just one of the +common chances of a hunt, which now and then will spoil the sport +of a day. We were getting near the barrier now, and the kings must +go forward. Gymbert passed word along our line to halt, and cease +from shooting. + +"About time, too," growled Erling as we pulled up. + +Then we dismounted, and the foresters closed up and went forward. +One of the head men left two couple of hounds and some men with me, +saying that if I could not see the sport at the nets I might have a +boar back, and could maybe bring him to bay here, unless the hounds +were wanted. I thought that they would be, for there were sounds of +wild baying from the midst of the line, forward where the kings +were, and now and then howls told me that some more bold hound had +dashed in on a boar at bay and had met the tusk. I would that I +could see some of that sport, but there was no chance of it. + +However, my turn came before long. Sighard joined me, leading his +horse; and another thane, a Mercian, came up also. They had been to +right and left of me in the line, and had seen the hounds left with +me. For a quarter of an hour we stood there talking a little under +our breath, but mostly listening with some envy to the sounds of +the hunt ahead of us where wolf and boar died at the nets, turning +in grim despair on their foes. Then there was a shout of warning +that a boar had broken back. + +He came into the glade at a swinging trot straight for us. After +him were two hounds, who kept him going though they dared not near +him. And after boar and hounds came Gymbert himself, on horseback, +with his boar spear in his hand. I thought that he could not reach +the boar by reason of the hounds, or else that he had a mind to let +us end the matter, as guests. + +The men with us let loose the hounds we had, and they sprang in on +the boar at the sight of him. At that the great beast turned sharp +on the first two, and gored one from flank to shoulder with the +terrible sidelong swing of the flashing tusk; and then he had his +back to a great tree in a moment, and was at bay, with the hounds +round him, yelling. + +We three ran forward, and with us came Erling, with a second spear +for me. The horses were in charge of some thralls who had gathered +to us. Then it was to be seen who should win the honour of first +spear to touch that dun hide. Gymbert was already waiting his time, +wheeling his horse round to find an opening among the hounds, and +Sighard cried to him to let us have a chance, laughing. Whereon he +reined his horse back somewhat, and we paid no more heed to him. +One has no time to mind aught behind one when the boar is at bay. + +One of our fresh hounds ran in, and in a moment was howling on his +back before the boar, whose white tusk and dun jowl were reddened +as he glared in fury at us from his fiery eyes. Then across the +hound I had my chance, and I ran in with levelled spear. + +There was a shout, and some one gripped my arm and swung me aside +with force enough to fling me to the ground. As I fell, the broad, +flashing blade of a spear passed me, and then in a medley, as it +were, I saw the boar charge over the hound and across my legs, and +I heard a wild stamping and the scream of a wounded horse. + +I leaped to my feet, dumb with anger, and saw the end of that. +Gymbert's steed was rearing, and one of the foresters was trying to +catch his bridle, while the boar was away down the glade with the +unwounded hounds after him, and a broken spear in his flank. And +then my three comrades broke into loud blame of Gymbert, in nowise +seeking to use soft words to him. + +Then I saw that the flank of the horse was gashed as with a sword +cut, and that the face of the rider was more white and terrified +than should have been by reason of such a mishap. The horse dragged +its bridle from the hand of the forester, and reared again, and +then fell heavily backward, almost crushing Gymbert. However, he +had foreseen it, and was off and rolling away from it as it reached +the ground. I heard the saddletree snap as it did so. + +"Hold your peace, master," said Erling to me, before I could speak; +"leave this to us." + +I looked at the Dane in wonder, and saw his face white with wrath, +while Sighard was plainly in a towering rage. The Mercian thane was +looking puzzled, but well-nigh as angry, and the foresters were +silently helping up their leader, or seeing to the horse, which did +not rise. + +"A foul stroke, Master Gymbert," said Sighard, going up to the +marshal; "a foul spear as ever was! Had it not been for his man +yonder, you had fairly spitted my friend the paladin. Ken you +that?" + +"How was I to know that he was going to run in?" said Gymbert, +trying to bluster. "He crossed my horse, and it is his own fault if +he was in the way of the spear." + +"One would think that you had no knowledge of woodcraft," said +Sighard, with high disdain. "Heard one ever of a mounted man coming +in on a boar while a spear on foot was before him? Man, one needs +eyes in the back of one's head if you are about." + +Then he turned to the Mercian thane. + +"Is this the way of Gymbert as a rule? or has he only been suffered +to come out today?" + +"A man gets careless at these times," answered the thane. "Anyway +he is like to lose a good horse, and I will not say that it does +not serve him right. + +"It was a near thing for the Frank, Gymbert, let me tell you." + +"Well, I am sorry," said Gymbert gruffly. "I was a careless fool, +if that will suit you." + +"A mighty poor sort of apology that." + +"Well, then," said Gymbert stiffly, and as I thought somewhat +ashamed of himself, "I will ask pardon for a bit of heedlessness in +all truth. Mayhap I did ride in somewhat over jealously." + +Now by that time I was myself again, and told him to think no more +of it, so far as I was concerned. Whereon he blamed himself again +more heartily, and so went to see to his horse, which was past use +again for that and many a long day. Sighard turned away with a +growl, and Erling said nothing, for the matter was ended for the +time. + +As for the boar, it was Sighard's spear which he took with him. The +thane had got it home in his flank as he gored the horse, but to +little effect. Then the boar had taken to the thickets, and there +the foresters had slain him. + +Gymbert sent a man for a fresh horse, and so rode away without +another word to us. The noise from the nets went on, shifting +across the little valley as the kings went from place to place in +search of fresh game at the barrier. + +"Well," said Sighard, looking after Gymbert as he went, "if yon +thane had it in his mind to spear you, or to ride over you, or +anywise to send you on the tusks of the boar, he went the right way +to work. He rode straight at you from behind, as if he meant it." + +"But for his man here the paladin had gone home on a litter, feet +foremost, for certain," said the Mercian. "I do not know what came +to Gymbert, for he knows more of woodcraft than most of us. Maybe +he thought it his boar by all right, and was over hasty." + +"A jealous hunter is no pleasant companion," answered Sighard, with +a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Well, there is no harm done, but +to the poor steed yonder." + +Then I thanked Erling for his promptness, for it was his hand which +had swung me out of danger. Whereon he smiled, and said that he saw +it coming in time and risked my wrath. But I could tell that he had +more in his mind, and let the matter rest till we were alone. But +Sighard and the other thane went on growling now and then over the +closeness of the mishap, until the horns sounded merrily for the +gathering of us all to the barrier, where was even more work for +men and hounds than the kings could undertake. They had taken their +fill of the sport also, and had no mind to leave their courts apart +from it all. + +So for a long hour or two we brought to bay boar and wolf under the +forest trees or along the river banks, until I was fairly glad when +it was all ended. There was hardly a chance for the quarry, and it +was good when one either leaped the nets or swam the stream and was +away. Maybe it is as well to have seen such a drive, but I do not +care to take part in another. Better the horn calling one in the +early morning, and the music of the hounds whose names one knows, +and the long drawing of the cover while they work together well and +keenly, and the breaking of the stag or boar from his holt, and so +the air on one's face, and the swing of the gallop over the open, +with friends to right and left, before or behind. + +Maybe, then, one will end the day with the death of a valiant stag +in some bend of the trout stream, or with the last of a warrior +boar at the foot of an ancient oak; or maybe there will be naught +to show for the long day's questing. But always there will have +been the working of hounds and the paces of the good horse to dwell +on afterward, with, over all, the sight of bird and beast under the +sky with friends and freedom. Today I had not so much as breathed +my horse, and had nigh met my end in a sort of foolish chance which +came, as I had only reason to think, of the crush and hustle of men +at the end of the drive. There was, in truth, a sort of wild +excitement in the air at that time, and it brings heedlessness. + +Presently they gathered the game to a wide clearing on the river +banks, and such an array of lordly deer and grim boars, row on row +of fallow buck, and heaps of gray wolves, I have never seen. Roe +and even hares were there also, hardly accounted for in the +numbering. Hunting would be fairly spoiled on the Lugg side for a +season or two, maybe; but many a farmstead would be the better off +for lack of the nightly harriers of field and fold. + +But, most of all, men looked at the one mighty wild bull which +Ethelbert himself had slain. He was the only one which had been +seen, though it was said that another had escaped at the first, and +the kine of the herd had been suffered to go free. Snow white he +was, with black muzzle and ears and hoofs, and his short horns +shone like polished ebony above the curling mane of his forehead +and neck. He was a splendid beast, the like of whom my forefathers +had slain in fair hunt among the Mendips long ago, until none were +left for us today. The wild Welsh hills held them for Offa, as did +his midland forests everywhere, as men told me. + +Now at this last gathering I did not see Gymbert. I thought he had +most likely gone homeward, either on business or else because he +would fain hear no more of what he had done in the way of bad +woodcraft. Sighard said plainly that it was just as well that he +had gone, or his clumsiness would have been spoken of pretty +plainly. But all those to whom he did mention it, and they were +many, seemed hardly able to understand it, for the marshal's skill +was well known. + +I suppose it was a matter of two hours before sunset when we +started for the palace from where we ended the drive, with an +hour's ride before us. We straggled back somewhat, for the kings +rode on together, and men followed as they listed. So it came to +pass that before long Erling and I were together and almost alone; +out of earshot from any one else, at all events, for Sighard was +behind us with one or two more of our own party, and the Mercians +whom we followed were ahead. + +"What have you done to offend this Gymbert?" asked Erling, of a +sudden. + +"Naught that I ken," I answered. "We had a talk last evening on the +rampart, but it was of no account. Why?" + +"Because that was his arrow which so nearly struck you, first; and +then, if ever a man tried to spear another by a seeming accident, +he tried to end you when the boar turned to bay." + +"His arrow? How do you know that?" + +"Easily enough. When he fell yonder, those he had left fell out of +his quiver. They are easily to be known, and they were the same as +that I showed you--peacock-feathered with a bone nock, and tied +with gold and silver thread twisted curiously." + +"A man does not shoot another with an arrow of his own known +pattern if he means it" I said. + +"You hear what they say of the skill of Gymbert? All the more +reason, if his arrow in you were known, that men would say that of +course it was mischance, and pity him more than you. Moreover, that +is the word which would go back to Carl, whom they deem your master +yet. Offa would fain stand well with him." + +There was truth in this, and I knew it; and yet I could hardly +believe such a tale of treachery to an unoffending stranger as this +would tell. Then I minded how Erling had spoken to him in Welsh, +and a half thought crossed my mind that he bore ill will for that. +But in that case Erling was the man who had offended by plain +speech on a matter of which every one knew. So I did not recall +this to my comrade; it seemed personal to me. + +"Tell me what you and he spoke of last night," Erling asked me +gravely, as I turned the matter over. + +I told him all I could remember, and it came back to me clearly as +I went on. Then he said slowly: + +"There was more in that talk of a service to be done for the queen +than he would care for you to know. Why should a stranger be asked +if he might be led to undertake one, when there are scores of +faithful Mercians who would be only too glad to do aught to +pleasure her? As it seems to me, they needed one who could be put +away without being missed afterward, when his errand was finished." + +"No reason why Gymbert should have tried to end me now in that +case." + +"The king's wine was potent last night. It may be that he cannot +rightly remember how far a loosened tongue led him," Erling said. +"Master, there is trouble in the air. I sorely misdoubt that errand +of Quendritha's." + +"Faith," said I, "if you did not sleep across my door I would wear +my mail tonight." + +"Ay," he answered, under his breath and earnestly. "Do so anywise. +These great palaces have strange tricks of passages and doors which +are hidden, and the like." + +"Little shall I sleep tonight if you go on thus," I said, trying to +laugh; though it did indeed seem that he had somewhat more than +fancy in what he feared, and I grew strangely uneasy. + +"Better so," he answered; and I gave it up. + +Riding easily, we came back to the palace close after the kings; +and in the great courtyard I looked round for Gymbert, but could +not see him. There was nothing in that, of course; but when a man +has apparently tried twice to end one, it seems safer to have him +in sight. And Erling, as he took my horse, growled to me to have a +care and wear my mail under my tunic; which in itself was +disquieting. + +Most of all it was so because the affair seemed unreasonable. I +tried honestly to think that all was accident, but two such mishaps +from the same hand looked unlike that. + +So I went straight to my chamber and did as my comrade bade me, +somewhat angry with myself for thinking it needful. I took a light +chain-mail byrnie, of that wondrous Saracen make, which I had won +from a chief when we were warring on the western frontier mountains +by Roncesvalles, and belted it close to me that it should not +rattle as I moved. It was hardly so heavy as a helm, and fell into +a little handful of rings in one's hand when taken off; but there +was no sword forged in England which would bite it, nor spear which +its tiny rings would not stay. There was a hood to it also, which +went under the helm, but that I took off now. Then none could see +it under my tunic, and I myself hardly felt that it was there. + +Then I clad myself in all feasting finery, with Carl's handsome +sword at my side, and a seax, which Ecgbert had given me to match +it, also handy to my right hand in my belt. And so I went out into +the open, for I mistrusted the dark chamber somewhat after Erling's +words, though he knew less of palaces than did I. Maybe, however, +that was why I knew that he was not so far wrong. + +I went round to the courtyard, with a mind to pass to the stables +and look at the horses; but I met Father Selred, who asked me to +come out into the fields with him. Ethelbert had gone thither, he +said, and he would find some one to follow him quietly as guard. + +So we went from the great gate across the moat, and then turned to +the right, where the little Lugg flows under the palace hill across +the meadows, and then found a path toward a little copse, which we +followed. Father Selred told me that the king had bidden him seek +him there presently. He had gone to meet his princess in such quiet +as a king may find by good chance. + +They had cut a path round this copse, and through it here and +there, and we walked slowly round the outer edge on the soft grass, +with the song of the birds and the cooing of the wood doves +pleasant to listen to in the last evening sunlight. And then we met +the Lady Hilda walking, idly as we walked, by herself, and her face +grew bright as she saw us. + +"Two are company, my daughter," said Father Selred, with his eyes +dancing with his jest. "I doubt not that you are carrying out the +rest of the proverb. I will also retire and meditate awhile." + +"No, Father--" began Hilda. + +But he smiled, and swung his rosary, and so walked away from us, +while I laughed at him. Then Hilda smiled also, and with that made +the best of it, and walked with me to and fro under the trees. The +king and the princess were here, she told me, for a little time, +and she was in attendance. + +Presently she told me also of the goodness of Etheldrida, saying +that she thought the king and the land alike happy in this match. +She had much to say of her; and it seemed that the wedding was to +be in three days' time, here in the palace chapel. But presently +she spoke of Quendritha, and as she did so her face clouded. + +"I am afraid of her," she said at last. "She is terrible to me, and +why I cannot tell. She is naught but kind to me. All the ladies +fear her but one or two who are her close friends." + +"Well, you will soon be away from her," I said. + +"I do not know," she answered, glancing round her. "She has said +that she would fain keep me here. What she says she means, mostly." + +"Then," said I boldly, "I shall have to come and take you away +myself." + +Whereon she laughed a little, but did not seem displeased at the +thought. + +"Stay," I said. "You have that arrowhead I gave you?" + +"An I have not lost it. I will search." + +"Send it me if you need my help," I said; "then naught shall hinder +me from coming to you." + +"Spoken paladin-wise," she answered, laughing at me. "Mayhap that +bit of flint shall chase you round Wessex in vain, and meanwhile +the ogre will have devoured me." + +But she set her white hand on my arm for a moment, as if in thanks. +Then she started and looked at me in the face wonderingly. She felt +the steel. + +"Wilfrid," she whispered, "why do you wear mail under your tunic?" + +I told her plainly; otherwise it would have surely seemed that it +was a niddering sort of habit of mine, and unworthy of a warrior in +a king's friendly hall. And there was no laughter in her fair face +as she heard, but fear for me. Like Erling, she seemed to see peril +around us. + +"Listen," she said. "The princess dreams that she is to be wedded, +and that even before the altar her bridal robes grow black and the +flowers of her wreath fall withered, while the strown blooms under +her feet turn to ashes on her path." + +"More dreams!" I said bitterly. "We are beset with them, and they +are all ill!" + +"Have you also visions?" she asked, almost faintly. + +"No; unless you are one, and I must wake to find myself back in +bleak Flanders, or fighting for my life in Portland race again. And +I pray that so it may not be; for if I must lose the sight of you, +I am lonely indeed." + +"Nay, hush," she said; "not now. Wait till all is well for you and +for the king--and then, maybe; but I pray you have a care of +Gymbert." + +Now I would have told her that I had no fear of him, and mayhap I +should have heeded her other words little enough. But at that +moment Father Selred came back and beckoned to us, and silently we +went after him. The king had seen him and called to him. + +Then and there I was made known to the princess, and I thought her +strangely sad for one so fair, when she was not speaking. She +looked wistfully on Hilda and on me, as if she knew how we had +spoken, and smiled; and then her face was as the face of a saint in +some painted evangel, such as Carl had in his churches, still and +sweet. + +But Ethelbert was bright and cheerful as ever; and he bade me see +him home to his apartment, for he would talk with me. And I thought +rightly that as he had spoken in the Thetford garden of Etheldrida, +and as he had also spoken with me more than once on the road +hither, so he had much to say of her now. + +So across the glades passed the princess and Hilda with the priest, +and with them the brightness went from the sunset for us two, I +think. We waited for a few minutes, and then followed slowly, +saying little. We had each our own thoughts. + + + +CHAPTER XI. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING WENT TO HIS REST. + + +Now it becomes needful that I should tell where Ethelbert was +lodged, for I had not been to his apartments yet. + +Across the upper end of the great hall there was a long building +set, and this was divided into three uneven parts. From the hall +one entered it by the door behind the king's high seat on the dais, +whence I had seen Offa and his guest come last night; and then one +found that the midmost of these divisions was a sort of council +chamber, lighted by a window in the opposite wall, and with a door +on the right and left at either end. That on the right led to the +largest division, where were the king's own chamber and the queen's +bower. Other buildings had been added to this end; and it had its +own entrance for the queen from the courtyards, as I knew, for it +was behind the church and priest's lodging where they had bestowed +me. + +The door from the council chamber to the left led to the smallest +division of the cross building, and there were two chambers for +such honoured guest as Ethelbert. One could only reach these +chambers from the council room, and they had no private way into +the courtyard. It seemed that the guest hall, which was built +against the great hall to its left, ran back to the walls of this +end of the cross building, for there was a heavily-barred low +doorway, which could lead nowhere else, in the wall of the outer +living room. The only other door was that of the bedchamber, and +that was opposite the entrance. + +Pleasant and quiet chambers these were; for the noise of the hall +could not reach them and their windows were set to the westward, +looking out toward the Welsh hills beyond the Wye, which showed +above the rampart and stockading. + +So with much ceremony, which was wearisome to Ethelbert--and need +not be set down, for it would weary any one, and was of no use--we +reached those chambers, and there, being ready for the feast +myself, I helped to array the king, and so passed with the royal +party to the high place when the time came. + +"Come back presently with me when the meal is over," the king said; +"I have somewhat to ask you." + +Then I found my way to the place which had been given me last +night, and so had Hilda for neighbour again, to my much content; +for the order of sitting had been little changed, save down the +hall below the salt, where some fifty more men from the forest had +been made room for. It was a great feast and merry, and it seemed +the more so to me after the rough camp life across the sea, or the +rare state banquets which I had seen in Carl's court. There was +none of our hearty fellowship there, and there was more feeling of +difference between men of high and low rank, which made a feast go +stiffly to an English mind. + +Presently I saw Gymbert across the hall, and I thought he looked +uneasy. As he had fairly spoiled his name as a good huntsman, I was +not surprised, nor did it trouble me. I missed him toward the end +of the feast; but no doubt he had his duties about the place as +when I spoke to him last night, and that was nothing to wonder at. +I did not see him go. + +It was a long feast. We began by daylight, and ended in the red +blaze of torches set in sconces all down the hall, and in the +whiter shine of great wax tapers which armed housecarls held behind +us on the high place. I had never seen such waste of wax before; +but Offa was magnificent in all he did, in a rougher way than that +of Carl. + +When the time of eating was ended and the toasts were to go round, +the queen came with a wonderful golden cup which even the Frankish +treasury could not match, and standing beside Ethelbert filled it +with the red wine and pledged him. Very beautiful did she look as +she held the cup to the young king, and her words were soft and +full of kindness. She seemed well-nigh as young as the stately and +pale Etheldrida, her daughter. + +After that she and the other ladies left the hall after the custom, +and we sat on telling tales and listening to the gleemen and +harpers, and taking each our turn in singing. The East Anglian +thanes had a way of singing together which was new to me and +pleased me well. The hall grew hot and full of the smoke from the +pine-knot torches before the kings rose up to go. By that time, +too, the foresters seemed to be singing against one another, and +the noise grew great with their mirth. + +I rose and followed Ethelbert as I had been bidden, and passed into +the council chamber, where Offa and his guest parted for the night, +each going his own way. I thought Offa seemed heavy and moody, but +in every wise friendly. Tired he was, methought, for it had been a +long day. + +Ethelbert signed to me, Father Selred, and Sighard to follow him, +and we went into his apartment, closing the door after us. Out in +the council chamber we left three of the Anglian thanes and three +Mercian, who would act as guards for the night. + +It was very pleasant in the silence of this cool chamber after the +din and glare of the great hall. The moonlight came in at the +western window; and though there were torches ready, the king would +not have us light them, for he said we would sit in the dim light +awhile till he grew sleepy. And so at first we spoke of the day's +hunting, and, of course, Sighard had his say on the matter of +Gymbert's carelessness. + +Seeing that neither he nor the king had any doubt that carelessness +it was, and naught else, I did not think it worth while to say +anything of my own suspicions. I do not think that they could have +believed that any harm was meant me had I told of the arrow. It +seemed impossible, and if it were not that, it was a private matter +of my own. + +Presently that matter dropped, and there was a short silence. I +heard then the sounds of shuffling feet plainly enough from +somewhere close at hand, and thought that the wall between us and +the guest hall must be somewhat thinner than it would seem, so that +the sound came through thence. Sighard heard it also, and rose up +quietly and looked into the inner chamber. + +"What is it?" asked Ethelbert, as he came back and sat down again. + +"Naught, lord. I thought I heard footsteps in your bedchamber; but +there is nothing there. A strange house has strange sounds, and it +takes time to get used to them." + +"Some one passing under the window," said Selred the chaplain, +laughing. + +The little noise ceased, and we forgot it. Today I can seem to hear +it as if it had thundered in our ears, for I know what it was and +what it meant. Yet at the time there was no reason to think aught +of it. + +Then Ethelbert asked us somewhat which seemed strange. + +"Have any of you noted aught in the look or way of King Offa which +would make you think that he has not long to live?" + +With one accord we said that we certainly had not done so, and that +in some surprise. Sighard asked plainly what had put such a thought +into his head. + +"I will tell you," said Ethelbert in a low voice. "Between +ourselves, here it is of no use to pretend that one does not know +the name for ambition which Quendritha the queen has. Tell me what +you make of this. Today I had a little private speech with her, and +she would have me put off the wedding. She more than hinted that I +might make a higher match, and that angered me. Whereon she told me +that Offa might not have long to live; that Mercia and East Anglia +would be a mighty realm if united. And, on my word, it seemed to me +that she would bid me wait till she was a widow." + +He laughed uneasily, as if he thought himself foolish; but we knew +that unless he had full reason for that belief he would not have +told us. That must have been a strange talk between this honest +young king and Quendritha, if he deemed it best to speak to us of +it. + +Sighard frowned, and said: + +"If it is true that Offa is thus--well, we are forewarned. +Quendritha has let us see that in one way or the other she would +fain have East Anglia. I think that she spoke unwarily to you, my +king." + +"Nay," said Selred the priest; "I hold that she sounded you as to +whether you had any thought of adding Mercia to your own realm. If +it is true that Offa has some secret ailment which is slowly and +surely bringing his end near, she looks onward to the time when she +shall stand alone. She would find out if you are to be feared." + +"Maybe that is it," said Ethelbert, with a sigh of relief. "It must +be. She is a mistress of craft; and had I one thought of adding to +my realm, that would have made me show it. However, she should be +satisfied. I would hear naught of putting off the wedding, as you +may suppose." + +I said nothing, but it was in my mind that mayhap there was more at +the back of all this than they saw. I had heard overmuch of +Quendritha to have much doubt that if she could see her way to +reigning over both realms, she would stay for naught, even for the +removing of Offa from her path if he stood in it. And almost did I +tell the king of Thrond's knowledge of her, but forbore. Sighard +knew it also, and he was the best judge of that. But I will say +that I was somewhat lighter of heart to hear this, for it was plain +to me that Offa himself had no thought of guile toward Ethelbert; +and to this day I do not believe that he had. His mind was far too +great for that; and if he loved power, I hold that to have married +his daughter to a king was fully enough for him. Beyond that all +was from Quendritha. To tell the truth, if I feared for any one, it +was for Offa himself. + +Now Ethelbert rose and said that he grew weary and would go to +rest. Sighard said that he would get him a light from the council +chamber; but he would rather bide in the moonlight, which was +enough to fill all the room. So we three went into his sleeping +chamber with him. At one side was the state bed with its heavy +hangings, and midway in the room, by its side, was a great chair, +softly cushioned. The smell of the sweet sedges with which the room +had been newly strown was pleasant and cool, and a little chill +breeze came in from the window with the moonlight. + +"Leave me for a while, my thanes," he said; "I will call you anon. +Wilfrid will no doubt be glad to go to his place; so goodnight" + +He smiled at me, and held out his hand, and I bent and kissed it. +So we went back to the other room to wait, for we knew that the +king would pray. The door swung softly to after us. + +Now I thought I heard the chair creak as the king went to it. Then +there was a sound as of a fall somewhere near us, and a stifled +cry. + +"What is that?" I said, turning to Sighard. + +"Housecarls outside;" he said. "It was from the place whence we +heard the footsteps awhile ago. Listen! there they are again." + +I heard the same sort of dull trampling as before, and there was +also a voice. + +"It seems to be almost beneath us," I said. + +But the footsteps were plainly going away from us, and growing +fainter in the distance. I climbed on a settle and looked out of +the high window, which was set aloft so that none could see into +the chamber as they passed it. But I could see no man. There were +some wood piles and sheds between the rampart and us, but nothing +stirred about them so far as I could see. Whereby I supposed that +they had passed round the corner. On the rampart an armed sentry +was pacing, black against the low moon, and beyond him the fires of +the Welsh--who watched us--burnt as brightly as last night. + +Now there was a gentle knock on the outer door, and I opened it. +One of the thanes said that the man who served me would see me, and +I went out into the great hall, bidding Sighard and the chaplain +goodnight as I did so. Down the length of the hall men were +throwing themselves on the rushes to sleep along the walls in their +wonted places, though there were yet groups at the tables still +telling tales and drinking. The torches were almost all burnt out +save where these men were, and across the open roof were strange +white shafts of moonlight through the smoke, from windows and under +westward eaves. + +Outside the door, on the high place, stood Erling alone, for the +tables there had been cleared away. Only the throne of the king +remained. And in the light from the council chamber I saw that the +face of my comrade was white as death. + +"Where is Ethelbert the king?" he said, almost wildly, and +clutching my arm. + +"In his chamber," I answered. "All is well. I saw him there not ten +minutes ago." + +"How can that be? It is not that time ago since he stood by me on +the rampart, where I walked alone, and spoke to me." + +"It was some one else like him," I said. "He is going to sleep." + +But Erling stared beyond me, and grew yet paler. I saw the black +rims grow round his eyes. Then his grip tightened on my arm, and he +gasped: + +"He stood before me, and that red line round his neck had drops +like gems therefrom. He said, 'Now do I die and pass to rest. I +would that you came after me.' And I said, 'Trouble not yourself, +king, for the like of me.' And he smiled wondrously, and answered, +'Nay, but needs must I, for you are the only heathen man in this +palace garth. I would that all were well with you as with me.' Then +he was gone, and there was only a brightness, and betimes that +faded. Then I came hither. There is ill which has befallen the +king." + +"Impossible," I said. And even as I said it into my mind flashed +that strange, unaccounted for trampling, and I went back, with +Erling after me, unbidden. The six thanes who waited in the council +chamber stared at me, but I did not heed them. Across to the king's +door I went, and passed in. Selred and the old thane were talking +quietly under their breath, and I had but been gone three minutes. + +"Back again, Wilfrid? Eh, what is amiss?" said Sighard, starting as +he set eyes on Erling. + +"Has the king called you?" I asked hastily. + +"No; it is hardly time for him to do so," Selred answered, smiling. + +"Look into his chamber softly, I pray you, Father Selred," Erling +said in a strange voice. "It is upon me that all is not well." + +Now so urgent was the tone in which the Dane spoke that the priest +went at once to the inner door and opened it very gently, and +peered in. Then he started forward suddenly and threw the door +wide. + +"Thanes!" he cried wildly, and we were at his side. + +The room was empty. There was naught but the bed in it, for even +the great chair was gone. Only where it had been there was a square +patch of floor which was not covered with the sedges I had noted as +so lavishly strown. Nor was the king in the bed, whose coverings +were unruffled. Sighard lifted its hangings and peered under and +behind them in a sort of frantic hope; for though there was no +sound, and no answer to his whispering of the well-loved name of +his master, it seemed unbelievable that from this little chamber a +man should have gone utterly and without a sound during these few +minutes. Yet so it was. + +I set my hands on the high sill of the window and drew my face to +its level. It was too narrow for a man to get through, and there +was nothing to be seen outside but the white moonlight, and the +mist which rose from the Lugg and curled over the rampart, white +and ghostly round the sentry, who leaned on his spear and stared at +the twinkling hill fires. + +"It is wizardry," said Sighard, groaning, while cold drops broke +out on his forehead. "He has been spirited away." + +"I saw him on the rampart," answered Erling; "but it was his ghost +that I saw. I knew it, and came and told my master here." + +Now there came a silence in which we looked at one another. Then Sighard +went and began to search the walls for hidden doors--hopelessly, for the +timbers were a full foot thick. And so of a sudden some frenzy seemed to +take him, for he set his hand on his sword, and would have waked the +palace with the cry of treason, but that Selred stayed him. + +"Friend, friend," he said earnestly, "have a care--wait! We are but +two score amid hundreds, and that cry may mean death to us all. + +"Wilfrid, call the other thanes hither." + +I went to the door of the council chamber, and there was that in my +face which bade the thanes spring up and hurry to me with words of +question. I looked first at the three Mercians; but their faces +were blank as those of the Anglians. They expected naught. + +"The king has gone," I said. "You Mercians may best know whither." + +One of them laughed, and sat down again. + +"You have a strange idea of a jest in Carl's camp, paladin," he +said. "What is it? The king gone, with us sitting here at his door, +forsooth!" + +"No jest, thane, but the truth," I said, taking the tall wax torch +which was on the table before them. "Come." + +Then they leaped up and followed me into the bedchamber, and stood +staring as we had stared. It was plain that they knew as little as +ourselves. + +"He has passed into the guest hall," said one of the Mercians, +looking round him wildly enough. + +But that was not possible, for the door was in the outer room +whence we had come, and it was barred on both sides. + +"We are disgraced," said another, groaning. "Our charge has been +made away with, and how we cannot tell. We shall pay for this with +our lives." + +Then Sighard said, "He cannot be far off. Men--think! How can he +have gone hence? Who would make away with him?" + +But there was no answer to these questions. The thing remained a +mystery. If there was any plot, these three honest thanes were not +in it. And then as I walked uneasily from side to side of the room, +turning over impossible ways of disappearance in my mind, I came +near where the great chair had been. And under my step the floor +creaked. + +Now seeing how that house was built, this was a sound one would not +expect to hear at all. It came into my mind that here was one of +the few floors which were boarded, the most being of beaten clay, +or paved with great stones wonderfully. So I trod again firmly in +that place, and it seemed to me that the floor gave, somewhat. + +I reached out for the torch which I had set on the sconce in the +wall and looked at the floor, but why it creaked I did not make +out. The boards were of hewn oak, and how thick one could not tell. + +"Fetch Offa the king," said a Mercian; "we had better tell him. No +use in gaping here. We can swear that Ethelbert has not passed out +of these doors." + +"No," said Selred quickly; "that were to wake the whole palace. Let +us seek further into this.--Thanes, if aught has been done amiss to +our king, we are all in danger." + +The floor creaked under my foot again, and I looked back to it. +What I saw now made me start and call the others to me. + +"See here!" I cried. + +Round that clear space where the chair had been was a saw cut newly +made. It went through the flooring, so that the square was like a +trapdoor. And it was uneven, as if it had been made in haste. Then +I knew what must have been the meaning of the sounds we heard and +thought nothing of--the creak, and the fall, and the stifled cry. + +Sighard looked once, and then threw himself on his knees, drawing +his stout seax as he did so. + +"Have it up!" he said, with his teeth clenched, "have it up!" + +Then a thought came to me, and I beckoned to Erling. It might be +that armed men lurked under that trapdoor, and that our end was +coming; but at least we would have fair play. + +"Go and bar the door to the great hall," I told him. "We will have +none else in here if there is a fight. Then see if you can get the +door to the guest hall undone." + +He nodded and went out. One of the Mercians asked sharply where he +was going; but Sighard paid no heed to him, for he was trying to +get his blade into the saw cut, and so raise the square of +flooring. + +"Thane," I said to the Mercian, staying him from following Erling, +"he will shut the door to the hall, and let this thing be seen +through in silence. Go you and watch at the door of Offa, for it +has bided untended long enough." + +He went out in haste, and Erling watched him there. I saw him sit +down to the table whence he had risen at my coming, and set his +head on his hands as if in despair. I had no fear that he would +call Offa yet, or that Erling would suffer him to go to his +comrades in the hall. The other two stayed and watched Sighard +silently. + +Now the old thane had his blade fast in the timber and lifted. The +square of floor rose slowly at that corner, and one of the Mercians +set his hand to it. Another lift, and the whole was coming up, for +the boards had been fastened together with cross pieces underneath, +doorwise. As it rose I heard the fall of props that had kept it in +place, and I bade Sighard have a care. I feared it would let him +through suddenly as these props fell; but it had been roughly +hinged at one end with thongs. He rose, and he and the Mercian +heaved on the door and threw it back. + +Then below us gaped a black pit which seemed to go deep into the +earth, and for a moment we shrank back from it as men must needs do +when a depth is suddenly before them. Nor should I have wondered if +thence the bright points of waiting spears had darted upward in our +faces. + +But there was nothing save a little cold draught of wind that blew +into them from out of that pit, and we looked into it. I held the +torch so that its flickering blaze went to the bottom, and as we +saw what was there a groan came from us. + +There was the great chair lying, overturned on its side as it may +have fallen, but it was dragged back from under the door somewhat. +There were the cushions I had noted also--one lying on the stone +floor of the pit, and the other on the seat of the chair. But there +was no sign of the king--none but a stain of red on the cushions +and on the floor, and on the blade of a sword which lay beside that +terrible pool. And the sword was the king's own. + +Then said Sighard, and his voice came hoarse and broken: + +"Our king is slain! Hounds of Mercians, tell us who has wrought +this!" + +One answered him from dry lips: + +"We cannot tell. It is a shame on the house of Offa, and on the +very name of Mercia. Kill us if you will, for we are niddering." + +He plucked his sword from his belt and threw it on the floor. The +thane who had gone into the council chamber was on his feet and +staring at us through the open doors, and Erling was ready to fall +on him if he cried out. But the third Mercian, whose name was +Witred, did not lose his senses thus. + +"True enough," he said, looking fearlessly at the angry group +before him. "But it were better to follow this passage and see if +we may not overtake those who have been here. + +"Bide here, paladin and priest, and keep our way back clear with my +comrade yonder, and let us go quickly. If they slay us--maybe that +is no loss, but at least we have done what we should." + +Without another word Sighard leaped into that awesome pit, and +Witred followed him. Then went our three thanes, and Selred and I +stood alone in the room. I handed the torch down to the last man, +and so saw that from the place where the chair was set a low +stone-arched passage led westward into darkness. It was some work +of the old Romans, no doubt, for no Saxon ever made such +stonework--strong and heavy as rock itself. + +The light flashed from somewhat on the wall also, as it seemed, +drawing my eyes to it. + +"Yonder is a spear set," I said to the thane, as he took the light +from me; "hand it to me." + +He took it from where it rested against the wall and gave it me, +turning at once to follow our comrades. Then I knew the spear well +enough, for I had seen it over close to me once before. It was +Gymbert's boar spear. + + + +CHAPTER XII. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN HAD HER WILL. + + +Slowly the footfalls of our comrades died away down the low +passage, and then the last flicker of their torch passed from the +stone walls of that terrible pit, leaving Selred and myself alone +in the cold moonlight. Out through the doors toward the council +chamber I saw the Mercian thane, who had been watching us in +silence, sit down at the table and set his head in his hands +wearily; and I heard Erling try the bars of the door to the guest +hall, and finding it impossible to open, after a while pass into +the council chamber, and set himself against the great door once +more. + +After that there fell a dead silence over all the place, and it was +uncanny. It seemed impossible that all men should sleep in peace in +the palace where such a deed had been wrought at our feet. I had +rather the rush and yell of the Welsh over these ramparts they +hated than this stillness of coldly-planned treachery. + +Nor should I have been surprised if at any moment I had heard the +tramp of men who came to fall on us and end what had been begun, or +the cries and din of arms which should tell that they had fallen on +the sleeping thanes of Anglia in the guest hall. Anything was +possible after what had been wrought already, and indeed it was +hardly likely that the king should be slain and the servants let go +free. + +I think that the stillness and waiting for unknown doings thus went +near to terrifying me. I know that I started at every sound, if it +were but the crackling of the little fire in the council chamber, +or the low challenge of one sentry to his fellow as the word which +told all well passed round the ramparts. Selred was on his knees, +and I would not speak to disturb the prayers which we so sorely +needed. + +The time seemed long as we waited, but it could not have been much +more than ten minutes before I heard the footfalls of our party as +they returned by the passage way. One by one they came out from +under the arch, and I took the torch from Witred the Mercian, who +came first as he had gone, and then helped them one by one to the +room again from the pit. Their faces were white and hard set in the +light, and Sighard seemed as a man broken and aged in a moment with +trouble beyond his bearing. Then I knew that I had to hear the +worst, and made ready for it. Witred the Mercian told it quietly. + +"This passage runs under the ramparts, and ends in a thicket on the +steep by the river. I knew that there were old stones in that, but +not one of us knew of the passage. That end has been newly opened, +and the tools with which it was done are there yet. A man sat by +that entrance on guard outside, and as I came I spoke to him by +name and told him who I was. Then he stayed, and we fell on him and +bound him without giving him a chance to cry out. Whereon he told +all, and it is an evil tale." + +He paused, and wiped his forehead, looking round as if he would +have any man but himself tell it; but none else spoke. + +"Yesterday Gymbert's men sawed the floor through and made this +trapdoor. Then they waited underneath, and the king fell, as they +had expected, into the ready arms that waited him. There were +Gymbert and half a dozen of his men. The cushion stayed his cry, +and he was helpless. Yet he was very strong, and so Gymbert +snatched his own sword from his side and smote off his head. Out by +the river they had a cart waiting, and they bore him away at speed. +We saw and followed the wheel tracks till we lost them, and could +do no more. Then we bound and gagged the man, and have haled him +halfway down the passage till we need him again. That is all." + +Then I said, with a cold wrath on me, "At whose orders was this +done?" + +The Mercian shook his head, glancing at his comrades. The other +Mercian had come to hear from the council chamber. + +"The man could not or would not tell; but I pray you think not that +this is done by Offa. The one thing that the man begged us was that +he might not be delivered to the king. And he said that Gymbert and +his men would hide till Offa's wrath was past." + +"There is but one other at whose word this could have been done," I +said. + +"Ay," said Witred, "I know. Yet Ethelbert was to be the bridegroom +of our princess. Is it possible that Gymbert has looked so high, +and would take him from his way?" + +And at that one of the other Mercians answered bluntly: + +"You speak of what is not possible, and you know it. Who but that +one of whom we ken would have seen that those who wrought here with +saw and axe were not disturbed? Let us say at once that the thing +has been wrought by the hand of Quendritha, and have done with it. +Which of us does not know that she is capable of it, and has never +dared say so yet till this minute?" + +Then said Witred, "That is the truth, thanes. Now what will you, +for the time goes on? This man said that it was thought that the +deed would not be known till waking time in the morning. It is not +midnight yet." + +We looked at one another, for what was best we could not say. It +was more than likely that the queen had planned against some too +early discovery of the deed, and even now waited for any sign which +should tell her to act. But for the staying of that man at the +entrance, I have no doubt that by this time her men had been warned +to fall on us. The gathering of the Welsh, and the open passage +into the heart of the palace, might be seeming proof that we had +planned the downfall of Offa, and so short work with us. + +Now one said that it were best to tell Offa straightway, but Selred +and my comrades would not have that. We were not so sure in our own +minds that he was guiltless in the matter; and at last Selred said +that he would try to reach the guest hall and wake the other thanes +and bring them here. + +So we passed into the council chamber, and I think we were all glad +to be away from the side of that pit. Erling stood at the great +door, and he had taken the bars down from that which led to the +guest hall. If only we could make some one of our folk hear without +too much noise, they could unbar it from their side. + +"There is one asleep near to it," said Erling; "I heard him in the +stillness." + +I tapped sharply once or twice on the heavy door with my sword +handle. I heard the sounds the sleeper made on the other side, and +presently they stopped suddenly. Whereon I tapped again, and I +heard a voice, and then another, as if men heard it. And then a +tapping came back. The door was very thick, and made of oaken logs, +bound together with iron, so that it was hard to hear. But I set my +face close to it and spoke, thinking that no doubt an ear was not +far off beyond. + +"Unbar the door," I said--"unbar." + +"Who is that?" came the muffled voice. + +Then Selred answered, and presently I heard the great bars being +drawn from their sockets in the door posts, and at last the door +opened slowly toward us. A thane was there with his sword in his +hand, staring at us. + +"Let me in, for I have a word to say," said Selred quietly. "Be +silent, for one does not want to rouse the place." + +He passed in, and we closed the door. Beyond the other door lay the +housecarls of Offa down the long hall where we had feasted, and +within his own chambers there were a score or more of the young +thanes of his bodyguard sleeping across his own doors. + +Now we heard the still voice of Selred, and after it a stifled +outcry, hushed almost before it arose, and then silence. In a +minute the door was pushed gently, and the father came back with a +pale face. Ho had told the thanes, and they were arming in silence. +Then they would come and see what we had seen. + +"And after that?" said Witred. + +"If I were in their place, naught should stay me here," said the +Mercian who had bided with me plainly. + +"No," said Sighard savagely; "I have a mind to bid them burn this +hall over Offa's head, and meet their end in the turmoil." + +"Thereby giving occasion to men to say that we wrought treason and +were punished rightly, both ourselves and the king," said Selred +coolly. "That be far from us, Sighard." + +The old thane growled, and seeing that he was beyond reason, the +priest set his mouth close to his ear and spoke to him. Whereon he +calmed at once, and a new look of fear came into his face. + +"Hilda," he groaned; "I had forgotten her." + +Now the thanes came quietly through the door into the chamber, and +one by one passed to that room where Ethelbert had been betrayed. +Presently they were all gathered there, and when they saw, there +grew a sort of panic among them. + +"Let us hence while there is time," said one, voicing the fears of +the rest; "we are all dead men else. This is what the earthquake +betokened." + +"It is the part of Anglian thanes to die with their king," said +Sighard angrily. + +"An there were a king left us to die with--" + +Then Witred broke in with words of common sense which ended the +talk. He had every reason to wish us gone, to save the terror of a +wild vengeance let loose in this palace; and that we should go was +best in every way. + +"Thanes, thanes," he said, "listen to me. Tomorrow morning early +men deemed that this would be found out. In the dawning the grooms +lead the horses to water yonder at the river, and they are the +first men afoot. Gymbert is gone, and on this thane here falls the +task of ordering the stables. He shall bid your grooms keep +together, and after watering lead your horses, as for airing, +eastward to the forest paths. Go hence by this passage, and I will +take you to some place which we will arrange, and there they shall +meet you. Then make your way swiftly beyond the reach of +Quendritha; yet it is in my mind that even Offa can no longer be +blind to the evil she works. Her power will be little." + +The thanes looked at one another, and then one or two said that it +was not the way of Anglian thanes to fly thus; but they had little +voice in the matter. The rest had no thought but to fly, and I do +not blame them. Save some such savage work as that which Sighard +would set on foot, there was naught else to be planned. + +But I minded the voice and pleading look of that mother who spoke +with me in the garden at Thetford, and I had a mind to stay and see +this thing to an end, for it was all that I might do. Maybe I could +find the body of her son and see it brought back to her. + +"I bide here," I said; and Selred stepped to my side without a +word. + +"I also," said Sighard; "I have words to say yet before I die." + +They tried to persuade us, but in vain, and at last they left the +matter. In silence they went each to his place, and took the arms +and things which were of value, and so passed down the passage with +Witred at their head, and I heard one or two threaten the honest +thane with death if he played them false. But he did not answer +them, for he knew that they spoke wildly as yet in the new terror +which had broken their sleep. + +After that we went back to the council chamber and sat down. The +worst strain was past with their going, as it seemed to me, and the +morning would tell what was to be. + +"We will stay here," said Selred. "There should be three thanes and +myself, and you two and Erling will seem the right number when men +look into this room presently." + +So again the silence of the midnight came down on us, and in the +chill we waited for the return of Witred; and it was two hours +before he came. After him we closed the trapdoor, and the doors of +the private rooms of the king who had gone, and then the Mercian +planned that matter of the horses. + +"Halfway to the forest," he told us, "some of the thanes would fain +have returned to fall on this place, and take revenge and die. Once +I deemed that they would do so, but that fit passed from them. Then +they went on with me, and now they are safe. It may be that they +will get their horses, and if not, they will scatter and make their +way home on foot. Men who come to such a gathering as this have +money enough with them." + +After that it was a question with us, and a hard one, to know what +it were best to do. It seemed terrible to wait there until men woke +and learned all; but save that we might find Offa himself, there +was naught else to be done. We must wait him. It is not to be +supposed that his thanes would hear one word which seemed to hint +that he had had any hand in this deed; but it was plain enough that +they feared what evil Quendritha might not have urged him to, else +had they made haste to call him. + +Now, while we waited there and doubted, word came from Gymbert +secretly to Quendritha that her bidding had been done, and that +Ethelbert stood in her way no longer. In the darkness a thrall +crept to where the queen sat at a window and watched, and made some +sign which she understood, and then in a little while our waiting +was at an end. + +For straightway she goes to Offa, and stands by his bedside with +eyes that gleam in the dim light of the lamp that burns in the +chamber, and wakes him, but not easily. On him the potency of that +Frankish wine lingers yet, and he does not rouse quickly, but +stares at her with wondering eyes. + +"Wake," she says. "Today you are the mightiest king that has ruled +in England yet." + +"Ay, and was so yesterday," he says, for so the songs of his +gleemen tell him night after night. + +"Rouse yourself," she cries angrily; "hear what I have wrought for +you." + +Thereat some remembrance of those other words of hers comes into +his mind, and he wakes suddenly, fearing, and yet half hoping. + +"What mean you?" he says. + +"I mean that naught stands in your way from here to the eastern +sea. Call your levies and march across the land in all its breadth, +and there is not one who will forbid you. East Anglia is yours." + +Now Offa looks on her face, and sees triumph written in her eyes; +and he minds all, and knows that she has done that which he forbade +her not, and round his heart is a terror and a chill suddenly. + +"Wife," he says in a harsh voice, "what have you done?" + +"That which you would not do for yourself, but left to me. I have +taken the weak out of the way of the strong, and hereafter East +Anglia will thank me." + +Then says Offa under his breath, "Ethelbert has been slain in my +house! There is not a thrall in all the land who will not sleep +better than shall I hereafter. Yet I will not believe it. This is +an evil dream. Let me hence!" + +Then he springs from his bed, and the queen will not prevent him. +Presently, she thinks, he will learn the truth and be glad of it. +So she does but call the pages and armour bearers from the outer +chambers, and bids them see to their lord, and so leaves him. Then +he dresses and arms quickly, being minded, if the worst is not yet +done, to see that all is well. Maybe she does but urge him to that +which she would have him do again. And he will not do it. That much +he knows clearly. For the rest, all is misty in his mind, and that +is what Quendritha had planned. + +So it came to pass that, even as we had made up our minds that we +must needs call the king, the door to his chamber opened, and a +page came out with the words that bid men meet the king, and we +rose and stood to greet him. He came forth quickly, looking +wild-eyed and haggard, with his sheathed sword grasped in the hand +which held his cloak round him against the night air. He halted for +a moment on the threshold, and stared at us; while from very force +of habit we saluted, and spoke the words of good morrow that were +but mockery today. And he knew it. + +"Good morrow, forsooth," he said, in a terrible, dull voice; "and I +would from my heart that so it may be. Tell me, thanes, is aught +wrong here? It seems that all is quiet. Mayhap I have but dreamed +of ill--dreamed, I say, for it could be nowise else. I had an evil +dream. I thought that Ethelbert, my guest and son to be, was +harmed." + +He looked from one of us to the other, and our faces spoke to him, +though we could find no words. The hand that held the sword +tightened its grip on the gilded scabbard, and he strode forward +into the room fiercely. + +"It is no dream, but the truth," he said hoarsely. "Answer me, is +it true?" + +Now I saw the wrath growing in his face. And I heard Witred +stammer, for the fear of the great king was on him; and I knew not +what Sighard might not say in his wrath, for already Selred had his +hand on him to stay him. So I spoke for the rest, being a stranger, +and of no account if the anger of the king sought a vent on me. + +"King Offa," said I, "there is evil wrought by stealth here, and +your thanes are not to blame. Come with me, and you shall see that +so it is, and you will learn the worst. Keep your wrath for those +who are not yet named. It is true that Ethelbert has been slain +this night; but he does not lie here." + +The king went back a pace from me and paled suddenly. I did not +know what he might do next, for I could not tell that this was but +certainty to him of that which he had reason to fear. But he kept a +tight rein on himself, and in a moment spoke to me clearly, if in +low tones. + +"You are Carl's messenger to Ethelbert, and therefore trusted by +him. You have no need to keep aught from me, nor do you fear me, as +it seems. Tell me plainly what has been done." + +I think that he had not understood that Ethelbert had been taken +hence, and that he dreaded to look on him. So I told him once more. + +"Through the old passage which lies beneath his chamber men crept +and slew Ethelbert. Then they took him hence; whither we cannot +tell. It has been but chance that we have found it out before we +went to call him in the morning." + +"Silently, without noise, was this wrought, then?" he said, as if +he hardly believed it. + +"So silently that if noise there was we could not tell it from the +sounds of men about the house. I pray you come and see what was +planned." + +He hesitated for a moment, and then knew that go he must, sooner or +later. + +"So let it be," he said. "Bide here, you others." + +I turned, and led the way into the bedchamber. There I stooped and +opened the trapdoor, and held the torch so that the light fell into +the pit, without a word. He saw the fallen props, and the chair, +and all else that told him the terrible tale. And as he saw he +reeled a little, and I caught his arm. But he shook off my hand +savagely. + +"Tell me," he said, between his teeth, "have you hunted for those +who did this deed?" + +"Such of us as might go have done so. Your own door was not left +unguarded, King Offa. But the slayers had gone far hence swiftly." + +"An they were wise they would bide there," he said grimly. + +Now he was more himself, and his eyes sought the pit and the room +for all he might learn. I saw that he knew the spear of Gymbert, +but he said nothing of it. It came to my mind that to his dying day +King Offa would not forget aught that his eyes lit on in that +place. + +"There shall be a reckoning for this," he said at last, turning to +me with a stern look on his face. "Tell me, is it said that in this +I have any part?" + +"None have said it, King Offa," I answered. + +"They have but thought it," he said; "that is what you mean. Well, +what is that to me? Yet hereafter you shall tell Carl that in it I +had no part." + +I bowed, and let that bide. It seemed that to be thought still the +messenger for whose return Carl would look might be some sort of a +safeguard to me if things went ill. Then Offa remembered somewhat. + +"What of the Anglian thanes? What will they say when this is known +by them?" + +His brow knitted, for he thought of the likelihood of wild turmoil +in the palace, and what would come of the cry of treason. + +"They know, and have gone," I said simply. "It seemed best to them +and to your thanes that, seeing that this deed was done and none +could amend it, they should fly hence by this passage. It could not +be foreseen how matters would go with them." + +"On my word, some of you have your senses still about you," said +Offa, in that cold voice of his. + +And then all of a sudden his command of himself gave way, and he +sat down on the bed and hid his face in his hands. With the passing +of the Anglians the strain had gone from him as from us, and he was +left with the bare terror of the deed he had half approved. + +Presently he looked up, and the weakness had passed. Then he rose +and signed to me to follow him, and we went out into the council +chamber. And even as we closed the ill-fated rooms behind us, from +his own door came forth Quendritha and moved swiftly toward him. + +"My king," she said, "they told me that somewhat was amiss." + +"Ay," he said, and his words were like ice, "there is, and more +than amiss. Get you to your bower, and we will speak thereof in +private." + +He did not look at her, and went to pass her, almost thrusting her +aside. And at that she gave a little plaintive cry, and would have +taken his arm, saying for us to hear that he was surely distraught. + +"Thanes, tell me what is wrong!" she said. + +"We have no need to tell you," said Sighard savagely, and unheeding +the warning grasp of the priest on his arm. "What has been done is +your doing." + +"What mean you?" she flashed on him with a terrible look. + +Erling answered from where he stood with his back to the great +door, "So you spoke in our old land on the day when our Jarl Hauk +bade you confess the wrong you had done, before you were set adrift +on the sea. It had been better had he slain you, as some would have +had him slay, if it were but for the saving of this." + +Now Offa had turned angrily as he heard Sighard speak to the queen +in no courteous wise, but Erling had not heeded his look or what +wrath might light on him. Before he could say aught, and it was +plain that he was going to speak angrily enough, Offa heard the +first words of the Dane, and checked himself. + +And when he had heard, he said in a cold voice, slowly, "So that +tale is true after all. I can believe it now, though once I slew a +man who told it me." + +With that he turned on his heel and passed through the door and was +gone, paying no more heed to the queen than to us. For a long +moment she stood and glared at Erling, and I think that she +remembered his face in some dim way, so that the old days came back +to her, and with that remembrance the terror that had been in them. +And as she stood there in the torchlight she seemed to have grown +old of a sudden, and her face was gray and lined, while her long +white hands worked as they fell at her side. + +But not another word did she say, though her lips seemed to form +somewhat, and in her eyes was written most terrible hate and anger. +She took her gaze from Erling, for he did not shrink from it, and +let it rest for a moment on Sighard with a meaning which made him +pale as he thought of Hilda, who was yet in her hands, and so went +from the room suddenly, and the door was closed after her from +within. + +Then said Witred the Mercian earnestly, "Friends, an you value your +lives, get you hence while yet that passage is open. I am going +with those who do go, for we who have seen and heard all this will +not be suffered to live to tell it." + +"It seems to me that Erling's tale is not new to some folk here," I +said. + +"It is an old tale with us, but we did not believe it. It had been +well-nigh forgotten, for it was nowise safe to do so much as +whisper it. + +"But, thanes, did you mark the face of the king?" + +"It was terrible," said Selred, shuddering: "it was as the face of +the lost." + +And then out in the courtyard the horns blew the morning call +cheerily, and the hall buzzed in a moment with the rousing of the +men who slept along its walls, and there reached us the sound of +jest and laughter and shouts as they waked the heavy sleepers. + +"Thanes," said Witred, quite coolly, "if we want to see another day +dawn we had best be going. + +"Brother, I rede you go to the horse watering yourself, and take +your best steed under you; and I pray you bring mine also. + +"Paladin, that gay steed of yours will be with the rest--and yours +also, thane. + +"Erling, you shall in nowise go stablewards, but come with us." + +The thane who had to see to the stables leaped up, and without more +than a nod to his comrade and us went his way down the hall in +haste. + +"There are two or three things I don't want to leave behind," said +Witred, "but I shall have to forego them. A man need not stop to +gather property when Quendritha is at his heels. Come; why are you +waiting? I tell you that we shall find the far end of that passage +closed in one way or another if we haste not." + +"My daughter!" said Sighard, groaning; "she is in the queen's +bower." + +"So also is Etheldrida the princess," said Witred. "She is of her +court, as one may say, and will be safe. No harm can come to her." + +"I fear for her," said Sighard, still hesitating. + +"This woman, who has slain the bridegroom of her own daughter, will +stick at little. I have offended her, and I know it." + +Then Selred said gently, "I am going to stay, and I can do more +than even yourself. Today the archbishop comes, and I will tell him +of Hilda. Go, for I am sure that Witred speaks no less than the +truth, else he would not fly thus. For her sake you must go, and I +will bring her home. Have no fear." + +"I am thought to be Carl's man," I said, "and one may suppose that +I am safe. I will stay with Selred, and see what happens. It is in +my mind to search for the body of the king, and surely none will +hinder that. Erling must go into hiding, but in some way he must +let me know where he is." + +"That I can manage for you. I have men of my own in this palace, +and they shall take any message. Erling can be hidden in the town +easily." + +So said Witred, and with that he would wait no more. We heard men +coming up the hall, and though it was most likely but the thanes +who should relieve those who had watched during the night, there +was no more delay. Sighard shook hands with me as if he would set +all that he wanted to say into that grasp, and then they passed +down the passage once more and were gone. + +For a while I waited, fearing lest I should hear the sounds of a +fight at the far end, but no noise came. But just as I was about to +set the trapdoor back in its place I heard footsteps, and stayed. +They came from whence my friends had gone. + +It was Erling. He came into the pit, set his hands on the edge of +the floor, and swung himself up sailorwise. + +"I did but go to see that they got away safely," he said. "You may +need a man at your back, master, before this day is out." + +"Erling," I cried, "I will not suffer this. I think I am safe +enough." + +"Well, mayhap so am I. If Quendritha slays me, it is as much as to +say that my tale is true. Say no more, master, for on my word our +case is about the same; and if I must die, I had as soon do it in +good company, and for reason, as be hunted like a rat through the +hovels of yon townlet." + + + +CHAPTER XIII. HOW WILFRID AND ERLING BEGAN THEIR SEARCH. + + +Selred smiled and shook his head at Erling when we went back to +him, but I could see that he thought no less of the Dane for +standing by me. Nor did I, as may be supposed, but I had rather his +safety was somewhat more off my mind than it was likely to be here. +As he had returned for care of me, it would seem that we were each +pretty anxious about the other; but there was no use in showing it. + +Now the thanes who had the morning watch to keep came in, fresh and +gay, with words of good morrow, and stayed suddenly and stared at +us, for we three strangers had the council chamber to ourselves. + +"Where are Witred and his fellows?" one asked me. + +I thought the best thing was to tell them the truth, and I told all +the tale of the night's doings in as few words as I could, and at +the end said that offence having been given to Quendritha, it had +seemed safest for those of whom he spoke to get out of her way for +a while. Whereat the thanes made no denial, but seemed to agree +that it was the best way for all concerned. + +"This thing will be known all over the place in an hour or so," one +said. "What will you yourself do?" + +"I stay here to search for the body of the Anglian king, and for +aught else I may do to help the chaplain here, and the ladies of +the Thetford party." + +Then Selred went into the inner chamber and gathered to him the +little crown of the king, and one or two more things which were of +value because of him who had worn them, and said that he would +bestow them in the church until they might be taken back to his +mother in Norfolk. I took his arms, and the sword we had found in +the pit, for Sighard had brought that up from thence. And so we +three went down the hall, none paying much heed to us, and into the +church. + +It was strange to see the gay bustle of the place going on with all +manner of preparations for the wedding that should never be, and +yet to say naught to stay it all. That was not our business. + +Selred found the sacristan in the church, for it was the hour of +matins, and between them they set what we had brought in the ambry +which was built in the chancel wall. I do not know if Selred told +the man why they were to be kept there. Then came Offa's two +chaplains, and the bell rang for the service; and it was good to +kneel and take part therein, while outside the quiet church the +noise of the great palace went on unceasingly, as the noise of a +waking camp. Beside me knelt Erling the heathen, quiet and +attentive. + +Somewhere about the midst of the service it seemed to grow very +still all about us of a sudden. Then there were the sounds of many +men running past the door, and a dull murmur as of voices of a +crowd. The news of the deed of the night had been set going, and it +was passing from man to man; and each went to the hall to learn +more, for presently none were sure which king had been slain, and +then many thought that it was Offa. Before the service was ended he +had to show himself, and at the sight of him a great roar of joy +went up, and men were at ease once more--concerning him at least. + +When the little service was over I went to the church door and +looked out on the courtyard; and the whole place swarmed with folk, +for work had been stayed by the news, and none knew what was to be +done next. If one could judge from the looks of those who spoke to +one another, there were some strange tales afloat already. Some +recognized me, and doffed their caps; but it was plain that they +had no thought that I had been so nearly concerned in the matter, +and I was the easier, therefore. And while we watched them Selred +came to us. + +"Now I am going to try to see our poor ladies," he said. "We must +learn what they will do, for if they will go homeward, we are the +only men who can ride with them. I know that you would fain go +home, but I will ask you to help me in this. Indeed, it is a work +of charity." + +"Of course I will, father," I answered; "I am at your service and +theirs, till you need me no longer. My folk do not so much as know +that I am likely to be in England, let alone on my way to them." + +"Why, then, your homecoming will be none the less joyful for you, +good friend. But I pray you have a care of yourselves, both of you, +awhile." + +Now we went back through the church, and so passed into our lodging +by the door which was between the two parts of the building of +which I have spoken already. The priest had somewhat to take with +him, book or beads or the like, and I would fain rest awhile after +that night of terrible unrest. + +"Go to breakfast in the hall," said Selred, "and there I will come +to you." + +It was somewhat dark in the outer room, and darker yet in the +little chambers. Selred had to grope awhile before he found what he +wanted; then Erling opened the outer door for him, and he went his +way, and I would have the door left open after him for more light. + +Then I went to my own chamber, sliding back its door and speaking +to Erling at the same time, so that I had my head a little turned +aside. Whereby, before I had time to hear more than a sudden +scuffle within the dark chamber, out of it leaped a man upon me, +sending me spinning against the opposite wall with a blow on the +chest which took the breath from me for the moment, and then +smiting Erling with a sort of back-handed blow as he passed him; +but the Dane saw him in time, and set out his foot, and the man +fell headlong over it. His head struck the doorpost with a great +thud, and there he lay motionless, while something flew from his +hand across the floor, rattling as it went. It was the hilt of a +knife of some sort. + +Erling shut the outer door in haste, and then helped me to rise, +asking me if I were hurt. + +"No," I answered. "Ho, but what is that?" + +Out of my tunic as I straightened myself there fell a gleaming +blade, and I picked it up. It was half of a Welsh knife, keen and +pointed, which had broken on my mail shirt, leaving only a long +slit in my tunic, and maybe a black bruise to come presently on the +skin where the dint fell. + +"I owe life to you, Erling," I said. "And I laughed at the thought +of wearing the mail, and well-nigh did not put it on. But he smote +you; has he harmed you?" + +"The mail saved me also," he said, "for the knife broke on it; +otherwise--No, master, I am not hurt; not so much as a cut tunic. I +wonder if there are more of this sort in these dens?" + +I drew my sword, and we looked cautiously into the chamber, and +then into Sighard's, but there was no one there. This man had been +alone, and he had fared badly. He lay yet as he had fallen, +breathing heavily. + +"This means that Quendritha is after us," said Erling. "Our old saw +is true enough when it says, 'Look to the door or ever you pass +it;' and that we shall have to do for a while. Now I have a mind to +tie this man up for a day or two; we have a spare chamber for him." + +"Do so," I said. "Then we will pass out through the church, and +Quendritha will think that he waits us here yet, and we shall be +the safer." + +So we bound him and set him, still senseless, in the empty chamber +of Sighard, making fast the door with the broken dagger so that, +even if presently the man worked his bonds loose, he could not get +to Quendritha to say that he had failed. Then I made Erling don a +buff coat of Sighard's, good enough to turn most blows. He might +need it if this went on. + +"It is in my mind," said I when this was done, "that a crowd is the +safest place for us just now. Let us go and see how matters fare at +the stables. It is time that the horses came back from the water." + +We passed through the church and went stable-wards, among all the +idle and half-terrified thralls and servants; and when we came to +the long stables with their scores of stalls, there was talk and +wonderment enough among the grooms. Gymbert was nowhere to be +found, and the other thane, who took his place and gave the orders +when he was busy, had gone out with his horses, and had fled with +the Anglians, it was said. None seemed surprised that they should +have gone hastily, but the going of the king's horse thane was a +wonder. + +However, all that was good hearing to us, and I went to see what +horses had returned. It was plain that Witred's plan had worked +well, for only those which the ladies had ridden, the pack horses, +and our own had been brought back. The young king's steeds were +both in the stable where Offa's own white chargers were kept. + +Somewhat late the breakfast call sounded, and I went back to the +hall, not by any means wishing to seem put out by the flight of the +Anglian party, as Carl's messenger. Erling sat where I could see +him, below the salt; and I went to my own place on the dais, as +before. There were not many thanes present at first, and Offa never +appeared at all; and the meal was silent, and carelessly ordered, +for the whole course of the great household had been set awry by +the word of heavy rumour which had flown from man to man. + +As the time went on a few more thanes came in and sat them down +with few words, and those curt, and mostly of question as to where +such and such a friend was. And soon it grew plain that man by man +the guests of Offa were leaving him and the palace. + +Maybe that was mostly because there had come an end of that for +which they had gathered, but there were words spoken which told me +that many who might have stayed left because of the shame of the +deed which had been wrought. The great name of Offa was no cloak +for that. Few spoke to me as I sat and ate, though many seemed as +if they would like to do so but were ashamed. Those who did speak +were only anxious to tell me that their king was surely blameless; +that it was some private matter of feud--surely some Welsh +treachery or the like; but no man so much as named Quendritha, +whether in blame or in excuse. + +Presently there came up the hall quietly one of the young thanes, +boys of fifteen or less, who were pages to the king and queen; and +he sat himself down not far from me below the high place, where +they had their seats. I noticed him because he was the only one of +the half-dozen or so who came to that breakfast at all, and also +because he seemed to look somewhat carefully at me. As I still wore +my Frankish dress I was used to that, and only smiled at him, and +nodded a good morrow. + +Presently two men near me rose and went, and as they did so the boy +rose also, and taking a loaf from his table handed it to me +gravely. + +"Paladin," he said, "I think you need this." + +He was a little below me, of course, and I bent to take it. He had +both hands to the loaf, and with one he gave me it, and from the +other dropped something small into my palm at the same time, so +that the bread covered it there. I thanked the lad, and while he +watched me eagerly, looked at that which he had hidden in my hand. +It was that little arrowhead which I had given Hilda, and which I +had bidden her send me if she was in danger or in anywise sought my +help. + +Somehow I kept my countenance when I saw that. I suppose it was +because I knew that the need must be great when Hilda sent the +token, and that no doubt the queen had her spies everywhere on me; +but what thoughts went through my mind I can hardly set down. Fear +for Hilda in ways that I could not fathom, and wonder as to how I +was to help her, were the uppermost. I halved the loaf with my +dagger, and handed the half back to the boy, who came close to the +edge of the dais again for it. + +"In the church, presently," I said to him, and he nodded. + +I thought he might have some message also from her who gave the +token. + +Then I made myself bide a little longer, and it was hard work. As +soon as I might I went out, Erling following me, and turned into +the church. There I waited impatiently, with my eyes on the door of +the great hall, in the porch, and at last I saw the page come out +as it were idly, and turn toward me. Then a man came up to him and +spoke to him, and the boy seemed eager to get away. At last he +glanced toward me, and went away with the man, passing the door of +the church, and turning toward the rearward buildings. I had little +doubt that he was purposely being prevented from having more words +with me. + +That troubled me more than enough, as may be supposed, for what the +need of Hilda might be I could not tell. And what I should have +done next I can hardly say, for I was beginning to think of going +and asking to see her; so that it was as well that as I stood in +the deep porch I turned at the sound of hasty footsteps, and saw +Selred coming to me from out of the building. He had passed through +our lodging to the church as he had gone. His look was grave and +full of care, but not more than it had shown before he left us. + +"I have seen none of the ladies," he said. "The palace is in a +turmoil, and Offa has shut himself up, seeing but one or two of his +thanes, in grief for what has been done, as men say, and as may be +hoped. Nor will Quendritha see any one, or let her attendants pass +from her bower and its precincts." + +"Father," I said, "I have had a token from the Lady Hilda to say +that she is in sore need of help." + +And with that I told him of our talk yesterday in the little wood, +and of the coming of the page to me. + +"I do not know what this may mean," he said gravely. "They say that +the poor Princess Etheldrida is overborne with grief, so that they +fear for her life. I thought that Hilda was with her; but this +would suggest that she is not. Yet all the ladies of the court are +within the bower." + +Now there was a stir round the great gates, and a little train of +clergy came through them, with a few lay brothers, who led mules +laden with packs, after them. The whole party were dusty and +wearied, as if they had come from far on foot; and indeed only one +of all the dozen or so was mounted, and that was a man who rode, +cloaked and hooded, in their midst on a tall mule. Before him the +weariest looking of all the brothers carried a tall brazen cross. + +"The archbishop," said Selred. "He has not turned back, or maybe +the news has not yet reached him." + +This was Ealdwulf, the Mercian Archbishop of Lichfield, and he had +come for the wedding from his own place. He was a close friend of +the king, who indeed had wished that Mercia should not be second to +any realm, and had so wrought that an archbishop's see had been +made for him, subject to neither Canterbury nor York. I suppose +that somewhere men had been on the watch for him, for now came the +clergy of the palace to meet him, two by two, with the chaplain of +the king at their head. + +They came and bent before him, and he blessed them with uplifted +hand; and then I think that the first word of what had befallen was +told to him, for as the chaplain rose and spoke to him the +archbishop started somewhat and knit his brows. Nor did he offer to +dismount as yet, but sat on his mule, seeming to question those +before him, while his clergy gathered round him as close as they +dared, listening. The men who had been hurrying about the courtyard +had stayed their footsteps, and there was a strange silence while +the bad news was told. + +Presently the chaplain looked round and spied us, and at once came +toward the church porch and said that the archbishop would fain +speak with us. + +So together we went across the court, and with me came Erling. Like +us, he bent for the blessing of the archbishop's greeting, and then +we had to tell what we knew of the end of Ethelbert. Ealdwulf would +have it from us, as we were of the train of the young king. And +when we had told all in few words, he said: + +"I bide in this house no longer. Not until the day when King Offa +will send for me will I stand here again, save for sterner reproof +than I may give to any while one doubt remains as to who wrought +this deed. Mayhap you men deem that you have reason to blame a +certain one; but I need surety. Now, I lay it on you that you +search for the body of your king; and when it is found, bring him +to me at Fernlea, where I will abide. It is not fitting that these +walls should hold him again." + +And then, taking that brazen cross of his into his hand as token of +his office, there, in the open court for all to hear, he laid such +a ban on the one whose mind had contrived and on those whose hands +had wrought this murder that I may not set it down here. But I +thought that none who had any part in it could live much longer +thereafter. + +So he turned his mule and went away, leaving men staring aghast at +one another behind him. + +Selred and I followed him beyond the gate, watching how he rode +with bent head, wearily, by reason of the trouble which had come to +him, for he had loved the young king well, as men told us. And +after he had passed out of sight I said that I had hoped for help +for Hilda from him. + +"Quendritha would not have seen him," said Selred. "I do not know +what he could have done. Courage, Wilfrid! for all this is but a +matter of last night, and even now the day is young. Get to horse, +and do as he bade you; and presently, when you return, I may have +news for you." + +Loath enough I was to leave the palace, but yet there did not seem +much use in loitering about here. I should not see Hilda, and +Selred would be more likely to learn what was amiss than I. He +said, also, that if he heard of any danger to her he would seek the +king straightway, and demand speech with him on urgent business, so +that he should see matters righted. And then a thought came to him, +for I told him of the man whom we had bound in the empty chamber. + +"My son," he said, "it were better that you were out of this place. +Neither you nor Erling nor myself will dare sleep in peace tonight +if such deeds are still planned. Listen. Arm yourselves, and go on +your search. Take your horses with you, and presently follow the +archbishop to Fernlea for the night. It will be thought that you +have fled also. Let the man go to tell his tale, and it will seem +certain that you have done so, in fear of what may happen. Then be +in that little cover where we spoke with the king and Hilda tonight +at the same time, and there I will come to you and tell you all I +know." + +"That is good advice, father," said Erling. "Well I know what holds +the thane here, but he can do naught. + +"Master, if yon thrall is come to himself, we will speak words +which he will take to his mistress, and then we shall have time +before us. He shall think that we have fled eastward with the +rest." + +Not anywise willingly, but as it were of our need, I knew that +these two friends of mine spoke rightly; so we left the good father +and went back to our lodging, there to gather what few things we +would take with us. I had no thought that we should return to this +ill-omened place. + +In Sighard's chamber we heard the man shifting himself and +muttering; and as those sounds stilled as we entered, we knew that +he had come to himself, and that he was most likely trying to free +himself from his bonds. + +"This is no place for us, master," said Erling pretty loudly; "it +is as well that we go while we may. Presently the road to the +eastward may be blocked against us." + +The man was very still, listening, as we thought. + +"The sooner the better," I answered. "One might put thirty miles +between here and ourselves before noontide. I have no mind to ride +through Worcester town, and we must pass that either to north or +south. Then we were safe enough." + +Now the man shifted somewhat, and we heard him. + +"That thrall lives yet," said Erling. "He listens." + +With that he grinned at me and went to the door, drawing the knife +blade from it, and sliding it back so that the dim light filled the +chamber. As he went in the man was still, and seemingly insensible, +as we had left him; and Erling bent over him, as if to listen to +his breathing. Then he rose and came out, sliding the door +carelessly to behind him. We had no need to keep the man now. It +was plain to the Dane that he was waking enough. + +He nodded to me as he returned, as if to say that all went well, +but aloud he said that the man was still enough. Then we armed +ourselves fully, donning mail shirt and steel helm, sword and seax +and spear for myself; and leathern jack and iron-bound leathern +helm, sword and seax, and bow and quiver for Erling--each of us +taking our round shields on our shoulders, over the horsemen's +cloaks we wore. None would think much of our going thus, for so a +thane and his housecarl may be expected to ride in time when there +is trouble about, more especially if there are but the two of them. + +As we armed we spoke more yet of flight, and haste, and so on, till +the thrall must have deemed that he knew all our plans. + +We had little more than our arms that we would take. All that +bright holiday gear I had bought in Norwich and Thetford, first +against my home going, and then for this wedding that was to be, I +left behind, taking only, in the little pack which Erling would +carry behind his saddle, what linen one may need on a journey, and +fastening my little store of jewels about me under my mail. Little +enough there was, in truth; but what I had was from Ecgbert or +Carl, with one little East Anglian brooch, set with garnets, from +the lost king himself, and these I would not lose. + +Money I had in plenty for all needs and more, as may be expected of +a warrior who has seen success with Carl. Mostly that was in rings +and chains of gold, easily carried and hidden, for a link of one of +which I could anywhere get value in silver coin enough to carry us +on for a fortnight or more. + +Then we went round to the stables, leaving the place by the door +away from the church, not minding who saw us go out. We had no +doubt at all that word would go to Quendritha that we were unhurt +and away so soon as we were seen to come thence; whereon she would +send to seek her man. + +"I would your steed was not quite so easily known," growled Erling +to me as we crossed the open garth round the palace and entered +what I call the street of small buildings which went toward the +rear gate. "He will be easily heard of." + +"When they find that we have not gone to the one side of Worcester, +therefore, they will try the other," I answered; "that is, if any +take the trouble to follow us, which I doubt." + +"I doubt not at all concerning that," said Erling grimly. "Too well +I ken the ways of Quendritha. Neither you nor I who know the truth +of her sending to this land may be suffered to tell that tale, if +she can prevent it." + +The great skew-bald whinnied as I came to him, glad to see that I +meant to take him out across the open country, and the grooms came +in haste to see what I needed. And as they saddled the two horses, +Erling was watching all they did, and had his eye on the doorway +from time to time. But here it was peaceful enough, for the first +turmoil of the morning had passed, and there were none but a few of +the grooms about. There was no man to ask us aught, and we mounted +quietly, without seeming to find much notice from any. + +Now, as I have said, the rear gate of the palace enclosure led +toward Mercia, and we rode straight out of it, and away down the +road, grass grown and little cared for, which the Romans had once +made and paved for the march of their legions. At first we went in +leisurely wise, and then before we were fairly out of sight from +the gate spurred away in haste. And so we rode for two miles or so, +into the heart of the woodland country, where the road became a +mere track midway in the crest of its wide embankment. Then we drew +rein and took counsel as to whither next. + +"Master," said Erling as we stayed, "did you see a man staring at +us from out of a stable across the road as we started?" + +"Ay. But I did not heed him; he was only one of the thralls." + +"So he looked; but if that was not Gymbert, I am sorely blind +today. Moreover, I looked back as we passed the gate, as if one of +the guard spoke to me. The man was hastening toward our lodging. +And he walked like Gymbert. Many a man can disguise his face; but, +after all, his back and gait betray him." + +Now if this was indeed Gymbert whom Erling had seen, it was plain +that he waited about the palace precincts for speech with his +mistress, or for some fresh orders, and I did not by any means like +it. However, when I came to turn the matter over in my mind, I +thought that after all, whether inside the palace garth or out, he +would not be far from the call of Quendritha, so that maybe it did +not so much matter. At all events, what I would do would be to bide +as near to the place as I might without being known, and be content +to hear from Selred that at least naught was wrong. + +Troubled enough I was in my mind at this time in all truth. For it +lay heavily on me that I had promised the poor queen away in +Thetford that I would watch her loved son and if need be die with +him, and I had lost him and yet lived. I know now that I had no +real need to blame myself in this; but the thing was so terrible, +and had been wrought as it were but at arm's length from me, that +for the time I did so bitterly, framing to myself all sorts of ways +in which a little care might have prevented all. As if one can ever +guard against such treachery! + +And then there was the fear for Hilda, none the less troublous that +I knew not what her need might be. One could believe aught of +cruelty from Quendritha. + +Only these two things remained to me--one, in some measure to +redeem my word to the mother of the king by finding his body; and +the other, to stay here and watch as well as I might for chance of +helping this one who had suddenly grown to be the best part of my +life, as it seemed to me. And these things I told Erling, for he +was my comrade, and together we had been in danger, and so were +even yet. Rough he was, but with that roughness which is somehow +full of kindness. And I was glad I had told him, for he understood, +and straightway planned for me. + +Most of all the difficulty in this planning lay in the outrageous +colour of my good steed. Once we thought of tarring him; but a +tarred horse would be nearly as plain to be noticed as a skew-bald. +I think it says much for the steed that neither of us thought for a +moment of parting with him. In the end we said that we would even +take our chance, for if we were sought it would not be near the +palace. + +So we bent ourselves to plan the search for where the body of the +king might be hidden, and that was to unravel a tangled skein +indeed. All we knew was that the cart which had borne him from the +end of the hidden passage had gone northward along a riverside +track. Beyond that, we guessed that it might not have gone far, +whether for fear of meeting folk in the dawning, or because the +slayers would not be willing to cumber their flight for any +distance with it. Moreover, Gymbert was in the palace, as Erling +was certain. + +We would ride northward and seek what we might till the time for +meeting Selred came, working down the river toward the palace from +far up stream. Sooner or later thus we should meet with the wheel +tracks, and perhaps be able to follow them whither they went into +the woodlands from the old stream-side way which Gymbert had at +first taken. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH CARE THRUST ON HIM. + + +Now we were just about to ride off the ancient road into the woods +when we heard the muffled sounds of a party coming along the way. +For a moment I thought that we were pursued, but then I knew that +whoever came was bound in the direction of the palace. The causeway +was straight as an arrow, as these old Roman roads will be, but the +track men used on its crest was not so. Here and there a great tree +had grown from acorn or beech nut, and had set wayfarers aside +since it was a sapling, to root up which was no man's business. So +we could not see who came, there being a tree and bushes at a +swerve of the way. The horses heard, and pricked up their ears, and +told us in their way that more steeds were nearing us. + +"Ho!" said Erling suddenly. "Mayhap it is just as well that these +good folk should see us in flight eastward. Spur past them, and +look not back, master." + +I laughed, and let my horse have his head, and glad enough he was. +Round that bend of the track we went at a swinging gallop, and saw +a dozen foresters ahead of us, bearing home some deer, left in the +woodlands wounded, no doubt, after the great hunt, on ponies. They +reined aside in haste as they saw us coming, while their beasts +reared and plunged as the thundering hoofs of our horses minded +them of liberty; and through the party we went, leaving them +shouting abuse of us so long as they could see us. And so long as +that was possible we galloped as in dire haste, nor did we draw +rein for a good mile. + +Then we leaped from the causeway, and went northward through the +woodlands, sure that the chase for us would hear from the foresters +whither we were heading, and would pass on for many a mile before +they found that no other party had seen us. Whereon they would +suppose that we had struck southward to pass Worcester by the other +road, even as we had said in the hearing of the thrall in the +house. + +Then I thought that the chase for us was not likely to be kept up +long, for it would grow difficult; but Erling shook his head. He +had a deadly fear of Quendritha. + +Now we rode for all the forenoon in a wide curve, northward and +then westward, across the land which the long border wars had +ravaged so that we saw no man save once or twice a swineherd. More +than once we passed burned farmsteads, over whose piled ruin the +creepers were thriving; and all the old tracks were overgrown, and +had never a wheel mark on them, save ancient ruts in which the +water stood, thick with the growth of duckweed, which told of long +disuse. + +And at last we came to the valley of the little Lugg river which we +sought, and then were perhaps ten miles north of Sutton and its +palace stronghold. The day had grown dull, and now and then the +rain swept up from the southwest and passed in springtime showers, +just enough to make us draw our cloaks round us for the moment, +soft and sweet. In the river the trout leaped at the May flies that +floated, fat and helpless, into their ready mouths, and the +thrushes were singing everywhere above their nests. + +Those were things that I was ever wont to take pleasure in, and the +more since I had been beyond the sea. But today I had little heart +to heed them, for the heaviness of all the trouble was on me. +Maybe, however, and that I do believe, I should have been more +gloomy still had I been one of those who have no care for the +things of the land they look on, lovely as they are. I dare say +Erling the viking took pleasure in them, if he would have preferred +the wild sea birds and the thunder of the shore breakers to all +this quiet inland softness. At all events, he had no mind that I +should brood on trouble overmuch, and strove to cheer me. + +"Thane," he said presently, even as I began to quest hither and +thither by the riverside for the track of the cart, which indeed I +hardly thought would have come thus far, "it seems to me that food +before search will be the better, an you please." + +"Why," said I, having altogether forgotten that matter, "twice men +have told me that when Quendritha is at a man's heels he had better +not wait for aught. Yet I blame myself for having forgotten. It is +not the way for a warrior to be heedless of the supplies." + +"When the warrior is a seaman also he cannot forget," quoth Erling. +"Had you bided with Thorleif for another season, you had found that +out. I have not forgotten. Dismount, and we will see what is hidden +in the saddlebags." + +We went into a sheltered nook among the water-side trees, and he +brought out bread and venison enough for two meals each, and I was +glad of the rest and food. He had helped himself at breakfast, he +said, being sure that sooner or later we should have to fly the +palace. + +"Well, and if we had not had to fly?" I asked. + +"Betimes I wax hungry in the night," he answered, smiling broadly. +"It would not have been wasted." + +When that little meal was done I leaned myself against a tree +trunk, and said naught for a time. Nor did Erling. The horses +cropped the grass quietly at a little distance, and the sound of +the water was very soothing. + +The next thing that I knew was that Erling was bidding me wake, and +I opened my eyes to see that the sun was not more than two hours +from setting, and that therefore I had had a great sleep, which +indeed I needed somewhat sorely after that last night. The sky had +cleared, but here and there the rain drifted from the sky over the +hills to the west. I sprang to my feet, somewhat angry. + +"You should have waked me earlier," I said. "Now it grows late for +our quest." + +"About time to begin it, master," the Dane said, "if we do not want +to run our heads into parties from the palace. Maybe they will be +out also on the same business. What we seek cannot be far from +thence." + +Then we mounted and rode down stream, quickly at first, with a wary +eye for any comers, searching the banks for traces of wheels, +carelessly for a few miles, and afterward more closely. But we saw +nothing more than old marks. The track ended, and we climbed the +rising ground above the river, and sought it there, found it, and +went back to the water, for no cart had newly passed to it here. +And so we went until we were but a mile or two from the palace, and +then we were fain to go carefully. + +In an hour I was due in the copse to meet Selred, and then men +would be gathered in the palace yards in readiness for supper, so +that we might have little trouble in being unseen there. Now, on +the other hand, men from the forest and fields might be making +their way palaceward for the same reason. + +"I would that we could find some place where we might hide the +horses for a while," I said. "What is that yonder across the +river?" + +There was some sort of building there, more than half hidden in +bushes and trees. Toward it a little cattle track crossed the +water, showing that there was a ford. + +"The track passes the walls, and does not go thereto," said Erling. +"It may be worth while to see if there is a shelter there." + +So across the ford we rode, with the trout flicking in and out +among the horses' hoofs. The building, whatever it was, stood a +hundred yards or more from the river on a little southern slope +which had been once terraced carefully. Over the walls, which were +ruinous, the weeds grew rankly, and among them a young tree had +found a rooting. The place had been undisturbed for long years; and +I thought that it seemed as if men shunned it as haunted, for of a +certainty not a foot had gone within half arrowshot of it this +spring. + +We stood in the cattle track and looked at it, doubting, for no man +cares to pass where others have feared to step for reasons not +known. + +"It is an uncanny place," said Erling; "which may be all the better +for us. At any rate, we will go and look into it. Stay, though; no +need to make a plain track to it hence." + +The cattle tracks bent round and about it, and as we followed one +it seemed at last to lead straight into the ruin. So we went with +it, and found the entrance to the place. Last year the cattle had +used it for a shelter, but not this, and there were no signs that +any man had followed them into it. And then I knew what the place +was, and wondered at its desertion little, for it was a Roman +villa. Any Saxon knows that the old heathen gods those hard folk +worshipped still hang about the walls where their images used to +hold sway, not now in the fair shapes they feigned for them, but as +the devils we know them to have been, horned and hoofed and tailed. +Minding which a fear came on me that the marks we took for those +made by harmless kine were of those unearthly footsteps, and I +reined back. + +"What is there to fear?" said Erling--"fiends? Well, they make no +footmarks like honest cattle, surely. Moreover, I suppose that a +good Christian man need not fear them; and Odin's man will not, so +long as the horses do not. The beasts would know if aught of that +sort was about." + +Whereon I made the holy sign on my breast, and rode to the gap in +the white walls which had been the doorway, and looked in. I +suppose that some half-Roman Briton had made the house after the +pattern his lords had taught him, or else that it did indeed belong +to the Roman commander of that force which kept the border, with +the Sutton camp hard by for his men. If this was so, the Briton had +kept the place up till Offa came and burnt the roof over it, for +the black charcoal of the timbers lay on the floors. Only in one +place the pavement of little square stones set in iron-hard cement +still showed in bright patches of red and black and yellow +patterning, where a rabbit had scratched aside the gathered +rubbish. Across walls and floors the brambles trailed, and the +yellow wallflower crowned the ruins of the stonework everywhere. + +One could see that there had been many rooms and a courtyard, bits +of wall still marking the plan of the place. And in this one corner +there was shelter enough in a stone-floored room whose walls were +more than a man's height. The cattle had used that for long. + +"This is luck," said my comrade. "Here we can leave the horses, and +if one does happen past here before dark and spies a pied skin, he +will but deem that kine are sleeping here. After dark, who will +come this way at all?" + +"We shall have to," said I, somewhat doubtfully. + +Erling leaped from his horse and laughed. "We may hide here for a +week if we must," he said. "I think that the trolls have all gone +to the old lands where men yet believe in them; and seeing that we +are on a good errand, your fiends should not dare come near us. I +care not if I have to come back here alone to fetch the horses when +you will." + +I dismounted also, for he shamed me, and I said so. Then we tied +the steeds carefully, loosening the girths, and managed to get a +sapling or two from the undergrowth set across the door to keep +wandering cattle out. More than that we could not do, but at least +the horses were safe till we needed them, and that would hardly be +long, as we hoped. They had well fed as I slept. + +Then we went away from the ruin, passing behind it up the little +slope on which it stood, meaning, if we were seen, to come down as +if we had not been near the place. And from the top of that slope +we could see the walls of the palace, with the white horse banner +of Mercia floating over them. From the roof of his villa the Roman +captain could have seen his camp, and maybe that deadly passage +into its midst was for his use. It led this way. + +We waded through the ford again, and wandered down stream once +more, looking as we went for the first sign of wheel marks. I was +on the banks above the water by twenty yards, and Erling was at +their foot, close to the stream, when we had the first hope of +finding what we sought. I spied a rough farm cart standing idle and +deserted fifty yards away from me and the river, in the brushwood, +half hidden by it, as if thrust hastily there out of sight; and the +very glimpse of the thing, with its rough-hewn wheels of rounded +tree-trunk slices, iron bound, made my heart beat fast and thick, +for I feared what I might see in it. + +I called Erling, and as he ran to me I pointed, and together, +without a word, we went to the cart and looked into it. It was +empty, but on its rough floor were tokens, not to be mistaken, +which told us that it was indeed the cart which Gymbert and his men +had used. And so we knew that we could not be far from the place +where they had hidden the king's body. + +Now, if there had been traces of that burden which would once have +led us to its hiding place, the rain had washed them away, and we +had naught to guide us. The turf held no footmarks of men, and it +was not plain how the cart had come to this place; for men had been +hauling timber and fagots hence, so that tracks were many, and some +new. All round us was wooded, and it seemed most likely that +somewhere among the bushes they had found a place; and so for half +an hour we went to and fro, but never a sign of upturned ground did +we see. + +"They brought the cart far from the place," said I presently. + +And at that moment from the palace courtyard the horns called men +to their supper, and I started to find how near we were to the +walls. We had wandered onward as we searched, and it is a wonder we +had seen no man. But perhaps it was because this place was mostly +deserted, being out of the way to anywhere, that Gymbert chose it. +The traffic of the palace went along the road to Fernlea and the +ford of the host there, away from here. The carting of the wood cut +during winter was over now, and it was too near the palace for the +deer to be sought in these woods. + +"Selred will be waiting me, and all men else will be within the +walls," I said. "I must go to him. Will you bide here and search, +or risk coming with me, comrade?" + +"I come with you, of course," Erling answered. "The search can +wait. There is moonlight enough for us to carry it on again this +night, if we will, between these showers." + +It rained again as we went through the thickets. Under cover of the +driving squalls we might pass unseen to where the little copse we +sought came close to the river. And we cloaked ourselves against +the shower, pulling the hoods over our helms. None, if we were +seen, would take us for aught but belated men hurrying to the hall. + +Unseen, so far as we could tell, we came to the edge of the little +copse and entered it. The whole breadth of it lay between us and +the palace; and under its trees was pretty dark, for the sun had +set. We turned into the path where I had walked with Hilda, and I +half hoped to see the priest there, but it was lonely. Down that +path we hurried and turned the corner, but an arrow shot from the +ramparts, and again I saw no one coming. + +"We must bide and wait," I said. "He will come when the men are in +hall." + +"I don't like it," Erling answered, speaking quietly. "You were to +meet him at the same time as before; yet he cannot have come. None +would wonder at a priest staying out after the supper call, but +maybe men might wonder at his leaving after it had sounded." + +For a quarter of an hour we walked to and fro in the wood, down one +path and up another. Then we thought that we might be following the +priest round the wood as he looked for us, and we dared not call. +The watch on the ramparts was set already. Now the loneliness of +the wood had made us bold, and we thought we had best go one each +way, and so make sure that we should find Selred if he were here. + +At that time we were at the far corner of the wood, which was +square, with a path all round it and one each way across. It was a +favourite walk of Offa's during summer, men told me. + +Erling turned to the left and I to the right, and we walked fast +away from each other. It was getting very dim in these overarched +paths under the great trees, but not so dim that one could not see +fairly well if any figure came down the way. There was no wind to +speak of, and it was all very silent. One could hear the noises +from the palace plainly at times, and in one place the red light +from the hall shone from a high window through the trees. Just at +this time the clouds fled from off the face of the moon, and it was +light, with that strange brightness that comes of dying day and +brightening night mingled. + +I came to the corner where my path turned, and before me there was +a figure, as it were of some one who had just turned into the wood +from toward the ramparts. The way by which Selred and I came here +last night was there. And it was surely the cassocked priest +himself, though I could not see his face. I hurried toward him with +a little word of low greeting which he could hardly have heard. My +foot caught a dry twig in the path, and it cracked loudly, and with +that the figure stopped suddenly and half turned away. + +Then I said, "Stay, father; it is but I." + +And with that came a little cry from the figure, and it turned and +came swiftly to me. + +It was Hilda herself, and how she came here alone thus I could not +guess. She had on a long black cloak which was like enough to the +garb of the chaplain to deceive me at first in the dim light, so +that I made no movement to meet her. I think that frightened her +for the moment, for she stayed, as if she doubted whether I were +indeed he whose voice she thought she knew, until I spoke her name +and went toward her. + +And then in a moment she had sought the safety of my arms, and was +weeping as if she would never stop; while I tried to stay her +fears, and bid her tell me what had befallen her. And it was many a +minute before I could do that. + +As we stood so Erling came hastily, having heard the hushed voices. +More than that he had heard also, for his sword was drawn. He half +halted as he saw who was here, and pointed over his shoulder toward +the palace gate, and then held up his hand to bid me hearken. + +I lifted my head and did so. There were footsteps in the stillness, +and a gruff word or two, and the steps came this way, and nearer, +fast. + +"Hilda," I said, "are you likely to be pursued?" + +For I could think of nothing but that she had managed to fly from +Quendritha, and that perhaps Selred had bidden her seek me here. + +"I cannot tell," she said, and her voice was full of terror. "Take +me hence quickly--anywhere. That terrible queen told me that you +had fled, and so thrust me out to seek you--" + +I did not wait to hear more, for the steps came on. Between us +Erling and I half carried the poor maiden back toward the place +where we had entered the wood, and we went swiftly enough. Yet we +could not help the noises that footsteps must needs make in the +dark of a cover, where one cannot see to pick the way. + +Nor, of course, could those who came, as they tried to follow us. +We heard them plainly entering the wood as we came to the edge of +it and passed out toward the river bank. + +"We must get back to the horses, and then ride to Fernlea and the +archbishop," I said, under my breath. + +"Ay, if we can," Erling answered; "but that is more easily said +than done." + +He pointed to the river and up it. The moonlight was flooding all +its valley, and the last of the day still lingered in the sky. If +these men came to the place where we stood, they could see us +before we had time to get to any cover. + +As we came hither we had gone easily, under the shelter of the gray +rain, because no man was at this place to spy us. It was different +now. The men were in the wood at this time as we stood and doubted. +Next we heard them running to right and left, that they might be +sure to meet whoever it was they sought; and plainly that could be +none but Hilda, unless we had been seen. Yet we could hardly have +been suspected to be any but late comers homeward. + +"There is but one thing," I said suddenly. "We must cross the +river. They will be here in a moment and looking into the open." + +Hilda shrunk close to me in terror, and Erling looked at the +stream. It was coming down in full volume after the rain, for up in +its hills there had been much more than here. Across the stream +were bushes enough to hide us. + +"You have your mail on, and there is the lady. But it is not far; +maybe we two could manage. We can't fight these men, or we shall +have the whole place out on us like a beehive." + +So said Erling, looking doubtfully at the water. I asked Hilda if +she feared, and she shivered a little, but answered that aught was +better than to bide and be taken by Quendritha. + +"I can trust you," she said quietly. "Do what you will." + +"Faith," said Erling, "one must do somewhat to stay these men, or +else little chance shall we have of aught but a good fight here +against odds. I count six of them by the voices. Wait a moment and +we will try somewhat. Get you to the water, thane, ready." + +I set my arm round Hilda and led her to the water's edge. Erling +went to the very verge of the wood and listened for a moment. The +men from either side were nearing each other, but as yet neither +party could see the other. Then, of a sudden, Erling lifted his +voice and called, as if hastily: + +"Back, back! Get round the far end--quick!" + +The footsteps stopped, and voices cried in answer. Each party +thought the other called to them. Erling gave a hunter's whoop, as +if he saw the quarry, and cried them back again. Then there were a +quick rush away on either side, and more shouts, and at that Erling +came to us, laughing. + +"There will be a bit of a puzzlement at the other end of the +cover," he said. "Now, master, let me see what water there is." + +He stepped into it, trying the depth with his spear as he went. For +ten paces it deepened gradually, and then more quickly. He passed +on, up to his waist, then to his elbows, and so to his neck. Then +he disappeared suddenly, and Hilda almost cried out. His head came +up again in a moment, and he swam for three strokes or so, and then +he was on his feet again. + +Now he turned toward us, and felt about with his spear once more, +and so walked steadily back to us--not quite in the same line, but +with the water hardly more than to his shoulders. + +"It is easy enough," he said. "I did but step into a hole, and so +lost my footing. Pass me the cloaks, for we will have them over +dry." + +I took his from where he left it by me, and rolled up mine and +Hilda's in it. Silently, but with a little wan smile, she took a +scarf from her neck and gave it me to tie them with. Then Erling +took them on his spear and waded back till he could toss them to +the far bank, and so turned to my help. + +By that time I had taken up Hilda as best I might, holding her +high, bidding her fear not, and clutch me as little as possible. +She said nothing, being very brave, but nearly choked me once when +the water struck cold as it reached her. + +The rising flood water swirled and beat on me as I went deeper and +deeper, and glad enough I was when Erling came to my side upstream +and helped to steady me. Once we stopped and swayed against the +rush for a long moment, half helpless; but we won, and struggled +on. Then a back eddy took the pressure from us, and we went more +quickly and steadily, and so found the shallows, and at last the +bank. + +Thankful enough I was, for it had nearly been a matter of swimming +at one time; and if that had happened, I hardly care to think how +we should have fared. + +I set Hilda down and gasped. She was not light when we started, but +with each step from the deeps to the shallows she had grown heavier +with the dragging weight of wet skirts; and that had puzzled me in +a foolish way, so that I thought that the weeds were holding her +down. Now we three stood and dripped, and were fain to laugh at one +another; while the men we had escaped from were talking loudly at +the far end of the cover, where they had met. + +"That will not last long," I said; "they will be back at the +water's edge in a minute." + +Thereat we took to the bushes, which were thick here, in a little +patch. Beyond them was a clear space of turf a hundred yards wide, +which we must cross to reach more wooded land, where we might go as +we pleased back to the ruin where the horses waited. Hilda went +slowly, for the wet garments clogged her, and were heavy still. + +We must bide here till the men went away, or till it grew darker; +for there was no need--though they would hardly follow us--to let +them know who was with their quarry, or that she was anywhere but +on their side of the water. We might find our way to Fernlea cut +off. We took Hilda into the thicket, and crept back to see what +happened, leaving the dry cloaks with her. + +The loud voices had stopped suddenly, and we knew that it meant +that the men were coming back through the wood, beating it +cautiously. We lay flat under the nut bushes and alders, watching, +and the edge of the cover was not more than an arrow flight from +us. + +Presently there was a rustle in it, and a man looked out, but we +could not see much of him. He spoke to another, and then came into +the open, peering up and down the moonlit river. Another joined +him, and this newcomer wore mail which glistened as he turned. A +third man came from the other side of the wood and saw these two, +and came to them, and there they stood and wondered. + +"I could swear the girl went into the wood," said one; "I saw her +plainly." + +"Then she must be there still," answered the second comer. "Get +back and look again." + +"We have beaten the wood as if for a hare," said the third. "Unless +she has climbed a tree she is not there." + +"Well, then, look in the trees," said the mailed man, and with that +he came down to the water, and turned his face toward us. + +It was Gymbert himself. + +"Mayhap she has drowned herself," said one of the men sullenly. + +Gymbert growled somewhat, and turned sharply, going back to the +wood. The other men looked after him, and one chuckled. + +"Best thing she could do," he said. "Gymbert would surely have sold +her to the Welsh." + +"Maybe made her his own slave, which were worse." + +"No, but he is out of favour just now. The money she would fetch +will be more to him maybe. He dare not let Offa see him." + +They turned away slowly. At least it did not seem that these two +were much in earnest in the matter. As they went, one asked the +other who cried the chase back after all. + +"Some fool on the other side who doesn't care to own to it now, +seeing that he must have fancied he saw her," was the answer. + +Then they turned into the wood again and were gone. Still we +waited; and it was as well, for suddenly Gymbert came back, leaping +out into the open as if he thought to surprise the lost object of +his search. He glanced up and down, and then went back. I heard him +call his men together and rate them, and so they seemed to pass +back to the palace. Their voices rose and died away, and we were +safe. + + + +CHAPTER XV. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS REWARDED. + + +For ten minutes after the last voice was to be heard we waited, and +then, leaving two pools of water where we had lain, we crept back +to the open and sought Hilda. I feared to find her chilled with the +passage of the river; but, in some way which is beyond me, she had +made to herself, as it were, dry clothing of the cloak she had +given to Erling. What she had taken off had been carefully wrung +out, and lay near her in a bundle. She laughed a little when I told +her that I had been troubling about her wetness. + +"What, with three dry cloaks ready for me?" she said. "I have fared +worse on many a wet ride." + +Then we crossed the little meadow swiftly, and entered the +scattered trees of the riverside forest. After that we had no more +fear of Gymbert and his men, and went easily. In that time I heard +what had happened in the palace, and how this strange meeting had +come about. + +"Offa the king has shut himself up, and will see no man," Hilda +said. "Nor will he go near the queen or suffer her to see him. He +has had guards set at the doors of the bower that she may not go +from it, so that she is a prisoner in her own apartments with her +ladies. The poor princess is ill, and has none but bitter words for +the queen; for all know by whose contrivance this has been done. I +heard that all our thanes had fled." + +There she would have ended; but I had to hear more of herself, and +it was not easy for her to tell me. Only when Erling fell behind us +somewhat, out of thought for her, would she speak of what she had +gone through, after I had told her that her father was surely safe, +and maybe not far off. + +"The queen turned on me when she was left a prisoner. I do not know +why, but I think my father had offended her in some way. I know +that he speaks too hastily at times when he is angry. First she +told me that he had slain our king, and seeing that I would not +believe it by any means, said that you had done the deed--that she +had hired you to do it. Thereat I was more angry yet, for the +saying was plainly false, and had no excuse. And because I was so +angry I think she knew that I--that I did think more of you than I +would have her know. After that I had no peace. I tried to send the +arrowhead to you by the little page who was left with the queen, +and I do not know if you had it. He told me that you were yet in +the palace." + +"Ay, I did, and therefore I am here," I said. + +"I was sorry afterward, for I did not know what you could do. The +page was not suffered to come back, I think, for I have not seen +him again. This morning the queen told me that you had fled, after +slaying a man of her household. So she went on tormenting me, until +I could forbear no longer, and told her to mind that my mother had +befriended her at her first coming to this land, and it was ill +done to treat her daughter thus. + +"Thereat she turned deathly white, and she shook with rage, as it +seemed. At that time she said no word to me, but turned and left +me, and I was glad. Presently one of her ladies, who pitied me, +told me that Gymbert had done the deed, as all men knew by this +time, and that I was to be brave, for all this must have an end. +And that end came as the sun set. I was with the princess, and +Quendritha came in. First she spoke soothingly to Etheldrida, who +turned from the sight of her, being too sick at heart to answer +her; then she spoke to me, looking at me evilly, so that I feared +what was coming. + +"'You minded me that your mother was one of our subjects,' she +said, in that terrible, cold voice of hers. 'Now I will see you +wedded safely, to one who is a friend of ours. + +"'No,' she said sharply, for I was going to speak, 'you have no +choice. Whom I choose you shall wed. The man I have in my mind for +you is our good thane Gymbert.' + +"I suppose that she sought an opportunity against me, and she had +her will. I do not rightly know what I said. The end of it was that +out of the palace I was to go, and she bade me seek you, Wilfrid. +It is in my mind that she meant it in insult, or that she deems you +far away, careless of what befalls me. And I think, too, that after +me she meant to send Gymbert." + +Then she set both hands on my arm, and leaned on it, shaking. I +knew that she was weeping with the thought of what had been, and I +did not know what to say rightly. Only I was sure that the secret +of the queen's coming was at the bottom of this, as Quendritha must +have feared that Hilda knew it all, either from me or her father. + +"Your father would not have fled had he not known that Selred and I +were to stay and look after you," I said, lamely enough. "Have you +not seen the good chaplain?" + +She had not, and it seemed most likely that in some way he had been +prevented from leaving the palace. Afterwards I knew that Offa had +had all going out of the place stopped, hoping to take some man who +knew more of the secret of Ethelbert's end, if not Gymbert himself. +Hilda had been thrust out by a private postern hastily, and +doubtless Gymbert had been told where to seek her long before. I +believe it was no affair of the spur of the moment, but wrought in +revenge on Sighard and myself. + +Now what more I said to Hilda at this time is no matter, but at the +end of the words I made shift to put together she knew that I could +wish no more than to guard her with my life, and for all my life, +and naught more was needed to be said between us. What we might do +next remained to be seen, but the first thing now was to get to the +archbishop, with whom we should be in safety no doubt. Even +Quendritha would not dare to take Hilda from his charge. + +I had forgotten my fear of the old walls when we came to the ruined +villa. Maybe I thought thereof when I and Erling went in and found +the horses all safe and ready to take to the road again; for in one +corner of the wall among the grass shone a glow worm, and it +startled me, whereat Erling chuckled, and I remembered. + +We made a pillion of my cloak, and lifted Hilda up behind me; and +so we set out in the moonlight to find our way to Fernlea, striking +away from the river somewhat at first, and then taking a track +which led in the right direction. And so for an hour we rode and +saw no man. The land slept round us, and the night was still and +warm, and I forgot the troubles that were upon us in the pleasure +of having Hilda here and safe with me. + +Presently we came out of forest growth into the open, and passed a +little hut, out of whose yard a dog came and barked fiercely as we +passed. There was no sound of any man stirring in the hovel, +however, and we went on steadily. As the crow flies, Fernlea town +was not more than five miles from the palace; but we wandered +somewhat, no doubt, being nowise anxious to meet any men on the +way, and also wishing to come into the town from any direction but +that of the road from Sutton. + +A quarter of a mile from the hut where the dog was we entered a +deep old track, worn with long years of timber hauling and +pack-horse travel, and under the overhanging trees it was dark +again. + +Now we had not gone fifty yards down this lane when my horse grew +uneasy, snorting, and bidding me beware of somewhat, as a horse +will. Hilda knew what the steed meant, and took a tighter hold on +my belt, lest he should swerve or rear. + +"'Tis a stray wolf or somewhat," said Erling from behind us. "The +horses have winded him." + +Then out of the shadows under the trees came a great voice which +cried in bad Saxon, "Ay, a wolf indeed! Stand and answer for +yourselves!" + +"Spurs!" I cried to Erling, and the great skew-bald shot forward. + +Out of the darkness, from the overhanging banks, and seemingly from +the middle of the hollow road, rose with a roar a crowd of +white-clad dim figures and flung themselves at the bridles, and had +my sword arm helpless before ever I had time to know that they were +there. And all in a moment I knew that these were no men of +Gymbert's, but Welshmen from the hills spying on the doings of Offa +at Sutton. Some one had told me that they were in doubt as to what +his great gathering meant. + +Now, if Hilda had not been with us, there would have been some sort +of a fight here in the dark, for I should certainly have drawn +sword first and spurred afterward. As it was, my only thought must +needs be to save Hilda from any harm. + +"Hold hard!" I cried in Welsh; "this is a lady travelling." + +"Yes, indeed," one of the men who had hold of my bridle answered; +"he says truly." + +"A lady?" said the voice which had spoken first. "Let her bid her +men be still, and we will speak with her!" + +Then Hilda answered very bravely, "So it shall be. Bid your men +free us, and we shall harm none." + +The leader spoke in Welsh, and his men fell back from us. Then he +came to my side and asked what we did here so late. And as he spoke +it came to me that the best thing to do would be to tell him the +very truth. No more than himself were we friends of Offa and +Quendritha. + +"To tell the truth, we are flying from Sutton," I said. "We +belonged to the train of Ethelbert of East Anglia." + +"Why fly, then?" + +"Have you heard nothing of what has been done?" I asked. + +"No. We heard that there was a king with Offa; that is all." + +Then I told him what our trouble was, and the men round me--for I spoke +in Welsh, learned when I was a child from our thralls--understood me; +and more than once I heard them speak low words of pity for the young +king. They had no unfriendliness for East Anglia. + +"Then that is all that the gathering was for?" asked the leader. + +And then he suddenly seemed suspicious, and said sharply, with his +hand on the neck of my horse: + +"But to come hither from Sutton you had to cross the river. Your +horse is dry. He has not had time to shake the water from him yet." + +"That is a longer story," I said. "But he was on this side; we had +to wade to reach him." + +The chief set his hand on my leg and gripped it. Then he laughed. +"Reach down your arm," he said. + +I did so, and he laughed again. + +"Very wet," he said. "But the lady?" + +"Very wet also," answered Hilda. "I pray you, sir, let us pass on, +if only for that reason. I would fain get to the archbishop at +Fernlea shortly." + +"Why to him, lady?" + +"Because even Quendritha will fear to take me thence." + +"Eh, but you are flying from her! Then speed you well, lady and +good sirs. We have little love for Offa, but he is a warrior and a +man; whereas--Well, I will bid you promise to say no word of this +meeting, and you shall go." + +That promise we gave freely, as may be supposed. If the Welsh chose +to swarm over the border and burn Sutton Palace, it might be but +just recompense for what those walls had seen; but I thought that, +with their fear of the gathering at an end, the man who had lit +yonder hillside fires would disband his levies for the time. So we +parted very good friends, in a way, and this chief bade one of his +men guide us for the mile or so which he could pass in safety. We +were closer then to Fernlea than I thought, and in half an hour we +were at the gates. + +Where our Welshman left us I cannot say. Somewhere he slipped from +my side into the darkness, and when next I spoke to him there was +no answer. + +Now we had to wait outside the town gates--for the place was, as +might be supposed, strongly stockaded against the Welsh--until one +went to the town reeve and fetched him, seeing that we had not the +password for the night. But at last they let us in, and took us to +the house of the reeve himself, for the archbishop was there. And +there is no need to say that when he heard our story he welcomed us +most kindly, promising Hilda his protection. There, too, the good +wife of the reeve cared for the maiden as if she were her own +daughter, and I saw her no more that night. + +As for myself, I sat down at supper, which they had but half +finished, with the archbishop and his little train; and glad enough +I was of it, and I and Erling ate as famished men who do not know +when their next meal may be. + +The archbishop watched us, smiling at first, and then grew +thoughtful. After I had fairly done, he said: + +"My son, I thought you had come to me with news of the finding of +the body of your poor king. That is a matter which lies heavily on +my mind. It must be done." + +"I think I can tell you within a few yards, father, where it must +needs be, for today I and my comrade have searched where it was +taken. We have found, at least, the cart Gymbert used, and it +cannot be far thence. We think that the cart was left close to the +hiding place." + +Then one of the priests said eagerly: + +"Father, the moon lies bright on all the meadows, and we might well +seek in the place the thane has found. This is a thing done at +night in most seemly wise, as I think." + +"Ay," answered the archbishop thoughtfully. "Yet it were hard to +ask the thane to turn out once more." + +"This is a quest which lies close to my heart, lord," I said, +rising. "I will go gladly if you will let me guide your folk." + +"Yet you are weary, and need rest." + +"I have slept for long hours in the open today," I said. "I am fed +and rested. Let us go." + +For indeed, now that Hilda was in safety, the longing to end the +quest came on me, and I should have slept little that night for +thinking of it. Moreover, I should have no fear of Gymbert and his +men spying me, and thereby making fresh trouble. + +So in the end the archbishop said that we might go, and with that +four of his priests and the reeve with half a dozen men made ready, +and in a very short time we rode out of the gates again in the +moonlight, on our way back toward Sutton. The river was between us +and the Welsh we had met, and they were not to be feared. The monks +were riding their sumpter mules, and the reeve and we were mounted +on horses from his own stable or lent by his friends, and his men +trotted after us, some bearing picks and spades. + +Under the little hill whereon the palace stands we rode presently, +and I suppose that we were taken for a train of belated chapmen, or +that the guards saw we were headed by monks, and would not trouble +us. Maybe, however, the disorder of the palace had put an end for +the time to much care in watching, but at any rate we passed +without challenge. + +And so we came to the riverside track which should lead us to the +end of our journey, and, as I hoped with all my heart, to the end +of our quest. Already I could see the trees under which the cart +stood. + +Out of the southwest came one of those showers which had been about +all day, and which had not yet quite cleared off from the hills +round us. It drew across the face of the moon, which had been +sending our long shadows before us as if they were in as great +haste as we, and for a few minutes we stayed in the dark to let it +pass. And as it passed there came what men sometimes hold as a +marvel. + +The rain left us, passing ahead of us like a dark wall, and the +moon shone out suddenly from the cloud's edge, and then across the +land leaped a great white rainbow, perfect and bright, so that one +could dimly see the seven colours which should be in its span. And +one end rested on the river bank close under the place where the +cart stood among the trees, and the other was away beyond the +forest, eastward somewhere. + +"Lo," said the monk who had bidden us come, "yonder is the sign of +hope, leading us as it were the pillar of fire of Holy Writ!" + +"Men say there is ever treasure hidden under the end of a rainbow," +said the reeve; "but never yet did I meet with a man who had found +it. Yet I have never seen the like of this. I have heard that they +may be seen at night." + +And so said another and another; for indeed men look to their feet +rather than to the sky at night, and thereby miss the things they +might see. But a strange thought came to my mind, and I spoke it. + +"Under the end of that pillar does indeed lie the treasure we seek. +See, it is not on the wood, but on the river bank. We searched not +there, comrade." + +"Ay, we shall find it there," Erling answered. "It is +Bifrost--Allfather's bridge. He takes his son home across it." + +The rainbow faded and passed to the north and east with the rain, +and it went across the land through which Ethelbert had ridden so +gaily but a few days agone. Sometimes I love to think that its end +rested here and there on house or village or church which had been +the happier for the bright presence of the king, and betimes I +think that a strange fancy for a rough warrior like myself. Yet I +had ridden with Ethelbert, and the thoughts he set in the minds of +men are not as common thoughts. I hold that once I rode and spoke +with a very saint. + +There fell a sort of awe and a silence on us after that. Silently +we went on up the riverside track, for I was leading with Erling, +and that strange belief that by the river we should find what we +sought would not leave me; and when we came below the place where +the cart was, I saw marks where its wheels had riven the soft earth +close to the water. Without a word I signed my companions to spread +abroad and search, and I dismounted, and with the bridle of my +horse over my arm, I went scanning each foot of the ground in the +moonlight. + +Twenty yards, not more, from the water, where some winter flood had +left a wide patch of sand and little pebbles, I saw the marks of +the cart again. It had stopped there, and round the spot were deep +footprints of men. They went on for a few yards, and then there was +a little fresh-turned place. Out of that lapped a piece of cloth, +plain to be seen in the light of the moon, but easily overlooked in +the haste of those who had left it. And then I knew that I had +indeed found the king. + +Now I lifted my hand, and the rest saw me, one by one, and came to +my side, and for a moment we stood still, not daring to disturb +that resting. Then I took the spade one man had, and gently turned +the gravel from that bit of cloth, and there was surety. They who +set him there had but covered him hastily, no doubt because they +heard our friends after them. + +Little by little, and very reverently, we uncovered, and so took +him from that strange resting, and the water welled into the place +where he had lain. And as we thought, his head had been smitten +from his body, and it was that which we found first, wrapped in the +cloak whose end had betrayed his hiding. Yet had it not been for +the token of the rainbow we had hardly thought to seek here, so +near the water. + +Men speak today of the finding of Ethelbert the saint by reason of +the pillar of fire which shone from where he was hidden, and they +tell the truth in a way, if they know not how that marvel came from +the heaven before our eyes who saw it. Let the tale be, for from +the heaven the sign came in our need and it is near enough, so that +it be not forgotten. There is many a man who has seen the like, but +not at such a time or as such a portent; and, again, for one man +who has seen the bow in the clouds over against the moon are mayhap +a thousand who may go through long lives and never set eyes +thereon. Whereby it happens that there are some who will not +believe that such a thing can be. + +Now we wondered how to bear back this precious burden, until we +bethought ourselves of that cart which had been used before. Erling +and two of the reeve's men went to seek it, and it stood untouched +where we found it. Moreover, those who fled from it in haste left +the rough harness still hanging anywise from the shafts, and we +were able, therefore, to set one of the horses in it without +trouble. Then we made a bed of our cloaks in the bottom, and +thereon laid the body, covering it carefully; and so we went our +way toward Fernlea, silently and slowly, but with hearts somewhat +lightened, for we had done what we might. + +But yet I have to tell somewhat strange of this journey, and how it +came about I do not rightly know. Nor will I answer for the truth +of it all, for part of that I must set down I did not see for +myself; only the priests told me, and they heard it from the men +who did see. + +This cart was old and crazy. I think that Gymbert must have taken +it from some deserted farm, whence it would not be missed. It was +open behind, and its wheels were bad. Still it served us; and glad +enough we were of it, for the road was rough, and heavy with the +rain of the day. It pained me to see the thing jolting and lurching +as it went, knowing how little it befitted that which it was +honoured in bearing. + +Presently out of the roadside rose up a man, and joined us. + +"Good sirs," he said, "I am a blind man, and would fain be led to +Fernlea. May I go with you so far as the road you take lies in that +direction?" + +"Truly, my son," said the eldest priest. "But you are afoot late." + +"'Tis a priest speaks to me, as I hear," said the man, doffing his +cap in the direction of the voice and laughing gently. "Is it so +late, father? Well, I have thought so, for there seem to be few men +about. Yet I slept alone in a shed last night, and know not for how +long. I think I have also slept some of today, for I am out of +count of the hours. There is neither dark nor light for me." + +He fell back and walked after the cart, saying no more. Now and +then I heard his stick tapping the stones of the way, and once one +of our men helped him in a rough place, and he thanked him. + +Now we came to a terribly bad place in the road, and there the cart +seemed like to break down; and it was the worse for us that a cloud +came over the moon at the time, and it was very dark. Whereby the +blind man was of much help in the care for the cart, until the moon +shone out again suddenly, when he was left behind us for a few +minutes. Then we heard him calling. + +"Two of you help the poor soul," said the reeve, "else he will +hardly get across that slough. He has fallen, I think." + +He named two of his own men, and they went back. After a while the +blind man's voice came again, and he seemed to be shouting +joyfully. I thought it was by reason of the help that came to him. + +"Thane," said the eldest priest to me just at this time, "I pray +you ride on and tell the archbishop that you have indeed found what +we sought. It is but right that all should be ready against the +time we get back. We are not more than a mile away from the gates, +and you will have time. This is slow travelling, perforce." + +Erling and I rode on with the reeve, therefore, and I thought no +more of the blind man, as one may suppose, until I heard what had +happened. + +When the two men went back to his help, he sat again by the side of +the road, hiding his face in his hands on his knees. And he was +trembling. + +"Friends," he said, "now I know why you go so sadly, welladay! For +evil men have slain some one young and well favoured, as I learned +even now, when I helped you yonder. Tell me what has befallen, I +pray you, for I am afeard." + +"Why," said one of the men, "we are honest folk, as our being with +the good fathers may be surety. The trouble is ours to bear." + +But the blind man still kept his eyes hidden, and when the other +man bade him rise and come on with them he did not move. + +"I know not what ails me," he said. "Even as I set my hand on him +you bear yonder, there came as it were a great flash of light +across my eyes, and needs must I fall away and hide them. I fear +that, not you, friends. I pray you, tell me what has been wrought." + +"His foes have slain a bridegroom, most cruelly," one of the men +answered after a pause. "We do but bear him to Fernlea." + +"What bridegroom?" he asked, in a hushed voice. + +And then the pity of the thing came to him, and he wept silently. +Presently he raised his head, dashing away the tears as he did so. + +"It is a many years since these eyes of mine have wept," he said. +"It seems to me that to weep for the woes of another is a wondrous +thing." + +His eyes of a sudden opened widely in the moonlight, and he cried +out and clutched at the man next him. + +"Brothers! brothers!" he said; "what is this?" + +And again he set his hand to his eyes as if shading them, as does a +man at noontide. + +"What ails you?" one of the men asked, wondering. + +"I have no ailment--none. I see once more!" he cried. "Look you, +yonder is the blessed moon, and there lies a broken tree; and see, +there are fires on the hills of the Welshmen!" + +Then with both hands wide before him he said: + +"Now I see that I have set my hands on one who can be naught but a +saint most holy, for therefrom I have my sight again. Who is this +that has been slain?" + +The men answered him, telling him. The blind man had heard, of +course, of the poor young king, and had, indeed, been brought +hither from wherever he lived that he might share in the largess of +the wedding day. + +Now the men would go their way with him again, wondering, but yet +half doubting the truth of what the man said. + +"It is in my mind that you have not been so blind as you would have +us think," said one, growling. + +The man pointed at the cart as it went. + +"Would I lie in that presence?" he said. + +And with that he broke into the song I had heard. Some old chant of +victory it was, which he made to fit his case, being somewhat of a +gleeman, as so many of these wanderers are. And there the men left +him in the road, singing and careless of aught save his recovered +sight, and hastened after the party. + +Yet it was not until the next day that they told the tale, and +whether the once blind man was ever found again I cannot tell; but +I have set this down as I knew of it, because it was the first of +many healings wrought by the saint we loved. I ken well that the +tale is told nowadays in a more awesome way; but let that pass. +Tales of wonder grow ever more strange as the years go on. + +Men call Ethelbert a martyr now, I suppose because he was slain. +That is not quite what we mean by a martyr, for that is one who +gives up his life rather than deny his Lord. Yet Ethelbert was +indeed a witness to the faith all his life, and so the name may +stand. + +So presently they brought back the body to Fernlea, and its resting +was ready in the little church which had come into the strange +dream by the riverside. And I knew, as I watched by it all the rest +of that night till the hour of prime, that this was what the vision +foreboded. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE MORE WITH OFFA. + + +Now that I had Hilda safe with the archbishop, it mattered nothing +to me if all the world knew that I was yet here. So when Ealdwulf, +the archbishop himself, asked me to ride with him to Sutton Palace +and tell Offa of the finding, I said that I was most willing. I +should see Selred, and maybe bring him away with me, and at least +could tell him that all was well with Hilda. + +I will say now that she was none the worse for the wetting and the +rest of last night's doings, but that I saw her come fresh and +bright to the breakfast in the little hall of the reeve's house. +There she would bide till she could go with the archbishop +homewards in some way, most likely from nunnery to nunnery across +the land, as ladies will often travel, with parties of the holy +women--that is, if Sighard was not to be found. In my own mind I +thought that he would not be far off, most likely with Witred, the +Mercian thane who had arranged the flight. + +Presently, therefore, we rode away from Fernlea toward Sutton, +there being but one priest with the archbishop, and six of the +townsmen, besides Erling and myself. It was no state visit, but the +going of one who would speak with an erring friend in private. +Sorely downcast was the good man, for he loved Offa well, and this +terrible wrong lay heavily on his heart. + +Halfway or so to Sutton we passed the place where trees were thick, +and I saw a man lurking among them as if he was watching the road. +Wherefore I watched him, and presently saw that he was coming to +us, as if half afraid. Somehow the walk and figure of this man +seemed known to me, though his face was strange, and I thought that +he made for myself. Soon I knew that this was indeed the case; for +finding that there were none whom he need fear in the party, the +man came boldly from the trees, and, cap in hand, stood by the +wayside waiting me. + +"Well, friend, what is it?" I asked, as he walked alongside my +horse. + +He answered in Welsh, and then I knew that he was the guide we had +been given last night. + +"Jefan ap Huwal the prince sends greeting to the thane on the pied +horse, and bids him and the lady come to him if there is need for +help. He has heard that the thane serves the Frankish king who +hates Saxons beyond the seas, and thinks that mayhap he has foes +here in Mercia." + +"Thank your prince from me," I answered, after a moment's thought, +in which it came to me that no offer of friendship was to be +scorned, "and tell him that if need is I will not forget. Tell him +also that, thanks to him, the lady is safe and well, and that I +have no fear at present." + +"That, said Jefan, is what a thane would answer," said the man. +"Whereon I was to tell you that yonder evil queen was to be feared +the most when she seemed to be the least dangerous. He wits well +that she is shut up." + +Then it seemed plain that the Welsh prince had spies pretty nearly +inside the palace; which is not at all unlikely. However, I said +nothing of that, and thanked the man again, looking to see him +leave me. The archbishop had ridden on with the rest, for I went +slowly, to talk to the Welshman. Still the man did not go, and he +had more to say. + +"Also I was to tell you that he had a chief of your folk in his +hands. But that he deems that he belongs to East Anglia, he would +have set him in chains. He is hurt, and is in our camp, free, save +for his promise not to escape. His name is Sighard." + +"Sighard?" I said. "How came he in your hands?" + +"He came over the border, lord, and we had him straightway," said +the man simply. "Methinks there were men after him." + +"Where is he?" said I, anxiously enough. "He can pay ransom." + +"He is ill," said the man; "he cries for his daughter. Jefan thinks +that he is that thane whose daughter was in our hands last night +with you." + +"Ill?" said I; "is he much hurt?" + +"There had been a bit of a fight before we took him. One smote him +on the helm, and he was stunned. Thereafter he came to himself, and +again fell ill. He will mend, for it is naught." + +"But where is he?" + +"We have many camps, and I cannot tell you. You are a stranger. +But, says Jefan the prince, an you will come to him I am to guide +you." + +Now I was in doubt indeed, for this was a dangerous errand. The man +saw that I hesitated, and smiled at me. + +"Wise is our prince," he said. "He knew that you would fear to +come, therefore he bade me say that you were to mind that once he +had you, and set you free, and that he does not go back on his +doings, save he must. He has no enmity for the friends of the slain +king, but a great hatred for him who slew him." + +"Would he not let Sighard the thane come to Fernlea, where his +daughter is?" + +"Truly, if you will. But it is safer for you to come to him. There +Jefan will have all care for all of you until he may send you home. +It is told him that Quendritha has sworn the death of four men--of +the thane who rides the great pied horse, of his housecarl, of +Sighard of Anglia, and of Witred of Bradley, who helped the +Anglians to escape." + +"How knows he all this? It is more than I have heard--if I have +guessed some of it." + +The man shrugged his shoulders. + +"Thane," he said, with a sidewise smile, "a man who is thrall to a +Mercian may yet be a Briton. The Saxon may make a slave of his +body, but his heart will be free." + +Now I was the more sure that this Welsh prince had some good source +of knowledge of what went on inside the palace, and I thought that +mayhap he was right. Across the Welsh border might indeed be the +safest place for any man who had brought the wrath of the queen on +him. I would go to Sighard, and take Hilda with me. One thing I was +fairly glad of, and that was that so far as I knew none in all the +court of Offa had heard who my folk in Wessex were, else there +might be trouble for them; for Quendritha's daughter was not unlike +her mother, if all I heard was true. + +"Meet me tonight, then," I said. "I will go to Jefan, and will +bring the lady." + +"You do well," he answered gravely. "I will meet you somewhere on +the westward track, a mile from Fernlea ford. You shall but ride on +till I come. You shall choose your own time, for I cannot tell what +may stay you. I have naught to do but wait. If you meet other +Britons, tell them that you seek the prince, and they will pass you +on. If so be you come not tonight, I will wait for another, and yet +another. After that--" + +"If we do not come, what then?" + +"Doubtless we shall burn Sutton walls. A curse lies thereon now, +and it may be that we shall wreak it." + +With that he leaped across the brook which ran by the road, and +passed into shelter. Then I turned to Erling, who waited for me +across the road, and asked if he had understood what was said. + +"Ay, all," he answered. "It is good enough; otherwise I might have +put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I have +ever heard." + +"The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be +running away from hearsay," I said. + +"Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across the +border, I take it," Erling answered. "Seeing that you have no more +to keep you here, it is about time we went also. We have foes we +cannot see, and are in a land of which we know not a foot. Jefan +will help us to ken the foe, and will guide us when we need it." + +Now of all things which I had in my mind, the first seemed to me to +be that I must ride eastward with Hilda and see the mother of the +slain king, to give what account I might of that charge she had +laid on me. But if Sighard had been prevented from getting +homeward, it was certain that so should I. Wherefore we should not +be watched for on any westward road, and that way, at least, was +open. Thence we might find our way when the days wore on and +Sighard could travel. That remained to be seen; and, take it all +round, I was more easy than I had been. + +So also seemed the archbishop presently, when I told him the +message I had had. And he agreed with us that we might do worse +than go to Jefan at once with Hilda; matters being as they were, it +was not safe in Mercia. + +"He is a good prince and honourable," he said; "and if I say that, +I speak of one who is the foe of our folk. He has suffered much +from us, and has cause for enmity with Offa--and maybe with +Quendritha. I can say plainly now that her restless longing for +power has kept our armies busy many a time when they had been +better at rest." + +He sighed; and then came somewhat which turned our thoughts, and no +more was said at the time, either of Quendritha or of my doings. +For now we were in sight of the palace on its little hill, and from +its gates came toward us a train of folk, guarded by men of Offa's +own housecarls in front and rear, as if those who travelled were no +common wayfarers. In the midst of all was a closed horse litter, +beside which rode two or three veiled and hooded ladies and a +priest. Save the captain of the guards, there was no thane with the +party, and but a few pack horses followed them, and I thought it +would be some abbess, perhaps, who was leaving the palace. + +We drew up on the roadside to let this train pass, though I suppose +that by all right the archbishop might have claimed the crown of +the way for himself, had he been other than the humble-minded man +that he was. As the leading guards passed us they saluted in all +due form; and then one of the ladies knew who was here, and bent to +the litter, and so turned and spoke to the captain, who straightway +called a halt, and came, helm in hand, to the archbishop, praying +him to speak with the lady who was in his charge. + +Who this was I did not hear, but I saw the face of the good man +change, and he hurried to dismount and go to the litter. And +thence, after a word or two had passed, came the priest I had seen; +and when he uncowled I knew him for my friend Selred, and glad I +was to see him. + +"Why, how goes it, father?" I said, as my hand met his. "You were +not in the wood of our tryst, and I feared that you were in +trouble." + +Very gravely he shook his head, looking sadly at me. + +"There is naught but trouble in all this place," he said. "I could +not come to you, for the gates were closed early, that Gymbert +might be taken. He was not taken. And yet I have heavier trouble to +tell you than you can think." + +"No, father," I said quickly, seeing that he had learned too +little, and doubtless believed Hilda either drowned or else in the +hands of Gymbert and his men--whichever tale Quendritha had been +told or chose to tell him. + +"I was in the wood, and thither came the lady we ken of when she +was set forth from the place. I was in time to get her away, and +she is safe." + +It was wonderful to see the face of the chaplain lighten at this. + +"Laus Deo," he said under his breath, and his hand sought mine +again and gripped it. "That is a terrible load off my heart," he +said. "Yet I have heard that our good Sighard is slain. They have +burned the hall of honest Witred over his head, and he is gone, and +it was said that Sighard fell there with him." + +"It is not half an hour ago that I heard how he fled to the west, +where the Welsh saved him, for hatred of Offa and pity for the +betrayed Anglian king. He is safe, if a little hurt." + +Now the horse of Erling reared suddenly, and I looked up. It was +still in a moment, and he spoke to it without heeding me. But as +soon as he caught my eye when I first turned, he set his hand +carelessly across his lips, and I knew what he meant. I had better +say no more of where Sighard was or how I hoped to see him. + +So I said what I had to tell him of the finding of the king, and +how we had come to tell Offa thereof; and as he heard, Selred the +chaplain knelt there by the roadside and gave thanks openly, with +the tears of joy in his eyes. The rough housecarls heard also, and +there went a word or two among them; and their grim faces +lightened, for one shame, at least, had been taken from the house +of their master. + +Now there was a sound as of a woman's weeping from the litter, and +Selred heard it and rose to his feet. + +"It is Etheldrida the princess," he whispered to me. "She is flying +to some far nunnery--mayhap to Crowland--that there she may end her +days in what peace she may find. It is well, for here with her +mother is but terror for her." + +The archbishop signed to me, and I went to the side of that litter, +unhelming, while Erling took my horse's bridle. There I knelt on +one knee, and waited for what I was to hear. It was a little while +before that came, but the sobs were at length stilled. I heard one +of the ladies, who were those who came from East Anglia, say to the +other that it was good that she had wept at last. + +And presently from behind the curtains of the litter the princess +spoke to me, very low, and I do not think any other heard. + +"Good friend of him whom I loved, I thank you for your loyalty to +him. The archbishop has told me, and you have given me back a +little of my trust in men. I had deemed that all were false for +aye, but for you, I think. Now I go hence, and beyond the walls of +some nunnery I shall never pass, and there I will pray for you +also. And for you there shall be happy days to come, in the meed of +utmost loyalty." + +I could not answer her, and still I knelt, for there was somewhat +needed to come ere I could part from her without a word. But before +I could frame aught she set her hand through the curtains, and in +it was somewhat small, as it were a silken case cunningly woven +round a little jewel, perchance. + +"There was none whom I would ask to do what I longed for," she +said; "but now it will be done. I pray you set this on his heart, +that it may go to his grave with him." + +"There it shall most surely be, lady," I said. "I am honoured in +the duty." + +"Go!" she said faintly; "and farewell." + +I rose up hastily, and went back to my horse, while the lady who +had spoken just now busied herself in caring for her mistress. +Selred took my arm and walked aside with me. + +"You must not come back to East Anglia," he said. "I know that you +would fain see the lady of Thetford, but it were useless danger for +you. I will tell her all that you have done, now; and if in after +days you may come to us, do so. Bide and tend Sighard and Hilda, +and mind that there is sore peril to both of them so long as +Quendritha lives. She is shut up now, but all the more has her mind +freedom to plan and plot the fall of those who have seen her at her +worst. One cannot shut up such a woman as she, but she will have +her ways of learning all she will, and her tools are many." + +"I would that you could bide here," I said. + +"I also; but I must pass eastward with this poor lady and these +others. Yet I am sure that Offa will do all honour to our king. He +has been seen by none as yet save his pages. They whisper that he +is fasting, and bowed with shame and grief." + +For a little longer we spoke, and then we must part. The sad train +of the princess went on, and swung into the eastward track which +she would take, and the archbishop signed to us to follow him. And +that was the last which any man in Mercia saw of the fair princess +who had been the pride of the land, for she came safely to far +Crowland, in the fenland, and there pined and died. + +It is said that the parting between her and her terrible mother was +such that men will tell little thereof. I know that in that time +some strange gift of prophecy came over the maiden, and she +foretold the death of her who planned the deed, even to the day, +and the awesome manner of it; and that also she wept for the +knowledge given her that the deed should bring the end of the line +of Offa and the fall of Mercia--things which no man could think +possible at this time, so that she seemed to rave. More things +strange and terrible, I heard also, but them I will not set down. +Mayhap they were not true. + +Now we went on slowly up the hill, and at last rode into the gates. +There men loitered idly, as yesterday; for the head of the house +sat silent and moody in his chamber, and none had orders for aught. +Across the court we went to the priests' lodgings, and thence came +the chaplains to meet their lord, and with him I was taken into the +house. + +"I have come to see the king," said the archbishop; "take me to him +straightway." + +"He will see none," they said; "it is his word that no man shall +disturb him." + +"If he will hear what shall make his heart less heavy, he will see +me," said the archbishop. "Tell him that I have news for him. Or +stay; I will go to him myself." + +The priests looked at one another, but they could not stop their +lord; and with a sign to us to follow, he passed across the court +again, up the long hall, and so into the council chamber. At the +door which led to Offa's apartments there was a young thane on +guard, but no others were to be seen. I suppose that never before +had Offa been so ill attended, for the very courtiers feared what +curse should light on the place and all who bided in it. + +"Tell your lord that I demand audience with him," said the +archbishop to this thane. "The matter will not wait; it is urgent." + +The youth rose and bowed, and passed within the door. In a moment +or two he was back again, throwing the door open for us. + +"Yourself and no other, lord," he said. + +"I take these two," answered Ealdwulf the archbishop. "I will +answer to the king for their presence." + +So we two, Erling and I, followed him into the chamber of the king; +and with my first glance at Offa there fell on me a great pity for +him. + +He sat at a great heavy table in a carven chair, leaning his +crossed arms before him on the board, and staring at naught with +hollow, black-ringed eyes, as of sleeplessness and grief. His face +was wan and drawn, so that he seemed ten years or more older than +when last he sat in hall with us; and he was clad in the same +clothes which he wore when he came forth to us on the morning of +terror. None had dared to touch aught in his room; and bent and +soiled among the rushes on the floor lay the little gold crown +which he wore at the last feast, as if he had swept it from the +table out of his sight, and had spurned it from him thereafter in +some fit of passion. Hard by that lay a broken sword, and its hilt +flashed and sparkled with the gems I had noted in the hall. It was +his own. + +On the table was neither wine nor food, but there was a great book, +silver covered and golden lettered, and it was open at a place +where a wondrous picture in many hues showed a king who seemed to +humble himself in fear before a long-robed man priestlike. + +He did not stir when we came in, nor did he say a word. Only he +looked at Ealdwulf, as it were blindly, waiting what he should hear +from his lips. And into his look there crept somewhat like fear. + +But there was naught terrible or hard in the face which he looked +on; it had but deepest sorrow and pity. + +"My king," said Ealdwulf, seeing that he must needs speak first, +"here is one who has a word for you. I think that you will be glad +to hear it. Know you where the body of Ethelbert was hidden?" + +"No," said the king in a dull voice. "My men search even now. It is +all that I can do." + +Then Ealdwulf bade me tell the story of the finding, and I did so. +Yet the look of Offa never brightened as he heard, nor did he ask +me one question. + +"It is well," he said, when I had no more to say, and his fingers +moved restlessly on the table. + +But he did not look in my face, nor had he done so since I came +before him. I stood back, and Ealdwulf was alone near him. + +"My son," said the old man, "my son, this has not been your doing. +I will not believe that." + +Offa set his hand on the great book with its picture. + +"As much my doing as the slaying of the Hittite by David the king. +It was planned, and I hindered it not." + +Then he set his hands to his face, and his voice softened. And at +that I passed silently from the room, leaving those two together, +for this was not a meeting in which I had wish to meddle. Erling +came with me, and we sat in the council chamber for half an hour, +waiting. + +Presently--after the young thane had told us how that Quendritha +was closely guarded, and that the voice of all blamed her utterly +for every wrong that had been wrought in Mercia for many a long +year, now that the fear of her was somewhat passed--Erling rose up. + +"With your leave, thane," he said to me, "we have a few things left +here, and our other horses still stand in the stable. It is in my +mind to see what I can take back with me." + +We went out together, for the stillness and waiting grew wearisome. +There were none of the pleasant sounds of the household at work or +sport in all the palace. It was as a place stricken with some +plague. + +So we passed through the church to our lodging, and took our few +goods, and Sighard's, and so went with them to the long stables +where our two spare horses stood in idleness. The rows of stalls +were well-nigh empty now, those who had gone having taken their +steeds. + +"I wonder ours are left," quoth Erling. "These Mercians are more +honest than some folk I know." + +He called the grooms, and we made ready, taking the horses out to +where the folk of the archbishop waited in the sunny courtyard, and +there leaving them. Then we went back to the council chamber, and +again waited for what seemed a long time. The young thane had a +meal brought for us there. + +Presently Ealdwulf himself came to the door and called me softly, +and I followed him back to the presence of the king. I cannot tell +what had passed between those two, nor do I suppose that any man +will ever know; but Offa was more himself, save that on his face +was a deep sadness, and no trace of hardness or pride therewith. + +"Friend," he said, "is it your duty to go back to Carl the Great?" + +"I have left his service, King Offa; I am on my way homeward. It +was but by the kindness of Ethelbert, to whom I helped bear +messages, that I came hither." + +"Well," he said, "I will not hinder you. Had you gone back, I would +have asked you to tell him plainly all of this. As it is, Ealdwulf +shall send churchmen to tell him; I would have him know the truth. +Now I must thank you for this that you did last night, and tell you +what shall be done in atonement for the death of your friend." + +There he checked himself and bit his lip. + +"Nay," he said unsteadily, "there is no atonement possible. There +is but left to me the power of showing that I do repent, and will +have all men know it for aye. There shall be at Fernlea, where he +will lie in his last sleep, the greatest cathedral that has been +seen or heard of in this land, and men shall hail him as the very +saint that you and I knew him to be; and after his name shall it be +called, and in it shall be all due service of priest and choir for +him till time shall end it. What more may I do?" + +"I think that the place where his body lay should not be left +unmarked," I said boldly, for so it had seemed to me. "May not +somewhat be done there, that the spot may be kept?" + +"Ay, at Marden," he said eagerly, as if he did but long to do all +that he might, "there also shall be a church, that it may be held +holy for all time. It shall be seen to at once." + +After that promise Offa bade me farewell sadly enough, and I was +glad to leave the chamber. Nor had we long to wait before Ealdwulf +came out, and we were once more turning our backs on the palace of +Sutton. On its walls I never set eyes again, nor did I wish to do +so. + +As we went in leisurely wise back to Fernlea, the archbishop told +me those few things which I have set down concerning the way in +which Quendritha had beguiled the king into suffering the thought +of this deed of shame. No more than was needful for me to +understand how little part, indeed, Offa had had in the matter did +he tell me, for all else that had passed between those two was not +to be told. Both he and I think that had the evil queen left the +doing of her deed until morning it had never been wrought, for Offa +would have come to himself. + +Yet one cannot tell. What Quendritha had set her heart on was apt +to be carried through, even to the bitterest of endings for those +who were in her way thereto. How she would fare now Ealdwulf could +not tell me. It was true that she was almost imprisoned, as I have +said, but none could tell whether that would last. Yet he thought, +indeed, that Offa would have no more to do with her. + +So we came back to Fernlea, and when I saw the little church I +minded once more that strange dream of the poor young king's. I had +heard the words which told that it would come to pass. Nor was +there any doubt now in my mind that all those things which we had +deemed omens were indeed so. The fears we had tried to laugh at +were more than justified. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. HOW WILFRID AND HIS CHARGE MET JEFAN THE PRINCE. + + +Now I went straightway to Hilda with the news of her father, +telling her that it seemed almost the best for us to trust to the +word of the Welsh prince, and go to him, rather than to risk a +journey hither for the thane if he was wounded. + +"I trust you altogether, Wilfrid," she said. "Take me to him. I +know that you have bided here in sore risk for me, and maybe you +also will be safer if once we are across the Wye. The Welsh are not +the foes of East Anglia." + +I did not tell her that they were very much so of Wessex, on our +western border; for at all events ours were Cornish, who had not so +much to do with their brothers beyond the Channel here. So, having +bidden her keep up heart, I sought the wife of the reeve, and would +have given her gold to buy such things as she might think Hilda +needed for travel. + +"Dear heart!" she said, bridling, "set your gold back in your +pouch. May not the reeve's wife of Fernlea give of her plenty to +one so fair and hapless? I will see to that in all good time." + +She stood by a great press against the wall, and as she spoke, as +if by chance, she swung the door open, so that I had a glimpse of +the mighty piles of homespun cloth and linen, her pride, which lay +therein, Truly she had to spare, and I laughed. + +"Mistress," I said, "be not offended. I am in haste, for we must go +hence tonight. There is no time for planning and cutting and +making." + +She turned, swinging the heavy press door to and fro. + +"Tonight!" she said, with wide eyes; "why so hasty?" + +"Because her father lies wounded across the Wye, and we have to go +to him. Maybe we shall have to ransom him." + +"Man," she cried, "those Welsh are swarming beyond the river. Ken +you what you are doing with this poor damsel?" + +"Ay," answered I plainly: "I am taking her out of the way of +Quendritha and of Gymbert. I have the word of Jefan the prince for +our safety." + +"Get to him," she said at once, "get to him straightway; he is +honest. And on my word, if Gymbert is the man you saved her from +last night, there is no time to be lost." + +"He does not know where she has gone." + +"Did not," she said. "By this time he kens well enough. Go, and all +shall be ready." + +I thanked her heartily, for she was a friend in need in all truth. +And then I sought her husband, and told him what we must do. I do +not know if I were the more pleased or disquieted when he said much +the same as his wife. He would have us go from the town after the +gates were shut, and he himself would see us across the ford. Once +beyond that he did not think there was any risk. Most likely Jefan +and his men were on Dynedor hill fort, their nearest post to the +river, for he had seen a fire there. What he did fear was that +Gymbert had his spies in the town, and would beset all the roads. + +"He cares naught for reeve--or for archbishop either, for that +matter," he said. "He has half the outlaws on these marches at his +beck and call, and one has to pay him for quiet. Nor dare any man +complain, for he is the servant of Quendritha." + +So his advice also was that the sooner we were gone the better. I +have somewhat of a suspicion that he half feared that his house +should be burned over his head, like Witred's. It seems that when +the archbishop came back here from Sutton he excommunicated, with +all solemnity, every man who had aught to do with that deed of +which he had been told. Wherefore Gymbert, if he cared aught for +the wrath of the Church, might be desperate, and would heed little +whom he destroyed, so that he ended those he meant to harm. + +Then I called Erling, and we planned all that we might for going, +and after that we two went into the little church where lay +Ethelbert the king. There was silence in it, and little light save +for two tall tapers which burned at the head of the bier on which +he lay, but I could see that all had been made ready against his +showing to the people on the morrow. A priest sat on either side of +the bier's head, and one of them read softly, so that I had not +heard him at first. So I stood and looked in the face which was so +calm, and then knelt and prayed there for a little time. + +When I rose I was aware for the first time that behind me knelt +Erling, but he did not rise with me. He stayed as he was, and in +the light of the tall tapers was somewhat which glistened on the +rough cheeks of the viking. I knew that he had been mightily taken +with the way of Ethelbert on our long ride with him; but he was +silent, and said little at any time of what his thoughts were. I +had not thought to see him so moved. Now he looked up at me as it +were wistfully, and spoke to me, yet on his knees: + +"Master, this poor king, who talked with me as we rode, bade me be +a Christian man, that hereafter we might meet again. And you ken +that I saw him, and how he spoke to me, that night when he was +slain, so that from me you learned his death. Now I would do his +bidding, and so be christened straightway, if so it may be." + +I did not know what to answer, for it was sudden. + +Not that I was much surprised, for Erling had ever been most +careful of all that might offend in his way when he came into a +church with me, but that here in the dim church the question came +so strangely and, as it were, fittingly. I held out my hand to him, +and looked round to the priests, who had heard all. One of them was +that elder man who went to seek the king's body with us, and he +rose up and came to us, and bade us into the little bare sacristy +apart. + +"My son," he said to Erling, "it is a good and fitting wish; yet I +would not have you do aught hastily. How long has this matter been +in your mind?" + +"I think that it indeed began long years ago, when my lord here +kept his faith with Thorleif when he might have escaped. That made +me think well of Christian men. He had not so much as taken oath." + +"Carl the Great would christen a heathen man first and teach him +afterward," said I, meaning indeed to help on Erling's hope without +bringing my own name into the matter thus, and minding Carl's rough +way with the Saxon folk. + +"Carl's man has taught first, and that all unknowing," he said, +smiling. "I do not know what he speaks of, but it has been worth +doing." + +"I only kept my word, father, as a Saxon should." + +"As a Saxon Christian has been taught to keep it, by his faith, +rather," he answered, smiling at me. "Well, well, so may it be. + +"Now, my son, you will need many a long day's teaching, mayhap." + +"I think not, father," said Erling. "I have been in Wales, and +there I learned well-nigh enough. They gave me the prime signing +there. You have but my word for it, but Ethelbert himself said that +an I would be baptized he would stand sponsor for me. He said it as +we rode on the day of the great mist, when it chanced that all of +us must pray together. He saw me make the holy sign, and asked +presently if it was that of Thor. And I told him that in Wales I +was what they call a catechumen. I mind me that so ran the word for +one prime signed." + +"And thereafter he spoke to you?" + +"He said many and wondrous things to me." + +I minded how often Ethelbert had spoken with Erling. I had deemed +that he did but ask him questions of Denmark, as once he did in my +hearing at the first. + +So I wondered. But the old priest asked Erling to say the creed, +and that he did well, and with a sort of gladness on him. After +which the good father said that tomorrow should surely be the +baptism, in all form. + +"Nay, but here and now," begged Erling. "Tomorrow I must be away +with my master beyond the river, and I would fain be christened +here--in yon presence." + +"Ay; why not," said the old priest, half to himself, "why not? Yet +I will fetch the archbishop." + +He led the way back into the church, and we entered just below the +sanctuary steps. In the little chancel lay the king; and almost in +shadow, for no window light fell on it, the font stood at the +entering in of the nave, opposite the one south door. + +"See," said the priest, "some one has come in. Maybe he seeks you +twain." + +I looked toward the door, and dimly I saw a tall figure standing +close to the font, but I could not see who it was. Erling knew him. + +"It is Ethelbert," he said very quietly; "he said he would be my +godfather." + +The priest set his hand on my arm and half shrank back. The other +priest lifted his eyes from his book, and so bided, motionless. But +I did not rightly take in what they meant, and looked more closely. +Then some stray gleam of light from the broken sky overhead came +into the door, and it shone round the tall and gracious figure--and +it was that of Ethelbert himself. + +I saw him, and there he bided while he turned his face to us, +smiling at us. And so he set his hand on the font, and smiled +again, and was gone. + +"Brother," said the seated priest, "did you see?" + +"I saw, and I think it is but the first of many wonders which we +may see here." + +Now we stayed there still and hardly daring to move, looking yet +for the king to be yonder again, but we saw no more. Then at last +the priest begged me to go to the archbishop and bring him, telling +him what had happened. I went, and when Ealdwulf came there was no +more delay, but where the form of Ethelbert had stood there stood +Erling, and was baptized by the archbishop, I and the old priest +standing for him. And thereafter he knelt at the steps of the +sanctuary, and on him the hands of the archbishop were laid in his +confirmation. + +That was the most wonderful baptism I have ever seen, and it bides +in my mind ever as I see another, even if it be but of a little +babe of thrall or forester, so that for a time I seem to stand in +the church at Fernlea once more, and hear the voice of Erling as he +made his answers firmly and truly. Betimes it seems to me that it +was but longing and the work of minds in many ways overwrought +which showed us the form of the dead king there by the font--and I +cannot tell. Yet the watching priest saw, besides us three who had +searched for him. + +Presently, on the morrow, and again in days later, when the body of +the king lay for the people to pass and see, and when it was taken +with all pomp to its resting in the great new cathedral which men +call that of Hereford, there were many healings and the like, as +they tell me. And at Marden, where Offa built at once the little +church which should mark where Ethelbert was hidden, that water +which welled from the place whence we took him healed many. + +Now we went forth from the church for a little while, and presently +I went back alone and placed the little gift which Etheldrida had +given me on the breast of the king, hiding it next his heart in his +robes. I had learned that they would not be moved again. Ealdwulf +knew that I had done it, and when I came back to him, where he +talked yet with Erling in the reeve's chamber, he asked me if I +knew what the little case held. I did not, and that is known to +none save to her who gave it me. + +"I think that you two will value this more than other men," he said +then. + +And with that he gave us each a little silken bag, square, with a +cross and a letter E worked thereon. He had cut for us each a lock +from the head of Ethelbert, and had it set hastily thus for us. And +he was right as to the way in which we held it of more worth than +aught else. Hilda wrought the little cases as she sat waiting in +the house. It is my word that mine shall go to my last resting with +me. + +Now all too soon the dusk came, and we must set ourselves back from +these wondrous things that had been to the ways of hard warriors +again, with a precious charge in our keeping. With Hilda we supped, +and then it was dark. Out in the stables the horses stood ready, my +brown second steed being made ready for the lady, and Erling's +second carrying the packs, as on our first journey from Norfolk. +And then we heard the last words of farewell from the archbishop, +and knelt for his blessing, even as the watch mustered outside in +the street, and the last wayfarer hurried into or from the gates, +and I heard the horns which told their closing. It was dark +overhead, and the moon had not yet climbed far into the sky; which +was as well for our passing the ford unseen, if Gymbert had it +watched. + +Then the reeve came in, armed and ready, and we must go. There was +a little sobbing from the good wife, as was no doubt fitting, but +by no means cheering; and so we passed from the warmly-lit little +hall into the street, and mounted, clattering away toward the +westward gate of the town, with the reeve ahead and two of his men +after us. + +The gates swung open for us, and two wayfarers took advantage +thereof to get inside, which was to their good fortune. Then we had +a quarter of a mile of road to pass before we came to the ford +below the field where our camp had been when we came. After us the +gates were shut again, and we rode on. + +Then befell us a wonderful bit of good luck. There came the quick +tramp of a horse coming toward us, and out of the gloom rode a man +in haste. He pulled up short on seeing us, and I heard another +horse stop and go away directly afterward. It was too dark to see +much against the black trees and land among which we rode, and the +plainest thing about this comer was the little shower of sparks +which flew now and then from the paving of the old way and from his +horse's hoofs. + +"Ho," said the reeve, with his hand on his sword hilt, "who comes?" + +"Is that you, reeve? Well glad am I. Are you out with a posse +against those knaves at the ford?" + +"Eh," said the reeve, while we all halted, "is the ford beset with +the Welsh?" + +The man laughed somewhat. + +"Not Welsh, but thieves of nearer kin. I ride homeward along the +river bank, and they stop me. It seemed to put them out that my +horse is not skew-bald, and that I am alone. However, they would +rob me." + +The reeve whistled under his breath. + +"How have you got away?" he asked. + +"Rode over one of them who held my horse. There was one after me, +or more." + +Now the reeve turned to me. + +"What is to be done?" he said blankly. "This is what we had to fear +most of all. This is surely Gymbert with his men." + +"How many may there be?" said I. + +"Ten or a dozen, and mostly mounted," the stranger told me. + +Now I had no time to think of aught, for the men who waited for us +heard the voices, and had been told that we had halted; whereon +here they came up the road at a hand gallop, in silence. The two +men of the reeve made no more ado, but fled townwards, and after +them, swearing, went their leader. With him the stranger went also, +shouting, and we three were left in the road with plunging horses; +and then, with a wild half thought that we might meet and cut our +way through these knaves ere they knew we were on them, I bethought +me of somewhat. I cried to Erling, and caught Hilda's bridle, and +so leaped from the road to the meadow, and held on straight across +it toward the dim outlines of bush and furze clumps which I +remembered as being close to our first camp. + +I suppose that against the black woodland, with the town rampart +beyond us, we were hardly noted, or else those who came made sure +that we must try to get back to the town. At all events along the +road they thundered, past where we had stopped, and on after the +reeve and his men, who were shouting for the guard to open to them. + +So we did not turn to right or left, but rode our hardest across +the soft turf, among the ashes of our camp fires, until we were +close on the place where Ethelbert had dreamed his dream of Fernlea +church under the riverside trees, by the pool where I had bathed +and frightened the franklin by my pranks. That schoolboy jest had +flashed into my mind with the memory of the shallows and +half-forgotten ford across them. I thought I might find it again. + +"They are after us," said Erling. "Whither now?" + +Hilda drew her breath in sharply, but made no more sign of fear. + +"There is a ford here," I said, "if I can but find it. Let the +packhorse go, if need be." + +"No need yet; they are at fault," my comrade answered. + +Now I saw the tree which had sheltered the king, and close to it +was the ford, and already I scanned the surface of the swirling +water for the breaks in its flow which would mark the shallows. The +pursuers had spread abroad somewhat, and were keeping on a line +that would lead them past us, for we had turned down to the river +somewhat sharply. + +Then the river water flashed white suddenly, and I pulled up. This +ford was beset also, for across it, waist deep in the middle, +hustled and splashed a line of men whose long spears lifted black +lines against the gleam of the pool below. And I suppose we were +seen at the same time against the white water; for there came a +yell from behind us, and the hoofs which followed us trampled +wildly after us. + +At that the men in the water hurried yet more, passing to the Welsh +side, and that struck me as unlike the men who would seek to stay +us. And Erling knew what it meant. + +"Welshmen," he said--"raiders! After them, and call to them." + +With that I lifted my voice, and spurred my horse at the same time. + +"Ho, men of the Cymro!" I cried in Welsh. "Ho! we are beset. Ho, +Jefan ap Huwal!" + +The Welsh stayed in a moment, with a roar and swinging round of +weapons. Not fifty yards behind us, as the horses plunged into the +ford, there was a shout for halt, and Gymbert's men reined up with +a sound of slipping hoofs and clattering weapons on the steep bank +above us. A sharp voice from the other bank called to know who we +were and who after us. + +"The Anglians!" I cried back. "Gymbert and ten men in pursuit!" + +Then was a yell from the Welsh, and past us back they came with a +rush that told of hate for Gymbert. For a moment the longing to get +but one blow at that villain took hold of me, and I half turned +also. + +"No, no," said Hilda at my side, and I remembered I might not go +from her. + +So I passed through the water, and on the far bank turned to see +what I might. The white-clad Welsh were still swarming back, and +their leader began to try to stop them. I heard, as did he, the +sound of retreating horsemen as Gymbert found out the trap into +which he had so nearly fallen, and made haste to get out of it. + +Now we were safe, and a tall Welshman came to me and welcomed us. +All this far bank was like a fair; for it was full of cattle, and +sheep, and horses, with a gray dog or two minding them. + +"Jefan told us you were to come," he said; "but we looked for you +to cross at the great ford. We thought none knew of this now." + +I told him how I found it, and thanked him for timely help. His men +were coming back, laughing and talking fast over the scare they had +given their enemy. They had taken one horse also, in the first +rush, but Gymbert had escaped. + +The chief gave a short laugh. + +"We were in time, indeed," he said; "but your coming fairly +frightened our rearguard across the water more quickly than our +wont. We could not tell who was coming. A wise man runs first and +looks round afterward, when he is in this sort of case." + +"It seems to me that you have been somewhat bold tonight," I said. + +"Yes, indeed; which made us fear the more. But we have had a fair +lifting, as you may see, dark as it is. Save that Offa has gone to +sleep, as men say, we might not have come. We have lifted every +head of stock well-nigh up to Sutton walls since dusk," and he +chuckled. "There was no man to hinder us." + +Then he told us that we were all bound for Dynedor hill fort +together, and that there we should find Jefan. And so we went +slowly, with the herd of raided cattle before us, with a silence +which made me wonder. Presently I said as much, and the chief +chuckled again. + +"'Tis practice," quoth he. "An you had had as much raiding as we +borderers, you would have learned the trick of quiet cattle +droving. I doubt if ever you had need to lift a herd." + +I heard Erling laugh, and he answered for me. + +"The paladin has most likely stolen as many head in a day as you +may find in a year. And I ken somewhat of the trade myself: I was +driving his countryside when I first met him. But we have both done +it with the high hand, and I think that yours is like to be the +best sport. You are first-rate drovers!" + +That pleased the raiders, and there was pleasant talk enough of old +days as we went on. Presently the moon came out, and we went +quicker. It shone on the white faces of the great Hereford oxen and +kine, and showed us the keen dogs herding them skilfully as men. + +So at last the black hill of Dynedor, crested with its works, rose +before us, and from it shone a score of watch fires. + +"See, Hilda," I said, "yonder is your father, and all will be +well." + +She answered me cheerfully, with a little shake of the reins, as if +she longed to hurry on; and I told her that now I must keep her +back, as she had kept me just now. + +"Each to their own way," she said, sighing somewhat: "the man to +his weapon, and the woman to the sickbed that comes thereafter. See +what one evil deed has let loose on this land. It is terrible to +me. And how long it seems since we came to Fernlea in the bright +sunshine, deeming that all was to go well!" + +"Yet all is not so much amiss," said I, seeing that the fears of +the day had hold of her. + +And so I told her of Erling's christening, and of what we saw in +the church; for of this I had had no time to tell her before, save +when Erling himself had been with us. + +Then in very gladness, for she liked my comrade, she lost her +gloomy thoughts, and would tell him softly of her pleasure. And so +we climbed the steep of the hill, and were met at the gate by Jefan +himself, with a frank welcome. + +There were rough huts across the camp, set more or less at random, +and among them burned the fires which we had seen. There would be +about fifty men at most in the place, now that all had returned; +but the prince told me presently that he had had more when first +the alarm had been raised that Offa was summoning his thanes to him +for some unknown reason; whereby I gathered that here he had waited +for us. + +"Lady," he said, as he helped Hilda from her horse, "your father is +but weak. I think that he began to mend when I told him that +doubtless you would be here tonight. I hope your ride has been easy +and without alarm." + +"Hardly," said the chief who had rescued us. "It was a hard ride +for a matter of ten minutes, and we were frightened sorely. The +lady is the bravest I have ever met, for she screamed not once; and +the thanes are no bad judges of cattle raiding." + +"Why, you have met with men after your own heart, Kynan," laughed +Jefan. "More of that tale by-and-by. + +"Well, lady, you are safe, and that is the best. Now you shall see +your father. + +"See to our guests, brother." + +Jefan took Hilda's hand and led her to the best of the huts, and, +with a word to one within, entered. In a moment he was out again, +with a smile on his face in the firelight. I knew from that how +Sighard had met his daughter. + +Kynan gave some orders to his men, and they took our horses, +leading them to a far corner of the camp. After that we were set +down to a great supper, and the tale of the flight and the raid was +told and retold. Then at last one fetched a little gilded harp, and +Kynan ap Huwal, the raider of cattle, set the whole story into +song, and did it well and sweetly. + +After that was done came a white-haired priest, and we knelt for +the vespers; and then the watch was set under the moonlight, and +Erling and I stood in the gateway of the fort, and looked out on +the quiet land below us. It was no very great hill, but the place +was strong. How old it may be I cannot say, perhaps no man knows; +but since Offa drove the Welsh to the Wye it had been set in order, +with a stockade halfway down the steep earthwork round the hill +crest, so that men on its top could use their weapons on those who +were trying to scale it. The dry ditch was deep and steep sided, +and, so far as I could see in the moonlight, on this side at least +it would need a strong force to take it by storm, were it fairly +manned by say two hundred men. The gate had been made afresh of +heavy timber, narrow, and flanked on either side by overhanging +mounds, whence men could rain javelins on those who tried to force +it; and outside the gate were slight fences, which bent in wide +half circles, inside which the cattle we had driven in were penned. +Peaceful enough it all was, and the stillness of this hilltop after +the long unrest seemed as of a very haven after storm. + +Presently Jefan and his brother came back after posting their men, +and then for half an hour I sat with Sighard and Hilda in the hut. +The thane had indeed had a narrow escape from the burning hall, and +had been left for dead by his pursuers. However, he had been but +stunned by the blow which felled him from his horse, and presently +recovering, had managed to get across the river and to some +Welshman's hut, whence Jefan took him. + +As for those who had burnt the hall, he was sure that they were led +by Gymbert, and that they were no housecarls of Offa's. They had +slain Witred and another of the Mercian thanes who had fled with +him. + +Then I asked him of himself and of his hurt. + +"I am old to have the senses knocked out of me, and a blow that you +might think little of is enough to keep me quiet for a time. +However, that is all. Now that Hilda and you are safe, and the king +is found and honoured, I have naught to do but to get well. Trouble +not for me." + +It seemed to me that there was no need for me to trouble about +aught either, and out in the open air, by one of the fires, I slept +till the dawn woke me, without so much as stirring. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE GUARDED HIS GUESTS. + + +In the stir which comes with the waking of a camp, I and Erling +went out of the eastward gate and watched the sun coming up over +the Mercian hills across the river. The white morning mists lay +deep and heavy below us, and the little breeze from the southwest +drifted curls of it up the hill and across it, mixed with the smell +of the newly-lighted fires; and as the sun touched the drifts they +vanished. In the cattle enclosures the beasts moved restless and +ghostlike, lowing for their home meadows after the night on the +open hillside. Jefan had ridden out to go round his posts, and I +was waiting to bid Hilda good morrow before breakfast. + +"What shall you do next?" asked Erling, with his eyes on the misty +treetops below us. + +He was silent beyond his wont this morning, and I did not wonder at +it. + +"I can hardly say. I have thought that by-and-by, when Sighard is +fit to move hence, we might get to one of the Welsh ports, and so +cross into my own land, Wessex, unknown to any in all Mercia." + +Erling nodded. + +"That is good," he said. "I only wish we were a trifle farther from +the Wye now, or that we had a few more men." + +"You think that Gymbert is still to be feared?" + +"T know it. Unless we get hence shortly we shall be fallen on. The +reeve told me that he could gather five-score men of the worst sort +in a day by the raising of his finger." + +"It would need men of the best to take this place." + +"Outlaws and suchlike I meant--men who will have Gymbert's promise +of inlawing again if they will do his bidding. See, here comes +Jefan!" + +Up the hill from out of the mists rode the prince, and with him ran +a few of his men, swiftly as mountain men will, so that the horse +was no swifter up the steep. After them, through the mist, from men +I could not see, sped an arrow, badly aimed, which fell short, and +told of danger. + +One of the two men who were at the gate on guard turned and +whistled, and the rest, busy over their cooking, dropped what they +held and ran to their weapons. Kynan came hastily to us, and +watched his brother as he rode up. + +"Jefan is in a hurry," he said. "Get your arms, thane, for there +must be reason. Mayhap it is naught, however, for one is easily +scared in a fog." + +Still he was anxious; for if he had looked at me he would have seen +that I was already armed, and that so also was Erling. We needed +but our spears to complete the gear for battle--if that was to +come--and they stood, each with the round shield at its foot, by +the fire where we slept, twenty paces off. + +Now Jefan pulled up, and tried to look back through the mists. They +were thinning fast as the sun climbed higher, but were yet thick. +His men came on and entered the gate, while Kynan asked what was +amiss. + +"There are men everywhere," one said--"Mercians. They must have +slain the outpost toward the ford, and so have crept on us under +cover of the thickness." + +"Trying to see where their cattle are," said Kynan. "They will not +come up here." + +The man shook his head, but laughed. + +"They are bold enough to shoot at us, however," he said. + +"You would do the same if you met a Mercian cattle lifter," laughed +Kynan. "That is naught." + +Jefan rode in slowly, bidding us good morrow cheerfully as he came. +Kynan said that he supposed the owners of the kine were about. + +"They, or some others who should be on the other side of the +river," answered his brother carelessly, as he dismounted. "Send a +picket down on the west side of the hill, and bid them be wary. Let +them eat their breakfast as they go, and send men to keep in touch +with them. I can see naught in this mist, and if we have to leave +here we must know in time. Come, let us get to our meal." + +Plainly enough I saw that there was more in the matter than Jefan +would let his men know yet; but if I was anxious, I would no more +show it than he. So we sat down to the food his men had ready, and +before we had half finished a man came and spoke to him quietly and +went his way again. + +"One of the western picket. It seems that here we must stay for a +while." + +So said Jefan, and laughed a short laugh. But he did not look at +his brother, nor did Kynan look at him. + +"That is the worst of a raid," said Kynan. "It stirs up such a +hornet's nest round one's ears. However, we on the border are +somewhat used to it. We can take care of ourselves." + +We went on eating, and then a second man came; and Jefan told him +to call in the pickets, after he had heard what was said. Then he +turned to me at last. + +"Thane," he said, "we seem to be beset here, but how and with what +force we cannot yet tell. I am sorry, for your sakes and the +lady's, that so it is. I fear our raid has made trouble for you, by +bringing Offa's men on us in the hope we may be forced to return +our booty." + +"Our fault, I fear, for keeping you here, prince," said I. "I think +that of your kindness to us you have stayed longer near the river +than you might have done at any other time." + +He smiled. + +"That were to credit me with too much," he said. "Mostly the +Mercians care little to follow us. There lies our mistake." + +"Then it may be that Gymbert is after us," said I, "and this has +happened because he knows that we are here. He is doing +Quendritha's bidding." + +"Not likely in the least," said Kynan; "it is just a cattle affair. +It is my fault for suggesting a raid last evening. I would go, +though Jefan had no mind for it." + +"Wrong, brother. + +"Do not listen to him, thanes. I did but stay here because it was +his turn to go. One of us must needs bide in the camp." + +Then they both laughed, and I dare say would have gone on with +their jest; but there came a cry from the gate, and they both +leaped up. It was the word that a man bearing a white scarf on a +spear was coming. + +They went to the gate, which was not yet closed, and Erling and I +climbed the rampart near and looked over, bareheaded, lest our +English helms should tell who we were. In my own mind I was pretty +sure that we were sought. + +The mists had thinned to nothing, and only lingered in the hollows +and round the scattered tree clumps. Long ago the Welsh had bared +all this hillside, and there was no cover for a foe as he came up +the hill. Across the grass came one man alone, and that man was +Gymbert, as I had half expected. It was ourselves whom he was +after. Maybe his only chance of regaining favour with the king +being through Quendritha, he was trying his best to pleasure her. +Or else she had threatened him. Either would be enough to set him +on his mettle, for none with whom I had spoken thought that the +forced retirement of the queen would last long. She would soon be +as powerful as ever, they said. + +Now he came within half arrow shot of the gate, outside of which +the two princes stood. There he halted, and lowered his spear to +the ground. + +"Jefan ap Huwal the prince?" he said in the best of Welsh. + +"You know me well enough by sight," Jefan replied. "There needs no +ceremony. Tell us what you want here." + +"I bring a message from Offa the king. It is his word that, if you +will give up the English fugitives you have with you, this matter +of the cattle will not be noticed." + +"We have no objection to its being noticed," said Jefan. "I don't +know what else you could do about it. But you say this message is +from Offa?" + +"Ay. You have here with you a Frankish thane, so called, being a +Wessex man in disguise, a heathen Dane his servant, and a girl, +escaped thrall of the queen. Doubtless you have apprehended them +for us, and I only need ask you to give them up." + +"This needs no answering, Gymbert. You never were known as a truth +teller. This is your own affair, or Quendritha's, for Offa has seen +no man to give any such order to. Nor dare you go near him on your +own account, or short would be your shrift. Get hence, and take +your lies back to her who sent you. Mayhap you have told that queen +that you have slain Sighard the thane. If so, another lie or two +will make no odds." + +Thereat Gymbert grew purple with passion. Plainly that was just +what he had told the queen. And now he began to bluster, after his +wont, stammering with rage. He had forgotten what we must have told +the princes. + +"You hear the message? Pay heed to it, or it will be the worse for +you. Set these folk outside the walls straightway, or else--" + +He shook his spear at the gate. + +"I will not give them up," said Jefan; "and if--" + +He set his hand on his sword hilt and laughed. Naught more was +needed. + +Then Kynan, who was fairly stamping, broke in, being nowise so +patient as his brother: + +"Hence, knave and liar! If there were naught else, it were enough +that you have called a freeborn thane's daughter a thrall to your +evil mistress. The truce is at an end." + +His sword flashed out, and Gymbert was ware of bent bows on the +rampart which had more than a menace for him. He turned his horse +slowly and went his way, only quickening his pace when he was out +of range. Just before that some man loosed an arrow at him, which +missed him but nearly; and at that Jefan's pent up rage found a +vent. + +"Take that man and bind him!" he cried to those on the rampart. +"Shame on us that a truce bearer should be shot at. Bind him, and +set me up a gallows that the country round may see." + +I saw the man throw down his bow and hold out his hands. + +"The prince is right," he said in a dull voice. + +Jefan walked up to him and looked at him. + +"So you own that? Well, you shall not die. + +"Set him in a hut till this affair is ended, and then we will think +of what shall be done to him." + +His passion had blazed up and passed as the fierce rage of the +Cymro will. They took the man away, and he turned to us with a word +of regret on his lips, and that was cut short by a yell from the +rampart, while the gate was swung to and barred hastily. I ran to +my spear and shield, while Kynan cried to his men to get to their +places; and scattered enough they seemed as they lined the +ramparts. Already they had driven the cattle from the enclosures +westward down the hill to the woodlands. + +As I took my spear from the place where it stood upright, I looked +toward the hut where Hilda was, and saw her standing in the door. +It was the first sight I had of her that morning, and now her eyes +were wide with wonder at the cries and bustle of armed men. + +"Wilfrid, what is it all?" she cried. + +"Gymbert has gathered some men, and is trying to make Jefan give us +up," I said, knowing it was best to tell her plainly. "But you need +have no fear; this place is strong, and the man cannot have any +following worth naming." + +"There will be fighting?" + +"I think there will be little; but the arrows may come over the +rampart, and you must keep under cover." + +"Shall you take part if there is any?" + +"Why, of course," said I, laughing; "it is for you." + +She looked at me, and I know that for a moment she had a mind to +beg me not to fight; but that she could not do, and so she only +smiled a wan smile and bade me have a care. So I bent and kissed +her hand, and she went back into the hut. Sighard was calling to +her to come and tell him what all the turmoil was. + +Then I hurried to where Jefan stood on the works by the gate, +whence one could see all over the camp, and half round the hillside +as well. Not a shred of mist was left, and it was as glorious a +morning as one could see; only it was hotter than the wont of a +Maytime morning, and over the southward hung a heavy, white-topped +cloud bank, with a promise of thunder in its pile. Not that I noted +it now, but I had done so. From the ramparts there was more than +enough to keep my eyes on the hillside. + +Up the steep came three bodies of men, to right and left, where the +hill was sharpest, and straight for the gate, where there was a +long, even slope ending in a platform, as it were, before it. +Gymbert himself headed this company on foot, and men whose names +the princes seemed to scorn altogether led the others. Altogether +there were not less than a hundred and fifty men; but as they drew +nearer I saw that they were not at all the sort of force with which +I should hope to take so strongly stockaded a place as this. +Outlaws, runaway thralls, and such-like masterless men they were, +ill armed and unkempt and noisy. Their only strength was in their +numbers, so far as I could see. + +As for ourselves, the gate was the weakest place, by reason of +there being no ditch before it, and that the ground was level, or +nearly so, for twenty paces outside. I did not think it in the +least likely that our men could not hold off the two side attacks; +for the stockade was well placed and high, and the ditch +sheer-sided and deep. Take it all round, it was hard to see how +Gymbert expected to take the place, or why he would try it at all. + +"Quendritha is driving him," said Kynan, laughing, when I said as +much. "If that woman bids a man do a thing, he has to do it, or woe +betide him. But it will be a fight, for a time." + +Now Gymbert halted his men beyond bow shot, and called to Jefan +once more to give us up; and so finding no answer beyond a laugh +from the men who were watching him from the rampart, drew his sword +and bade his men fall on. + +They broke into a run for a dozen paces, and then some half of +either company halted, and while the rest went forward, those who +stood began to try to clear the way with arrow flights, shooting +over their heads so that the shafts might drop within the +stockading. And at the same time our men began to shoot, somewhat +too soon; for the Welsh bow will not carry so far as the English, +though the arrows are more deadly, being heavier. + +Seeing that, Jefan bade his men hold their hands until he gave the +word; on which Gymbert called to his men, and they came the faster. +The arrows met them then at short range, and in a deadly hail, and +they faltered. Many fell under them, yet they still came on; and +now the men who had been shooting found that the Welsh were too +well sheltered under the stockade timbering for much harm to be +done them, and they ran and joined their comrades at some call from +their leaders. Then without stay the whole three companies threw +themselves with a great shout against the defences, leaping into +the ditch on either side, and surging up against the gate itself. + +In a breathing space our Welsh were ready with the long spears, and +as one by one the heads of those who climbed gate or stockade +showed themselves, hoisted up by their comrades, or climbing in +some way or other, back they were sent with a flash of the terrible +weapon, falling on those below them. And now and again the Welsh +spears darted through the spaces between the timbers of the +stockade at some man who came close to them and was spied, or at +those who tried to help their comrades to climb. The whole place +was full of yells and shouting. + +But it was harder work at the gate, for there the foemen were more +densely packed before us, and they seemed to climb in an unending +stream. More than one fell inside the gate, and there lay still; +but none had won his way to the ground alive, nor had we yet lost a +man. The loss was all on the side of the attack. + +Then at last the men at the gate drew back for a time; but from the +side attacks came a new danger. With spear butt and seax they were +trying to undermine the stockade, and one could hear the creaking +of the stout timbers as they tried to tear them down. It would have +gone hardly with us had there been but a few more men, or if these +had brought pick and spade with them. + +As it was, that attempt did not last long. Into the crowd of men +who worked the heavy javelins fell, and through the timbering the +reddened spears went and came, driving at last the foe to safer +distance. And so the first attack ended, and for all that Gymbert +from the gate tried to urge them on, his men stood sullenly in the +deep ditch and under the gate, where we could not well reach them, +save by casting javelins and darts high into the air, that they +might pitch among them; but there were few throwing weapons to +spare. + +"He would have done better to attack at one point only," said +Jefan, sitting down on the rampart above the gate. "He might have +overwhelmed us so, for he has men enough." + +His brother laughed. + +"There is a difference between us in this way," he said, "and it is +a great one: there is little fight in his men, and we must needs +fight our best. Listen! they are passing some word round." + +So it was, for there fell a silence on the humming men below us, +and we could hear muttered words from one to another. Then the +attack came again from the same three places, but I thought it was +not pushed home as at first. Nor did it last so long. In a few +minutes men began to get out of the ditch and away down the +hillside while the Welsh were too busy to shoot at them. There they +scattered, and stood and watched. And then the attack on the gate +ceased, and back the foe went. + +"After them, and scourge them home to their mistress," shouted +Kynan, leaping down to the gateway, where his men did but wait some +word which should tell them to throw it open for a sally. + +I looked for Jefan; but he was across the camp, seeing hastily to +the weakened places in the stockade. + +"Kynan," I cried, "have a care! This is what they want you to do! +Wait!" + +For I could see that in the open Gymbert had the advantage of +numbers, and I suspected that he was trying to draw the fiery Welsh +from their works. There was surely some reason for this +half-hearted attack on the stockade that had been already proved +too strong. + +He did not hear me. It is in my mind that I may have called to him +in the Frankish tongue of my last warfare. That is likely enough, +for with the clash of arms again I know I had been thinking in the +familiar tongue once more. I do not know, but again I called him, +and he seemed not to hear. The gate flew open, and with a wild yell +of victory out went the Welshmen, with the prince at their head. + +Jefan heard and turned back, and called to him to stay; but he also +was too late. He had but a dozen men with him, while from the +opposite side of the camp those who had driven off their foes had +joined those who poured out with Kynan. One or two of Jefan's men +shouted, and went with them, unheeding the call of their leader to +stay. + +Then in a moment I knew what the word which had been passed meant. +The Mercians who had drawn off from the side attacks closed up and +charged down on the scattered Welsh, on whose pursuit Gymbert and +his men turned. We could do naught but stand and watch, helpless, +for we dared not leave the gate, which we could not close against +the retreat which must come. + +Round Kynan and his men Gymbert's force swarmed, and the din of +wild battle rang as the ancient foes, Welsh and Mercian, met on the +level turf. I saw Kynan's red sword rise above the turmoil, and +heard his voice rallying his men to him; and then he had them +together in a close body, outnumbered indeed by two to one, but +better fighters and better trained than the mob against them. And +then they began to cut their way back to the gate. + +We stood there across it, waiting, and then it was our turn. Of a +sudden out of the ditch on either hand leaped men who had waited +there unnoticed for this moment, and they fell on us. We were +eight, and but four of us could stand in the gateway at a time. +Jefan and I and Erling and a tall Welshman were the first, and +before us were some dozen Mercians, and more to come as they could +find room on the narrow causeway. + +Now it was a question whether we might hold the gate till Kynan won +back to it, or whether when he did come he should find it held +against him; and for one terrible moment I had a fear that men +would be coming over the stockade in the rear upon us. And I could +not look round, for I had all my time taken up in keeping my own +life from the attack in front. + +I think it was about that time that Kynan began to sing some +wonderful old Welsh war song, which rang above the clash of weapons +and the cries of those who fought. It took hold of me, and I seemed +to smite in time to its swinging cadence. Yet he came back very +slowly. + +Jefan went down first. Into the ditch he rolled, with his grip on +the throat of a Mercian; for his sword snapped, and he flew at the +man. One from behind us took his place with a yell of rage, and he +went too far, and was gone also, speared at once. Then another, and +another to my left; for the tall Briton was down, and still Erling +and I were not hurt. I would that Kynan would get back more +quickly. He was coming, but the press before us was thick. + +So we fought, and I fell to thinking what a wondrous sword this was +which Carl the Great had given me. It shore the spear shafts, and +the brass-studded shields seemed to split before it touched them, +and the tough leather jerkins of the forest men could not hold its +edge back. The wild song of Kynan never ceased, and he seemed to +sing of it. He was getting nearer, but the Mercians thronged +between his men and us. + +Now there seemed to be a grim joy in the faces of the men before +me, and the Briton at my right fell. There was none left to take +his place, and there were but three of us in the gate. + +"Kynan! Kynan!" I cried, for in a moment he would find his retreat +barred. I do not know whether any voice came from me, but I seemed +to call him. + +Then Erling and I were alone in the gateway, and the snarling +Mercians leaped at us. The last Welshman had fallen, hurling his +broken sword at a man who smote at me, and so staying the blow. + +"A good fight for a man's last, master," said Erling to me through +his teeth, standing steadily as a rock with his hacked shield +linked in mine, and his notched sword swinging untiringly to the +grim old viking war shout "Ahoy!" as it fell. + +Kynan was twenty yards from us, and now I saw Gymbert among those +whom he was steadily driving back. + +A shadow swept over me, and it grew darker. I saw all the land +below me lying in brightest sunlight, and then the great swift +cloud shadow fled across it, though round us there was not a breath +of wind. I think the men before us two shrank back a little at that +moment, so that I had time to note all that went on, as a man will +at such a time, and yet without taking his eyes from the foe before +him. + +That was but a breathing space. With a fresh yell the Mercians fell +on us again, and I had three of them on me; and my hands were full, +though they hampered one another. The old Wessex war cry which I +had not heard for so long came back to me, and I shouted "Out! +out!" and met them. There needed but a little time and Kynan would +be on the causeway. His song rang close to us. + +Erling reeled and steadied himself against me, and the Mercians +howled. His war shout rang once, and then he fell across my feet, +face downward, and I stood over him in a white rage, and set my +teeth and smote. It came to me that there were more men on the +causeway now, but that they would not near me. I was fending +spearheads from me, and I forgot Kynan. + +Then of a sudden those who were on me seemed to know that his song +was in their very ears, and they looked round. His men were on the +narrow gate path, and they were between them and me; and with that +they yelled and fled into the ditch on either side the causeway, +and I was aware that for a long minute I had kept the gate alone. + +But I did not think of that. Out of the way of heedless, tramping +feet of those who came back into safety I must get my fallen +comrade, and I threw my sword within the gate and stooped and +dragged him after it, setting him on one side, on the steep rampart +bank, out of the way. He smiled and tried to speak, but could not; +and even so much cheered me, for I had thought him dead. + +Some one came swiftly and touched me as I bent over him, and I saw +the old priest. + +"Leave him to me," he said. "See to Kynan now; there may be work +yet for the lady's sake." + +Even as I rose at his word, loath to leave my comrade, but knowing +that I must, and while I still had my face from the gate, there +came a blinding flash of lightning from the ragged black edge of +the cloud overhead, and with it one short, awesome crash of +thunder. The storm which had crept up behind us had broken on the +hilltop. + +After that crash came a dead silence, and then were yells of terror +such as the fight had had no power to raise from men on either +side. And among them one voice cried shrill that this was the work +of Ethelbert, the slain king. + +Then as the foe fled back the gates swung to, and I heard the bars +clatter into their sockets, and Kynan came to me. + +"Holy saints!" he said; "look yonder!" + +I went a pace or two up the earthwork and looked over toward the +foe. Some twenty yards from the gate lay as it were a blackened +heap, round which reeled and staggered men with hands to blinded +faces, and from which those who were unhurt fled in wildest terror +down the hill, casting even their weapons from them. Save only +those who could not fly, not one Mercian was staying. + +"Yonder lies Gymbert," Kynan said in a still voice. "The bolt +struck him. It is the judgment of Heaven on him for that which he +wrought in darkness." + + + +CHAPTER XIX. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME TO WESSEX. + + +For a moment I looked and then turned away, with but one thought in +my mind, and that was the knowledge that it was a good thing that +the punishment of this man had been taken from our hands. I do not +think that I took in all the terror of it at the time, for on that +field there was death in so many forms--death brought needlessly by +his contriving again, and in all injustice--and this end of his was +to me but right and fitting. Some terrible fate the man deserved, +and he had met it. Now I had my own friends to think of. + +"See to Jefan!" I said to Kynan, without a word of Gymbert. "He +fell at the gate, in the first onset." + +"My fault," groaned the brother, "my fault. I should have waited +his word before sallying out. I heard you call me back, too, and +heeded not." + +He called some men, and they opened the gate and passed out +hastily, while I knelt at the side of Erling. The old priest was +trying to stay the bleeding from a great wound in his side; but he +shook his head at me, and I knew that it was hopeless. + +Erling knew it also. + +"Get to the others, father," he said; "I am past your heeding." + +"They will fetch me if I am needed, my son," the old man answered. +"There are few of us who cannot tend a common wound. I am but +wanted at the last." + +"Ay, for the one thing," said Erling, with a great light springing +into his weary eyes. "For me also, father. + +"Tell him, master." + +The old man looked at me, and I nodded. He was a British priest, +and one had been told that they and our priests hated each other +and quarrelled over deep matters; but what was that in this moment? +Neither Briton nor Englishman, priest of St. David's nor of +Canterbury would heed that here and thus. He rose and went +hurriedly, and we two were alone. + +"We kept the gate," he said. + +"Ay, we kept it; and all is well." + +"Jefan is not dead," he said next; "he lay and watched it all. I +could see him." + +Then across my shoulder he saw some one, and smiled. I turned, and +there was Hilda, white and still, standing by us, and she set her +hand on my shoulder. Then she bent toward my comrade. + +"Ay, you two kept the gate, and all are praising you. They say that +but for you the fort had been lost." + +The lightning came again, and after a second or two the thunder, +close still, but not so terribly so. The rain would come presently, +and I longed for it, but not yet. I dared not move Erling, and +there was the priest to come. + +Now he came, and with him brought that which was needed; and so we +two knelt, and there came one or two Welshmen, gently, and knelt +also, unlike our Saxons, who would have stood aloof, with bared +heads indeed, but unsharing. + +I will say naught of that little service. When it was ended Erling +closed his eyes and sighed, as one who is content; and we waited +for them to open again, but they did not. It was the first and last +sacrament of the new-made Christian. + +The priest ended his words, and looked at me. Hilda took her cloak +and gave it to him, and he set it across my comrade, and that was +all. He was Ethelbert's first follower to the new place he had won, +and that also seemed good to me. + +Through the gate came Kynan, followed by four men who bore on a +spear-framed stretcher their prince who had fallen. + +"All well," he called up to me cheerfully. "Naught but a broken leg +from the fall, and no wound." + +Then the rain came, sweeping in a sheet across the open hilltop. +Hilda took my arm. + +"Come," she said, "take me to the hut again. My father is well-nigh +raving because he is too weak to fight. Once he rose and staggered +to the door, and there fell. He cried to you as you stood alone +with those savage men before you in the gate. Did you not hear +him?" + +So she spoke fast, and drew me away to the hut, and there Sighard +bade me tell him all I might of the fight. It had been hard for him +to lie and hear the din going on, to know that the battle was for +Hilda and for him, and not to be able to share it. And he grumbled +that the girl would not look out on it and tell him how it went. + +"But I saw Wilfrid in the gate," she said, "and I feared for him +for a moment, until I saw that the foe feared him; and then I was +proud. But Erling has gone, father." + +"A good man and steadfast," Sighard said. "I think that you and I +owe life to him and Wilfrid alike. It will be long before we forget +him, or before you find such another comrade and follower, +Wilfrid." + +More there was said of him at that time, but not too much. I had +known him but a little while, but in that we had gone through peril +together with but one mind. It hardly seemed possible that it was +only a matter of six weeks since I took him from the Norwich +marketplace. + +The thunder rolled round us while we talked of him, passing but +slowly, and the rain fell in sheets, washing away the more terrible +stains of war. Through it came back, unarmed and humbly, some of +the Mercians, begging truce wherein to take away their comrades, +and Kynan spoke to them. As we had reason to think, the whole +affair was the doing of Gymbert, so far as his men knew. Behind him +was the hand of Quendritha, of course, but of that they had heard +no more than that to take us would please her. + +When the storm ended, with naught but a far-off mutter of thunder +among the hills beyond the Wye to mind us of it, I went out to find +Jefan. At that time there were folk from the Welsh woodlands coming +up to help in any way that was needed, for a fire on the highest +point of the ramparts was sending a tall smoke curling and wavering +into the air, and the meaning of that was well known to them. One +might see by the way in which they were tending the wounded and +digging two long trenches without the ramparts, where the slain +should rest presently, that such fights were no new thing to them +on the marches of Mercia. + +Jefan the prince lay in a hut, and he smiled ruefully as I came in. +His ankle was broken, and the old priest had set it, skilfully +enough, but it would be many a long day before he could use it +again. He held out his hand to me before I could speak. + +"Are you hurt?" he said anxiously. + +I was not, save for a scratch or two of no account. More was Kynan, +and that was a wonder, or his luck, as he would have it. But Jefan +said, trying to laugh: + +"I would that I might see just one bout of sword play betwixt you +two. I had held my brother as the best swordsman in all the West, +but I saw a better in the gate. There I must lie helpless, with a +Mercian across me moreover, and it was somewhat of a comfort that +there was that to watch. I had seen naught of it but for the fall." + +So I had not been learning all that the best men in the Frankish +armies could teach me of weapon craft for nothing, and hereafter I +learned that such praise from Jefan was worth having. + +But as for my thanking them for this protection of us, they would +have it that the whole trouble was of their own making, since they +had stayed so near the border after a raid. Even now we must hence, +for the sheriff would gather a levy to follow them no doubt. It +needed no command from Offa for that; but he would be here anon, in +leisurely wise perhaps, but certainly. + +"Wherefore we must go," said Kynan. "Then, as usual, he will find +no one to fight with, and naught but a few broken marrow bones to +remind him that last night we feasted on Mercian cattle up here." + +Now I would that Erling might have been laid to rest in Fernlea, +near to Ethelbert, but that could not be. We set him in a place +near the gate which he had kept so well, raising a little mound +over him, and Jefan said that it should be a custom with every +warrior of the Cymro who entered the camp in the days to come that +he should salute him, and that the tale of his deed should be told +at the camp fire here from age to age, so long as harp was strung +and men should sing of deeds worth minding. Maybe that was the +resting and that the honour the viking would have chosen for +himself. + +And he was set there with all the still rites of the ancient Church +of the Briton, in the way which he had learned to love. + +Alone, unmarked Gymbert lies, out of sight of the warriors against +whom he came. The Mercians dared not touch him, and the Welsh would +not. But Jefan bade that man who had shot at him see to him, and +that was the punishment for his deed. Men say that when a storm +breaks round Dynedor hill fort it is ill to be there, for then he +wanders round the gate unquiet and wailing; and so he also is not +forgotten, nor the evil which he wrought. + +That evening we were in some Welsh thane's house, far in the folds +of the Black Mountains, and there not even Offa could reach us. The +people had come with litters and hill ponies, and slowly and +somewhat painfully we had gone our way from the hill, gathering the +cattle, and leaving men to bring them after us still more slowly. + +"Hurry no man's cattle," quoth Kynan, "except when they are by way +of becoming yours by right of haste homeward to the hills." + +In this homestead, whose name I cannot write, we rested for a +fortnight or so, while Sighard gathered his strength again and +Jefan's ankle knit itself together. For me there was the best of +hunting in the hills and rich forests with Kynan, who was a master +of all woodcraft, and with our host. Wonderfully plentiful was game +of all sorts, whether red deer or fallow, boar, or wolf, or badger +in the forests, and here and there beaver as well as otter in the +swift trout streams. There were the white wild cattle also; and +there were tales of a bear somewhere in the hills, but we never +came on his tracks, though I knew them well from having seen them +often enough on the Basque frontier lands. That one chance of +having slain the bear there was the only matter of hunting in which +I was ahead of my hosts. + +At the end of the fortnight we went from this village to the +ancient city of Caerleon, travelling slowly, though Jefan made +shift to mount a horse, and so ride with us. Pleasant were the June +days that passed among the hilly ways, under the great green +mountains, and through the forest lands, with good friends and +pleasant halts by the way. And I was going homeward now in all +truth. + +Jefan had a wonderful palace in Caerleon, which his forbears had +held since the days when they took the place of the Roman governor +by whom it had been built. I think that it had been but little +altered, and on its walls were still the pictures the artists +brought from far-off Rome had painted, and its floors were laid +with the wondrous patterned pavement of the old days, so beautiful +that it almost seemed a shame to tread on them. The old Roman walls +stood round the town, and there were more houses, less but +well-nigh as good, in the place, and the great tower the Romans +made. + +Yet, being a Saxon and a forest-bred man, I cared not at all for +the stone-walled houses. They seemed low and hot to me, and above +one was the ceiled roof, all unlike the high open timbering of our +halls, where the smoke curls, and the birds are as free to perch on +the timbers as they were in the oaks whence they were cut. The +walls round the town irked me also, for one does not like to feel +shut in from the open country. One must have fences, of course, and +maybe in border places earthworks and stockades, but surely no more +should be needed. Yet in a day or two I grew used to all this, and +I have naught but good to say of Caerleon elsewise. + +For when we had been there a few days Jefan would speak with me, +and together we went to the walls of the city and looked southward +across the river toward the Severn sea, beyond which lay my home. + +"See, friend," he said, "there is your way, and there is a ship +crossing to the old port at Worle tomorrow. Now, from all you have +told me, there is a chance that through her daughter Quendritha may +yet try to harm you." + +"I think she cannot," I said. "So far as I know, she has never +learned where my home is." + +"Yet," he said, "go home and see how things are for you. Well I +know that your first thought is for the Lady Hilda, and that is +right. I am going to see your wedding. But you cannot take her home +without going there first to learn whether she will have any home +to go to." + +"That is what I have been thinking," said I. "You are but first in +speaking of the matter by a day or so." + +"Well, then, do you go at once. If all is well, then you shall come +back here, and so there will be a wedding. If not, come back, and I +will give you a place with me. + +"Nay, but listen. I have sorely troublesome tenants, the Danes, in +our land of Gower, and you can take them in hand for me. You are +the man I need as what you would call the ealdorman there. You may +take such a place in all honour." + +"Jefan," I said, "you are indeed a friend, and I will not say no to +you. All seems to go well when you have a hand in it." + +"Sometimes," said he, laughing. "I only wish that everything was as +easily arranged as this. Well, go. I want you back to stay, and yet +I don't, as one may say. At all events, we will have the wedding +here." + +Now it need not be said that on the next day I did go, landing in +the early morning under the ancient walled camp of Worle, which the +Eastern traders made when they used to come for our Mendip metals; +and there I hired a horse and rode homeward, sorely longing for my +good skew-bald steed, which stood in a Roman stable at Caerleon. + +Now I cannot tell all the thoughts which came into my mind as I +climbed the last hill and looked down into the wooded hollow where +lay our home. The long years seemed to roll back, and it was but as +yesterday that I had been there. And then I met a man I knew, one +of our own thralls; and he seemed to have aged all in a moment, for +I had thought, before he drew near, to see his face as it had been +on the day when I went to Winchester to see the bride of our king +brought home. He did not know me, but he doffed his cap. + +"Wulf," said I, "how fares the thane?" + +"Well, lord," he answered, staring at me. "He is in the hall an you +want him." + +And then of a sudden a great smile began to grow across his face, +and he roared in his honest Wessex voice: + +"By staff and thorn, if it is not our young master home from the +wars! Good lack, but how you have grown and widened!" + +He clutched at my hand and shook it, and then kissed it, after a +friend's fashion first, and then as a thrall should, saying all +sorts of welcomes. And then he turned, forgetting any business +which was taking him to the hill, and must needs lead my horse with +all care down to the hall. And as he went, whenever he saw any man +of the place he shouted to him, and one by one men came running, +until I had half the village after me. That was a good old Saxon +welcome, and I could not find fault with it. + +So we came to the hall gate, and the dogs ran out and barked; and I +thought I could tell those which had been but pups when I left +home, for they had been my charge. Then they bayed and yelled, +mistrusting what all the noise meant, though they saw none but +friends there, till two gray old hounds rose from the sunny corner +of the court and came running, and they knew me; and I called them +by name, and the rest stilled their clamour. + +Then, with his sword caught up to him, my father came to the great +door and called for silence, and so saw me as I sat in my outland +mail and stretched my hands to him; and after him came my mother. +So I was home once more, and all was well. + +I need say naught of the feasting which they made for me, nor of +all that I had to tell of my doings since that day when the Danes +came and took me. Little enough there was to tell me, save of the +village happenings; and that was well, for it meant that there had +in every way been peace. + +Two days after I came home my cousin came from Weymouth, rejoicing +to see me safe and well once more, for he had ever blamed himself +for my loss. + +Presently we spoke of Ecgbert, but there was yet no chance for him +to return. Our Wessex queen, Quendritha's daughter, was bad as her +mother, in all truth; but Bertric the king was just and wise, save +only when he was swayed by her. Moreover, to him Ecgbert had sworn +fealty when he came to the crown, and until he was gone he would do +naught. + +And then there was the question as to whether it was safe for me to +come home. + +There was an old thane who came to see me at this time, and he had +been to Winchester within a few days; and he settled the matter, +having heard all the court news from Mercia. + +"Quendritha's power is over for good and all," he said. "Offa has +sworn a great oath that he will never set eyes on her again. They +say that she is shut up in some stronghold, with none but men of +the king's own round her, and that there she pines and rages in +turn, helpless for harm. You may be sure that no word of you has +come hither. Doubtless she believes you fled back to Carl the +Great. You may sleep in peace." + +"Get married, my son, and settle down," said my mother softly. "I +may not bear to lose you again." + +So that other matter was easily settled, as may be supposed, though +no doubt my good mother would have fain had somewhat more say in +the choice of a wife for me. But when my father and cousin heard of +the way in which we two had met, and what we had gone through +together, they said it was good that I had found no fair weather, +fireside bride, and there was a great welcome ready for her as soon +as we could bring her home. + +Ten miles south of Selwood, on the forest's edge, lies that hall +which was my mother's, and to which I had the right as her son, and +there I was to live. I think that I have spoken of it before as +that which gave me the right to the rank of thane. Now and then we +had gone there and bided in the hall, seeing to the lands, and so +forth, but mostly it had been left to the care of the steward. So +it was waiting for me, and thither I should bring Hilda as soon as +all was ready. + +And I need not tell of that time of preparation, which seemed long +to me; but at last we sailed across the still sea from Worle to +Caerleon--my father, and my cousin, and half a dozen others of our +friends--for word had gone and come from Jefan by the fishers of +the Parrett river, and he would welcome all whom we would bring +with us. + +"Make it as good a wedding as you may," was his word to me. + +I think that Offa once sent an embassy to Caerleon, and that they +were the first of our race who had ever been within its old walls. +But I know that never before had a Saxon party been welcomed there +as we were welcomed, nor had there been such a feast since Jefan +himself was wedded. + +It seems to me that I am leaving out a many things now; but who +wants to hear of that wedding? If any one does, he must even go to +Caerleon and call the bards to him, if they will come, and ask them +to sing the songs they made thereon. Otherwise he may ask any man +of Caerleon to tell him what he saw of it himself, for indeed I +cannot say that I had thought or eyes for any but one figure in all +the splendour of that ancient court. I do mind that Jefan's fair +princess had clad Hilda in wondrous British array, which passes me +to tell of, and that Kynan and Jefan and the men of their host had +decked her with gold and pearl and mountain gems, such as lured the +Roman hither. They had a splendid sword and mail shirt and helm for +me, too, better even than that which Carl gave me, because of the +holding of the gate. + +Now if one listens, as I have said, to the tales they tell over +there, it will be heard how I was said to have kept that gate +against all the host of Mercia, not to say Offa himself; for, like +our own gleemen, the Welsh bards do not fail to make the most of a +story. But how much thereof to believe those who have read my own +tale will know. I suppose they are obliged to make too much of a +matter, so that about the rights thereof may be believed. + +At that wedding there were a surprise and a pleasure for me which +Jefan had prepared. He had heard of a vessel new come to Swansea, +where the Danes are, and he had sent thither to learn what she was. +And when he heard, he bade her captain to this feast to meet me. +And so it came to pass that when we landed I saw two men in the +Danish array standing behind the Welsh nobles, and I seemed to know +them. One was tall and grim and scarred, and the other broad of +shoulder and white of hair and beard. They were Thorleif and old +Thrond, come from Ireland to see their friends in this land, and so +Jefan's guests. + +So that was a great wedding, in which I had the least part, being +overlooked, as mostly happens with a bridegroom. And after it we +passed home again to peace and happiness in the old hall in the +land of Wessex, and there none will care to follow me. It is the +troublous part of a man's life that makes the story to all but +himself. He is glad enough when it is over and there is no more +danger left of which to make a tale. + +When I first came back to Caerleon I had some news to hear from the +Mercian border, and that was nothing more or less than that after +all Offa had stretched out his hand to grasp that realm which +Quendritha had plotted to give him; for he had gathered his levies, +and marched eastward into East Anglia. There was none to oppose +him, and he took it, and so reigned from the Wye to the sea, the +greatest king who had ever sat on an English throne. + +And Quendritha was dead. That which her daughter had boded for her +as she left the palace had come to pass, and she had gone. She had +never set eyes on her husband again, and never heard how that which +she planned had come to pass. + +That death seemed to take the last doubt of our peace from us; but +now Sighard would no more go back to his lands. + +"I was Ethelbert's thane and his father's; I will not hold from +Offa. Let me come back with you now until I know what I can do." + +So when our wedding was over he crossed with us to Wessex, and +there for a time he bided. Then came a message from Thetford that +the widowed queen, Ethelbert's mother, would speak with him, and +without delay he went to her. Offa had left her in peace in her own +house; but now she would go to Crowland, that she might be with her +who should have been her daughter, and thither Sighard took her. +Then he went to see what had happened with his own place, and found +it untouched. Offa, when he took the realm, had at least proved +that he had no mind to enrich himself with lesser spoils. + +So Sighard sold his right of succession, and all else that was his +own in East Anglia, and thereafter bought a place for himself near +us; and there he lives now, well loved by all and honoured. Many +and kind were the messages which he brought back from the queen to +me and to Hilda, whom she had loved, rejoicing that the way to +Sutton had at least brought happiness to us two. + +My good skew-bald steed I could not take across the sea with me, +and I was loath to sell him. At last I persuaded Jefan, our friend, +to take him as a gift, for I cared for none save the prince himself +to ride him. + +"He is nowise a safe steed to go cattle-raiding on," said Kynan, +"for one can mark him for miles. Nevertheless he is a princely +mount, and a good rallying point for the men after they have been +scattered in a charge." + +So they laughed, and were well pleased, as was I. Erling's horse I +gave to that man who had been our guide when we fled, and there was +no difficulty in finding owners for the rest. + +Now one will ask concerning Ecgbert the atheling, whose friend I +had been for so long. + +All men know that today he is the king of all England, and the +greatest who ever sat on her throne. But for long years we waited +till the time for his return came. While Bertric lived, to whom he +had sworn fealty, he would do naught, in utmost loyalty, and with +the Mercian throne he had no mind to meddle. + +Two years after the death of Ethelbert, Offa died. His bright young +son took the throne, and was gone also in a few months, and then +the house of Offa was at an end. An atheling of some younger branch +of the Mercian royal line took his place peaceably, and under this +king, Kenulf, Mercia was at her greatest. The doom of Offa fell not +on him. + +Ecgbert bided with Carl the emperor, learning all he might of +statecraft and of war until his time came, and well he learned his +lesson. Then at last, through Quendritha's teaching, came the end +of the Wessex line, and thereafter the fall of Mercia from her +first place among the English kingdoms. For, after Quendritha's +way, Eadburga would poison some thane of the court who had offended +her; and Bertric drank the cup she had made ready for his servant, +and so perished. Eadburga fled to Carl the emperor, as men had then +hailed him; and he received her kindly for Offa's sake, and at +least England knew her ways no more. Then we had all ready, and +sent for Ecgbert; and from the time of his coming began that day of +greatness for Wessex which has led him to the overlordship of all +England and the end of the old divided and warring kingdoms. + +One may see many tokens of the repentance of Offa for that deed +which was wrought unhindered by him. Greatest of all, perhaps, is +the cathedral which he built at Hereford over the remains of the +murdered king. There the saint rests in peace, and will be honoured +while time is. But where Offa himself lies no man knows. His folk +buried him in a little church which he had loved, hard by Bedford, +in the heart of his realm, on the banks of the Ouse. But in one +night of storm and rain the ancient river rose and swept away both +church and tomb and what lay therein, not leaving so much as the +foundations to tell where the place had been. And yet, not a +stone's throw from the edge of the rapid Lugg, the little church of +Marden, built where we found the body of the murdered king, stands, +and will stand, unharmed by the waters which once made soft his +resting. + +The wonderful palace of Sutton lies shunned and ruined. After that +which had been done there, Offa would live within its walls no +longer, and it was deserted by all men. Only, as the wind and rain +wrought their will unchecked on the timbered halls, the thralls +took what they would for huts and for firing, and slowly at first, +and then apace, the palace sank to heaps of rotting rubbish, where +the fox and the badger have their lairs, and the boar from the +forest roots unscared. Presently naught hut the ancient Roman +earthworks will be left to tell that once it was a place of +strength against the Briton. + +And with bated breath the thralls tell of a white wolf which haunts +the ruin from time to time, deeming it the witch queen herself, who +may not leave the scene of her ill doing. + +Now, for myself, I have but to say that for the sake of old days in +the Frankish land I stand high in the honour of Ecgbert the king. +And yet it seems to me that greater honour still it is that I +should have ridden across England on that strange wedding journey +as the comrade of Ethelbert the king and saint. + +Often I am asked to tell the story of that ride and all that came +thereafter, for men say that they cannot learn it better than from +me. And so I have set all down here that men may read. Yet, whether +I write or not, I know well that forgotten Ethelbert can never be. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A King's Comrade, by Charles Whistler + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13438 *** diff --git a/13438-h/13438-h.htm b/13438-h/13438-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d65702 --- /dev/null +++ b/13438-h/13438-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8851 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta name="generator" content= +"HTML Tidy for Cygwin (vers 1st September 2003), see www.w3.org"> +<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content= +"text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>A KING'S COMRADE</title> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13438 ***</div> + +<h1>A KING'S COMRADE:</h1> +<p>A Story of Old Hereford,</p> +<p>by Charles W. Whistler</p> +<h3><a href="#PREFACE">PREFACE</a>.</h3> +<h3><a href="#INTRODUCTORY">INTRODUCTORY</a>.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a>. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO +ENGLAND.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a>. HOW WILFRID KEPT A +PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a>. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT THE +ATHELING. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a>. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD +ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a>. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT FOLK, +AND OTHERS. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH +ETHELBERT THE KING.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY +BEGAN WITH PORTENTS.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO +THE PALACE OF SUTTON.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN +WOVE HER PLOTS.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a>. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL +LOST HIS NAME AS A GOOD</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a>. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING WENT +TO HIS REST. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE +QUEEN HAD HER WILL.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND +ERLING BEGAN THEIR SEARCH.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a>. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH +CARE THRUST ON HIM.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a>. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS +REWARDED.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE +MORE WITH OFFA.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND HIS +CHARGE MET JEFAN THE</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a>. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE +GUARDED HIS GUESTS. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a>. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME +TO WESSEX.</h3> +<h2><a name="PREFACE">PREFACE</a>.</h2> +<p>Hereford Cathedral bears the name of Ethelbert of East Anglia, +king and martyr, round whose death, at the hands of the men of Offa +of Mercia, this story of his comrade centres, and dates its +foundation from Offa's remorse for the deed which at least he had +not prevented. In the sanctuary itself stands an ancient battered +statue--somewhat hard to find--of the saint, and in the pavement +hard by a modern stone bears a representation of his murder. The +date of the martyrdom is usually given as May 20, 792 A.D.</p> +<p>A brief mention of the occurrence is given under that date in +the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," and full details are recorded by later +historians, Matthew of Westminster and Roger of Wendover being the +most precise and full. The ancient Hereford Breviary preserves +further details also, for which I am indebted to my friend the Rev. +H. Housman, B.D., of Bradley.</p> +<p>These authorities I have followed as closely as possible, only +slightly varying the persons to whom the portents, so +characteristic of the times, occurred, and referring some--as is +quite possible, without detracting from their significance to men +of that day--to natural causes. Those who searched for the body of +the king are unnamed by the chroniclers, and I have, therefore, had +no hesitation in putting the task into the hands of the hero of the +tale. The whole sequence of events is unaltered.</p> +<p>Offa's own part in the removal of the hapless young king is +given entirely from the accounts of the chroniclers, and the +characters of Quendritha the queen and her accomplice Gymbert are +by no means drawn here more darkly than in their pages. The story +of her voyage and finding by Offa is from Brompton's Annals.</p> +<p>The first recorded landing of the Danes in Wessex, with which +the story opens, is from the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle;" the name of +the sheriff, and the account of the headstrong conduct which led to +his end, being added from Ethelwerd. The exact place of the landing +is not stated; but as it was undoubtedly near Dorchester, it may be +located at Weymouth with sufficient probability. For the reasons +which led to the exile of Ecgbert, and to his long stay at the +court of Carl the Great, the authority is William of Malmesbury. +The close correspondence between the Mercian and Frankish courts +is, of course, historic--Offa seeming most anxious to ally himself +with the great Continental monarch, if only in name. The position +of the hero as an honoured and independent guest at the hall of +Offa would certainly be that assigned to an emissary from Carl.</p> +<p>With regard to the proper names involved, I have preferred to +use modern forms rather than the cumbrous if more correct spelling +of the period. The name of the terrible queen, for example, appears +on her coins as "Cynethryth," and varies in the pages of the +chroniclers from "Quendred" to the form chosen as most simple for +use today. And it has not seemed worth while to substitute the +ancient names of places for those in present use which sufficiently +retain their earlier form or meaning.</p> +<p>The whole story of King Ethelbert's wooing and its disastrous +ending is a perfect romance in all truth, without much need for +enhancement by fiction, and perhaps has its forgotten influence on +many a modern romance, by the postponement of a wedding day until +the month of May--so disastrous for him and his bride--has +passed.</p> +<p>C. W. WHISTLER.</p> +<p>STOCKLAND, 1904.</p> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTORY">INTRODUCTORY</a>.</h2> +<p>A shore of dull green and yellow sand dunes, beyond whose low +tops a few sea-worn pines and birch trees show their heads, and at +whose feet the gray sea hardly breaks in the heavy stillness that +comes with the near thunder of high summer. The tide is full and +nearing the turn, and the shore birds have gone elsewhere till +their food is bared again at its falling. Only a few dotterels, +whose eggs lie somewhere near, run and flit, piping, to and fro, +for a boat and two men are resting at the very edge of the wave as +if the ebb would see them afloat again.</p> +<p>Armed men they are, too, and the boat is new and handsome, +graceful with the beautiful lines of a northern shipwright's +designing. She has mast and sail and one steering oar, but neither +rowlocks nor other oars to fit in them. One of the men is pacing +quietly up and down the sand, as if on the quarterdeck of a ship, +and the other rests against the boat's gunwale.</p> +<p>"Nigh time," says one, glancing at the fringe of weed which the +tide is beginning to leave.</p> +<p>"Ay, nigh, and I would it were past and over. It is a hard +doom."</p> +<p>"No harder than is deserved. The doom ring and the great stone +had been the end in days which I can remember. That was the old +Danish way."</p> +<p>The other man nods.</p> +<p>"But the jarl is merciful, as ever."</p> +<p>"When one finds a coiled adder, one slays it. One does not say, +'Bide alive, because I saw you too soon to be harmed by you.' Mercy +to the beast that might be, but not to the child who shall some day +set his hand on it."</p> +<p>"Eh, well! The wind is off shore, and it is a far cry to +succour, and Ran waits the drowning."</p> +<p>"I know not that Ran cares for women."</p> +<p>"Maybe a witch like herself. They are coming!"</p> +<p>Now through a winding gap in the line of dunes comes from inland +a little company of men and women, swiftly and in silence. The two +men range themselves on either bow of the boat, and stand at +attention as the newcomers near them, and so wait. Maybe there are +two-score people, led by a man and woman, who walk side by side +without word or look passing between them. The man is tall and +handsome, armed in the close-knit ring-mail shirt of the Dane, with +gemmed sword hilt and golden mountings to scabbard and dirk, and +his steel helm and iron-gray hair seem the same colour in the +shadowless light of the dull sky overhead. One would set his age at +about sixty years.</p> +<p>But the woman at his side is young and wonderfully lovely. She +is dressed in white and gold, and her hair is golden as the coiled +necklace and armlets she wears, and hangs in two long plaits far +below her knees, though it is looped in the golden girdle round her +waist. Fastened to the girdle hangs the sheath of a little dagger, +but there is no blade in it. She is plainly of high rank, and +unwedded. Now her fair face is set and hard, and it would almost +seem that despair was written on it.</p> +<p>After those two the other folk seem hardly worth a glance, +though they are richly dressed, and the men are as well armed as +the jarl their leader. Nor do they seem to have eyes for any but +those two at their head, and no word passes among them. Their faces +also are set and hard, as if they had somewhat heavy to see to, and +would fain carry it through to the end unflinching.</p> +<p>So they come to the edge of the sea, where the boat waits them, +and there halt; and the tall jarl faces the girl at his side, and +speaks to her in a dull voice, while the people slowly make a half +circle round them, listening.</p> +<p>"Now we have come to the end," he says, "and from henceforth +this land shall know you and the ways of you no more. There were +other dooms which men had thought more fitting for you, but they +were dooms of death. You shall not die at our hands. You are young, +and you have time to bethink you whither the ways you have trodden +shall lead you. If the sea spares you, begin life afresh. If it +spares you not, maybe it is well. No others shall be beguiled by +that fair face of yours. The Norns heed not the faces of men."</p> +<p>He pauses; but the girl stands silent, hand locked in hand, and +with no change of face. Nor does she look at her accuser, but gazes +steadily out to the still sea, which seems endless, for there is no +line between sea and sky in the hot haze. For all its exceeding +beauty, hers is an evil face to look on at this time. And the women +who gaze on her have no pity in their eyes, nor have the men.</p> +<p>Once again the great jarl speaks, and his words are cold and +measured.</p> +<p>"Also, I and our wisest hold that what you have tried to compass +was out of the longing for power that ever lies in the heart of +youth. We had done no more than laugh thereat had you been content +to try to win your will with the ancient wiles of woman that lie in +beauty and weakness. But for the evil ways in which you have +wrought the land is accursed, and will be so as long as we suffer +you. Go hence, and meet elsewhere what fate befalls you. In the +skill you have in the seaman's craft is your one hope. We leave it +you."</p> +<p>Then, without a word of answer or so much as a look aside, the +girl of her own accord steps into the boat; and at a sign from +their lord the two men launch her from the shelving sand into the +sea, following her, knee deep, among the little breakers that +hardly hinder their steps. They see that in her look is deepest +hate and wrath, but they pay no heed to it. And even as their hands +leave the gunwale, the girl goes to the mast, and with the skill +and ease of long custom hoists the sail, and so making fast the +halliard deftly, comes aft again to ship the steering oar, and seat +herself as the breeze wakes the ripples at the bow and the land +slips away from her. She has gone, and never looks back.</p> +<p>Then a sort of sigh whispers among the women folk on shore; but +it is not as a sigh of grief, but rather as if a danger had passed +from the land. They know that the boat must needs drive but as the +wind takes her, for oars wherewith to row against it are none, and +the long summer spell of seaward breezes has set in. The jarl folds +his arms and bides still in his place, and the two men still stand +in the water, watching. And so the boat and its fair burden of +untold ill fades into the mist and grows ghostly, and is lost to +sight; and across the dunes the clouds gather, and the thunder +mutters from inland with the promise of long-looked-for rain to a +parched and starving folk.</p> +<p>* * * *</p> +<p>Through the long summer morning Offa, the young King of Mercia, +has hunted across the rich Lindsey marshes which lie south of the +Humber; and now in the heat of the noon he will leave his party +awhile and ride with one thane only to the great Roman bank which +holds back the tides, and seek a cool breath from the salt sea, +whose waves he can hear. So he sets spurs to his great white steed, +and with the follower after him, rides to where the high sand dunes +are piled against the bank, and reins up on their grassy summit, +and looks eastward across the most desolate sands in all England, +gull-haunted only.</p> +<p>"Here is a marvel," he cries, turning to his thane. "Many a time +have I hunted along this shore, but never before have I seen the +like of this here."</p> +<p>He laughs, and points below him toward the sand, and his thane +rides nearer. The tide has crept almost to the foot of the ancient +sea wall, and gently rocking on it lies a wondrously beautiful boat +with red and white sail set, but with no man, or aught living +beyond the white terns which hover and swoop about it, to be +seen.</p> +<p>"'Tis a foreign boat," says the thane. "Our folk cannot frame +such an one as this. Doubtless she has broken her line from astern +of some ship last night, and so has been wafted hither."</p> +<p>"Men do not tow a boat with her sail set," laughs the king. "Let +us go and see her."</p> +<p>So they ride shoreward across the dunes, and ever the breeze +edges the boat nearer and nearer, till at last she is at rest on +the edge of the tide, lifting now and then as some little wave runs +beneath her sharp stern. For once the North Sea is still, and even +the brown water of the Humber tides is blue across the yellow +sands.</p> +<p>The horses come swiftly and noiselessly across the strand, but +the white steed of the king is restless as he nears the boat, +sniffing the air and tossing his head. The king speaks to him, +thinking that it is the swinging sail which he pretends to fear. +And then the horse starts and almost rears, for at the sound of the +clear voice there rises somewhat from the hollow of the little +craft, and the king himself stays in amaze.</p> +<p>For he sees before him the most wondrously beautiful maiden his +eyes have rested on, golden-haired and blue-eyed, wan and weary +with the long voyage from the far-off shore, and holding out to him +piteous hands, blistered with the rough sheet and steering oar. She +says naught, but naught is needed.</p> +<p>"Lady," he says, doffing his gold-circled cap, "have no fear. +All is well, and you are safe. Whence come you?"</p> +<p>But he has no answer, for the maiden sinks back into the boat +swooning. Then in all haste the king sends his thane for help to +the party they have left; and so he sits on the boat's gunwale and +watches the worn face pityingly.</p> +<p>Now come his men, and at his word they tend the maiden with all +care, so that very soon she revives again, and can tell her tale. +Beyond the hunger and thirst there has indeed been little hardship +to a daughter of the sea in the summer weather, for the breeze has +been kindly and steady, and the boat stanch and swift. There has +been rain too, gentle, and enough to stave off the utmost +thirst.</p> +<p>All this she tells the king truly; and then he must know how she +came to lose her own shore. And at that she weeps, but is ready. In +the long hours she has conned every tale that may be made, and it +is on her lips.</p> +<p>She is the orphan daughter of a Danish jarl, she says, and her +father has been slain. She has been set adrift by the chief who has +taken her lands, for her folk had but power to ask that grace for +her. He would have slain her, but that they watched him. Doubtless +he had poisoned their minds against her, or they would not have +suffered thus far of ill to her even. Otherwise she cannot believe +so ill of them. It is all terrible to her.</p> +<p>And so, with many tears, she accounts for her want of oars, and +provides against the day when some chapman from beyond seas shall +know her and tell the tale of her shame. At the end she weeps, and +begs for kindness to an outcast pitifully.</p> +<p>There is no reason why men should not believe the tale, and told +with those wondrous tear-dimmed eyes on them, they doubt not a word +of it. It is no new thing that a usurper should make away with the +heiress, and doubtless they think her beauty saved her from a worse +fate.</p> +<p>So in all honour the maiden is taken to Lincoln, and presently +given into the care of one of the great ladies of the court.</p> +<p>But as they ride homeward with the weary maiden in the midst of +the company, Offa the king is silent beyond his wont, so that the +thane who rode yonder with him asks if aught is amiss.</p> +<p>"Naught," answers Offa. "But if it is true that men say that +none but a heaven-sent bride will content me, maybe this is the one +of whom they spoke."</p> +<p>Now, if it was longing for power and place which had tempted +this maiden to ill in the old home, here she sees her way to more +than her wildest dream plain before her; and she bends her mind to +please, and therein prospers. For when wit and beauty go hand in +hand that is no hard matter. So in no long time it comes to pass +that she has gained all she would, and is queen of all the Mercian +land, from the Wash to the Thames, and from Thames to Trent, and +from Severn to the Lindsey shore; for Offa has wedded her, and all +who see her rejoice in his choice, holding her as a heaven-sent +queen indeed, so sweetly and lowly and kindly she bears herself. +Nor for many a long year can she think of aught which would bring +her more power, so that even she deems that the lust of it is dead +within her. Only for many a year she somewhat fears the coming of +every stranger from beyond the sea lest she may be known, until it +is certain that none would believe a tale against their queen.</p> +<p>Yet when that time comes there are old counsellors of the Witan +who will say among themselves that they deem Quendritha the queen +the leader and planner of all that may go to the making great the +kingdom of the Mercians; and there are one or two who think within +themselves that, were she thwarted in aught she had set her mind +on, she might have few scruples as to how she gained her ends. But +no man dare put that thought into words.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a>. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO +ENGLAND.</h2> +<p>Two fair daughters had Offa, the mighty King of Mercia, and +Quendritha his queen. The elder of those two, Eadburga, was wedded +to our Wessex king, Bertric, in the year when my story begins, and +all men in our land south of the Thames thought that the wedding +was a matter of full rejoicing. There had been but one enemy for +Wessex to fear, besides, of course, the wild Cornish, who were of +no account, and that enemy was Mercia. Now the two kingdoms were +knit together by the marriage, and there would be lasting +peace.</p> +<p>Wherefore we all rejoiced, and the fires flamed from the +hilltops, and in the towns men feasted and drank to the alliance, +and dreamed of days of unbroken ease to come, wherein the weapons, +save always for the ways of the border Welsh, should rust on the +wall, and the trodden grass of the old camps of the downs on our +north should grow green in loneliness. And that was a good dream, +for our land had been torn with war for overlong--Saxon against +Angle, Kentishman against Sussexman, Northumbrian against Mercian, +and so on in a terrible round of hate and jealousy and pride, till +we tired thereof, and the rest was needed most sorely.</p> +<p>And in that same year the shadow of a new trouble fell on +England, and none heeded it, though we know it over well now--the +shadow of the coming of the Danes. My own story must needs begin +with that, for I saw its falling, and presently understood its +blackness.</p> +<p>I had been to Winchester with my father, Ethelward the thane of +Frome Selwood, to see the bringing home of the bride by our king, +and there met a far cousin of ours, with whom it was good to enjoy +all the gay doings of the court for the week while we were there. +He belonged to Dorchester, and taking as much fancy to my company +as a man double his age can have pleasure in the ways of a lad of +eighteen, he asked me to ride home with him, and so stay in his +house for a time, seeing the new country, and hunting with him for +a while before I went home. And my father being very willing that I +should do so, I went accordingly, and merry days on down and in +forest I had with Elfric the thane, this new-found cousin of +ours.</p> +<p>So it came to pass that one day we found ourselves on the steep +of a down whence we could overlook the sea and the deep bay of +Weymouth, with the great rock of Portland across it; and the width +and beauty of that outlook were wonderful to me, whose home was +inland, in the fair sunshine of late August. We had come suddenly +on it as we rode, and I reined up my horse to look with a sort of +cry of pleasure, so fair the blue water and dappled sky and +towering headland, grass and woodland and winding river, leaped on +my eyes. And in the midst of the still bay three beautiful ships +were heading for the land, the long oars rising and falling +swiftly, while the red and white striped sails hung idly in the +calm. One could see the double of each ship in the water, broken +wonderfully by the ripple of the oars, and after each stretched a +white wake like a path seaward.</p> +<p>My cousin stayed his horse also with a grip of the reins that +brought him up short, and he also made an exclamation, but by no +means for the same reason as myself.</p> +<p>"Ho!" he said, "what are these ships?"</p> +<p>Then he set his hand to his forehead and looked long at them +from under it, while I watched them also, unknowing that there was +anything unusual in the sight for one who lived so near the sea and +the little haven of Weymouth below us.</p> +<p>"Well, what do you think of them?" I asked presently.</p> +<p>"On my word, I do not know," he answered thoughtfully. "They are +no Frisian traders, and I have never seen their like before. +Moreover, it seems to me that they are full of armed men. See how +the sun sparkles on their decks here and there!"</p> +<p>But we were too far off to make out more than that, and as we +watched it was plain that the ships would make for the river mouth +and haven.</p> +<p>"We will ride down and see more of them," said my cousin. "I +only hope--"</p> +<p>There he stayed his words; but I saw that his face had grown +grave of a sudden, and knew that some heavy thought had crossed his +mind.</p> +<p>"What?" I asked.</p> +<p>"It must be impossible," he said slowly--"and this is between +you and me--for it seems foolish. But have you heard of the +northern strangers who have harried the Welsh beyond the Severn +sea?"</p> +<p>I had heard of them, of course, for they traded with the Devon +men at times, having settled in towns of their own in Wales beyond +the Severn. It was said that they were heathen, worshipping the +same gods whom our forefathers had worshipped, and were akin to +ourselves, with a tongue not unlike our own at all, and easy to be +understood by us. Also they had fought the Welsh, as we had to +fight them; but one heard of them only as strangers who had naught +to do with us Saxons.</p> +<p>"Well, then," my cousin said, "suppose these are more of the +northern folk."</p> +<p>"If they are, they will have come to trade," I said lightly. +"But they will more likely be men from the land across this +sea--men from the land of the Franks, such as we saw at Winchester +the other day."</p> +<p>"Maybe, maybe," he said. "We shall see presently."</p> +<p>So we rode on. I dare say we had four miles to go before we came +to the outskirts of Weymouth village, and by that time the ships +were in the haven. By that time also the Weymouth folk were leaving +the place, and that hastily; and before we were within half a mile +of the nearest houses we met two men on horseback, who rode fast on +the road toward Dorchester.</p> +<p>"What is amiss?" cried my cousin as they neared us.</p> +<p>The men knew him well, and stayed.</p> +<p>"Three strange ships in the haven, and their crews ashore armed, +and taking all they can lay their hands on. We are going to the +sheriff; where is he?"</p> +<p>"Home at Dorchester. Whence are the ships? Have they hurt any +one?"</p> +<p>"We cannot tell whence they are. They speak a strange sort of +English, as it were, like the Northumbrian priest we have. +Red-headed, big men they are, and good-tempered so far, seeing that +none dare gainsay them. But they are most outrageously +thievish."</p> +<p>"What have they taken, then?"</p> +<p>"Ask the bakers and butchers. Now they are gathering up all the +horses, and they say they are going to drive the cattle."</p> +<p>"Sheriff's business that, in all truth. Get to him as soon as +you may. I will go and see if I can reason with them +meanwhile."</p> +<p>"Have a care, thane!" they cried, and spurred their horses +again.</p> +<p>Then my cousin turned to me, and his face was grave.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," he said, "you had better go with those messengers. I +am going to see if aught can be done; but it sounds bad. I don't +like an armed landing of this sort."</p> +<p>"No, cousin," I answered. "Let me go with you. It would be hard +if you must send me back, for I would fain see the ships. That talk +of driving the cattle can be naught but a jest."</p> +<p>"Likely enough," he answered, laughing. "It is no new thing for +a crew to come ashore and clear out the booths of the tradesmen +without troubling to pay offhand. Presently their captains will +come and pay what is asked, grumbling, and there will be no loss to +our folk. As for this talk of taking the horses--well, a sailor +always wants a ride when he first comes ashore, if it is only on an +ass. Then if there is not enough meat ready to hand in the town, no +doubt they would say they would find it for themselves. Well, come +on, and we will see."</p> +<p>So we rode on, but the laugh faded from the face of my kinsman +as we did so.</p> +<p>"They have no business to come ashore armed," he said, half to +himself, "and Weymouth folk ought to be used to the ways of seamen +by this time. I don't like it, Wilfrid."</p> +<p>Nevertheless, we did not stop, and presently came among the +first houses of the village, where there was a little crowd of the +folk, half terrified, and yet not altogether minded to fly. They +said that the strangers were sacking the houses along the water's +edge, but not harming any one. However, they were taking all the +ale and cider casks they could find on board their ships, and never +a word of payment.</p> +<p>"Do not go near them," said my cousin. "Doubtless some one will +pay presently, and I will go and speak with their head men. Maybe +they can't find any one who can rightly understand their talk."</p> +<p>"Oh ay," said an old man, "it passes me to know how a thane like +your worship can understand all sorts of talk they use in England. +It is all the likes of us can compass to understand even a Mercian; +but I warrant you would ken what a Northumbrian means easily."</p> +<p>He shook his head with much wisdom, and we left him grumbling at +the speech of the priest we had already heard of.</p> +<p>We passed down the straggling shoreward street, and as we neared +the waterside we heard the shouts and laughter of the strangers +plainly enough. And over the houses were the mastheads of their +three ships. One of them had a forked red flag, whereon was a raven +worked in black, so well that it was easy to see what bird it was +meant for. It was the raven of the Danish sea kings, but that meant +naught to us yet. The terror which went before and the weeping that +bided after that flag were yet to come.</p> +<p>The next thing was that from the haven rode swiftly half a dozen +mounted men toward us, and the first glance told us that here were +warriors whose very war gear was new to us. Three of them had +close-fitting coats of ring mail, and wore burnished round helms of +bronze or steel; while the others, who were also helmed, had +jerkins of buff leather, gilded and cut in patterns on the edges of +the short sleeves and skirts. Their arms were bare, save that one +had heavy golden bracelets above the elbow; and they all wore white +trousers, girt to the leg loosely with coloured cross-gartering, +which reached higher than ours. I had never seen such mail as +theirs, and straightway I began to wonder if I might not buy a suit +from them.</p> +<p>But most different from any arming of ours was that each had a +heavy axe either in his hand or slung to his saddle, and that their +swords were longer, with very handsome hilts. Only two had spears, +and these were somewhat shorter than ours and maybe heavier. They +were better armed warriors than ever I had seen before, even at +Winchester.</p> +<p>Some word passed among these men as they saw us; but they came +on, making no sign of enmity of any sort. Perhaps that was because, +being in hunting gear and with naught more than the short sword and +seax one always wears, we had no weapons, and were plainly on +peaceful business.</p> +<p>And as in spite of their arms they seemed peaceful enough also, +my cousin and I waited for them, so that they pulled up to speak to +us, that man who wore the bracelets being at their head.</p> +<p>"Friends," said my cousin quietly, as they stared at him, "there +is no war in the land, and we are wont to welcome strangers. No +need for all this weapon wearing."</p> +<p>"Faith, I am glad to hear it," said the leader, with a grim +smile. "We thought there might be need. There mostly is when we +come ashore."</p> +<p>One could understand him well enough, if his speech was rougher +than ours. The words were the same, if put together somewhat +differently and with a new way of speaking them. It was only a +matter of thinking twice, as it were, and one knew what he meant. +Also he seemed to understand us better than we him, doubtless by +reason of years of travelling and practice in different tongues of +the northern lands.</p> +<p>"The arms somewhat terrify our folk," said my cousin, not +heeding the meaning which might lie in the words of the chief. "But +I suppose you have put in for food and water."</p> +<p>"For ale and beef--that is more like it," said the Dane. "Having +found which we are going away again. The sooner we find it the +better, therefore, and maybe you will be glad to help us to what we +seek."</p> +<p>"Our folk tell me that you are helping yourselves somewhat +freely already," answered the thane. "One may suppose that, like +honest seamen, you mean to face the reckoning presently."</p> +<p>"Oh ay, we always pay, if we are asked," answered the chief; and +as he said it he hitched his sword hilt forward into reach in a way +which there was no mistaking.</p> +<p>"It is a new thing to us that seamen should hint that they will +pay for what they need with the cold steel. We are not such churls +as to withhold what a man would seek in his need."</p> +<p>"No man ever withholds aught from us, if so be we have set our +minds on it," said the chief, with a great laugh.</p> +<p>Then he turned to his men, who were all round us by this time, +listening.</p> +<p>"Here, take these two down to the ships, and see that they +escape not; they will be good hostages."</p> +<p>In a moment, before we had time so much as to spur our horses, +much less to draw sword, we were seized and pinioned by the men in +spite of the rearing of the frightened steeds. Plainly it was not +the first time they had handled men in that wise. Then, with a +warrior on either side of us, we were hurried seaward; and I +thought it best to hold my tongue, for there was not the least use +in protesting. So also thought my cousin, for he never said a +word.</p> +<p>Along the rough wharves there was bustle and noise enough, for +the place swarmed with the mailed seamen, who had littered the +roadway with goods of all sorts from the houses and merchants' +stores, and were getting what they chose to take across the gang +planks into their ships. Here and there I saw some of our people +standing helpless in doorways, or looking from the loft windows and +stairways; but it was plain that the most of them had fled. There +were several boatloads of them crossing the bay with all speed for +safety.</p> +<p>Next I saw that at the high stems and sterns of the ships stood +posted men, who seemed to be on watch, leaning on their spears, and +taking no part in the bustle. But every man worked with his arms +ready, and more men who had found horses rode out along the roads +as we came in. They were the pickets who would watch for the +raising of the country, or who would drive in the cattle from the +fields.</p> +<p>Twice I had seen border warfare with the west Welsh on the Devon +side of our country, and so I knew what these horsemen were about, +or rather guessed it. But at the time all the affair was a confused +medley to me, if I seem to see it plainly now as I look back. Maybe +I saw more from the ships presently, for we were hurried on board, +handed over to the ship guard and there left, while our captors +rode away again.</p> +<p>I only hoped that when the first messengers reached Beaduheard +the sheriff he would bring force enough with him. But I doubted +it.</p> +<p>The guard took our weapons from us, bound us afresh but not very +tightly, and set us with our backs against the gunwale of the fore +deck of the ship they had us on board, which was that with the +raven flag. Over us towered a wonderful carven dragon's head, +painted green and gilded, and at the stern of the ship rose what +was meant for its carven tail. The other ships had somewhat the +same adornment to their stems and stern posts, but they were not so +high or so handsome. Plainly this was the chief's own ship.</p> +<p>Now I suppose that the presence of a captive or two was no new +thing to the men, for when they had secured us each to a ring bolt +with a short line, they paid little heed to us, but stood and +talked to one another with hardly a glance in our direction. Seeing +which my cousin spoke to me in a low voice.</p> +<p>"This is a bad business, Wilfrid," he said. "Poor lad, I am more +than sorry I let you come with me. Forgive me. I ought to have +known that there was danger."</p> +<p>"Trouble not at all," I said, as stoutly as I could, which is +not saying much. "I wanted to come, and there was no reason to +think that things would go thus. Even now I suppose we shall be let +go presently."</p> +<p>Elfric shook his head. I could see that he was far more deeply +troubled than he cared to show, and my heart sank.</p> +<p>"I cannot rightly make it all out," he said. "But these men are +certainly the northern strangers who have harried Wales, even as we +feared."</p> +<p>"Well," I said, "we shall have the sheriff here shortly."</p> +<p>"Beaduheard? I suppose so. Little help will be from him. It +would take three days to raise force enough to drive off these men, +and he is headstrong and hot tempered. His only chance is to scare +them away with a show of force, or, at best, to prevent their going +inland after plunder; for that is what they are here for."</p> +<p>"Maybe they will hold us to ransom."</p> +<p>"That is the best we can hope for. Of course I will pay +yours."</p> +<p>The bustle went on, and I watched the stowing of the plunder +after this, for I had no more to say. I thought of my father, and +of the trouble he would be in if he knew my plight, and tried to +think what a tale I should have to tell him when I reached home +again.</p> +<p>And then came an old warrior, well armed and handsome, with +iron-gray hair and beard, and he stepped on the deck and looked +curiously at us.</p> +<p>"Captives, eh?" he said to the men. "Whence came they?"</p> +<p>"Thorleif sent them in," answered one of the guard. "It was his +word that they would be good hostages."</p> +<p>As I knew that this man spoke of his chief, it seemed to me that +he was hardly respectful; but I did not know the way of free Danes +and vikings as yet. There was no disrespect at all, in truth, but +full loyalty and discipline in every way. Only it sounded strangely +to a Saxon to hear no term of rank or respect added to the bare +name of a leader.</p> +<p>Then the old warrior turned toward us, and looked us over again, +and I thought he seemed kindly, and, from his way, another chief of +some rank.</p> +<p>"I suppose this is your son?" he said to Elfric directly.</p> +<p>"My young cousin," answered the thane. "Let him go, I pray you; +for he is far from his own folk, and he was in my charge. You may +bid him ride home without a word to any man if you will, and he +will keep the trust."</p> +<p>The warrior shook his head, but smiled.</p> +<p>"No, I cannot do that. However, I suppose Thorleif will let you +go by and by. If our having you here saves trouble, you may be +thankful. We are not here to fight if we can help it."</p> +<p>"Why, then," said Elfric, "unbind us, and we will bide here +quietly. You may take the word of a thane."</p> +<p>"I have always heard that the word of a Saxon is to be relied +on," said the old warrior, and gave an order to the guard.</p> +<p>Whereon they freed us, and glad I was to stretch my limbs again, +while my spirits rose somewhat.</p> +<p>The old chief talked with us for a while after that, and made no +secret of whence the ships had come. It seemed that they were +indeed from Wales, had touched on the south coast of Ireland, and +thence had rounded the Land's End, and, growing short of food, had +put in here. Also, he told us that they had been "collecting +property," and were on the way home to Denmark. He thought they +were the first ships of the Danes to cruise in these waters, and +was proud of it.</p> +<p>"It is a wondrously fair land of yours here," he said, looking +inland on the rolling downs and forest-hidden valleys.</p> +<p>"Fairer than your own?" I asked.</p> +<p>"Surely; else why should we care to leave our homes?"</p> +<p>"Ho, Thrond!" shouted some man from the wharves, "here are +cattle coming in."</p> +<p>The old warrior turned and left us, going ashore. Round the +turning of the street inland, whence we came, some of the mounted +men were driving our red cattle from the nearer meadows, and doing +it well as any drover who ever waited for hire at a fair. I saw +that they had great heavy-headed dogs, tall and smooth haired, +which worked well enough, though not so well as our rough gray +shepherd dogs. The ship we were in lay alongside the wooden wharf; +and one could watch all that went on, for the fore deck was high +above the busy crowd ashore.</p> +<p>I wondered for a few minutes what the Danes would do with the +cattle; but they had no doubt at all. Before old Thrond had reached +them the work of slaughter had begun, and wonderfully fast the men +were carrying the meat on board the ships, heaping it in piles +forward, and throwing the hides over the heaps. I heard one of the +guards say to another that this was a good "strand hewing," that +being their name for this hasty victualling of the ships.</p> +<p>More cattle came in presently, and sheep also, to be served in +the same way. There were a hundred and fifty men or so on each +ship, and I think that this was the first landing they had made +since they left Ireland, so that they were in need of plenty of +stores.</p> +<p>Then all in the midst of the bustle came the wild note of a war +horn from somewhere inland beyond the town, and in a moment every +man stood still where he happened to be, and listened. Twice again +the note sounded, and a horseman came clattering down to the shore. +He was Thorleif, the chief with whom we had spoken, and he reined +up the horse and lifted his hand, with a short, sharp order of some +kind.</p> +<p>At that every man dropped what he was carrying, and the men who +were stowing the plunder on board the ships left their work and +hurried ashore, gripping their weapons from where they had set them +against the gunwales. There was a moment's wild hurrying on the +wharves, and then the warriors were drawn up in three lines along +the wharf, across the berths where they had laid the ships, and +facing the landward road. Only the ship guard never stirred.</p> +<p>"If only we could get our men to form up like these!" said +Elfric. "See, every man knows his place, and keeps it. They are +silent also. Mind you the way of our levies?"</p> +<p>I did well enough. Never had I seen aught like this. For our +folk, called up from plough and forest hastily--and now and then +only--have never been taught the long lesson of order and readiness +that these men had learned of necessity in the yearly battle with +wind and wave in their ships. Nor had they ever to face a foe any +better ordered than themselves.</p> +<p>"Is the sheriff at hand?" I said breathlessly.</p> +<p>"Maybe. I hope not closely."</p> +<p>Down the street galloped a few more Danes, looking behind them +as they rode. They spoke to Thorleif, and he laughed, and then +turned their horses loose and leaped to their places in the ranks. +Thorleif dismounted also, and paced to and fro, as a waiting seaman +will, with his arms behind him.</p> +<p>And then came a rush of horsemen, and my cousin gripped my arm, +and cried out in a choked voice:</p> +<p>"Mercy!" he gasped, "is the man mad?"</p> +<p>The new horsemen were men of our own from Dorchester. I saw one +or two of Elfric's housecarls among them, and the rest were the +sheriff's own men, with a few franklins who had joined him on the +road.</p> +<p>At the head of the group rode Beaduheard himself, red and hot +with his ride, and plainly in a rage. His rough brown beard +bristled fiercely, and his hand griped the bridle so that the +knuckles were white. He had armed himself, and his men were armed +also, but their gear showed poorly beside the Danish harness. He +had hardly more than twenty men after him, and I thought he had +outridden his followers who were on foot.</p> +<p>"O fool!" groaned Elfric. "What is the use of this?"</p> +<p>But we could do nothing, and watched in anxiety to see what +Beaduheard had in his mind. It was impossible that he could have +ridden in here with no warning of the real danger, as we had ridden +two hours ago, before things had gone so far. Every townsman had +fled long since, and would be making for Dorchester. He must have +met them.</p> +<p>Now he halted in front of that terrible silent line, while his +men seemed to shrink somewhat as they, too, pulled up. Then he +faced Thorleif as boldly as if he had the army of Wessex behind +him, and spoke his mind.</p> +<p>"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted in his great voice. +"We can have no breaking of the king's peace here, let me tell you. +Set down those arms, and do your errand here as peaceful merchants, +whereto will be no hindrance. But concerning the lifting of cattle +which has gone on, I must have your leaders brought to Dorchester, +there to answer for the same."</p> +<p>There was a moment's silence, and then the Danes broke into a +great roar of laughter. Even Thorleif's grim face had a smile on +it, and he set his hand to his mouth, and stroked his long +moustache as if hiding it, while he looked wonderingly at the angry +man before him. But beside me Elfric stamped his foot with +impatience, and muttered curses on the foolhardiness of the +sheriff, which, indeed, I suppose no one understands to this +day.</p> +<p>Some say that he took them for merchants, run wild indeed, but +to be brought to soberness by authority. Others think that finding +himself, as it were, in a wolf's mouth, he was minded to carry it +off with a high hand, seeing no other way out of the danger. But +most think that he had such belief in his own power that he did +indeed look to see these men bow to it, and lay down their arms +then and there. But none will ever know, by reason of what was to +come.</p> +<p>"Throw down your arms!" he commanded again, when the laughter +ceased.</p> +<p>His voice shook with rage.</p> +<p>"Stay!" said Thorleif. "What is your authority?"</p> +<p>The question was put very courteously, if coldly, and it was +common sense.</p> +<p>"I am the sheriff of Dorchester. Whence are you that you should +defy the king's officer?"</p> +<p>"Pardon," said Thorleif. "It is only at this moment that we have +learned that we have so great a man before us. As for your +question, we are hungry Danes who are looking for victuals. It is +our custom to go armed in a strange land, that we may protect our +ships at the least."</p> +<p>"Trouble not for your ships, for none will harm them," +Beaduheard said, seeming to be somewhat pacified by the quiet way +of the chief. "Set down your arms, and render up yourself and the +other ship captains, and the theft of the cattle and damage here +shall be compounded for at Dorchester."</p> +<p>Then Thorleif turned to his men and said:</p> +<p>"You hear what the sheriff says; what is the answer?"</p> +<p>That came in a crash and rattle of weapons on round shields that +rang over the bay, and sent the staring cattle headlong from where +they had been left at the wharf end, tail in air, down the beach. +There was no doubting what that meant, and Beaduheard, brave man as +he was, if foolish, recoiled. His men were already edging out of +the wide space toward the homeward track, and he glanced at them +and saw it.</p> +<p>At that he seemed to form some sudden resolve; and calling to +them, he rode straight at Thorleif and griped him by the collar of +his mail shirt, crying that he arrested him in the name of Bertric +the king. Thorleif never struggled, but twisted himself round +strongly, and hauled the sheriff off his horse in a moment, and the +two rolled over and over on the ground, wrestling fiercely. Three +or four of Beaduheard's men rode up to their master's help in +haste, caring naught that a dozen of the Danes had sprung forward. +There was a wild shouting and stamping, and the horses went down as +the axes of the Danes flashed. Two more of the sheriff's men joined +in, and I saw the Danes hew off the points of their levelled +spears. Then into the huddled party of our men who were watching +the fight--still doubting whether they should join in or fly--rode +a dozen Danes from out of the country, axe and sword in hand, +driving them back on the main line of the vikings, and then the +fight seemed to end as suddenly as it began. Two or three horses +went riderless homeward, and that was how Dorchester learned that +Beaduheard the sheriff had met his end.</p> +<p>The Danes fell back into their places, one or two with wounds on +them; and Thorleif rose up from the ground, shaking his armour into +place, and looking round him on those who lay there. They were all +Saxons. Not one had escaped.</p> +<p>"Pick up the sheriff," he said to some of his men. "I never saw +a braver fool. Maybe he is not hurt."</p> +<p>But, however he died, Beaduheard never moved again. Some of the +Danes said that a horse must have kicked him; Thorleif had never +drawn weapon.</p> +<p>"Pity," said Thorleif. "He was somewhat of a Berserk; but he +brought it on himself."</p> +<p>Which was true enough, and we knew it. Neither Elfric nor I had +a word to say to each other. The whole fight had sprung up and was +over almost before we knew what was happening.</p> +<p>Then the Danes mounted the horses of the men who had fallen, +caught the others they had turned loose on the alarm, and were off +on their errands without delay. The ranks fell out, and went back +to their work as if nothing had happened, and the wharf buzzed with +peaceful-seeming noise again.</p> +<p>That is how the first Danes came to Wessex. Men say that these +three ships were the first Danish vessels that came to all England; +and so it may be, as far as coming on viking raids is concerned. +Wales knew them, and Ireland, and now our turn had come.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a>. HOW WILFRID KEPT A +PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND RACE.</h2> +<p>All the rest of that afternoon we two had to bide on the narrow +fore deck of the long ship, watching the pillage of the little +town. Once I waxed impatient, and asked my cousin if we might not +try to escape, seeing that little heed was paid to us, and that our +staying here as hostages had been of no use. But he shook his head, +telling me that until he had spoken with Thorleif or Thrond, to +whom we had passed our word, we must bide; which I saw was +right.</p> +<p>Presently, as the evening began to close in, Thorleif came to +us, and with him was the old chief. After them came a man with food +in plenty in a ship's cauldron, and a leathern jack of ale, which +he set before us as we sat on the coils of rope which were stowed +forward.</p> +<p>"Welsh mutton and Welsh ale," said Thorleif, smiling. "That is +plunder one may ask a Saxon to share without offence. Fall to, I +pray you."</p> +<p>There was a rough courtesy in this, at the least intended, and +we were hungry, so we did not delay. And as we ate, the chief spoke +with us plainly.</p> +<p>"I had hoped," he said, "to manage this raid without fighting, +but I never met so headstrong a man as your sheriff. Truly, I would +have sent him home in peace, if in a hurry, had we been given a +chance, but, as you saw, we had none. Now, if you will, I will send +one of you home to say that if your folk will pay us fair ransom in +coined silver or weighed gold, we will harry no more, and will not +burn the town. One of you shall go at once, and bring me word by +noon at latest tomorrow, while the other shall bide as hostage for +his return. We will do no harm to aught until the time is up."</p> +<p>"Plain speaking, chief," said Elfric. "If we go, we must not +have more than a reasonable sum named, else will the message be +useless."</p> +<p>Then they talked of what sum should be named, and in the end +agreed on what was possible, I think; at all events, it was far +less than has been paid to the like force of Danes since. The +riches of our peaceful Wessex were as yet unknown to the vikings, +save by hearsay; indeed, it has been said that these three ships +came to spy out the land. And then came the question as to which of +us two was to go.</p> +<p>That was ended by Thorleif himself. I said that Elfric should +go, and he was most anxious that I should be freed from the +clutches of the Danes. And as we spoke thereof, neither of us being +willing to give way--for, indeed, it did not seem to me that it +mattered much whether I stayed, while Elfric had his own family, +who would be sorely terrified for him--Thorleif decided it.</p> +<p>"Elfric the thane must go," he said, "for men will listen to +him. That is the main thing, after all.</p> +<p>"We will not harm your cousin, thane, and you may be easy in +your mind."</p> +<p>"Nay," said Thrond, "I think that Dorchester would pay ransom +for the thane willingly. Best let the lad go."</p> +<p>"This is more a question of ransoming the town and countryside, +foster father," answered Thorleif. "The thane shall go."</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour he was gone, the Danes giving him back +his weapons and mounting him on his own horse. He told me that he +had no doubt that I should be freed by noon tomorrow, and so we +parted in good spirits, as far as ourselves were concerned.</p> +<p>As to the trouble that had fallen on the land, that was another +matter. I did not rightly take it in, but it was heavy on his mind. +For myself, therefore, I was content enough; I had no reason to +think that the Danes were likely to treat me evilly in any way.</p> +<p>Nor did they. On the other hand, as if I were one of themselves, +they set me by the chief when they made a feast presently, and did +not ask me questions about the country; which was what I feared. +Most likely their riders had learned all they would from +others.</p> +<p>When it grew dark they lighted great fires along the wharves, +and sat by them in their arms, drinking the Weymouth ale, and +eating the Dorset fare they had taken. The ship guards went ashore, +and their places were taken by others, and I saw strong pickets +passing out of the town to guard the ways into it. Thorleif would +not risk aught in the way of safeguard. After that was done, those +whose watch off it was went on board the ships, and slept under the +shelter of the gunwales, wrapped in their thick sea cloaks. They +gave me one, and bade me rest on the after deck by the chiefs; and +in spite of the strangeness of everything I slept dreamlessly, +being tired in mind as well as in body.</p> +<p>Next morning things were to all seeming much the same. The Danes +had kept their word, and all was peaceful. There being nothing more +in the town left worth taking, they stowed everything carefully, +and made all ready for sailing. And then, halfway between noon and +sunrise, Elfric rode back.</p> +<p>I did not see him, for he was not suffered to come beyond the +line of outposts, and all that he had to say, of course, I did not +know at the time. One came and told Thorleif that the thane waited +to speak with him, and he was gone from the ships for half an hour +with Thrond. When he came back his face was grimmer than ever, and +a red scar which crossed his forehead was burning crimson. He +stayed to speak to the men on the wharves, and some order he gave +was passed from one to another, and in ten minutes every man had +left the wharves and had passed inland, with him at their head.</p> +<p>"Ho, that is it!" said one of the ship guard from the deck below +me.</p> +<p>"What is it?" I asked, for I had been talking to the man in all +friendly wise, of ship and sea and strange lands.</p> +<p>"Why, your folk will not pay, and so we must needs take payment +for ourselves in the viking's way."</p> +<p>I said no more, nor did the man. I think he was sorry for me; +but it was not long before he called to me and pointed to the +hillside above the town. On it was a black throng of folk, slowly +coming down toward us.</p> +<p>"Your people coming to drive us out," he said, laughing a short +laugh.</p> +<p>Then he and his comrades bustled about the ship, setting every +loose thing in place, until the decks were clear. In the other +ships the guard were at the same work, and at last they cast off +all the shore lines but one at stem and stern. The ships might sail +at the moment their men were on board if they were beaten back.</p> +<p>About that time the farther houses in Weymouth began to burn, +and I heard the Wessex war cry rise, hoarse and savage, as the foes +met. There were more of our men coming over the hill, and it was +good to me to see that the Danes, who watched as eagerly as I, +waxed silent and anxious. One said that there seemed a many folk +hereabout, as if the gathering against them was more than they +cared for.</p> +<p>Now I did not know what I had best wish for. Sometimes I thought +that if our men were beaten back they might come to terms, and I +should be freed. And it being a thing impossible that I could hope +that Wessex was to be beaten, and next to impossible that I should +so much as imagine she could, I mostly wondered what would happen +to me when the Danes had to seek the ships. But as the noise of the +fight drew nearer, and the black smoke from burning houses grew +thicker, I forgot myself, and only wished I was with Elfric in that +struggle; and at last I could stand it no longer.</p> +<p>"Let me go, men," I said; "I cannot bide here."</p> +<p>"We must, and you have to," said the friendly man. "We want to +help as much as you, but here we have to stay. Be quiet."</p> +<p>"Ay, or we will bind you again," said another man shortly.</p> +<p>But neither looked toward me; their eyes were on the road +inland, down which we could not see, for it opened at the end of +the wharf.</p> +<p>Now a wounded man or two crawled down that road, and some of the +guard helped them to the ships. They growled fiercely when their +comrades asked how things went, and thereby I knew that it was ill +for the Danes. The houses nearer the wharves were burning one after +another, as they were driven back.</p> +<p>At last there came a rush of Danes down that road, and into the +seaward houses they went, and fired them. Then they came on board +the ships, and bade the ship guard relieve them at the front. More +than one of those who came thus had slight wounds on them, but they +did not heed them.</p> +<p>"Keep still, lad," said my friend as he hurried away. "The men +are savage. We are getting the worst of it--not for the first +time."</p> +<p>Savage enough the men were, and I saw that the advice was good; +so I sat down on the steering bench and went on watching. But I was +not long left in peace. The noise of the fight came closer and +closer, and the wounded crept in a piteous stream to us. And then a +man would look to the after line from the ship to the bollard on +the wharf, and leaped on the after deck close to me.</p> +<p>"Out of the way, you Saxon!" he said savagely, and with that +sent me across the deck with a fierce push which was almost a blow; +and that was the spark which was all I needed to set my smouldering +impatience alight.</p> +<p>I recovered myself, and without a word hit him fairly in the +face with all my weight behind a good blow from the shoulder, and +sent him spinning in turn. He went headlong over the edge of the +raised deck, and lit among a group of his comrades, thereby saving +himself from what would have been a heavy fall on his head and +shoulders.</p> +<p>"Well hit, Saxon!" shouted a man from the nearest ship, and +there was a great roar of laughter thence.</p> +<p>However, before his comrades, who had been watching the fires +they had lighted, knew rightly how the man had thus been hurled on +them, and were abusing him for clumsiness, he had his sword out, +swearing to end me; and I suppose he might have done so without any +of the others interfering had they understood the matter. But he +was a heavy man, and mailed moreover; whereby three or four were +smarting under his weight. So they fell on him and held his arm, +thinking, no doubt, that he was resenting their words; which was +the saving of me, for at that moment a roar came from the wharf, +and slowly out of the lane end we had been watching came Thorleif's +men. Their faces were toward the foe, and those who led the retreat +were at work with their bows, shooting over the heads of those +before them at the press which drove them back. And some leader +from among them, with lifted sword, signed to the ship guards to +heed the open end of the wharf, to my right.</p> +<p>They forgot the little matter on hand, and ran ashore. Then I +noted that on that end of the wharf, where a narrow lane came down +to the water, there was another fight going on, and they had to +support the Danes there. The other end of the wharf was kept by a +curve of the shore, and that was safe.</p> +<p>Presently all the Danes were back on the water front, and across +the end of the two entrances to its wide space they drew some heavy +wagons, which had been set there in readiness, blocking them. One +could only see now and then what was being done, as the wind +drifted the black smoke aside, for now every house was burning +fiercely.</p> +<p>Then came a wild and yet orderly rush of the Danes to the ships, +and it was wonderful to see each man get to his post at the oars as +he came. Three men went to each oar port. One had the oar ready for +thrusting outboard, one stood by with his shield ready to protect +the rower, and the other, standing in the midship gangway, had his +bow ready.</p> +<p>Thrond came on board with the first, and leaped to the steering +deck, where he grasped the tiller, paying no heed to me. His eyes +were on the lane end. I got out of his way, and stood by the stern +post, with my arm round the dragon tail.</p> +<p>For I saw nothing else to do but to keep quiet. I did not know +rightly whether honour compelled me to stay as a captive still, but +I thought it did. But if not, in one way I could have escaped; for +I had been forgotten, and every man was watching the shore. I could +drop overboard and swim ashore somewhere beyond the reach of the +Danes, being a good swimmer; but as I say, I doubted if I might. So +I stayed, whether wrongly or not I will leave others to decide; but +seeing that I doubted, I think I need not be blamed for doing as I +did.</p> +<p>One of the houses fell in with a tremendous crash, and an +eddying of smoke and flame across the wharf to leeward. Out of that +smother came running the men who had left the ships just now, +stooping and hiding their blackened faces from the sparks with +their shields, and they too found their posts at once. A dozen came +on the after deck with bows, and lined the shoreward gunwale.</p> +<p>Hardly had they come on board when the rest came in a rush, +Thorleif being last of all. Behind them the wharf was empty, save +for one man whom an arrow out of the smoke caught up and smote. +Thorleif heard him fall, though in the turmoil of trampling feet I +could not; and he turned back to him, and lifted him as if he had +been a child, and bore him on board. Then the gang planks rattled +in, and the lines were cast off, and the ship began to move.</p> +<p>Still the wharf was empty. I think the Saxons had been driven +back for a while, and that they did not yet know, so thick was the +smoke of the burning, that the barrier at the end of the lane was +unguarded.</p> +<p>Now there were five yards between ship and shore--then ten--then +twenty. The oars took the water, and she headed for sea. Out of the +smoke came my people, and ran yelling across the open, and I seemed +to wake up.</p> +<p>"Thrond," I cried, "I take back my promise. Let me go."</p> +<p>"Eh!" he said, looking round.</p> +<p>I was then with my hands on the gunwale, in the act of leaping +overboard, when he reached round and held me fast.</p> +<p>"Steady, fool!" he said; "you will have a dozen arrows through +you.</p> +<p>"Here, hold him," he said sharply.</p> +<p>And the men fell on me, binding me deftly with a few turns of a +line, and then troubling themselves no more about me.</p> +<p>Next moment there was a sharp hiss, and an arrow from the shore +stuck in the deck close to me, and another chipped the tail of the +dragon and glanced into the sea. I mind noting that many another +such splinter had been taken from that stern post, and presently +saw--for I lay on my back, helpless--that a flint arrowhead still +showed itself through a new coat of paint. It was too deeply bedded +to be cut out, or else it was token of some honourable fight. It at +least had come from forward, whereas I thought that most of the +chips had come from astern, as this new one did. It is strange what +little things one will notice when at one's wits' end.</p> +<p>The shouts ashore grew more faint, and at last were past. The +crew were very silent, but the oars swung steadily, and at last +Thorleif came from the midship gangway and saw me. The weary men +laid in the oars at that moment, and threw themselves down to +rest.</p> +<p>"Ho, Saxon!" he said, "on my word I had forgotten you. Who had +you tied up?"</p> +<p>"I did," said Thrond. "He said somewhat about taking back a +promise, and wanted to go overboard."</p> +<p>Thorleif stooped and unbound me, and I thanked him.</p> +<p>"Well, you won't go overboard now," he said, nodding toward the +shore.</p> +<p>The great rock of Portland was broad off on our right, and maybe +we were five miles from the nearest shore. Astern--for we were +still heading out to sea--the smoke of burning Weymouth hung black +against the blue sky. It was just such a day as yesterday, fair and +warm, and the land I loved had never seemed so lovely.</p> +<p>"Let me go, chief," I said; "it is of no use for you to keep +me."</p> +<p>"Why," he answered, "I don't know that it is. But your folk +would pay no ransom, and it would seem foolish if I had let you go +offhand. Not but what your folk have not proved their wisdom, for +they have got rid of us pretty cheaply. Odin! how they swarmed on +us!"</p> +<p>"Ay," growled Thrond. "I did not dream that so many men could be +gathered in so few hours; but they fought anyhow, and it was only a +matter of numbers. Well, the place is good enough, and it is but a +question of more ships next time."</p> +<p>"Why did not you try an escape when we were all busy in the +fight?" asked Thorleif, turning to me. "I have lost more than one +captive in that way."</p> +<p>I told him, and he looked kindly enough at me, and smiled in his +grim way.</p> +<p>"You were right in saying that a Saxon's word was good, Thrond," +he said.</p> +<p>"I am sorry we can in no way send you back now. Your cousin did +his best to win his folk to peace--and fought well when he could +not. Nay, he is not hurt, so far as I know."</p> +<p>"Let me swim ashore, if there is no other way," I said, with a +dull despair on me.</p> +<p>Thorleif looked at the sea and frowned.</p> +<p>"I could not do it myself," he said. "There is a swift current +round yon headland. See, it is setting us eastward even now."</p> +<p>But I did not wait to hear any more; I shook my shoes off, and +over I went. The wake of the swift vessel closed over my head as +the men shouted, and when I came to the surface I looked back once. +It seemed that Thorleif was preventing the men from sending a +shower of arrows after me, but in those few moments a long space of +water had widened between us; and I doubt whether they would have +hit me, for I could have dived.</p> +<p>Then I headed for shore and freedom, and it was good to be in +the water alone with silence round me. As for the other two ships, +they were half a mile away from Thorleif's, and I did not heed +them. So I never looked back, but gave myself to the warm waves, +and saved my strength for the long swim before me. There was not +much sea, and what there was set more or less shoreward, so that it +did not hinder me. Presently I shook myself out of my tunic, and +was more free.</p> +<p>I suppose that I swam steadily for an hour before I began to +think in earnest what a long way the land yet was from me. In +another half hour I had to try to make myself believe that it was +growing nearer. Certainly Portland was farther from me, but that +was the set of the current; and presently I knew, with a terrible +sinking of heart, that the land also was lessening in my sight. The +current was sweeping me away from it.</p> +<p>When I understood that, I turned on my back and rested. Then I +saw that the ships were not so far away as I had expected. I seemed +to have made little way from them also; which puzzled me. They had +not yet set sail, and it was almost as if the oars were idle. I +think they were not more than a mile off. I could almost have wept +with vexation, so utterly did all the toil seem to be thrown away. +However, a matter of two hours in the water when as pleasant as +this was nothing to me, for I had stayed as long therein, many a +time, for sport. So I hoped to do better with the turn of the tide, +and let myself go easily to wait for it.</p> +<p>We had left Weymouth when the flood had three hours more to run, +so I had not long to wait. It turned; and I knew when it turned, +because the wind against it raised a sea which bid fair to wear me +out. I had to go with it more or less.</p> +<p>Then, indeed, the land seemed very dear to me, and I began to +think of home and of those who sat there deeming that all was well +with me. They would never know how I had ended. I will not say much +of all that went on in my mind, save only that I am ashamed of +naught that passed through it. Nor did I swim less strongly for the +thoughts, but struggled on steadily.</p> +<p>And at last the sun set, and the wind came chill over the water, +and I knew that little hope was for me. Again I turned on my back +and rested, and I grew drowsy, I think.</p> +<p>Now the daylight faded from the sky, and overhead the stars +began to come out; but as the sky darkened the sea seemed to grow +brighter. Presently all around me seemed to sparkle, and I wondered +listlessly that the stars were so bright in the water to one who +swam among their reflections. Then the little crests of foam on the +waves seemed on fire, and my arms struck sparks, as it were from +the water, as the sparks fly from the anvil. Only these were palest +blue, not red, and I wondered at them, thinking at first that they +were fancy, or from the shine of the bright stars above.</p> +<p>And all of a sudden, ahead of me, moved swiftly in the sea and +across my way a sheet of dazzling blue brightness, and it +frightened me. Often as I had seen the sea and swum in it, I had +never seen the like of this, nor had heard of it. The sheet of +silver fire turned and drew toward me, and I ceased swimming, and +stood, treading water, watching it. Out of its midmost fires darted +long streaks of light, everywhere, lightning swift, coming and +going ceaselessly.</p> +<p>Into the midst of that brightness rushed five bolts of flame, +and scattered it. The water boiled, alive with the darting fires +around me and under my feet, and my heart stood still with terror. +Yet I was not harmed. And then I saw one of those great white-hot +silver bolts hurl itself from sea to air in a wide arch, and fall +back again into the water with a mighty splash; and all the flying +water seemed to burn as it fled.</p> +<p>Truly it was but a school of mackerel, and the porpoises which +fed on the silver fish, all made wonderful by the eerie fires of a +summer sea; but I could not tell that all at once. I think that I +knew what it was when the great sea pig leaped, for his shape was +plain to me. The shoal went its way, and after it the harmless +porpoises. But the sea was fairly alight now; all round me it shone +with its soft glow, and my body was wondrous with it, and I seemed +to float in naught but light.</p> +<p>Then I think that I wandered in my mind, what with the fright +and weariness; for I had been five or six hours in the water, and +it was long since I had tasted food. It came to me that I was dead +at last, and that I was far in the sky, floating on bright air, +with stars above me and stars below. And that seemed good to me. I +rested, paddling just enough to keep myself upright and forget my +troubles in wonderment.</p> +<p>Surely that was a voice singing! There was a strange melody I +had never heard the like of, and it came from the brightness not +far from me. I came back to knowledge of where I was with a start, +trying to make out from which direction it sounded.</p> +<p>"This is a nixie trying to lure me to the depth," I thought. +"Truly, he need not take the trouble; for thither I must go +shortly, without any coaxing."</p> +<p>I turned myself in the water, trying to see if I could make out +the singer, but I could not. Seeing that no other was likely to be +swimming in Portland race but myself, I had no thought that the +song was human.</p> +<p>But I could find nothing. When my face was seaward, I saw far +off the ships I had left, indeed; and one seemed to have set her +sail, for it showed as a square patch of blackness against the sky, +but no voice could come from them to me. Presently I thought that +somewhat dark rose and fell on the little waves between me and her, +but that was doubtless the tunic I had given to the water. I did +not think of wondering why I still saw it after all this long swim, +but I seemed to have made no headway from the ships, which were as +near as when I last looked at them.</p> +<p>So I turned again and swam easily, as I thought, shoreward. The +song went on, but it seemed to ring in my ears as the drone of our +miller's pipes comes up from the river on a still summer evening. +Yet it grew more plain.</p> +<p>Then I saw the ships before me. I was swimming in a circle, my +right arm mastering the left, I suppose. That told me how weary I +was, if I had not known it to the full before. At that moment the +song, which was close to me, stopped, and a fiery arm rose from a +wave top against the sky, and seemed to hail me.</p> +<p>"Ho, Wilfrid! have you had enough yet? By Aegir himself, you are +a fine swimmer!"</p> +<p>Through the brightness came a sparkling head, round which the +foam curled in fleecy fire; and shining as I shone, Thorleif the +viking floated up to me and trod the water.</p> +<p>"What, you also?" I said. "Both of us drowned together at +last?"</p> +<p>And with that I went into the brightness below me, and troubled +no more for anything.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a>. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT +THE ATHELING.</h2> +<p>It was indeed Thorleif whom I saw as the deadly faintness of +utter weariness and want of food came over me, and I sank. The +Danes had hardly lost sight of me from the ships, for they had +drifted backward and forward on the tide as I drifted, and I was +never more than a mile from them. Until the tide turned to the +eastward there had been no wind of any use to them, and that which +came with sunset was barely enough to give them steerage way. So +they had watched me for want of somewhat else to do, being worn out +with the long fight; and when I was far off, some keen-sighted +seaman would spy my head as it rose on a wave, and cry that the +Saxon was yet swimming.</p> +<p>Now, if there is one thing that the northern folk of our kin +think much of in the way of sports, it is swimming, and it seems +that I won high praise from all. Maybe they did not consider how a +man who is trying to win his home again from captivity is likely to +do more than his best. At all events, I had never so much as tried +a swim like that before, nor do I think that I could compass it +again. Presently, when the turn of the tide brought with it no eddy +into the bay which set me homeward, Thorleif would let me go no +longer, and followed me in the boat with two men; which was easy +enough, for I swam between the ship and the place where the red +glow of burning Weymouth still shone in the northern sky. He could +not leave me to drown.</p> +<p>For a time, in the growing dusk, he could not find me. Then the +sea fires showed me black against their glow, and the sea tempted +him, and he leaped in after me, singing to cheer me, for it was +plain that I was nearly spent. When he brought me up from the depth +again I had little of the drowned man about me, for I had fainted. +I remember coming round painfully after that swoon, and eating and +drinking, and straightway falling into a dreamless sleep on the +deck of the ship; and I also remember the untoldly evil and fishy +smell of the seal oil they had rubbed me with.</p> +<p>When I came to myself, my first thought was that a solid wall of +that smell stood round me; but such were the virtues of the oil and +the rubbing that when I woke after eighteen hours' sleep I was not +so much as stiff. It would ill beseem me to complain thereof, +therefore, but it might have been fresher.</p> +<p>When I woke from my great sleep it was long past noon. I lay in +the shelter of the gunwales under the curve of the high stern post, +wrapped in a yellow Irish cloak, and in my ears roared and surged a +deep-voiced song, which kept time with the steady roll of oars and +the thrashing of the water under their blades. The ship was +quivering in every timber with the pull of them, and I could feel +her leap to every stroke. The great red and white sail was set +also, and the westerly breeze was humming in it, and over the high +bows the spray arched and fell without ceasing as oar and sail +drove the sharp stem through the seas. Thorleif was in a hurry for +some reason.</p> +<p>Only one man was on the after deck, steering, and he was fully +armed. Save that his brown arm swayed a little, resting on the +carven tiller, as the waves lifted the steering oar with a creak +now and then, he was motionless, looking steadily ahead under the +arch of the foot of the sail. The run of the deck set me higher +than him, and I could not see more than the feet of some men who +were clustered on the fore deck. But I could look all down the +length of the ship, and there every man was armed, even the rowers. +They had hung red and yellow wooden shields all along the gunwales, +raising the bulwark against sea and arrow flight alike by a foot +and more, and the rowers were fairly in shelter under them, if +there was to be a broadside attack.</p> +<p>I never doubted that a fight was intended, though I could not +tell why. Every man was at his post--two to each oar bench beside +the rower, one with ready shield, and the other with bent bow, and +these were looking forward also as they sang that hoarse song which +had roused me. I do not know that I have ever heard aught so +terrible as that. The wildness and savageness of it bides with me, +and of a night when the wind blows round the roof I wake and think +I hear it again. But it set me longing for battle, even here on the +strange deck, and I would that I might join in it.</p> +<p>And then I knew that my own weapons lay beside me, and I sprang +up, and grasped the sword and seax in haste to buckle them on. They +rattled, and the steersman turned his head and laughed at me. It +was old Thrond.</p> +<p>"That is right, lad," he said, turning his head back to watch +his course again. "None the worse for the wetting, it seems."</p> +<p>Truth to tell, I felt little of it, being altogether myself +again after the rest. So I laughed also, setting aside for the +moment the question of what my fate was to be. It was plain that +the man who saved me from the sea and gave me back my arms did not +mean to make a captive of me in any hard sort.</p> +<p>"Only mightily hungry," I said. "It seems that I have slept +heavily."</p> +<p>Thrond jerked his free thumb toward a pitcher and wooden bowl +that were set near me, without looking round.</p> +<p>"So I suppose," he said. "Eat well, and then we will see what +sort of a viking you make. You have half an hour or so."</p> +<p>Ale and beef there were, ready for me, and I took them and sat +down at the feet of the old chief, with my legs hanging over the +edge of the fore deck. Thence I could see that Thorleif was +forward, and that away to the northward of us a ship was heading +across our course, under sail only. The two other Danish ships were +far astern of us, but their oars were flashing in the sun as they +made after us.</p> +<p>Then I looked northward for England, but there was only the +sea's rim, and over that a bank of white summer clouds. Under the +sun, to the south, was a long blue line of hills whose shapes were +strange to me, and that was the Frankish shore. We were far across +the Channel, and still heading eastward.</p> +<p>"Thrond," I said, "are you after that ship yonder?"</p> +<p>"Ay. She will be a Frankish trader going home, and worth +overhauling. Maybe there will be no fight, however; but one never +knows."</p> +<p>Now it was in my mind to ask him what would be done with me, but +I did not. That was perhaps a matter which must be settled +hereafter, and not on the eve of a fight at sea. Moreover, I +thought that a Frankish ship was fair game for any one, and that if +I were needed there was no reason at all why I should not take a +hand in the fight. Certainly I should fare no worse for taking my +plight in the best way I could. So I held my tongue and went on +eating.</p> +<p>One or two of the men looked up from the oars and grinned at me, +and of these one had a black eye, being the man I had knocked off +the deck. It was plain that he bore no malice, so I smiled back at +him, and lifted the jug of ale toward him as I drank. He was a +pleasant-looking man enough, now that the savagery of battle had +passed from him.</p> +<p>Now I would have it remembered that a Saxon lad reared on the +west Welsh marches is not apt to think much of a cattle raid and +the fighting that ends it, and that with these Danes, who were so +like ourselves, we had as yet no enmity. It seemed to me that being +in strange company I must even fit myself to it, and all was +wonderful to me in the sight of the splendid ship and her +well-armed, well-ordered crew. Maybe, had we not been speeding to a +fight the like of which I had never so much as heard of, I should +have thought of home and the fears of those who would hear that I +was gone; but as things were, how could I think of aught but what +was on hand?</p> +<p>We were nearing the vessel fast, and seeing that she did not +turn her head and fly, old Thrond growled that there was some fight +in her.</p> +<p>"Unless," he added with a hard chuckle, "they have never so much +as heard of a viking. Are there pirates in this sea, lad?"</p> +<p>"They say that the seamen from the southern lands are, betimes. +I have heard of ships taken by swarthy men thence. The Cornish tin +merchants tell the tales of them."</p> +<p>"Tin?" said Thrond. "Now I would that we had heard thereof +before. I reckon we passed some booty westward. Eh, well, we shall +know better next time."</p> +<p>After that he was silent, watching the ship ahead. She was a +great heavy trader, with higher sides than this swift longship.</p> +<p>And presently, as I watched her, a thought came to me, and I was +ashamed that I had not asked before if it was true that my cousin +had not been hurt in the fighting.</p> +<p>"He was not harmed," answered the old chief. "He hurt us; he is +a good fighter. Get yon shield and hold it ready to cover me. It is +not worth while to have the helmsman shot, and it will set a man +free to fight forward."</p> +<p>Now the ship was within arrow shot, and we could see that there +were few men on her decks. Thorleif hailed her to heave to, sending +an arrow on her deck by way of hint. Whereon she shot up into the +wind, and her sail rattled down. Thrond whistled to himself.</p> +<p>"Empty as a dry walnut shell, or I am mistaken," he said between +his teeth.</p> +<p>Then he shouted to Thorleif, and some order came back. The sail +was lowered, and the ship swung alongside the stranger under oars +only, while a rush of men came aft. Thorleif hailed the other ship +to send him a line from the bows, and one flew on board us as we +shot past. Then in a few moments we were under easy sail again, +towing the great trader slowly after us; and the men were grumbling +at the ease of the capture, thinking, with Thrond, that it boded a +useless chase. Thorleif came aft to speak with the shipmaster from +our stern.</p> +<p>Then there climbed on the bows of the trader a tall, handsome +young man, at the sight of whom I could not withhold a cry of +wonder, for I knew him well. He was Ecgbert the atheling, nephew of +our great king Ina, and the one man whom Bertric feared as a rival +when he came to the throne. His father and mine had been close +friends, and we two had played and hunted together many a time, +until the jealousy of Bertric drove him to seek refuge with Offa of +Mercia. I thought him there yet.</p> +<p>"Yield yourselves," said Thorleif, "and we will speak in peace +of ransom. I will come on board with a score of men, and harm +none."</p> +<p>"We have yielded, seeing that there was no other chance for as," +said Ecgbert quietly. "Come on board if you will, but on my word it +is hardly worth your while. We left in too great a hurry to bring +much with us."</p> +<p>"Whence are you, then, and whither bound?"</p> +<p>"From Mercia, by way of Southampton, and bound anywhere out of +the way of Quendritha the queen. We had a mind to go to Carl the +king, but any port in a storm!"</p> +<p>"Well," said Thorleif, laughing, "I am coming on board. That +must be a terrible dame of whom you speak, if she has set the fear +of death on a warrior such as you seem to be."</p> +<p>Then he bade the men haul on the cable, and the ships drew +together slowly. I had to leave the deck, being in the way of the +men, and Ecgbert did not see me, as far as I could tell.</p> +<p>Thorleif and his men boarded the prize over her bows and went +aft, Ecgbert going with them. The two ships drifted apart again, +and I found my place by Thrond once more, while the men sat on the +gunwale, waiting for the time when their chief should return.</p> +<p>"Who is the queen yon Saxon speaks of?" asked Thrond.</p> +<p>I told him; and as we had heard much of her of late, I also told +him how men said that she had been found on the shore by the king +himself. Whereon Thrond's grave face grew yet more grave, and he +said:</p> +<p>"Lad, is that a true tale?"</p> +<p>"My father had it from the thane who was with the king when they +found her alone in her boat."</p> +<p>"So her name was not Quendritha when she began that voyage?"</p> +<p>"I have heard that she was a heathen. Mayhap the king gave her +the name when she was christened. It means 'the might of the +king.'"</p> +<p>So I suppose that he did, for the hope of what his wife should +be. Nor was the name ill chosen, as it turned out, for all men knew +by this time that the queen was the wisest adviser in all the +council of Mercia in aught to do with the greatness of the +kingdom.</p> +<p>"I have ever had it in my mind that she would get through that +voyage in safety," Thrond said. "Ran would not have her."</p> +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> +<p>"Lad, I saw her start thereon, or so I think. Tell me when she +was found."</p> +<p>That I could do, within a very short time. My father and Offa +had been wedded in the same year, as I had heard him say but a few +days ago, at Winchester, as men talked of the bride whom we had +welcomed, Quendritha's daughter. And as he heard, Thrond's face +grew very dark.</p> +<p>"That is she. Now I will tell you the beginning of that voyage. +I was a courtman then to the father of Thorleif, our jarl here, and +I myself made the boat ready and launched her in it."</p> +<p>And then he told me that which I have set down at the beginning +of this tale--neither more nor less. What was the fullness of the +evil the woman had wrought he did not tell me, and I am glad.</p> +<p>When he ended he sat silent and brooding for a long time. The +ship forged slowly and uneasily over the waves with the heavy +trader after her, and on our decks the men were silent, waiting for +word from Thorleif of what was to be done. We could hear him, now +and then, laughing with the crew of the other ship as if all went +easily.</p> +<p>"Lad," said old Thrond, suddenly turning to me, "you had best +forget all this. It is dangerous to know aught of the secrets of +great folk; and if it comes to the ears of Quendritha that one is +telling such a tale of her, the life of the man who has told it +will not be worth much. Maybe I am wrong, and I speak of one who is +drowned long since; for, indeed, it seems out of the way of chance +that a girl could win across the sea from Denmark to a throne thus. +And if it is true, she has done even as Thorleif's father bade her, +and has left her ways of ill.</p> +<p>"And, yet," he said again, "if ever you have to do with her, +remember what she may have been. It will be ill to offend her, or +to cross her in aught."</p> +<p>"That is the hardest saying that our folk have of her," I said, +"but I have heard it many a time."</p> +<p>"There is much in that saying," Thrond answered grimly.</p> +<p>"Well," I answered shortly, "I suppose that if any man will set +himself against a king or a queen, he has to take the chances."</p> +<p>"Small chance for such an one if the queen be--well, such +another as I helped to set adrift from our shore."</p> +<p>Meaningly that was said, and I had no answer. I was glad that +Thorleif showed himself on the bows of the prize and hailed +Thrond.</p> +<p>"Send the Saxon lad on board here," he said; "we have met with a +friend of his."</p> +<p>That could be none but the atheling, and I leaped up. The men +were heaving on the tow line, and the ships were slowly nearing +each other.</p> +<p>"Thrond," I said breathlessly, "will Thorleif let me go?"</p> +<p>"Of course," he answered, smiling. "We only picked you up again +to save your life. He had a mind to land you on the English shore +presently; for he said you had kept faith with us well, and he +could not let you suffer therefor."</p> +<p>The bows of the trader grated against our stern, and one of the +men gave me a hoist over her gunwale with such good will that I +landed sprawling among the coils of rope on the fore deck. When I +gathered myself up I saw Ecgbert and Thorleif aft, while the Danes +were rummaging the ship, and I made my way to them. And as I came +the atheling stared at me, and then hastened forward with +outstretched hand of welcome.</p> +<p>"Why, Wilfrid, old comrade, how come you here? I heard only of a +West Saxon, and whether this is luck for you or not I do not +know."</p> +<p>"Good luck enough, I think," I answered, with a great hand grip. +"I had not yet let myself wonder how long it would be before I saw +home again."</p> +<p>His face fell, and he looked doubtfully at me.</p> +<p>"I cannot take you home, Wilfrid; I am flying thence myself. The +Danish chief will set you ashore somewhere at his first chance, he +says."</p> +<p>"Why, what is amiss again?"</p> +<p>"The old jealousy, I suppose," he answered grimly. "As if a lad +like myself was likely to try to overturn a throne! Here had I +hardly settled down in Mercia as a fighter of the Welsh and +hanger-on of Offa's court, when there come Bertric's messengers, +asking that I should be given up, and backing the demand with a +request for closer alliance by marriage. Offa, being an honest man, +was for sending the message back unanswered. But the queen had a +mind for the match, and as I was in the way, it was plain to me +that I must be out of it. So I did not wait for Quendritha to +remove me, but removed myself."</p> +<p>"Alone?" I asked.</p> +<p>"Alone, and that hastily. You do not know the lady of Mercia, or +you would not ask."</p> +<p>Now I thought to myself that in the last half hour I had learned +more of that lady than even Ecgbert knew, and I felt that he was +wise in time, if Thrond's tale was true; which, indeed, I began to +believe. But it did not seem right to me that an atheling of Wessex +should be alone, without so much as a housecarl to tend him and +stand at his back at need. I minded what my father taught me since +I could learn.</p> +<p>"Here is your duty, son Wilfrid. First to God; then to the king; +then to the atheling, the king's son, and then to father and +mother; then to the shire reeve and the ealdorman, if so be that +they are loyal; and then to helpless woman and friendless poor man. +But to the weak first of all, against whomsoever will wrong them, +whether it be the king or myself."</p> +<p>"Where will you go, atheling?" I asked, speaking low, for I had +many things warring in my mind.</p> +<p>"I cannot tell yet. I am an outcast."</p> +<p>Then I knelt on the deck before him and made him take my hands +between his own, and I said to him, while he tried to prevent +me:</p> +<p>"Whither you go I follow, to be your man in good or ill. Little +use I am, but some I may be; and at least the atheling of Wessex +shall not say that none would follow him."</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," he cried, "I cannot suffer you to leave all for +me."</p> +<p>Then said Thorleif, who had been watching us in silence:</p> +<p>"Take him, prince, for you will need him. He has kept faith with +us, though he might have escaped easily enough, because he thought +his word withheld him. And he has proved himself a man in battle +with the waters, as I know well. Let him go with you, and be glad +of him."</p> +<p>"I am loath to take him from his folk to share my +misfortunes."</p> +<p>"That is naught," said Thorleif. "Pay a trader who is going to +England to tell other chapmen to pass the word to his folk where he +is. They will hear in a month or less."</p> +<p>"Hearken to the chief, my prince," I said. "That is easy, and it +will be all I care for. If my father hears that I am with you, he +will be well content."</p> +<p>"More than content, Wilfrid," said Ecgbert, smiling. "We of the +line of Ina know your folk of old. Well, be it as you will, for, on +my word, I am lonely; and I think, comrade, that if I had choice of +one to stand by me, the choice would have fallen on you.</p> +<p>"There was little need, chief, for you to tell me that Wilfrid +of Frome was steadfast. We are old friends."</p> +<p>"Bide so, then. Friends are not easily made," answered Thorleif, +laughing. "Now tell me what you are thinking of doing. Maybe I can +advise you, being an adventurer by choice, as it seems you must be +by need. But first I will offer you both a share in our cruise, if +you will turn viking and go the way of Hengist and Horsa, your +forbears. Atheling and thane's son you will be to us still, if you +have to take an oar now and then."</p> +<p>"Kindly spoken," said Ecgbert; "but this I will tell you +plainly. It had not come into my mind to think that Bertric needed +to fear me until he showed that he did so. Had he left me to +myself, I had been as good a subject of Wessex as Wilfrid here. But +now it seems to me that maybe he has some good reason to think that +the throne might be or should have been mine. Wherefore it is in my +mind to seek the great King Carl, and learn what I can of his way +of warfare, that presently, when the time comes, I may be the more +ready to take that throne and hold it."</p> +<p>"Why, then," said Thorleif, watching the face of the atheling, +"I will tell you this from out of my own knowledge of Wessex. If +you learn what Carl can teach you, you will, if you can raise a +thousand followers, walk through Wessex into Mercia, and thence +home by East Anglia to London town, and there sit with three crowns +on your head--the greatest king that has been in England yet. For +your folk know no more of fighting, though they are brave enough, +than a herd of cattle. But it will be many a long year before you +know enough, and then you will need to be able to use your +knowledge."</p> +<p>"Can you tell me where to find Carl the king? It may be that I +have years enough before me to learn much."</p> +<p>"Those who want to learn do learn," quoth Thorleif. "It is in my +mind that, unless a Flemish arrow ends you, Wessex will have to +choose between you and Bertric presently."</p> +<p>Then he told us where he had last heard of the Frankish king, +which was somewhere on the eastern Rhine border. And at last, being +taken with the fearless way of the young atheling, said that if he +would, he himself would see him as far on his way as the Rhine +mouth. And in the end Ecgbert closed with the offer, and left the +Frankish ship accordingly.</p> +<p>Thorleif's men had sought every corner of her by that time, and +had some store of silver money to show for their long chase, and +were satisfied. As for the shipmen of their prize, I think they +were well enough content to be let go in peace, and had little to +say on the matter. Ecgbert was for giving them the gold ring which +he had promised them as passage money, that being the only thing of +value he had beyond his weapons; but Thorleif would not suffer him +to do so, saying that his Danes would but take it from them +straightway.</p> +<p>So the great trader lumbered off southward, and I and the +atheling sat with Thrond and Thorleif, and told and heard all the +story of the raid on Weymouth until the stars came out. And I was +well content; for no Saxon can ask aught better than to serve his +lord, whether in wealth or distress.</p> +<p>Now I might make a long story of that voyage with Thorleif, for +there were landings such as had been made at Weymouth, and once +just such another fight. And ever the lands where we touched grew +more strange to me, until we came to the low shores of the Rhine +mouths, hardly showing above the gray waves of the sea which washed +their sad-coloured sand dunes. And there Thorleif landed us at a +fishing village, among whose huts rose the walls of a building +which promised us shelter at least.</p> +<p>Terribly frightened were the poor folk at our coming, but they +took us, with the guard Thorleif sent ashore with us, to the +building, and it turned out to be a monastery, where we were most +welcome. And there we bid farewell to the Danes, not without +regret, for we had been good comrades on the voyage. There was a +great difference between these crews of men from one village under +their own chief, and the terrible swarms of men, gathered none +knows whence, and with little heed to their leaders save in battle, +which came in after years. We saw the Dane at his best.</p> +<p>Now after that the good abbot of the place passed us on from +town to town until at last we came to Herulstad, where Carl the +mighty lay with his army, still watching and fighting the heathen +Saxons of the Rhinelands. And there Ecgbert was welcomed in all +friendliness, and our wanderings were at an end. Even the arm of +Quendritha could not reach the atheling here, though Carl and Offa +were friendly, and messengers came and went between the two courts +from time to time.</p> +<p>In that way I had messages sent home at last, and my mind was at +rest. It was, however, nearly a year before my folk heard of me, as +I learned afterward. But close on five years of warfare lay before +me ere I should set foot on English ground again.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a>. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD +ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH MARKET.</h2> +<p>Looking back on them, it seems that those five years with Carl +the Great were long, but in truth they went fast enough. With +Ecgbert I went everywhere that war was to be waged, whether on the +still half heathen, unwillingly christened Saxons, who were our own +kin of the old land; or across on the opposite frontier, where the +terrible Moors of Spain had not yet forgotten Roncesvalles. For us +it was fighting, and always fighting, and little of that most +splendid court of the king did we see; for Ecgbert had set himself +to learn all that he might, and he was not one to do things by +halves. Nor had I any wish to be anywhere but near him.</p> +<p>They were good years, therefore, if we had our share of danger +and hardship to the full, and must needs bear the marks of it ever +after. Once I was sorely wounded, and Ecgbert tended me through +that as a brother rather than as my lord--even as I would have +tended him, only that he was never hurt. Some of us grew to think +that he had a charmed life; but I thought that he was kept for the +sake of what was to be in days to come, when England was worn out +with warfare between the kingdoms, and would welcome a strong hand +over her from north to south.</p> +<p>I know not whether it was Carl himself who bade Ecgbert wait for +that day, but it is likely. The atheling was in no haste to return +to England, and it was his word that until he was needed he should +bide here and learn.</p> +<p>But when the time went on he had thought for me, and one April +day, as we rode together, he bade me go home and see that all was +well with my folk. I had some fever on me at that time, for we were +among the Frisian marshlands, and it had fallen on me when I was +weak from the wound I spoke of, so that I could not shake it off. +It came every third day, and held me in its grip for the afternoon, +cold as ice, and then hot as fire, and so leaving me little the +worse, but always thin and yellow to look on. Moreover, it always +seemed to come on the wrong day for me, when I needed to be most +busy, so that over and over again Ecgbert had to ride out without +me. There were plenty more of us in the same case that year, when +we were hunting Frisian heathen rebels to their strongholds in +their fens.</p> +<p>"I must lose you in one way or the other, comrade," Ecgbert +said. "Either you will die here, which is the worst that could +befall you, or else you must go home to England. Now there is a +fair chance for you, for Carl is sending some messengers with +presents to the young King of East Anglia, who has yet to be +crowned. Go with them, and take him greetings from me."</p> +<p>But before I could bring myself to agree to parting from him he +had to put this before me in many ways, for I could not bear to +leave him. And at last he laid his commands on me that I must go. +He said it was time that he had a friend who knew his hopes in +England, watching how matters went for him, and that I could best +do it. So there was no way out of it, and I had to go.</p> +<p>And when I knew that, there woke in me the longing for England +which lies deep in the heart of every one of her sons, wheresoever +he may be across the seas, and the days were weary before Carl's +messengers should sail. I think that Ecgbert envied me, with the +same longing on him; but one could only know it from his silences, +or from the way in which he would talk to me of all that I should +see again.</p> +<p>Two days before we sailed I was sent for by Carl himself; which +was an honour indeed for me. Very kindly he thanked me for past +services, as if I had not rather served Ecgbert than himself; and +he gave me new arms of the best from head to foot, and a heavy bag +of gold moreover, that I might not say that Carl the Great was +sparing of his reward to those who had fought for him. I did not +need that, for he had been more than generous to us for all these +years, and any man knows that it is an honour to have served with +the greatest of kings, and to have spoken freely with him.</p> +<p>I told Ecgbert that I must return to him when I was free from +the fever, but he shook his head.</p> +<p>"Nay, but you have your work at home, and mine lies here," he +said. "Your father has no other child, and, he needs you. I am well +off here till that day we wot of comes. Wait for it in patience, +and then we shall meet again. There will be no comrade like you for +me till then, but I shall know I have one at least who will welcome +me presently if you go now."</p> +<p>He made it light for me; but it was a hard parting, and I will +say no more of it. The ship left the little Frisian port whence we +sailed, and he stood on the shore and watched us until I could see +him no more; then for a time a loneliness fell on me which made me +a poor companion for the gay Frankish nobles with whom I was to go +to East Anglia.</p> +<p>Not that it mattered much after an hour or so, when we met the +waves of the open sea; for they were no sort of companion to any +one, even to themselves, and the seamen had their laugh at +them.</p> +<p>But for myself, not being troubled with the sickness, the sea +worked wonders. For the first time for many a long month the ague +fit had less hold on me when its time came next day. Then a Frisian +sailor saw that I had the illness he knew so well and over well, +and would have me take some bitter draught he made for me out of +willow bark, saying that Carl's leeches knew somewhat less than +nothing concerning ague. Whether it was the sea air, or the +draught, or both, the fit did not come when next it was due; and +the seaman said I was cured, for the power of the ill was broken. +He had time to say that again, for we had head winds the whole way +across, and were nigh a week before we made the mouth of the great +river which goes up to Norwich, where we hoped to find the king, +Ethelbert. And by that time the Franks were themselves again, and +my colour was coming back, and the joy of home was on me, and we +were gay enough.</p> +<p>It was on the last day of April that we saw the English shores +again, early in the morning, with the sun on the low green hills of +Norfolk. By sunset we were far in the heart of the land, at +Norwich, and across the wide river the cuckoo was calling. We had +left a leafless land, and here all was decked in the sweet green of +the first leaves, and all the banks were yellow with the primroses. +I heard the Franks scoffing at the houses of the town, and at the +wooden tower of the church which rose from among them; but I cared +not at all, for nothing like the beauty of sky and land had they to +show me beyond the sea.</p> +<p>And when the men thronged to the wharf, it seemed to me that +never had I looked on their like for goodliness and health, as +their great English laugh rang out over their work, and the sound +of the English voices made the old music for me.</p> +<p>The king was not at Norwich, but inland at Thetford, and there +we must seek him. But his steward rode down to us from the hall, +which stands a mile from the river, on its hill. Thither we were +led in all state as the messengers of the great king, and there we +bided for a day or two while they made ready a train of horses +which should take us to our journey's end. We had some wondrous +gifts for Ethelbert from Carl.</p> +<p>There is only one of these Frankish companions of mine of whom I +need speak, and that one was a young noble from our old land, named +Werbode. I had seen somewhat of him in these last wars, for he had +led the men of his father, and had been set under Ecgbert, who had +won to high command. So we were both Saxons, and of about the same +age; and it was pleasant to find ourselves together on the voyage, +for he was a good comrade, and, like myself, not altogether +thinking and feeling with the Franks.</p> +<p>So we saw much of each other on the voyage, and now it was +pleasant to take him about the old town, and show him what the new +home of the Saxon kin was like here in England. There was a great +fair going on at this time, and we enjoyed it; for though there was +not the richness of wares we had been wont to see at the like +gatherings of merchants and chapmen beyond the seas, here were +mirth and freedom, and rough plenty, which were as good, or +better.</p> +<p>And presently he said that here we had horses which were as fine +as any he had ever seen, and that put a thought into my mind. I +would buy one for myself rather than ride one found me by the town +reeve; for I had to get home to Somerset, and I would make no +delay.</p> +<p>"Well, then," says Werbode, "let us go and see if you people +have forgotten the ancient Saxon manner of horse dealing."</p> +<p>So we went to the horse fair, and there our foreign dress drew +every dealer in the place round us as soon as I had looked in the +mouth of one likely steed. After which, as may be supposed, it was +not likely that I could make any choice at all; but we two sat on +the bench outside the town gate, and had, I think, every horse in +the fair trotted past us, whether good or bad. And at last the +noise, and to tell the truth the wrangling of the dealers, grew +tiresome, and we went our way, some other buyer having taken their +notice for a moment.</p> +<p>And then it chanced that we came to a quiet place where a man, +armed and with two armed helpers, had a string of slaves for sale. +The poor folk were lying and sitting on the ground, with that dull +look on them which I hate to see, and I was going to pass them, +throwing them a penny as I did so. Werbode was laughing at the ways +of the horse dealers, and did not notice them; for the sight was +common enough after any war of ours with Carl, when the captives +who could not ransom them were sold.</p> +<p>And then one of them leaped up with a great cry, and hailed me +by name.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid! Wilfrid of Weymouth!"</p> +<p>I turned sharply enough at that call, for the last thing that +one could have expected was that my name should be known here in +the land of the East Angles. And who of all whom I knew in the +years gone by would name me as of Weymouth? I had but been there as +a stranger.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid the swimmer!" said the man, stretching his bound hands +to me.</p> +<p>The slave trader cracked his whip and rated the man for daring +to call to me thus, bidding him be silent. But I lifted my hand, +and he held his peace, doffing his cap to me with all reverence for +the fine dress and jewelled weapons--Carl's gift--that I wore.</p> +<p>I did not heed his words of apology, but looked at the ragged, +brown-faced man who called to me. He was thin and wiry, with a +yellow beard, and his hands were hard with some heavy work. Yet his +face was in some way not altogether strange to me, though I could +not name him. He was no thrall of ours or of my cousin's, so far as +I could tell.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid--thane--whatever you are now," he said, for I would not +suffer the trader to prevent his words, "you gave me a black eye at +Weymouth, and thereafter drank 'skoal' to me when we chased the +trading ship."</p> +<p>Thereat Werbode laughed.</p> +<p>"Faith," he said, "if every thrall to whom I have given a black +eye or so has a claim on me--"</p> +<p>But his words went on unheard as far as I was concerned. I +seemed to have the very smell of the smoke of burning Weymouth in +my nostrils, and the wild rowing song came back to me. I minded the +man well, and it went to my heart to see the free Danish warrior +tied here at the mercy of this evil-eyed slaver, for I knew that he +was as free born as myself.</p> +<p>I turned sharply on the merchant, and asked him how it came +about that he had this man for sale.</p> +<p>"He is a freeman, and I know him," I said.</p> +<p>Nevertheless it came into my mind that he had been taken +prisoner at the time of some such landing as that wherein I had +first seen him.</p> +<p>"He is a shipwrecked foreigner, lord," was the answer; "a +masterless man whom I bought from the Lindsey thane on whose manor +shore he was stranded."</p> +<p>But it seemed to me that there was a look of fear in the eyes of +this slave trader. It came when I, whom he had taken for a Frank +noble from my dress, spoke to him in good Wessex. Whereby I had a +shrewd guess that all was not so fair and lawful as he would make +it seem.</p> +<p>"He lies," growled the Dane. "Some thrall picked me up, and this +man took me from him. He was on the prowl for castaways on the morn +of the storm. Nigh dead I was, or would have fought."</p> +<p>He spoke low and quickly, and the trader seemed not to +understand his Danish. But I saw that he spoke the truth.</p> +<p>Now I think that if this shipmate of mine had been fairly taken +captive as he raided, I should have let him take the reward of his +work. But this chance was a different matter.</p> +<p>"Show me the receipt for payment to that thane of whom you +speak," I said. "If you can, well and good; if not, then we will go +to the sheriff and see this matter righted. I know the man as a +freeman."</p> +<p>"Ay, in his own land," said the trader, beginning to bluster. +"What is that to me? Here in England he is masterless--"</p> +<p>"No," said the Dane; "this is my master. Heard you not how I +owned to a black eye from him?"</p> +<p>And he looked at me in a half proud way which told me how the +bonds had broken him, and yet how they had not yet made him +shameless if he must beg me for help to freedom.</p> +<p>Then said Werbode quietly:</p> +<p>"Where is that receipt? I suppose that if you paid for his man, +my friend has to repay you for ransoming him. It is a simple +matter."</p> +<p>"I do not carry it with me, stranger. You know not this land of +ours. It is at my inn. I can show it, of course."</p> +<p>"Well, then," said I, "I will take my man and answer for him. +Bring the writing to the house of the sheriff, where I lodge, and +what is there set down I will pay you."</p> +<p>Now there were a dozen idlers gathered by this time, and seeing +that the trader hesitated, I called to one, who seemed to be a +forester by his staff and green jerkin, and bade him fetch the +sheriff, if he could find him. I would have the matter settled +here. Whereon the slaver gave in.</p> +<p>"Well, then," he grumbled, "I hold you answerable for him. Take +him, and get your money ready.</p> +<p>"Let him free," he said, turning to his men.</p> +<p>That they did with somewhat more readiness than one would have +expected. The Dane shook himself and looked round him. And then, +without a word of warning, he sprang straight at the slaver and +wrested his whip from him. Then he swung him round by the collar of +his leather jerkin, and lashed him in spite of the sword which the +man drew. The idlers shouted, and Werbode laughed, while the two +men had all they could do to prevent the other slaves from breaking +away; or else they themselves had no reason to object to seeing +their master tasting his own sauce.</p> +<p>The heavy plaits of the whiplash curled round the legs of the +trader, and he writhed. They caught his short sword and twitched it +from his hand, to send it flying among the gathering crowd, and +then the man lay down and howled for mercy. But the thralls of the +crowd were only too pleased with the sport, and as I and Werbode +did not interfere, to do so was no one else's business.</p> +<p>At last the Dane held his hand, and left his tyrant groaning. He +broke the whip stock and twisted the thong from the end of the +fragment. Then he tied it round the neck of the slaver, and rose up +and saluted me in the way of the Danish courtman.</p> +<p>"Whither, lord?" he asked, quite coolly. "I am ready."</p> +<p>"Better go back to the sheriffs," I said. "Maybe we shall have +to answer for this, and we will tell him first."</p> +<p>"No," he said, with the ghost of a smile; "you will not set eyes +on this man again. What I told you is true. He has no more right to +me than the thrall who found me; less, maybe, for I suppose the +thrall would have taken me to his lord, who had some claim on me +for a castaway."</p> +<p>The crowd closed in round the slaver, and the other slaves +raised a sort of wretched cheer as we went away. Soon we turned the +corner of the street and came to the outskirts of the fair again, +and none had followed us. There the decent folk stared at us and +our ragged follower somewhat, and a thought came to me.</p> +<p>"Comrade," I said, for I could not mind his name, "let me rig +you out afresh before we part."</p> +<p>"They call me Erling," he said. "Have you so many men to serve +you that we must needs part?"</p> +<p>"No," I answered, "but I am no sort of a master to serve. I will +help an old comrade home, however."</p> +<p>"Home was burnt a year ago," he said. "Let me bide with you, +thane; I must be some man's man. You will go back to the west +presently, I suppose?"</p> +<p>"Yes, after a time. What of that? for it is not your way."</p> +<p>"Your way is mine, unless you drive me from you. You have given +me my freedom, and I know it. Let me serve you freely."</p> +<p>"Well," said I, "you will be my only servant when once I leave +King Carl's train, with which I have come."</p> +<p>"So much the better," he said. "I am likely to be as handy a +servant as you can find, in most things."</p> +<p>"Oh," said Werbode, laughing, "take him, Wilfrid. Free service +is not to be despised. Moreover, if you want any one well and +soundly beaten, here is your man."</p> +<p>"I can keep the thane's back at a pinch, young sir," said the +Dane quietly. "That mayhap is more than most will do if they are +hired."</p> +<p>"Faith, I believe you could," said Werbode, looking the man's +wiry frame up and down.</p> +<p>"Take him, Wilfrid."</p> +<p>"Why, then," said I, "so I will, and gladly, for just so long as +I please you as a master. And when you will leave me, you shall go +without blame. Now let us see to clothing you afresh."</p> +<p>So we went to the quarter of the fair where such things as we +needed were to be had, and there we took pleasure in fitting my new +follower out in all decent housecarl attire, not by any means +sparing for good leather jerkin and Norwich-cloth hose and hood, +for I would not have him looked down on by our Frankish servants. +And, indeed, with weapon on hip and round helm on head, over washed +face and combed hair, he seemed a different man altogether. The old +free walk of the seaman came back to him, and he looked the world +in the face again as the free warrior he was.</p> +<p>He had been Thorleif's own court man, he told me, and knew the +ways of one who should follow his lord, whether in hall or field, +and I will say at once that so he did. I had little to teach him +beyond some Saxon ways which came strangely to him at first.</p> +<p>We went back to the king's hall, and there I told the sheriff +somewhat of the business with the slaver, and he laughed.</p> +<p>"Not the first time I have heard the like," he said. "If the man +complains, pay him. But if he is a man stealer, as is likely, you +will hear naught of him, and he will get him from Norwich as fast +as he may."</p> +<p>As I suppose he did, for neither I nor the sheriff heard more of +him, and next day his place in the market was empty.</p> +<p>I asked Erling of his shipwreck, and if Thorleif had been lost, +but he could not tell me. He had been washed off the fore deck as +the ship met a great breaker, and with him had come an oar, which +he clung to for long hours, making his way shoreward as best he +might. The ship was in danger at the time, and he lost sight of her +very soon. Presently some eddy of tide took him and cast him on the +sands of Humber mouth, and there he lay till he was found. That was +a month ago, and since then he had been hawked up and down the +coast with the other slaves till we met.</p> +<p>"But I was such a scarecrow, and so savage withal, that no man +would look at me," he said. "It was a good day for me when the +knave brought me to Norwich. Mayhap it was a lucky day for him +also, for sooner or later I should have got adrift, and then you +would not have been looking on to hold me from paying him somewhat +more than a beating."</p> +<p>Next day was the last of the fair, and again I went to seek a +horse, with my new follower after me. There was less choice but +more quiet, and soon I found that Erling knew more of the points of +a steed than I did. A Dane is a born horse dealer. So I sent him +one way while I went another, and when I was almost despairing of +finding what I thought would suit me, he came in search of me, +leading a great skew-bald horse, bright brown and white in broad +splashes all over him, in no sort of pattern. After him came a man +who might be a farmer, and looked as if he cared not whether he +sold the beast or kept him.</p> +<p>"The best horse in the fair, thane," Erling said to me. "I will +not praise his colour; but if you forget that and look at his +build, you will like him."</p> +<p>So I did; but if a man wanted to be noticed everywhere in such +wise that folk would reckon a week's time from the day when the man +on the skew-bald rode through the village, he could not choose a +better mount, and I said so, laughing.</p> +<p>"There is somewhat in that," Erling allowed; "but if you ride +through the foe at the head of your men on such an one, none can +deny that you did it. Nor can your men say that they lost sight of +you."</p> +<p>In the end I mounted and tried the horse. Presently I rode him +out of the town and away across the heaths, and had no fault to +find with him. Indeed, by the time that I brought him back I did +not care if he was of all the colours of the rainbow, for he was +the best horse I ever backed.</p> +<p>Then the franklin who owned him asked me a long price for him, +and I left Erling to settle that. Afterwards I knew that the man +was a known breeder of these horses, and that men thought me lucky +to get the steed. I think the Dane managed to bate somewhat of the +price, but very little, for it was a matter of taking or leaving +with the owner.</p> +<p>After that I bought a horse for Erling, or rather he chose one +and I paid for it; but that was a small matter, for the last day of +the fair brought prices down.</p> +<p>Then I had to put up with the jests of my friend Werbode +concerning my new horse, and the older Franks thought his colour +was a bit of vanity on my part. Werbode said that he was an unsafe +beast to go chicken stealing on, for he would be too well known on +a dark night; and the others said that they supposed that men would +know that I had come home now. But that sort of jest one gets used +to in camp life, and I cared not. I had a better steed than any one +of them, whether here or across the sea, and presently, as we +travelled toward Thetford, they knew it, and forgot to laugh at his +skin.</p> +<p>So we left Norwich, and rode across the moorlands to find the +king; and the gladness of homecoming grew on me every day, so that +I longed for the state affair to be over, that I might turn my +horse's head south and west for my own home. And thus, in all +gladness, and joying in every mile of the way, we came to Thetford, +strong with its earthen ramparts above its still river, and were +made most welcome at the hall of Ethelbert the king. There had gone +messengers before us to tell of our coming, and the greeting was +fitting for the men of Carl the Great.</p> +<p>Truly I saw the Franks smile at one another as we were led into +the great hall, homely and pleasant, with its open timbered roof +and central hearth, arms and antlers and heads of forest game on +walls, and bright hangings round the high place at the upper end; +for it was but a hut compared with the palaces of their own master. +But when Ethelbert the king came from his chamber to greet us, they +had no eyes for aught but him. Young and handsome and free of +speech and look as he was, none could doubt that here was one who +was worthy of his throne, for in every way he seemed a king indeed. +He minded me of Ecgbert, and if he did that, it may be certain that +I need add no more to my praise of him.</p> +<p>Now it happened that the day after we reached Thetford was a +Sunday, and I need not tell what a pleasure it was to me to hear +again the old English services that once I had thought so long, as +a boy will. And on that day, for the first time, it came to me that +my man, Erling the viking, was a stark heathen, Odin's man. Truly +he came to the church with me, and there he stood and stared at all +that went on, quietly and reverently enough, but in such wise that +I thought that he had somewhere seen the like before. So presently +when we came forth from the church I asked him if he had no +knowledge of the faith.</p> +<p>"Ay," he said; "I have helped to burn a church or two in my +time, and now I am sorry therefor. I have heard good words in this +place, so that I think I know why you were ready to risk gold to +free a captive. Let me go with you again."</p> +<p>"I will find some good priest who shall tell you more and teach +you," said I.</p> +<p>But he shook his head.</p> +<p>"That is another matter," he answered. "Let be for a time. I am +content to go your way and see what it is; but no man, if he is +worth aught, will leave the gods of his fathers offhand, not even +for the faith which is good for you and for Carl the king, and this +king here who has death written on his handsome face."</p> +<p>"What mean you by that?" I asked, almost angrily. "On the face +of Ethelbert?"</p> +<p>"Ay," he answered. "Cannot you see it?"</p> +<p>"Seldom have I seen a stronger or more healthy man! This is +sheer foolishness."</p> +<p>"I do not speak of health," he answered. "Eh, well, we of the +old race have the second sight now and then. On my word, I wish I +had it not. Pay no heed to me an you will; it is best not."</p> +<p>Then he laughed, because I was almost angered with him, and said +that maybe fasting with the slaver had made his mind full of +forebodings.</p> +<p>"There was a boding in it at one time that the slaver was nigh +his death, if so be that I got loose," he said. "That ended in a +whipping for him. But I would that this Ethelbert had not that thin +red line round his neck. It sets strange thoughts in one's +head."</p> +<p>I told him to hold his peace, and he did so. But somewhat that +night made me look to see what he meant. The king had no line such +as he spoke of on his sunburned throat, so far as I could see.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a>. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT +FOLK, AND OTHERS.</h2> +<p>It must not be supposed that the gifts of Carl the Great were +given, and his greetings spoken, offhand, as it were, by us. There +must needs be a gathering of the Witan of the East Anglians, that +all might be done with full honour both to Carl and his embassy. I +must say that it somewhat irked me to be treated with much +ceremony, as a Frank and paladin of the great king, instead of +being hailed in all good fellowship as a thane of England, who was +glad to get home again. However, there was no help for it till our +errand was done; for it was out of his goodness that Carl had given +me a place among his messengers, saying that they must have some +one of their number who could act as interpreter, and I would not +be ungrateful even in seeming.</p> +<p>So I had no chance yet of private speech with Ethelbert, when I +might give the message from Ecgbert; which was indeed the main +reason of my coming here instead of going straight home. That +chance would best be sought when the state business was done; for +since no man in all England rightly knew where Ecgbert was at this +time, and he had no mind that many should, my business would wait +well enough. So I bent myself to enjoy the feasting and the hunting +parties the court made for us all; and pleasant it was, in all +truth. And every day fresh companies of the great folk of the land +came in, till the town was full of thanes and ladies and their +trains, gathered to see and hear what had come from beyond the +seas.</p> +<p>So one day I rode with Werbode, who was all eagerness to see the +land (to which his forbears would not come when Hengist asked them, +by the way, as he told me) across the great heaths that lie north +and east of Thetford, with Erling after us, leading two greyhounds +which had been lent us from the royal kennels. There were bustards +in droves on these heaths, and roe deer to be found easily enough +by those who had skill to seek them in the right places. The +bustards were nesting; but that is the time when one can best +course the great birds, and many a good gallop we had after +them.</p> +<p>Whereby we lost ourselves presently, and made light of it until +we had wandered for some hours, and then remembered that we had +never seen a man of whom to ask the way back to the town. Of course +we tried to make our way back by the sun, but ever there would seem +to grow up a thicket or wood before us, which we must skirt, or +some marshy lake shone across our path in a hollow of the heath; +and it was slow work, and the horses grew weary as ourselves. The +hounds trailed after us with bent heads, hardly rousing themselves +to tug at the long leash when a hare scudded from its form away +from us, for they had had their fill of sport by that time. And it +grew near sunset before we met with any trace of man. There was not +even a track across the wild upland which we could follow.</p> +<p>"We shall have to make a night out of it," said I at last. +"However, that will not matter. Here is game enough for us and to +spare."</p> +<p>"And no ale to wash it down withal," said Werbode and Erling in +a breath.</p> +<p>"Why, then, we will find the best water we can," I answered; and +we rode on our way looking for a clear pool.</p> +<p>And then the first sound which told us that any one was near +came to us.</p> +<p>There rose from off to our left, where a patch of woodland lay, +a cry that made each one of us rein in his horse and stare at the +others.</p> +<p>"That was some one in dire distress," said I.</p> +<p>"A woman crying for help," said Werbode.</p> +<p>Then we forgot our own plight, and set spurs to our horses and +rode toward the place whence the cry came. We heard it once more, +and that quickened us. My horse pricked up his ears, and broke into +a long stride that left the other two behind in a few minutes, as +if he knew that there was need for dire haste. I had to ride +carefully, too, for there were holes and great stones among the +heather.</p> +<p>So I was the first to see what was amiss; and it seemed bad +enough. Round the spur of the cover I came, and there before me I +saw a wild throng of men, savage as any I have ever seen in the +mines of our Mendips--bareheaded save for great shocks of black +hair, barefooted and hoseless, dressed in untanned hides of deer +and sheep, and armed with uncouth clubs and spears on rough ash +poles. They did not hear my coming, and they had their faces from +me at first. Twenty or more of them there were; and two horses +rolled on the ground hard by them, and they had been hamstrung, as +one glance told me. One man, too, in the dress of a housecarl, lay +not far off, wounded sorely. He saw me, and beckoned wildly to me. +And next I knew why, for out of the throng came three men dragging +a lady roughly away from the rest; and as their comrades parted to +let them pass, I saw another man on the ground, and with his back +to a third a gray-haired noble, who held back the wild men with +long sweeps of his sword. He was trying to follow those who held +the lady.</p> +<p>I saw all that at once, in a flash, for it broke on my eyes the +moment I cleared the thickets of the cover; and as I saw I shouted +and bore down on the throng, calling to my comrades to hasten. Then +the men knew that I was on them.</p> +<p>They yelled to one another, and, without waiting to see if more +followed me, left the lady and the men who fought for her, and +scattered, flying. It seemed to me that the best thing I could do +was to keep them in a mind to fly, and I rode after them. One or +two I rode down; and I heard a wild outcry as some met Werbode and +Erling when they came up. But they did not make for the wood, as I +expected, but for the open heath. They ran like deer up the swell +of a rising ground and passed over it.</p> +<p>When I came to the top of that I saw a wide stretch of bare land +before me, like miles of that which we had passed, hardly +heather-covered, and stony, and over it fled the men. There was no +place where they could hide. And yet before my very eyes they +vanished. One after another they went till but one was left, still +flying. I took my eyes from him for a moment, and he too was gone. +There was not so much as a bustard on the heath, which a moment +before had been full of fleeting figures.</p> +<p>"They are trolls, thane!" cried Erling from beside me.</p> +<p>He, too, had seen the moorland and the men who had gone. Then +Werbode rode up to me, and he looked and gasped.</p> +<p>"They went over this hill! I would swear it!" he said. "Where +are they?"</p> +<p>"I do not know," I answered blankly, and, to tell the truth, +with a bit of a chill down my back. "I should be better pleased if +I did."</p> +<p>"See," said Erling, pointing, "there are the mounds wherein they +live. They are trolls;" and with that he began to mutter I know not +what heathen spells against them.</p> +<p>There were little low mounds everywhere, as I saw now.</p> +<p>"Trolls!" said Werbode, with a laugh. "One can't slay trolls. I +saw Wilfrid cut one down, and there he lies even yet."</p> +<p>"Nay, but one can, if so be the sword is rightly charmed," +answered Erling.</p> +<p>"Well, they have gone," said I. "Do you two go and see after +these folk they were attacking, and I will bide here to watch that +they do not come back."</p> +<p>"That is the work of the man, not the master," quoth Erling. +"Here I bide, for I have runes which are of power against any +trolls. I am not afraid."</p> +<p>Nor did he seem so; and I told him to call if but one man showed +himself, and so rode back to the little party we had saved. The man +who I had seen was of rank was bending over the lady, who lay where +the wild men had left her; and his unhurt servant was watching +beside him. The wounded man was sitting up and trying to bind a +hurt in his thigh with a scarf, which, from its gold fringes, was +plainly that of his mistress.</p> +<p>The thane rose up when he heard us coming, and saluted us. He +was a handsome man of sixty years or so, richly dressed, who had +plainly had a bad fall when his horse went down. There were three +or four of his assailants lying where they had been round him as I +came.</p> +<p>"Many thanks, sirs," he said. "It was going hard with us when +you came up. Now is no time for ceremony, or I would say more. I do +not know if my daughter lives yet."</p> +<p>I dismounted, and Werbode held my horse while I went to the side +of the thane and looked at his charge. Wonderfully beautiful that +young maiden seemed in the red light of the sunset, even though her +face was white and her fair hair all tangled over her shoulders, +and her rich dress all in tatters from the hands of the wild men. +And at first I thought that she was dead. Then I minded that unless +she had died of fright, which was possible, I had seen no harm done +her beyond rough handling, while those who held her had fled from +me without delay or heed to how she fell from their hands; and I +knelt and tried to find the pulse in her wrist, very gently.</p> +<p>Her white hand fell limp and cold, but the fluttering beat was +there.</p> +<p>"Not dead, thane, but fainting," I said. "Let your man get +water; there is a pool yonder."</p> +<p>The housecarl started toward it, but as he passed one of the +helpless horses, he turned to that and brought me a horn from the +saddlebags. It had wine in it, and that was better. The old thane +tried to get some of it into the lips of the lady, and succeeded +while I rubbed her hands.</p> +<p>And all the while Werbode had his eyes on Erling, whose gaunt +form was clear against the sky as he sat still on his horse and +watched the heath for the trolls to return on us. Behind him the +two hounds sat, careless.</p> +<p>"She is coming round," said the thane, with a sigh of +relief.</p> +<p>Seeing that so she was, I rose up and stood aside, not caring to +be right before her eyes as she opened them, lest she should be +frightened again. Slowly she came to herself, trembling, and +looking round fearful of what she might find about her. But when +she saw only her father and the man, she tried to smile and sat up, +with a little clutch at her disordered dress as if she wanted to +straighten it.</p> +<p>"That is better," said the thane heartily. "Those thieves have +fled, and all will be well, thanks to our good friends here."</p> +<p>The maiden looked round, and saw that I was a stranger, and at +that the colour came back of a sudden to her cheeks, and she tried +to set her hair hastily out of her eyes. Whereat her father laughed +at her, and then she was herself again.</p> +<p>"I think we had better be going on before it grows dark," I +said. "Do you know the road to Thetford?"</p> +<p>"My man here does. But you will not leave us--at least yet?"</p> +<p>"We are seeking the same road," I answered. "Now our horses are +at the service of the lady and yourself. I suppose we are not far +from the town, if we cannot find it;" and I laughed.</p> +<p>"Matter of ten or twelve miles, lord," said the housecarl.</p> +<p>"Why, then, the sooner we go the better. Lucky that the May +twilight is long."</p> +<p>"We have met you in the nick of time," said the old thane +courteously. "From your dress I take it that you are one of the +Frankish paladins we were on the way to see. But do they always +talk good Wessex at the court of King Carl?"</p> +<p>"No," laughed Werbode. "Sometimes they talk old Saxon--as I +do."</p> +<p>The thane bowed, and let that matter rest. Then he looked +ruefully at the two crippled horses, and set his arm round the +lady, who had risen and was leaning on him.</p> +<p>"I thank you for that offer of a horse," he said. "I had twelve +good men with me when we started across this moor, and you see all +who are left. One after another they have been shot by unseen men +as we rode, until these swarmed out on us as you saw."</p> +<p>"Who are they?" I asked, rolling up my cloak to set it +pillion-wise behind my saddle for the lady.</p> +<p>"The flintknappers, I suppose," he said. "But I am a stranger to +these parts, and I have but heard of them as dwelling about these +heaths."</p> +<p>Then I would have the thane mount my horse; and I lifted the +maiden up behind him, and wrapped Werbode's cloak round her, having +a smile and thanks for the service. And when they were ready I +whistled for Erling, and he came back to us at a canter, looking +behind him now and then. But there was no sign of any follower.</p> +<p>"Ten miles from the town," I said to him, "and more heath to +cross. We must hurry. But we cannot leave those horses to +suffer."</p> +<p>"Our horses; and I have tended them, lord," said the rough +housecarl, with a bit of a shake in his voice. "Leave that to +me."</p> +<p>He drew his seax, and we went on. The poor beasts could never +rise again, and that was the only way. The thane knew, and rode +round the wood end, and we went with him. Then Erling lifted the +wounded man on his own horse, and walked beside him.</p> +<p>"You and I will ride in turn," said Werbode. "As I am mounted, I +will take first turn for a mile or two. It will be all the same in +the end."</p> +<p>Presently Erling came alongside me, leaving the housecarl to +mind his comrade. He held out a broken arrow to me.</p> +<p>"I said they were trolls," he remarked. "See, this is an elf +shot."</p> +<p>And truly the arrow which he had drawn from one of the horses +had as well wrought a flint head as I have ever seen--lustrous +black, and covered with tiny chippings.</p> +<p>"It is a better made head than usual," I said; "but many a +thrall has naught but flint-headed arrows in his quiver as he tends +the swine in the forest. They are good enough against the forest +beasts."</p> +<p>Erling laughed. "Maybe. But they have slain ten of this party. I +have no mind to hear them whistling about my ears again."</p> +<p>"Again?" said I.</p> +<p>"Oh ay; they had a shot or two at me yonder. The arrows came +from nowhere and missed me, so it did not seem worth while to call +you. I could not see any one."</p> +<p>Now it seemed to me that I had found a cool and valiant man in +this Dane.</p> +<p>"I think that I should have wanted to take cover," I said. +"These are perilous folk to have to do with. I wonder what became +of them?"</p> +<p>"Gone into the mounds we saw," said he. "Betimes in our land men +have seen such mounds raised, as it were, on pillars at night, and +under them halls full of dancing trolls. But if the seer will go +near them, all is gone. And mostly thereafter he dies."</p> +<p>"Not many trolls could get under those mounds we saw," I said. +"See, there are more here; they are too small for dwellings."</p> +<p>There was indeed one of the heaps of earth close at hand to us, +and Werbode rode toward it to see that none of the wild men lurked +in its shelter. He reached it, and then his horse started and +leaped aside, almost falling; and through a rattle of falling +stones my comrade called to the steed to "hold up."</p> +<p>Whereon we supposed, of course, that he had been served as the +horses of the thane had been crippled, and Erling and I ran to him, +sword in hand, bidding the others go on. But when we came to the +side of Werbode, we found him staring into a pit which seemed to +have opened under the weight of his horse; and there was no sign of +other danger.</p> +<p>"Strange folk these," he said. "I suppose this is a trap. The +ground over it was as solid as anywhere, to all seeming. I was nigh +into it."</p> +<p>The pit was ten feet deep or so, and it was plain that out of it +had come what made the mound, though one could not see how. When I +looked in I saw that the ground had given way over the roof of a +passage hewn in the soft chalk, and that the opening of it must +have fallen in long ago. The twisted stems of the sparse heather on +the mound and all around it told of years, if not of long ages, +that had passed undisturbed.</p> +<p>"There is the trolls' house," said Erling, shrinking back +somewhat.</p> +<p>The level sunlight showed me walls of dull gray chalk, with the +marks of the pick on them still. There was a layer of black and +white flints bedded in either wall, halfway up, and on the floor +were piled stones chosen from it carefully. I wondered who had +handled them, and when. Erling moved a little aside, and a shaft of +sunlight darted down the passage and reached its end, and showed me +those who had wrought here.</p> +<p>Two white skeletons sat against the wall, with a pile of flints +between them. There was a lamp hewn from chalk on the top of that, +and the stain of its smoky flame was on the wall behind it. One man +had a pick made of the brow tine of an antler, greater than any +which the red deer carry nowadays, across his knees, and another +like pick lay by the bones of the other skeleton. That one had a +broken thigh, and he seemed to bend over it in pain.</p> +<p>"Holy saints," said Werbode, in a whisper, "they were buried +alive!"</p> +<p>So they must have been; but who shall know when? They had delved +in the chalk for the flints they needed for their weapons, and +their mine had fallen in at the mouth, and they could not escape. +The stones had, doubtless, broken the leg of that one in falling. +But by the token of the deer-horn pick I take it that it was ages +ago when this happened, maybe before the days of the Welshmen whom +we found here. Yet even then, as the red sun lit up the place of +their death, we could see that the marks of their chalky hands +bided on the handles of their picks, fresh as if made +yesterday.</p> +<p>"Come away," said Erling. "I like it not. This is over +troll-like for me."</p> +<p>I do not think that either of us was sorry to leave that sight. +We went one on either side of Werbode, with our arms across the +crupper of his horse, and hastened after the thane and his charge, +who were half a mile away by this time, waiting for us. But we +never heard any elvish arrow whistling after us, or saw any more of +the uncouth folk.</p> +<p>I told him as we went on of the pit we had seen, and how Werbode +thought it was a trap. Whereon the housecarl laughed a little, and +said that it was but an ancient flint working. The men who had +fallen on the party were the descendants of those who had made it. +The flints had been worked here from time untold even till now, and +those who worked them today had all the craft of their +forebears.</p> +<p>"Why, then, they went into their workings when they fled from +us," I said.</p> +<p>"No doubt, thane. Where else should they go?" he said. "They +came out of them on us."</p> +<p>"I wonder you brought your master and the lady across this heath +at all," I said "it is a perilous place."</p> +<p>"It grew late, and it is the nearest way," said the man humbly. +"Nor did I ever hear that the flintknappers, as we call them, +harmed any."</p> +<p>"Nor did I," said the old thane. "It is somewhat fresh to me. +Maybe parties like ours have passed here so often during this last +week that at last the sight of gold and jewels has roused them to +try to take from a weak band."</p> +<p>So we talked and went on as fast as we might, all the while +keeping a lookout around us. The lady had, in some way which is +beyond me altogether, set herself in such array again that I, for +one, could hardly tell that aught had been awry on her; and I +wondered that Werbode's red cloak had never seemed so graceful a +garment on his broad shoulders. But she said little or nothing, +leaning her head on her father as she rode with her arm round him, +save when we asked her if all was well. I think she was very +tired.</p> +<p>And so at last, with no more adventure, we came to the well-worn +track which we were making for, and by-and-by, in the May +moonlight, saw the twinkling lights of Thetford town, seeming to +welcome us into the shelter of its protecting ramparts. I was glad +to see them; but I had enjoyed that long tramp back, for some +reason which was not plain to me, unless it had been the talk of +the old thane and my comrades, and the sense of escape from +danger.</p> +<p>Now we came to the great hall, and the grooms thronged round us +to take the horses; and seeing that there was a lady, one told the +steward, and he bustled out to help her. But there I was at hand, +and lifted the maiden from the horse and set her on her feet, +having to support her for a moment, for she was weary and stiff. So +she stumbled a little and laughed at herself, and thanked me, and +was glad of my arm to help her toward the great door of the +hall.</p> +<p>Werbode and Erling went off with the horses to the stables, and +some of the housecarls took charge of the wounded man. I heard him +groan heavily as they took him from the horse.</p> +<p>Then the thane gave his name to the steward, and that was the +first time I had learned it.</p> +<p>"Sighard, thane of Mundesley, and his daughter, the Lady +Hilda."</p> +<p>They were led into the hall; and I went my way, or was going, +for I had only passed down the steps, when some one called me.</p> +<p>"Paladin, one moment!"</p> +<p>I turned, for the Frankish title could be meant for no one but +myself, and there was the old thane at the door.</p> +<p>"I did but take my daughter into the house, and I have yet to +thank you and your comrades for your help. Believe me, I know how +great it has been; but one is confused at these times. I think we +shall meet again?"</p> +<p>"Doubtless," I said. "But it was chance which brought us to you, +as we wandered."</p> +<p>"For which chance I have need to be thankful. It is not every +one, however, who can make use of a chance as you did. If you had +stood and stared for a moment instead of spurring your horse, I +should have had a flint spear among my ribs. They ache at the +thought thereof even now. Tell me your names at least."</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, son of the thane of Frome, in Somerset," I said. "I +have served with King Carl for some years, and am here with his +messages on my way home. My comrade is Werbode of old Saxony, one +of the messengers also. The third of us is my man, a Dane."</p> +<p>Sighard laughed, as if highly amused. "That explains it all. I +have been puzzling all the way hither at the divers ways in which +you three spoke. Your Dane's tongue is almost good Anglian, and yet +not quite. Werbode's Saxon is quaint, but good enough, as it should +be; but broad Wessex from the mouth of a seeming Frank was too +much. Not the best master in the world could compass it for you. +Now I am right glad that you are of England. When she has got over +her fright and is rested, the girl shall thank you also."</p> +<p>He shook hands with me heartily and left me, following his +daughter. Presently I saw him as we sat at table, and he lifted his +cup to me; but though he was on the high place, where of course we +were set, I was too far off to speak to him.</p> +<p>Now I cannot say that I had much right to that title of paladin +he had given me, unless it was as a messenger from the palace of +King Carl. Thane I was in Wessex, now that I had come of age, by +right of lands that came to me from my mother's side; but our folk +got hold of the Frankish title, and used it for any one of us, so +that I had to accept it. I did tell the old noble who led us that +it was not by my wish that so they called me; but he stroked his +beard and laughed at me.</p> +<p>"What does it matter?" he said; "it is naught but the old name +for a palace officer. It is near enough. Trouble not about it; for +if we have taken it to mean a warrior noble--well, I will not say +that you have not deserved it, else Carl had never sent you with +us."</p> +<p>One may guess that at supper that night I tried to see the Lady +Hilda. But among all the bright array of ladies at that feast I +could not spy her. And perhaps that is not to be wondered at, for +long ere we came up all the baggage had been lost. By this time her +court dress was being worn by swart women of the flint folk, far on +the wild heaths. I dare say they fought over it.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH +ETHELBERT THE KING.</h2> +<p>Early on the next morning Ethelbert the king sent for me, to ask +me concerning this affair with the flintknappers. Very pleasant he +was, too, and the first thing he did was to laugh at himself for +taking me for a Frank.</p> +<p>"I ought to have seen that you were a Saxon," he said; "and if I +had had the courtesy to speak with you, I should have learned it at +once. I had a good friend once in that atheling of yours, who is +lost to us."</p> +<p>His face clouded as he said that, and but that there were a +dozen courtiers present, I should have told him that Ecgbert was +found again for him, then and there; however, that would wait, and +I passed it over. Then he asked me of myself, and what I would do +when the state affair was ended; and I told him that I had no +greater wish than to find my way home at once.</p> +<p>"That is a long ride," he said. "I think we can assist you. It +is in my mind to ride westward myself in a week or so to see Offa, +on a matter of business. That will take us far on your way, if you +care to ride with me."</p> +<p>Now I wondered what this business might be, for the honest face +of the young king flushed somewhat as he spoke thereof; and one or +two of the courtiers behind his chair smiled at one another +meaningly. That was not for me to ask, but whatever it might be, I +was glad of the kindly offer. I thanked him, and then we spoke of +the flint folk, and I told him all I knew.</p> +<p>Then, of course, we must talk of the court of King Carl, and of +all that I had seen and done beyond the sea, and the time went +fast. I had my breakfast with the king there in his private +chamber, for he wanted to hear of laws and the like, of which, to +tell the truth, I could let him know little.</p> +<p>"Best ask the old paladin who is the head of the embassy, King +Ethelbert," I said presently. "I can tell you how Carl manages the +sword; but of the way he wields the sceptre, I cannot. Mayhap I +shall mislead you."</p> +<p>"No," he answered; "I would hear how his way seems to a plain +Englishman as myself. My chancellor shall talk with the +paladin."</p> +<p>Then at last he started up, and cried:</p> +<p>"Why, I have forgotten somewhat. I promised to take you to my +mother's bower to be thanked by the Lady Hilda. Come with me at +once."</p> +<p>"There is Werbode," I said.</p> +<p>"Let him wait," said Ethelbert. "It is the thane on the great +pied horse whom she will thank."</p> +<p>I wondered whether it was the steed or myself she remembered +best, which was not courteous of me. Ethelbert laughed and told me +so, adding that he thought after all that the horse would be +noticed first. He was the first thing which had caught his own eye +when we rode into the palace yard on our coming, certainly, so I +had to stand another jest or two about him.</p> +<p>We came to the bower, across a fair garden where the May flowers +were gay and sweet, and the king knocked at the door. It was a +handsome, low-built little hall which stood at right angles to the +great one, so that it had a door opening on the high place where we +sat at table. Its windows on this garden side were wide and high, +and this morning the heavy shutters were flung back from each, and +the curtains were drawn aside, for it faced south to the warm sun. +There were bright faces of the queen-mother's ladies at one or two +as they sat in the deep window seats working or spinning, and +anywise laughing with one another; whereon I grew bashful, for of +ladies' talk and presence I have a sort of fear, being more used to +camp than court, as I have said.</p> +<p>However, we went in, and there we stood on a floor strewn with +sweet sedge in a fair hall, tapestry hung, full of sunlight, and of +ladies also. There was a high place here at one end, and on it sat +the mother of the king, not in any state, but working at a little +loom, whose beams were all carven and made beautiful for her royal +hands. There were two ladies helping her, and they rose as the king +entered, as did all the others, and there was a sudden silence.</p> +<p>I should have been happier if only they had paid no heed to us, +and with all my heart I wished myself elsewhere. Nor did I dare +look round for the Lady Hilda, and so kept my eyes fixed more or +less on the ground, or else trying to seem unconcerned, looking +foolish, no doubt, in that effort. It came to me that one of my +shoes was muddy, and that I could not remember having combed my +hair this morning.</p> +<p>Then the queen rose and came to meet her son with a smile and +morning greeting, setting her hands on his shoulder and kissing +him, and so turned to me as if to ask Ethelbert to say who I was. +And when she heard, I knelt and kissed the hand she held to me; and +my shyness went, for I was no longer at a loss for somewhat to +think of besides myself. I suppose the king or queen made some sign +at this time, for the ladies rustled back to their seats, and their +pleasant talk began again as if we were not present, only so low +that it was like the murmur of the bees outside as we came past the +hives.</p> +<p>Now the queen asked me just a question or two of my journey--if +the crossing had been rough, and so on, and then said smiling:</p> +<p>"But you have had another journey since then, and that handsome +horse of yours bore a double burden, they tell me. Here is the Lady +Hilda, who would thank you for somewhat you did for her."</p> +<p>She beckoned, and a lady rose up from the window seat near by +and came forward. Truly I had to look twice before I was quite sure +that this was she, for here was a wonderfully stately young lady, +clad in white and gold and blue, all unlike the maiden who had +clung to her father as we rode yestereven. And if I had thought her +fair then, I saw now that she was the fairest of all those who +attended this homely and kindly-faced queen. She held out her hand +to me, and I bent and kissed it; and on the white wrist I saw the +blue marks of the clutch of the wild men, which made a great wrath +rise in my heart straightway. Yet I must say somewhat or seem +mannerless.</p> +<p>"You have fared none the worse for your ride, lady?" I said. "I +fear you were weary."</p> +<p>"I am black and blue with the claws of those folk," she said, +laughing ruefully; "they were grimy also. But I meant to try to +thank you for much kindness."</p> +<p>She blushed somewhat, and I made haste to say that I was happy +to have served her in aught. But I would not have her forget my +comrades.</p> +<p>"Ay, they helped you," she said; "I had not forgotten. And I had +the cloak of one of them. Will you thank him for it?"</p> +<p>I said that I would, and added words about Werbode's pleasure in +the loan, and so on. One could not say much with all those eyes on +us, as it were, if I had had much to say. I was glad when the king +took up the talk and asked after the welfare of the lady.</p> +<p>"I have sent men across that heath," he said; "at least they +will see to those who fell of your party. I hope they may bring +back some not much hurt after all. A fall from a horse will not be +of much account after half an hour."</p> +<p>But she shook her head and paled, for, as her father had told +me, his men who had fallen were not mounted. The king saw that the +matter was hard for her to think of, and so turned the talk by +asking how she liked that steed of mine.</p> +<p>"Sire," she said gravely, "when horse and rider first came +suddenly before my eyes, I thought that one of the saints had come +to our help. It was the most welcome sight I have ever seen, and I +shall ever love to look on a horse of that--of those--"</p> +<p>"Patchwork colours," laughed the king.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, so long as you live you will no more be taken for a +saint than shall I again. Make the most thereof. Of a truth I will +even buy me a skew-bald mount and ride round corners in search of +the like reputation. Nay, sell me yours straightway!"</p> +<p>"No, King Ethelbert," I answered--"not even to yourself after he +has won me that word, and since he has borne so fair a burden."</p> +<p>"Let us go straightway," said Ethelbert. "You will not better +that speech if you bide here for an hour.</p> +<p>"Farewell, mother; and farewell, ladies."</p> +<p>He bowed, and I did my best to leave gracefully, all those who +were present rising again as he went, and returning his bow. The +queen was laughing at him, and I dared to see if the Lady Hilda had +a smile on her face. She had, and it did not pass when she met my +look; but behind the smile was something of the terror of last +evening, which had been brought back to her. It was in my mind as +we passed the door again that if the sight of me and my horse so +wrought on her, it were better that I kept away if I could; and I +would have the beast stabled in the town.</p> +<p>Then said Ethelbert when we were halfway across the garden:</p> +<p>"We shall have the company of that very fair lady to Offa's +court. She is going to the queen as one of her ladies for a time, +by our permission. Her mother was of Lincoln, and gave hospitality +to Quendritha when she was first found on the shore. Then she +married our thane of Mundesley here; whereby we have gained this +fair subject."</p> +<p>Into my mind there came the thought of what old Thrond had told +me, and I would that this maiden could be warned. And that was just +a wild thought, for even Thrond could not say for certain that his +guess was true, and he had bidden me hold my peace; and thereon I +tried to consider that it was no concern of mine where the Lady +Hilda went, though it troubled me more than enough to think that +she was to go to Quendritha. So I said naught, and the king did not +expect any answer.</p> +<p>"I suppose you have heard why we go thither," he went on +quickly. "If not, you will, and you may as well have it from +myself."</p> +<p>He glanced sidewise at me, and I bowed. I supposed I should hear +some words of policy or other.</p> +<p>"They--that is, our wise folk and my good mother--have been +saying that I ought to marry. They have dinned that into my ears +for the last two months since I have been on the throne. It is a +matter which I had not thought of, and therefore I have been in no +haste to answer them; and they have grown impatient, saying that it +is for the good of the realm. Have you ever been at the court of +King Offa of Mercia?"</p> +<p>I had not, and I think I had told him so before, when he asked +me if I would ride with him thither.</p> +<p>He took my arm and turned to pace the garden back again, +thinking. I wondered that he took the trouble to tell me all this, +as I was so complete a stranger to him.</p> +<p>"I am sorry for that," he said; "I would have asked you +somewhat. You would have answered it frankly, and without the +thought of what might please me, as our courtiers would of course +stay to consider. But tell me, what have you heard of Offa and his +family?"</p> +<p>Now I could say nothing of what I had heard from Thrond; that +was impossible. Nor did it seem to me to matter that of it I spoke +not. The life of Quendritha the queen had lain open to all England, +as one may say, for the last twenty years, and that was of more +account than the half-told tale of a wandering Dane. So I said +simply the truth.</p> +<p>"I have ever heard of that royal house as the noblest and +greatest in all England--at least since Ina of Wessex died; but I +have been abroad for these five years, and I know not what they +have brought."</p> +<p>"Why, then," he answered, laughing, "it is I who must tell you +of them. There was once a fair little playmate of mine in Offa's +house, his youngest daughter Etheldrida. Since you left England she +has grown up, and now--Well, you will not need telling the rest, +maybe?"</p> +<p>He reddened and laughed, as if well content, and plain to me it +was that if Ethelbert meant to wed that playmate of whom he spoke +he was happy; for in this case certainly policy and inclination +went hand in hand.</p> +<p>"Then both yourself and East Anglia will be happy, King +Ethelbert," said I, smiling in turn. "That is what you would tell +me."</p> +<p>"That is it. This princess has the fairness of her wondrous +mother, and promise of the wisdom of her father; and I have known +her for long years. Three weeks ago I sent with all solemnity to +ask her hand, and I need not tell you how I waited for the answer. +It came on the day before you landed, and now when your people have +gone we shall ride to Fernlea, and--well, I suppose there will be a +wedding."</p> +<p>If Ethelbert when that day came looked as he looked at this +moment, there would in all truth be a handsome bridegroom. I +thought that the princess was to be envied, for more worth than +that were the words of every man of his land in his favour, whether +as the atheling of East Anglia or her king. And it was much for me +that here this open-hearted king was telling me his hopes as if I +were an old friend. Maybe that was because to his subjects he did +not care to speak thus, or could not, by reason of old habit. He +was wise beyond his years, being, as I think, about two years +younger than myself. And as to this match, of course it was plain +that Offa in furthering it was in nowise unwilling to link the land +to the east of Mercia to himself in so peaceful a bond as he had +linked Wessex in the year when I left home. It did come into my +mind that thus in time the descendants of that mighty king would be +likely to rule from the Humber to the Channel, but that was a dim +thought of years to come. There was Ecgbert to be counted on.</p> +<p>And at that I wondered whether this were, as it almost seemed a +good chance, a fitting time for me to remind the king of him. He +himself had told me carefully that in aught I said of his doings I +must be cautious; and now I could not tell what Ethelbert might not +think right to make known to Offa, and so to Quendritha.</p> +<p>Ethelbert went on telling me of the coming journey, having found +a listener who was no courtier, and did not heed that I was silent. +And so we paced the garden, while he chatted hopefully, and I +turned over somewhat heavier matters in my mind.</p> +<p>Once I did well-nigh tell him of Ecgbert, and then forbore; for +at that moment he said somewhat of Quendritha which almost made me +think that he feared her. Whereon I was troubled to think that this +bright and happy young king should be drawn into the net of her +pride and policy, and again thought myself foolish for giving two +thoughts to a matter which did not concern me. If the king was +happy and yon fair maiden was content, they knew more of the queen +than I. So I ended my questionings by a hearty wish that old Thrond +had never told me that wild tale of his, and said naught of my +prince, but listened patiently to the king until some one came and +prayed him to meet the council, which he had forgotten.</p> +<p>I followed him to the great hall, and thence went to the +stables, and so met with Werbode and Erling, and rode hawking with +them all that afternoon. And when we came back we heard that +tomorrow was the day for the meeting of the Witan, to hear and see +what King Carl had to say and had sent.</p> +<p>Now, of all that wonderful gathering in the hall at Thetford I +need say little. I know that our Franks had somewhat despised our +buildings, for indeed they seemed somewhat poor to me after the +mighty piles which Carl had reared. But such a wealth of colour and +jewels decking so gallant an assemblage of brave men and fair +ladies even Carl's court could not match, and so they told me. As +we stood before the high place our Frankish dress seemed almost +plain beside the English, richly as we were clad.</p> +<p>Then I found that I, by reason of having to interpret, was +thrust somewhat more forward than I liked; but there was no help +for it, and I went through it all as well as I knew how. Maybe it +was lucky that I had that talk in all confidence with the king in +the garden, for I was now in nowise afraid of him, though he sat +there crowned and with his sceptre. I was afraid, however, of the +Lady Hilda, knowing just where she stood behind the queen, and one +would have thought that with her I might have claimed more close +acquaintance than with the king; which is curious, for if I had not +known her at all, I should have cared naught for all the ladies +present, having business that needed other thoughts on hand.</p> +<p>However, after it was all over, the old paladin, who was our +chief, thanked me, and spoke some honest words of praise for the +way in which his message had been set before the Witan and the +king; and gave me, moreover, a ring, set with a ruby from some far +Eastern land, as a kindly remembrance of himself; so I verily +believe that I did not manage so badly.</p> +<p>After that was a day or two more of feasting and hunting, and +then the embassy would return. I was sorry to part with Werbode, +but I bade him carry back messages to Ecgbert, and in them I told +him that I waited for the time when his message should best be +spoken. Werbode knew not what that meant, but did not trouble to +ask. He would give my message, and would also tell the atheling of +the coming marriage. I had no doubt that it would be understood +well by him to whom it was sent. At that time there were none of +the Franks who knew or cared who Ecgbert was, save Carl; and if by +chance my friend had spoken to any of these East Anglians of the +Saxon leader under whom he had warred for Carl, the name of Ecgbert +would mean naught to them. A Wessex atheling has no honour in East +Anglia, and I doubt whether it had ever been heard here.</p> +<p>On the day after the great ceremony I noticed that Erling went +about somewhat silently, and I thought that he very likely had a +wish to cross the sea with the Franks, and so make his way home by +land from the Rhine mouth. I asked him, therefore, if it was so, +saying that I would give him money enough for all needs.</p> +<p>"It is not that, master," he said; and when he called me master +(which I had forbidden him, for he was more of a comrade, and I +would not have him remember whence I took him), I knew that he was +in earnest--"not that, for I would not leave you; unless, indeed +this means that you would have me go?"</p> +<p>"No, comrade, that I would not. But you are downcast, and I +thought that you might have the longing for home on you. Well, what +is it?"</p> +<p>"It is naught," he said.</p> +<p>But so plain it was that somewhat was amiss that I pressed him, +and at last he said that he would tell me if I would not be angry +with him. We were alone at the time, sitting on a great log in the +corner of the courtyard, waiting for supper.</p> +<p>"Saw you aught strange about the robe which this young king had +on yesterday, when you stood before him?" he asked first. "You were +close to him."</p> +<p>"I did not notice anything beyond that it was wonderfully +wrought with gold and colours. The queen made it, they tell +me."</p> +<p>He sighed, and his face fell.</p> +<p>"I have heard that the Christian folk hold most precious such +robes as are marked with the blood of one who has died for his +faith. Are you sure that this robe is not such an one?"</p> +<p>"I know it is not. The queen made it new for the +coronation."</p> +<p>He was silent for a while, looking on the ground and shifting +his foot in the dust, and some fear rose in my mind as to what he +would tell me.</p> +<p>"Eh, well," he said, sighing again, "mayhap the sun was in my +eyes before I looked on him."</p> +<p>"Is it the second sight again, Erling?" I asked in a low voice, +for that was what I feared.</p> +<p>"Ay. Methought I saw that royal robe all spotted with blood as +he sat in it."</p> +<p>"What does that portend?" I said.</p> +<p>He lifted his eyes slowly to mine, and answered, "Why need you +ask?"</p> +<p>I did not answer him, for, in truth, I only asked with a half +hope that he might have some other interpretation of this portent +than that of violent death, which seemed the plain meaning of +it--that is, if he saw aught, and I had no reason to disbelieve +him. I tried to think that his glance had met the sun for a moment +before he looked on the king; but I could not think it, for in the +hall was no chance thereof. And then he spoke again slowly, with +his eyes still on the ground.</p> +<p>"Thrond, who is my uncle, saw the same on the mail of my father +not long before he fell. He said at that time that so it had often +been in our family; but this has not come to me until I came here. +I had no second sight up to this time."</p> +<p>"It is sent for some reason, therefore," said I. "Now, is it +possible to avert the doom which seems written?"</p> +<p>He shook his head. "I have never heard so," he answered.</p> +<p>"Yet the king does not seem fey," said I, "and there is no man +in all this land who would harm him. Ah, maybe you saw the robe as +of a saint, because all men hold him most saintly!"</p> +<p>"May it he so," he answered. "You are Christian folk, and it may +mean that; I will hope it does. How should a heathen man know what +is for you? Over you the Norns may have no power. Pay no heed to +me."</p> +<p>"No," said I. "We ride to Offa with the king in a few days, and +if you and I have fears for him, there are two who will watch him +carefully. That is why the sight has come to you, I think. There is +danger, and we may meet it."</p> +<p>Thereat he cheered up, for the thought of facing a peril +heartened him. His heathen fear of fate was enough to make any man +downcast when it seemed to promise naught but ill, and I verily +believe that he thought the way of the Christian might be +altogether different from his. But I liked his second sight not at +all, for of course we Saxons know that when it is given it is not +to be despised. My father had many times told me of the like before +I heard this.</p> +<p>After that I asked now and then if there was any danger to be +guarded against on the way to Fernlea, and I was told by all that +there was none. Hardly would a strong guard be needed, for the hand +of Offa was heavy on ill doers, and his land had peace from end to +end.</p> +<p>So then I began to think the portent altogether heathenish, and +half forgot it. And with that I hoped that Erling would not often +be taken in this way.</p> +<p>I rode with the Franks for an hour or two on their road back to +Norwich, homeward, and then took leave of them, riding back to +Thetford with Erling alone, for the king had but set the embassy as +far as the gates of the town. And as I watched them pass across the +heaths and at last disappear behind a hill, it seemed to me that I +had my life to begin afresh, for the days when I was one of the +paladins of King Carl of the Franks were past and done with. Many +were the lessons I had learned therein, and I have never regretted +those five years; and, best of all, in them I had been the friend +and close comrade of Ecgbert, who I know had then all the promise +of his greatness of the days to come.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY +BEGAN WITH PORTENTS.</h2> +<p>Seeing that Carl the Great was at this time, and I suppose +always will be, the model of what a king should be, Ethelbert had +many things to ask me of him, and out of the hours which he spent +in questioning me it came to pass that he took pleasure in my +company at other times as well, treating me as a close comrade. +That sort of thing is apt to be perilous in time, for it makes +jealousies about a court if there is favour for one more than for +another of the courtiers; but as I was no more than a passing +stranger, who had not the least intention of biding here, I escaped +that. Nor do I think that any one was jealous of me, for the honour +which Carl had set on me for the sake of Ecgbert hung about me, as +it were, and I suppose that half the court thought that I had to +take some message on to Offa from my late lord.</p> +<p>Moreover, for good and wise reasons of his own, Ethelbert had no +close companions of his own age, and maybe longed for such, finding +in myself one to whom he could speak his mind of his own affairs +without any thought of favour or policy rising up to cloud my +answers to him, as his guest.</p> +<p>So in a few days I told him of Ecgbert, and gave him those +messages of which I have spoken, being sure that with him they were +safe. And I was glad that I did so, for his joy on hearing of his +friend was good to see. As for the rest of the hopes of our +atheling, he may have had his own thoughts, but he said plainly +that the day when Wessex would need him might come, and that if it +did none would more willingly welcome him home again.</p> +<p>"But," he said, "I think that best of all Ecgbert would wish to +come home in peace at once, and set all ambition aside. Presently, +if we are careful, I may be able to speak to Offa of him again. +Nay, but have no fear; I understand how matters are with Bertric, +and will risk naught. I think we may find that Offa, who is +friendly with King Carl, knows more of Ecgbert than you might +guess."</p> +<p>So that matter dropped, and I had done my errand. But for the +sake of Ecgbert I was all the more welcome to the king, for I had +to tell him of the wars and the deeds of his friend. I do not think +that any will wonder that thus I saw more of the king than +otherwise might have been my lot.</p> +<p>Now there was another of whom I saw much at this time before we +started to ride westward, and that, of course, was the Lady Hilda. +She, I found, was going to Fernlea, rather that she might be one of +the ladies who should attend the bride whom it was hoped that the +king would bring home, than as going to remain with Quendritha, and +I must say that I was glad thereof. With her and her father I rode +many a mile hawking, and both of them seemed to hold me as an old +friend by reason of that lucky chance which brought about our first +meeting; and the only fault I had to find with the journey we +looked for was that in Offa's court would end my friendship with +them.</p> +<p>So it happened one day as we rode thus that while the thane had +crossed a stream, beating up the far bank for a heron, we fell into +talk of the journey and its ending.</p> +<p>"What is amiss with it all?" she asked. "The good queen seems +terribly downcast about it. Is not the princess her choice?"</p> +<p>"Altogether so, as the king tells me. Perhaps the queen has +mother-like fears for the safety of this only son of hers, and lets +them get on her mind overmuch."</p> +<p>"That would be hardly like our queen," she answered, laughing; +"she is above that foolishness. No, but there is somewhat +more."</p> +<p>"Then," said I, thinking that this was fancy, "it will be some +trouble of state which is at the bottom of her anxiety. That none +of us can mend."</p> +<p>"It may be that," she said; "but it is some heavy trouble. I +have never seen her so downcast until yesterday. It is a sudden +thing."</p> +<p>There we left the subject, and I thought little more of it until +the next morning, which was that of the day before we started. It +had become a custom that I should wait on the king at his first +rising, when he had most leisure to talk with me, and this time I +found the queen with him in his chamber. She looked sad and +anxious, as I thought.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," she said to me when the fitting greetings were over, +"you are a stranger here, and no thought of policy will come into +your mind. Tell me truly what you think of this; it may be that +your word will have some weight with my son."</p> +<p>Ethelbert smiled, but it was not quite his usual untroubled +smile at all.</p> +<p>"It is not fair to ask Wilfrid," he said; "maybe he puts much +faith in these omens."</p> +<p>"No, but he is of Wessex," she said. "He cares naught for +alliance or court, or for any of those things which blind our eyes. +I want him to answer me as if I were just a franklin's wife who is +in doubt.</p> +<p>"Listen, then, if you will."</p> +<p>She turned to me with a sort of appeal, and spoke quietly, +though I saw that she was almost weeping.</p> +<p>"Last night I dreamed a dream, and in it I waited in the church +here for the bells to ring for the wedding of my son and +Etheldrida, whom he loves. It was in my mind that all the good folk +would come in their best array, and that so we should sing a great +'<i>Te Deum</i>' for the happiness of all. And indeed there was a +voice from the belfry--but it was of the great bell alone, as of a +knell for the dead. And indeed it seemed that the people came--but +they came softly and weeping, and they were clad all in black. And +then they sang--but it was the psalm '<i>De Profundis</i>.'"</p> +<p>I think that I paled, for I minded those other things which +Erling had told me. The lady, who looked in my face, saw it, and +she grew white also--whiter than she had been before.</p> +<p>"Lady," I stammered, "I have no wit to read these things. It +were well to ask the good bishop, for he is wise."</p> +<p>"Ay, too wise," she said. "I would hear simplicity."</p> +<p>Then Ethelbert rose up and set his arm round his mother very +gently, and said gravely:</p> +<p>"Mother, know you not of what you have dreamed? Even as you told +it first to me, and now again, I seemed to be back on that day, not +so long past, when we buried my father. So it was in the church at +that time, and it was the most terrible thing which you have +known.</p> +<p>"Is it wonderful, Wilfrid, that it should come back thus in the +night watches?"</p> +<p>"It is not wonderful," I said.</p> +<p>"Lady, I think that the king is right.</p> +<p>"But, King Ethelbert, if I am to say my mind, I would put off +the journey for the sake of the peace of the queen your +mother."</p> +<p>"And thereby offend Offa, and maybe hurt that little playmate of +mine? No, it cannot be. And what should the dream be but that we +say?"</p> +<p>Then the queen said plainly:</p> +<p>"I fear for you, my son--I fear Quendritha. In the days gone by +your wise father was wont to say that if ever danger came from +Mercia to East Anglia, it would be by reason of her ambition and +longing for power and width of realm."</p> +<p>"Why, mother, then surely in gaining the East Anglian throne for +her daughter she gains all she would. And she is Offa's queen, and +in his court can be no danger to me or any man. Presently you shall +surely dream again, and that dream shall show you the old sorrow +turned to joy, for you will have a fair daughter to drive away your +loneliness. She will be all you need, for I know that I can be of +little help to you. The dream was of the sorrow which is passing to +make way for joy to come."</p> +<p>Then the queen made shift to smile, and told him that she deemed +that her fears might be foolish. But to me it seemed that even as +she had said, the thought of policy and state came first of +necessity, setting aside such a vision as any simple thane would +surely have thought held him from a journey he would take. Indeed, +many a one would have given it up for far less, for I have known +men turn back when already started, because a harmless hare crossed +their path or a lone magpie sat on a wayside tree. Maybe I minded +such like myself once, but service with Carl mended that. If he +bade a man do a thing, that man had to do it, omen or none. Whereby +I found that mostly these journey tokens, as one may call them, +came to naught, and certainly I should not have done that if I had +been able to mind them. And yet I do not know if aught would turn a +true lover from the way which leads him toward the lady of his +choice.</p> +<p>"One thing only I do fear from this dream of yours, my mother," +the king said after a little while. "Can it mean harm to +Etheldrida? Was it for her that the knell passed, and shall I find +her gone from me? It is many days since I heard from her or of +her."</p> +<p>Now when it came to that, I knew that nothing would stay the +king, and so also did his mother. Whereon she was eager as himself +to say that the dream was but wrought of her sorrow.</p> +<p>"Why, then," said Ethelbert, "you and Wilfrid may laugh at me if +you will; for I have dreamed a dream to set against yours, because +I think it has a good meaning. I thought that I was in a city, and +that from its marketplace rose heavenward a great beam of light, +like a pathway. And so I would climb it, but I could not. Then I +had wings, and up it at last I sailed as a ship sails on the path +of sunlight on an evening sea. Surely that promises a happy journey +for me. Fear no more, therefore, my mother."</p> +<p>Then we went from him, for state business called him, and I +would take the queen across the garden to the bower door. There was +little ceremony in this quiet court, and no waiting ladies were +biding her return outside. And when we were alone there she turned +to me, and her eyes were dim and pitiful.</p> +<p>"Friend," she said, "yon beam of light led to heaven. I do not +know what it all means, but I fear--I fear terribly."</p> +<p>"Lady," I said, "many a time I have known men who thought they +had ill dreams on the night before a battle, and naught came of +them. I have forgotten to trouble myself much therewith."</p> +<p>"Nay, but they are sent at times for our warning."</p> +<p>"It may be so. I should be foolish if I did not believe what +wiser men than I tell me of their messages. But if there is ill +before the king, can it be anywise turned aside? What if he were +persuaded not to go?"</p> +<p>"Oh," she said, with a little sob, "then his troth would be +broken, and that in itself would bring ill. It seems dark all round +me."</p> +<p>Then I said, for she was in sore distress:</p> +<p>"Lady, I am a stranger and hardly known to you, but I am to ride +with your son. Will it be aught if I tell you that I will watch him +as if he were my own atheling, and if need be die for him, with his +own thanes?"</p> +<p>"It is much," she said eagerly, "much; for in that court where I +fear for him you will be a stranger, and may hear and note more +than our folk, for if ill is plotted they may be careless of you. I +shall have less fear now that I may feel that one at least shares +in my dread. I do not know how to thank you for the promise."</p> +<p>She set forth her hand to mine, and I bent and kissed it; but +she pressed my great fingers as my own mother used to press them. +Then she said in a low voice:</p> +<p>"I do not fear Offa, for he is noble in all he does. I fear +Quendritha."</p> +<p>"I have heard that she is to be feared. Can you tell me more of +her?"</p> +<p>"You will see her as the fairest woman in all the land, and will +but know her as the softest spoken. Once or twice I have seen what +looks may lie under that fair outward show, and I know that in her +heart is the rage for power and ever more power, let it be what it +may. It goes ill with the lady of her train who shares a secret +with her, if the secret is the lady's. I cannot think how harm may +come to Ethelbert from her; but none know how it may not. I pray +you remember that."</p> +<p>I promised, and then she led me to her doorway; and there I left +her, but not before she had thanked me again. I suppose that to +share a burden even with me helped somewhat to lighten it. And in +all truth I meant to do my part in watching, and if possible +guarding, the king. Perhaps it would be as the queen said, that +being in and yet not of his train I might be able to look on at all +that went on more easily.</p> +<p>To that end I kept my Frankish dress, though I had meant to take +to plain Saxon wear once more, with the knowledge that none would +wonder that Carl's man was kept near the king, and that in Offa's +court I should not be taken for an Anglian of his train.</p> +<p>Now the day came when we should set out on the long ride across +England to the Welsh border, where Offa had set his throne for the +time. As may be supposed, we went first of all on that morning to +the church in the dim daybreak, and there heard mass and sought for +blessing on our going and returning, and then I went and saw all +ready for the ride. I had bought two more horses, good enough for +change of mount now and then, one brown and the other black; and +Erling was to lead them, with our belongings on a pack. The king +would travel steadily, but no more slowly than might be managed, +and we were to have no wagons or the like to hinder us, though +there were three ladies besides the Lady Hilda who were to go with +us.</p> +<p>It was past sunrise when I went to find Erling, but the morning +was dull and dark. It was hot, too, for no breath of wind stirred +the trees, and I seemed to notice a silence around me. That was +because the thrushes and blackbirds were not singing after their +wont in the dewy daybreak of May time, and I thought they waited +for the sun to break out.</p> +<p>When I came to the stables there was bustle everywhere, of +course; but the grooms seemed troubled in some way out of the +common, and Erling himself came to meet me with a puzzled face +which told me that all was not well.</p> +<p>"There is thunder in the air, thane," he said. "If I mistake +not, we shall have somewhat out of the way, too. The horses are +feeling it--unless some thrall has poisoned the whole stable."</p> +<p>Truly the horses were looking strangely. Their coats stared, and +their ears were cold and damp, while they seemed glad of the +company of the men, whinnying low and rubbing themselves against +them as they came into the stalls. I heard one thrall say to +another that the whole stable had surely been witch ridden in the +night.</p> +<p>"Get the horses into the open," I said. "It is stifling in this +stable. Maybe that is what is wrong."</p> +<p>My own horse was standing ready, and he greeted me, after his +wont, with a little neigh; but he was wet, and his coat had lost +the gloss of which Erling was so proud. I did not like it at all, +but as every horse in the place seemed to be in the same way or +worse, I put it down to the thundery feel in the air. I led him out +myself, and there were two thanes of our party, who had come for +their horses.</p> +<p>"Why, paladin," said one, "what is amiss with the skew-bald? You +can't ride him today if he is as bad as he looks."</p> +<p>I told him that his own horse was much in the same case, and +added that I thought with Erling that it was the thundery weather +which upset the stable, though I had never known the like +before.</p> +<p>"I suppose that the king will not start until it clears," I +said.</p> +<p>"Ay, but he will," said the other thane, looking at the gray +sky. "Seldom does he put off a start, and today of all days there +is a strong cable pulling him westward."</p> +<p>Now Erling came out with the other horses, and the thane and his +comrade glanced at them, and hurried to see to their own steeds. +There was no sound of pawing hoofs and coaxing voices to be heard +as one by one the horses were led out. It might have been the +clearing of a sheep fold for all the spirit there was in the +beasts.</p> +<p>I mounted, and rode with Erling after me out of the courtyard +into the open. On the green were gathering the twenty thanes or so +who made up the party, and across it was drawn up the mounted +escort. There was the usual gathering of onlookers, and by the gate +stood the king's own huntsmen, with hawks and hounds.</p> +<p>The first thing I noticed was that the birds were dull and +uneasy, and that the dogs were still more so. The hooded hawks sat +with ruffled feathers, and one or two of the hounds lay on their +backs, with paws drawn to them as if they feared a beating, while +the rest whined, and had no eagerness in them. It seemed closer +here than in the courtyard even, and every one was watching the sky +and speaking in a low voice. Each sound seemed over loud, and +overhead the hot haze brooded without sign of breaking.</p> +<p>The king's chaplain came out, and a lay brother brought him his +mule. He looked at it as I had looked at my horse just now, and his +brow knitted. He was rather a friend of mine.</p> +<p>"Father," I said, "there is somewhat strange in the air. Look at +all the beasts; they feel more than we can."</p> +<p>He nodded to me gravely. Then he said, with his hand smoothing +the wet coat of his mule, which at any other time would have +resented the touch with a squeal, but now did not heed him:</p> +<p>"It minds me of one day in Rome when I was a lad there, at +college, learning. There is a great burning mountain at Naples, and +it was smoking at the time. Then there came--"</p> +<p>"Way for the king!" cried the marshal who waited at the gate, +and the good father had to stand aside with his tale +unfinished.</p> +<p>Ethelbert came forth with a smiling return to our salute, and +with him came his mother and the four ladies who were to bear us +company on the way. One of these was, of course, the Lady Hilda, +and I dismounted and left my horse to a groom for the time, having +promised myself the pleasure of helping her to mount.</p> +<p>At that moment the marshal, who was a thane set over all the +ordering of the journey, went to the king and asked him if it might +not be his pleasure to wait for an hour to see if the weather +broke. I think that the king was so taken up with parting words to +the queen that he had hardly noticed the gloom and heat, and +certainly he had not noted the uneasiness of the horses, which was +growing more and more. So he only turned for a moment to the thane, +signing to the man to bring his horse.</p> +<p>"Nay, but a dull start often forebodes a bright ending to a +journey. We will go," he said, laughing.</p> +<p>"Now farewell, mother, for the last time."</p> +<p>He bent his knee for her blessing, doffing his cap as he did so. +And even as he bent I was aware of a dull rumble, not loud or like +thunder, but as if all the wains of the host of King Carl were +passing toward us from far off. Hilda stood by me at that moment, +and she heard it.</p> +<p>For the life of me, though I knew that no wagons were near us, I +could not help glancing round for them, and as I did so I saw the +end of a thrall's mud hut across a field fall out. The king leaped +up and set his foot in the stirrup, and at that moment the earth +heaved and shook under us, and the whole oaken hall and buildings +round us creaked and groaned like a ship in a ground swell, while +Hilda clung to my arm in terror. Her horse, which the thane, her +father, held, trembled and broke out into white foam all over, +stumbling forward.</p> +<p>I do not think that the king felt it; indeed, as he was swinging +himself into the saddle at the moment, he could not have done so. +But his horse reared almost on end with terror, and any less +perfect rider must have had a heavy fall. All around us were +plunging horses and shouting men, but he did not seem to heed them. +He had all he could do to get his horse in hand again, and I think +his eyes were misty with that parting.</p> +<p>He gave the horse the rein, crying to us to follow, and so +passed down the dim street and out under the green arches of the +lane beyond at a gallop, as gay and hopeful a lover as heart could +wish. Doubtless to him the shouts seemed but the cries of good +speed, and the plunging of the maddened horses but the sounds of +mounting; for the way had been left clear for him westward, and he +did not look back.</p> +<p>Out of the houses of the town I saw the folk running and crying, +not in farewell to him, but in wild terror of rattling roofs and +crumbling walls. They did not heed him; but I saw him wave his hand +to them, for he thought they cheered him, as he passed too swiftly +to note either pale faces or woeful cries.</p> +<p>Then after him rode their hardest the men of the escort and +others who were already mounted, and the tumult stilled suddenly. +They say that the queen swooned there on the pavement at the gate; +and I do not doubt it, though her ladies took her so quickly away +that I did not see her. Hilda was almost fainting on my arm, and I +had to drag her away from the wild frenzy of her horse, which the +thane could hardly hold.</p> +<p>I saw two or three men stand staring at Erling, who was in +trouble with his charges, and then they went to his help. And next +I was aware that somewhat soft rubbed my sleeve, and I started and +turned. It was my own horse, who sought me in danger, and would +tell me in his own way that he was there. In that glance I noted +that his eye was bright again, and in a minute or two he shook +himself heartily. Thereby I knew that there was no more of this +terror to come, or he would have felt it yet.</p> +<p>"Thane," I said, "see. The skew-bald has not lost his senses +like that beast. Let us set Hilda on him. The marshal will help to +shift the saddle."</p> +<p>But Hilda came to herself again, and tried to laugh, saying that +there was never yet a horse of which she was afraid. Nor would she +hear of a change, for when her horse grew more quiet it was plain +that its terror had passed away. She took herself gently from my +arm, and spoke bravely now.</p> +<p>"What was it?" she asked me while Sighard soothed the beast.</p> +<p>"Why," answered Father Selred for me, "just what I was going to +tell the paladin--such an earthquake as I felt on a like day in +Rome years ago. But why it comes here in quiet England, where is no +fiery mountain to disquiet the earth, I cannot say."</p> +<p>"Father, it is the end of the world!" said a thrall, forgetting +our presence in his terror.</p> +<p>"Not so, my son. The thousand years of prophecy are not at an +end yet; and there are more foretellings of Holy Writ yet to be +fulfilled. It is just the old earth shaking herself after a +sleep."</p> +<p>The man's face cleared, and he shrank back with a low bow, +frightened at his own boldness. All seemed to have found their +tongues again, and were telling how the matter had seemed to them +without waiting to know whether they were listened to.</p> +<p>"No hurry," said Sighard; "the king cannot keep up that pace, +and anywise will have to wait the pack-horse train somewhere. Let +us see all well first."</p> +<p>Maybe we waited for half an hour after that, for the ladies were +sorely frightened. We had the horses walked to and fro for a while, +and presently they were themselves again. And there came no more +trembling of the ground, while the clouds grew blacker, and a +short, sharp thunderstorm swept over us. It was good to feel the +cleared air again, and to smell the scent that rises after rain, +and to hear the song of the birds break out around us.</p> +<p>Yet on every face was a fear that would not be put aside. Men +thought that the earthquake boded ill for the journey of the king +and what might come thereof.</p> +<p>So when the rain had passed we rode away after the king, +followed by the pack horses, and before noon caught him up. He had +heard then what had happened to set his steed beyond control, and +his face was grave also. Even he could not help fearing that the +earthquake, coming at that moment as it did, might be sent as a +token which he must hear though the dreams of his mother went for +naught.</p> +<p>"And yet," he said to Father Selred and myself as we rode beside +him, "I am doing what I deem best for throne and realm, and I have +no thought of guile or harm to any man. Nor can I see that I have +to fear any from Offa, or that at his court can be danger to +me."</p> +<p>"Journey and reason therefor are alike good so far as man can +see or plan," said Selred the priest. "I would that every journey +was undertaken as fully innocently. I cannot think that any tokens +have been sent to warn you from it. Yet if there had been aught +amiss in your plans, it is true that there have been tokens enough +to scare any man from evil."</p> +<p>"Maybe it all means naught but danger on the journey. Well, we +knew there was always that in any ride. For the rest, we are in the +hands of Him who orders all and can see beyond our ken. We will go +on till the tokens, if tokens they be, are plain in their +meaning."</p> +<p>Father Selred approved, gravely. Then he muttered somewhat to +himself, and laughed. It was Latin, but the king told me afterward +what it meant. Some old Roman poet had made a song in which he said +that a man who was just and straightforward in his purposes need +not fear if the world fell, shattered in ruins, around him.</p> +<p>It was a good saying, and surely that was the way of Ethelbert +of East Anglia. Maybe the one thing which did trouble him was his +thought of the terror of his mother, and of her anxiety for +him.</p> +<p>But it was a long while before the rest of us shook off the fear +of what all this might betoken. Perhaps of all I had the most +reason to think that ill was before the king, for Erling, though he +said no more to me, was plainly full of bodings. And I have heard +that other men dreamed dreams of terror and told them to one +another. Only Ethelbert was always cheerful, singing as he rode and +laughing with us, so that we ought to have been ashamed to be +dull.</p> +<p>Save for what was in my mind, I cannot say that the miles went +slowly. The days were bright and warm, and ever did I take more +pleasure in the old home land. And always when Ethelbert had his +counsellors round him I rode with Hilda and her father, and I think +that I wished that journey might never end, after a while.</p> +<p>For I was going homeward to where mother and father waited me, +in the first place. Then I had pleasant companions, and most of all +this one of whom I have just spoken. I had a good horse under me, +and a comrade in Erling who served me silently with that best of +service that is given for love. I was high in honour with this +wonderful young king, for the sake of Ecgbert first, I think, then +of King Carl, and lastly because he did indeed seem to like my own +company. I do not think that one could need more to add to +pleasure.</p> +<p>I have seen the progresses of kings before this and since, and +often it has been that after their passing there has been +grumbling, and the hearty hope that the long and greedy train which +ate men out of house and home, borrowed their best horses, and +otherwise made a little famine in their wake, might never come that +way again. But this Ethelbert left, as it were, a track of +happiness across England, in hall and in village, in cot and in +forest. He had ridden with so small a train that he might +overburden none of those who had to entertain him on his way, and +he stayed nowhere overlong. Everywhere he seemed to leave smiles +and wishes that he would honour that house or that town again on +his return, and not a man to whom he had spoken, if it were but a +word of thanks, would ever forget how Ethelbert the Anglian looked +on him with that kindly glance of his.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO +THE PALACE OF SUTTON.</h2> +<p>By Ely and Huntingdon and Northampton, and so through the very +heart of England, across the sweet Avon at Stratford, our way took +us, under trees that had their first leaves fresh and sweet on +them, and past orchards pink and white, with the bees busy among +the bloom. I had seen many a fair country beyond the sea in the +wide realms of Carl, but none so sweet as this to my mind. The warm +rain that came and stayed us now and then but made it all the +sweeter; and I mind, with a joy that bides with me, the hours of +waiting in old halls and quiet monasteries.</p> +<p>That black cloud of fears cleared away presently, for it was in +all truth a very bridal procession in which we rode. Everywhere the +news went before us that hither came the well-loved king to bear +away the sweet daughter of Mercia, and from town and hamlet the +bells greeted us, and the folk donned their holiday gear to come to +meet us. I had not known that the name of Ethelbert, young as he +was, could have been so held in love across the land. But Father +Selred told me that never had been such a king as he, as there +surely had never been such promise of the days when he was the heir +to the throne.</p> +<p>First in all he was in the minds of every man who knew him, +whether in war or peace, council or chamber, and maybe he was the +only one who did not know it. I learned much of him in that ride, +and always with a growing love of him and a deeper wonder. He +thought for every one but himself.</p> +<p>Nor was there a church, however small, which he passed on that +happy journey toward his bride which was not the richer and +brighter for some gift of his, left on the altar after the morning +mass, which always began our day, or given quietly after the +evensong which ended it. One might know his road now by the words +of the people, who will say with more than pride that once +Ethelbert crossed the threshold of their church and gave this or +that gift. I have seen richer gifts given, and heard more words +said; but what he gave seemed always that which was wanted, and the +word he spoke was always the best that could have been. And I have +wondered at the mighty churches which Carl the Great had reared and +was still rearing, but in some wise it seemed to me that the way of +Ethelbert was of more worth.</p> +<p>Now, seeing that we had started with our minds full of portents, +it is not by any means wonderful that we found more on the road. +For a time, if a horse did but cast a shoe, the thane it belonged +to shook his head and wished that naught ill might come of the +little delay. And once, when we stumbled into a fog among the river +country of the midlands, where one would expect to meet with it, +there was nigh a panic in the company, so that the thanes crowded +round Ethelbert and begged him to return. Whereon he laughed at +them gaily.</p> +<p>"Thanes, thanes!" he cried, "one can no more see to return than +to go forward! I might take it as a warning not to go back, just as +well. Did none of you ever see a fog before? Had it fallen on you +while hunting, you would have done naught but grumble and wait its +lifting."</p> +<p>But they were terrified, as it seemed, beyond reason; and, +indeed, it was as thick as any Friesland fog I have ever seen, and +it grew blacker for an hour or so, while we had perforce to wait +under dripping trees till we could see to go on. Even a horse will +lose his way home in such a fog as that.</p> +<p>And at last they begged the king to pray that it might clear +from off us, and so he knelt and did so. It was strange to hear his +clear voice rising from the midst of half-seen men and steaming +horses, praying for the light. And then the fog lifted as suddenly +as it had come, and the sun shone out.</p> +<p>"See," he said, "our fears are like this mist, and cloud our +senses. Surely the fears shall pass likewise from the heart of him +who prays. So read I the token, if token it be."</p> +<p>All that day thereafter we rode in brightest sunshine, and men +were fairly ashamed to say more of ill-luck and the like. And so +also in lovely weather we went for the fourteen days of our +journey, until we came to the place where we should cross the +Severn at Worcester, and but a day's long ride was before us.</p> +<p>After that time of the mist Ethelbert noticed Erling, and would +call him and speak long with him of the ways of his home, as I +thought.</p> +<p>At Worcester we waited while a message went from the town to +Offa, and next day there came to meet us some score of the best +thanes of the Welsh borderland, who should be our guides to the end +of the journey. Hard warriors and scarred with tokens of the long +wars they were, but pleasant and straightforward in their ways, as +warriors should be. Only I did not altogether like the smooth way +of the man who was their leader. His name was Gymbert, and he was +of mixed Welsh and English blood, as I was told, and he was also +high in honour with Offa, and with Quendritha herself; which in +itself spoke well for him, but nevertheless in some way I cared not +for him.</p> +<p>They feasted us that night in Worcester, and early next morning +we rode out westward again on the last stage of our journey, the +king leading us with this thane at his side, followed by the rest +of the Mercians and his own thanes. So I, not altogether +unwillingly, rode with Hilda in the rear of the party, feeling +somewhat downcast to think that this was the last time I was at all +likely to be her companion.</p> +<p>I suppose that there is not a more wonderful outlook in all +England than from the Malvern heights, save only that from our own +Quantocks, in the west. I hold that the more wonderful, for there +one has the sea, and across it the mountains of Wales, which one +misses here, while it were hard to say whence the eye can range the +furthest.</p> +<p>I told Hilda so as we reined up the horses for a moment at the +top of the steep to breathe them, and she sighed, with all the +wonder before her. We of the hill countries do not know all the +pleasure that comes into the heart of one from the level east +counties, as he looks for the first time from a height over the +lands spread out below. I had been long enough in Friesland now to +learn some of that wonder for myself anew.</p> +<p>"Well," she said, "you will be back again at home in your hills +shortly, and all this ride will be forgotten. Where does your home +lie? Can it be seen?"</p> +<p>I pointed south or thereabout. I could almost fancy that I +should be able to see the far blue line of the Mendips under the +sun, so bright it all was and clear.</p> +<p>Then she asked if my folk knew that I was on my way home.</p> +<p>"No; else I had ridden straightway from Thetford to them. They +think that I am yet with the Franks across the sea, and a few days +can make no difference to them. Nor could I be so churlish as to +refuse the king's offer of help on my way."</p> +<p>"I wonder how you will find all when you get back?"</p> +<p>"And so do I. There were merchants from Bristol who brought me a +message that all was well with them six months ago, and by the same +hands I sent back word that so it was with me. Possibly that +message has reached them about this time."</p> +<p>That was the third time I had heard from home during these +years, and I was lucky to have heard at all. It seems that my +father had bidden friends of ours at the ports to let him hear of +men from across the seas who were to go to the court of Carl.</p> +<p>"Ah," she said, "I hope so. That would be more than joy to your +mother. And then for you to follow so quickly on the message! that +will be wonderful. I would that I could see that meeting."</p> +<p>She turned and laughed in the pleasure of the thought, and I +suppose there was that in my eyes which told her that I had the +same wish. Maybe I should have said so, but she flushed a little, +and gave me no time.</p> +<p>"But I shall be on the way back to East Anglia with the +princess, and I will picture it all. Some day, when you come back +to see the king, as you say he has asked you, I shall hear of +it."</p> +<p>Now it was in my mind that it was possible that I might be back +in Thetford, or wherever Ethelbert's court might be at the time, +sooner than I had any wish. For if aught had happened amiss at +home, so that our lands, for want of the heir, had fallen into the +hands of Bertric, I should be left with naught but my sword for +heritage. Then--for the king had spoken of these chances to me--I +was to come straightway back to him and take service with him. My +knowledge of the ways in which Carl handled his men would be of use +to him, and a place and honour would wait me. But I would not think +much of such sorrow for me, though that it was possible, of course, +may have been the great reason which made me silent when there were +words I had more than once had it on the tip of my tongue to say to +Hilda. Could I have known for certain that home and wealth yet +waited for me, I know that I must needs have asked her to share +them, now that at the end of this daily companionship I learned +what my thoughts of her had grown to be.</p> +<p>"Ay, I shall be back with Ethelbert at some time," I said. "I do +not forget promises."</p> +<p>After that we rode down the long hill silently enough, and the +way did not seem so bright to me. And so through the long day we +rode, stopping for an hour or two at the strong oaken hall, moated +and stockaded, of some great border thane for the midday meal. +There were the marks of fire on roof and walls; for once the wild +Welsh had tried to burn it, and failed, in a sudden raid before +Offa had curbed them with the mighty earthwork that runs from Dee +to Severn to keep the border of his realm. "Offa's Dyke" men call +it, and so it will be called to the end of time.</p> +<p>And now we were on the way of the war host from west to east, +the way of the Welshmen, and making toward the ford of the Wye, +which they were wont to cross, so that we call it the "ford of the +host," the "Hereford."</p> +<p>It was late when we came into the little town of Fernlea, which +stands on the gentle rise above the ford, for the five-and-twenty +miles or so of this day's work had been heavy across the hills. The +great stronghold palace whither we were bound lay some miles +northward, and it seemed right that we waited here till the next +day, that into it we might pass with all travel stains done away +with and in full state.</p> +<p>Already there had been a royal camp pitched for us by Offa's +folk, and I was glad that we had not to bide in the town. One could +not wish for better weather for the open, and the lines of gay +tents, with the pavilion for the king in their midst, seemed homely +and pleasant to me with memory of the days which seemed so long ago +when the camp of Carl was my only home.</p> +<p>As soon as we reached this camp under the hill, where the town +stockading rose strong and high against the Welsh, the thane I have +already mentioned, Gymbert, arranged our lodging, he being the +king's marshal in charge of us, and also warden of the palace. He +was a huge man, burly and strong, somewhat too smooth spoken, as I +thought, but pleasant withal. He gave me a tent to myself, somewhat +apart from the king's pavilion, as a Frankish stranger, I +suppose.</p> +<p>"Your thralls will bide with the rest," he said; "they can find +shelter in the tents there are yonder. If some of them have to bide +outside, it will not hurt them."</p> +<p>"Well enough you ken that, Gymbert," said Erling curtly, in good +Welsh.</p> +<p>I understood him, of course, for we had Welsh thralls enough at +home, but I wondered that he knew the tongue. Gymbert understood +him also, for his face flushed red and he bit his lip. But he +pretended not to do so.</p> +<p>"Your Frankish tongue is a strange one," he said. "What does the +man want?"</p> +<p>"I think that he means that outside the tent is as pleasant as +in, as you hint," I said. "But he will bide here across my door, as +is his wont."</p> +<p>"Outside, I suppose?" said Gymbert, with a laugh. "Well, as you +like."</p> +<p>He rode away, and I looked at Erling wonderingly. The Dane was +watching him with a black scowl on his face.</p> +<p>"Where on earth did you learn the British tongue?" I said; "and +what know you of Gymbert?"</p> +<p>"I learned the Welsh yonder," Erling answered, nodding westward. +"I lived in the little town men call Tenby for three years. There +also I heard of this man. He was a thrall himself once, and freed +by this queen for some service or another. He is a well-hated man, +both by Saxon and Welsh, being of both races, and therefore of +neither, as one may say."</p> +<p>"He seems to be trusted by the king, though!"</p> +<p>Erling shrugged his shoulders. "He has fought well for him, and +is rewarded. Were there aught to be had by betraying Offa, he would +betray him. Take a bad Saxon and a false Welshman, and that is +saying much, and weld them into one, and you have Gymbert."</p> +<p>"This is hearsay from the Welsh he has fought," said I; "one +need not heed it."</p> +<p>"I suppose not," quoth Erling; "but I never heard aught else of +him. And he has the face of a traitor."</p> +<p>With that he turned to his horses and began loosening the pack +from that one which bore it. There was no more to be got out of +him, as I knew, and so, leaving him to set the tent in order, I +went my way toward the river, being minded for a good swim therein +after the long, dusty way. And turning over what Erling had said of +himself, I remembered that Thorleif had told me how he had come +from Wales round the Land's End to Weymouth. I thought rightly that +he had picked up Erling there.</p> +<p>I had a good hour's swim in a deep pool of the river, and +enjoyed it to the full. The current was swift, and it was good to +battle with it, and then to turn and swing downward past the +fern-covered banks and under the shade of the trees with its flow. +And while I was splashing in the pool, a franklin came running from +his field with his hoe, waving wildly to me.</p> +<p>"Come out, master, I pray you!" he gasped; "the water is full +forty feet deep there!"</p> +<p>"Is that so?" I said gravely. "I will go and see."</p> +<p>With that I dived, and stayed under as long as I could, not +being able to find the bottom after all.</p> +<p>And when I came up again the honest face of the franklin was +white and his eyes stared in terror. So I laughed at him.</p> +<p>"I believe the pool is as deep as you say; but would seven feet +of water be any safer?"</p> +<p>"Nay, master, but it would drown me. Yet come out, I do pray +you. It gives me the cold terror to see you so overbold."</p> +<p>Then came Father Selred along the bank, and the man begged him +to bid me leave the water; and so we both laughed at him, until the +franklin waxed cross and went his way, saying that I was a fool for +not biding in the shoal water up yonder by the great tree. I could +walk across there waist deep, he said, grumbling.</p> +<p>Then I came out, and the father told me that the king would be +here anon. We walked to and fro waiting for him, and presently he +came with Hilda's father, Sighard, in attendance. The four of us +sat down on the river bank, under the great tree of which the +franklin had spoken, and watched the trout in the shallows till +Ethelbert lay back with his arms under his head, and said that he +was tired with the ride and would sleep.</p> +<p>He closed his eyes, and we went on talking in low voices for an +hour or so while he slept. And then the horns rang from the distant +camp to tell us that the evening meal was spread in the great +pavilion. But the king did not hear them, and I looked doubtfully +at him, wondering if he should be waked.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," said Father Selred in a whisper, "surely the king +dreams wondrous things. His face is as the face of a saint!"</p> +<p>And so indeed it was as he lay there in the evening light, and I +wondered at him. There was no smile around his mouth, but stillness +and, as it seemed, an awe of what he saw, most peaceful, so that I +almost feared to look on him. The horns went again, soft and mellow +in the distance from across the evening meadows. The kine heard +them, and thought them the homing call, and so lifted their lazy +heads and waded homeward through the grass.</p> +<p>"Ethelbert, my king," said Sighard gently.</p> +<p>The eyes of the king opened, and he roused.</p> +<p>"Was that your voice, my thane," he asked, "or was it the voice +of my dream?"</p> +<p>"I called you, lord, for the horns are sounding."</p> +<p>"Thanks; but I would I had dreamed more! I do not know if I +should have learned what it all meant had I slept on."</p> +<p>"What was it, my son?" said Selred.</p> +<p>The king was silent for a little, musing.</p> +<p>"It was a good dream, I think," he said. "I will tell you, and +you shall judge. You mind the little wooden church which stands +here in Fernlea town? Well, in my dream I stood outside that, and +it seemed small and mean for the house of God, so that I would that +it were built afresh. Then it seemed to me that an angel came to +me, bearing a wondrous vessel full of blood, and on the little +church he sprinkled it; and straightway it began to grow and widen +wondrously, and its walls became of stone instead of timber and +wattle, and presently it stood before me as a mighty church, great +as any of those of which Carl's paladin here tells me.</p> +<p>"Then I heard from within the sound of wonderful music and the +singing of many people; and I went near to listen, for the like of +that was never yet heard in our land. And when I was even at the +door, from out the church came in many voices my own name, as if it +were being mingled with praises--and so you woke me."</p> +<p>"It is a good dream," said Sighard bluntly. "It came from the +wondering why Offa let so mean a church stand, and from the horns, +and from my speaking your name. Strange how things like that will +weave themselves into the mind of a sleeping man to make a +wonder."</p> +<p>"It is a good dream," said Selred the priest, after a moment's +thought. I doubt not that it was in your mind to give some gift to +the church. Mayhap you shall ask Offa to restore it presently, for +memory of your wedding; and thereafter men will pray there for you +as the founder of its greatness."</p> +<p>"Yet the angel, and that he bore and sprinkled?"</p> +<p>"It seems to me," I said, "that it was a vision of the Holy +Grail; and happy would King Arthur or our Wessex Ina have held you +that you saw it, King Ethelbert."</p> +<p>"Ay," he said, "if I might think that it was so!"</p> +<p>Again the horns rang, and he leaped up.</p> +<p>"We must not keep them waiting," he cried. "Come!"</p> +<p>"More dreams," grumbled Sighard the old thane to me as the king +went on before us with the chaplain. "On my word, we have been +dream-ridden like a parcel of old women on this journey, till we +shall fear our own shadows next. There is Hilda as silent as a +mouse today, and I suppose she has been seeing more portents. I +mind that a black cat did look at us out of a doorway this +morning."</p> +<p>So he growled, scoffing, and I must say that I was more than +half minded to agree with him. Only the earthquake did seem more +than an everyday token.</p> +<p>"I suppose that the earthquake which we felt was sent for +somewhat?" I said.</p> +<p>"Why, of course; such like always are. But seeing that it was +felt everywhere we have ridden, even so far as Northampton, and +likely enough further on yet, I don't see why we should take it as +meant for the king."</p> +<p>Then he began to laugh to himself.</p> +<p>"When one comes to think thereof," he chuckled, "there must have +been scores of men who felt it just as they were starting +somewhere; and I warrant every one of them took it to himself, and +put off his business! Well, well, I can tell what it did portend, +however, for Ethelbert, and that is a mighty change in his +household so soon as he gets his new wife home. Earthquake, +forsooth! Mayhap he will wish he had hearkened to its message when +she turns his house upside down."</p> +<p>"Nay," I said, smiling; "one has not heard that of the +princess."</p> +<p>"She is Quendritha's daughter," he said grimly, and growing +grave of a sudden. "That is the one thing against this wedding, to +my mind. If she is like her mother, or indeed like her sister +Eadburga, who wedded your king, there is an end for peace to +Ethelbert, and maybe to East Anglia."</p> +<p>Now I had heard little or nothing of how that last match turned +out; I only knew that when I was taken from home we were full of +rejoicing over it. So I heard now for the first time that over all +the land of Wessex were whispers of ill done by our new queen--of +men who crossed her in aught dying suddenly, or going home to +linger awhile and come to a painful end. I heard that she bore rule +rather than the king, and that her sway was heavy, and so on in +many counts against her. The tales were the same as those I had +heard often of late about her mother, Quendritha, and with all my +heart I hoped that the Princess Etheldrida was not as those two. I +had heard naught but good of her, at all events, and I will say now +that all I had heard was true. There could be no sweeter maiden in +all the land than she. I heard the same good words of her only +brother, Ecgfrith, and I suppose that those two bore more likeness +to their mighty father than to the queen.</p> +<p>All this half-stifled talk of untold ill from Quendritha lay +heavy on my mind; and it came to me that Sighard was a true man, +and that to him I might tell the tale Thrond told me. I must share +that secret with some one who might, if he deemed it wise, warn +King Ethelbert in such sort that he should beware of her, now and +hereafter. So after a little while I said:</p> +<p>"Thane, I have heard that Quendritha came ashore--"</p> +<p>"Ay," he said sharply, looking round him. "But that is a tale +which is best let alone. It is true enough. My wife's folk took her +in at Lincoln."</p> +<p>"Is it known whence she came?" I went on, paying no heed to a +warning sign he made; for we were far from the camp yet, and the +king was a hundred yards ahead of us.</p> +<p>"Let be, Wilfrid; hold your peace on that. There are men who +have asked that question in all simplicity, and they have +gone."</p> +<p>"Why, is there aught amiss in coming ashore as she did?"</p> +<p>"Hold your peace, I tell you. On my word, it is as well, though, +that you have had it out with me here in the meadows. Listen: there +is no harm in the drifting hither. What sent her adrift?"</p> +<p>"I have sailed for a month with Danes," I said. "I have met with +a man who once set a girl adrift."</p> +<p>As I said that I looked him meaningly in the face, and he grew +pale.</p> +<p>"So," he said slowly, "you have heard that tale also. There was +a Danish chapman who came to our haven at Mundesley, where I live, +and told it there to me. That was a year after the boat was found. +I bade him be silent, but there was no need. When he heard that the +girl had become what she is, he fled the land. And, mind you, he +could not be certain, nor can I."</p> +<p>"Nor could the man who told me. But my Dane is the nephew of +that man."</p> +<p>Sighard grasped my arm.</p> +<p>"Speak to him, and bid him hold his tongue if he has heard the +tale, else he and you are dead men. Get to him at once."</p> +<p>I thought, indeed, that there was need to do so, though Erling +was in nowise talkative. For if, as was pretty certain, the tale of +the coming of Quendritha went round the groups of men at the camp +fires, he might say that he had heard of one set adrift from his +own land.</p> +<p>So instead of going in at once with the king to the pavilion, I +ran down to the lines where the horses were picketed, and found +Erling on his way to the supper, which was spread under some trees +for our servants. I took him aside and walked out into the open +with him.</p> +<p>"Erling," I said, "do you mind that tale which Thrond tells +concerning a damsel set afloat?"</p> +<p>"Ay, more than mind it--I saw it done! She went from our +village. I was a well-grown lad of fourteen then. Now I know what +you would say. It is the word of Thrond that this Quendritha, whom +men fear so, is she. He says so, since you spoke to him."</p> +<p>"Have you breathed a word thereof to any one?" I asked, with a +sort of cold fear coming on me.</p> +<p>I had no mind to die of poison.</p> +<p>"Not likely; here of all places. I mind what that maiden was in +the old days. From all accounts she has but held herself back +somewhat here. But had you had aught to do with her, I should have +warned you, master."</p> +<p>I set my hand on his shoulder.</p> +<p>"I know you would. Now you will see the queen tomorrow. Tell me, +then, if this is indeed she."</p> +<p>"Ay, I shall know her well enough. What I fear is that she may +know me!"</p> +<p>Grim as his voice was, that made me laugh.</p> +<p>"Seeing that you were but a lad when she last set eyes on +you--and now you are ten years older than myself, bearded and +scarred moreover--I do not fear that for you in the least."</p> +<p>"Nor will she have need to scan me," he said. "Of course I need +not fear it."</p> +<p>Then I asked him if he had more of the second sight.</p> +<p>"Naught fresh, master. Only that look on the face of the young +king deepens, and ever there is the red line round his neck. I fear +for him."</p> +<p>So did I, but of that we spoke no more. I tried all I knew to +fathom that fear of mine, and the most I could do was to make it +seem more and more needless and foolish. And presently, when we sat +at the table, and I saw the king speaking with the Mercians, and +noted their admiring looks at him, and their eagerness to listen to +him, I thought that Sighard was right, and that I was frayed with +shadows of my own making. I knew enough of men by this time to see +that here was no thought of ill toward Ethelbert.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN +WOVE HER PLOTS.</h2> +<p>Great was the welcome which Ethelbert of East Anglia had from +Offa of Mercia when we reached the great stronghold of Sutton Walls +on the next morning, riding there in all state and due array in our +best holiday gear, with those Mercian thanes who had met us as +escort before and after us. The morning was bright and clear, and I +thought I had never seen so fair a procession as this with which +the king went to meet his bride.</p> +<p>I had heard much of this palace of Offa's from the Mercians and +from Ethelbert himself, but it was a far stronger place than I had +expected. Seeing that here, on the newly-conquered Welsh border +lands, no man could tell when the wild Britons might swarm across +the ford, and bring fire and sword in revenge on the lands they had +lost, if the king would have a palace here, it must be a very +strong hold, and Offa had indeed made one.</p> +<p>The Romans had chosen the place long ago, having the same foe to +watch and the same ford to keep, and on the low hill, which they +saw was best for strength and position alike, they had set a great +square camp with high earthen walls and deep moat below them. Once +they had had their stone houses within it, but they had gone. The +last of them were cleared when Offa drove out the Welsh and set his +own place there after our fashion. Then he had repaired the +earthworks, and crowned them afresh with a heavy timber stockade, +making new gates and bridges across the moat.</p> +<p>Across the bridge which faces toward Wales we rode, between +lines of country folk, who thronged outside the stockading to see +our coming; and so with their cheers to greet us we came into a +great open courtyard, with long buildings for thralls and kitchens +and the like on either side of it, and right opposite the gate, +facing toward it, the timber hall of the king itself. A little +chapel, cross crowned, stood on its left, and the guest house and +guard rooms for the housecarls to the right, stretching across the +centre of the camp where once the Roman huts had been.</p> +<p>The hall was high and long, and had a wide porch and doorway in +the end which faced the gate. Behind it one could see the roofs of +other buildings which joined it, and beyond it again were stables, +and byres, and kennels, and barns, and the countless other offices +which a great house needs, filling up the rest of the space the +stockade enclosed. Nor were they set at random, as one mostly sees +them; but all having been built at once, they stood in little +streets, as it were, most orderly to look on, with a wider street +running from the back of the hall to the gate which led toward +Mercia through the midst.</p> +<p>Presently I learned that the queen's bower was a lesser hall, +which joined the back of the great palace hall itself, and that +there were other buildings, which were not to be seen at first. It +was the greatest palace in all England, and I wished that the +Franks, who had little praise for our dwellings, had seen this +before they went back home. It is true that all was built of +timber, while the Franks used stone; but that last no Angle or +Saxon cares for while good oak and ash and chestnut are to be +had.</p> +<p>I did not pay much heed to the place at the time when we rode +in, beyond a swift glance round me. There was that which held my +eyes from the first on the wide steps that led to the hall door. +There stood Offa and his queen to meet their guest, with the nobles +of Mercia round them in a wondrous gathering, blazing with colour, +and gold, and jewels, and the white horse banner of Mercia over +them.</p> +<p>To right and left along the front of chapel and guest house were +lines of the scarred housecarls who had followed Offa and won the +land for him, bright with flashing helms and weapons; and close +behind the group on the steps were some black-robed priests, who +had a vested bishop in their midst.</p> +<p>So they waited while we dismounted, and then Ethelbert went +forward alone toward the king and queen, carrying his helm in his +hand, and with only a little golden circlet round his fair hair. I +mind that the bright sun flashed from it as he went till there +seemed a halo round his head, like to the ring of light they paint +round the heads of the saints in the churches. And I thought that +even Offa seemed less kingly than did he, though the great king was +fully robed and wearing his crown. I think he had on a white tunic +with a broad golden hem, and a crimson cloak fastened on his +shoulder with cross-shaped brooch, golden and gemmed, while his +hose were of dark blue, cross-gartered with gold.</p> +<p>And then I must look at the queen, and I saw the most +wonderfully beautiful lady who ever lived outside of a gleeman's +tale, so that hardly could Guinevere herself, King Arthur's queen, +have been more beautiful. She was tall and yet not thin, and her +golden hair fell in two long plaits almost to the ground over her +pale green dress. From her shoulders hung a cloak of deeper green, +wondrously wrought with crimson and gold and silver, and fastened +with golden brooches. She also wore her crown; but even if she had +not had it, none could mistake her for any but the queen among all +the ladies who stood behind her, and they were of the noblest of +that land.</p> +<p>I thought that the Princess Etheldrida would be there also, for +beside the king was Ecgfrith the atheling; but she was not. They +say that she had some maidenly fear of meeting this husband of +hers, who was to be, in the open court thus.</p> +<p>Now Offa smiled and came down the steps to meet Ethelbert, and +set his hand on his shoulder and kissed him in a royal greeting, +and so led him to the queen, who waited him with a still face, +which at least had naught but friendliness in it. One would say +that it was such a look as a fond mother might well turn on the man +who would take her loved daughter from her, not unwilling, but half +doubting for her. There seemed no look of ill, and none of guile, +in her blue eyes as Ethelbert bent and kissed her hand; and she too +bent and kissed his forehead.</p> +<p>And at that moment from my shoulder growled Erling, and his face +was white and troubled:</p> +<p>"Yonder is she!"</p> +<p>Then he shrank away behind me, and so took himself beyond her +sight. I did not see him again until the queen had left.</p> +<p>The words struck a sort of chill into me, and I looked more +closely at the queen. Maybe I was twenty paces from her, and one of +many, so that she paid no heed to me. And as I looked again I +seemed to see pride, and mayhap cruelty, in the straight, thin lips +and square, firm chin. It was a face which would harden with little +change, and the blue eyes would be naught but cold at any time.</p> +<p>And it came to me that it was a face to be feared; yet I did not +know why one should fear aught for Ethelbert from her.</p> +<p>Now those greetings were over, and Offa led Ethelbert into the +hall. Then Gymbert the marshal came and took us to our quarters, +that we might prepare for the feast, giving some of us in charge of +his men, while he led away the leaders of the party himself toward +the guest hall by the palace.</p> +<p>One took charge of me, and led me round the little church to the +back of the hall, telling me that the king had given special orders +that the Frankish noble was to have some lodging of his own. It did +not seem to be worth while for me to explain the case to this man, +who would, doubtless, be sorely put out if I wanted to remain with +the other thanes; so I said nothing, but followed him to the rear +of the great hall, where a long building with a lean-to roof had +been set against it, behind the chapel, and as it were continuing +it. Inside it was like a great room, rush-strewn, and with a hearth +in its midst, round which the servants of those who were lodged +there might sleep, and along one side of it were chambers, small +and warm, with sliding doors opening into the room. I found Father +Selred there before me, and it seemed that he also was to have one +of these chambers, the priest's house being full, and I was glad of +it. Soon after that they brought Sighard, Hilda's father, there +also, and I thought I was in good company, and had no wish to go +further.</p> +<p>I told the man to bid Erling the Dane come hither when his work +in the stables was done, and so he left me. Sighard's men, of whom +there were two, had followed him with his packs.</p> +<p>Now they take Ethelbert to his chamber, and Offa and Quendritha +seek their own in the queen's bower.</p> +<p>"A gallant son-in-law this of ours, in all truth," says the king +gaily.</p> +<p>"Ay. And now you hold East Anglia in your hand, King Offa."</p> +<p>"Faith, I suppose so," he answers, laughing--"that is, if +Etheldrida can manage him as you rule me, my queen! She is ever a +dutiful daughter."</p> +<p>"If this young king were to die, the crown he wears with so good +a grace would then fall to you," says the queen, coldly enough.</p> +<p>"Heaven forbid that so fair a life were cut short! Do not speak +so of what may not be for many a long year, as one may hope."</p> +<p>"Then if he outlives you, he will make a bid for Mercia."</p> +<p>"Nay, but he is loyal, and Ecgfrith will be his brother. It will +be good for our son that he has two queens for sisters--Wessex and +Anglia are his supporters. But there is no need to speak thus; it +is ill omened."</p> +<p>"Nay, but one must look forward. There would be no realm like +yours if East Anglia were added thereto," says the queen +slowly.</p> +<p>"We are adding it, wife, by this marriage, surely, as nearly as +one may."</p> +<p>"It were better if it were in your own hands," she persists.</p> +<p>"Truly, you think that none can rule but yourself. Let it be, my +queen. You will have a new pupil in statecraft in your +son-in-law."</p> +<p>So says Offa, half laughing, and yet with a doubt in his mind as +to what the queen means. Then he adds, for her face is cloudy:</p> +<p>"Trouble not yourself over these matters which are of the years +to come; today all is well."</p> +<p>"Ay, today. But when the time comes that Ethelbert knows his +strength? I will mind you that East Anglia has had a king ere this +nigh as powerful as yourself. He will have other teachers in +king-craft besides ourselves."</p> +<p>"Why, you speak as if you thought there would be danger to our +realm from Ethelbert in the days to come?"</p> +<p>"So long as there is a young king there, who can tell?"</p> +<p>Then says Offa, "I am strong enough to take care of that. +Moreover, he will be our son-in-law. I wit well that not so much as +a mouse will stir in his court but you will know it;" and he +laughs.</p> +<p>At that she says plainly in a low voice:</p> +<p>"You have East Anglia in your hands. If Ethelbert did not return +thither, it is yours."</p> +<p>Whereon Offa rises, and his face grows red with wrath.</p> +<p>"Hold your peace!" he says. "What is this which you are hinting? +Far from me be the thought of the death of Ethelbert, in whatever +way it may come."</p> +<p>And so, maybe knowing only too well what lies behind the words +of the queen, he goes his way, wrathful for the moment. And +presently he forgets it all, for the spell of his love for +Quendritha is strong, and by this time he knows that her longing +for power is apt to lead her too far, in word at least, +sometimes.</p> +<p>But we knew naught of this. It was learned long afterward from +one to whom Offa told it, and I have set it here because it seems +needful.</p> +<p>Nor can I tell, even if I would, how Ethelbert met Etheldrida, +his promised bride. We saw them both at the great feast to which we +were set down in an hour or so, and the great roar of cheering +which went up was enough to scare the watching Welshmen from the +hills beyond the river, where all day long they wondered at the +thronging folk around the palace, and set their arms in order, lest +Offa should come against them across the ford of the host again. +Their camp fires were plain to be seen at night, for they were +gathering in fear of him.</p> +<p>All the rest of that day we feasted; and such a feast as that I +had never seen, nor do I suppose that any one of those present will +ever see the like of it. Three kings sat on the high place, for +Ecgfrith reigned with his father; and there was the queen, and she +who should be a queen before many days had gone by. It was the word +of all that those two, Ethelbert and the princess, were the most +royal of all who were present, whether in word or in look, and in +all the wide hall there was not one who did not hail the marriage +with pleasure. It was plain to be known that there was no plot laid +by these honest Mercian nobles against their guest. One feels aught +of that sort in the air, as it were, and it holds back the tongues +of men and makes their eyes restless.</p> +<p>There were some fifty or more who sat with the kings on the high +place at the end of the hall opposite the great door, thanes and +their ladies, of rank from earl to sheriff. They set me at one end +of the high table also, as a stranger of the court of Carl, asking +me nothing of my own rank, but most willing to honour the great +king through his man. And that was all the more pleasant because +next above me was the Lady Hilda, so that I was more than content. +She had found that she was indeed to ride home with the new-made +bride, and had spoken with her already.</p> +<p>"See," she said, "the omens have come to naught. We were most +foolish to be troubled by them. Saw you ever a fairer face than +Etheldrida's?"</p> +<p>And that was the thought of all of us who so much as remembered +that such a thing as a portent of ill had ever crossed the path of +the king on his way hither.</p> +<p>So the business of eating was ended at last, and then the +servants cleared the long boards which ran lengthwise down the hall +for the folk of lesser rank, and there was a great shifting of +places as all turned toward the high seats to hear what Offa had to +say to his guests. And when that little bustle was ended he +welcomed Ethelbert kindly and frankly, and so would drink to him in +all ceremony.</p> +<p>Then Quendritha rose from her seat and took a beaker from the +steward, and filled the king's golden horn from it. As she did so I +saw Offa look at her with a little questioning smile, as if asking +her somewhat; but she did not answer in words. She passed him, and +filled the cup of the young king who was her guest, and so sat down +again. Then Offa and Ethelbert pledged each other, and the cheers +of all the great company rose to hail them.</p> +<p>Not long after that the queen and the ladies went their way, and +we were left to end the evening with song and tale, after the old +fashion. Those gleemen of Offa's court were skilful, and he had +both Welsh and English harpers, who harped in rivalry. Soon +Ethelbert left the hall, and men smiled to one another, for they +deemed that he was seeking some quiet with the princess. But he was +only following his own custom, and I knew that he would most likely +be in the little chapel for the last service of the day.</p> +<p>Offa sat on, and it seemed to me that his face grew flushed, and +his voice somewhat loud, as the time passed. His courtiers noted it +also.</p> +<p>"Our king is merry," one said to me. "It is not often that he +will drink the red wine which your Frankish lord sent him."</p> +<p>"Ay," said another Mercian. "I saw him lift his brows when the +queen filled his horn with it awhile ago. But he has kept to it +ever since."</p> +<p>I did not heed this much, but there was more in it than one +would think. What the drinking of that potent wine might lead to +was to be seen. I hold that Offa was not himself thereafter, though +none might say that he was aught but as a king should be--not, like +the housecarls at the end of the hail, careless of how the unwonted +plenty of that feast blinded them and stole their wits.</p> +<p>Presently, indeed, the noise and heat of the hall irked me, and +I found my way out. It was a broad moonlight night, and the shadows +were long across the courtyard. There was a strong guard at the +gate, which was closed, and far off to the westward there twinkled +a red fire or two on hill peaks. They were the watch fires of the +Welshmen, and I suppose they looked at the bright glare from the +palace windows as I looked at their posts.</p> +<p>In the little chapel the lamp burned as ever, but no one stirred +near it. I thought I would find Father Selred in our lodging, and +turned that way; and as I passed the corner of the chapel I met a +man who was coming from the opposite direction.</p> +<p>"Ho!" he said, starting a little; "why, it is the Frank. What +has led you to leave the hall so early?"</p> +<p>Then I knew that it was Gymbert the marshal.</p> +<p>"I might ask you the same," I said, laughing. "I have not +learned to keep up a feast overlong in the camps of Carl, however, +and I was for my bed."</p> +<p>"Nay, but a walk will bring sleep," he said. "I have my rounds +to make, and I shall be glad of a companion. Come with me +awhile."</p> +<p>So we visited the guard, and with them spoke of the fires I had +seen, and laughed at the fears of those who had lighted them.</p> +<p>"All very well to laugh," said the captain at the gate; "but if +the Welsh are out, it will be ill for any one who will ride +westward tonight. Chapman, or priest, or beggar man, he is likely +to find a broad arrow among his ribs first, and questioned as to +what his business may be afterward."</p> +<p>Then we went along the ramparts to the rearward gate; and it +seemed as if Gymbert had somewhat on his mind, for he fell silent +now and then, for no reason which I could fathom. However, he asked +me a few questions about the life in Carl's court, and so on, until +he learned that I was a Wessex man, and that I was not going back +to him.</p> +<p>"Then you are at a loose end for the time?" he said. "Why not +take service here with Offa?"</p> +<p>"I am for home so soon as this is over," I said. "If all is well +there, I have no need to serve any man."</p> +<p>"So you have not been home yet," he said slowly, as if turning +over some thought in his mind. "What if I asked you to help me in +some small service here and now? You are free, and no man's man, as +one may say."</p> +<p>"Nor do I wish to be," I answered dryly.</p> +<p>I did not like this Gymbert.</p> +<p>"No offence," he said quickly. "You are a Frank as one may say, +and a stranger, and such an one may well be useful in affairs of +state which need to be kept quiet. I could, an you will, put you in +the way of some little profit, on the business of the queen, as I +think."</p> +<p>"Well, if the queen asks me to do her a service, that may be. +These matters do not come from second hand, as a rule."</p> +<p>He glanced sidewise at me quickly, and I minded the face of +another queen, whose hand had been on my arm while she had spoken +to me with the tears in her eyes.</p> +<p>"Right," he said, laughing uneasily. "But if one is told to seek +for, say, a messenger?"</p> +<p>"I am a thane," I said. "To a thane even a queen may speak +directly."</p> +<p>"You Wessex folk are quick-tempered; or is that a Frankish trick +you have picked up?" he sneered. "Nay, but I will not offend +you."</p> +<p>Then he was silent for a time while we walked on. I thought that +the queen had hardly sent a message to me in that way, and that he +had made some mistake. I would leave him as soon as we turned back +toward the hall. We were alone on the rampart, with the stables +below us on one side and the high stockading on the other; and then +he dropped that subject, and talked of my home going in all +friendly wise.</p> +<p>"There are always chances," he said. "Come and take service with +Offa if aught goes amiss at home."</p> +<p>"I have promised to go to Ethelbert, if so I must," I answered, +thinking to end his seemingly idle talk.</p> +<p>I had put up with it because I was his guest in a way, seeing +that he was the marshal, and it does not do to offend needlessly +those who hold one's comfort in their hands.</p> +<p>End his talk this did, suddenly, and why I could not tell.</p> +<p>"Why," he said, "then you are his man after all! I deemed that +you had but ridden westward with him for your own convenience."</p> +<p>"So it was, more or less," I said, somewhat surprised at his +tone.</p> +<p>And when I looked at him his face seemed white in the +moonlight.</p> +<p>"Of his kindness he bade me bear him company."</p> +<p>But he made no answer, and half he halted and made as if to +speak. Again he went on, but said naught until we came to the steps +which led down from the rampart to the rear gate. On the top of +them he turned and said in a low voice, staying me with his hand on +my arm:</p> +<p>"Say naught to any man of what I said concerning a state need of +the queen's, for mayhap I took too much on myself when I spoke +thereof; there may be no need after all."</p> +<p>I laughed a little, for I did but think that he had been trying +to make out that he held high honour in the counsels of Quendritha, +out of vanity, not knowing what my rank was.</p> +<p>"If she does send for me, I shall remember it, not else," I +answered.</p> +<p>And then, as he had the guard to visit, I left him, and went +across the broad street, from the gate to the hall through the +huts, back to my lodging. There I found Father Selred, and together +we waited for Sighard. Erling sat on the settle by the door, with +his weapons laid handy to him, on guard.</p> +<p>"All seems well, father," I said; "there is naught but +friendliness here."</p> +<p>"Well indeed," he answered. "It is good to hear the talk of +priests and nobles alike; they know the worth of our young +king."</p> +<p>"Well, and what is the talk of the housecarls, Erling?" I +asked.</p> +<p>"Good also," he growled. "But I would that I kenned the talk of +her of whom I have seen overmuch in the days gone by."</p> +<p>Then he remembered that of this matter Father Selred knew +nothing, and he swore under his breath at his own foolishness; but +the good father had not heard him, or his rough Danish prevented +his understanding.</p> +<p>"What says he of the men?" he asked.</p> +<p>And when I told him he was well content, saying that from high +to low all had a warm welcome for our king.</p> +<p>But even now Offa rises from the table and leaves the hall, all +men rising with him. So he passes out of the door on the high place +and seeks his own chamber, and there to him comes Quendritha.</p> +<p>"I have dreamed a dream, my king," she says, standing before +him, for he has thrown himself into a great chair, wearily. "I have +dreamed that your realm stretched from here on the Wye and the +mountains of the Welsh even to the sea that bounds the lands from +the Wash to the Thames. What shall that portend?"</p> +<p>"A wedding, and a son-in-law whom you may bend to your will," +answers the king; but his eyes are bright, and there comes a flash +into them.</p> +<p>That would be a mighty realm indeed, greater than any which had +yet been in our land. If the East Anglian levies were his, he would +march across Wales at their head, with the Mercian hosts to right +and left of him. He might even wrest Northumbria from the hold of +her kings.</p> +<p>Quendritha sees that flash, and knows that the cup has done its +work. The mind of the king is full of imaginings. So she sits by +him, and her voice seems to blend with his thoughts, and he does +not hinder her as she sets before him the might and glory of the +kingdom that would be his if that dream were true. And so she wakes +the longing for it in the mind of Offa, and plays on it until he is +half bent to her will; and her will is that the dream should come +true, and that shortly.</p> +<p>Then at last she says, "And all this is but marred because of a +niddering lad who will leave the hall at a feast for the whining of +the priests yonder! In truth, a meet leader of men, and one who +will be a source of strength to our realm! It makes me rage to +think that but he is in the way. It is ill for his own land, as it +seems to me."</p> +<p>"Ay, wife," says Offa. "But he is in the way, and there is an +end thereof."</p> +<p>"He is in your hand, and there are those who would say that +Heaven itself has set him there. Listen. He hunts with you +tomorrow. Have you never heard of an arrow which went wide of its +mark--by mischance?"</p> +<p>Again the eyes of the king flash, but he does not look on the +queen.</p> +<p>"Who would deem it mischance?" he says. "No man. And I were +dishonoured evermore."</p> +<p>"Not your arrow, not yours, but another's--mayhap yonder +Frank's. He is a stranger, and would care naught if reward was +great; then afterward he should be made to hold his peace."</p> +<p>And at that she smiles evilly. A stray Frank's life was naught +to her if he was in her way.</p> +<p>"Say no more. The thing is not possible for me; it is +folly."</p> +<p>"Folly, in truth, if you let Ethelbert keep you from the realm +which waits you. Were he gone, there is not so much as an atheling +who would make trouble there for you."</p> +<p>"Peace, I say. Ethelbert is my guest, and more than that. He +shall go as he came--in honour. What may lie in the days to come, +who shall know?"</p> +<p>"He who acts now shall see. Until the Norns set the day of doom +for a man, he makes his own future. Surely they set his end on +Ethelbert when he came here."</p> +<p>So she says in the old heathen way, but Offa does not note it. +It is in his mazed mind that Ethelbert wrongs him by living to hold +back the frontier of Mercia from the eastern sea.</p> +<p>"He is my guest, and I may not touch him," he says dully. "All +the world would cry out on me if harm came to him here. And +yet--"</p> +<p>"You shall not harm him," Quendritha says quickly. "There are +other ways. Your own name shall be free from so much as shadow of +blame. Now I would that I myself had made an end before ever I said +a word to you."</p> +<p>"Had you done so--Peace. Let it be. You set strange thoughts, +and evil, in my mind, wife."</p> +<p>Then she leaves him, and in her face is triumph, for Offa has +forbidden her nothing. Outside the door waits Gymbert, as if on +guard, alone.</p> +<p>"All goes well. Have you sounded yon Frank?" she says.</p> +<p>"He is no Frank, but a Wessex thane and a hired man of Carl's; +moreover, he is Ethelbert's friend."</p> +<p>"Fool!" she says. "How far went you with him? What does he +know--or suspect?"</p> +<p>"Naught," answers Gymbert stiffly.</p> +<p>And with that he tells her what passed between us.</p> +<p>"Come to me tomorrow early," Quendritha says, and goes her +way.</p> +<p>But we slept in peace, deeming all well. Only Erling, sleeping +armed across my door, was restless, for the cold eyes of the queen +seem to be on him in his dreams.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a>. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL LOST +HIS NAME AS A GOOD HUNTSMAN.</h2> +<p>There was to be a great hunt on this next day after we came to +Sutton, the stronghold palace.</p> +<p>It had been made ready beforehand--men driving the game from the +farther hills and woodlands into the valley of the Lugg, and then +drawing a line of nets and fires across a narrow place in its upper +reaches, that the wild creatures might not stray beyond reach +again. I should hardly like to say how many thralls watched the +sides of that valley from this barrier to a mile or two from the +palace. Nor do I know if all the tales they told of the countless +head of game, deer and boar, wolf and fox, roe and wild white +cattle, which had been driven for the kings, are true, but I will +say that never have I seen such swarming woods as those through +which we rode after the morning meal.</p> +<p>I had no thought that Offa seemed otherwise than as we met him +yesterday, and I suppose that all thought, or perhaps all +remembrance, of what he and his queen had talked of last night had +gone from him. Gay and friendly he was, and we heard him jesting +lightly with Ethelbert as they led us. With them went Gymbert, +smooth and pleasant as ever; and he nodded to me as his eye lit on +me, and smiled without trace of aught but friendliness. I looked +for nothing else, indeed; but seeing what he and Quendritha had so +nearly asked me to do that day, it may be a marvel that he hid his +thoughts so well.</p> +<p>Presently I had reason to wonder at somewhat which happened to +me, and that would have been no matter for wonder at all if I had +but known that the queen was doubtful how much I had gathered from +that talk of mine with her servant. Of course I had not suspected +anything, but a plotter will always go in fear that a chance word +will undo all.</p> +<p>Now we rode with bow and quiver on shoulder, and boar spear in +hand, as we had been bidden. All of our party, save the ladies, +from East Anglia were present, and about the same number of Mercian +thanes. Besides these there were swarms of foresters, and the +thralls who drove the game. Hounds in any number were with us, in +leash, mostly boar hounds. And as for myself, I rode the skew-bald, +whom I had called "Arrowhead," in jest, after that little matter of +the flint folk. It was the Lady Hilda who chose the name, and I had +had the flint head Erling gave me set in silver for her in +Thetford, as a charm, for they are always held lucky.</p> +<p>I suppose I might have sold that horse a dozen times, and that +for double what I gave for him, by this time. There was not an +Anglian who rode with us but wanted him, for he seemed tireless, +and here already was a horse dealer from the south who was plaguing +Erling for him. All of which, of course, made me the less willing +to part with him, even had I not found him the best steed I ever +knew, after a fortnight's steady use of him.</p> +<p>When we came to the narrowing part of the valley where the great +drive up to the nets was to begin, I was set by the head forester +off to the right of the line, being bidden to shoot any large game +which broke back, save only the boar. Most of them would go +forward, it was thought, and those which went back would be set up +by the hounds again at the end of the drive, men being in line also +behind us to harbour them. I cannot say that I have so much liking +for this sort of sport as for the wilder hunting in the open, with +as much chance for the quarry as for the man; but sport enough of a +sort there was. The bright little Lugg river lay on our left, and +for a mile on that side on which we were the woods and hills were +full of men, who drew together in a lessening curve as we rode +slowly onward. It was good to hear the shouts and the baying of the +hounds in the clear May morning.</p> +<p>Men said it was Offa's last hunt of the season; and that is +likely, seeing that the time grew late. If it was, there is no +doubt that he meant it to be his greatest also. Mile by mile, and +presently furlong by furlong, as we went the game grew thicker, +until the covers and thickets seemed alive with deer which tried to +break back, and the undergrowth on either hand of me rustled and +crackled with the wild rush of smaller game, to which I soon forgot +to pay any heed. And soon I had no arrows to waste on anything less +than a stag of ten, leaving aught else to be dealt with by the +foresters behind me.</p> +<p>Once or twice Gymbert rode across the rear of the line, and +called to me in cheery wise as he did so. He seemed to be seeing +that no man was out of his place; which was somewhat needful, since +as we drew together the arrows must be aimed heedfully.</p> +<p>Which matter was plain to me shortly. A great red hind crossed +me, and I let her go, though I had an arrow on the string, and had +aimed. Even as I lowered the bow, over my shoulder, and grazing it, +came another shaft, missing the hind and myself alike. Some one had +shot from behind at her.</p> +<p>"Ho," shouted Erling, who rode behind me, "clumsy lout, whoever +you are! That is over near to be sportsmanlike. Have a care, will +you?"</p> +<p>I turned sharply with the same thought, and angrily. But I could +not see any man near enough to have shot, for the trees were thick, +and we were in a glade of a great wood. Whoever it was had crossed +this glade out of our sight, and doubtless was somewhat ashamed of +himself. It was in my mind to tell Gymbert if he came near me +again. The man who would shoot so carelessly was not safe in a +drive like this.</p> +<p>Nor had Erling seen any one. He had heard a horse behind us, +however. Now he pulled the arrow from a sapling where it had stuck, +and showed it me. It was a handsome shaft enough.</p> +<p>Of course I forgot the matter directly. It was just one of the +common chances of a hunt, which now and then will spoil the sport +of a day. We were getting near the barrier now, and the kings must +go forward. Gymbert passed word along our line to halt, and cease +from shooting.</p> +<p>"About time, too," growled Erling as we pulled up.</p> +<p>Then we dismounted, and the foresters closed up and went +forward. One of the head men left two couple of hounds and some men +with me, saying that if I could not see the sport at the nets I +might have a boar back, and could maybe bring him to bay here, +unless the hounds were wanted. I thought that they would be, for +there were sounds of wild baying from the midst of the line, +forward where the kings were, and now and then howls told me that +some more bold hound had dashed in on a boar at bay and had met the +tusk. I would that I could see some of that sport, but there was no +chance of it.</p> +<p>However, my turn came before long. Sighard joined me, leading +his horse; and another thane, a Mercian, came up also. They had +been to right and left of me in the line, and had seen the hounds +left with me. For a quarter of an hour we stood there talking a +little under our breath, but mostly listening with some envy to the +sounds of the hunt ahead of us where wolf and boar died at the +nets, turning in grim despair on their foes. Then there was a shout +of warning that a boar had broken back.</p> +<p>He came into the glade at a swinging trot straight for us. After +him were two hounds, who kept him going though they dared not near +him. And after boar and hounds came Gymbert himself, on horseback, +with his boar spear in his hand. I thought that he could not reach +the boar by reason of the hounds, or else that he had a mind to let +us end the matter, as guests.</p> +<p>The men with us let loose the hounds we had, and they sprang in +on the boar at the sight of him. At that the great beast turned +sharp on the first two, and gored one from flank to shoulder with +the terrible sidelong swing of the flashing tusk; and then he had +his back to a great tree in a moment, and was at bay, with the +hounds round him, yelling.</p> +<p>We three ran forward, and with us came Erling, with a second +spear for me. The horses were in charge of some thralls who had +gathered to us. Then it was to be seen who should win the honour of +first spear to touch that dun hide. Gymbert was already waiting his +time, wheeling his horse round to find an opening among the hounds, +and Sighard cried to him to let us have a chance, laughing. Whereon +he reined his horse back somewhat, and we paid no more heed to him. +One has no time to mind aught behind one when the boar is at +bay.</p> +<p>One of our fresh hounds ran in, and in a moment was howling on +his back before the boar, whose white tusk and dun jowl were +reddened as he glared in fury at us from his fiery eyes. Then +across the hound I had my chance, and I ran in with levelled +spear.</p> +<p>There was a shout, and some one gripped my arm and swung me +aside with force enough to fling me to the ground. As I fell, the +broad, flashing blade of a spear passed me, and then in a medley, +as it were, I saw the boar charge over the hound and across my +legs, and I heard a wild stamping and the scream of a wounded +horse.</p> +<p>I leaped to my feet, dumb with anger, and saw the end of that. +Gymbert's steed was rearing, and one of the foresters was trying to +catch his bridle, while the boar was away down the glade with the +unwounded hounds after him, and a broken spear in his flank. And +then my three comrades broke into loud blame of Gymbert, in nowise +seeking to use soft words to him.</p> +<p>Then I saw that the flank of the horse was gashed as with a +sword cut, and that the face of the rider was more white and +terrified than should have been by reason of such a mishap. The +horse dragged its bridle from the hand of the forester, and reared +again, and then fell heavily backward, almost crushing Gymbert. +However, he had foreseen it, and was off and rolling away from it +as it reached the ground. I heard the saddletree snap as it did +so.</p> +<p>"Hold your peace, master," said Erling to me, before I could +speak; "leave this to us."</p> +<p>I looked at the Dane in wonder, and saw his face white with +wrath, while Sighard was plainly in a towering rage. The Mercian +thane was looking puzzled, but well-nigh as angry, and the +foresters were silently helping up their leader, or seeing to the +horse, which did not rise.</p> +<p>"A foul stroke, Master Gymbert," said Sighard, going up to the +marshal; "a foul spear as ever was! Had it not been for his man +yonder, you had fairly spitted my friend the paladin. Ken you +that?"</p> +<p>"How was I to know that he was going to run in?" said Gymbert, +trying to bluster. "He crossed my horse, and it is his own fault if +he was in the way of the spear."</p> +<p>"One would think that you had no knowledge of woodcraft," said +Sighard, with high disdain. "Heard one ever of a mounted man coming +in on a boar while a spear on foot was before him? Man, one needs +eyes in the back of one's head if you are about."</p> +<p>Then he turned to the Mercian thane.</p> +<p>"Is this the way of Gymbert as a rule? or has he only been +suffered to come out today?"</p> +<p>"A man gets careless at these times," answered the thane. +"Anyway he is like to lose a good horse, and I will not say that it +does not serve him right.</p> +<p>"It was a near thing for the Frank, Gymbert, let me tell +you."</p> +<p>"Well, I am sorry," said Gymbert gruffly. "I was a careless +fool, if that will suit you."</p> +<p>"A mighty poor sort of apology that."</p> +<p>"Well, then," said Gymbert stiffly, and as I thought somewhat +ashamed of himself, "I will ask pardon for a bit of heedlessness in +all truth. Mayhap I did ride in somewhat over jealously."</p> +<p>Now by that time I was myself again, and told him to think no +more of it, so far as I was concerned. Whereon he blamed himself +again more heartily, and so went to see to his horse, which was +past use again for that and many a long day. Sighard turned away +with a growl, and Erling said nothing, for the matter was ended for +the time.</p> +<p>As for the boar, it was Sighard's spear which he took with him. +The thane had got it home in his flank as he gored the horse, but +to little effect. Then the boar had taken to the thickets, and +there the foresters had slain him.</p> +<p>Gymbert sent a man for a fresh horse, and so rode away without +another word to us. The noise from the nets went on, shifting +across the little valley as the kings went from place to place in +search of fresh game at the barrier.</p> +<p>"Well," said Sighard, looking after Gymbert as he went, "if yon +thane had it in his mind to spear you, or to ride over you, or +anywise to send you on the tusks of the boar, he went the right way +to work. He rode straight at you from behind, as if he meant +it."</p> +<p>"But for his man here the paladin had gone home on a litter, +feet foremost, for certain," said the Mercian. "I do not know what +came to Gymbert, for he knows more of woodcraft than most of us. +Maybe he thought it his boar by all right, and was over hasty."</p> +<p>"A jealous hunter is no pleasant companion," answered Sighard, +with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Well, there is no harm done, +but to the poor steed yonder."</p> +<p>Then I thanked Erling for his promptness, for it was his hand +which had swung me out of danger. Whereon he smiled, and said that +he saw it coming in time and risked my wrath. But I could tell that +he had more in his mind, and let the matter rest till we were +alone. But Sighard and the other thane went on growling now and +then over the closeness of the mishap, until the horns sounded +merrily for the gathering of us all to the barrier, where was even +more work for men and hounds than the kings could undertake. They +had taken their fill of the sport also, and had no mind to leave +their courts apart from it all.</p> +<p>So for a long hour or two we brought to bay boar and wolf under +the forest trees or along the river banks, until I was fairly glad +when it was all ended. There was hardly a chance for the quarry, +and it was good when one either leaped the nets or swam the stream +and was away. Maybe it is as well to have seen such a drive, but I +do not care to take part in another. Better the horn calling one in +the early morning, and the music of the hounds whose names one +knows, and the long drawing of the cover while they work together +well and keenly, and the breaking of the stag or boar from his +holt, and so the air on one's face, and the swing of the gallop +over the open, with friends to right and left, before or +behind.</p> +<p>Maybe, then, one will end the day with the death of a valiant +stag in some bend of the trout stream, or with the last of a +warrior boar at the foot of an ancient oak; or maybe there will be +naught to show for the long day's questing. But always there will +have been the working of hounds and the paces of the good horse to +dwell on afterward, with, over all, the sight of bird and beast +under the sky with friends and freedom. Today I had not so much as +breathed my horse, and had nigh met my end in a sort of foolish +chance which came, as I had only reason to think, of the crush and +hustle of men at the end of the drive. There was, in truth, a sort +of wild excitement in the air at that time, and it brings +heedlessness.</p> +<p>Presently they gathered the game to a wide clearing on the river +banks, and such an array of lordly deer and grim boars, row on row +of fallow buck, and heaps of gray wolves, I have never seen. Roe +and even hares were there also, hardly accounted for in the +numbering. Hunting would be fairly spoiled on the Lugg side for a +season or two, maybe; but many a farmstead would be the better off +for lack of the nightly harriers of field and fold.</p> +<p>But, most of all, men looked at the one mighty wild bull which +Ethelbert himself had slain. He was the only one which had been +seen, though it was said that another had escaped at the first, and +the kine of the herd had been suffered to go free. Snow white he +was, with black muzzle and ears and hoofs, and his short horns +shone like polished ebony above the curling mane of his forehead +and neck. He was a splendid beast, the like of whom my forefathers +had slain in fair hunt among the Mendips long ago, until none were +left for us today. The wild Welsh hills held them for Offa, as did +his midland forests everywhere, as men told me.</p> +<p>Now at this last gathering I did not see Gymbert. I thought he +had most likely gone homeward, either on business or else because +he would fain hear no more of what he had done in the way of bad +woodcraft. Sighard said plainly that it was just as well that he +had gone, or his clumsiness would have been spoken of pretty +plainly. But all those to whom he did mention it, and they were +many, seemed hardly able to understand it, for the marshal's skill +was well known.</p> +<p>I suppose it was a matter of two hours before sunset when we +started for the palace from where we ended the drive, with an +hour's ride before us. We straggled back somewhat, for the kings +rode on together, and men followed as they listed. So it came to +pass that before long Erling and I were together and almost alone; +out of earshot from any one else, at all events, for Sighard was +behind us with one or two more of our own party, and the Mercians +whom we followed were ahead.</p> +<p>"What have you done to offend this Gymbert?" asked Erling, of a +sudden.</p> +<p>"Naught that I ken," I answered. "We had a talk last evening on +the rampart, but it was of no account. Why?"</p> +<p>"Because that was his arrow which so nearly struck you, first; +and then, if ever a man tried to spear another by a seeming +accident, he tried to end you when the boar turned to bay."</p> +<p>"His arrow? How do you know that?"</p> +<p>"Easily enough. When he fell yonder, those he had left fell out +of his quiver. They are easily to be known, and they were the same +as that I showed you--peacock-feathered with a bone nock, and tied +with gold and silver thread twisted curiously."</p> +<p>"A man does not shoot another with an arrow of his own known +pattern if he means it" I said.</p> +<p>"You hear what they say of the skill of Gymbert? All the more +reason, if his arrow in you were known, that men would say that of +course it was mischance, and pity him more than you. Moreover, that +is the word which would go back to Carl, whom they deem your master +yet. Offa would fain stand well with him."</p> +<p>There was truth in this, and I knew it; and yet I could hardly +believe such a tale of treachery to an unoffending stranger as this +would tell. Then I minded how Erling had spoken to him in Welsh, +and a half thought crossed my mind that he bore ill will for that. +But in that case Erling was the man who had offended by plain +speech on a matter of which every one knew. So I did not recall +this to my comrade; it seemed personal to me.</p> +<p>"Tell me what you and he spoke of last night," Erling asked me +gravely, as I turned the matter over.</p> +<p>I told him all I could remember, and it came back to me clearly +as I went on. Then he said slowly:</p> +<p>"There was more in that talk of a service to be done for the +queen than he would care for you to know. Why should a stranger be +asked if he might be led to undertake one, when there are scores of +faithful Mercians who would be only too glad to do aught to +pleasure her? As it seems to me, they needed one who could be put +away without being missed afterward, when his errand was +finished."</p> +<p>"No reason why Gymbert should have tried to end me now in that +case."</p> +<p>"The king's wine was potent last night. It may be that he cannot +rightly remember how far a loosened tongue led him," Erling said. +"Master, there is trouble in the air. I sorely misdoubt that errand +of Quendritha's."</p> +<p>"Faith," said I, "if you did not sleep across my door I would +wear my mail tonight."</p> +<p>"Ay," he answered, under his breath and earnestly. "Do so +anywise. These great palaces have strange tricks of passages and +doors which are hidden, and the like."</p> +<p>"Little shall I sleep tonight if you go on thus," I said, trying +to laugh; though it did indeed seem that he had somewhat more than +fancy in what he feared, and I grew strangely uneasy.</p> +<p>"Better so," he answered; and I gave it up.</p> +<p>Riding easily, we came back to the palace close after the kings; +and in the great courtyard I looked round for Gymbert, but could +not see him. There was nothing in that, of course; but when a man +has apparently tried twice to end one, it seems safer to have him +in sight. And Erling, as he took my horse, growled to me to have a +care and wear my mail under my tunic; which in itself was +disquieting.</p> +<p>Most of all it was so because the affair seemed unreasonable. I +tried honestly to think that all was accident, but two such mishaps +from the same hand looked unlike that.</p> +<p>So I went straight to my chamber and did as my comrade bade me, +somewhat angry with myself for thinking it needful. I took a light +chain-mail byrnie, of that wondrous Saracen make, which I had won +from a chief when we were warring on the western frontier mountains +by Roncesvalles, and belted it close to me that it should not +rattle as I moved. It was hardly so heavy as a helm, and fell into +a little handful of rings in one's hand when taken off; but there +was no sword forged in England which would bite it, nor spear which +its tiny rings would not stay. There was a hood to it also, which +went under the helm, but that I took off now. Then none could see +it under my tunic, and I myself hardly felt that it was there.</p> +<p>Then I clad myself in all feasting finery, with Carl's handsome +sword at my side, and a seax, which Ecgbert had given me to match +it, also handy to my right hand in my belt. And so I went out into +the open, for I mistrusted the dark chamber somewhat after Erling's +words, though he knew less of palaces than did I. Maybe, however, +that was why I knew that he was not so far wrong.</p> +<p>I went round to the courtyard, with a mind to pass to the +stables and look at the horses; but I met Father Selred, who asked +me to come out into the fields with him. Ethelbert had gone +thither, he said, and he would find some one to follow him quietly +as guard.</p> +<p>So we went from the great gate across the moat, and then turned +to the right, where the little Lugg flows under the palace hill +across the meadows, and then found a path toward a little copse, +which we followed. Father Selred told me that the king had bidden +him seek him there presently. He had gone to meet his princess in +such quiet as a king may find by good chance.</p> +<p>They had cut a path round this copse, and through it here and +there, and we walked slowly round the outer edge on the soft grass, +with the song of the birds and the cooing of the wood doves +pleasant to listen to in the last evening sunlight. And then we met +the Lady Hilda walking, idly as we walked, by herself, and her face +grew bright as she saw us.</p> +<p>"Two are company, my daughter," said Father Selred, with his +eyes dancing with his jest. "I doubt not that you are carrying out +the rest of the proverb. I will also retire and meditate +awhile."</p> +<p>"No, Father--" began Hilda.</p> +<p>But he smiled, and swung his rosary, and so walked away from us, +while I laughed at him. Then Hilda smiled also, and with that made +the best of it, and walked with me to and fro under the trees. The +king and the princess were here, she told me, for a little time, +and she was in attendance.</p> +<p>Presently she told me also of the goodness of Etheldrida, saying +that she thought the king and the land alike happy in this match. +She had much to say of her; and it seemed that the wedding was to +be in three days' time, here in the palace chapel. But presently +she spoke of Quendritha, and as she did so her face clouded.</p> +<p>"I am afraid of her," she said at last. "She is terrible to me, +and why I cannot tell. She is naught but kind to me. All the ladies +fear her but one or two who are her close friends."</p> +<p>"Well, you will soon be away from her," I said.</p> +<p>"I do not know," she answered, glancing round her. "She has said +that she would fain keep me here. What she says she means, +mostly."</p> +<p>"Then," said I boldly, "I shall have to come and take you away +myself."</p> +<p>Whereon she laughed a little, but did not seem displeased at the +thought.</p> +<p>"Stay," I said. "You have that arrowhead I gave you?"</p> +<p>"An I have not lost it. I will search."</p> +<p>"Send it me if you need my help," I said; "then naught shall +hinder me from coming to you."</p> +<p>"Spoken paladin-wise," she answered, laughing at me. "Mayhap +that bit of flint shall chase you round Wessex in vain, and +meanwhile the ogre will have devoured me."</p> +<p>But she set her white hand on my arm for a moment, as if in +thanks. Then she started and looked at me in the face wonderingly. +She felt the steel.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," she whispered, "why do you wear mail under your +tunic?"</p> +<p>I told her plainly; otherwise it would have surely seemed that +it was a niddering sort of habit of mine, and unworthy of a warrior +in a king's friendly hall. And there was no laughter in her fair +face as she heard, but fear for me. Like Erling, she seemed to see +peril around us.</p> +<p>"Listen," she said. "The princess dreams that she is to be +wedded, and that even before the altar her bridal robes grow black +and the flowers of her wreath fall withered, while the strown +blooms under her feet turn to ashes on her path."</p> +<p>"More dreams!" I said bitterly. "We are beset with them, and +they are all ill!"</p> +<p>"Have you also visions?" she asked, almost faintly.</p> +<p>"No; unless you are one, and I must wake to find myself back in +bleak Flanders, or fighting for my life in Portland race again. And +I pray that so it may not be; for if I must lose the sight of you, +I am lonely indeed."</p> +<p>"Nay, hush," she said; "not now. Wait till all is well for you +and for the king--and then, maybe; but I pray you have a care of +Gymbert."</p> +<p>Now I would have told her that I had no fear of him, and mayhap +I should have heeded her other words little enough. But at that +moment Father Selred came back and beckoned to us, and silently we +went after him. The king had seen him and called to him.</p> +<p>Then and there I was made known to the princess, and I thought +her strangely sad for one so fair, when she was not speaking. She +looked wistfully on Hilda and on me, as if she knew how we had +spoken, and smiled; and then her face was as the face of a saint in +some painted evangel, such as Carl had in his churches, still and +sweet.</p> +<p>But Ethelbert was bright and cheerful as ever; and he bade me +see him home to his apartment, for he would talk with me. And I +thought rightly that as he had spoken in the Thetford garden of +Etheldrida, and as he had also spoken with me more than once on the +road hither, so he had much to say of her now.</p> +<p>So across the glades passed the princess and Hilda with the +priest, and with them the brightness went from the sunset for us +two, I think. We waited for a few minutes, and then followed +slowly, saying little. We had each our own thoughts.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a>. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING +WENT TO HIS REST.</h2> +<p>Now it becomes needful that I should tell where Ethelbert was +lodged, for I had not been to his apartments yet.</p> +<p>Across the upper end of the great hall there was a long building +set, and this was divided into three uneven parts. From the hall +one entered it by the door behind the king's high seat on the dais, +whence I had seen Offa and his guest come last night; and then one +found that the midmost of these divisions was a sort of council +chamber, lighted by a window in the opposite wall, and with a door +on the right and left at either end. That on the right led to the +largest division, where were the king's own chamber and the queen's +bower. Other buildings had been added to this end; and it had its +own entrance for the queen from the courtyards, as I knew, for it +was behind the church and priest's lodging where they had bestowed +me.</p> +<p>The door from the council chamber to the left led to the +smallest division of the cross building, and there were two +chambers for such honoured guest as Ethelbert. One could only reach +these chambers from the council room, and they had no private way +into the courtyard. It seemed that the guest hall, which was built +against the great hall to its left, ran back to the walls of this +end of the cross building, for there was a heavily-barred low +doorway, which could lead nowhere else, in the wall of the outer +living room. The only other door was that of the bedchamber, and +that was opposite the entrance.</p> +<p>Pleasant and quiet chambers these were; for the noise of the +hall could not reach them and their windows were set to the +westward, looking out toward the Welsh hills beyond the Wye, which +showed above the rampart and stockading.</p> +<p>So with much ceremony, which was wearisome to Ethelbert--and +need not be set down, for it would weary any one, and was of no +use--we reached those chambers, and there, being ready for the +feast myself, I helped to array the king, and so passed with the +royal party to the high place when the time came.</p> +<p>"Come back presently with me when the meal is over," the king +said; "I have somewhat to ask you."</p> +<p>Then I found my way to the place which had been given me last +night, and so had Hilda for neighbour again, to my much content; +for the order of sitting had been little changed, save down the +hall below the salt, where some fifty more men from the forest had +been made room for. It was a great feast and merry, and it seemed +the more so to me after the rough camp life across the sea, or the +rare state banquets which I had seen in Carl's court. There was +none of our hearty fellowship there, and there was more feeling of +difference between men of high and low rank, which made a feast go +stiffly to an English mind.</p> +<p>Presently I saw Gymbert across the hall, and I thought he looked +uneasy. As he had fairly spoiled his name as a good huntsman, I was +not surprised, nor did it trouble me. I missed him toward the end +of the feast; but no doubt he had his duties about the place as +when I spoke to him last night, and that was nothing to wonder at. +I did not see him go.</p> +<p>It was a long feast. We began by daylight, and ended in the red +blaze of torches set in sconces all down the hall, and in the +whiter shine of great wax tapers which armed housecarls held behind +us on the high place. I had never seen such waste of wax before; +but Offa was magnificent in all he did, in a rougher way than that +of Carl.</p> +<p>When the time of eating was ended and the toasts were to go +round, the queen came with a wonderful golden cup which even the +Frankish treasury could not match, and standing beside Ethelbert +filled it with the red wine and pledged him. Very beautiful did she +look as she held the cup to the young king, and her words were soft +and full of kindness. She seemed well-nigh as young as the stately +and pale Etheldrida, her daughter.</p> +<p>After that she and the other ladies left the hall after the +custom, and we sat on telling tales and listening to the gleemen +and harpers, and taking each our turn in singing. The East Anglian +thanes had a way of singing together which was new to me and +pleased me well. The hall grew hot and full of the smoke from the +pine-knot torches before the kings rose up to go. By that time, +too, the foresters seemed to be singing against one another, and +the noise grew great with their mirth.</p> +<p>I rose and followed Ethelbert as I had been bidden, and passed +into the council chamber, where Offa and his guest parted for the +night, each going his own way. I thought Offa seemed heavy and +moody, but in every wise friendly. Tired he was, methought, for it +had been a long day.</p> +<p>Ethelbert signed to me, Father Selred, and Sighard to follow +him, and we went into his apartment, closing the door after us. Out +in the council chamber we left three of the Anglian thanes and +three Mercian, who would act as guards for the night.</p> +<p>It was very pleasant in the silence of this cool chamber after +the din and glare of the great hall. The moonlight came in at the +western window; and though there were torches ready, the king would +not have us light them, for he said we would sit in the dim light +awhile till he grew sleepy. And so at first we spoke of the day's +hunting, and, of course, Sighard had his say on the matter of +Gymbert's carelessness.</p> +<p>Seeing that neither he nor the king had any doubt that +carelessness it was, and naught else, I did not think it worth +while to say anything of my own suspicions. I do not think that +they could have believed that any harm was meant me had I told of +the arrow. It seemed impossible, and if it were not that, it was a +private matter of my own.</p> +<p>Presently that matter dropped, and there was a short silence. I +heard then the sounds of shuffling feet plainly enough from +somewhere close at hand, and thought that the wall between us and +the guest hall must be somewhat thinner than it would seem, so that +the sound came through thence. Sighard heard it also, and rose up +quietly and looked into the inner chamber.</p> +<p>"What is it?" asked Ethelbert, as he came back and sat down +again.</p> +<p>"Naught, lord. I thought I heard footsteps in your bedchamber; +but there is nothing there. A strange house has strange sounds, and +it takes time to get used to them."</p> +<p>"Some one passing under the window," said Selred the chaplain, +laughing.</p> +<p>The little noise ceased, and we forgot it. Today I can seem to +hear it as if it had thundered in our ears, for I know what it was +and what it meant. Yet at the time there was no reason to think +aught of it.</p> +<p>Then Ethelbert asked us somewhat which seemed strange.</p> +<p>"Have any of you noted aught in the look or way of King Offa +which would make you think that he has not long to live?"</p> +<p>With one accord we said that we certainly had not done so, and +that in some surprise. Sighard asked plainly what had put such a +thought into his head.</p> +<p>"I will tell you," said Ethelbert in a low voice. "Between +ourselves, here it is of no use to pretend that one does not know +the name for ambition which Quendritha the queen has. Tell me what +you make of this. Today I had a little private speech with her, and +she would have me put off the wedding. She more than hinted that I +might make a higher match, and that angered me. Whereon she told me +that Offa might not have long to live; that Mercia and East Anglia +would be a mighty realm if united. And, on my word, it seemed to me +that she would bid me wait till she was a widow."</p> +<p>He laughed uneasily, as if he thought himself foolish; but we +knew that unless he had full reason for that belief he would not +have told us. That must have been a strange talk between this +honest young king and Quendritha, if he deemed it best to speak to +us of it.</p> +<p>Sighard frowned, and said:</p> +<p>"If it is true that Offa is thus--well, we are forewarned. +Quendritha has let us see that in one way or the other she would +fain have East Anglia. I think that she spoke unwarily to you, my +king."</p> +<p>"Nay," said Selred the priest; "I hold that she sounded you as +to whether you had any thought of adding Mercia to your own realm. +If it is true that Offa has some secret ailment which is slowly and +surely bringing his end near, she looks onward to the time when she +shall stand alone. She would find out if you are to be feared."</p> +<p>"Maybe that is it," said Ethelbert, with a sigh of relief. "It +must be. She is a mistress of craft; and had I one thought of +adding to my realm, that would have made me show it. However, she +should be satisfied. I would hear naught of putting off the +wedding, as you may suppose."</p> +<p>I said nothing, but it was in my mind that mayhap there was more +at the back of all this than they saw. I had heard overmuch of +Quendritha to have much doubt that if she could see her way to +reigning over both realms, she would stay for naught, even for the +removing of Offa from her path if he stood in it. And almost did I +tell the king of Thrond's knowledge of her, but forbore. Sighard +knew it also, and he was the best judge of that. But I will say +that I was somewhat lighter of heart to hear this, for it was plain +to me that Offa himself had no thought of guile toward Ethelbert; +and to this day I do not believe that he had. His mind was far too +great for that; and if he loved power, I hold that to have married +his daughter to a king was fully enough for him. Beyond that all +was from Quendritha. To tell the truth, if I feared for any one, it +was for Offa himself.</p> +<p>Now Ethelbert rose and said that he grew weary and would go to +rest. Sighard said that he would get him a light from the council +chamber; but he would rather bide in the moonlight, which was +enough to fill all the room. So we three went into his sleeping +chamber with him. At one side was the state bed with its heavy +hangings, and midway in the room, by its side, was a great chair, +softly cushioned. The smell of the sweet sedges with which the room +had been newly strown was pleasant and cool, and a little chill +breeze came in from the window with the moonlight.</p> +<p>"Leave me for a while, my thanes," he said; "I will call you +anon. Wilfrid will no doubt be glad to go to his place; so +goodnight"</p> +<p>He smiled at me, and held out his hand, and I bent and kissed +it. So we went back to the other room to wait, for we knew that the +king would pray. The door swung softly to after us.</p> +<p>Now I thought I heard the chair creak as the king went to it. +Then there was a sound as of a fall somewhere near us, and a +stifled cry.</p> +<p>"What is that?" I said, turning to Sighard.</p> +<p>"Housecarls outside;" he said. "It was from the place whence we +heard the footsteps awhile ago. Listen! there they are again."</p> +<p>I heard the same sort of dull trampling as before, and there was +also a voice.</p> +<p>"It seems to be almost beneath us," I said.</p> +<p>But the footsteps were plainly going away from us, and growing +fainter in the distance. I climbed on a settle and looked out of +the high window, which was set aloft so that none could see into +the chamber as they passed it. But I could see no man. There were +some wood piles and sheds between the rampart and us, but nothing +stirred about them so far as I could see. Whereby I supposed that +they had passed round the corner. On the rampart an armed sentry +was pacing, black against the low moon, and beyond him the fires of +the Welsh--who watched us--burnt as brightly as last night.</p> +<p>Now there was a gentle knock on the outer door, and I opened it. +One of the thanes said that the man who served me would see me, and +I went out into the great hall, bidding Sighard and the chaplain +goodnight as I did so. Down the length of the hall men were +throwing themselves on the rushes to sleep along the walls in their +wonted places, though there were yet groups at the tables still +telling tales and drinking. The torches were almost all burnt out +save where these men were, and across the open roof were strange +white shafts of moonlight through the smoke, from windows and under +westward eaves.</p> +<p>Outside the door, on the high place, stood Erling alone, for the +tables there had been cleared away. Only the throne of the king +remained. And in the light from the council chamber I saw that the +face of my comrade was white as death.</p> +<p>"Where is Ethelbert the king?" he said, almost wildly, and +clutching my arm.</p> +<p>"In his chamber," I answered. "All is well. I saw him there not +ten minutes ago."</p> +<p>"How can that be? It is not that time ago since he stood by me +on the rampart, where I walked alone, and spoke to me."</p> +<p>"It was some one else like him," I said. "He is going to +sleep."</p> +<p>But Erling stared beyond me, and grew yet paler. I saw the black +rims grow round his eyes. Then his grip tightened on my arm, and he +gasped:</p> +<p>"He stood before me, and that red line round his neck had drops +like gems therefrom. He said, 'Now do I die and pass to rest. I +would that you came after me.' And I said, 'Trouble not yourself, +king, for the like of me.' And he smiled wondrously, and answered, +'Nay, but needs must I, for you are the only heathen man in this +palace garth. I would that all were well with you as with me.' Then +he was gone, and there was only a brightness, and betimes that +faded. Then I came hither. There is ill which has befallen the +king."</p> +<p>"Impossible," I said. And even as I said it into my mind flashed +that strange, unaccounted for trampling, and I went back, with +Erling after me, unbidden. The six thanes who waited in the council +chamber stared at me, but I did not heed them. Across to the king's +door I went, and passed in. Selred and the old thane were talking +quietly under their breath, and I had but been gone three +minutes.</p> +<p>"Back again, Wilfrid? Eh, what is amiss?" said Sighard, starting +as he set eyes on Erling.</p> +<p>"Has the king called you?" I asked hastily.</p> +<p>"No; it is hardly time for him to do so," Selred answered, +smiling.</p> +<p>"Look into his chamber softly, I pray you, Father Selred," +Erling said in a strange voice. "It is upon me that all is not +well."</p> +<p>Now so urgent was the tone in which the Dane spoke that the +priest went at once to the inner door and opened it very gently, +and peered in. Then he started forward suddenly and threw the door +wide.</p> +<p>"Thanes!" he cried wildly, and we were at his side.</p> +<p>The room was empty. There was naught but the bed in it, for even +the great chair was gone. Only where it had been there was a square +patch of floor which was not covered with the sedges I had noted as +so lavishly strown. Nor was the king in the bed, whose coverings +were unruffled. Sighard lifted its hangings and peered under and +behind them in a sort of frantic hope; for though there was no +sound, and no answer to his whispering of the well-loved name of +his master, it seemed unbelievable that from this little chamber a +man should have gone utterly and without a sound during these few +minutes. Yet so it was.</p> +<p>I set my hands on the high sill of the window and drew my face +to its level. It was too narrow for a man to get through, and there +was nothing to be seen outside but the white moonlight, and the +mist which rose from the Lugg and curled over the rampart, white +and ghostly round the sentry, who leaned on his spear and stared at +the twinkling hill fires.</p> +<p>"It is wizardry," said Sighard, groaning, while cold drops broke +out on his forehead. "He has been spirited away."</p> +<p>"I saw him on the rampart," answered Erling; "but it was his +ghost that I saw. I knew it, and came and told my master here."</p> +<p>Now there came a silence in which we looked at one another. Then +Sighard went and began to search the walls for hidden +doors--hopelessly, for the timbers were a full foot thick. And so +of a sudden some frenzy seemed to take him, for he set his hand on +his sword, and would have waked the palace with the cry of treason, +but that Selred stayed him.</p> +<p>"Friend, friend," he said earnestly, "have a care--wait! We are +but two score amid hundreds, and that cry may mean death to us +all.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, call the other thanes hither."</p> +<p>I went to the door of the council chamber, and there was that in +my face which bade the thanes spring up and hurry to me with words +of question. I looked first at the three Mercians; but their faces +were blank as those of the Anglians. They expected naught.</p> +<p>"The king has gone," I said. "You Mercians may best know +whither."</p> +<p>One of them laughed, and sat down again.</p> +<p>"You have a strange idea of a jest in Carl's camp, paladin," he +said. "What is it? The king gone, with us sitting here at his door, +forsooth!"</p> +<p>"No jest, thane, but the truth," I said, taking the tall wax +torch which was on the table before them. "Come."</p> +<p>Then they leaped up and followed me into the bedchamber, and +stood staring as we had stared. It was plain that they knew as +little as ourselves.</p> +<p>"He has passed into the guest hall," said one of the Mercians, +looking round him wildly enough.</p> +<p>But that was not possible, for the door was in the outer room +whence we had come, and it was barred on both sides.</p> +<p>"We are disgraced," said another, groaning. "Our charge has been +made away with, and how we cannot tell. We shall pay for this with +our lives."</p> +<p>Then Sighard said, "He cannot be far off. Men--think! How can he +have gone hence? Who would make away with him?"</p> +<p>But there was no answer to these questions. The thing remained a +mystery. If there was any plot, these three honest thanes were not +in it. And then as I walked uneasily from side to side of the room, +turning over impossible ways of disappearance in my mind, I came +near where the great chair had been. And under my step the floor +creaked.</p> +<p>Now seeing how that house was built, this was a sound one would +not expect to hear at all. It came into my mind that here was one +of the few floors which were boarded, the most being of beaten +clay, or paved with great stones wonderfully. So I trod again +firmly in that place, and it seemed to me that the floor gave, +somewhat.</p> +<p>I reached out for the torch which I had set on the sconce in the +wall and looked at the floor, but why it creaked I did not make +out. The boards were of hewn oak, and how thick one could not +tell.</p> +<p>"Fetch Offa the king," said a Mercian; "we had better tell him. +No use in gaping here. We can swear that Ethelbert has not passed +out of these doors."</p> +<p>"No," said Selred quickly; "that were to wake the whole palace. +Let us seek further into this.--Thanes, if aught has been done +amiss to our king, we are all in danger."</p> +<p>The floor creaked under my foot again, and I looked back to it. +What I saw now made me start and call the others to me.</p> +<p>"See here!" I cried.</p> +<p>Round that clear space where the chair had been was a saw cut +newly made. It went through the flooring, so that the square was +like a trapdoor. And it was uneven, as if it had been made in +haste. Then I knew what must have been the meaning of the sounds we +heard and thought nothing of--the creak, and the fall, and the +stifled cry.</p> +<p>Sighard looked once, and then threw himself on his knees, +drawing his stout seax as he did so.</p> +<p>"Have it up!" he said, with his teeth clenched, "have it +up!"</p> +<p>Then a thought came to me, and I beckoned to Erling. It might be +that armed men lurked under that trapdoor, and that our end was +coming; but at least we would have fair play.</p> +<p>"Go and bar the door to the great hall," I told him. "We will +have none else in here if there is a fight. Then see if you can get +the door to the guest hall undone."</p> +<p>He nodded and went out. One of the Mercians asked sharply where +he was going; but Sighard paid no heed to him, for he was trying to +get his blade into the saw cut, and so raise the square of +flooring.</p> +<p>"Thane," I said to the Mercian, staying him from following +Erling, "he will shut the door to the hall, and let this thing be +seen through in silence. Go you and watch at the door of Offa, for +it has bided untended long enough."</p> +<p>He went out in haste, and Erling watched him there. I saw him +sit down to the table whence he had risen at my coming, and set his +head on his hands as if in despair. I had no fear that he would +call Offa yet, or that Erling would suffer him to go to his +comrades in the hall. The other two stayed and watched Sighard +silently.</p> +<p>Now the old thane had his blade fast in the timber and lifted. +The square of floor rose slowly at that corner, and one of the +Mercians set his hand to it. Another lift, and the whole was coming +up, for the boards had been fastened together with cross pieces +underneath, doorwise. As it rose I heard the fall of props that had +kept it in place, and I bade Sighard have a care. I feared it would +let him through suddenly as these props fell; but it had been +roughly hinged at one end with thongs. He rose, and he and the +Mercian heaved on the door and threw it back.</p> +<p>Then below us gaped a black pit which seemed to go deep into the +earth, and for a moment we shrank back from it as men must needs do +when a depth is suddenly before them. Nor should I have wondered if +thence the bright points of waiting spears had darted upward in our +faces.</p> +<p>But there was nothing save a little cold draught of wind that +blew into them from out of that pit, and we looked into it. I held +the torch so that its flickering blaze went to the bottom, and as +we saw what was there a groan came from us.</p> +<p>There was the great chair lying, overturned on its side as it +may have fallen, but it was dragged back from under the door +somewhat. There were the cushions I had noted also--one lying on +the stone floor of the pit, and the other on the seat of the chair. +But there was no sign of the king--none but a stain of red on the +cushions and on the floor, and on the blade of a sword which lay +beside that terrible pool. And the sword was the king's own.</p> +<p>Then said Sighard, and his voice came hoarse and broken:</p> +<p>"Our king is slain! Hounds of Mercians, tell us who has wrought +this!"</p> +<p>One answered him from dry lips:</p> +<p>"We cannot tell. It is a shame on the house of Offa, and on the +very name of Mercia. Kill us if you will, for we are +niddering."</p> +<p>He plucked his sword from his belt and threw it on the floor. +The thane who had gone into the council chamber was on his feet and +staring at us through the open doors, and Erling was ready to fall +on him if he cried out. But the third Mercian, whose name was +Witred, did not lose his senses thus.</p> +<p>"True enough," he said, looking fearlessly at the angry group +before him. "But it were better to follow this passage and see if +we may not overtake those who have been here.</p> +<p>"Bide here, paladin and priest, and keep our way back clear with +my comrade yonder, and let us go quickly. If they slay us--maybe +that is no loss, but at least we have done what we should."</p> +<p>Without another word Sighard leaped into that awesome pit, and +Witred followed him. Then went our three thanes, and Selred and I +stood alone in the room. I handed the torch down to the last man, +and so saw that from the place where the chair was set a low +stone-arched passage led westward into darkness. It was some work +of the old Romans, no doubt, for no Saxon ever made such +stonework--strong and heavy as rock itself.</p> +<p>The light flashed from somewhat on the wall also, as it seemed, +drawing my eyes to it.</p> +<p>"Yonder is a spear set," I said to the thane, as he took the +light from me; "hand it to me."</p> +<p>He took it from where it rested against the wall and gave it me, +turning at once to follow our comrades. Then I knew the spear well +enough, for I had seen it over close to me once before. It was +Gymbert's boar spear.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN +HAD HER WILL.</h2> +<p>Slowly the footfalls of our comrades died away down the low +passage, and then the last flicker of their torch passed from the +stone walls of that terrible pit, leaving Selred and myself alone +in the cold moonlight. Out through the doors toward the council +chamber I saw the Mercian thane, who had been watching us in +silence, sit down at the table and set his head in his hands +wearily; and I heard Erling try the bars of the door to the guest +hall, and finding it impossible to open, after a while pass into +the council chamber, and set himself against the great door once +more.</p> +<p>After that there fell a dead silence over all the place, and it +was uncanny. It seemed impossible that all men should sleep in +peace in the palace where such a deed had been wrought at our feet. +I had rather the rush and yell of the Welsh over these ramparts +they hated than this stillness of coldly-planned treachery.</p> +<p>Nor should I have been surprised if at any moment I had heard +the tramp of men who came to fall on us and end what had been +begun, or the cries and din of arms which should tell that they had +fallen on the sleeping thanes of Anglia in the guest hall. Anything +was possible after what had been wrought already, and indeed it was +hardly likely that the king should be slain and the servants let go +free.</p> +<p>I think that the stillness and waiting for unknown doings thus +went near to terrifying me. I know that I started at every sound, +if it were but the crackling of the little fire in the council +chamber, or the low challenge of one sentry to his fellow as the +word which told all well passed round the ramparts. Selred was on +his knees, and I would not speak to disturb the prayers which we so +sorely needed.</p> +<p>The time seemed long as we waited, but it could not have been +much more than ten minutes before I heard the footfalls of our +party as they returned by the passage way. One by one they came out +from under the arch, and I took the torch from Witred the Mercian, +who came first as he had gone, and then helped them one by one to +the room again from the pit. Their faces were white and hard set in +the light, and Sighard seemed as a man broken and aged in a moment +with trouble beyond his bearing. Then I knew that I had to hear the +worst, and made ready for it. Witred the Mercian told it +quietly.</p> +<p>"This passage runs under the ramparts, and ends in a thicket on +the steep by the river. I knew that there were old stones in that, +but not one of us knew of the passage. That end has been newly +opened, and the tools with which it was done are there yet. A man +sat by that entrance on guard outside, and as I came I spoke to him +by name and told him who I was. Then he stayed, and we fell on him +and bound him without giving him a chance to cry out. Whereon he +told all, and it is an evil tale."</p> +<p>He paused, and wiped his forehead, looking round as if he would +have any man but himself tell it; but none else spoke.</p> +<p>"Yesterday Gymbert's men sawed the floor through and made this +trapdoor. Then they waited underneath, and the king fell, as they +had expected, into the ready arms that waited him. There were +Gymbert and half a dozen of his men. The cushion stayed his cry, +and he was helpless. Yet he was very strong, and so Gymbert +snatched his own sword from his side and smote off his head. Out by +the river they had a cart waiting, and they bore him away at speed. +We saw and followed the wheel tracks till we lost them, and could +do no more. Then we bound and gagged the man, and have haled him +halfway down the passage till we need him again. That is all."</p> +<p>Then I said, with a cold wrath on me, "At whose orders was this +done?"</p> +<p>The Mercian shook his head, glancing at his comrades. The other +Mercian had come to hear from the council chamber.</p> +<p>"The man could not or would not tell; but I pray you think not +that this is done by Offa. The one thing that the man begged us was +that he might not be delivered to the king. And he said that +Gymbert and his men would hide till Offa's wrath was past."</p> +<p>"There is but one other at whose word this could have been +done," I said.</p> +<p>"Ay," said Witred, "I know. Yet Ethelbert was to be the +bridegroom of our princess. Is it possible that Gymbert has looked +so high, and would take him from his way?"</p> +<p>And at that one of the other Mercians answered bluntly:</p> +<p>"You speak of what is not possible, and you know it. Who but +that one of whom we ken would have seen that those who wrought here +with saw and axe were not disturbed? Let us say at once that the +thing has been wrought by the hand of Quendritha, and have done +with it. Which of us does not know that she is capable of it, and +has never dared say so yet till this minute?"</p> +<p>Then said Witred, "That is the truth, thanes. Now what will you, +for the time goes on? This man said that it was thought that the +deed would not be known till waking time in the morning. It is not +midnight yet."</p> +<p>We looked at one another, for what was best we could not say. It +was more than likely that the queen had planned against some too +early discovery of the deed, and even now waited for any sign which +should tell her to act. But for the staying of that man at the +entrance, I have no doubt that by this time her men had been warned +to fall on us. The gathering of the Welsh, and the open passage +into the heart of the palace, might be seeming proof that we had +planned the downfall of Offa, and so short work with us.</p> +<p>Now one said that it were best to tell Offa straightway, but +Selred and my comrades would not have that. We were not so sure in +our own minds that he was guiltless in the matter; and at last +Selred said that he would try to reach the guest hall and wake the +other thanes and bring them here.</p> +<p>So we passed into the council chamber, and I think we were all +glad to be away from the side of that pit. Erling stood at the +great door, and he had taken the bars down from that which led to +the guest hall. If only we could make some one of our folk hear +without too much noise, they could unbar it from their side.</p> +<p>"There is one asleep near to it," said Erling; "I heard him in +the stillness."</p> +<p>I tapped sharply once or twice on the heavy door with my sword +handle. I heard the sounds the sleeper made on the other side, and +presently they stopped suddenly. Whereon I tapped again, and I +heard a voice, and then another, as if men heard it. And then a +tapping came back. The door was very thick, and made of oaken logs, +bound together with iron, so that it was hard to hear. But I set my +face close to it and spoke, thinking that no doubt an ear was not +far off beyond.</p> +<p>"Unbar the door," I said--"unbar."</p> +<p>"Who is that?" came the muffled voice.</p> +<p>Then Selred answered, and presently I heard the great bars being +drawn from their sockets in the door posts, and at last the door +opened slowly toward us. A thane was there with his sword in his +hand, staring at us.</p> +<p>"Let me in, for I have a word to say," said Selred quietly. "Be +silent, for one does not want to rouse the place."</p> +<p>He passed in, and we closed the door. Beyond the other door lay +the housecarls of Offa down the long hall where we had feasted, and +within his own chambers there were a score or more of the young +thanes of his bodyguard sleeping across his own doors.</p> +<p>Now we heard the still voice of Selred, and after it a stifled +outcry, hushed almost before it arose, and then silence. In a +minute the door was pushed gently, and the father came back with a +pale face. Ho had told the thanes, and they were arming in silence. +Then they would come and see what we had seen.</p> +<p>"And after that?" said Witred.</p> +<p>"If I were in their place, naught should stay me here," said the +Mercian who had bided with me plainly.</p> +<p>"No," said Sighard savagely; "I have a mind to bid them burn +this hall over Offa's head, and meet their end in the turmoil."</p> +<p>"Thereby giving occasion to men to say that we wrought treason +and were punished rightly, both ourselves and the king," said +Selred coolly. "That be far from us, Sighard."</p> +<p>The old thane growled, and seeing that he was beyond reason, the +priest set his mouth close to his ear and spoke to him. Whereon he +calmed at once, and a new look of fear came into his face.</p> +<p>"Hilda," he groaned; "I had forgotten her."</p> +<p>Now the thanes came quietly through the door into the chamber, +and one by one passed to that room where Ethelbert had been +betrayed. Presently they were all gathered there, and when they +saw, there grew a sort of panic among them.</p> +<p>"Let us hence while there is time," said one, voicing the fears +of the rest; "we are all dead men else. This is what the earthquake +betokened."</p> +<p>"It is the part of Anglian thanes to die with their king," said +Sighard angrily.</p> +<p>"An there were a king left us to die with--"</p> +<p>Then Witred broke in with words of common sense which ended the +talk. He had every reason to wish us gone, to save the terror of a +wild vengeance let loose in this palace; and that we should go was +best in every way.</p> +<p>"Thanes, thanes," he said, "listen to me. Tomorrow morning early +men deemed that this would be found out. In the dawning the grooms +lead the horses to water yonder at the river, and they are the +first men afoot. Gymbert is gone, and on this thane here falls the +task of ordering the stables. He shall bid your grooms keep +together, and after watering lead your horses, as for airing, +eastward to the forest paths. Go hence by this passage, and I will +take you to some place which we will arrange, and there they shall +meet you. Then make your way swiftly beyond the reach of +Quendritha; yet it is in my mind that even Offa can no longer be +blind to the evil she works. Her power will be little."</p> +<p>The thanes looked at one another, and then one or two said that +it was not the way of Anglian thanes to fly thus; but they had +little voice in the matter. The rest had no thought but to fly, and +I do not blame them. Save some such savage work as that which +Sighard would set on foot, there was naught else to be planned.</p> +<p>But I minded the voice and pleading look of that mother who +spoke with me in the garden at Thetford, and I had a mind to stay +and see this thing to an end, for it was all that I might do. Maybe +I could find the body of her son and see it brought back to +her.</p> +<p>"I bide here," I said; and Selred stepped to my side without a +word.</p> +<p>"I also," said Sighard; "I have words to say yet before I +die."</p> +<p>They tried to persuade us, but in vain, and at last they left +the matter. In silence they went each to his place, and took the +arms and things which were of value, and so passed down the passage +with Witred at their head, and I heard one or two threaten the +honest thane with death if he played them false. But he did not +answer them, for he knew that they spoke wildly as yet in the new +terror which had broken their sleep.</p> +<p>After that we went back to the council chamber and sat down. The +worst strain was past with their going, as it seemed to me, and the +morning would tell what was to be.</p> +<p>"We will stay here," said Selred. "There should be three thanes +and myself, and you two and Erling will seem the right number when +men look into this room presently."</p> +<p>So again the silence of the midnight came down on us, and in the +chill we waited for the return of Witred; and it was two hours +before he came. After him we closed the trapdoor, and the doors of +the private rooms of the king who had gone, and then the Mercian +planned that matter of the horses.</p> +<p>"Halfway to the forest," he told us, "some of the thanes would +fain have returned to fall on this place, and take revenge and die. +Once I deemed that they would do so, but that fit passed from them. +Then they went on with me, and now they are safe. It may be that +they will get their horses, and if not, they will scatter and make +their way home on foot. Men who come to such a gathering as this +have money enough with them."</p> +<p>After that it was a question with us, and a hard one, to know +what it were best to do. It seemed terrible to wait there until men +woke and learned all; but save that we might find Offa himself, +there was naught else to be done. We must wait him. It is not to be +supposed that his thanes would hear one word which seemed to hint +that he had had any hand in this deed; but it was plain enough that +they feared what evil Quendritha might not have urged him to, else +had they made haste to call him.</p> +<p>Now, while we waited there and doubted, word came from Gymbert +secretly to Quendritha that her bidding had been done, and that +Ethelbert stood in her way no longer. In the darkness a thrall +crept to where the queen sat at a window and watched, and made some +sign which she understood, and then in a little while our waiting +was at an end.</p> +<p>For straightway she goes to Offa, and stands by his bedside with +eyes that gleam in the dim light of the lamp that burns in the +chamber, and wakes him, but not easily. On him the potency of that +Frankish wine lingers yet, and he does not rouse quickly, but +stares at her with wondering eyes.</p> +<p>"Wake," she says. "Today you are the mightiest king that has +ruled in England yet."</p> +<p>"Ay, and was so yesterday," he says, for so the songs of his +gleemen tell him night after night.</p> +<p>"Rouse yourself," she cries angrily; "hear what I have wrought +for you."</p> +<p>Thereat some remembrance of those other words of hers comes into +his mind, and he wakes suddenly, fearing, and yet half hoping.</p> +<p>"What mean you?" he says.</p> +<p>"I mean that naught stands in your way from here to the eastern +sea. Call your levies and march across the land in all its breadth, +and there is not one who will forbid you. East Anglia is +yours."</p> +<p>Now Offa looks on her face, and sees triumph written in her +eyes; and he minds all, and knows that she has done that which he +forbade her not, and round his heart is a terror and a chill +suddenly.</p> +<p>"Wife," he says in a harsh voice, "what have you done?"</p> +<p>"That which you would not do for yourself, but left to me. I +have taken the weak out of the way of the strong, and hereafter +East Anglia will thank me."</p> +<p>Then says Offa under his breath, "Ethelbert has been slain in my +house! There is not a thrall in all the land who will not sleep +better than shall I hereafter. Yet I will not believe it. This is +an evil dream. Let me hence!"</p> +<p>Then he springs from his bed, and the queen will not prevent +him. Presently, she thinks, he will learn the truth and be glad of +it. So she does but call the pages and armour bearers from the +outer chambers, and bids them see to their lord, and so leaves him. +Then he dresses and arms quickly, being minded, if the worst is not +yet done, to see that all is well. Maybe she does but urge him to +that which she would have him do again. And he will not do it. That +much he knows clearly. For the rest, all is misty in his mind, and +that is what Quendritha had planned.</p> +<p>So it came to pass that, even as we had made up our minds that +we must needs call the king, the door to his chamber opened, and a +page came out with the words that bid men meet the king, and we +rose and stood to greet him. He came forth quickly, looking +wild-eyed and haggard, with his sheathed sword grasped in the hand +which held his cloak round him against the night air. He halted for +a moment on the threshold, and stared at us; while from very force +of habit we saluted, and spoke the words of good morrow that were +but mockery today. And he knew it.</p> +<p>"Good morrow, forsooth," he said, in a terrible, dull voice; +"and I would from my heart that so it may be. Tell me, thanes, is +aught wrong here? It seems that all is quiet. Mayhap I have but +dreamed of ill--dreamed, I say, for it could be nowise else. I had +an evil dream. I thought that Ethelbert, my guest and son to be, +was harmed."</p> +<p>He looked from one of us to the other, and our faces spoke to +him, though we could find no words. The hand that held the sword +tightened its grip on the gilded scabbard, and he strode forward +into the room fiercely.</p> +<p>"It is no dream, but the truth," he said hoarsely. "Answer me, +is it true?"</p> +<p>Now I saw the wrath growing in his face. And I heard Witred +stammer, for the fear of the great king was on him; and I knew not +what Sighard might not say in his wrath, for already Selred had his +hand on him to stay him. So I spoke for the rest, being a stranger, +and of no account if the anger of the king sought a vent on me.</p> +<p>"King Offa," said I, "there is evil wrought by stealth here, and +your thanes are not to blame. Come with me, and you shall see that +so it is, and you will learn the worst. Keep your wrath for those +who are not yet named. It is true that Ethelbert has been slain +this night; but he does not lie here."</p> +<p>The king went back a pace from me and paled suddenly. I did not +know what he might do next, for I could not tell that this was but +certainty to him of that which he had reason to fear. But he kept a +tight rein on himself, and in a moment spoke to me clearly, if in +low tones.</p> +<p>"You are Carl's messenger to Ethelbert, and therefore trusted by +him. You have no need to keep aught from me, nor do you fear me, as +it seems. Tell me plainly what has been done."</p> +<p>I think that he had not understood that Ethelbert had been taken +hence, and that he dreaded to look on him. So I told him once +more.</p> +<p>"Through the old passage which lies beneath his chamber men +crept and slew Ethelbert. Then they took him hence; whither we +cannot tell. It has been but chance that we have found it out +before we went to call him in the morning."</p> +<p>"Silently, without noise, was this wrought, then?" he said, as +if he hardly believed it.</p> +<p>"So silently that if noise there was we could not tell it from +the sounds of men about the house. I pray you come and see what was +planned."</p> +<p>He hesitated for a moment, and then knew that go he must, sooner +or later.</p> +<p>"So let it be," he said. "Bide here, you others."</p> +<p>I turned, and led the way into the bedchamber. There I stooped +and opened the trapdoor, and held the torch so that the light fell +into the pit, without a word. He saw the fallen props, and the +chair, and all else that told him the terrible tale. And as he saw +he reeled a little, and I caught his arm. But he shook off my hand +savagely.</p> +<p>"Tell me," he said, between his teeth, "have you hunted for +those who did this deed?"</p> +<p>"Such of us as might go have done so. Your own door was not left +unguarded, King Offa. But the slayers had gone far hence +swiftly."</p> +<p>"An they were wise they would bide there," he said grimly.</p> +<p>Now he was more himself, and his eyes sought the pit and the +room for all he might learn. I saw that he knew the spear of +Gymbert, but he said nothing of it. It came to my mind that to his +dying day King Offa would not forget aught that his eyes lit on in +that place.</p> +<p>"There shall be a reckoning for this," he said at last, turning +to me with a stern look on his face. "Tell me, is it said that in +this I have any part?"</p> +<p>"None have said it, King Offa," I answered.</p> +<p>"They have but thought it," he said; "that is what you mean. +Well, what is that to me? Yet hereafter you shall tell Carl that in +it I had no part."</p> +<p>I bowed, and let that bide. It seemed that to be thought still +the messenger for whose return Carl would look might be some sort +of a safeguard to me if things went ill. Then Offa remembered +somewhat.</p> +<p>"What of the Anglian thanes? What will they say when this is +known by them?"</p> +<p>His brow knitted, for he thought of the likelihood of wild +turmoil in the palace, and what would come of the cry of +treason.</p> +<p>"They know, and have gone," I said simply. "It seemed best to +them and to your thanes that, seeing that this deed was done and +none could amend it, they should fly hence by this passage. It +could not be foreseen how matters would go with them."</p> +<p>"On my word, some of you have your senses still about you," said +Offa, in that cold voice of his.</p> +<p>And then all of a sudden his command of himself gave way, and he +sat down on the bed and hid his face in his hands. With the passing +of the Anglians the strain had gone from him as from us, and he was +left with the bare terror of the deed he had half approved.</p> +<p>Presently he looked up, and the weakness had passed. Then he +rose and signed to me to follow him, and we went out into the +council chamber. And even as we closed the ill-fated rooms behind +us, from his own door came forth Quendritha and moved swiftly +toward him.</p> +<p>"My king," she said, "they told me that somewhat was amiss."</p> +<p>"Ay," he said, and his words were like ice, "there is, and more +than amiss. Get you to your bower, and we will speak thereof in +private."</p> +<p>He did not look at her, and went to pass her, almost thrusting +her aside. And at that she gave a little plaintive cry, and would +have taken his arm, saying for us to hear that he was surely +distraught.</p> +<p>"Thanes, tell me what is wrong!" she said.</p> +<p>"We have no need to tell you," said Sighard savagely, and +unheeding the warning grasp of the priest on his arm. "What has +been done is your doing."</p> +<p>"What mean you?" she flashed on him with a terrible look.</p> +<p>Erling answered from where he stood with his back to the great +door, "So you spoke in our old land on the day when our Jarl Hauk +bade you confess the wrong you had done, before you were set adrift +on the sea. It had been better had he slain you, as some would have +had him slay, if it were but for the saving of this."</p> +<p>Now Offa had turned angrily as he heard Sighard speak to the +queen in no courteous wise, but Erling had not heeded his look or +what wrath might light on him. Before he could say aught, and it +was plain that he was going to speak angrily enough, Offa heard the +first words of the Dane, and checked himself.</p> +<p>And when he had heard, he said in a cold voice, slowly, "So that +tale is true after all. I can believe it now, though once I slew a +man who told it me."</p> +<p>With that he turned on his heel and passed through the door and +was gone, paying no more heed to the queen than to us. For a long +moment she stood and glared at Erling, and I think that she +remembered his face in some dim way, so that the old days came back +to her, and with that remembrance the terror that had been in them. +And as she stood there in the torchlight she seemed to have grown +old of a sudden, and her face was gray and lined, while her long +white hands worked as they fell at her side.</p> +<p>But not another word did she say, though her lips seemed to form +somewhat, and in her eyes was written most terrible hate and anger. +She took her gaze from Erling, for he did not shrink from it, and +let it rest for a moment on Sighard with a meaning which made him +pale as he thought of Hilda, who was yet in her hands, and so went +from the room suddenly, and the door was closed after her from +within.</p> +<p>Then said Witred the Mercian earnestly, "Friends, an you value +your lives, get you hence while yet that passage is open. I am +going with those who do go, for we who have seen and heard all this +will not be suffered to live to tell it."</p> +<p>"It seems to me that Erling's tale is not new to some folk +here," I said.</p> +<p>"It is an old tale with us, but we did not believe it. It had +been well-nigh forgotten, for it was nowise safe to do so much as +whisper it.</p> +<p>"But, thanes, did you mark the face of the king?"</p> +<p>"It was terrible," said Selred, shuddering: "it was as the face +of the lost."</p> +<p>And then out in the courtyard the horns blew the morning call +cheerily, and the hall buzzed in a moment with the rousing of the +men who slept along its walls, and there reached us the sound of +jest and laughter and shouts as they waked the heavy sleepers.</p> +<p>"Thanes," said Witred, quite coolly, "if we want to see another +day dawn we had best be going.</p> +<p>"Brother, I rede you go to the horse watering yourself, and take +your best steed under you; and I pray you bring mine also.</p> +<p>"Paladin, that gay steed of yours will be with the rest--and +yours also, thane.</p> +<p>"Erling, you shall in nowise go stablewards, but come with +us."</p> +<p>The thane who had to see to the stables leaped up, and without +more than a nod to his comrade and us went his way down the hall in +haste.</p> +<p>"There are two or three things I don't want to leave behind," +said Witred, "but I shall have to forego them. A man need not stop +to gather property when Quendritha is at his heels. Come; why are +you waiting? I tell you that we shall find the far end of that +passage closed in one way or another if we haste not."</p> +<p>"My daughter!" said Sighard, groaning; "she is in the queen's +bower."</p> +<p>"So also is Etheldrida the princess," said Witred. "She is of +her court, as one may say, and will be safe. No harm can come to +her."</p> +<p>"I fear for her," said Sighard, still hesitating.</p> +<p>"This woman, who has slain the bridegroom of her own daughter, +will stick at little. I have offended her, and I know it."</p> +<p>Then Selred said gently, "I am going to stay, and I can do more +than even yourself. Today the archbishop comes, and I will tell him +of Hilda. Go, for I am sure that Witred speaks no less than the +truth, else he would not fly thus. For her sake you must go, and I +will bring her home. Have no fear."</p> +<p>"I am thought to be Carl's man," I said, "and one may suppose +that I am safe. I will stay with Selred, and see what happens. It +is in my mind to search for the body of the king, and surely none +will hinder that. Erling must go into hiding, but in some way he +must let me know where he is."</p> +<p>"That I can manage for you. I have men of my own in this palace, +and they shall take any message. Erling can be hidden in the town +easily."</p> +<p>So said Witred, and with that he would wait no more. We heard +men coming up the hall, and though it was most likely but the +thanes who should relieve those who had watched during the night, +there was no more delay. Sighard shook hands with me as if he would +set all that he wanted to say into that grasp, and then they passed +down the passage once more and were gone.</p> +<p>For a while I waited, fearing lest I should hear the sounds of a +fight at the far end, but no noise came. But just as I was about to +set the trapdoor back in its place I heard footsteps, and stayed. +They came from whence my friends had gone.</p> +<p>It was Erling. He came into the pit, set his hands on the edge +of the floor, and swung himself up sailorwise.</p> +<p>"I did but go to see that they got away safely," he said. "You +may need a man at your back, master, before this day is out."</p> +<p>"Erling," I cried, "I will not suffer this. I think I am safe +enough."</p> +<p>"Well, mayhap so am I. If Quendritha slays me, it is as much as +to say that my tale is true. Say no more, master, for on my word +our case is about the same; and if I must die, I had as soon do it +in good company, and for reason, as be hunted like a rat through +the hovels of yon townlet."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND ERLING +BEGAN THEIR SEARCH.</h2> +<p>Selred smiled and shook his head at Erling when we went back to +him, but I could see that he thought no less of the Dane for +standing by me. Nor did I, as may be supposed, but I had rather his +safety was somewhat more off my mind than it was likely to be here. +As he had returned for care of me, it would seem that we were each +pretty anxious about the other; but there was no use in showing +it.</p> +<p>Now the thanes who had the morning watch to keep came in, fresh +and gay, with words of good morrow, and stayed suddenly and stared +at us, for we three strangers had the council chamber to +ourselves.</p> +<p>"Where are Witred and his fellows?" one asked me.</p> +<p>I thought the best thing was to tell them the truth, and I told +all the tale of the night's doings in as few words as I could, and +at the end said that offence having been given to Quendritha, it +had seemed safest for those of whom he spoke to get out of her way +for a while. Whereat the thanes made no denial, but seemed to agree +that it was the best way for all concerned.</p> +<p>"This thing will be known all over the place in an hour or so," +one said. "What will you yourself do?"</p> +<p>"I stay here to search for the body of the Anglian king, and for +aught else I may do to help the chaplain here, and the ladies of +the Thetford party."</p> +<p>Then Selred went into the inner chamber and gathered to him the +little crown of the king, and one or two more things which were of +value because of him who had worn them, and said that he would +bestow them in the church until they might be taken back to his +mother in Norfolk. I took his arms, and the sword we had found in +the pit, for Sighard had brought that up from thence. And so we +three went down the hall, none paying much heed to us, and into the +church.</p> +<p>It was strange to see the gay bustle of the place going on with +all manner of preparations for the wedding that should never be, +and yet to say naught to stay it all. That was not our +business.</p> +<p>Selred found the sacristan in the church, for it was the hour of +matins, and between them they set what we had brought in the ambry +which was built in the chancel wall. I do not know if Selred told +the man why they were to be kept there. Then came Offa's two +chaplains, and the bell rang for the service; and it was good to +kneel and take part therein, while outside the quiet church the +noise of the great palace went on unceasingly, as the noise of a +waking camp. Beside me knelt Erling the heathen, quiet and +attentive.</p> +<p>Somewhere about the midst of the service it seemed to grow very +still all about us of a sudden. Then there were the sounds of many +men running past the door, and a dull murmur as of voices of a +crowd. The news of the deed of the night had been set going, and it +was passing from man to man; and each went to the hall to learn +more, for presently none were sure which king had been slain, and +then many thought that it was Offa. Before the service was ended he +had to show himself, and at the sight of him a great roar of joy +went up, and men were at ease once more--concerning him at +least.</p> +<p>When the little service was over I went to the church door and +looked out on the courtyard; and the whole place swarmed with folk, +for work had been stayed by the news, and none knew what was to be +done next. If one could judge from the looks of those who spoke to +one another, there were some strange tales afloat already. Some +recognized me, and doffed their caps; but it was plain that they +had no thought that I had been so nearly concerned in the matter, +and I was the easier, therefore. And while we watched them Selred +came to us.</p> +<p>"Now I am going to try to see our poor ladies," he said. "We +must learn what they will do, for if they will go homeward, we are +the only men who can ride with them. I know that you would fain go +home, but I will ask you to help me in this. Indeed, it is a work +of charity."</p> +<p>"Of course I will, father," I answered; "I am at your service +and theirs, till you need me no longer. My folk do not so much as +know that I am likely to be in England, let alone on my way to +them."</p> +<p>"Why, then, your homecoming will be none the less joyful for +you, good friend. But I pray you have a care of yourselves, both of +you, awhile."</p> +<p>Now we went back through the church, and so passed into our +lodging by the door which was between the two parts of the building +of which I have spoken already. The priest had somewhat to take +with him, book or beads or the like, and I would fain rest awhile +after that night of terrible unrest.</p> +<p>"Go to breakfast in the hall," said Selred, "and there I will +come to you."</p> +<p>It was somewhat dark in the outer room, and darker yet in the +little chambers. Selred had to grope awhile before he found what he +wanted; then Erling opened the outer door for him, and he went his +way, and I would have the door left open after him for more +light.</p> +<p>Then I went to my own chamber, sliding back its door and +speaking to Erling at the same time, so that I had my head a little +turned aside. Whereby, before I had time to hear more than a sudden +scuffle within the dark chamber, out of it leaped a man upon me, +sending me spinning against the opposite wall with a blow on the +chest which took the breath from me for the moment, and then +smiting Erling with a sort of back-handed blow as he passed him; +but the Dane saw him in time, and set out his foot, and the man +fell headlong over it. His head struck the doorpost with a great +thud, and there he lay motionless, while something flew from his +hand across the floor, rattling as it went. It was the hilt of a +knife of some sort.</p> +<p>Erling shut the outer door in haste, and then helped me to rise, +asking me if I were hurt.</p> +<p>"No," I answered. "Ho, but what is that?"</p> +<p>Out of my tunic as I straightened myself there fell a gleaming +blade, and I picked it up. It was half of a Welsh knife, keen and +pointed, which had broken on my mail shirt, leaving only a long +slit in my tunic, and maybe a black bruise to come presently on the +skin where the dint fell.</p> +<p>"I owe life to you, Erling," I said. "And I laughed at the +thought of wearing the mail, and well-nigh did not put it on. But +he smote you; has he harmed you?"</p> +<p>"The mail saved me also," he said, "for the knife broke on it; +otherwise--No, master, I am not hurt; not so much as a cut tunic. I +wonder if there are more of this sort in these dens?"</p> +<p>I drew my sword, and we looked cautiously into the chamber, and +then into Sighard's, but there was no one there. This man had been +alone, and he had fared badly. He lay yet as he had fallen, +breathing heavily.</p> +<p>"This means that Quendritha is after us," said Erling. "Our old +saw is true enough when it says, 'Look to the door or ever you pass +it;' and that we shall have to do for a while. Now I have a mind to +tie this man up for a day or two; we have a spare chamber for +him."</p> +<p>"Do so," I said. "Then we will pass out through the church, and +Quendritha will think that he waits us here yet, and we shall be +the safer."</p> +<p>So we bound him and set him, still senseless, in the empty +chamber of Sighard, making fast the door with the broken dagger so +that, even if presently the man worked his bonds loose, he could +not get to Quendritha to say that he had failed. Then I made Erling +don a buff coat of Sighard's, good enough to turn most blows. He +might need it if this went on.</p> +<p>"It is in my mind," said I when this was done, "that a crowd is +the safest place for us just now. Let us go and see how matters +fare at the stables. It is time that the horses came back from the +water."</p> +<p>We passed through the church and went stable-wards, among all +the idle and half-terrified thralls and servants; and when we came +to the long stables with their scores of stalls, there was talk and +wonderment enough among the grooms. Gymbert was nowhere to be +found, and the other thane, who took his place and gave the orders +when he was busy, had gone out with his horses, and had fled with +the Anglians, it was said. None seemed surprised that they should +have gone hastily, but the going of the king's horse thane was a +wonder.</p> +<p>However, all that was good hearing to us, and I went to see what +horses had returned. It was plain that Witred's plan had worked +well, for only those which the ladies had ridden, the pack horses, +and our own had been brought back. The young king's steeds were +both in the stable where Offa's own white chargers were kept.</p> +<p>Somewhat late the breakfast call sounded, and I went back to the +hall, not by any means wishing to seem put out by the flight of the +Anglian party, as Carl's messenger. Erling sat where I could see +him, below the salt; and I went to my own place on the dais, as +before. There were not many thanes present at first, and Offa never +appeared at all; and the meal was silent, and carelessly ordered, +for the whole course of the great household had been set awry by +the word of heavy rumour which had flown from man to man.</p> +<p>As the time went on a few more thanes came in and sat them down +with few words, and those curt, and mostly of question as to where +such and such a friend was. And soon it grew plain that man by man +the guests of Offa were leaving him and the palace.</p> +<p>Maybe that was mostly because there had come an end of that for +which they had gathered, but there were words spoken which told me +that many who might have stayed left because of the shame of the +deed which had been wrought. The great name of Offa was no cloak +for that. Few spoke to me as I sat and ate, though many seemed as +if they would like to do so but were ashamed. Those who did speak +were only anxious to tell me that their king was surely blameless; +that it was some private matter of feud--surely some Welsh +treachery or the like; but no man so much as named Quendritha, +whether in blame or in excuse.</p> +<p>Presently there came up the hall quietly one of the young +thanes, boys of fifteen or less, who were pages to the king and +queen; and he sat himself down not far from me below the high +place, where they had their seats. I noticed him because he was the +only one of the half-dozen or so who came to that breakfast at all, +and also because he seemed to look somewhat carefully at me. As I +still wore my Frankish dress I was used to that, and only smiled at +him, and nodded a good morrow.</p> +<p>Presently two men near me rose and went, and as they did so the +boy rose also, and taking a loaf from his table handed it to me +gravely.</p> +<p>"Paladin," he said, "I think you need this."</p> +<p>He was a little below me, of course, and I bent to take it. He +had both hands to the loaf, and with one he gave me it, and from +the other dropped something small into my palm at the same time, so +that the bread covered it there. I thanked the lad, and while he +watched me eagerly, looked at that which he had hidden in my hand. +It was that little arrowhead which I had given Hilda, and which I +had bidden her send me if she was in danger or in anywise sought my +help.</p> +<p>Somehow I kept my countenance when I saw that. I suppose it was +because I knew that the need must be great when Hilda sent the +token, and that no doubt the queen had her spies everywhere on me; +but what thoughts went through my mind I can hardly set down. Fear +for Hilda in ways that I could not fathom, and wonder as to how I +was to help her, were the uppermost. I halved the loaf with my +dagger, and handed the half back to the boy, who came close to the +edge of the dais again for it.</p> +<p>"In the church, presently," I said to him, and he nodded.</p> +<p>I thought he might have some message also from her who gave the +token.</p> +<p>Then I made myself bide a little longer, and it was hard work. +As soon as I might I went out, Erling following me, and turned into +the church. There I waited impatiently, with my eyes on the door of +the great hall, in the porch, and at last I saw the page come out +as it were idly, and turn toward me. Then a man came up to him and +spoke to him, and the boy seemed eager to get away. At last he +glanced toward me, and went away with the man, passing the door of +the church, and turning toward the rearward buildings. I had little +doubt that he was purposely being prevented from having more words +with me.</p> +<p>That troubled me more than enough, as may be supposed, for what +the need of Hilda might be I could not tell. And what I should have +done next I can hardly say, for I was beginning to think of going +and asking to see her; so that it was as well that as I stood in +the deep porch I turned at the sound of hasty footsteps, and saw +Selred coming to me from out of the building. He had passed through +our lodging to the church as he had gone. His look was grave and +full of care, but not more than it had shown before he left us.</p> +<p>"I have seen none of the ladies," he said. "The palace is in a +turmoil, and Offa has shut himself up, seeing but one or two of his +thanes, in grief for what has been done, as men say, and as may be +hoped. Nor will Quendritha see any one, or let her attendants pass +from her bower and its precincts."</p> +<p>"Father," I said, "I have had a token from the Lady Hilda to say +that she is in sore need of help."</p> +<p>And with that I told him of our talk yesterday in the little +wood, and of the coming of the page to me.</p> +<p>"I do not know what this may mean," he said gravely. "They say +that the poor Princess Etheldrida is overborne with grief, so that +they fear for her life. I thought that Hilda was with her; but this +would suggest that she is not. Yet all the ladies of the court are +within the bower."</p> +<p>Now there was a stir round the great gates, and a little train +of clergy came through them, with a few lay brothers, who led mules +laden with packs, after them. The whole party were dusty and +wearied, as if they had come from far on foot; and indeed only one +of all the dozen or so was mounted, and that was a man who rode, +cloaked and hooded, in their midst on a tall mule. Before him the +weariest looking of all the brothers carried a tall brazen +cross.</p> +<p>"The archbishop," said Selred. "He has not turned back, or maybe +the news has not yet reached him."</p> +<p>This was Ealdwulf, the Mercian Archbishop of Lichfield, and he +had come for the wedding from his own place. He was a close friend +of the king, who indeed had wished that Mercia should not be second +to any realm, and had so wrought that an archbishop's see had been +made for him, subject to neither Canterbury nor York. I suppose +that somewhere men had been on the watch for him, for now came the +clergy of the palace to meet him, two by two, with the chaplain of +the king at their head.</p> +<p>They came and bent before him, and he blessed them with uplifted +hand; and then I think that the first word of what had befallen was +told to him, for as the chaplain rose and spoke to him the +archbishop started somewhat and knit his brows. Nor did he offer to +dismount as yet, but sat on his mule, seeming to question those +before him, while his clergy gathered round him as close as they +dared, listening. The men who had been hurrying about the courtyard +had stayed their footsteps, and there was a strange silence while +the bad news was told.</p> +<p>Presently the chaplain looked round and spied us, and at once +came toward the church porch and said that the archbishop would +fain speak with us.</p> +<p>So together we went across the court, and with me came Erling. +Like us, he bent for the blessing of the archbishop's greeting, and +then we had to tell what we knew of the end of Ethelbert. Ealdwulf +would have it from us, as we were of the train of the young king. +And when we had told all in few words, he said:</p> +<p>"I bide in this house no longer. Not until the day when King +Offa will send for me will I stand here again, save for sterner +reproof than I may give to any while one doubt remains as to who +wrought this deed. Mayhap you men deem that you have reason to +blame a certain one; but I need surety. Now, I lay it on you that +you search for the body of your king; and when it is found, bring +him to me at Fernlea, where I will abide. It is not fitting that +these walls should hold him again."</p> +<p>And then, taking that brazen cross of his into his hand as token +of his office, there, in the open court for all to hear, he laid +such a ban on the one whose mind had contrived and on those whose +hands had wrought this murder that I may not set it down here. But +I thought that none who had any part in it could live much longer +thereafter.</p> +<p>So he turned his mule and went away, leaving men staring aghast +at one another behind him.</p> +<p>Selred and I followed him beyond the gate, watching how he rode +with bent head, wearily, by reason of the trouble which had come to +him, for he had loved the young king well, as men told us. And +after he had passed out of sight I said that I had hoped for help +for Hilda from him.</p> +<p>"Quendritha would not have seen him," said Selred. "I do not +know what he could have done. Courage, Wilfrid! for all this is but +a matter of last night, and even now the day is young. Get to +horse, and do as he bade you; and presently, when you return, I may +have news for you."</p> +<p>Loath enough I was to leave the palace, but yet there did not +seem much use in loitering about here. I should not see Hilda, and +Selred would be more likely to learn what was amiss than I. He +said, also, that if he heard of any danger to her he would seek the +king straightway, and demand speech with him on urgent business, so +that he should see matters righted. And then a thought came to him, +for I told him of the man whom we had bound in the empty +chamber.</p> +<p>"My son," he said, "it were better that you were out of this +place. Neither you nor Erling nor myself will dare sleep in peace +tonight if such deeds are still planned. Listen. Arm yourselves, +and go on your search. Take your horses with you, and presently +follow the archbishop to Fernlea for the night. It will be thought +that you have fled also. Let the man go to tell his tale, and it +will seem certain that you have done so, in fear of what may +happen. Then be in that little cover where we spoke with the king +and Hilda tonight at the same time, and there I will come to you +and tell you all I know."</p> +<p>"That is good advice, father," said Erling. "Well I know what +holds the thane here, but he can do naught.</p> +<p>"Master, if yon thrall is come to himself, we will speak words +which he will take to his mistress, and then we shall have time +before us. He shall think that we have fled eastward with the +rest."</p> +<p>Not anywise willingly, but as it were of our need, I knew that +these two friends of mine spoke rightly; so we left the good father +and went back to our lodging, there to gather what few things we +would take with us. I had no thought that we should return to this +ill-omened place.</p> +<p>In Sighard's chamber we heard the man shifting himself and +muttering; and as those sounds stilled as we entered, we knew that +he had come to himself, and that he was most likely trying to free +himself from his bonds.</p> +<p>"This is no place for us, master," said Erling pretty loudly; +"it is as well that we go while we may. Presently the road to the +eastward may be blocked against us."</p> +<p>The man was very still, listening, as we thought.</p> +<p>"The sooner the better," I answered. "One might put thirty miles +between here and ourselves before noontide. I have no mind to ride +through Worcester town, and we must pass that either to north or +south. Then we were safe enough."</p> +<p>Now the man shifted somewhat, and we heard him.</p> +<p>"That thrall lives yet," said Erling. "He listens."</p> +<p>With that he grinned at me and went to the door, drawing the +knife blade from it, and sliding it back so that the dim light +filled the chamber. As he went in the man was still, and seemingly +insensible, as we had left him; and Erling bent over him, as if to +listen to his breathing. Then he rose and came out, sliding the +door carelessly to behind him. We had no need to keep the man now. +It was plain to the Dane that he was waking enough.</p> +<p>He nodded to me as he returned, as if to say that all went well, +but aloud he said that the man was still enough. Then we armed +ourselves fully, donning mail shirt and steel helm, sword and seax +and spear for myself; and leathern jack and iron-bound leathern +helm, sword and seax, and bow and quiver for Erling--each of us +taking our round shields on our shoulders, over the horsemen's +cloaks we wore. None would think much of our going thus, for so a +thane and his housecarl may be expected to ride in time when there +is trouble about, more especially if there are but the two of +them.</p> +<p>As we armed we spoke more yet of flight, and haste, and so on, +till the thrall must have deemed that he knew all our plans.</p> +<p>We had little more than our arms that we would take. All that +bright holiday gear I had bought in Norwich and Thetford, first +against my home going, and then for this wedding that was to be, I +left behind, taking only, in the little pack which Erling would +carry behind his saddle, what linen one may need on a journey, and +fastening my little store of jewels about me under my mail. Little +enough there was, in truth; but what I had was from Ecgbert or +Carl, with one little East Anglian brooch, set with garnets, from +the lost king himself, and these I would not lose.</p> +<p>Money I had in plenty for all needs and more, as may be expected +of a warrior who has seen success with Carl. Mostly that was in +rings and chains of gold, easily carried and hidden, for a link of +one of which I could anywhere get value in silver coin enough to +carry us on for a fortnight or more.</p> +<p>Then we went round to the stables, leaving the place by the door +away from the church, not minding who saw us go out. We had no +doubt at all that word would go to Quendritha that we were unhurt +and away so soon as we were seen to come thence; whereon she would +send to seek her man.</p> +<p>"I would your steed was not quite so easily known," growled +Erling to me as we crossed the open garth round the palace and +entered what I call the street of small buildings which went toward +the rear gate. "He will be easily heard of."</p> +<p>"When they find that we have not gone to the one side of +Worcester, therefore, they will try the other," I answered; "that +is, if any take the trouble to follow us, which I doubt."</p> +<p>"I doubt not at all concerning that," said Erling grimly. "Too +well I ken the ways of Quendritha. Neither you nor I who know the +truth of her sending to this land may be suffered to tell that +tale, if she can prevent it."</p> +<p>The great skew-bald whinnied as I came to him, glad to see that +I meant to take him out across the open country, and the grooms +came in haste to see what I needed. And as they saddled the two +horses, Erling was watching all they did, and had his eye on the +doorway from time to time. But here it was peaceful enough, for the +first turmoil of the morning had passed, and there were none but a +few of the grooms about. There was no man to ask us aught, and we +mounted quietly, without seeming to find much notice from any.</p> +<p>Now, as I have said, the rear gate of the palace enclosure led +toward Mercia, and we rode straight out of it, and away down the +road, grass grown and little cared for, which the Romans had once +made and paved for the march of their legions. At first we went in +leisurely wise, and then before we were fairly out of sight from +the gate spurred away in haste. And so we rode for two miles or so, +into the heart of the woodland country, where the road became a +mere track midway in the crest of its wide embankment. Then we drew +rein and took counsel as to whither next.</p> +<p>"Master," said Erling as we stayed, "did you see a man staring +at us from out of a stable across the road as we started?"</p> +<p>"Ay. But I did not heed him; he was only one of the +thralls."</p> +<p>"So he looked; but if that was not Gymbert, I am sorely blind +today. Moreover, I looked back as we passed the gate, as if one of +the guard spoke to me. The man was hastening toward our lodging. +And he walked like Gymbert. Many a man can disguise his face; but, +after all, his back and gait betray him."</p> +<p>Now if this was indeed Gymbert whom Erling had seen, it was +plain that he waited about the palace precincts for speech with his +mistress, or for some fresh orders, and I did not by any means like +it. However, when I came to turn the matter over in my mind, I +thought that after all, whether inside the palace garth or out, he +would not be far from the call of Quendritha, so that maybe it did +not so much matter. At all events, what I would do would be to bide +as near to the place as I might without being known, and be content +to hear from Selred that at least naught was wrong.</p> +<p>Troubled enough I was in my mind at this time in all truth. For +it lay heavily on me that I had promised the poor queen away in +Thetford that I would watch her loved son and if need be die with +him, and I had lost him and yet lived. I know now that I had no +real need to blame myself in this; but the thing was so terrible, +and had been wrought as it were but at arm's length from me, that +for the time I did so bitterly, framing to myself all sorts of ways +in which a little care might have prevented all. As if one can ever +guard against such treachery!</p> +<p>And then there was the fear for Hilda, none the less troublous +that I knew not what her need might be. One could believe aught of +cruelty from Quendritha.</p> +<p>Only these two things remained to me--one, in some measure to +redeem my word to the mother of the king by finding his body; and +the other, to stay here and watch as well as I might for chance of +helping this one who had suddenly grown to be the best part of my +life, as it seemed to me. And these things I told Erling, for he +was my comrade, and together we had been in danger, and so were +even yet. Rough he was, but with that roughness which is somehow +full of kindness. And I was glad I had told him, for he understood, +and straightway planned for me.</p> +<p>Most of all the difficulty in this planning lay in the +outrageous colour of my good steed. Once we thought of tarring him; +but a tarred horse would be nearly as plain to be noticed as a +skew-bald. I think it says much for the steed that neither of us +thought for a moment of parting with him. In the end we said that +we would even take our chance, for if we were sought it would not +be near the palace.</p> +<p>So we bent ourselves to plan the search for where the body of +the king might be hidden, and that was to unravel a tangled skein +indeed. All we knew was that the cart which had borne him from the +end of the hidden passage had gone northward along a riverside +track. Beyond that, we guessed that it might not have gone far, +whether for fear of meeting folk in the dawning, or because the +slayers would not be willing to cumber their flight for any +distance with it. Moreover, Gymbert was in the palace, as Erling +was certain.</p> +<p>We would ride northward and seek what we might till the time for +meeting Selred came, working down the river toward the palace from +far up stream. Sooner or later thus we should meet with the wheel +tracks, and perhaps be able to follow them whither they went into +the woodlands from the old stream-side way which Gymbert had at +first taken.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a>. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH +CARE THRUST ON HIM.</h2> +<p>Now we were just about to ride off the ancient road into the +woods when we heard the muffled sounds of a party coming along the +way. For a moment I thought that we were pursued, but then I knew +that whoever came was bound in the direction of the palace. The +causeway was straight as an arrow, as these old Roman roads will +be, but the track men used on its crest was not so. Here and there +a great tree had grown from acorn or beech nut, and had set +wayfarers aside since it was a sapling, to root up which was no +man's business. So we could not see who came, there being a tree +and bushes at a swerve of the way. The horses heard, and pricked up +their ears, and told us in their way that more steeds were nearing +us.</p> +<p>"Ho!" said Erling suddenly. "Mayhap it is just as well that +these good folk should see us in flight eastward. Spur past them, +and look not back, master."</p> +<p>I laughed, and let my horse have his head, and glad enough he +was. Round that bend of the track we went at a swinging gallop, and +saw a dozen foresters ahead of us, bearing home some deer, left in +the woodlands wounded, no doubt, after the great hunt, on ponies. +They reined aside in haste as they saw us coming, while their +beasts reared and plunged as the thundering hoofs of our horses +minded them of liberty; and through the party we went, leaving them +shouting abuse of us so long as they could see us. And so long as +that was possible we galloped as in dire haste, nor did we draw +rein for a good mile.</p> +<p>Then we leaped from the causeway, and went northward through the +woodlands, sure that the chase for us would hear from the foresters +whither we were heading, and would pass on for many a mile before +they found that no other party had seen us. Whereon they would +suppose that we had struck southward to pass Worcester by the other +road, even as we had said in the hearing of the thrall in the +house.</p> +<p>Then I thought that the chase for us was not likely to be kept +up long, for it would grow difficult; but Erling shook his head. He +had a deadly fear of Quendritha.</p> +<p>Now we rode for all the forenoon in a wide curve, northward and +then westward, across the land which the long border wars had +ravaged so that we saw no man save once or twice a swineherd. More +than once we passed burned farmsteads, over whose piled ruin the +creepers were thriving; and all the old tracks were overgrown, and +had never a wheel mark on them, save ancient ruts in which the +water stood, thick with the growth of duckweed, which told of long +disuse.</p> +<p>And at last we came to the valley of the little Lugg river which +we sought, and then were perhaps ten miles north of Sutton and its +palace stronghold. The day had grown dull, and now and then the +rain swept up from the southwest and passed in springtime showers, +just enough to make us draw our cloaks round us for the moment, +soft and sweet. In the river the trout leaped at the May flies that +floated, fat and helpless, into their ready mouths, and the +thrushes were singing everywhere above their nests.</p> +<p>Those were things that I was ever wont to take pleasure in, and +the more since I had been beyond the sea. But today I had little +heart to heed them, for the heaviness of all the trouble was on me. +Maybe, however, and that I do believe, I should have been more +gloomy still had I been one of those who have no care for the +things of the land they look on, lovely as they are. I dare say +Erling the viking took pleasure in them, if he would have preferred +the wild sea birds and the thunder of the shore breakers to all +this quiet inland softness. At all events, he had no mind that I +should brood on trouble overmuch, and strove to cheer me.</p> +<p>"Thane," he said presently, even as I began to quest hither and +thither by the riverside for the track of the cart, which indeed I +hardly thought would have come thus far, "it seems to me that food +before search will be the better, an you please."</p> +<p>"Why," said I, having altogether forgotten that matter, "twice +men have told me that when Quendritha is at a man's heels he had +better not wait for aught. Yet I blame myself for having forgotten. +It is not the way for a warrior to be heedless of the +supplies."</p> +<p>"When the warrior is a seaman also he cannot forget," quoth +Erling. "Had you bided with Thorleif for another season, you had +found that out. I have not forgotten. Dismount, and we will see +what is hidden in the saddlebags."</p> +<p>We went into a sheltered nook among the water-side trees, and he +brought out bread and venison enough for two meals each, and I was +glad of the rest and food. He had helped himself at breakfast, he +said, being sure that sooner or later we should have to fly the +palace.</p> +<p>"Well, and if we had not had to fly?" I asked.</p> +<p>"Betimes I wax hungry in the night," he answered, smiling +broadly. "It would not have been wasted."</p> +<p>When that little meal was done I leaned myself against a tree +trunk, and said naught for a time. Nor did Erling. The horses +cropped the grass quietly at a little distance, and the sound of +the water was very soothing.</p> +<p>The next thing that I knew was that Erling was bidding me wake, +and I opened my eyes to see that the sun was not more than two +hours from setting, and that therefore I had had a great sleep, +which indeed I needed somewhat sorely after that last night. The +sky had cleared, but here and there the rain drifted from the sky +over the hills to the west. I sprang to my feet, somewhat +angry.</p> +<p>"You should have waked me earlier," I said. "Now it grows late +for our quest."</p> +<p>"About time to begin it, master," the Dane said, "if we do not +want to run our heads into parties from the palace. Maybe they will +be out also on the same business. What we seek cannot be far from +thence."</p> +<p>Then we mounted and rode down stream, quickly at first, with a +wary eye for any comers, searching the banks for traces of wheels, +carelessly for a few miles, and afterward more closely. But we saw +nothing more than old marks. The track ended, and we climbed the +rising ground above the river, and sought it there, found it, and +went back to the water, for no cart had newly passed to it here. +And so we went until we were but a mile or two from the palace, and +then we were fain to go carefully.</p> +<p>In an hour I was due in the copse to meet Selred, and then men +would be gathered in the palace yards in readiness for supper, so +that we might have little trouble in being unseen there. Now, on +the other hand, men from the forest and fields might be making +their way palaceward for the same reason.</p> +<p>"I would that we could find some place where we might hide the +horses for a while," I said. "What is that yonder across the +river?"</p> +<p>There was some sort of building there, more than half hidden in +bushes and trees. Toward it a little cattle track crossed the +water, showing that there was a ford.</p> +<p>"The track passes the walls, and does not go thereto," said +Erling. "It may be worth while to see if there is a shelter +there."</p> +<p>So across the ford we rode, with the trout flicking in and out +among the horses' hoofs. The building, whatever it was, stood a +hundred yards or more from the river on a little southern slope +which had been once terraced carefully. Over the walls, which were +ruinous, the weeds grew rankly, and among them a young tree had +found a rooting. The place had been undisturbed for long years; and +I thought that it seemed as if men shunned it as haunted, for of a +certainty not a foot had gone within half arrowshot of it this +spring.</p> +<p>We stood in the cattle track and looked at it, doubting, for no +man cares to pass where others have feared to step for reasons not +known.</p> +<p>"It is an uncanny place," said Erling; "which may be all the +better for us. At any rate, we will go and look into it. Stay, +though; no need to make a plain track to it hence."</p> +<p>The cattle tracks bent round and about it, and as we followed +one it seemed at last to lead straight into the ruin. So we went +with it, and found the entrance to the place. Last year the cattle +had used it for a shelter, but not this, and there were no signs +that any man had followed them into it. And then I knew what the +place was, and wondered at its desertion little, for it was a Roman +villa. Any Saxon knows that the old heathen gods those hard folk +worshipped still hang about the walls where their images used to +hold sway, not now in the fair shapes they feigned for them, but as +the devils we know them to have been, horned and hoofed and tailed. +Minding which a fear came on me that the marks we took for those +made by harmless kine were of those unearthly footsteps, and I +reined back.</p> +<p>"What is there to fear?" said Erling--"fiends? Well, they make +no footmarks like honest cattle, surely. Moreover, I suppose that a +good Christian man need not fear them; and Odin's man will not, so +long as the horses do not. The beasts would know if aught of that +sort was about."</p> +<p>Whereon I made the holy sign on my breast, and rode to the gap +in the white walls which had been the doorway, and looked in. I +suppose that some half-Roman Briton had made the house after the +pattern his lords had taught him, or else that it did indeed belong +to the Roman commander of that force which kept the border, with +the Sutton camp hard by for his men. If this was so, the Briton had +kept the place up till Offa came and burnt the roof over it, for +the black charcoal of the timbers lay on the floors. Only in one +place the pavement of little square stones set in iron-hard cement +still showed in bright patches of red and black and yellow +patterning, where a rabbit had scratched aside the gathered +rubbish. Across walls and floors the brambles trailed, and the +yellow wallflower crowned the ruins of the stonework +everywhere.</p> +<p>One could see that there had been many rooms and a courtyard, +bits of wall still marking the plan of the place. And in this one +corner there was shelter enough in a stone-floored room whose walls +were more than a man's height. The cattle had used that for +long.</p> +<p>"This is luck," said my comrade. "Here we can leave the horses, +and if one does happen past here before dark and spies a pied skin, +he will but deem that kine are sleeping here. After dark, who will +come this way at all?"</p> +<p>"We shall have to," said I, somewhat doubtfully.</p> +<p>Erling leaped from his horse and laughed. "We may hide here for +a week if we must," he said. "I think that the trolls have all gone +to the old lands where men yet believe in them; and seeing that we +are on a good errand, your fiends should not dare come near us. I +care not if I have to come back here alone to fetch the horses when +you will."</p> +<p>I dismounted also, for he shamed me, and I said so. Then we tied +the steeds carefully, loosening the girths, and managed to get a +sapling or two from the undergrowth set across the door to keep +wandering cattle out. More than that we could not do, but at least +the horses were safe till we needed them, and that would hardly be +long, as we hoped. They had well fed as I slept.</p> +<p>Then we went away from the ruin, passing behind it up the little +slope on which it stood, meaning, if we were seen, to come down as +if we had not been near the place. And from the top of that slope +we could see the walls of the palace, with the white horse banner +of Mercia floating over them. From the roof of his villa the Roman +captain could have seen his camp, and maybe that deadly passage +into its midst was for his use. It led this way.</p> +<p>We waded through the ford again, and wandered down stream once +more, looking as we went for the first sign of wheel marks. I was +on the banks above the water by twenty yards, and Erling was at +their foot, close to the stream, when we had the first hope of +finding what we sought. I spied a rough farm cart standing idle and +deserted fifty yards away from me and the river, in the brushwood, +half hidden by it, as if thrust hastily there out of sight; and the +very glimpse of the thing, with its rough-hewn wheels of rounded +tree-trunk slices, iron bound, made my heart beat fast and thick, +for I feared what I might see in it.</p> +<p>I called Erling, and as he ran to me I pointed, and together, +without a word, we went to the cart and looked into it. It was +empty, but on its rough floor were tokens, not to be mistaken, +which told us that it was indeed the cart which Gymbert and his men +had used. And so we knew that we could not be far from the place +where they had hidden the king's body.</p> +<p>Now, if there had been traces of that burden which would once +have led us to its hiding place, the rain had washed them away, and +we had naught to guide us. The turf held no footmarks of men, and +it was not plain how the cart had come to this place; for men had +been hauling timber and fagots hence, so that tracks were many, and +some new. All round us was wooded, and it seemed most likely that +somewhere among the bushes they had found a place; and so for half +an hour we went to and fro, but never a sign of upturned ground did +we see.</p> +<p>"They brought the cart far from the place," said I +presently.</p> +<p>And at that moment from the palace courtyard the horns called +men to their supper, and I started to find how near we were to the +walls. We had wandered onward as we searched, and it is a wonder we +had seen no man. But perhaps it was because this place was mostly +deserted, being out of the way to anywhere, that Gymbert chose it. +The traffic of the palace went along the road to Fernlea and the +ford of the host there, away from here. The carting of the wood cut +during winter was over now, and it was too near the palace for the +deer to be sought in these woods.</p> +<p>"Selred will be waiting me, and all men else will be within the +walls," I said. "I must go to him. Will you bide here and search, +or risk coming with me, comrade?"</p> +<p>"I come with you, of course," Erling answered. "The search can +wait. There is moonlight enough for us to carry it on again this +night, if we will, between these showers."</p> +<p>It rained again as we went through the thickets. Under cover of +the driving squalls we might pass unseen to where the little copse +we sought came close to the river. And we cloaked ourselves against +the shower, pulling the hoods over our helms. None, if we were +seen, would take us for aught but belated men hurrying to the +hall.</p> +<p>Unseen, so far as we could tell, we came to the edge of the +little copse and entered it. The whole breadth of it lay between us +and the palace; and under its trees was pretty dark, for the sun +had set. We turned into the path where I had walked with Hilda, and +I half hoped to see the priest there, but it was lonely. Down that +path we hurried and turned the corner, but an arrow shot from the +ramparts, and again I saw no one coming.</p> +<p>"We must bide and wait," I said. "He will come when the men are +in hall."</p> +<p>"I don't like it," Erling answered, speaking quietly. "You were +to meet him at the same time as before; yet he cannot have come. +None would wonder at a priest staying out after the supper call, +but maybe men might wonder at his leaving after it had +sounded."</p> +<p>For a quarter of an hour we walked to and fro in the wood, down +one path and up another. Then we thought that we might be following +the priest round the wood as he looked for us, and we dared not +call. The watch on the ramparts was set already. Now the loneliness +of the wood had made us bold, and we thought we had best go one +each way, and so make sure that we should find Selred if he were +here.</p> +<p>At that time we were at the far corner of the wood, which was +square, with a path all round it and one each way across. It was a +favourite walk of Offa's during summer, men told me.</p> +<p>Erling turned to the left and I to the right, and we walked fast +away from each other. It was getting very dim in these overarched +paths under the great trees, but not so dim that one could not see +fairly well if any figure came down the way. There was no wind to +speak of, and it was all very silent. One could hear the noises +from the palace plainly at times, and in one place the red light +from the hall shone from a high window through the trees. Just at +this time the clouds fled from off the face of the moon, and it was +light, with that strange brightness that comes of dying day and +brightening night mingled.</p> +<p>I came to the corner where my path turned, and before me there +was a figure, as it were of some one who had just turned into the +wood from toward the ramparts. The way by which Selred and I came +here last night was there. And it was surely the cassocked priest +himself, though I could not see his face. I hurried toward him with +a little word of low greeting which he could hardly have heard. My +foot caught a dry twig in the path, and it cracked loudly, and with +that the figure stopped suddenly and half turned away.</p> +<p>Then I said, "Stay, father; it is but I."</p> +<p>And with that came a little cry from the figure, and it turned +and came swiftly to me.</p> +<p>It was Hilda herself, and how she came here alone thus I could +not guess. She had on a long black cloak which was like enough to +the garb of the chaplain to deceive me at first in the dim light, +so that I made no movement to meet her. I think that frightened her +for the moment, for she stayed, as if she doubted whether I were +indeed he whose voice she thought she knew, until I spoke her name +and went toward her.</p> +<p>And then in a moment she had sought the safety of my arms, and +was weeping as if she would never stop; while I tried to stay her +fears, and bid her tell me what had befallen her. And it was many a +minute before I could do that.</p> +<p>As we stood so Erling came hastily, having heard the hushed +voices. More than that he had heard also, for his sword was drawn. +He half halted as he saw who was here, and pointed over his +shoulder toward the palace gate, and then held up his hand to bid +me hearken.</p> +<p>I lifted my head and did so. There were footsteps in the +stillness, and a gruff word or two, and the steps came this way, +and nearer, fast.</p> +<p>"Hilda," I said, "are you likely to be pursued?"</p> +<p>For I could think of nothing but that she had managed to fly +from Quendritha, and that perhaps Selred had bidden her seek me +here.</p> +<p>"I cannot tell," she said, and her voice was full of terror. +"Take me hence quickly--anywhere. That terrible queen told me that +you had fled, and so thrust me out to seek you--"</p> +<p>I did not wait to hear more, for the steps came on. Between us +Erling and I half carried the poor maiden back toward the place +where we had entered the wood, and we went swiftly enough. Yet we +could not help the noises that footsteps must needs make in the +dark of a cover, where one cannot see to pick the way.</p> +<p>Nor, of course, could those who came, as they tried to follow +us. We heard them plainly entering the wood as we came to the edge +of it and passed out toward the river bank.</p> +<p>"We must get back to the horses, and then ride to Fernlea and +the archbishop," I said, under my breath.</p> +<p>"Ay, if we can," Erling answered; "but that is more easily said +than done."</p> +<p>He pointed to the river and up it. The moonlight was flooding +all its valley, and the last of the day still lingered in the sky. +If these men came to the place where we stood, they could see us +before we had time to get to any cover.</p> +<p>As we came hither we had gone easily, under the shelter of the +gray rain, because no man was at this place to spy us. It was +different now. The men were in the wood at this time as we stood +and doubted. Next we heard them running to right and left, that +they might be sure to meet whoever it was they sought; and plainly +that could be none but Hilda, unless we had been seen. Yet we could +hardly have been suspected to be any but late comers homeward.</p> +<p>"There is but one thing," I said suddenly. "We must cross the +river. They will be here in a moment and looking into the +open."</p> +<p>Hilda shrunk close to me in terror, and Erling looked at the +stream. It was coming down in full volume after the rain, for up in +its hills there had been much more than here. Across the stream +were bushes enough to hide us.</p> +<p>"You have your mail on, and there is the lady. But it is not +far; maybe we two could manage. We can't fight these men, or we +shall have the whole place out on us like a beehive."</p> +<p>So said Erling, looking doubtfully at the water. I asked Hilda +if she feared, and she shivered a little, but answered that aught +was better than to bide and be taken by Quendritha.</p> +<p>"I can trust you," she said quietly. "Do what you will."</p> +<p>"Faith," said Erling, "one must do somewhat to stay these men, +or else little chance shall we have of aught but a good fight here +against odds. I count six of them by the voices. Wait a moment and +we will try somewhat. Get you to the water, thane, ready."</p> +<p>I set my arm round Hilda and led her to the water's edge. Erling +went to the very verge of the wood and listened for a moment. The +men from either side were nearing each other, but as yet neither +party could see the other. Then, of a sudden, Erling lifted his +voice and called, as if hastily:</p> +<p>"Back, back! Get round the far end--quick!"</p> +<p>The footsteps stopped, and voices cried in answer. Each party +thought the other called to them. Erling gave a hunter's whoop, as +if he saw the quarry, and cried them back again. Then there were a +quick rush away on either side, and more shouts, and at that Erling +came to us, laughing.</p> +<p>"There will be a bit of a puzzlement at the other end of the +cover," he said. "Now, master, let me see what water there is."</p> +<p>He stepped into it, trying the depth with his spear as he went. +For ten paces it deepened gradually, and then more quickly. He +passed on, up to his waist, then to his elbows, and so to his neck. +Then he disappeared suddenly, and Hilda almost cried out. His head +came up again in a moment, and he swam for three strokes or so, and +then he was on his feet again.</p> +<p>Now he turned toward us, and felt about with his spear once +more, and so walked steadily back to us--not quite in the same +line, but with the water hardly more than to his shoulders.</p> +<p>"It is easy enough," he said. "I did but step into a hole, and +so lost my footing. Pass me the cloaks, for we will have them over +dry."</p> +<p>I took his from where he left it by me, and rolled up mine and +Hilda's in it. Silently, but with a little wan smile, she took a +scarf from her neck and gave it me to tie them with. Then Erling +took them on his spear and waded back till he could toss them to +the far bank, and so turned to my help.</p> +<p>By that time I had taken up Hilda as best I might, holding her +high, bidding her fear not, and clutch me as little as possible. +She said nothing, being very brave, but nearly choked me once when +the water struck cold as it reached her.</p> +<p>The rising flood water swirled and beat on me as I went deeper +and deeper, and glad enough I was when Erling came to my side +upstream and helped to steady me. Once we stopped and swayed +against the rush for a long moment, half helpless; but we won, and +struggled on. Then a back eddy took the pressure from us, and we +went more quickly and steadily, and so found the shallows, and at +last the bank.</p> +<p>Thankful enough I was, for it had nearly been a matter of +swimming at one time; and if that had happened, I hardly care to +think how we should have fared.</p> +<p>I set Hilda down and gasped. She was not light when we started, +but with each step from the deeps to the shallows she had grown +heavier with the dragging weight of wet skirts; and that had +puzzled me in a foolish way, so that I thought that the weeds were +holding her down. Now we three stood and dripped, and were fain to +laugh at one another; while the men we had escaped from were +talking loudly at the far end of the cover, where they had met.</p> +<p>"That will not last long," I said; "they will be back at the +water's edge in a minute."</p> +<p>Thereat we took to the bushes, which were thick here, in a +little patch. Beyond them was a clear space of turf a hundred yards +wide, which we must cross to reach more wooded land, where we might +go as we pleased back to the ruin where the horses waited. Hilda +went slowly, for the wet garments clogged her, and were heavy +still.</p> +<p>We must bide here till the men went away, or till it grew +darker; for there was no need--though they would hardly follow +us--to let them know who was with their quarry, or that she was +anywhere but on their side of the water. We might find our way to +Fernlea cut off. We took Hilda into the thicket, and crept back to +see what happened, leaving the dry cloaks with her.</p> +<p>The loud voices had stopped suddenly, and we knew that it meant +that the men were coming back through the wood, beating it +cautiously. We lay flat under the nut bushes and alders, watching, +and the edge of the cover was not more than an arrow flight from +us.</p> +<p>Presently there was a rustle in it, and a man looked out, but we +could not see much of him. He spoke to another, and then came into +the open, peering up and down the moonlit river. Another joined +him, and this newcomer wore mail which glistened as he turned. A +third man came from the other side of the wood and saw these two, +and came to them, and there they stood and wondered.</p> +<p>"I could swear the girl went into the wood," said one; "I saw +her plainly."</p> +<p>"Then she must be there still," answered the second comer. "Get +back and look again."</p> +<p>"We have beaten the wood as if for a hare," said the third. +"Unless she has climbed a tree she is not there."</p> +<p>"Well, then, look in the trees," said the mailed man, and with +that he came down to the water, and turned his face toward us.</p> +<p>It was Gymbert himself.</p> +<p>"Mayhap she has drowned herself," said one of the men +sullenly.</p> +<p>Gymbert growled somewhat, and turned sharply, going back to the +wood. The other men looked after him, and one chuckled.</p> +<p>"Best thing she could do," he said. "Gymbert would surely have +sold her to the Welsh."</p> +<p>"Maybe made her his own slave, which were worse."</p> +<p>"No, but he is out of favour just now. The money she would fetch +will be more to him maybe. He dare not let Offa see him."</p> +<p>They turned away slowly. At least it did not seem that these two +were much in earnest in the matter. As they went, one asked the +other who cried the chase back after all.</p> +<p>"Some fool on the other side who doesn't care to own to it now, +seeing that he must have fancied he saw her," was the answer.</p> +<p>Then they turned into the wood again and were gone. Still we +waited; and it was as well, for suddenly Gymbert came back, leaping +out into the open as if he thought to surprise the lost object of +his search. He glanced up and down, and then went back. I heard him +call his men together and rate them, and so they seemed to pass +back to the palace. Their voices rose and died away, and we were +safe.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a>. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS +REWARDED.</h2> +<p>For ten minutes after the last voice was to be heard we waited, +and then, leaving two pools of water where we had lain, we crept +back to the open and sought Hilda. I feared to find her chilled +with the passage of the river; but, in some way which is beyond me, +she had made to herself, as it were, dry clothing of the cloak she +had given to Erling. What she had taken off had been carefully +wrung out, and lay near her in a bundle. She laughed a little when +I told her that I had been troubling about her wetness.</p> +<p>"What, with three dry cloaks ready for me?" she said. "I have +fared worse on many a wet ride."</p> +<p>Then we crossed the little meadow swiftly, and entered the +scattered trees of the riverside forest. After that we had no more +fear of Gymbert and his men, and went easily. In that time I heard +what had happened in the palace, and how this strange meeting had +come about.</p> +<p>"Offa the king has shut himself up, and will see no man," Hilda +said. "Nor will he go near the queen or suffer her to see him. He +has had guards set at the doors of the bower that she may not go +from it, so that she is a prisoner in her own apartments with her +ladies. The poor princess is ill, and has none but bitter words for +the queen; for all know by whose contrivance this has been done. I +heard that all our thanes had fled."</p> +<p>There she would have ended; but I had to hear more of herself, +and it was not easy for her to tell me. Only when Erling fell +behind us somewhat, out of thought for her, would she speak of what +she had gone through, after I had told her that her father was +surely safe, and maybe not far off.</p> +<p>"The queen turned on me when she was left a prisoner. I do not +know why, but I think my father had offended her in some way. I +know that he speaks too hastily at times when he is angry. First +she told me that he had slain our king, and seeing that I would not +believe it by any means, said that you had done the deed--that she +had hired you to do it. Thereat I was more angry yet, for the +saying was plainly false, and had no excuse. And because I was so +angry I think she knew that I--that I did think more of you than I +would have her know. After that I had no peace. I tried to send the +arrowhead to you by the little page who was left with the queen, +and I do not know if you had it. He told me that you were yet in +the palace."</p> +<p>"Ay, I did, and therefore I am here," I said.</p> +<p>"I was sorry afterward, for I did not know what you could do. +The page was not suffered to come back, I think, for I have not +seen him again. This morning the queen told me that you had fled, +after slaying a man of her household. So she went on tormenting me, +until I could forbear no longer, and told her to mind that my +mother had befriended her at her first coming to this land, and it +was ill done to treat her daughter thus.</p> +<p>"Thereat she turned deathly white, and she shook with rage, as +it seemed. At that time she said no word to me, but turned and left +me, and I was glad. Presently one of her ladies, who pitied me, +told me that Gymbert had done the deed, as all men knew by this +time, and that I was to be brave, for all this must have an end. +And that end came as the sun set. I was with the princess, and +Quendritha came in. First she spoke soothingly to Etheldrida, who +turned from the sight of her, being too sick at heart to answer +her; then she spoke to me, looking at me evilly, so that I feared +what was coming.</p> +<p>"'You minded me that your mother was one of our subjects,' she +said, in that terrible, cold voice of hers. 'Now I will see you +wedded safely, to one who is a friend of ours.</p> +<p>"'No,' she said sharply, for I was going to speak, 'you have no +choice. Whom I choose you shall wed. The man I have in my mind for +you is our good thane Gymbert.'</p> +<p>"I suppose that she sought an opportunity against me, and she +had her will. I do not rightly know what I said. The end of it was +that out of the palace I was to go, and she bade me seek you, +Wilfrid. It is in my mind that she meant it in insult, or that she +deems you far away, careless of what befalls me. And I think, too, +that after me she meant to send Gymbert."</p> +<p>Then she set both hands on my arm, and leaned on it, shaking. I +knew that she was weeping with the thought of what had been, and I +did not know what to say rightly. Only I was sure that the secret +of the queen's coming was at the bottom of this, as Quendritha must +have feared that Hilda knew it all, either from me or her +father.</p> +<p>"Your father would not have fled had he not known that Selred +and I were to stay and look after you," I said, lamely enough. +"Have you not seen the good chaplain?"</p> +<p>She had not, and it seemed most likely that in some way he had +been prevented from leaving the palace. Afterwards I knew that Offa +had had all going out of the place stopped, hoping to take some man +who knew more of the secret of Ethelbert's end, if not Gymbert +himself. Hilda had been thrust out by a private postern hastily, +and doubtless Gymbert had been told where to seek her long before. +I believe it was no affair of the spur of the moment, but wrought +in revenge on Sighard and myself.</p> +<p>Now what more I said to Hilda at this time is no matter, but at +the end of the words I made shift to put together she knew that I +could wish no more than to guard her with my life, and for all my +life, and naught more was needed to be said between us. What we +might do next remained to be seen, but the first thing now was to +get to the archbishop, with whom we should be in safety no doubt. +Even Quendritha would not dare to take Hilda from his charge.</p> +<p>I had forgotten my fear of the old walls when we came to the +ruined villa. Maybe I thought thereof when I and Erling went in and +found the horses all safe and ready to take to the road again; for +in one corner of the wall among the grass shone a glow worm, and it +startled me, whereat Erling chuckled, and I remembered.</p> +<p>We made a pillion of my cloak, and lifted Hilda up behind me; +and so we set out in the moonlight to find our way to Fernlea, +striking away from the river somewhat at first, and then taking a +track which led in the right direction. And so for an hour we rode +and saw no man. The land slept round us, and the night was still +and warm, and I forgot the troubles that were upon us in the +pleasure of having Hilda here and safe with me.</p> +<p>Presently we came out of forest growth into the open, and passed +a little hut, out of whose yard a dog came and barked fiercely as +we passed. There was no sound of any man stirring in the hovel, +however, and we went on steadily. As the crow flies, Fernlea town +was not more than five miles from the palace; but we wandered +somewhat, no doubt, being nowise anxious to meet any men on the +way, and also wishing to come into the town from any direction but +that of the road from Sutton.</p> +<p>A quarter of a mile from the hut where the dog was we entered a +deep old track, worn with long years of timber hauling and +pack-horse travel, and under the overhanging trees it was dark +again.</p> +<p>Now we had not gone fifty yards down this lane when my horse +grew uneasy, snorting, and bidding me beware of somewhat, as a +horse will. Hilda knew what the steed meant, and took a tighter +hold on my belt, lest he should swerve or rear.</p> +<p>"'Tis a stray wolf or somewhat," said Erling from behind us. +"The horses have winded him."</p> +<p>Then out of the shadows under the trees came a great voice which +cried in bad Saxon, "Ay, a wolf indeed! Stand and answer for +yourselves!"</p> +<p>"Spurs!" I cried to Erling, and the great skew-bald shot +forward.</p> +<p>Out of the darkness, from the overhanging banks, and seemingly +from the middle of the hollow road, rose with a roar a crowd of +white-clad dim figures and flung themselves at the bridles, and had +my sword arm helpless before ever I had time to know that they were +there. And all in a moment I knew that these were no men of +Gymbert's, but Welshmen from the hills spying on the doings of Offa +at Sutton. Some one had told me that they were in doubt as to what +his great gathering meant.</p> +<p>Now, if Hilda had not been with us, there would have been some +sort of a fight here in the dark, for I should certainly have drawn +sword first and spurred afterward. As it was, my only thought must +needs be to save Hilda from any harm.</p> +<p>"Hold hard!" I cried in Welsh; "this is a lady travelling."</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed," one of the men who had hold of my bridle +answered; "he says truly."</p> +<p>"A lady?" said the voice which had spoken first. "Let her bid +her men be still, and we will speak with her!"</p> +<p>Then Hilda answered very bravely, "So it shall be. Bid your men +free us, and we shall harm none."</p> +<p>The leader spoke in Welsh, and his men fell back from us. Then +he came to my side and asked what we did here so late. And as he +spoke it came to me that the best thing to do would be to tell him +the very truth. No more than himself were we friends of Offa and +Quendritha.</p> +<p>"To tell the truth, we are flying from Sutton," I said. "We +belonged to the train of Ethelbert of East Anglia."</p> +<p>"Why fly, then?"</p> +<p>"Have you heard nothing of what has been done?" I asked.</p> +<p>"No. We heard that there was a king with Offa; that is all."</p> +<p>Then I told him what our trouble was, and the men round me--for +I spoke in Welsh, learned when I was a child from our +thralls--understood me; and more than once I heard them speak low +words of pity for the young king. They had no unfriendliness for +East Anglia.</p> +<p>"Then that is all that the gathering was for?" asked the +leader.</p> +<p>And then he suddenly seemed suspicious, and said sharply, with +his hand on the neck of my horse:</p> +<p>"But to come hither from Sutton you had to cross the river. Your +horse is dry. He has not had time to shake the water from him +yet."</p> +<p>"That is a longer story," I said. "But he was on this side; we +had to wade to reach him."</p> +<p>The chief set his hand on my leg and gripped it. Then he +laughed. "Reach down your arm," he said.</p> +<p>I did so, and he laughed again.</p> +<p>"Very wet," he said. "But the lady?"</p> +<p>"Very wet also," answered Hilda. "I pray you, sir, let us pass +on, if only for that reason. I would fain get to the archbishop at +Fernlea shortly."</p> +<p>"Why to him, lady?"</p> +<p>"Because even Quendritha will fear to take me thence."</p> +<p>"Eh, but you are flying from her! Then speed you well, lady and +good sirs. We have little love for Offa, but he is a warrior and a +man; whereas--Well, I will bid you promise to say no word of this +meeting, and you shall go."</p> +<p>That promise we gave freely, as may be supposed. If the Welsh +chose to swarm over the border and burn Sutton Palace, it might be +but just recompense for what those walls had seen; but I thought +that, with their fear of the gathering at an end, the man who had +lit yonder hillside fires would disband his levies for the time. So +we parted very good friends, in a way, and this chief bade one of +his men guide us for the mile or so which he could pass in safety. +We were closer then to Fernlea than I thought, and in half an hour +we were at the gates.</p> +<p>Where our Welshman left us I cannot say. Somewhere he slipped +from my side into the darkness, and when next I spoke to him there +was no answer.</p> +<p>Now we had to wait outside the town gates--for the place was, as +might be supposed, strongly stockaded against the Welsh--until one +went to the town reeve and fetched him, seeing that we had not the +password for the night. But at last they let us in, and took us to +the house of the reeve himself, for the archbishop was there. And +there is no need to say that when he heard our story he welcomed us +most kindly, promising Hilda his protection. There, too, the good +wife of the reeve cared for the maiden as if she were her own +daughter, and I saw her no more that night.</p> +<p>As for myself, I sat down at supper, which they had but half +finished, with the archbishop and his little train; and glad enough +I was of it, and I and Erling ate as famished men who do not know +when their next meal may be.</p> +<p>The archbishop watched us, smiling at first, and then grew +thoughtful. After I had fairly done, he said:</p> +<p>"My son, I thought you had come to me with news of the finding +of the body of your poor king. That is a matter which lies heavily +on my mind. It must be done."</p> +<p>"I think I can tell you within a few yards, father, where it +must needs be, for today I and my comrade have searched where it +was taken. We have found, at least, the cart Gymbert used, and it +cannot be far thence. We think that the cart was left close to the +hiding place."</p> +<p>Then one of the priests said eagerly:</p> +<p>"Father, the moon lies bright on all the meadows, and we might +well seek in the place the thane has found. This is a thing done at +night in most seemly wise, as I think."</p> +<p>"Ay," answered the archbishop thoughtfully. "Yet it were hard to +ask the thane to turn out once more."</p> +<p>"This is a quest which lies close to my heart, lord," I said, +rising. "I will go gladly if you will let me guide your folk."</p> +<p>"Yet you are weary, and need rest."</p> +<p>"I have slept for long hours in the open today," I said. "I am +fed and rested. Let us go."</p> +<p>For indeed, now that Hilda was in safety, the longing to end the +quest came on me, and I should have slept little that night for +thinking of it. Moreover, I should have no fear of Gymbert and his +men spying me, and thereby making fresh trouble.</p> +<p>So in the end the archbishop said that we might go, and with +that four of his priests and the reeve with half a dozen men made +ready, and in a very short time we rode out of the gates again in +the moonlight, on our way back toward Sutton. The river was between +us and the Welsh we had met, and they were not to be feared. The +monks were riding their sumpter mules, and the reeve and we were +mounted on horses from his own stable or lent by his friends, and +his men trotted after us, some bearing picks and spades.</p> +<p>Under the little hill whereon the palace stands we rode +presently, and I suppose that we were taken for a train of belated +chapmen, or that the guards saw we were headed by monks, and would +not trouble us. Maybe, however, the disorder of the palace had put +an end for the time to much care in watching, but at any rate we +passed without challenge.</p> +<p>And so we came to the riverside track which should lead us to +the end of our journey, and, as I hoped with all my heart, to the +end of our quest. Already I could see the trees under which the +cart stood.</p> +<p>Out of the southwest came one of those showers which had been +about all day, and which had not yet quite cleared off from the +hills round us. It drew across the face of the moon, which had been +sending our long shadows before us as if they were in as great +haste as we, and for a few minutes we stayed in the dark to let it +pass. And as it passed there came what men sometimes hold as a +marvel.</p> +<p>The rain left us, passing ahead of us like a dark wall, and the +moon shone out suddenly from the cloud's edge, and then across the +land leaped a great white rainbow, perfect and bright, so that one +could dimly see the seven colours which should be in its span. And +one end rested on the river bank close under the place where the +cart stood among the trees, and the other was away beyond the +forest, eastward somewhere.</p> +<p>"Lo," said the monk who had bidden us come, "yonder is the sign +of hope, leading us as it were the pillar of fire of Holy +Writ!"</p> +<p>"Men say there is ever treasure hidden under the end of a +rainbow," said the reeve; "but never yet did I meet with a man who +had found it. Yet I have never seen the like of this. I have heard +that they may be seen at night."</p> +<p>And so said another and another; for indeed men look to their +feet rather than to the sky at night, and thereby miss the things +they might see. But a strange thought came to my mind, and I spoke +it.</p> +<p>"Under the end of that pillar does indeed lie the treasure we +seek. See, it is not on the wood, but on the river bank. We +searched not there, comrade."</p> +<p>"Ay, we shall find it there," Erling answered. "It is +Bifrost--Allfather's bridge. He takes his son home across it."</p> +<p>The rainbow faded and passed to the north and east with the +rain, and it went across the land through which Ethelbert had +ridden so gaily but a few days agone. Sometimes I love to think +that its end rested here and there on house or village or church +which had been the happier for the bright presence of the king, and +betimes I think that a strange fancy for a rough warrior like +myself. Yet I had ridden with Ethelbert, and the thoughts he set in +the minds of men are not as common thoughts. I hold that once I +rode and spoke with a very saint.</p> +<p>There fell a sort of awe and a silence on us after that. +Silently we went on up the riverside track, for I was leading with +Erling, and that strange belief that by the river we should find +what we sought would not leave me; and when we came below the place +where the cart was, I saw marks where its wheels had riven the soft +earth close to the water. Without a word I signed my companions to +spread abroad and search, and I dismounted, and with the bridle of +my horse over my arm, I went scanning each foot of the ground in +the moonlight.</p> +<p>Twenty yards, not more, from the water, where some winter flood +had left a wide patch of sand and little pebbles, I saw the marks +of the cart again. It had stopped there, and round the spot were +deep footprints of men. They went on for a few yards, and then +there was a little fresh-turned place. Out of that lapped a piece +of cloth, plain to be seen in the light of the moon, but easily +overlooked in the haste of those who had left it. And then I knew +that I had indeed found the king.</p> +<p>Now I lifted my hand, and the rest saw me, one by one, and came +to my side, and for a moment we stood still, not daring to disturb +that resting. Then I took the spade one man had, and gently turned +the gravel from that bit of cloth, and there was surety. They who +set him there had but covered him hastily, no doubt because they +heard our friends after them.</p> +<p>Little by little, and very reverently, we uncovered, and so took +him from that strange resting, and the water welled into the place +where he had lain. And as we thought, his head had been smitten +from his body, and it was that which we found first, wrapped in the +cloak whose end had betrayed his hiding. Yet had it not been for +the token of the rainbow we had hardly thought to seek here, so +near the water.</p> +<p>Men speak today of the finding of Ethelbert the saint by reason +of the pillar of fire which shone from where he was hidden, and +they tell the truth in a way, if they know not how that marvel came +from the heaven before our eyes who saw it. Let the tale be, for +from the heaven the sign came in our need and it is near enough, so +that it be not forgotten. There is many a man who has seen the +like, but not at such a time or as such a portent; and, again, for +one man who has seen the bow in the clouds over against the moon +are mayhap a thousand who may go through long lives and never set +eyes thereon. Whereby it happens that there are some who will not +believe that such a thing can be.</p> +<p>Now we wondered how to bear back this precious burden, until we +bethought ourselves of that cart which had been used before. Erling +and two of the reeve's men went to seek it, and it stood untouched +where we found it. Moreover, those who fled from it in haste left +the rough harness still hanging anywise from the shafts, and we +were able, therefore, to set one of the horses in it without +trouble. Then we made a bed of our cloaks in the bottom, and +thereon laid the body, covering it carefully; and so we went our +way toward Fernlea, silently and slowly, but with hearts somewhat +lightened, for we had done what we might.</p> +<p>But yet I have to tell somewhat strange of this journey, and how +it came about I do not rightly know. Nor will I answer for the +truth of it all, for part of that I must set down I did not see for +myself; only the priests told me, and they heard it from the men +who did see.</p> +<p>This cart was old and crazy. I think that Gymbert must have +taken it from some deserted farm, whence it would not be missed. It +was open behind, and its wheels were bad. Still it served us; and +glad enough we were of it, for the road was rough, and heavy with +the rain of the day. It pained me to see the thing jolting and +lurching as it went, knowing how little it befitted that which it +was honoured in bearing.</p> +<p>Presently out of the roadside rose up a man, and joined us.</p> +<p>"Good sirs," he said, "I am a blind man, and would fain be led +to Fernlea. May I go with you so far as the road you take lies in +that direction?"</p> +<p>"Truly, my son," said the eldest priest. "But you are afoot +late."</p> +<p>"'Tis a priest speaks to me, as I hear," said the man, doffing +his cap in the direction of the voice and laughing gently. "Is it +so late, father? Well, I have thought so, for there seem to be few +men about. Yet I slept alone in a shed last night, and know not for +how long. I think I have also slept some of today, for I am out of +count of the hours. There is neither dark nor light for me."</p> +<p>He fell back and walked after the cart, saying no more. Now and +then I heard his stick tapping the stones of the way, and once one +of our men helped him in a rough place, and he thanked him.</p> +<p>Now we came to a terribly bad place in the road, and there the +cart seemed like to break down; and it was the worse for us that a +cloud came over the moon at the time, and it was very dark. Whereby +the blind man was of much help in the care for the cart, until the +moon shone out again suddenly, when he was left behind us for a few +minutes. Then we heard him calling.</p> +<p>"Two of you help the poor soul," said the reeve, "else he will +hardly get across that slough. He has fallen, I think."</p> +<p>He named two of his own men, and they went back. After a while +the blind man's voice came again, and he seemed to be shouting +joyfully. I thought it was by reason of the help that came to +him.</p> +<p>"Thane," said the eldest priest to me just at this time, "I pray +you ride on and tell the archbishop that you have indeed found what +we sought. It is but right that all should be ready against the +time we get back. We are not more than a mile away from the gates, +and you will have time. This is slow travelling, perforce."</p> +<p>Erling and I rode on with the reeve, therefore, and I thought no +more of the blind man, as one may suppose, until I heard what had +happened.</p> +<p>When the two men went back to his help, he sat again by the side +of the road, hiding his face in his hands on his knees. And he was +trembling.</p> +<p>"Friends," he said, "now I know why you go so sadly, welladay! +For evil men have slain some one young and well favoured, as I +learned even now, when I helped you yonder. Tell me what has +befallen, I pray you, for I am afeard."</p> +<p>"Why," said one of the men, "we are honest folk, as our being +with the good fathers may be surety. The trouble is ours to +bear."</p> +<p>But the blind man still kept his eyes hidden, and when the other +man bade him rise and come on with them he did not move.</p> +<p>"I know not what ails me," he said. "Even as I set my hand on +him you bear yonder, there came as it were a great flash of light +across my eyes, and needs must I fall away and hide them. I fear +that, not you, friends. I pray you, tell me what has been +wrought."</p> +<p>"His foes have slain a bridegroom, most cruelly," one of the men +answered after a pause. "We do but bear him to Fernlea."</p> +<p>"What bridegroom?" he asked, in a hushed voice.</p> +<p>And then the pity of the thing came to him, and he wept +silently. Presently he raised his head, dashing away the tears as +he did so.</p> +<p>"It is a many years since these eyes of mine have wept," he +said. "It seems to me that to weep for the woes of another is a +wondrous thing."</p> +<p>His eyes of a sudden opened widely in the moonlight, and he +cried out and clutched at the man next him.</p> +<p>"Brothers! brothers!" he said; "what is this?"</p> +<p>And again he set his hand to his eyes as if shading them, as +does a man at noontide.</p> +<p>"What ails you?" one of the men asked, wondering.</p> +<p>"I have no ailment--none. I see once more!" he cried. "Look you, +yonder is the blessed moon, and there lies a broken tree; and see, +there are fires on the hills of the Welshmen!"</p> +<p>Then with both hands wide before him he said:</p> +<p>"Now I see that I have set my hands on one who can be naught but +a saint most holy, for therefrom I have my sight again. Who is this +that has been slain?"</p> +<p>The men answered him, telling him. The blind man had heard, of +course, of the poor young king, and had, indeed, been brought +hither from wherever he lived that he might share in the largess of +the wedding day.</p> +<p>Now the men would go their way with him again, wondering, but +yet half doubting the truth of what the man said.</p> +<p>"It is in my mind that you have not been so blind as you would +have us think," said one, growling.</p> +<p>The man pointed at the cart as it went.</p> +<p>"Would I lie in that presence?" he said.</p> +<p>And with that he broke into the song I had heard. Some old chant +of victory it was, which he made to fit his case, being somewhat of +a gleeman, as so many of these wanderers are. And there the men +left him in the road, singing and careless of aught save his +recovered sight, and hastened after the party.</p> +<p>Yet it was not until the next day that they told the tale, and +whether the once blind man was ever found again I cannot tell; but +I have set this down as I knew of it, because it was the first of +many healings wrought by the saint we loved. I ken well that the +tale is told nowadays in a more awesome way; but let that pass. +Tales of wonder grow ever more strange as the years go on.</p> +<p>Men call Ethelbert a martyr now, I suppose because he was slain. +That is not quite what we mean by a martyr, for that is one who +gives up his life rather than deny his Lord. Yet Ethelbert was +indeed a witness to the faith all his life, and so the name may +stand.</p> +<p>So presently they brought back the body to Fernlea, and its +resting was ready in the little church which had come into the +strange dream by the riverside. And I knew, as I watched by it all +the rest of that night till the hour of prime, that this was what +the vision foreboded.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE +MORE WITH OFFA.</h2> +<p>Now that I had Hilda safe with the archbishop, it mattered +nothing to me if all the world knew that I was yet here. So when +Ealdwulf, the archbishop himself, asked me to ride with him to +Sutton Palace and tell Offa of the finding, I said that I was most +willing. I should see Selred, and maybe bring him away with me, and +at least could tell him that all was well with Hilda.</p> +<p>I will say now that she was none the worse for the wetting and +the rest of last night's doings, but that I saw her come fresh and +bright to the breakfast in the little hall of the reeve's house. +There she would bide till she could go with the archbishop +homewards in some way, most likely from nunnery to nunnery across +the land, as ladies will often travel, with parties of the holy +women--that is, if Sighard was not to be found. In my own mind I +thought that he would not be far off, most likely with Witred, the +Mercian thane who had arranged the flight.</p> +<p>Presently, therefore, we rode away from Fernlea toward Sutton, +there being but one priest with the archbishop, and six of the +townsmen, besides Erling and myself. It was no state visit, but the +going of one who would speak with an erring friend in private. +Sorely downcast was the good man, for he loved Offa well, and this +terrible wrong lay heavily on his heart.</p> +<p>Halfway or so to Sutton we passed the place where trees were +thick, and I saw a man lurking among them as if he was watching the +road. Wherefore I watched him, and presently saw that he was coming +to us, as if half afraid. Somehow the walk and figure of this man +seemed known to me, though his face was strange, and I thought that +he made for myself. Soon I knew that this was indeed the case; for +finding that there were none whom he need fear in the party, the +man came boldly from the trees, and, cap in hand, stood by the +wayside waiting me.</p> +<p>"Well, friend, what is it?" I asked, as he walked alongside my +horse.</p> +<p>He answered in Welsh, and then I knew that he was the guide we +had been given last night.</p> +<p>"Jefan ap Huwal the prince sends greeting to the thane on the +pied horse, and bids him and the lady come to him if there is need +for help. He has heard that the thane serves the Frankish king who +hates Saxons beyond the seas, and thinks that mayhap he has foes +here in Mercia."</p> +<p>"Thank your prince from me," I answered, after a moment's +thought, in which it came to me that no offer of friendship was to +be scorned, "and tell him that if need is I will not forget. Tell +him also that, thanks to him, the lady is safe and well, and that I +have no fear at present."</p> +<p>"That, said Jefan, is what a thane would answer," said the man. +"Whereon I was to tell you that yonder evil queen was to be feared +the most when she seemed to be the least dangerous. He wits well +that she is shut up."</p> +<p>Then it seemed plain that the Welsh prince had spies pretty +nearly inside the palace; which is not at all unlikely. However, I +said nothing of that, and thanked the man again, looking to see him +leave me. The archbishop had ridden on with the rest, for I went +slowly, to talk to the Welshman. Still the man did not go, and he +had more to say.</p> +<p>"Also I was to tell you that he had a chief of your folk in his +hands. But that he deems that he belongs to East Anglia, he would +have set him in chains. He is hurt, and is in our camp, free, save +for his promise not to escape. His name is Sighard."</p> +<p>"Sighard?" I said. "How came he in your hands?"</p> +<p>"He came over the border, lord, and we had him straightway," +said the man simply. "Methinks there were men after him."</p> +<p>"Where is he?" said I, anxiously enough. "He can pay +ransom."</p> +<p>"He is ill," said the man; "he cries for his daughter. Jefan +thinks that he is that thane whose daughter was in our hands last +night with you."</p> +<p>"Ill?" said I; "is he much hurt?"</p> +<p>"There had been a bit of a fight before we took him. One smote +him on the helm, and he was stunned. Thereafter he came to himself, +and again fell ill. He will mend, for it is naught."</p> +<p>"But where is he?"</p> +<p>"We have many camps, and I cannot tell you. You are a stranger. +But, says Jefan the prince, an you will come to him I am to guide +you."</p> +<p>Now I was in doubt indeed, for this was a dangerous errand. The +man saw that I hesitated, and smiled at me.</p> +<p>"Wise is our prince," he said. "He knew that you would fear to +come, therefore he bade me say that you were to mind that once he +had you, and set you free, and that he does not go back on his +doings, save he must. He has no enmity for the friends of the slain +king, but a great hatred for him who slew him."</p> +<p>"Would he not let Sighard the thane come to Fernlea, where his +daughter is?"</p> +<p>"Truly, if you will. But it is safer for you to come to him. +There Jefan will have all care for all of you until he may send you +home. It is told him that Quendritha has sworn the death of four +men--of the thane who rides the great pied horse, of his housecarl, +of Sighard of Anglia, and of Witred of Bradley, who helped the +Anglians to escape."</p> +<p>"How knows he all this? It is more than I have heard--if I have +guessed some of it."</p> +<p>The man shrugged his shoulders.</p> +<p>"Thane," he said, with a sidewise smile, "a man who is thrall to +a Mercian may yet be a Briton. The Saxon may make a slave of his +body, but his heart will be free."</p> +<p>Now I was the more sure that this Welsh prince had some good +source of knowledge of what went on inside the palace, and I +thought that mayhap he was right. Across the Welsh border might +indeed be the safest place for any man who had brought the wrath of +the queen on him. I would go to Sighard, and take Hilda with me. +One thing I was fairly glad of, and that was that so far as I knew +none in all the court of Offa had heard who my folk in Wessex were, +else there might be trouble for them; for Quendritha's daughter was +not unlike her mother, if all I heard was true.</p> +<p>"Meet me tonight, then," I said. "I will go to Jefan, and will +bring the lady."</p> +<p>"You do well," he answered gravely. "I will meet you somewhere +on the westward track, a mile from Fernlea ford. You shall but ride +on till I come. You shall choose your own time, for I cannot tell +what may stay you. I have naught to do but wait. If you meet other +Britons, tell them that you seek the prince, and they will pass you +on. If so be you come not tonight, I will wait for another, and yet +another. After that--"</p> +<p>"If we do not come, what then?"</p> +<p>"Doubtless we shall burn Sutton walls. A curse lies thereon now, +and it may be that we shall wreak it."</p> +<p>With that he leaped across the brook which ran by the road, and +passed into shelter. Then I turned to Erling, who waited for me +across the road, and asked if he had understood what was said.</p> +<p>"Ay, all," he answered. "It is good enough; otherwise I might +have put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I +have ever heard."</p> +<p>"The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be +running away from hearsay," I said.</p> +<p>"Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across +the border, I take it," Erling answered. "Seeing that you have no +more to keep you here, it is about time we went also. We have foes +we cannot see, and are in a land of which we know not a foot. Jefan +will help us to ken the foe, and will guide us when we need +it."</p> +<p>Now of all things which I had in my mind, the first seemed to me +to be that I must ride eastward with Hilda and see the mother of +the slain king, to give what account I might of that charge she had +laid on me. But if Sighard had been prevented from getting +homeward, it was certain that so should I. Wherefore we should not +be watched for on any westward road, and that way, at least, was +open. Thence we might find our way when the days wore on and +Sighard could travel. That remained to be seen; and, take it all +round, I was more easy than I had been.</p> +<p>So also seemed the archbishop presently, when I told him the +message I had had. And he agreed with us that we might do worse +than go to Jefan at once with Hilda; matters being as they were, it +was not safe in Mercia.</p> +<p>"He is a good prince and honourable," he said; "and if I say +that, I speak of one who is the foe of our folk. He has suffered +much from us, and has cause for enmity with Offa--and maybe with +Quendritha. I can say plainly now that her restless longing for +power has kept our armies busy many a time when they had been +better at rest."</p> +<p>He sighed; and then came somewhat which turned our thoughts, and +no more was said at the time, either of Quendritha or of my doings. +For now we were in sight of the palace on its little hill, and from +its gates came toward us a train of folk, guarded by men of Offa's +own housecarls in front and rear, as if those who travelled were no +common wayfarers. In the midst of all was a closed horse litter, +beside which rode two or three veiled and hooded ladies and a +priest. Save the captain of the guards, there was no thane with the +party, and but a few pack horses followed them, and I thought it +would be some abbess, perhaps, who was leaving the palace.</p> +<p>We drew up on the roadside to let this train pass, though I +suppose that by all right the archbishop might have claimed the +crown of the way for himself, had he been other than the +humble-minded man that he was. As the leading guards passed us they +saluted in all due form; and then one of the ladies knew who was +here, and bent to the litter, and so turned and spoke to the +captain, who straightway called a halt, and came, helm in hand, to +the archbishop, praying him to speak with the lady who was in his +charge.</p> +<p>Who this was I did not hear, but I saw the face of the good man +change, and he hurried to dismount and go to the litter. And +thence, after a word or two had passed, came the priest I had seen; +and when he uncowled I knew him for my friend Selred, and glad I +was to see him.</p> +<p>"Why, how goes it, father?" I said, as my hand met his. "You +were not in the wood of our tryst, and I feared that you were in +trouble."</p> +<p>Very gravely he shook his head, looking sadly at me.</p> +<p>"There is naught but trouble in all this place," he said. "I +could not come to you, for the gates were closed early, that +Gymbert might be taken. He was not taken. And yet I have heavier +trouble to tell you than you can think."</p> +<p>"No, father," I said quickly, seeing that he had learned too +little, and doubtless believed Hilda either drowned or else in the +hands of Gymbert and his men--whichever tale Quendritha had been +told or chose to tell him.</p> +<p>"I was in the wood, and thither came the lady we ken of when she +was set forth from the place. I was in time to get her away, and +she is safe."</p> +<p>It was wonderful to see the face of the chaplain lighten at +this.</p> +<p>"<i>Laus Deo</i>," he said under his breath, and his hand sought +mine again and gripped it. "That is a terrible load off my heart," +he said. "Yet I have heard that our good Sighard is slain. They +have burned the hall of honest Witred over his head, and he is +gone, and it was said that Sighard fell there with him."</p> +<p>"It is not half an hour ago that I heard how he fled to the +west, where the Welsh saved him, for hatred of Offa and pity for +the betrayed Anglian king. He is safe, if a little hurt."</p> +<p>Now the horse of Erling reared suddenly, and I looked up. It was +still in a moment, and he spoke to it without heeding me. But as +soon as he caught my eye when I first turned, he set his hand +carelessly across his lips, and I knew what he meant. I had better +say no more of where Sighard was or how I hoped to see him.</p> +<p>So I said what I had to tell him of the finding of the king, and +how we had come to tell Offa thereof; and as he heard, Selred the +chaplain knelt there by the roadside and gave thanks openly, with +the tears of joy in his eyes. The rough housecarls heard also, and +there went a word or two among them; and their grim faces +lightened, for one shame, at least, had been taken from the house +of their master.</p> +<p>Now there was a sound as of a woman's weeping from the litter, +and Selred heard it and rose to his feet.</p> +<p>"It is Etheldrida the princess," he whispered to me. "She is +flying to some far nunnery--mayhap to Crowland--that there she may +end her days in what peace she may find. It is well, for here with +her mother is but terror for her."</p> +<p>The archbishop signed to me, and I went to the side of that +litter, unhelming, while Erling took my horse's bridle. There I +knelt on one knee, and waited for what I was to hear. It was a +little while before that came, but the sobs were at length stilled. +I heard one of the ladies, who were those who came from East +Anglia, say to the other that it was good that she had wept at +last.</p> +<p>And presently from behind the curtains of the litter the +princess spoke to me, very low, and I do not think any other +heard.</p> +<p>"Good friend of him whom I loved, I thank you for your loyalty +to him. The archbishop has told me, and you have given me back a +little of my trust in men. I had deemed that all were false for +aye, but for you, I think. Now I go hence, and beyond the walls of +some nunnery I shall never pass, and there I will pray for you +also. And for you there shall be happy days to come, in the meed of +utmost loyalty."</p> +<p>I could not answer her, and still I knelt, for there was +somewhat needed to come ere I could part from her without a word. +But before I could frame aught she set her hand through the +curtains, and in it was somewhat small, as it were a silken case +cunningly woven round a little jewel, perchance.</p> +<p>"There was none whom I would ask to do what I longed for," she +said; "but now it will be done. I pray you set this on his heart, +that it may go to his grave with him."</p> +<p>"There it shall most surely be, lady," I said. "I am honoured in +the duty."</p> +<p>"Go!" she said faintly; "and farewell."</p> +<p>I rose up hastily, and went back to my horse, while the lady who +had spoken just now busied herself in caring for her mistress. +Selred took my arm and walked aside with me.</p> +<p>"You must not come back to East Anglia," he said. "I know that +you would fain see the lady of Thetford, but it were useless danger +for you. I will tell her all that you have done, now; and if in +after days you may come to us, do so. Bide and tend Sighard and +Hilda, and mind that there is sore peril to both of them so long as +Quendritha lives. She is shut up now, but all the more has her mind +freedom to plan and plot the fall of those who have seen her at her +worst. One cannot shut up such a woman as she, but she will have +her ways of learning all she will, and her tools are many."</p> +<p>"I would that you could bide here," I said.</p> +<p>"I also; but I must pass eastward with this poor lady and these +others. Yet I am sure that Offa will do all honour to our king. He +has been seen by none as yet save his pages. They whisper that he +is fasting, and bowed with shame and grief."</p> +<p>For a little longer we spoke, and then we must part. The sad +train of the princess went on, and swung into the eastward track +which she would take, and the archbishop signed to us to follow +him. And that was the last which any man in Mercia saw of the fair +princess who had been the pride of the land, for she came safely to +far Crowland, in the fenland, and there pined and died.</p> +<p>It is said that the parting between her and her terrible mother +was such that men will tell little thereof. I know that in that +time some strange gift of prophecy came over the maiden, and she +foretold the death of her who planned the deed, even to the day, +and the awesome manner of it; and that also she wept for the +knowledge given her that the deed should bring the end of the line +of Offa and the fall of Mercia--things which no man could think +possible at this time, so that she seemed to rave. More things +strange and terrible, I heard also, but them I will not set down. +Mayhap they were not true.</p> +<p>Now we went on slowly up the hill, and at last rode into the +gates. There men loitered idly, as yesterday; for the head of the +house sat silent and moody in his chamber, and none had orders for +aught. Across the court we went to the priests' lodgings, and +thence came the chaplains to meet their lord, and with him I was +taken into the house.</p> +<p>"I have come to see the king," said the archbishop; "take me to +him straightway."</p> +<p>"He will see none," they said; "it is his word that no man shall +disturb him."</p> +<p>"If he will hear what shall make his heart less heavy, he will +see me," said the archbishop. "Tell him that I have news for him. +Or stay; I will go to him myself."</p> +<p>The priests looked at one another, but they could not stop their +lord; and with a sign to us to follow, he passed across the court +again, up the long hall, and so into the council chamber. At the +door which led to Offa's apartments there was a young thane on +guard, but no others were to be seen. I suppose that never before +had Offa been so ill attended, for the very courtiers feared what +curse should light on the place and all who bided in it.</p> +<p>"Tell your lord that I demand audience with him," said the +archbishop to this thane. "The matter will not wait; it is +urgent."</p> +<p>The youth rose and bowed, and passed within the door. In a +moment or two he was back again, throwing the door open for us.</p> +<p>"Yourself and no other, lord," he said.</p> +<p>"I take these two," answered Ealdwulf the archbishop. "I will +answer to the king for their presence."</p> +<p>So we two, Erling and I, followed him into the chamber of the +king; and with my first glance at Offa there fell on me a great +pity for him.</p> +<p>He sat at a great heavy table in a carven chair, leaning his +crossed arms before him on the board, and staring at naught with +hollow, black-ringed eyes, as of sleeplessness and grief. His face +was wan and drawn, so that he seemed ten years or more older than +when last he sat in hall with us; and he was clad in the same +clothes which he wore when he came forth to us on the morning of +terror. None had dared to touch aught in his room; and bent and +soiled among the rushes on the floor lay the little gold crown +which he wore at the last feast, as if he had swept it from the +table out of his sight, and had spurned it from him thereafter in +some fit of passion. Hard by that lay a broken sword, and its hilt +flashed and sparkled with the gems I had noted in the hall. It was +his own.</p> +<p>On the table was neither wine nor food, but there was a great +book, silver covered and golden lettered, and it was open at a +place where a wondrous picture in many hues showed a king who +seemed to humble himself in fear before a long-robed man +priestlike.</p> +<p>He did not stir when we came in, nor did he say a word. Only he +looked at Ealdwulf, as it were blindly, waiting what he should hear +from his lips. And into his look there crept somewhat like +fear.</p> +<p>But there was naught terrible or hard in the face which he +looked on; it had but deepest sorrow and pity.</p> +<p>"My king," said Ealdwulf, seeing that he must needs speak first, +"here is one who has a word for you. I think that you will be glad +to hear it. Know you where the body of Ethelbert was hidden?"</p> +<p>"No," said the king in a dull voice. "My men search even now. It +is all that I can do."</p> +<p>Then Ealdwulf bade me tell the story of the finding, and I did +so. Yet the look of Offa never brightened as he heard, nor did he +ask me one question.</p> +<p>"It is well," he said, when I had no more to say, and his +fingers moved restlessly on the table.</p> +<p>But he did not look in my face, nor had he done so since I came +before him. I stood back, and Ealdwulf was alone near him.</p> +<p>"My son," said the old man, "my son, this has not been your +doing. I will not believe that."</p> +<p>Offa set his hand on the great book with its picture.</p> +<p>"As much my doing as the slaying of the Hittite by David the +king. It was planned, and I hindered it not."</p> +<p>Then he set his hands to his face, and his voice softened. And +at that I passed silently from the room, leaving those two +together, for this was not a meeting in which I had wish to meddle. +Erling came with me, and we sat in the council chamber for half an +hour, waiting.</p> +<p>Presently--after the young thane had told us how that Quendritha +was closely guarded, and that the voice of all blamed her utterly +for every wrong that had been wrought in Mercia for many a long +year, now that the fear of her was somewhat passed--Erling rose +up.</p> +<p>"With your leave, thane," he said to me, "we have a few things +left here, and our other horses still stand in the stable. It is in +my mind to see what I can take back with me."</p> +<p>We went out together, for the stillness and waiting grew +wearisome. There were none of the pleasant sounds of the household +at work or sport in all the palace. It was as a place stricken with +some plague.</p> +<p>So we passed through the church to our lodging, and took our few +goods, and Sighard's, and so went with them to the long stables +where our two spare horses stood in idleness. The rows of stalls +were well-nigh empty now, those who had gone having taken their +steeds.</p> +<p>"I wonder ours are left," quoth Erling. "These Mercians are more +honest than some folk I know."</p> +<p>He called the grooms, and we made ready, taking the horses out +to where the folk of the archbishop waited in the sunny courtyard, +and there leaving them. Then we went back to the council chamber, +and again waited for what seemed a long time. The young thane had a +meal brought for us there.</p> +<p>Presently Ealdwulf himself came to the door and called me +softly, and I followed him back to the presence of the king. I +cannot tell what had passed between those two, nor do I suppose +that any man will ever know; but Offa was more himself, save that +on his face was a deep sadness, and no trace of hardness or pride +therewith.</p> +<p>"Friend," he said, "is it your duty to go back to Carl the +Great?"</p> +<p>"I have left his service, King Offa; I am on my way homeward. It +was but by the kindness of Ethelbert, to whom I helped bear +messages, that I came hither."</p> +<p>"Well," he said, "I will not hinder you. Had you gone back, I +would have asked you to tell him plainly all of this. As it is, +Ealdwulf shall send churchmen to tell him; I would have him know +the truth. Now I must thank you for this that you did last night, +and tell you what shall be done in atonement for the death of your +friend."</p> +<p>There he checked himself and bit his lip.</p> +<p>"Nay," he said unsteadily, "there is no atonement possible. +There is but left to me the power of showing that I do repent, and +will have all men know it for aye. There shall be at Fernlea, where +he will lie in his last sleep, the greatest cathedral that has been +seen or heard of in this land, and men shall hail him as the very +saint that you and I knew him to be; and after his name shall it be +called, and in it shall be all due service of priest and choir for +him till time shall end it. What more may I do?"</p> +<p>"I think that the place where his body lay should not be left +unmarked," I said boldly, for so it had seemed to me. "May not +somewhat be done there, that the spot may be kept?"</p> +<p>"Ay, at Marden," he said eagerly, as if he did but long to do +all that he might, "there also shall be a church, that it may be +held holy for all time. It shall be seen to at once."</p> +<p>After that promise Offa bade me farewell sadly enough, and I was +glad to leave the chamber. Nor had we long to wait before Ealdwulf +came out, and we were once more turning our backs on the palace of +Sutton. On its walls I never set eyes again, nor did I wish to do +so.</p> +<p>As we went in leisurely wise back to Fernlea, the archbishop +told me those few things which I have set down concerning the way +in which Quendritha had beguiled the king into suffering the +thought of this deed of shame. No more than was needful for me to +understand how little part, indeed, Offa had had in the matter did +he tell me, for all else that had passed between those two was not +to be told. Both he and I think that had the evil queen left the +doing of her deed until morning it had never been wrought, for Offa +would have come to himself.</p> +<p>Yet one cannot tell. What Quendritha had set her heart on was +apt to be carried through, even to the bitterest of endings for +those who were in her way thereto. How she would fare now Ealdwulf +could not tell me. It was true that she was almost imprisoned, as I +have said, but none could tell whether that would last. Yet he +thought, indeed, that Offa would have no more to do with her.</p> +<p>So we came back to Fernlea, and when I saw the little church I +minded once more that strange dream of the poor young king's. I had +heard the words which told that it would come to pass. Nor was +there any doubt now in my mind that all those things which we had +deemed omens were indeed so. The fears we had tried to laugh at +were more than justified.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND HIS +CHARGE MET JEFAN THE PRINCE.</h2> +<p>Now I went straightway to Hilda with the news of her father, +telling her that it seemed almost the best for us to trust to the +word of the Welsh prince, and go to him, rather than to risk a +journey hither for the thane if he was wounded.</p> +<p>"I trust you altogether, Wilfrid," she said. "Take me to him. I +know that you have bided here in sore risk for me, and maybe you +also will be safer if once we are across the Wye. The Welsh are not +the foes of East Anglia."</p> +<p>I did not tell her that they were very much so of Wessex, on our +western border; for at all events ours were Cornish, who had not so +much to do with their brothers beyond the Channel here. So, having +bidden her keep up heart, I sought the wife of the reeve, and would +have given her gold to buy such things as she might think Hilda +needed for travel.</p> +<p>"Dear heart!" she said, bridling, "set your gold back in your +pouch. May not the reeve's wife of Fernlea give of her plenty to +one so fair and hapless? I will see to that in all good time."</p> +<p>She stood by a great press against the wall, and as she spoke, +as if by chance, she swung the door open, so that I had a glimpse +of the mighty piles of homespun cloth and linen, her pride, which +lay therein, Truly she had to spare, and I laughed.</p> +<p>"Mistress," I said, "be not offended. I am in haste, for we must +go hence tonight. There is no time for planning and cutting and +making."</p> +<p>She turned, swinging the heavy press door to and fro.</p> +<p>"Tonight!" she said, with wide eyes; "why so hasty?"</p> +<p>"Because her father lies wounded across the Wye, and we have to +go to him. Maybe we shall have to ransom him."</p> +<p>"Man," she cried, "those Welsh are swarming beyond the river. +Ken you what you are doing with this poor damsel?"</p> +<p>"Ay," answered I plainly: "I am taking her out of the way of +Quendritha and of Gymbert. I have the word of Jefan the prince for +our safety."</p> +<p>"Get to him," she said at once, "get to him straightway; he is +honest. And on my word, if Gymbert is the man you saved her from +last night, there is no time to be lost."</p> +<p>"He does not know where she has gone."</p> +<p>"Did not," she said. "By this time he kens well enough. Go, and +all shall be ready."</p> +<p>I thanked her heartily, for she was a friend in need in all +truth. And then I sought her husband, and told him what we must do. +I do not know if I were the more pleased or disquieted when he said +much the same as his wife. He would have us go from the town after +the gates were shut, and he himself would see us across the ford. +Once beyond that he did not think there was any risk. Most likely +Jefan and his men were on Dynedor hill fort, their nearest post to +the river, for he had seen a fire there. What he did fear was that +Gymbert had his spies in the town, and would beset all the +roads.</p> +<p>"He cares naught for reeve--or for archbishop either, for that +matter," he said. "He has half the outlaws on these marches at his +beck and call, and one has to pay him for quiet. Nor dare any man +complain, for he is the servant of Quendritha."</p> +<p>So his advice also was that the sooner we were gone the better. +I have somewhat of a suspicion that he half feared that his house +should be burned over his head, like Witred's. It seems that when +the archbishop came back here from Sutton he excommunicated, with +all solemnity, every man who had aught to do with that deed of +which he had been told. Wherefore Gymbert, if he cared aught for +the wrath of the Church, might be desperate, and would heed little +whom he destroyed, so that he ended those he meant to harm.</p> +<p>Then I called Erling, and we planned all that we might for +going, and after that we two went into the little church where lay +Ethelbert the king. There was silence in it, and little light save +for two tall tapers which burned at the head of the bier on which +he lay, but I could see that all had been made ready against his +showing to the people on the morrow. A priest sat on either side of +the bier's head, and one of them read softly, so that I had not +heard him at first. So I stood and looked in the face which was so +calm, and then knelt and prayed there for a little time.</p> +<p>When I rose I was aware for the first time that behind me knelt +Erling, but he did not rise with me. He stayed as he was, and in +the light of the tall tapers was somewhat which glistened on the +rough cheeks of the viking. I knew that he had been mightily taken +with the way of Ethelbert on our long ride with him; but he was +silent, and said little at any time of what his thoughts were. I +had not thought to see him so moved. Now he looked up at me as it +were wistfully, and spoke to me, yet on his knees:</p> +<p>"Master, this poor king, who talked with me as we rode, bade me +be a Christian man, that hereafter we might meet again. And you ken +that I saw him, and how he spoke to me, that night when he was +slain, so that from me you learned his death. Now I would do his +bidding, and so be christened straightway, if so it may be."</p> +<p>I did not know what to answer, for it was sudden.</p> +<p>Not that I was much surprised, for Erling had ever been most +careful of all that might offend in his way when he came into a +church with me, but that here in the dim church the question came +so strangely and, as it were, fittingly. I held out my hand to him, +and looked round to the priests, who had heard all. One of them was +that elder man who went to seek the king's body with us, and he +rose up and came to us, and bade us into the little bare sacristy +apart.</p> +<p>"My son," he said to Erling, "it is a good and fitting wish; yet +I would not have you do aught hastily. How long has this matter +been in your mind?"</p> +<p>"I think that it indeed began long years ago, when my lord here +kept his faith with Thorleif when he might have escaped. That made +me think well of Christian men. He had not so much as taken +oath."</p> +<p>"Carl the Great would christen a heathen man first and teach him +afterward," said I, meaning indeed to help on Erling's hope without +bringing my own name into the matter thus, and minding Carl's rough +way with the Saxon folk.</p> +<p>"Carl's man has taught first, and that all unknowing," he said, +smiling. "I do not know what he speaks of, but it has been worth +doing."</p> +<p>"I only kept my word, father, as a Saxon should."</p> +<p>"As a Saxon Christian has been taught to keep it, by his faith, +rather," he answered, smiling at me. "Well, well, so may it be.</p> +<p>"Now, my son, you will need many a long day's teaching, +mayhap."</p> +<p>"I think not, father," said Erling. "I have been in Wales, and +there I learned well-nigh enough. They gave me the prime signing +there. You have but my word for it, but Ethelbert himself said that +an I would be baptized he would stand sponsor for me. He said it as +we rode on the day of the great mist, when it chanced that all of +us must pray together. He saw me make the holy sign, and asked +presently if it was that of Thor. And I told him that in Wales I +was what they call a catechumen. I mind me that so ran the word for +one prime signed."</p> +<p>"And thereafter he spoke to you?"</p> +<p>"He said many and wondrous things to me."</p> +<p>I minded how often Ethelbert had spoken with Erling. I had +deemed that he did but ask him questions of Denmark, as once he did +in my hearing at the first.</p> +<p>So I wondered. But the old priest asked Erling to say the creed, +and that he did well, and with a sort of gladness on him. After +which the good father said that tomorrow should surely be the +baptism, in all form.</p> +<p>"Nay, but here and now," begged Erling. "Tomorrow I must be away +with my master beyond the river, and I would fain be christened +here--in yon presence."</p> +<p>"Ay; why not," said the old priest, half to himself, "why not? +Yet I will fetch the archbishop."</p> +<p>He led the way back into the church, and we entered just below +the sanctuary steps. In the little chancel lay the king; and almost +in shadow, for no window light fell on it, the font stood at the +entering in of the nave, opposite the one south door.</p> +<p>"See," said the priest, "some one has come in. Maybe he seeks +you twain."</p> +<p>I looked toward the door, and dimly I saw a tall figure standing +close to the font, but I could not see who it was. Erling knew +him.</p> +<p>"It is Ethelbert," he said very quietly; "he said he would be my +godfather."</p> +<p>The priest set his hand on my arm and half shrank back. The +other priest lifted his eyes from his book, and so bided, +motionless. But I did not rightly take in what they meant, and +looked more closely. Then some stray gleam of light from the broken +sky overhead came into the door, and it shone round the tall and +gracious figure--and it was that of Ethelbert himself.</p> +<p>I saw him, and there he bided while he turned his face to us, +smiling at us. And so he set his hand on the font, and smiled +again, and was gone.</p> +<p>"Brother," said the seated priest, "did you see?"</p> +<p>"I saw, and I think it is but the first of many wonders which we +may see here."</p> +<p>Now we stayed there still and hardly daring to move, looking yet +for the king to be yonder again, but we saw no more. Then at last +the priest begged me to go to the archbishop and bring him, telling +him what had happened. I went, and when Ealdwulf came there was no +more delay, but where the form of Ethelbert had stood there stood +Erling, and was baptized by the archbishop, I and the old priest +standing for him. And thereafter he knelt at the steps of the +sanctuary, and on him the hands of the archbishop were laid in his +confirmation.</p> +<p>That was the most wonderful baptism I have ever seen, and it +bides in my mind ever as I see another, even if it be but of a +little babe of thrall or forester, so that for a time I seem to +stand in the church at Fernlea once more, and hear the voice of +Erling as he made his answers firmly and truly. Betimes it seems to +me that it was but longing and the work of minds in many ways +overwrought which showed us the form of the dead king there by the +font--and I cannot tell. Yet the watching priest saw, besides us +three who had searched for him.</p> +<p>Presently, on the morrow, and again in days later, when the body +of the king lay for the people to pass and see, and when it was +taken with all pomp to its resting in the great new cathedral which +men call that of Hereford, there were many healings and the like, +as they tell me. And at Marden, where Offa built at once the little +church which should mark where Ethelbert was hidden, that water +which welled from the place whence we took him healed many.</p> +<p>Now we went forth from the church for a little while, and +presently I went back alone and placed the little gift which +Etheldrida had given me on the breast of the king, hiding it next +his heart in his robes. I had learned that they would not be moved +again. Ealdwulf knew that I had done it, and when I came back to +him, where he talked yet with Erling in the reeve's chamber, he +asked me if I knew what the little case held. I did not, and that +is known to none save to her who gave it me.</p> +<p>"I think that you two will value this more than other men," he +said then.</p> +<p>And with that he gave us each a little silken bag, square, with +a cross and a letter E worked thereon. He had cut for us each a +lock from the head of Ethelbert, and had it set hastily thus for +us. And he was right as to the way in which we held it of more +worth than aught else. Hilda wrought the little cases as she sat +waiting in the house. It is my word that mine shall go to my last +resting with me.</p> +<p>Now all too soon the dusk came, and we must set ourselves back +from these wondrous things that had been to the ways of hard +warriors again, with a precious charge in our keeping. With Hilda +we supped, and then it was dark. Out in the stables the horses +stood ready, my brown second steed being made ready for the lady, +and Erling's second carrying the packs, as on our first journey +from Norfolk. And then we heard the last words of farewell from the +archbishop, and knelt for his blessing, even as the watch mustered +outside in the street, and the last wayfarer hurried into or from +the gates, and I heard the horns which told their closing. It was +dark overhead, and the moon had not yet climbed far into the sky; +which was as well for our passing the ford unseen, if Gymbert had +it watched.</p> +<p>Then the reeve came in, armed and ready, and we must go. There +was a little sobbing from the good wife, as was no doubt fitting, +but by no means cheering; and so we passed from the warmly-lit +little hall into the street, and mounted, clattering away toward +the westward gate of the town, with the reeve ahead and two of his +men after us.</p> +<p>The gates swung open for us, and two wayfarers took advantage +thereof to get inside, which was to their good fortune. Then we had +a quarter of a mile of road to pass before we came to the ford +below the field where our camp had been when we came. After us the +gates were shut again, and we rode on.</p> +<p>Then befell us a wonderful bit of good luck. There came the +quick tramp of a horse coming toward us, and out of the gloom rode +a man in haste. He pulled up short on seeing us, and I heard +another horse stop and go away directly afterward. It was too dark +to see much against the black trees and land among which we rode, +and the plainest thing about this comer was the little shower of +sparks which flew now and then from the paving of the old way and +from his horse's hoofs.</p> +<p>"Ho," said the reeve, with his hand on his sword hilt, "who +comes?"</p> +<p>"Is that you, reeve? Well glad am I. Are you out with a posse +against those knaves at the ford?"</p> +<p>"Eh," said the reeve, while we all halted, "is the ford beset +with the Welsh?"</p> +<p>The man laughed somewhat.</p> +<p>"Not Welsh, but thieves of nearer kin. I ride homeward along the +river bank, and they stop me. It seemed to put them out that my +horse is not skew-bald, and that I am alone. However, they would +rob me."</p> +<p>The reeve whistled under his breath.</p> +<p>"How have you got away?" he asked.</p> +<p>"Rode over one of them who held my horse. There was one after +me, or more."</p> +<p>Now the reeve turned to me.</p> +<p>"What is to be done?" he said blankly. "This is what we had to +fear most of all. This is surely Gymbert with his men."</p> +<p>"How many may there be?" said I.</p> +<p>"Ten or a dozen, and mostly mounted," the stranger told me.</p> +<p>Now I had no time to think of aught, for the men who waited for +us heard the voices, and had been told that we had halted; whereon +here they came up the road at a hand gallop, in silence. The two +men of the reeve made no more ado, but fled townwards, and after +them, swearing, went their leader. With him the stranger went also, +shouting, and we three were left in the road with plunging horses; +and then, with a wild half thought that we might meet and cut our +way through these knaves ere they knew we were on them, I bethought +me of somewhat. I cried to Erling, and caught Hilda's bridle, and +so leaped from the road to the meadow, and held on straight across +it toward the dim outlines of bush and furze clumps which I +remembered as being close to our first camp.</p> +<p>I suppose that against the black woodland, with the town rampart +beyond us, we were hardly noted, or else those who came made sure +that we must try to get back to the town. At all events along the +road they thundered, past where we had stopped, and on after the +reeve and his men, who were shouting for the guard to open to +them.</p> +<p>So we did not turn to right or left, but rode our hardest across +the soft turf, among the ashes of our camp fires, until we were +close on the place where Ethelbert had dreamed his dream of Fernlea +church under the riverside trees, by the pool where I had bathed +and frightened the franklin by my pranks. That schoolboy jest had +flashed into my mind with the memory of the shallows and +half-forgotten ford across them. I thought I might find it +again.</p> +<p>"They are after us," said Erling. "Whither now?"</p> +<p>Hilda drew her breath in sharply, but made no more sign of +fear.</p> +<p>"There is a ford here," I said, "if I can but find it. Let the +packhorse go, if need be."</p> +<p>"No need yet; they are at fault," my comrade answered.</p> +<p>Now I saw the tree which had sheltered the king, and close to it +was the ford, and already I scanned the surface of the swirling +water for the breaks in its flow which would mark the shallows. The +pursuers had spread abroad somewhat, and were keeping on a line +that would lead them past us, for we had turned down to the river +somewhat sharply.</p> +<p>Then the river water flashed white suddenly, and I pulled up. +This ford was beset also, for across it, waist deep in the middle, +hustled and splashed a line of men whose long spears lifted black +lines against the gleam of the pool below. And I suppose we were +seen at the same time against the white water; for there came a +yell from behind us, and the hoofs which followed us trampled +wildly after us.</p> +<p>At that the men in the water hurried yet more, passing to the +Welsh side, and that struck me as unlike the men who would seek to +stay us. And Erling knew what it meant.</p> +<p>"Welshmen," he said--"raiders! After them, and call to +them."</p> +<p>With that I lifted my voice, and spurred my horse at the same +time.</p> +<p>"Ho, men of the Cymro!" I cried in Welsh. "Ho! we are beset. Ho, +Jefan ap Huwal!"</p> +<p>The Welsh stayed in a moment, with a roar and swinging round of +weapons. Not fifty yards behind us, as the horses plunged into the +ford, there was a shout for halt, and Gymbert's men reined up with +a sound of slipping hoofs and clattering weapons on the steep bank +above us. A sharp voice from the other bank called to know who we +were and who after us.</p> +<p>"The Anglians!" I cried back. "Gymbert and ten men in +pursuit!"</p> +<p>Then was a yell from the Welsh, and past us back they came with +a rush that told of hate for Gymbert. For a moment the longing to +get but one blow at that villain took hold of me, and I half turned +also.</p> +<p>"No, no," said Hilda at my side, and I remembered I might not go +from her.</p> +<p>So I passed through the water, and on the far bank turned to see +what I might. The white-clad Welsh were still swarming back, and +their leader began to try to stop them. I heard, as did he, the +sound of retreating horsemen as Gymbert found out the trap into +which he had so nearly fallen, and made haste to get out of it.</p> +<p>Now we were safe, and a tall Welshman came to me and welcomed +us. All this far bank was like a fair; for it was full of cattle, +and sheep, and horses, with a gray dog or two minding them.</p> +<p>"Jefan told us you were to come," he said; "but we looked for +you to cross at the great ford. We thought none knew of this +now."</p> +<p>I told him how I found it, and thanked him for timely help. His +men were coming back, laughing and talking fast over the scare they +had given their enemy. They had taken one horse also, in the first +rush, but Gymbert had escaped.</p> +<p>The chief gave a short laugh.</p> +<p>"We were in time, indeed," he said; "but your coming fairly +frightened our rearguard across the water more quickly than our +wont. We could not tell who was coming. A wise man runs first and +looks round afterward, when he is in this sort of case."</p> +<p>"It seems to me that you have been somewhat bold tonight," I +said.</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed; which made us fear the more. But we have had a +fair lifting, as you may see, dark as it is. Save that Offa has +gone to sleep, as men say, we might not have come. We have lifted +every head of stock well-nigh up to Sutton walls since dusk," and +he chuckled. "There was no man to hinder us."</p> +<p>Then he told us that we were all bound for Dynedor hill fort +together, and that there we should find Jefan. And so we went +slowly, with the herd of raided cattle before us, with a silence +which made me wonder. Presently I said as much, and the chief +chuckled again.</p> +<p>"'Tis practice," quoth he. "An you had had as much raiding as we +borderers, you would have learned the trick of quiet cattle +droving. I doubt if ever you had need to lift a herd."</p> +<p>I heard Erling laugh, and he answered for me.</p> +<p>"The paladin has most likely stolen as many head in a day as you +may find in a year. And I ken somewhat of the trade myself: I was +driving his countryside when I first met him. But we have both done +it with the high hand, and I think that yours is like to be the +best sport. You are first-rate drovers!"</p> +<p>That pleased the raiders, and there was pleasant talk enough of +old days as we went on. Presently the moon came out, and we went +quicker. It shone on the white faces of the great Hereford oxen and +kine, and showed us the keen dogs herding them skilfully as +men.</p> +<p>So at last the black hill of Dynedor, crested with its works, +rose before us, and from it shone a score of watch fires.</p> +<p>"See, Hilda," I said, "yonder is your father, and all will be +well."</p> +<p>She answered me cheerfully, with a little shake of the reins, as +if she longed to hurry on; and I told her that now I must keep her +back, as she had kept me just now.</p> +<p>"Each to their own way," she said, sighing somewhat: "the man to +his weapon, and the woman to the sickbed that comes thereafter. See +what one evil deed has let loose on this land. It is terrible to +me. And how long it seems since we came to Fernlea in the bright +sunshine, deeming that all was to go well!"</p> +<p>"Yet all is not so much amiss," said I, seeing that the fears of +the day had hold of her.</p> +<p>And so I told her of Erling's christening, and of what we saw in +the church; for of this I had had no time to tell her before, save +when Erling himself had been with us.</p> +<p>Then in very gladness, for she liked my comrade, she lost her +gloomy thoughts, and would tell him softly of her pleasure. And so +we climbed the steep of the hill, and were met at the gate by Jefan +himself, with a frank welcome.</p> +<p>There were rough huts across the camp, set more or less at +random, and among them burned the fires which we had seen. There +would be about fifty men at most in the place, now that all had +returned; but the prince told me presently that he had had more +when first the alarm had been raised that Offa was summoning his +thanes to him for some unknown reason; whereby I gathered that here +he had waited for us.</p> +<p>"Lady," he said, as he helped Hilda from her horse, "your father +is but weak. I think that he began to mend when I told him that +doubtless you would be here tonight. I hope your ride has been easy +and without alarm."</p> +<p>"Hardly," said the chief who had rescued us. "It was a hard ride +for a matter of ten minutes, and we were frightened sorely. The +lady is the bravest I have ever met, for she screamed not once; and +the thanes are no bad judges of cattle raiding."</p> +<p>"Why, you have met with men after your own heart, Kynan," +laughed Jefan. "More of that tale by-and-by.</p> +<p>"Well, lady, you are safe, and that is the best. Now you shall +see your father.</p> +<p>"See to our guests, brother."</p> +<p>Jefan took Hilda's hand and led her to the best of the huts, +and, with a word to one within, entered. In a moment he was out +again, with a smile on his face in the firelight. I knew from that +how Sighard had met his daughter.</p> +<p>Kynan gave some orders to his men, and they took our horses, +leading them to a far corner of the camp. After that we were set +down to a great supper, and the tale of the flight and the raid was +told and retold. Then at last one fetched a little gilded harp, and +Kynan ap Huwal, the raider of cattle, set the whole story into +song, and did it well and sweetly.</p> +<p>After that was done came a white-haired priest, and we knelt for +the vespers; and then the watch was set under the moonlight, and +Erling and I stood in the gateway of the fort, and looked out on +the quiet land below us. It was no very great hill, but the place +was strong. How old it may be I cannot say, perhaps no man knows; +but since Offa drove the Welsh to the Wye it had been set in order, +with a stockade halfway down the steep earthwork round the hill +crest, so that men on its top could use their weapons on those who +were trying to scale it. The dry ditch was deep and steep sided, +and, so far as I could see in the moonlight, on this side at least +it would need a strong force to take it by storm, were it fairly +manned by say two hundred men. The gate had been made afresh of +heavy timber, narrow, and flanked on either side by overhanging +mounds, whence men could rain javelins on those who tried to force +it; and outside the gate were slight fences, which bent in wide +half circles, inside which the cattle we had driven in were penned. +Peaceful enough it all was, and the stillness of this hilltop after +the long unrest seemed as of a very haven after storm.</p> +<p>Presently Jefan and his brother came back after posting their +men, and then for half an hour I sat with Sighard and Hilda in the +hut. The thane had indeed had a narrow escape from the burning +hall, and had been left for dead by his pursuers. However, he had +been but stunned by the blow which felled him from his horse, and +presently recovering, had managed to get across the river and to +some Welshman's hut, whence Jefan took him.</p> +<p>As for those who had burnt the hall, he was sure that they were +led by Gymbert, and that they were no housecarls of Offa's. They +had slain Witred and another of the Mercian thanes who had fled +with him.</p> +<p>Then I asked him of himself and of his hurt.</p> +<p>"I am old to have the senses knocked out of me, and a blow that +you might think little of is enough to keep me quiet for a time. +However, that is all. Now that Hilda and you are safe, and the king +is found and honoured, I have naught to do but to get well. Trouble +not for me."</p> +<p>It seemed to me that there was no need for me to trouble about +aught either, and out in the open air, by one of the fires, I slept +till the dawn woke me, without so much as stirring.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a>. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE +GUARDED HIS GUESTS.</h2> +<p>In the stir which comes with the waking of a camp, I and Erling +went out of the eastward gate and watched the sun coming up over +the Mercian hills across the river. The white morning mists lay +deep and heavy below us, and the little breeze from the southwest +drifted curls of it up the hill and across it, mixed with the smell +of the newly-lighted fires; and as the sun touched the drifts they +vanished. In the cattle enclosures the beasts moved restless and +ghostlike, lowing for their home meadows after the night on the +open hillside. Jefan had ridden out to go round his posts, and I +was waiting to bid Hilda good morrow before breakfast.</p> +<p>"What shall you do next?" asked Erling, with his eyes on the +misty treetops below us.</p> +<p>He was silent beyond his wont this morning, and I did not wonder +at it.</p> +<p>"I can hardly say. I have thought that by-and-by, when Sighard +is fit to move hence, we might get to one of the Welsh ports, and +so cross into my own land, Wessex, unknown to any in all +Mercia."</p> +<p>Erling nodded.</p> +<p>"That is good," he said. "I only wish we were a trifle farther +from the Wye now, or that we had a few more men."</p> +<p>"You think that Gymbert is still to be feared?"</p> +<p>"T know it. Unless we get hence shortly we shall be fallen on. +The reeve told me that he could gather five-score men of the worst +sort in a day by the raising of his finger."</p> +<p>"It would need men of the best to take this place."</p> +<p>"Outlaws and suchlike I meant--men who will have Gymbert's +promise of inlawing again if they will do his bidding. See, here +comes Jefan!"</p> +<p>Up the hill from out of the mists rode the prince, and with him +ran a few of his men, swiftly as mountain men will, so that the +horse was no swifter up the steep. After them, through the mist, +from men I could not see, sped an arrow, badly aimed, which fell +short, and told of danger.</p> +<p>One of the two men who were at the gate on guard turned and +whistled, and the rest, busy over their cooking, dropped what they +held and ran to their weapons. Kynan came hastily to us, and +watched his brother as he rode up.</p> +<p>"Jefan is in a hurry," he said. "Get your arms, thane, for there +must be reason. Mayhap it is naught, however, for one is easily +scared in a fog."</p> +<p>Still he was anxious; for if he had looked at me he would have +seen that I was already armed, and that so also was Erling. We +needed but our spears to complete the gear for battle--if that was +to come--and they stood, each with the round shield at its foot, by +the fire where we slept, twenty paces off.</p> +<p>Now Jefan pulled up, and tried to look back through the mists. +They were thinning fast as the sun climbed higher, but were yet +thick. His men came on and entered the gate, while Kynan asked what +was amiss.</p> +<p>"There are men everywhere," one said--"Mercians. They must have +slain the outpost toward the ford, and so have crept on us under +cover of the thickness."</p> +<p>"Trying to see where their cattle are," said Kynan. "They will +not come up here."</p> +<p>The man shook his head, but laughed.</p> +<p>"They are bold enough to shoot at us, however," he said.</p> +<p>"You would do the same if you met a Mercian cattle lifter," +laughed Kynan. "That is naught."</p> +<p>Jefan rode in slowly, bidding us good morrow cheerfully as he +came. Kynan said that he supposed the owners of the kine were +about.</p> +<p>"They, or some others who should be on the other side of the +river," answered his brother carelessly, as he dismounted. "Send a +picket down on the west side of the hill, and bid them be wary. Let +them eat their breakfast as they go, and send men to keep in touch +with them. I can see naught in this mist, and if we have to leave +here we must know in time. Come, let us get to our meal."</p> +<p>Plainly enough I saw that there was more in the matter than +Jefan would let his men know yet; but if I was anxious, I would no +more show it than he. So we sat down to the food his men had ready, +and before we had half finished a man came and spoke to him quietly +and went his way again.</p> +<p>"One of the western picket. It seems that here we must stay for +a while."</p> +<p>So said Jefan, and laughed a short laugh. But he did not look at +his brother, nor did Kynan look at him.</p> +<p>"That is the worst of a raid," said Kynan. "It stirs up such a +hornet's nest round one's ears. However, we on the border are +somewhat used to it. We can take care of ourselves."</p> +<p>We went on eating, and then a second man came; and Jefan told +him to call in the pickets, after he had heard what was said. Then +he turned to me at last.</p> +<p>"Thane," he said, "we seem to be beset here, but how and with +what force we cannot yet tell. I am sorry, for your sakes and the +lady's, that so it is. I fear our raid has made trouble for you, by +bringing Offa's men on us in the hope we may be forced to return +our booty."</p> +<p>"Our fault, I fear, for keeping you here, prince," said I. "I +think that of your kindness to us you have stayed longer near the +river than you might have done at any other time."</p> +<p>He smiled.</p> +<p>"That were to credit me with too much," he said. "Mostly the +Mercians care little to follow us. There lies our mistake."</p> +<p>"Then it may be that Gymbert is after us," said I, "and this has +happened because he knows that we are here. He is doing +Quendritha's bidding."</p> +<p>"Not likely in the least," said Kynan; "it is just a cattle +affair. It is my fault for suggesting a raid last evening. I would +go, though Jefan had no mind for it."</p> +<p>"Wrong, brother.</p> +<p>"Do not listen to him, thanes. I did but stay here because it +was his turn to go. One of us must needs bide in the camp."</p> +<p>Then they both laughed, and I dare say would have gone on with +their jest; but there came a cry from the gate, and they both +leaped up. It was the word that a man bearing a white scarf on a +spear was coming.</p> +<p>They went to the gate, which was not yet closed, and Erling and +I climbed the rampart near and looked over, bareheaded, lest our +English helms should tell who we were. In my own mind I was pretty +sure that we were sought.</p> +<p>The mists had thinned to nothing, and only lingered in the +hollows and round the scattered tree clumps. Long ago the Welsh had +bared all this hillside, and there was no cover for a foe as he +came up the hill. Across the grass came one man alone, and that man +was Gymbert, as I had half expected. It was ourselves whom he was +after. Maybe his only chance of regaining favour with the king +being through Quendritha, he was trying his best to pleasure her. +Or else she had threatened him. Either would be enough to set him +on his mettle, for none with whom I had spoken thought that the +forced retirement of the queen would last long. She would soon be +as powerful as ever, they said.</p> +<p>Now he came within half arrow shot of the gate, outside of which +the two princes stood. There he halted, and lowered his spear to +the ground.</p> +<p>"Jefan ap Huwal the prince?" he said in the best of Welsh.</p> +<p>"You know me well enough by sight," Jefan replied. "There needs +no ceremony. Tell us what you want here."</p> +<p>"I bring a message from Offa the king. It is his word that, if +you will give up the English fugitives you have with you, this +matter of the cattle will not be noticed."</p> +<p>"We have no objection to its being noticed," said Jefan. "I +don't know what else you could do about it. But you say this +message is from Offa?"</p> +<p>"Ay. You have here with you a Frankish thane, so called, being a +Wessex man in disguise, a heathen Dane his servant, and a girl, +escaped thrall of the queen. Doubtless you have apprehended them +for us, and I only need ask you to give them up."</p> +<p>"This needs no answering, Gymbert. You never were known as a +truth teller. This is your own affair, or Quendritha's, for Offa +has seen no man to give any such order to. Nor dare you go near him +on your own account, or short would be your shrift. Get hence, and +take your lies back to her who sent you. Mayhap you have told that +queen that you have slain Sighard the thane. If so, another lie or +two will make no odds."</p> +<p>Thereat Gymbert grew purple with passion. Plainly that was just +what he had told the queen. And now he began to bluster, after his +wont, stammering with rage. He had forgotten what we must have told +the princes.</p> +<p>"You hear the message? Pay heed to it, or it will be the worse +for you. Set these folk outside the walls straightway, or +else--"</p> +<p>He shook his spear at the gate.</p> +<p>"I will not give them up," said Jefan; "and if--"</p> +<p>He set his hand on his sword hilt and laughed. Naught more was +needed.</p> +<p>Then Kynan, who was fairly stamping, broke in, being nowise so +patient as his brother:</p> +<p>"Hence, knave and liar! If there were naught else, it were +enough that you have called a freeborn thane's daughter a thrall to +your evil mistress. The truce is at an end."</p> +<p>His sword flashed out, and Gymbert was ware of bent bows on the +rampart which had more than a menace for him. He turned his horse +slowly and went his way, only quickening his pace when he was out +of range. Just before that some man loosed an arrow at him, which +missed him but nearly; and at that Jefan's pent up rage found a +vent.</p> +<p>"Take that man and bind him!" he cried to those on the rampart. +"Shame on us that a truce bearer should be shot at. Bind him, and +set me up a gallows that the country round may see."</p> +<p>I saw the man throw down his bow and hold out his hands.</p> +<p>"The prince is right," he said in a dull voice.</p> +<p>Jefan walked up to him and looked at him.</p> +<p>"So you own that? Well, you shall not die.</p> +<p>"Set him in a hut till this affair is ended, and then we will +think of what shall be done to him."</p> +<p>His passion had blazed up and passed as the fierce rage of the +Cymro will. They took the man away, and he turned to us with a word +of regret on his lips, and that was cut short by a yell from the +rampart, while the gate was swung to and barred hastily. I ran to +my spear and shield, while Kynan cried to his men to get to their +places; and scattered enough they seemed as they lined the +ramparts. Already they had driven the cattle from the enclosures +westward down the hill to the woodlands.</p> +<p>As I took my spear from the place where it stood upright, I +looked toward the hut where Hilda was, and saw her standing in the +door. It was the first sight I had of her that morning, and now her +eyes were wide with wonder at the cries and bustle of armed +men.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, what is it all?" she cried.</p> +<p>"Gymbert has gathered some men, and is trying to make Jefan give +us up," I said, knowing it was best to tell her plainly. "But you +need have no fear; this place is strong, and the man cannot have +any following worth naming."</p> +<p>"There will be fighting?"</p> +<p>"I think there will be little; but the arrows may come over the +rampart, and you must keep under cover."</p> +<p>"Shall you take part if there is any?"</p> +<p>"Why, of course," said I, laughing; "it is for you."</p> +<p>She looked at me, and I know that for a moment she had a mind to +beg me not to fight; but that she could not do, and so she only +smiled a wan smile and bade me have a care. So I bent and kissed +her hand, and she went back into the hut. Sighard was calling to +her to come and tell him what all the turmoil was.</p> +<p>Then I hurried to where Jefan stood on the works by the gate, +whence one could see all over the camp, and half round the hillside +as well. Not a shred of mist was left, and it was as glorious a +morning as one could see; only it was hotter than the wont of a +Maytime morning, and over the southward hung a heavy, white-topped +cloud bank, with a promise of thunder in its pile. Not that I noted +it now, but I had done so. From the ramparts there was more than +enough to keep my eyes on the hillside.</p> +<p>Up the steep came three bodies of men, to right and left, where +the hill was sharpest, and straight for the gate, where there was a +long, even slope ending in a platform, as it were, before it. +Gymbert himself headed this company on foot, and men whose names +the princes seemed to scorn altogether led the others. Altogether +there were not less than a hundred and fifty men; but as they drew +nearer I saw that they were not at all the sort of force with which +I should hope to take so strongly stockaded a place as this. +Outlaws, runaway thralls, and such-like masterless men they were, +ill armed and unkempt and noisy. Their only strength was in their +numbers, so far as I could see.</p> +<p>As for ourselves, the gate was the weakest place, by reason of +there being no ditch before it, and that the ground was level, or +nearly so, for twenty paces outside. I did not think it in the +least likely that our men could not hold off the two side attacks; +for the stockade was well placed and high, and the ditch +sheer-sided and deep. Take it all round, it was hard to see how +Gymbert expected to take the place, or why he would try it at +all.</p> +<p>"Quendritha is driving him," said Kynan, laughing, when I said +as much. "If that woman bids a man do a thing, he has to do it, or +woe betide him. But it will be a fight, for a time."</p> +<p>Now Gymbert halted his men beyond bow shot, and called to Jefan +once more to give us up; and so finding no answer beyond a laugh +from the men who were watching him from the rampart, drew his sword +and bade his men fall on.</p> +<p>They broke into a run for a dozen paces, and then some half of +either company halted, and while the rest went forward, those who +stood began to try to clear the way with arrow flights, shooting +over their heads so that the shafts might drop within the +stockading. And at the same time our men began to shoot, somewhat +too soon; for the Welsh bow will not carry so far as the English, +though the arrows are more deadly, being heavier.</p> +<p>Seeing that, Jefan bade his men hold their hands until he gave +the word; on which Gymbert called to his men, and they came the +faster. The arrows met them then at short range, and in a deadly +hail, and they faltered. Many fell under them, yet they still came +on; and now the men who had been shooting found that the Welsh were +too well sheltered under the stockade timbering for much harm to be +done them, and they ran and joined their comrades at some call from +their leaders. Then without stay the whole three companies threw +themselves with a great shout against the defences, leaping into +the ditch on either side, and surging up against the gate +itself.</p> +<p>In a breathing space our Welsh were ready with the long spears, +and as one by one the heads of those who climbed gate or stockade +showed themselves, hoisted up by their comrades, or climbing in +some way or other, back they were sent with a flash of the terrible +weapon, falling on those below them. And now and again the Welsh +spears darted through the spaces between the timbers of the +stockade at some man who came close to them and was spied, or at +those who tried to help their comrades to climb. The whole place +was full of yells and shouting.</p> +<p>But it was harder work at the gate, for there the foemen were +more densely packed before us, and they seemed to climb in an +unending stream. More than one fell inside the gate, and there lay +still; but none had won his way to the ground alive, nor had we yet +lost a man. The loss was all on the side of the attack.</p> +<p>Then at last the men at the gate drew back for a time; but from +the side attacks came a new danger. With spear butt and seax they +were trying to undermine the stockade, and one could hear the +creaking of the stout timbers as they tried to tear them down. It +would have gone hardly with us had there been but a few more men, +or if these had brought pick and spade with them.</p> +<p>As it was, that attempt did not last long. Into the crowd of men +who worked the heavy javelins fell, and through the timbering the +reddened spears went and came, driving at last the foe to safer +distance. And so the first attack ended, and for all that Gymbert +from the gate tried to urge them on, his men stood sullenly in the +deep ditch and under the gate, where we could not well reach them, +save by casting javelins and darts high into the air, that they +might pitch among them; but there were few throwing weapons to +spare.</p> +<p>"He would have done better to attack at one point only," said +Jefan, sitting down on the rampart above the gate. "He might have +overwhelmed us so, for he has men enough."</p> +<p>His brother laughed.</p> +<p>"There is a difference between us in this way," he said, "and it +is a great one: there is little fight in his men, and we must needs +fight our best. Listen! they are passing some word round."</p> +<p>So it was, for there fell a silence on the humming men below us, +and we could hear muttered words from one to another. Then the +attack came again from the same three places, but I thought it was +not pushed home as at first. Nor did it last so long. In a few +minutes men began to get out of the ditch and away down the +hillside while the Welsh were too busy to shoot at them. There they +scattered, and stood and watched. And then the attack on the gate +ceased, and back the foe went.</p> +<p>"After them, and scourge them home to their mistress," shouted +Kynan, leaping down to the gateway, where his men did but wait some +word which should tell them to throw it open for a sally.</p> +<p>I looked for Jefan; but he was across the camp, seeing hastily +to the weakened places in the stockade.</p> +<p>"Kynan," I cried, "have a care! This is what they want you to +do! Wait!"</p> +<p>For I could see that in the open Gymbert had the advantage of +numbers, and I suspected that he was trying to draw the fiery Welsh +from their works. There was surely some reason for this +half-hearted attack on the stockade that had been already proved +too strong.</p> +<p>He did not hear me. It is in my mind that I may have called to +him in the Frankish tongue of my last warfare. That is likely +enough, for with the clash of arms again I know I had been thinking +in the familiar tongue once more. I do not know, but again I called +him, and he seemed not to hear. The gate flew open, and with a wild +yell of victory out went the Welshmen, with the prince at their +head.</p> +<p>Jefan heard and turned back, and called to him to stay; but he +also was too late. He had but a dozen men with him, while from the +opposite side of the camp those who had driven off their foes had +joined those who poured out with Kynan. One or two of Jefan's men +shouted, and went with them, unheeding the call of their leader to +stay.</p> +<p>Then in a moment I knew what the word which had been passed +meant. The Mercians who had drawn off from the side attacks closed +up and charged down on the scattered Welsh, on whose pursuit +Gymbert and his men turned. We could do naught but stand and watch, +helpless, for we dared not leave the gate, which we could not close +against the retreat which must come.</p> +<p>Round Kynan and his men Gymbert's force swarmed, and the din of +wild battle rang as the ancient foes, Welsh and Mercian, met on the +level turf. I saw Kynan's red sword rise above the turmoil, and +heard his voice rallying his men to him; and then he had them +together in a close body, outnumbered indeed by two to one, but +better fighters and better trained than the mob against them. And +then they began to cut their way back to the gate.</p> +<p>We stood there across it, waiting, and then it was our turn. Of +a sudden out of the ditch on either hand leaped men who had waited +there unnoticed for this moment, and they fell on us. We were +eight, and but four of us could stand in the gateway at a time. +Jefan and I and Erling and a tall Welshman were the first, and +before us were some dozen Mercians, and more to come as they could +find room on the narrow causeway.</p> +<p>Now it was a question whether we might hold the gate till Kynan +won back to it, or whether when he did come he should find it held +against him; and for one terrible moment I had a fear that men +would be coming over the stockade in the rear upon us. And I could +not look round, for I had all my time taken up in keeping my own +life from the attack in front.</p> +<p>I think it was about that time that Kynan began to sing some +wonderful old Welsh war song, which rang above the clash of weapons +and the cries of those who fought. It took hold of me, and I seemed +to smite in time to its swinging cadence. Yet he came back very +slowly.</p> +<p>Jefan went down first. Into the ditch he rolled, with his grip +on the throat of a Mercian; for his sword snapped, and he flew at +the man. One from behind us took his place with a yell of rage, and +he went too far, and was gone also, speared at once. Then another, +and another to my left; for the tall Briton was down, and still +Erling and I were not hurt. I would that Kynan would get back more +quickly. He was coming, but the press before us was thick.</p> +<p>So we fought, and I fell to thinking what a wondrous sword this +was which Carl the Great had given me. It shore the spear shafts, +and the brass-studded shields seemed to split before it touched +them, and the tough leather jerkins of the forest men could not +hold its edge back. The wild song of Kynan never ceased, and he +seemed to sing of it. He was getting nearer, but the Mercians +thronged between his men and us.</p> +<p>Now there seemed to be a grim joy in the faces of the men before +me, and the Briton at my right fell. There was none left to take +his place, and there were but three of us in the gate.</p> +<p>"Kynan! Kynan!" I cried, for in a moment he would find his +retreat barred. I do not know whether any voice came from me, but I +seemed to call him.</p> +<p>Then Erling and I were alone in the gateway, and the snarling +Mercians leaped at us. The last Welshman had fallen, hurling his +broken sword at a man who smote at me, and so staying the blow.</p> +<p>"A good fight for a man's last, master," said Erling to me +through his teeth, standing steadily as a rock with his hacked +shield linked in mine, and his notched sword swinging untiringly to +the grim old viking war shout "Ahoy!" as it fell.</p> +<p>Kynan was twenty yards from us, and now I saw Gymbert among +those whom he was steadily driving back.</p> +<p>A shadow swept over me, and it grew darker. I saw all the land +below me lying in brightest sunlight, and then the great swift +cloud shadow fled across it, though round us there was not a breath +of wind. I think the men before us two shrank back a little at that +moment, so that I had time to note all that went on, as a man will +at such a time, and yet without taking his eyes from the foe before +him.</p> +<p>That was but a breathing space. With a fresh yell the Mercians +fell on us again, and I had three of them on me; and my hands were +full, though they hampered one another. The old Wessex war cry +which I had not heard for so long came back to me, and I shouted +"Out! out!" and met them. There needed but a little time and Kynan +would be on the causeway. His song rang close to us.</p> +<p>Erling reeled and steadied himself against me, and the Mercians +howled. His war shout rang once, and then he fell across my feet, +face downward, and I stood over him in a white rage, and set my +teeth and smote. It came to me that there were more men on the +causeway now, but that they would not near me. I was fending +spearheads from me, and I forgot Kynan.</p> +<p>Then of a sudden those who were on me seemed to know that his +song was in their very ears, and they looked round. His men were on +the narrow gate path, and they were between them and me; and with +that they yelled and fled into the ditch on either side the +causeway, and I was aware that for a long minute I had kept the +gate alone.</p> +<p>But I did not think of that. Out of the way of heedless, +tramping feet of those who came back into safety I must get my +fallen comrade, and I threw my sword within the gate and stooped +and dragged him after it, setting him on one side, on the steep +rampart bank, out of the way. He smiled and tried to speak, but +could not; and even so much cheered me, for I had thought him +dead.</p> +<p>Some one came swiftly and touched me as I bent over him, and I +saw the old priest.</p> +<p>"Leave him to me," he said. "See to Kynan now; there may be work +yet for the lady's sake."</p> +<p>Even as I rose at his word, loath to leave my comrade, but +knowing that I must, and while I still had my face from the gate, +there came a blinding flash of lightning from the ragged black edge +of the cloud overhead, and with it one short, awesome crash of +thunder. The storm which had crept up behind us had broken on the +hilltop.</p> +<p>After that crash came a dead silence, and then were yells of +terror such as the fight had had no power to raise from men on +either side. And among them one voice cried shrill that this was +the work of Ethelbert, the slain king.</p> +<p>Then as the foe fled back the gates swung to, and I heard the +bars clatter into their sockets, and Kynan came to me.</p> +<p>"Holy saints!" he said; "look yonder!"</p> +<p>I went a pace or two up the earthwork and looked over toward the +foe. Some twenty yards from the gate lay as it were a blackened +heap, round which reeled and staggered men with hands to blinded +faces, and from which those who were unhurt fled in wildest terror +down the hill, casting even their weapons from them. Save only +those who could not fly, not one Mercian was staying.</p> +<p>"Yonder lies Gymbert," Kynan said in a still voice. "The bolt +struck him. It is the judgment of Heaven on him for that which he +wrought in darkness."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a>. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME TO +WESSEX.</h2> +<p>For a moment I looked and then turned away, with but one thought +in my mind, and that was the knowledge that it was a good thing +that the punishment of this man had been taken from our hands. I do +not think that I took in all the terror of it at the time, for on +that field there was death in so many forms--death brought +needlessly by his contriving again, and in all injustice--and this +end of his was to me but right and fitting. Some terrible fate the +man deserved, and he had met it. Now I had my own friends to think +of.</p> +<p>"See to Jefan!" I said to Kynan, without a word of Gymbert. "He +fell at the gate, in the first onset."</p> +<p>"My fault," groaned the brother, "my fault. I should have waited +his word before sallying out. I heard you call me back, too, and +heeded not."</p> +<p>He called some men, and they opened the gate and passed out +hastily, while I knelt at the side of Erling. The old priest was +trying to stay the bleeding from a great wound in his side; but he +shook his head at me, and I knew that it was hopeless.</p> +<p>Erling knew it also.</p> +<p>"Get to the others, father," he said; "I am past your +heeding."</p> +<p>"They will fetch me if I am needed, my son," the old man +answered. "There are few of us who cannot tend a common wound. I am +but wanted at the last."</p> +<p>"Ay, for the one thing," said Erling, with a great light +springing into his weary eyes. "For me also, father.</p> +<p>"Tell him, master."</p> +<p>The old man looked at me, and I nodded. He was a British priest, +and one had been told that they and our priests hated each other +and quarrelled over deep matters; but what was that in this moment? +Neither Briton nor Englishman, priest of St. David's nor of +Canterbury would heed that here and thus. He rose and went +hurriedly, and we two were alone.</p> +<p>"We kept the gate," he said.</p> +<p>"Ay, we kept it; and all is well."</p> +<p>"Jefan is not dead," he said next; "he lay and watched it all. I +could see him."</p> +<p>Then across my shoulder he saw some one, and smiled. I turned, +and there was Hilda, white and still, standing by us, and she set +her hand on my shoulder. Then she bent toward my comrade.</p> +<p>"Ay, you two kept the gate, and all are praising you. They say +that but for you the fort had been lost."</p> +<p>The lightning came again, and after a second or two the thunder, +close still, but not so terribly so. The rain would come presently, +and I longed for it, but not yet. I dared not move Erling, and +there was the priest to come.</p> +<p>Now he came, and with him brought that which was needed; and so +we two knelt, and there came one or two Welshmen, gently, and knelt +also, unlike our Saxons, who would have stood aloof, with bared +heads indeed, but unsharing.</p> +<p>I will say naught of that little service. When it was ended +Erling closed his eyes and sighed, as one who is content; and we +waited for them to open again, but they did not. It was the first +and last sacrament of the new-made Christian.</p> +<p>The priest ended his words, and looked at me. Hilda took her +cloak and gave it to him, and he set it across my comrade, and that +was all. He was Ethelbert's first follower to the new place he had +won, and that also seemed good to me.</p> +<p>Through the gate came Kynan, followed by four men who bore on a +spear-framed stretcher their prince who had fallen.</p> +<p>"All well," he called up to me cheerfully. "Naught but a broken +leg from the fall, and no wound."</p> +<p>Then the rain came, sweeping in a sheet across the open hilltop. +Hilda took my arm.</p> +<p>"Come," she said, "take me to the hut again. My father is +well-nigh raving because he is too weak to fight. Once he rose and +staggered to the door, and there fell. He cried to you as you stood +alone with those savage men before you in the gate. Did you not +hear him?"</p> +<p>So she spoke fast, and drew me away to the hut, and there +Sighard bade me tell him all I might of the fight. It had been hard +for him to lie and hear the din going on, to know that the battle +was for Hilda and for him, and not to be able to share it. And he +grumbled that the girl would not look out on it and tell him how it +went.</p> +<p>"But I saw Wilfrid in the gate," she said, "and I feared for him +for a moment, until I saw that the foe feared him; and then I was +proud. But Erling has gone, father."</p> +<p>"A good man and steadfast," Sighard said. "I think that you and +I owe life to him and Wilfrid alike. It will be long before we +forget him, or before you find such another comrade and follower, +Wilfrid."</p> +<p>More there was said of him at that time, but not too much. I had +known him but a little while, but in that we had gone through peril +together with but one mind. It hardly seemed possible that it was +only a matter of six weeks since I took him from the Norwich +marketplace.</p> +<p>The thunder rolled round us while we talked of him, passing but +slowly, and the rain fell in sheets, washing away the more terrible +stains of war. Through it came back, unarmed and humbly, some of +the Mercians, begging truce wherein to take away their comrades, +and Kynan spoke to them. As we had reason to think, the whole +affair was the doing of Gymbert, so far as his men knew. Behind him +was the hand of Quendritha, of course, but of that they had heard +no more than that to take us would please her.</p> +<p>When the storm ended, with naught but a far-off mutter of +thunder among the hills beyond the Wye to mind us of it, I went out +to find Jefan. At that time there were folk from the Welsh +woodlands coming up to help in any way that was needed, for a fire +on the highest point of the ramparts was sending a tall smoke +curling and wavering into the air, and the meaning of that was well +known to them. One might see by the way in which they were tending +the wounded and digging two long trenches without the ramparts, +where the slain should rest presently, that such fights were no new +thing to them on the marches of Mercia.</p> +<p>Jefan the prince lay in a hut, and he smiled ruefully as I came +in. His ankle was broken, and the old priest had set it, skilfully +enough, but it would be many a long day before he could use it +again. He held out his hand to me before I could speak.</p> +<p>"Are you hurt?" he said anxiously.</p> +<p>I was not, save for a scratch or two of no account. More was +Kynan, and that was a wonder, or his luck, as he would have it. But +Jefan said, trying to laugh:</p> +<p>"I would that I might see just one bout of sword play betwixt +you two. I had held my brother as the best swordsman in all the +West, but I saw a better in the gate. There I must lie helpless, +with a Mercian across me moreover, and it was somewhat of a comfort +that there was that to watch. I had seen naught of it but for the +fall."</p> +<p>So I had not been learning all that the best men in the Frankish +armies could teach me of weapon craft for nothing, and hereafter I +learned that such praise from Jefan was worth having.</p> +<p>But as for my thanking them for this protection of us, they +would have it that the whole trouble was of their own making, since +they had stayed so near the border after a raid. Even now we must +hence, for the sheriff would gather a levy to follow them no doubt. +It needed no command from Offa for that; but he would be here anon, +in leisurely wise perhaps, but certainly.</p> +<p>"Wherefore we must go," said Kynan. "Then, as usual, he will +find no one to fight with, and naught but a few broken marrow bones +to remind him that last night we feasted on Mercian cattle up +here."</p> +<p>Now I would that Erling might have been laid to rest in Fernlea, +near to Ethelbert, but that could not be. We set him in a place +near the gate which he had kept so well, raising a little mound +over him, and Jefan said that it should be a custom with every +warrior of the Cymro who entered the camp in the days to come that +he should salute him, and that the tale of his deed should be told +at the camp fire here from age to age, so long as harp was strung +and men should sing of deeds worth minding. Maybe that was the +resting and that the honour the viking would have chosen for +himself.</p> +<p>And he was set there with all the still rites of the ancient +Church of the Briton, in the way which he had learned to love.</p> +<p>Alone, unmarked Gymbert lies, out of sight of the warriors +against whom he came. The Mercians dared not touch him, and the +Welsh would not. But Jefan bade that man who had shot at him see to +him, and that was the punishment for his deed. Men say that when a +storm breaks round Dynedor hill fort it is ill to be there, for +then he wanders round the gate unquiet and wailing; and so he also +is not forgotten, nor the evil which he wrought.</p> +<p>That evening we were in some Welsh thane's house, far in the +folds of the Black Mountains, and there not even Offa could reach +us. The people had come with litters and hill ponies, and slowly +and somewhat painfully we had gone our way from the hill, gathering +the cattle, and leaving men to bring them after us still more +slowly.</p> +<p>"Hurry no man's cattle," quoth Kynan, "except when they are by +way of becoming yours by right of haste homeward to the hills."</p> +<p>In this homestead, whose name I cannot write, we rested for a +fortnight or so, while Sighard gathered his strength again and +Jefan's ankle knit itself together. For me there was the best of +hunting in the hills and rich forests with Kynan, who was a master +of all woodcraft, and with our host. Wonderfully plentiful was game +of all sorts, whether red deer or fallow, boar, or wolf, or badger +in the forests, and here and there beaver as well as otter in the +swift trout streams. There were the white wild cattle also; and +there were tales of a bear somewhere in the hills, but we never +came on his tracks, though I knew them well from having seen them +often enough on the Basque frontier lands. That one chance of +having slain the bear there was the only matter of hunting in which +I was ahead of my hosts.</p> +<p>At the end of the fortnight we went from this village to the +ancient city of Caerleon, travelling slowly, though Jefan made +shift to mount a horse, and so ride with us. Pleasant were the June +days that passed among the hilly ways, under the great green +mountains, and through the forest lands, with good friends and +pleasant halts by the way. And I was going homeward now in all +truth.</p> +<p>Jefan had a wonderful palace in Caerleon, which his forbears had +held since the days when they took the place of the Roman governor +by whom it had been built. I think that it had been but little +altered, and on its walls were still the pictures the artists +brought from far-off Rome had painted, and its floors were laid +with the wondrous patterned pavement of the old days, so beautiful +that it almost seemed a shame to tread on them. The old Roman walls +stood round the town, and there were more houses, less but +well-nigh as good, in the place, and the great tower the Romans +made.</p> +<p>Yet, being a Saxon and a forest-bred man, I cared not at all for +the stone-walled houses. They seemed low and hot to me, and above +one was the ceiled roof, all unlike the high open timbering of our +halls, where the smoke curls, and the birds are as free to perch on +the timbers as they were in the oaks whence they were cut. The +walls round the town irked me also, for one does not like to feel +shut in from the open country. One must have fences, of course, and +maybe in border places earthworks and stockades, but surely no more +should be needed. Yet in a day or two I grew used to all this, and +I have naught but good to say of Caerleon elsewise.</p> +<p>For when we had been there a few days Jefan would speak with me, +and together we went to the walls of the city and looked southward +across the river toward the Severn sea, beyond which lay my +home.</p> +<p>"See, friend," he said, "there is your way, and there is a ship +crossing to the old port at Worle tomorrow. Now, from all you have +told me, there is a chance that through her daughter Quendritha may +yet try to harm you."</p> +<p>"I think she cannot," I said. "So far as I know, she has never +learned where my home is."</p> +<p>"Yet," he said, "go home and see how things are for you. Well I +know that your first thought is for the Lady Hilda, and that is +right. I am going to see your wedding. But you cannot take her home +without going there first to learn whether she will have any home +to go to."</p> +<p>"That is what I have been thinking," said I. "You are but first +in speaking of the matter by a day or so."</p> +<p>"Well, then, do you go at once. If all is well, then you shall +come back here, and so there will be a wedding. If not, come back, +and I will give you a place with me.</p> +<p>"Nay, but listen. I have sorely troublesome tenants, the Danes, +in our land of Gower, and you can take them in hand for me. You are +the man I need as what you would call the ealdorman there. You may +take such a place in all honour."</p> +<p>"Jefan," I said, "you are indeed a friend, and I will not say no +to you. All seems to go well when you have a hand in it."</p> +<p>"Sometimes," said he, laughing. "I only wish that everything was +as easily arranged as this. Well, go. I want you back to stay, and +yet I don't, as one may say. At all events, we will have the +wedding here."</p> +<p>Now it need not be said that on the next day I did go, landing +in the early morning under the ancient walled camp of Worle, which +the Eastern traders made when they used to come for our Mendip +metals; and there I hired a horse and rode homeward, sorely longing +for my good skew-bald steed, which stood in a Roman stable at +Caerleon.</p> +<p>Now I cannot tell all the thoughts which came into my mind as I +climbed the last hill and looked down into the wooded hollow where +lay our home. The long years seemed to roll back, and it was but as +yesterday that I had been there. And then I met a man I knew, one +of our own thralls; and he seemed to have aged all in a moment, for +I had thought, before he drew near, to see his face as it had been +on the day when I went to Winchester to see the bride of our king +brought home. He did not know me, but he doffed his cap.</p> +<p>"Wulf," said I, "how fares the thane?"</p> +<p>"Well, lord," he answered, staring at me. "He is in the hall an +you want him."</p> +<p>And then of a sudden a great smile began to grow across his +face, and he roared in his honest Wessex voice:</p> +<p>"By staff and thorn, if it is not our young master home from the +wars! Good lack, but how you have grown and widened!"</p> +<p>He clutched at my hand and shook it, and then kissed it, after a +friend's fashion first, and then as a thrall should, saying all +sorts of welcomes. And then he turned, forgetting any business +which was taking him to the hill, and must needs lead my horse with +all care down to the hall. And as he went, whenever he saw any man +of the place he shouted to him, and one by one men came running, +until I had half the village after me. That was a good old Saxon +welcome, and I could not find fault with it.</p> +<p>So we came to the hall gate, and the dogs ran out and barked; +and I thought I could tell those which had been but pups when I +left home, for they had been my charge. Then they bayed and yelled, +mistrusting what all the noise meant, though they saw none but +friends there, till two gray old hounds rose from the sunny corner +of the court and came running, and they knew me; and I called them +by name, and the rest stilled their clamour.</p> +<p>Then, with his sword caught up to him, my father came to the +great door and called for silence, and so saw me as I sat in my +outland mail and stretched my hands to him; and after him came my +mother. So I was home once more, and all was well.</p> +<p>I need say naught of the feasting which they made for me, nor of +all that I had to tell of my doings since that day when the Danes +came and took me. Little enough there was to tell me, save of the +village happenings; and that was well, for it meant that there had +in every way been peace.</p> +<p>Two days after I came home my cousin came from Weymouth, +rejoicing to see me safe and well once more, for he had ever blamed +himself for my loss.</p> +<p>Presently we spoke of Ecgbert, but there was yet no chance for +him to return. Our Wessex queen, Quendritha's daughter, was bad as +her mother, in all truth; but Bertric the king was just and wise, +save only when he was swayed by her. Moreover, to him Ecgbert had +sworn fealty when he came to the crown, and until he was gone he +would do naught.</p> +<p>And then there was the question as to whether it was safe for me +to come home.</p> +<p>There was an old thane who came to see me at this time, and he +had been to Winchester within a few days; and he settled the +matter, having heard all the court news from Mercia.</p> +<p>"Quendritha's power is over for good and all," he said. "Offa +has sworn a great oath that he will never set eyes on her again. +They say that she is shut up in some stronghold, with none but men +of the king's own round her, and that there she pines and rages in +turn, helpless for harm. You may be sure that no word of you has +come hither. Doubtless she believes you fled back to Carl the +Great. You may sleep in peace."</p> +<p>"Get married, my son, and settle down," said my mother softly. +"I may not bear to lose you again."</p> +<p>So that other matter was easily settled, as may be supposed, +though no doubt my good mother would have fain had somewhat more +say in the choice of a wife for me. But when my father and cousin +heard of the way in which we two had met, and what we had gone +through together, they said it was good that I had found no fair +weather, fireside bride, and there was a great welcome ready for +her as soon as we could bring her home.</p> +<p>Ten miles south of Selwood, on the forest's edge, lies that hall +which was my mother's, and to which I had the right as her son, and +there I was to live. I think that I have spoken of it before as +that which gave me the right to the rank of thane. Now and then we +had gone there and bided in the hall, seeing to the lands, and so +forth, but mostly it had been left to the care of the steward. So +it was waiting for me, and thither I should bring Hilda as soon as +all was ready.</p> +<p>And I need not tell of that time of preparation, which seemed +long to me; but at last we sailed across the still sea from Worle +to Caerleon--my father, and my cousin, and half a dozen others of +our friends--for word had gone and come from Jefan by the fishers +of the Parrett river, and he would welcome all whom we would bring +with us.</p> +<p>"Make it as good a wedding as you may," was his word to me.</p> +<p>I think that Offa once sent an embassy to Caerleon, and that +they were the first of our race who had ever been within its old +walls. But I know that never before had a Saxon party been welcomed +there as we were welcomed, nor had there been such a feast since +Jefan himself was wedded.</p> +<p>It seems to me that I am leaving out a many things now; but who +wants to hear of that wedding? If any one does, he must even go to +Caerleon and call the bards to him, if they will come, and ask them +to sing the songs they made thereon. Otherwise he may ask any man +of Caerleon to tell him what he saw of it himself, for indeed I +cannot say that I had thought or eyes for any but one figure in all +the splendour of that ancient court. I do mind that Jefan's fair +princess had clad Hilda in wondrous British array, which passes me +to tell of, and that Kynan and Jefan and the men of their host had +decked her with gold and pearl and mountain gems, such as lured the +Roman hither. They had a splendid sword and mail shirt and helm for +me, too, better even than that which Carl gave me, because of the +holding of the gate.</p> +<p>Now if one listens, as I have said, to the tales they tell over +there, it will be heard how I was said to have kept that gate +against all the host of Mercia, not to say Offa himself; for, like +our own gleemen, the Welsh bards do not fail to make the most of a +story. But how much thereof to believe those who have read my own +tale will know. I suppose they are obliged to make too much of a +matter, so that about the rights thereof may be believed.</p> +<p>At that wedding there were a surprise and a pleasure for me +which Jefan had prepared. He had heard of a vessel new come to +Swansea, where the Danes are, and he had sent thither to learn what +she was. And when he heard, he bade her captain to this feast to +meet me. And so it came to pass that when we landed I saw two men +in the Danish array standing behind the Welsh nobles, and I seemed +to know them. One was tall and grim and scarred, and the other +broad of shoulder and white of hair and beard. They were Thorleif +and old Thrond, come from Ireland to see their friends in this +land, and so Jefan's guests.</p> +<p>So that was a great wedding, in which I had the least part, +being overlooked, as mostly happens with a bridegroom. And after it +we passed home again to peace and happiness in the old hall in the +land of Wessex, and there none will care to follow me. It is the +troublous part of a man's life that makes the story to all but +himself. He is glad enough when it is over and there is no more +danger left of which to make a tale.</p> +<p>When I first came back to Caerleon I had some news to hear from +the Mercian border, and that was nothing more or less than that +after all Offa had stretched out his hand to grasp that realm which +Quendritha had plotted to give him; for he had gathered his levies, +and marched eastward into East Anglia. There was none to oppose +him, and he took it, and so reigned from the Wye to the sea, the +greatest king who had ever sat on an English throne.</p> +<p>And Quendritha was dead. That which her daughter had boded for +her as she left the palace had come to pass, and she had gone. She +had never set eyes on her husband again, and never heard how that +which she planned had come to pass.</p> +<p>That death seemed to take the last doubt of our peace from us; +but now Sighard would no more go back to his lands.</p> +<p>"I was Ethelbert's thane and his father's; I will not hold from +Offa. Let me come back with you now until I know what I can +do."</p> +<p>So when our wedding was over he crossed with us to Wessex, and +there for a time he bided. Then came a message from Thetford that +the widowed queen, Ethelbert's mother, would speak with him, and +without delay he went to her. Offa had left her in peace in her own +house; but now she would go to Crowland, that she might be with her +who should have been her daughter, and thither Sighard took her. +Then he went to see what had happened with his own place, and found +it untouched. Offa, when he took the realm, had at least proved +that he had no mind to enrich himself with lesser spoils.</p> +<p>So Sighard sold his right of succession, and all else that was +his own in East Anglia, and thereafter bought a place for himself +near us; and there he lives now, well loved by all and honoured. +Many and kind were the messages which he brought back from the +queen to me and to Hilda, whom she had loved, rejoicing that the +way to Sutton had at least brought happiness to us two.</p> +<p>My good skew-bald steed I could not take across the sea with me, +and I was loath to sell him. At last I persuaded Jefan, our friend, +to take him as a gift, for I cared for none save the prince himself +to ride him.</p> +<p>"He is nowise a safe steed to go cattle-raiding on," said Kynan, +"for one can mark him for miles. Nevertheless he is a princely +mount, and a good rallying point for the men after they have been +scattered in a charge."</p> +<p>So they laughed, and were well pleased, as was I. Erling's horse +I gave to that man who had been our guide when we fled, and there +was no difficulty in finding owners for the rest.</p> +<p>Now one will ask concerning Ecgbert the atheling, whose friend I +had been for so long.</p> +<p>All men know that today he is the king of all England, and the +greatest who ever sat on her throne. But for long years we waited +till the time for his return came. While Bertric lived, to whom he +had sworn fealty, he would do naught, in utmost loyalty, and with +the Mercian throne he had no mind to meddle.</p> +<p>Two years after the death of Ethelbert, Offa died. His bright +young son took the throne, and was gone also in a few months, and +then the house of Offa was at an end. An atheling of some younger +branch of the Mercian royal line took his place peaceably, and +under this king, Kenulf, Mercia was at her greatest. The doom of +Offa fell not on him.</p> +<p>Ecgbert bided with Carl the emperor, learning all he might of +statecraft and of war until his time came, and well he learned his +lesson. Then at last, through Quendritha's teaching, came the end +of the Wessex line, and thereafter the fall of Mercia from her +first place among the English kingdoms. For, after Quendritha's +way, Eadburga would poison some thane of the court who had offended +her; and Bertric drank the cup she had made ready for his servant, +and so perished. Eadburga fled to Carl the emperor, as men had then +hailed him; and he received her kindly for Offa's sake, and at +least England knew her ways no more. Then we had all ready, and +sent for Ecgbert; and from the time of his coming began that day of +greatness for Wessex which has led him to the overlordship of all +England and the end of the old divided and warring kingdoms.</p> +<p>One may see many tokens of the repentance of Offa for that deed +which was wrought unhindered by him. Greatest of all, perhaps, is +the cathedral which he built at Hereford over the remains of the +murdered king. There the saint rests in peace, and will be honoured +while time is. But where Offa himself lies no man knows. His folk +buried him in a little church which he had loved, hard by Bedford, +in the heart of his realm, on the banks of the Ouse. But in one +night of storm and rain the ancient river rose and swept away both +church and tomb and what lay therein, not leaving so much as the +foundations to tell where the place had been. And yet, not a +stone's throw from the edge of the rapid Lugg, the little church of +Marden, built where we found the body of the murdered king, stands, +and will stand, unharmed by the waters which once made soft his +resting.</p> +<p>The wonderful palace of Sutton lies shunned and ruined. After +that which had been done there, Offa would live within its walls no +longer, and it was deserted by all men. Only, as the wind and rain +wrought their will unchecked on the timbered halls, the thralls +took what they would for huts and for firing, and slowly at first, +and then apace, the palace sank to heaps of rotting rubbish, where +the fox and the badger have their lairs, and the boar from the +forest roots unscared. Presently naught hut the ancient Roman +earthworks will be left to tell that once it was a place of +strength against the Briton.</p> +<p>And with bated breath the thralls tell of a white wolf which +haunts the ruin from time to time, deeming it the witch queen +herself, who may not leave the scene of her ill doing.</p> +<p>Now, for myself, I have but to say that for the sake of old days +in the Frankish land I stand high in the honour of Ecgbert the +king. And yet it seems to me that greater honour still it is that I +should have ridden across England on that strange wedding journey +as the comrade of Ethelbert the king and saint.</p> +<p>Often I am asked to tell the story of that ride and all that +came thereafter, for men say that they cannot learn it better than +from me. And so I have set all down here that men may read. Yet, +whether I write or not, I know well that forgotten Ethelbert can +never be.</p> +<p>THE END.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13438 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..47770e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13438 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13438) diff --git a/old/13438-h.zip b/old/13438-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..02b9386 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13438-h.zip diff --git a/old/13438-h/13438-h.htm b/old/13438-h/13438-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..99db1ab --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13438-h/13438-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9261 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta name="generator" content= +"HTML Tidy for Cygwin (vers 1st September 2003), see www.w3.org"> +<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content= +"text/html; charset=us-ascii"> +<title>A KING'S COMRADE</title> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A King's Comrade, by Charles Whistler + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A King's Comrade + A Story of Old Hereford + +Author: Charles Whistler + +Release Date: September 11, 2004 [EBook #13438] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KING'S COMRADE *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1>A KING'S COMRADE:</h1> +<p>A Story of Old Hereford,</p> +<p>by Charles W. Whistler</p> +<h3><a href="#PREFACE">PREFACE</a>.</h3> +<h3><a href="#INTRODUCTORY">INTRODUCTORY</a>.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a>. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO +ENGLAND.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a>. HOW WILFRID KEPT A +PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a>. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT THE +ATHELING. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a>. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD +ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a>. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT FOLK, +AND OTHERS. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH +ETHELBERT THE KING.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY +BEGAN WITH PORTENTS.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO +THE PALACE OF SUTTON.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN +WOVE HER PLOTS.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a>. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL +LOST HIS NAME AS A GOOD</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a>. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING WENT +TO HIS REST. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE +QUEEN HAD HER WILL.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND +ERLING BEGAN THEIR SEARCH.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a>. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH +CARE THRUST ON HIM.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a>. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS +REWARDED.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE +MORE WITH OFFA.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND HIS +CHARGE MET JEFAN THE</h3> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a>. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE +GUARDED HIS GUESTS. +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a>. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME +TO WESSEX.</h3> +<h2><a name="PREFACE">PREFACE</a>.</h2> +<p>Hereford Cathedral bears the name of Ethelbert of East Anglia, +king and martyr, round whose death, at the hands of the men of Offa +of Mercia, this story of his comrade centres, and dates its +foundation from Offa's remorse for the deed which at least he had +not prevented. In the sanctuary itself stands an ancient battered +statue--somewhat hard to find--of the saint, and in the pavement +hard by a modern stone bears a representation of his murder. The +date of the martyrdom is usually given as May 20, 792 A.D.</p> +<p>A brief mention of the occurrence is given under that date in +the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," and full details are recorded by later +historians, Matthew of Westminster and Roger of Wendover being the +most precise and full. The ancient Hereford Breviary preserves +further details also, for which I am indebted to my friend the Rev. +H. Housman, B.D., of Bradley.</p> +<p>These authorities I have followed as closely as possible, only +slightly varying the persons to whom the portents, so +characteristic of the times, occurred, and referring some--as is +quite possible, without detracting from their significance to men +of that day--to natural causes. Those who searched for the body of +the king are unnamed by the chroniclers, and I have, therefore, had +no hesitation in putting the task into the hands of the hero of the +tale. The whole sequence of events is unaltered.</p> +<p>Offa's own part in the removal of the hapless young king is +given entirely from the accounts of the chroniclers, and the +characters of Quendritha the queen and her accomplice Gymbert are +by no means drawn here more darkly than in their pages. The story +of her voyage and finding by Offa is from Brompton's Annals.</p> +<p>The first recorded landing of the Danes in Wessex, with which +the story opens, is from the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle;" the name of +the sheriff, and the account of the headstrong conduct which led to +his end, being added from Ethelwerd. The exact place of the landing +is not stated; but as it was undoubtedly near Dorchester, it may be +located at Weymouth with sufficient probability. For the reasons +which led to the exile of Ecgbert, and to his long stay at the +court of Carl the Great, the authority is William of Malmesbury. +The close correspondence between the Mercian and Frankish courts +is, of course, historic--Offa seeming most anxious to ally himself +with the great Continental monarch, if only in name. The position +of the hero as an honoured and independent guest at the hall of +Offa would certainly be that assigned to an emissary from Carl.</p> +<p>With regard to the proper names involved, I have preferred to +use modern forms rather than the cumbrous if more correct spelling +of the period. The name of the terrible queen, for example, appears +on her coins as "Cynethryth," and varies in the pages of the +chroniclers from "Quendred" to the form chosen as most simple for +use today. And it has not seemed worth while to substitute the +ancient names of places for those in present use which sufficiently +retain their earlier form or meaning.</p> +<p>The whole story of King Ethelbert's wooing and its disastrous +ending is a perfect romance in all truth, without much need for +enhancement by fiction, and perhaps has its forgotten influence on +many a modern romance, by the postponement of a wedding day until +the month of May--so disastrous for him and his bride--has +passed.</p> +<p>C. W. WHISTLER.</p> +<p>STOCKLAND, 1904.</p> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTORY">INTRODUCTORY</a>.</h2> +<p>A shore of dull green and yellow sand dunes, beyond whose low +tops a few sea-worn pines and birch trees show their heads, and at +whose feet the gray sea hardly breaks in the heavy stillness that +comes with the near thunder of high summer. The tide is full and +nearing the turn, and the shore birds have gone elsewhere till +their food is bared again at its falling. Only a few dotterels, +whose eggs lie somewhere near, run and flit, piping, to and fro, +for a boat and two men are resting at the very edge of the wave as +if the ebb would see them afloat again.</p> +<p>Armed men they are, too, and the boat is new and handsome, +graceful with the beautiful lines of a northern shipwright's +designing. She has mast and sail and one steering oar, but neither +rowlocks nor other oars to fit in them. One of the men is pacing +quietly up and down the sand, as if on the quarterdeck of a ship, +and the other rests against the boat's gunwale.</p> +<p>"Nigh time," says one, glancing at the fringe of weed which the +tide is beginning to leave.</p> +<p>"Ay, nigh, and I would it were past and over. It is a hard +doom."</p> +<p>"No harder than is deserved. The doom ring and the great stone +had been the end in days which I can remember. That was the old +Danish way."</p> +<p>The other man nods.</p> +<p>"But the jarl is merciful, as ever."</p> +<p>"When one finds a coiled adder, one slays it. One does not say, +'Bide alive, because I saw you too soon to be harmed by you.' Mercy +to the beast that might be, but not to the child who shall some day +set his hand on it."</p> +<p>"Eh, well! The wind is off shore, and it is a far cry to +succour, and Ran waits the drowning."</p> +<p>"I know not that Ran cares for women."</p> +<p>"Maybe a witch like herself. They are coming!"</p> +<p>Now through a winding gap in the line of dunes comes from inland +a little company of men and women, swiftly and in silence. The two +men range themselves on either bow of the boat, and stand at +attention as the newcomers near them, and so wait. Maybe there are +two-score people, led by a man and woman, who walk side by side +without word or look passing between them. The man is tall and +handsome, armed in the close-knit ring-mail shirt of the Dane, with +gemmed sword hilt and golden mountings to scabbard and dirk, and +his steel helm and iron-gray hair seem the same colour in the +shadowless light of the dull sky overhead. One would set his age at +about sixty years.</p> +<p>But the woman at his side is young and wonderfully lovely. She +is dressed in white and gold, and her hair is golden as the coiled +necklace and armlets she wears, and hangs in two long plaits far +below her knees, though it is looped in the golden girdle round her +waist. Fastened to the girdle hangs the sheath of a little dagger, +but there is no blade in it. She is plainly of high rank, and +unwedded. Now her fair face is set and hard, and it would almost +seem that despair was written on it.</p> +<p>After those two the other folk seem hardly worth a glance, +though they are richly dressed, and the men are as well armed as +the jarl their leader. Nor do they seem to have eyes for any but +those two at their head, and no word passes among them. Their faces +also are set and hard, as if they had somewhat heavy to see to, and +would fain carry it through to the end unflinching.</p> +<p>So they come to the edge of the sea, where the boat waits them, +and there halt; and the tall jarl faces the girl at his side, and +speaks to her in a dull voice, while the people slowly make a half +circle round them, listening.</p> +<p>"Now we have come to the end," he says, "and from henceforth +this land shall know you and the ways of you no more. There were +other dooms which men had thought more fitting for you, but they +were dooms of death. You shall not die at our hands. You are young, +and you have time to bethink you whither the ways you have trodden +shall lead you. If the sea spares you, begin life afresh. If it +spares you not, maybe it is well. No others shall be beguiled by +that fair face of yours. The Norns heed not the faces of men."</p> +<p>He pauses; but the girl stands silent, hand locked in hand, and +with no change of face. Nor does she look at her accuser, but gazes +steadily out to the still sea, which seems endless, for there is no +line between sea and sky in the hot haze. For all its exceeding +beauty, hers is an evil face to look on at this time. And the women +who gaze on her have no pity in their eyes, nor have the men.</p> +<p>Once again the great jarl speaks, and his words are cold and +measured.</p> +<p>"Also, I and our wisest hold that what you have tried to compass +was out of the longing for power that ever lies in the heart of +youth. We had done no more than laugh thereat had you been content +to try to win your will with the ancient wiles of woman that lie in +beauty and weakness. But for the evil ways in which you have +wrought the land is accursed, and will be so as long as we suffer +you. Go hence, and meet elsewhere what fate befalls you. In the +skill you have in the seaman's craft is your one hope. We leave it +you."</p> +<p>Then, without a word of answer or so much as a look aside, the +girl of her own accord steps into the boat; and at a sign from +their lord the two men launch her from the shelving sand into the +sea, following her, knee deep, among the little breakers that +hardly hinder their steps. They see that in her look is deepest +hate and wrath, but they pay no heed to it. And even as their hands +leave the gunwale, the girl goes to the mast, and with the skill +and ease of long custom hoists the sail, and so making fast the +halliard deftly, comes aft again to ship the steering oar, and seat +herself as the breeze wakes the ripples at the bow and the land +slips away from her. She has gone, and never looks back.</p> +<p>Then a sort of sigh whispers among the women folk on shore; but +it is not as a sigh of grief, but rather as if a danger had passed +from the land. They know that the boat must needs drive but as the +wind takes her, for oars wherewith to row against it are none, and +the long summer spell of seaward breezes has set in. The jarl folds +his arms and bides still in his place, and the two men still stand +in the water, watching. And so the boat and its fair burden of +untold ill fades into the mist and grows ghostly, and is lost to +sight; and across the dunes the clouds gather, and the thunder +mutters from inland with the promise of long-looked-for rain to a +parched and starving folk.</p> +<p>* * * *</p> +<p>Through the long summer morning Offa, the young King of Mercia, +has hunted across the rich Lindsey marshes which lie south of the +Humber; and now in the heat of the noon he will leave his party +awhile and ride with one thane only to the great Roman bank which +holds back the tides, and seek a cool breath from the salt sea, +whose waves he can hear. So he sets spurs to his great white steed, +and with the follower after him, rides to where the high sand dunes +are piled against the bank, and reins up on their grassy summit, +and looks eastward across the most desolate sands in all England, +gull-haunted only.</p> +<p>"Here is a marvel," he cries, turning to his thane. "Many a time +have I hunted along this shore, but never before have I seen the +like of this here."</p> +<p>He laughs, and points below him toward the sand, and his thane +rides nearer. The tide has crept almost to the foot of the ancient +sea wall, and gently rocking on it lies a wondrously beautiful boat +with red and white sail set, but with no man, or aught living +beyond the white terns which hover and swoop about it, to be +seen.</p> +<p>"'Tis a foreign boat," says the thane. "Our folk cannot frame +such an one as this. Doubtless she has broken her line from astern +of some ship last night, and so has been wafted hither."</p> +<p>"Men do not tow a boat with her sail set," laughs the king. "Let +us go and see her."</p> +<p>So they ride shoreward across the dunes, and ever the breeze +edges the boat nearer and nearer, till at last she is at rest on +the edge of the tide, lifting now and then as some little wave runs +beneath her sharp stern. For once the North Sea is still, and even +the brown water of the Humber tides is blue across the yellow +sands.</p> +<p>The horses come swiftly and noiselessly across the strand, but +the white steed of the king is restless as he nears the boat, +sniffing the air and tossing his head. The king speaks to him, +thinking that it is the swinging sail which he pretends to fear. +And then the horse starts and almost rears, for at the sound of the +clear voice there rises somewhat from the hollow of the little +craft, and the king himself stays in amaze.</p> +<p>For he sees before him the most wondrously beautiful maiden his +eyes have rested on, golden-haired and blue-eyed, wan and weary +with the long voyage from the far-off shore, and holding out to him +piteous hands, blistered with the rough sheet and steering oar. She +says naught, but naught is needed.</p> +<p>"Lady," he says, doffing his gold-circled cap, "have no fear. +All is well, and you are safe. Whence come you?"</p> +<p>But he has no answer, for the maiden sinks back into the boat +swooning. Then in all haste the king sends his thane for help to +the party they have left; and so he sits on the boat's gunwale and +watches the worn face pityingly.</p> +<p>Now come his men, and at his word they tend the maiden with all +care, so that very soon she revives again, and can tell her tale. +Beyond the hunger and thirst there has indeed been little hardship +to a daughter of the sea in the summer weather, for the breeze has +been kindly and steady, and the boat stanch and swift. There has +been rain too, gentle, and enough to stave off the utmost +thirst.</p> +<p>All this she tells the king truly; and then he must know how she +came to lose her own shore. And at that she weeps, but is ready. In +the long hours she has conned every tale that may be made, and it +is on her lips.</p> +<p>She is the orphan daughter of a Danish jarl, she says, and her +father has been slain. She has been set adrift by the chief who has +taken her lands, for her folk had but power to ask that grace for +her. He would have slain her, but that they watched him. Doubtless +he had poisoned their minds against her, or they would not have +suffered thus far of ill to her even. Otherwise she cannot believe +so ill of them. It is all terrible to her.</p> +<p>And so, with many tears, she accounts for her want of oars, and +provides against the day when some chapman from beyond seas shall +know her and tell the tale of her shame. At the end she weeps, and +begs for kindness to an outcast pitifully.</p> +<p>There is no reason why men should not believe the tale, and told +with those wondrous tear-dimmed eyes on them, they doubt not a word +of it. It is no new thing that a usurper should make away with the +heiress, and doubtless they think her beauty saved her from a worse +fate.</p> +<p>So in all honour the maiden is taken to Lincoln, and presently +given into the care of one of the great ladies of the court.</p> +<p>But as they ride homeward with the weary maiden in the midst of +the company, Offa the king is silent beyond his wont, so that the +thane who rode yonder with him asks if aught is amiss.</p> +<p>"Naught," answers Offa. "But if it is true that men say that +none but a heaven-sent bride will content me, maybe this is the one +of whom they spoke."</p> +<p>Now, if it was longing for power and place which had tempted +this maiden to ill in the old home, here she sees her way to more +than her wildest dream plain before her; and she bends her mind to +please, and therein prospers. For when wit and beauty go hand in +hand that is no hard matter. So in no long time it comes to pass +that she has gained all she would, and is queen of all the Mercian +land, from the Wash to the Thames, and from Thames to Trent, and +from Severn to the Lindsey shore; for Offa has wedded her, and all +who see her rejoice in his choice, holding her as a heaven-sent +queen indeed, so sweetly and lowly and kindly she bears herself. +Nor for many a long year can she think of aught which would bring +her more power, so that even she deems that the lust of it is dead +within her. Only for many a year she somewhat fears the coming of +every stranger from beyond the sea lest she may be known, until it +is certain that none would believe a tale against their queen.</p> +<p>Yet when that time comes there are old counsellors of the Witan +who will say among themselves that they deem Quendritha the queen +the leader and planner of all that may go to the making great the +kingdom of the Mercians; and there are one or two who think within +themselves that, were she thwarted in aught she had set her mind +on, she might have few scruples as to how she gained her ends. But +no man dare put that thought into words.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a>. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO +ENGLAND.</h2> +<p>Two fair daughters had Offa, the mighty King of Mercia, and +Quendritha his queen. The elder of those two, Eadburga, was wedded +to our Wessex king, Bertric, in the year when my story begins, and +all men in our land south of the Thames thought that the wedding +was a matter of full rejoicing. There had been but one enemy for +Wessex to fear, besides, of course, the wild Cornish, who were of +no account, and that enemy was Mercia. Now the two kingdoms were +knit together by the marriage, and there would be lasting +peace.</p> +<p>Wherefore we all rejoiced, and the fires flamed from the +hilltops, and in the towns men feasted and drank to the alliance, +and dreamed of days of unbroken ease to come, wherein the weapons, +save always for the ways of the border Welsh, should rust on the +wall, and the trodden grass of the old camps of the downs on our +north should grow green in loneliness. And that was a good dream, +for our land had been torn with war for overlong--Saxon against +Angle, Kentishman against Sussexman, Northumbrian against Mercian, +and so on in a terrible round of hate and jealousy and pride, till +we tired thereof, and the rest was needed most sorely.</p> +<p>And in that same year the shadow of a new trouble fell on +England, and none heeded it, though we know it over well now--the +shadow of the coming of the Danes. My own story must needs begin +with that, for I saw its falling, and presently understood its +blackness.</p> +<p>I had been to Winchester with my father, Ethelward the thane of +Frome Selwood, to see the bringing home of the bride by our king, +and there met a far cousin of ours, with whom it was good to enjoy +all the gay doings of the court for the week while we were there. +He belonged to Dorchester, and taking as much fancy to my company +as a man double his age can have pleasure in the ways of a lad of +eighteen, he asked me to ride home with him, and so stay in his +house for a time, seeing the new country, and hunting with him for +a while before I went home. And my father being very willing that I +should do so, I went accordingly, and merry days on down and in +forest I had with Elfric the thane, this new-found cousin of +ours.</p> +<p>So it came to pass that one day we found ourselves on the steep +of a down whence we could overlook the sea and the deep bay of +Weymouth, with the great rock of Portland across it; and the width +and beauty of that outlook were wonderful to me, whose home was +inland, in the fair sunshine of late August. We had come suddenly +on it as we rode, and I reined up my horse to look with a sort of +cry of pleasure, so fair the blue water and dappled sky and +towering headland, grass and woodland and winding river, leaped on +my eyes. And in the midst of the still bay three beautiful ships +were heading for the land, the long oars rising and falling +swiftly, while the red and white striped sails hung idly in the +calm. One could see the double of each ship in the water, broken +wonderfully by the ripple of the oars, and after each stretched a +white wake like a path seaward.</p> +<p>My cousin stayed his horse also with a grip of the reins that +brought him up short, and he also made an exclamation, but by no +means for the same reason as myself.</p> +<p>"Ho!" he said, "what are these ships?"</p> +<p>Then he set his hand to his forehead and looked long at them +from under it, while I watched them also, unknowing that there was +anything unusual in the sight for one who lived so near the sea and +the little haven of Weymouth below us.</p> +<p>"Well, what do you think of them?" I asked presently.</p> +<p>"On my word, I do not know," he answered thoughtfully. "They are +no Frisian traders, and I have never seen their like before. +Moreover, it seems to me that they are full of armed men. See how +the sun sparkles on their decks here and there!"</p> +<p>But we were too far off to make out more than that, and as we +watched it was plain that the ships would make for the river mouth +and haven.</p> +<p>"We will ride down and see more of them," said my cousin. "I +only hope--"</p> +<p>There he stayed his words; but I saw that his face had grown +grave of a sudden, and knew that some heavy thought had crossed his +mind.</p> +<p>"What?" I asked.</p> +<p>"It must be impossible," he said slowly--"and this is between +you and me--for it seems foolish. But have you heard of the +northern strangers who have harried the Welsh beyond the Severn +sea?"</p> +<p>I had heard of them, of course, for they traded with the Devon +men at times, having settled in towns of their own in Wales beyond +the Severn. It was said that they were heathen, worshipping the +same gods whom our forefathers had worshipped, and were akin to +ourselves, with a tongue not unlike our own at all, and easy to be +understood by us. Also they had fought the Welsh, as we had to +fight them; but one heard of them only as strangers who had naught +to do with us Saxons.</p> +<p>"Well, then," my cousin said, "suppose these are more of the +northern folk."</p> +<p>"If they are, they will have come to trade," I said lightly. +"But they will more likely be men from the land across this +sea--men from the land of the Franks, such as we saw at Winchester +the other day."</p> +<p>"Maybe, maybe," he said. "We shall see presently."</p> +<p>So we rode on. I dare say we had four miles to go before we came +to the outskirts of Weymouth village, and by that time the ships +were in the haven. By that time also the Weymouth folk were leaving +the place, and that hastily; and before we were within half a mile +of the nearest houses we met two men on horseback, who rode fast on +the road toward Dorchester.</p> +<p>"What is amiss?" cried my cousin as they neared us.</p> +<p>The men knew him well, and stayed.</p> +<p>"Three strange ships in the haven, and their crews ashore armed, +and taking all they can lay their hands on. We are going to the +sheriff; where is he?"</p> +<p>"Home at Dorchester. Whence are the ships? Have they hurt any +one?"</p> +<p>"We cannot tell whence they are. They speak a strange sort of +English, as it were, like the Northumbrian priest we have. +Red-headed, big men they are, and good-tempered so far, seeing that +none dare gainsay them. But they are most outrageously +thievish."</p> +<p>"What have they taken, then?"</p> +<p>"Ask the bakers and butchers. Now they are gathering up all the +horses, and they say they are going to drive the cattle."</p> +<p>"Sheriff's business that, in all truth. Get to him as soon as +you may. I will go and see if I can reason with them +meanwhile."</p> +<p>"Have a care, thane!" they cried, and spurred their horses +again.</p> +<p>Then my cousin turned to me, and his face was grave.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," he said, "you had better go with those messengers. I +am going to see if aught can be done; but it sounds bad. I don't +like an armed landing of this sort."</p> +<p>"No, cousin," I answered. "Let me go with you. It would be hard +if you must send me back, for I would fain see the ships. That talk +of driving the cattle can be naught but a jest."</p> +<p>"Likely enough," he answered, laughing. "It is no new thing for +a crew to come ashore and clear out the booths of the tradesmen +without troubling to pay offhand. Presently their captains will +come and pay what is asked, grumbling, and there will be no loss to +our folk. As for this talk of taking the horses--well, a sailor +always wants a ride when he first comes ashore, if it is only on an +ass. Then if there is not enough meat ready to hand in the town, no +doubt they would say they would find it for themselves. Well, come +on, and we will see."</p> +<p>So we rode on, but the laugh faded from the face of my kinsman +as we did so.</p> +<p>"They have no business to come ashore armed," he said, half to +himself, "and Weymouth folk ought to be used to the ways of seamen +by this time. I don't like it, Wilfrid."</p> +<p>Nevertheless, we did not stop, and presently came among the +first houses of the village, where there was a little crowd of the +folk, half terrified, and yet not altogether minded to fly. They +said that the strangers were sacking the houses along the water's +edge, but not harming any one. However, they were taking all the +ale and cider casks they could find on board their ships, and never +a word of payment.</p> +<p>"Do not go near them," said my cousin. "Doubtless some one will +pay presently, and I will go and speak with their head men. Maybe +they can't find any one who can rightly understand their talk."</p> +<p>"Oh ay," said an old man, "it passes me to know how a thane like +your worship can understand all sorts of talk they use in England. +It is all the likes of us can compass to understand even a Mercian; +but I warrant you would ken what a Northumbrian means easily."</p> +<p>He shook his head with much wisdom, and we left him grumbling at +the speech of the priest we had already heard of.</p> +<p>We passed down the straggling shoreward street, and as we neared +the waterside we heard the shouts and laughter of the strangers +plainly enough. And over the houses were the mastheads of their +three ships. One of them had a forked red flag, whereon was a raven +worked in black, so well that it was easy to see what bird it was +meant for. It was the raven of the Danish sea kings, but that meant +naught to us yet. The terror which went before and the weeping that +bided after that flag were yet to come.</p> +<p>The next thing was that from the haven rode swiftly half a dozen +mounted men toward us, and the first glance told us that here were +warriors whose very war gear was new to us. Three of them had +close-fitting coats of ring mail, and wore burnished round helms of +bronze or steel; while the others, who were also helmed, had +jerkins of buff leather, gilded and cut in patterns on the edges of +the short sleeves and skirts. Their arms were bare, save that one +had heavy golden bracelets above the elbow; and they all wore white +trousers, girt to the leg loosely with coloured cross-gartering, +which reached higher than ours. I had never seen such mail as +theirs, and straightway I began to wonder if I might not buy a suit +from them.</p> +<p>But most different from any arming of ours was that each had a +heavy axe either in his hand or slung to his saddle, and that their +swords were longer, with very handsome hilts. Only two had spears, +and these were somewhat shorter than ours and maybe heavier. They +were better armed warriors than ever I had seen before, even at +Winchester.</p> +<p>Some word passed among these men as they saw us; but they came +on, making no sign of enmity of any sort. Perhaps that was because, +being in hunting gear and with naught more than the short sword and +seax one always wears, we had no weapons, and were plainly on +peaceful business.</p> +<p>And as in spite of their arms they seemed peaceful enough also, +my cousin and I waited for them, so that they pulled up to speak to +us, that man who wore the bracelets being at their head.</p> +<p>"Friends," said my cousin quietly, as they stared at him, "there +is no war in the land, and we are wont to welcome strangers. No +need for all this weapon wearing."</p> +<p>"Faith, I am glad to hear it," said the leader, with a grim +smile. "We thought there might be need. There mostly is when we +come ashore."</p> +<p>One could understand him well enough, if his speech was rougher +than ours. The words were the same, if put together somewhat +differently and with a new way of speaking them. It was only a +matter of thinking twice, as it were, and one knew what he meant. +Also he seemed to understand us better than we him, doubtless by +reason of years of travelling and practice in different tongues of +the northern lands.</p> +<p>"The arms somewhat terrify our folk," said my cousin, not +heeding the meaning which might lie in the words of the chief. "But +I suppose you have put in for food and water."</p> +<p>"For ale and beef--that is more like it," said the Dane. "Having +found which we are going away again. The sooner we find it the +better, therefore, and maybe you will be glad to help us to what we +seek."</p> +<p>"Our folk tell me that you are helping yourselves somewhat +freely already," answered the thane. "One may suppose that, like +honest seamen, you mean to face the reckoning presently."</p> +<p>"Oh ay, we always pay, if we are asked," answered the chief; and +as he said it he hitched his sword hilt forward into reach in a way +which there was no mistaking.</p> +<p>"It is a new thing to us that seamen should hint that they will +pay for what they need with the cold steel. We are not such churls +as to withhold what a man would seek in his need."</p> +<p>"No man ever withholds aught from us, if so be we have set our +minds on it," said the chief, with a great laugh.</p> +<p>Then he turned to his men, who were all round us by this time, +listening.</p> +<p>"Here, take these two down to the ships, and see that they +escape not; they will be good hostages."</p> +<p>In a moment, before we had time so much as to spur our horses, +much less to draw sword, we were seized and pinioned by the men in +spite of the rearing of the frightened steeds. Plainly it was not +the first time they had handled men in that wise. Then, with a +warrior on either side of us, we were hurried seaward; and I +thought it best to hold my tongue, for there was not the least use +in protesting. So also thought my cousin, for he never said a +word.</p> +<p>Along the rough wharves there was bustle and noise enough, for +the place swarmed with the mailed seamen, who had littered the +roadway with goods of all sorts from the houses and merchants' +stores, and were getting what they chose to take across the gang +planks into their ships. Here and there I saw some of our people +standing helpless in doorways, or looking from the loft windows and +stairways; but it was plain that the most of them had fled. There +were several boatloads of them crossing the bay with all speed for +safety.</p> +<p>Next I saw that at the high stems and sterns of the ships stood +posted men, who seemed to be on watch, leaning on their spears, and +taking no part in the bustle. But every man worked with his arms +ready, and more men who had found horses rode out along the roads +as we came in. They were the pickets who would watch for the +raising of the country, or who would drive in the cattle from the +fields.</p> +<p>Twice I had seen border warfare with the west Welsh on the Devon +side of our country, and so I knew what these horsemen were about, +or rather guessed it. But at the time all the affair was a confused +medley to me, if I seem to see it plainly now as I look back. Maybe +I saw more from the ships presently, for we were hurried on board, +handed over to the ship guard and there left, while our captors +rode away again.</p> +<p>I only hoped that when the first messengers reached Beaduheard +the sheriff he would bring force enough with him. But I doubted +it.</p> +<p>The guard took our weapons from us, bound us afresh but not very +tightly, and set us with our backs against the gunwale of the fore +deck of the ship they had us on board, which was that with the +raven flag. Over us towered a wonderful carven dragon's head, +painted green and gilded, and at the stern of the ship rose what +was meant for its carven tail. The other ships had somewhat the +same adornment to their stems and stern posts, but they were not so +high or so handsome. Plainly this was the chief's own ship.</p> +<p>Now I suppose that the presence of a captive or two was no new +thing to the men, for when they had secured us each to a ring bolt +with a short line, they paid little heed to us, but stood and +talked to one another with hardly a glance in our direction. Seeing +which my cousin spoke to me in a low voice.</p> +<p>"This is a bad business, Wilfrid," he said. "Poor lad, I am more +than sorry I let you come with me. Forgive me. I ought to have +known that there was danger."</p> +<p>"Trouble not at all," I said, as stoutly as I could, which is +not saying much. "I wanted to come, and there was no reason to +think that things would go thus. Even now I suppose we shall be let +go presently."</p> +<p>Elfric shook his head. I could see that he was far more deeply +troubled than he cared to show, and my heart sank.</p> +<p>"I cannot rightly make it all out," he said. "But these men are +certainly the northern strangers who have harried Wales, even as we +feared."</p> +<p>"Well," I said, "we shall have the sheriff here shortly."</p> +<p>"Beaduheard? I suppose so. Little help will be from him. It +would take three days to raise force enough to drive off these men, +and he is headstrong and hot tempered. His only chance is to scare +them away with a show of force, or, at best, to prevent their going +inland after plunder; for that is what they are here for."</p> +<p>"Maybe they will hold us to ransom."</p> +<p>"That is the best we can hope for. Of course I will pay +yours."</p> +<p>The bustle went on, and I watched the stowing of the plunder +after this, for I had no more to say. I thought of my father, and +of the trouble he would be in if he knew my plight, and tried to +think what a tale I should have to tell him when I reached home +again.</p> +<p>And then came an old warrior, well armed and handsome, with +iron-gray hair and beard, and he stepped on the deck and looked +curiously at us.</p> +<p>"Captives, eh?" he said to the men. "Whence came they?"</p> +<p>"Thorleif sent them in," answered one of the guard. "It was his +word that they would be good hostages."</p> +<p>As I knew that this man spoke of his chief, it seemed to me that +he was hardly respectful; but I did not know the way of free Danes +and vikings as yet. There was no disrespect at all, in truth, but +full loyalty and discipline in every way. Only it sounded strangely +to a Saxon to hear no term of rank or respect added to the bare +name of a leader.</p> +<p>Then the old warrior turned toward us, and looked us over again, +and I thought he seemed kindly, and, from his way, another chief of +some rank.</p> +<p>"I suppose this is your son?" he said to Elfric directly.</p> +<p>"My young cousin," answered the thane. "Let him go, I pray you; +for he is far from his own folk, and he was in my charge. You may +bid him ride home without a word to any man if you will, and he +will keep the trust."</p> +<p>The warrior shook his head, but smiled.</p> +<p>"No, I cannot do that. However, I suppose Thorleif will let you +go by and by. If our having you here saves trouble, you may be +thankful. We are not here to fight if we can help it."</p> +<p>"Why, then," said Elfric, "unbind us, and we will bide here +quietly. You may take the word of a thane."</p> +<p>"I have always heard that the word of a Saxon is to be relied +on," said the old warrior, and gave an order to the guard.</p> +<p>Whereon they freed us, and glad I was to stretch my limbs again, +while my spirits rose somewhat.</p> +<p>The old chief talked with us for a while after that, and made no +secret of whence the ships had come. It seemed that they were +indeed from Wales, had touched on the south coast of Ireland, and +thence had rounded the Land's End, and, growing short of food, had +put in here. Also, he told us that they had been "collecting +property," and were on the way home to Denmark. He thought they +were the first ships of the Danes to cruise in these waters, and +was proud of it.</p> +<p>"It is a wondrously fair land of yours here," he said, looking +inland on the rolling downs and forest-hidden valleys.</p> +<p>"Fairer than your own?" I asked.</p> +<p>"Surely; else why should we care to leave our homes?"</p> +<p>"Ho, Thrond!" shouted some man from the wharves, "here are +cattle coming in."</p> +<p>The old warrior turned and left us, going ashore. Round the +turning of the street inland, whence we came, some of the mounted +men were driving our red cattle from the nearer meadows, and doing +it well as any drover who ever waited for hire at a fair. I saw +that they had great heavy-headed dogs, tall and smooth haired, +which worked well enough, though not so well as our rough gray +shepherd dogs. The ship we were in lay alongside the wooden wharf; +and one could watch all that went on, for the fore deck was high +above the busy crowd ashore.</p> +<p>I wondered for a few minutes what the Danes would do with the +cattle; but they had no doubt at all. Before old Thrond had reached +them the work of slaughter had begun, and wonderfully fast the men +were carrying the meat on board the ships, heaping it in piles +forward, and throwing the hides over the heaps. I heard one of the +guards say to another that this was a good "strand hewing," that +being their name for this hasty victualling of the ships.</p> +<p>More cattle came in presently, and sheep also, to be served in +the same way. There were a hundred and fifty men or so on each +ship, and I think that this was the first landing they had made +since they left Ireland, so that they were in need of plenty of +stores.</p> +<p>Then all in the midst of the bustle came the wild note of a war +horn from somewhere inland beyond the town, and in a moment every +man stood still where he happened to be, and listened. Twice again +the note sounded, and a horseman came clattering down to the shore. +He was Thorleif, the chief with whom we had spoken, and he reined +up the horse and lifted his hand, with a short, sharp order of some +kind.</p> +<p>At that every man dropped what he was carrying, and the men who +were stowing the plunder on board the ships left their work and +hurried ashore, gripping their weapons from where they had set them +against the gunwales. There was a moment's wild hurrying on the +wharves, and then the warriors were drawn up in three lines along +the wharf, across the berths where they had laid the ships, and +facing the landward road. Only the ship guard never stirred.</p> +<p>"If only we could get our men to form up like these!" said +Elfric. "See, every man knows his place, and keeps it. They are +silent also. Mind you the way of our levies?"</p> +<p>I did well enough. Never had I seen aught like this. For our +folk, called up from plough and forest hastily--and now and then +only--have never been taught the long lesson of order and readiness +that these men had learned of necessity in the yearly battle with +wind and wave in their ships. Nor had they ever to face a foe any +better ordered than themselves.</p> +<p>"Is the sheriff at hand?" I said breathlessly.</p> +<p>"Maybe. I hope not closely."</p> +<p>Down the street galloped a few more Danes, looking behind them +as they rode. They spoke to Thorleif, and he laughed, and then +turned their horses loose and leaped to their places in the ranks. +Thorleif dismounted also, and paced to and fro, as a waiting seaman +will, with his arms behind him.</p> +<p>And then came a rush of horsemen, and my cousin gripped my arm, +and cried out in a choked voice:</p> +<p>"Mercy!" he gasped, "is the man mad?"</p> +<p>The new horsemen were men of our own from Dorchester. I saw one +or two of Elfric's housecarls among them, and the rest were the +sheriff's own men, with a few franklins who had joined him on the +road.</p> +<p>At the head of the group rode Beaduheard himself, red and hot +with his ride, and plainly in a rage. His rough brown beard +bristled fiercely, and his hand griped the bridle so that the +knuckles were white. He had armed himself, and his men were armed +also, but their gear showed poorly beside the Danish harness. He +had hardly more than twenty men after him, and I thought he had +outridden his followers who were on foot.</p> +<p>"O fool!" groaned Elfric. "What is the use of this?"</p> +<p>But we could do nothing, and watched in anxiety to see what +Beaduheard had in his mind. It was impossible that he could have +ridden in here with no warning of the real danger, as we had ridden +two hours ago, before things had gone so far. Every townsman had +fled long since, and would be making for Dorchester. He must have +met them.</p> +<p>Now he halted in front of that terrible silent line, while his +men seemed to shrink somewhat as they, too, pulled up. Then he +faced Thorleif as boldly as if he had the army of Wessex behind +him, and spoke his mind.</p> +<p>"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted in his great voice. +"We can have no breaking of the king's peace here, let me tell you. +Set down those arms, and do your errand here as peaceful merchants, +whereto will be no hindrance. But concerning the lifting of cattle +which has gone on, I must have your leaders brought to Dorchester, +there to answer for the same."</p> +<p>There was a moment's silence, and then the Danes broke into a +great roar of laughter. Even Thorleif's grim face had a smile on +it, and he set his hand to his mouth, and stroked his long +moustache as if hiding it, while he looked wonderingly at the angry +man before him. But beside me Elfric stamped his foot with +impatience, and muttered curses on the foolhardiness of the +sheriff, which, indeed, I suppose no one understands to this +day.</p> +<p>Some say that he took them for merchants, run wild indeed, but +to be brought to soberness by authority. Others think that finding +himself, as it were, in a wolf's mouth, he was minded to carry it +off with a high hand, seeing no other way out of the danger. But +most think that he had such belief in his own power that he did +indeed look to see these men bow to it, and lay down their arms +then and there. But none will ever know, by reason of what was to +come.</p> +<p>"Throw down your arms!" he commanded again, when the laughter +ceased.</p> +<p>His voice shook with rage.</p> +<p>"Stay!" said Thorleif. "What is your authority?"</p> +<p>The question was put very courteously, if coldly, and it was +common sense.</p> +<p>"I am the sheriff of Dorchester. Whence are you that you should +defy the king's officer?"</p> +<p>"Pardon," said Thorleif. "It is only at this moment that we have +learned that we have so great a man before us. As for your +question, we are hungry Danes who are looking for victuals. It is +our custom to go armed in a strange land, that we may protect our +ships at the least."</p> +<p>"Trouble not for your ships, for none will harm them," +Beaduheard said, seeming to be somewhat pacified by the quiet way +of the chief. "Set down your arms, and render up yourself and the +other ship captains, and the theft of the cattle and damage here +shall be compounded for at Dorchester."</p> +<p>Then Thorleif turned to his men and said:</p> +<p>"You hear what the sheriff says; what is the answer?"</p> +<p>That came in a crash and rattle of weapons on round shields that +rang over the bay, and sent the staring cattle headlong from where +they had been left at the wharf end, tail in air, down the beach. +There was no doubting what that meant, and Beaduheard, brave man as +he was, if foolish, recoiled. His men were already edging out of +the wide space toward the homeward track, and he glanced at them +and saw it.</p> +<p>At that he seemed to form some sudden resolve; and calling to +them, he rode straight at Thorleif and griped him by the collar of +his mail shirt, crying that he arrested him in the name of Bertric +the king. Thorleif never struggled, but twisted himself round +strongly, and hauled the sheriff off his horse in a moment, and the +two rolled over and over on the ground, wrestling fiercely. Three +or four of Beaduheard's men rode up to their master's help in +haste, caring naught that a dozen of the Danes had sprung forward. +There was a wild shouting and stamping, and the horses went down as +the axes of the Danes flashed. Two more of the sheriff's men joined +in, and I saw the Danes hew off the points of their levelled +spears. Then into the huddled party of our men who were watching +the fight--still doubting whether they should join in or fly--rode +a dozen Danes from out of the country, axe and sword in hand, +driving them back on the main line of the vikings, and then the +fight seemed to end as suddenly as it began. Two or three horses +went riderless homeward, and that was how Dorchester learned that +Beaduheard the sheriff had met his end.</p> +<p>The Danes fell back into their places, one or two with wounds on +them; and Thorleif rose up from the ground, shaking his armour into +place, and looking round him on those who lay there. They were all +Saxons. Not one had escaped.</p> +<p>"Pick up the sheriff," he said to some of his men. "I never saw +a braver fool. Maybe he is not hurt."</p> +<p>But, however he died, Beaduheard never moved again. Some of the +Danes said that a horse must have kicked him; Thorleif had never +drawn weapon.</p> +<p>"Pity," said Thorleif. "He was somewhat of a Berserk; but he +brought it on himself."</p> +<p>Which was true enough, and we knew it. Neither Elfric nor I had +a word to say to each other. The whole fight had sprung up and was +over almost before we knew what was happening.</p> +<p>Then the Danes mounted the horses of the men who had fallen, +caught the others they had turned loose on the alarm, and were off +on their errands without delay. The ranks fell out, and went back +to their work as if nothing had happened, and the wharf buzzed with +peaceful-seeming noise again.</p> +<p>That is how the first Danes came to Wessex. Men say that these +three ships were the first Danish vessels that came to all England; +and so it may be, as far as coming on viking raids is concerned. +Wales knew them, and Ireland, and now our turn had come.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a>. HOW WILFRID KEPT A +PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND RACE.</h2> +<p>All the rest of that afternoon we two had to bide on the narrow +fore deck of the long ship, watching the pillage of the little +town. Once I waxed impatient, and asked my cousin if we might not +try to escape, seeing that little heed was paid to us, and that our +staying here as hostages had been of no use. But he shook his head, +telling me that until he had spoken with Thorleif or Thrond, to +whom we had passed our word, we must bide; which I saw was +right.</p> +<p>Presently, as the evening began to close in, Thorleif came to +us, and with him was the old chief. After them came a man with food +in plenty in a ship's cauldron, and a leathern jack of ale, which +he set before us as we sat on the coils of rope which were stowed +forward.</p> +<p>"Welsh mutton and Welsh ale," said Thorleif, smiling. "That is +plunder one may ask a Saxon to share without offence. Fall to, I +pray you."</p> +<p>There was a rough courtesy in this, at the least intended, and +we were hungry, so we did not delay. And as we ate, the chief spoke +with us plainly.</p> +<p>"I had hoped," he said, "to manage this raid without fighting, +but I never met so headstrong a man as your sheriff. Truly, I would +have sent him home in peace, if in a hurry, had we been given a +chance, but, as you saw, we had none. Now, if you will, I will send +one of you home to say that if your folk will pay us fair ransom in +coined silver or weighed gold, we will harry no more, and will not +burn the town. One of you shall go at once, and bring me word by +noon at latest tomorrow, while the other shall bide as hostage for +his return. We will do no harm to aught until the time is up."</p> +<p>"Plain speaking, chief," said Elfric. "If we go, we must not +have more than a reasonable sum named, else will the message be +useless."</p> +<p>Then they talked of what sum should be named, and in the end +agreed on what was possible, I think; at all events, it was far +less than has been paid to the like force of Danes since. The +riches of our peaceful Wessex were as yet unknown to the vikings, +save by hearsay; indeed, it has been said that these three ships +came to spy out the land. And then came the question as to which of +us two was to go.</p> +<p>That was ended by Thorleif himself. I said that Elfric should +go, and he was most anxious that I should be freed from the +clutches of the Danes. And as we spoke thereof, neither of us being +willing to give way--for, indeed, it did not seem to me that it +mattered much whether I stayed, while Elfric had his own family, +who would be sorely terrified for him--Thorleif decided it.</p> +<p>"Elfric the thane must go," he said, "for men will listen to +him. That is the main thing, after all.</p> +<p>"We will not harm your cousin, thane, and you may be easy in +your mind."</p> +<p>"Nay," said Thrond, "I think that Dorchester would pay ransom +for the thane willingly. Best let the lad go."</p> +<p>"This is more a question of ransoming the town and countryside, +foster father," answered Thorleif. "The thane shall go."</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour he was gone, the Danes giving him back +his weapons and mounting him on his own horse. He told me that he +had no doubt that I should be freed by noon tomorrow, and so we +parted in good spirits, as far as ourselves were concerned.</p> +<p>As to the trouble that had fallen on the land, that was another +matter. I did not rightly take it in, but it was heavy on his mind. +For myself, therefore, I was content enough; I had no reason to +think that the Danes were likely to treat me evilly in any way.</p> +<p>Nor did they. On the other hand, as if I were one of themselves, +they set me by the chief when they made a feast presently, and did +not ask me questions about the country; which was what I feared. +Most likely their riders had learned all they would from +others.</p> +<p>When it grew dark they lighted great fires along the wharves, +and sat by them in their arms, drinking the Weymouth ale, and +eating the Dorset fare they had taken. The ship guards went ashore, +and their places were taken by others, and I saw strong pickets +passing out of the town to guard the ways into it. Thorleif would +not risk aught in the way of safeguard. After that was done, those +whose watch off it was went on board the ships, and slept under the +shelter of the gunwales, wrapped in their thick sea cloaks. They +gave me one, and bade me rest on the after deck by the chiefs; and +in spite of the strangeness of everything I slept dreamlessly, +being tired in mind as well as in body.</p> +<p>Next morning things were to all seeming much the same. The Danes +had kept their word, and all was peaceful. There being nothing more +in the town left worth taking, they stowed everything carefully, +and made all ready for sailing. And then, halfway between noon and +sunrise, Elfric rode back.</p> +<p>I did not see him, for he was not suffered to come beyond the +line of outposts, and all that he had to say, of course, I did not +know at the time. One came and told Thorleif that the thane waited +to speak with him, and he was gone from the ships for half an hour +with Thrond. When he came back his face was grimmer than ever, and +a red scar which crossed his forehead was burning crimson. He +stayed to speak to the men on the wharves, and some order he gave +was passed from one to another, and in ten minutes every man had +left the wharves and had passed inland, with him at their head.</p> +<p>"Ho, that is it!" said one of the ship guard from the deck below +me.</p> +<p>"What is it?" I asked, for I had been talking to the man in all +friendly wise, of ship and sea and strange lands.</p> +<p>"Why, your folk will not pay, and so we must needs take payment +for ourselves in the viking's way."</p> +<p>I said no more, nor did the man. I think he was sorry for me; +but it was not long before he called to me and pointed to the +hillside above the town. On it was a black throng of folk, slowly +coming down toward us.</p> +<p>"Your people coming to drive us out," he said, laughing a short +laugh.</p> +<p>Then he and his comrades bustled about the ship, setting every +loose thing in place, until the decks were clear. In the other +ships the guard were at the same work, and at last they cast off +all the shore lines but one at stem and stern. The ships might sail +at the moment their men were on board if they were beaten back.</p> +<p>About that time the farther houses in Weymouth began to burn, +and I heard the Wessex war cry rise, hoarse and savage, as the foes +met. There were more of our men coming over the hill, and it was +good to me to see that the Danes, who watched as eagerly as I, +waxed silent and anxious. One said that there seemed a many folk +hereabout, as if the gathering against them was more than they +cared for.</p> +<p>Now I did not know what I had best wish for. Sometimes I thought +that if our men were beaten back they might come to terms, and I +should be freed. And it being a thing impossible that I could hope +that Wessex was to be beaten, and next to impossible that I should +so much as imagine she could, I mostly wondered what would happen +to me when the Danes had to seek the ships. But as the noise of the +fight drew nearer, and the black smoke from burning houses grew +thicker, I forgot myself, and only wished I was with Elfric in that +struggle; and at last I could stand it no longer.</p> +<p>"Let me go, men," I said; "I cannot bide here."</p> +<p>"We must, and you have to," said the friendly man. "We want to +help as much as you, but here we have to stay. Be quiet."</p> +<p>"Ay, or we will bind you again," said another man shortly.</p> +<p>But neither looked toward me; their eyes were on the road +inland, down which we could not see, for it opened at the end of +the wharf.</p> +<p>Now a wounded man or two crawled down that road, and some of the +guard helped them to the ships. They growled fiercely when their +comrades asked how things went, and thereby I knew that it was ill +for the Danes. The houses nearer the wharves were burning one after +another, as they were driven back.</p> +<p>At last there came a rush of Danes down that road, and into the +seaward houses they went, and fired them. Then they came on board +the ships, and bade the ship guard relieve them at the front. More +than one of those who came thus had slight wounds on them, but they +did not heed them.</p> +<p>"Keep still, lad," said my friend as he hurried away. "The men +are savage. We are getting the worst of it--not for the first +time."</p> +<p>Savage enough the men were, and I saw that the advice was good; +so I sat down on the steering bench and went on watching. But I was +not long left in peace. The noise of the fight came closer and +closer, and the wounded crept in a piteous stream to us. And then a +man would look to the after line from the ship to the bollard on +the wharf, and leaped on the after deck close to me.</p> +<p>"Out of the way, you Saxon!" he said savagely, and with that +sent me across the deck with a fierce push which was almost a blow; +and that was the spark which was all I needed to set my smouldering +impatience alight.</p> +<p>I recovered myself, and without a word hit him fairly in the +face with all my weight behind a good blow from the shoulder, and +sent him spinning in turn. He went headlong over the edge of the +raised deck, and lit among a group of his comrades, thereby saving +himself from what would have been a heavy fall on his head and +shoulders.</p> +<p>"Well hit, Saxon!" shouted a man from the nearest ship, and +there was a great roar of laughter thence.</p> +<p>However, before his comrades, who had been watching the fires +they had lighted, knew rightly how the man had thus been hurled on +them, and were abusing him for clumsiness, he had his sword out, +swearing to end me; and I suppose he might have done so without any +of the others interfering had they understood the matter. But he +was a heavy man, and mailed moreover; whereby three or four were +smarting under his weight. So they fell on him and held his arm, +thinking, no doubt, that he was resenting their words; which was +the saving of me, for at that moment a roar came from the wharf, +and slowly out of the lane end we had been watching came Thorleif's +men. Their faces were toward the foe, and those who led the retreat +were at work with their bows, shooting over the heads of those +before them at the press which drove them back. And some leader +from among them, with lifted sword, signed to the ship guards to +heed the open end of the wharf, to my right.</p> +<p>They forgot the little matter on hand, and ran ashore. Then I +noted that on that end of the wharf, where a narrow lane came down +to the water, there was another fight going on, and they had to +support the Danes there. The other end of the wharf was kept by a +curve of the shore, and that was safe.</p> +<p>Presently all the Danes were back on the water front, and across +the end of the two entrances to its wide space they drew some heavy +wagons, which had been set there in readiness, blocking them. One +could only see now and then what was being done, as the wind +drifted the black smoke aside, for now every house was burning +fiercely.</p> +<p>Then came a wild and yet orderly rush of the Danes to the ships, +and it was wonderful to see each man get to his post at the oars as +he came. Three men went to each oar port. One had the oar ready for +thrusting outboard, one stood by with his shield ready to protect +the rower, and the other, standing in the midship gangway, had his +bow ready.</p> +<p>Thrond came on board with the first, and leaped to the steering +deck, where he grasped the tiller, paying no heed to me. His eyes +were on the lane end. I got out of his way, and stood by the stern +post, with my arm round the dragon tail.</p> +<p>For I saw nothing else to do but to keep quiet. I did not know +rightly whether honour compelled me to stay as a captive still, but +I thought it did. But if not, in one way I could have escaped; for +I had been forgotten, and every man was watching the shore. I could +drop overboard and swim ashore somewhere beyond the reach of the +Danes, being a good swimmer; but as I say, I doubted if I might. So +I stayed, whether wrongly or not I will leave others to decide; but +seeing that I doubted, I think I need not be blamed for doing as I +did.</p> +<p>One of the houses fell in with a tremendous crash, and an +eddying of smoke and flame across the wharf to leeward. Out of that +smother came running the men who had left the ships just now, +stooping and hiding their blackened faces from the sparks with +their shields, and they too found their posts at once. A dozen came +on the after deck with bows, and lined the shoreward gunwale.</p> +<p>Hardly had they come on board when the rest came in a rush, +Thorleif being last of all. Behind them the wharf was empty, save +for one man whom an arrow out of the smoke caught up and smote. +Thorleif heard him fall, though in the turmoil of trampling feet I +could not; and he turned back to him, and lifted him as if he had +been a child, and bore him on board. Then the gang planks rattled +in, and the lines were cast off, and the ship began to move.</p> +<p>Still the wharf was empty. I think the Saxons had been driven +back for a while, and that they did not yet know, so thick was the +smoke of the burning, that the barrier at the end of the lane was +unguarded.</p> +<p>Now there were five yards between ship and shore--then ten--then +twenty. The oars took the water, and she headed for sea. Out of the +smoke came my people, and ran yelling across the open, and I seemed +to wake up.</p> +<p>"Thrond," I cried, "I take back my promise. Let me go."</p> +<p>"Eh!" he said, looking round.</p> +<p>I was then with my hands on the gunwale, in the act of leaping +overboard, when he reached round and held me fast.</p> +<p>"Steady, fool!" he said; "you will have a dozen arrows through +you.</p> +<p>"Here, hold him," he said sharply.</p> +<p>And the men fell on me, binding me deftly with a few turns of a +line, and then troubling themselves no more about me.</p> +<p>Next moment there was a sharp hiss, and an arrow from the shore +stuck in the deck close to me, and another chipped the tail of the +dragon and glanced into the sea. I mind noting that many another +such splinter had been taken from that stern post, and presently +saw--for I lay on my back, helpless--that a flint arrowhead still +showed itself through a new coat of paint. It was too deeply bedded +to be cut out, or else it was token of some honourable fight. It at +least had come from forward, whereas I thought that most of the +chips had come from astern, as this new one did. It is strange what +little things one will notice when at one's wits' end.</p> +<p>The shouts ashore grew more faint, and at last were past. The +crew were very silent, but the oars swung steadily, and at last +Thorleif came from the midship gangway and saw me. The weary men +laid in the oars at that moment, and threw themselves down to +rest.</p> +<p>"Ho, Saxon!" he said, "on my word I had forgotten you. Who had +you tied up?"</p> +<p>"I did," said Thrond. "He said somewhat about taking back a +promise, and wanted to go overboard."</p> +<p>Thorleif stooped and unbound me, and I thanked him.</p> +<p>"Well, you won't go overboard now," he said, nodding toward the +shore.</p> +<p>The great rock of Portland was broad off on our right, and maybe +we were five miles from the nearest shore. Astern--for we were +still heading out to sea--the smoke of burning Weymouth hung black +against the blue sky. It was just such a day as yesterday, fair and +warm, and the land I loved had never seemed so lovely.</p> +<p>"Let me go, chief," I said; "it is of no use for you to keep +me."</p> +<p>"Why," he answered, "I don't know that it is. But your folk +would pay no ransom, and it would seem foolish if I had let you go +offhand. Not but what your folk have not proved their wisdom, for +they have got rid of us pretty cheaply. Odin! how they swarmed on +us!"</p> +<p>"Ay," growled Thrond. "I did not dream that so many men could be +gathered in so few hours; but they fought anyhow, and it was only a +matter of numbers. Well, the place is good enough, and it is but a +question of more ships next time."</p> +<p>"Why did not you try an escape when we were all busy in the +fight?" asked Thorleif, turning to me. "I have lost more than one +captive in that way."</p> +<p>I told him, and he looked kindly enough at me, and smiled in his +grim way.</p> +<p>"You were right in saying that a Saxon's word was good, Thrond," +he said.</p> +<p>"I am sorry we can in no way send you back now. Your cousin did +his best to win his folk to peace--and fought well when he could +not. Nay, he is not hurt, so far as I know."</p> +<p>"Let me swim ashore, if there is no other way," I said, with a +dull despair on me.</p> +<p>Thorleif looked at the sea and frowned.</p> +<p>"I could not do it myself," he said. "There is a swift current +round yon headland. See, it is setting us eastward even now."</p> +<p>But I did not wait to hear any more; I shook my shoes off, and +over I went. The wake of the swift vessel closed over my head as +the men shouted, and when I came to the surface I looked back once. +It seemed that Thorleif was preventing the men from sending a +shower of arrows after me, but in those few moments a long space of +water had widened between us; and I doubt whether they would have +hit me, for I could have dived.</p> +<p>Then I headed for shore and freedom, and it was good to be in +the water alone with silence round me. As for the other two ships, +they were half a mile away from Thorleif's, and I did not heed +them. So I never looked back, but gave myself to the warm waves, +and saved my strength for the long swim before me. There was not +much sea, and what there was set more or less shoreward, so that it +did not hinder me. Presently I shook myself out of my tunic, and +was more free.</p> +<p>I suppose that I swam steadily for an hour before I began to +think in earnest what a long way the land yet was from me. In +another half hour I had to try to make myself believe that it was +growing nearer. Certainly Portland was farther from me, but that +was the set of the current; and presently I knew, with a terrible +sinking of heart, that the land also was lessening in my sight. The +current was sweeping me away from it.</p> +<p>When I understood that, I turned on my back and rested. Then I +saw that the ships were not so far away as I had expected. I seemed +to have made little way from them also; which puzzled me. They had +not yet set sail, and it was almost as if the oars were idle. I +think they were not more than a mile off. I could almost have wept +with vexation, so utterly did all the toil seem to be thrown away. +However, a matter of two hours in the water when as pleasant as +this was nothing to me, for I had stayed as long therein, many a +time, for sport. So I hoped to do better with the turn of the tide, +and let myself go easily to wait for it.</p> +<p>We had left Weymouth when the flood had three hours more to run, +so I had not long to wait. It turned; and I knew when it turned, +because the wind against it raised a sea which bid fair to wear me +out. I had to go with it more or less.</p> +<p>Then, indeed, the land seemed very dear to me, and I began to +think of home and of those who sat there deeming that all was well +with me. They would never know how I had ended. I will not say much +of all that went on in my mind, save only that I am ashamed of +naught that passed through it. Nor did I swim less strongly for the +thoughts, but struggled on steadily.</p> +<p>And at last the sun set, and the wind came chill over the water, +and I knew that little hope was for me. Again I turned on my back +and rested, and I grew drowsy, I think.</p> +<p>Now the daylight faded from the sky, and overhead the stars +began to come out; but as the sky darkened the sea seemed to grow +brighter. Presently all around me seemed to sparkle, and I wondered +listlessly that the stars were so bright in the water to one who +swam among their reflections. Then the little crests of foam on the +waves seemed on fire, and my arms struck sparks, as it were from +the water, as the sparks fly from the anvil. Only these were palest +blue, not red, and I wondered at them, thinking at first that they +were fancy, or from the shine of the bright stars above.</p> +<p>And all of a sudden, ahead of me, moved swiftly in the sea and +across my way a sheet of dazzling blue brightness, and it +frightened me. Often as I had seen the sea and swum in it, I had +never seen the like of this, nor had heard of it. The sheet of +silver fire turned and drew toward me, and I ceased swimming, and +stood, treading water, watching it. Out of its midmost fires darted +long streaks of light, everywhere, lightning swift, coming and +going ceaselessly.</p> +<p>Into the midst of that brightness rushed five bolts of flame, +and scattered it. The water boiled, alive with the darting fires +around me and under my feet, and my heart stood still with terror. +Yet I was not harmed. And then I saw one of those great white-hot +silver bolts hurl itself from sea to air in a wide arch, and fall +back again into the water with a mighty splash; and all the flying +water seemed to burn as it fled.</p> +<p>Truly it was but a school of mackerel, and the porpoises which +fed on the silver fish, all made wonderful by the eerie fires of a +summer sea; but I could not tell that all at once. I think that I +knew what it was when the great sea pig leaped, for his shape was +plain to me. The shoal went its way, and after it the harmless +porpoises. But the sea was fairly alight now; all round me it shone +with its soft glow, and my body was wondrous with it, and I seemed +to float in naught but light.</p> +<p>Then I think that I wandered in my mind, what with the fright +and weariness; for I had been five or six hours in the water, and +it was long since I had tasted food. It came to me that I was dead +at last, and that I was far in the sky, floating on bright air, +with stars above me and stars below. And that seemed good to me. I +rested, paddling just enough to keep myself upright and forget my +troubles in wonderment.</p> +<p>Surely that was a voice singing! There was a strange melody I +had never heard the like of, and it came from the brightness not +far from me. I came back to knowledge of where I was with a start, +trying to make out from which direction it sounded.</p> +<p>"This is a nixie trying to lure me to the depth," I thought. +"Truly, he need not take the trouble; for thither I must go +shortly, without any coaxing."</p> +<p>I turned myself in the water, trying to see if I could make out +the singer, but I could not. Seeing that no other was likely to be +swimming in Portland race but myself, I had no thought that the +song was human.</p> +<p>But I could find nothing. When my face was seaward, I saw far +off the ships I had left, indeed; and one seemed to have set her +sail, for it showed as a square patch of blackness against the sky, +but no voice could come from them to me. Presently I thought that +somewhat dark rose and fell on the little waves between me and her, +but that was doubtless the tunic I had given to the water. I did +not think of wondering why I still saw it after all this long swim, +but I seemed to have made no headway from the ships, which were as +near as when I last looked at them.</p> +<p>So I turned again and swam easily, as I thought, shoreward. The +song went on, but it seemed to ring in my ears as the drone of our +miller's pipes comes up from the river on a still summer evening. +Yet it grew more plain.</p> +<p>Then I saw the ships before me. I was swimming in a circle, my +right arm mastering the left, I suppose. That told me how weary I +was, if I had not known it to the full before. At that moment the +song, which was close to me, stopped, and a fiery arm rose from a +wave top against the sky, and seemed to hail me.</p> +<p>"Ho, Wilfrid! have you had enough yet? By Aegir himself, you are +a fine swimmer!"</p> +<p>Through the brightness came a sparkling head, round which the +foam curled in fleecy fire; and shining as I shone, Thorleif the +viking floated up to me and trod the water.</p> +<p>"What, you also?" I said. "Both of us drowned together at +last?"</p> +<p>And with that I went into the brightness below me, and troubled +no more for anything.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a>. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT +THE ATHELING.</h2> +<p>It was indeed Thorleif whom I saw as the deadly faintness of +utter weariness and want of food came over me, and I sank. The +Danes had hardly lost sight of me from the ships, for they had +drifted backward and forward on the tide as I drifted, and I was +never more than a mile from them. Until the tide turned to the +eastward there had been no wind of any use to them, and that which +came with sunset was barely enough to give them steerage way. So +they had watched me for want of somewhat else to do, being worn out +with the long fight; and when I was far off, some keen-sighted +seaman would spy my head as it rose on a wave, and cry that the +Saxon was yet swimming.</p> +<p>Now, if there is one thing that the northern folk of our kin +think much of in the way of sports, it is swimming, and it seems +that I won high praise from all. Maybe they did not consider how a +man who is trying to win his home again from captivity is likely to +do more than his best. At all events, I had never so much as tried +a swim like that before, nor do I think that I could compass it +again. Presently, when the turn of the tide brought with it no eddy +into the bay which set me homeward, Thorleif would let me go no +longer, and followed me in the boat with two men; which was easy +enough, for I swam between the ship and the place where the red +glow of burning Weymouth still shone in the northern sky. He could +not leave me to drown.</p> +<p>For a time, in the growing dusk, he could not find me. Then the +sea fires showed me black against their glow, and the sea tempted +him, and he leaped in after me, singing to cheer me, for it was +plain that I was nearly spent. When he brought me up from the depth +again I had little of the drowned man about me, for I had fainted. +I remember coming round painfully after that swoon, and eating and +drinking, and straightway falling into a dreamless sleep on the +deck of the ship; and I also remember the untoldly evil and fishy +smell of the seal oil they had rubbed me with.</p> +<p>When I came to myself, my first thought was that a solid wall of +that smell stood round me; but such were the virtues of the oil and +the rubbing that when I woke after eighteen hours' sleep I was not +so much as stiff. It would ill beseem me to complain thereof, +therefore, but it might have been fresher.</p> +<p>When I woke from my great sleep it was long past noon. I lay in +the shelter of the gunwales under the curve of the high stern post, +wrapped in a yellow Irish cloak, and in my ears roared and surged a +deep-voiced song, which kept time with the steady roll of oars and +the thrashing of the water under their blades. The ship was +quivering in every timber with the pull of them, and I could feel +her leap to every stroke. The great red and white sail was set +also, and the westerly breeze was humming in it, and over the high +bows the spray arched and fell without ceasing as oar and sail +drove the sharp stem through the seas. Thorleif was in a hurry for +some reason.</p> +<p>Only one man was on the after deck, steering, and he was fully +armed. Save that his brown arm swayed a little, resting on the +carven tiller, as the waves lifted the steering oar with a creak +now and then, he was motionless, looking steadily ahead under the +arch of the foot of the sail. The run of the deck set me higher +than him, and I could not see more than the feet of some men who +were clustered on the fore deck. But I could look all down the +length of the ship, and there every man was armed, even the rowers. +They had hung red and yellow wooden shields all along the gunwales, +raising the bulwark against sea and arrow flight alike by a foot +and more, and the rowers were fairly in shelter under them, if +there was to be a broadside attack.</p> +<p>I never doubted that a fight was intended, though I could not +tell why. Every man was at his post--two to each oar bench beside +the rower, one with ready shield, and the other with bent bow, and +these were looking forward also as they sang that hoarse song which +had roused me. I do not know that I have ever heard aught so +terrible as that. The wildness and savageness of it bides with me, +and of a night when the wind blows round the roof I wake and think +I hear it again. But it set me longing for battle, even here on the +strange deck, and I would that I might join in it.</p> +<p>And then I knew that my own weapons lay beside me, and I sprang +up, and grasped the sword and seax in haste to buckle them on. They +rattled, and the steersman turned his head and laughed at me. It +was old Thrond.</p> +<p>"That is right, lad," he said, turning his head back to watch +his course again. "None the worse for the wetting, it seems."</p> +<p>Truth to tell, I felt little of it, being altogether myself +again after the rest. So I laughed also, setting aside for the +moment the question of what my fate was to be. It was plain that +the man who saved me from the sea and gave me back my arms did not +mean to make a captive of me in any hard sort.</p> +<p>"Only mightily hungry," I said. "It seems that I have slept +heavily."</p> +<p>Thrond jerked his free thumb toward a pitcher and wooden bowl +that were set near me, without looking round.</p> +<p>"So I suppose," he said. "Eat well, and then we will see what +sort of a viking you make. You have half an hour or so."</p> +<p>Ale and beef there were, ready for me, and I took them and sat +down at the feet of the old chief, with my legs hanging over the +edge of the fore deck. Thence I could see that Thorleif was +forward, and that away to the northward of us a ship was heading +across our course, under sail only. The two other Danish ships were +far astern of us, but their oars were flashing in the sun as they +made after us.</p> +<p>Then I looked northward for England, but there was only the +sea's rim, and over that a bank of white summer clouds. Under the +sun, to the south, was a long blue line of hills whose shapes were +strange to me, and that was the Frankish shore. We were far across +the Channel, and still heading eastward.</p> +<p>"Thrond," I said, "are you after that ship yonder?"</p> +<p>"Ay. She will be a Frankish trader going home, and worth +overhauling. Maybe there will be no fight, however; but one never +knows."</p> +<p>Now it was in my mind to ask him what would be done with me, but +I did not. That was perhaps a matter which must be settled +hereafter, and not on the eve of a fight at sea. Moreover, I +thought that a Frankish ship was fair game for any one, and that if +I were needed there was no reason at all why I should not take a +hand in the fight. Certainly I should fare no worse for taking my +plight in the best way I could. So I held my tongue and went on +eating.</p> +<p>One or two of the men looked up from the oars and grinned at me, +and of these one had a black eye, being the man I had knocked off +the deck. It was plain that he bore no malice, so I smiled back at +him, and lifted the jug of ale toward him as I drank. He was a +pleasant-looking man enough, now that the savagery of battle had +passed from him.</p> +<p>Now I would have it remembered that a Saxon lad reared on the +west Welsh marches is not apt to think much of a cattle raid and +the fighting that ends it, and that with these Danes, who were so +like ourselves, we had as yet no enmity. It seemed to me that being +in strange company I must even fit myself to it, and all was +wonderful to me in the sight of the splendid ship and her +well-armed, well-ordered crew. Maybe, had we not been speeding to a +fight the like of which I had never so much as heard of, I should +have thought of home and the fears of those who would hear that I +was gone; but as things were, how could I think of aught but what +was on hand?</p> +<p>We were nearing the vessel fast, and seeing that she did not +turn her head and fly, old Thrond growled that there was some fight +in her.</p> +<p>"Unless," he added with a hard chuckle, "they have never so much +as heard of a viking. Are there pirates in this sea, lad?"</p> +<p>"They say that the seamen from the southern lands are, betimes. +I have heard of ships taken by swarthy men thence. The Cornish tin +merchants tell the tales of them."</p> +<p>"Tin?" said Thrond. "Now I would that we had heard thereof +before. I reckon we passed some booty westward. Eh, well, we shall +know better next time."</p> +<p>After that he was silent, watching the ship ahead. She was a +great heavy trader, with higher sides than this swift longship.</p> +<p>And presently, as I watched her, a thought came to me, and I was +ashamed that I had not asked before if it was true that my cousin +had not been hurt in the fighting.</p> +<p>"He was not harmed," answered the old chief. "He hurt us; he is +a good fighter. Get yon shield and hold it ready to cover me. It is +not worth while to have the helmsman shot, and it will set a man +free to fight forward."</p> +<p>Now the ship was within arrow shot, and we could see that there +were few men on her decks. Thorleif hailed her to heave to, sending +an arrow on her deck by way of hint. Whereon she shot up into the +wind, and her sail rattled down. Thrond whistled to himself.</p> +<p>"Empty as a dry walnut shell, or I am mistaken," he said between +his teeth.</p> +<p>Then he shouted to Thorleif, and some order came back. The sail +was lowered, and the ship swung alongside the stranger under oars +only, while a rush of men came aft. Thorleif hailed the other ship +to send him a line from the bows, and one flew on board us as we +shot past. Then in a few moments we were under easy sail again, +towing the great trader slowly after us; and the men were grumbling +at the ease of the capture, thinking, with Thrond, that it boded a +useless chase. Thorleif came aft to speak with the shipmaster from +our stern.</p> +<p>Then there climbed on the bows of the trader a tall, handsome +young man, at the sight of whom I could not withhold a cry of +wonder, for I knew him well. He was Ecgbert the atheling, nephew of +our great king Ina, and the one man whom Bertric feared as a rival +when he came to the throne. His father and mine had been close +friends, and we two had played and hunted together many a time, +until the jealousy of Bertric drove him to seek refuge with Offa of +Mercia. I thought him there yet.</p> +<p>"Yield yourselves," said Thorleif, "and we will speak in peace +of ransom. I will come on board with a score of men, and harm +none."</p> +<p>"We have yielded, seeing that there was no other chance for as," +said Ecgbert quietly. "Come on board if you will, but on my word it +is hardly worth your while. We left in too great a hurry to bring +much with us."</p> +<p>"Whence are you, then, and whither bound?"</p> +<p>"From Mercia, by way of Southampton, and bound anywhere out of +the way of Quendritha the queen. We had a mind to go to Carl the +king, but any port in a storm!"</p> +<p>"Well," said Thorleif, laughing, "I am coming on board. That +must be a terrible dame of whom you speak, if she has set the fear +of death on a warrior such as you seem to be."</p> +<p>Then he bade the men haul on the cable, and the ships drew +together slowly. I had to leave the deck, being in the way of the +men, and Ecgbert did not see me, as far as I could tell.</p> +<p>Thorleif and his men boarded the prize over her bows and went +aft, Ecgbert going with them. The two ships drifted apart again, +and I found my place by Thrond once more, while the men sat on the +gunwale, waiting for the time when their chief should return.</p> +<p>"Who is the queen yon Saxon speaks of?" asked Thrond.</p> +<p>I told him; and as we had heard much of her of late, I also told +him how men said that she had been found on the shore by the king +himself. Whereon Thrond's grave face grew yet more grave, and he +said:</p> +<p>"Lad, is that a true tale?"</p> +<p>"My father had it from the thane who was with the king when they +found her alone in her boat."</p> +<p>"So her name was not Quendritha when she began that voyage?"</p> +<p>"I have heard that she was a heathen. Mayhap the king gave her +the name when she was christened. It means 'the might of the +king.'"</p> +<p>So I suppose that he did, for the hope of what his wife should +be. Nor was the name ill chosen, as it turned out, for all men knew +by this time that the queen was the wisest adviser in all the +council of Mercia in aught to do with the greatness of the +kingdom.</p> +<p>"I have ever had it in my mind that she would get through that +voyage in safety," Thrond said. "Ran would not have her."</p> +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> +<p>"Lad, I saw her start thereon, or so I think. Tell me when she +was found."</p> +<p>That I could do, within a very short time. My father and Offa +had been wedded in the same year, as I had heard him say but a few +days ago, at Winchester, as men talked of the bride whom we had +welcomed, Quendritha's daughter. And as he heard, Thrond's face +grew very dark.</p> +<p>"That is she. Now I will tell you the beginning of that voyage. +I was a courtman then to the father of Thorleif, our jarl here, and +I myself made the boat ready and launched her in it."</p> +<p>And then he told me that which I have set down at the beginning +of this tale--neither more nor less. What was the fullness of the +evil the woman had wrought he did not tell me, and I am glad.</p> +<p>When he ended he sat silent and brooding for a long time. The +ship forged slowly and uneasily over the waves with the heavy +trader after her, and on our decks the men were silent, waiting for +word from Thorleif of what was to be done. We could hear him, now +and then, laughing with the crew of the other ship as if all went +easily.</p> +<p>"Lad," said old Thrond, suddenly turning to me, "you had best +forget all this. It is dangerous to know aught of the secrets of +great folk; and if it comes to the ears of Quendritha that one is +telling such a tale of her, the life of the man who has told it +will not be worth much. Maybe I am wrong, and I speak of one who is +drowned long since; for, indeed, it seems out of the way of chance +that a girl could win across the sea from Denmark to a throne thus. +And if it is true, she has done even as Thorleif's father bade her, +and has left her ways of ill.</p> +<p>"And, yet," he said again, "if ever you have to do with her, +remember what she may have been. It will be ill to offend her, or +to cross her in aught."</p> +<p>"That is the hardest saying that our folk have of her," I said, +"but I have heard it many a time."</p> +<p>"There is much in that saying," Thrond answered grimly.</p> +<p>"Well," I answered shortly, "I suppose that if any man will set +himself against a king or a queen, he has to take the chances."</p> +<p>"Small chance for such an one if the queen be--well, such +another as I helped to set adrift from our shore."</p> +<p>Meaningly that was said, and I had no answer. I was glad that +Thorleif showed himself on the bows of the prize and hailed +Thrond.</p> +<p>"Send the Saxon lad on board here," he said; "we have met with a +friend of his."</p> +<p>That could be none but the atheling, and I leaped up. The men +were heaving on the tow line, and the ships were slowly nearing +each other.</p> +<p>"Thrond," I said breathlessly, "will Thorleif let me go?"</p> +<p>"Of course," he answered, smiling. "We only picked you up again +to save your life. He had a mind to land you on the English shore +presently; for he said you had kept faith with us well, and he +could not let you suffer therefor."</p> +<p>The bows of the trader grated against our stern, and one of the +men gave me a hoist over her gunwale with such good will that I +landed sprawling among the coils of rope on the fore deck. When I +gathered myself up I saw Ecgbert and Thorleif aft, while the Danes +were rummaging the ship, and I made my way to them. And as I came +the atheling stared at me, and then hastened forward with +outstretched hand of welcome.</p> +<p>"Why, Wilfrid, old comrade, how come you here? I heard only of a +West Saxon, and whether this is luck for you or not I do not +know."</p> +<p>"Good luck enough, I think," I answered, with a great hand grip. +"I had not yet let myself wonder how long it would be before I saw +home again."</p> +<p>His face fell, and he looked doubtfully at me.</p> +<p>"I cannot take you home, Wilfrid; I am flying thence myself. The +Danish chief will set you ashore somewhere at his first chance, he +says."</p> +<p>"Why, what is amiss again?"</p> +<p>"The old jealousy, I suppose," he answered grimly. "As if a lad +like myself was likely to try to overturn a throne! Here had I +hardly settled down in Mercia as a fighter of the Welsh and +hanger-on of Offa's court, when there come Bertric's messengers, +asking that I should be given up, and backing the demand with a +request for closer alliance by marriage. Offa, being an honest man, +was for sending the message back unanswered. But the queen had a +mind for the match, and as I was in the way, it was plain to me +that I must be out of it. So I did not wait for Quendritha to +remove me, but removed myself."</p> +<p>"Alone?" I asked.</p> +<p>"Alone, and that hastily. You do not know the lady of Mercia, or +you would not ask."</p> +<p>Now I thought to myself that in the last half hour I had learned +more of that lady than even Ecgbert knew, and I felt that he was +wise in time, if Thrond's tale was true; which, indeed, I began to +believe. But it did not seem right to me that an atheling of Wessex +should be alone, without so much as a housecarl to tend him and +stand at his back at need. I minded what my father taught me since +I could learn.</p> +<p>"Here is your duty, son Wilfrid. First to God; then to the king; +then to the atheling, the king's son, and then to father and +mother; then to the shire reeve and the ealdorman, if so be that +they are loyal; and then to helpless woman and friendless poor man. +But to the weak first of all, against whomsoever will wrong them, +whether it be the king or myself."</p> +<p>"Where will you go, atheling?" I asked, speaking low, for I had +many things warring in my mind.</p> +<p>"I cannot tell yet. I am an outcast."</p> +<p>Then I knelt on the deck before him and made him take my hands +between his own, and I said to him, while he tried to prevent +me:</p> +<p>"Whither you go I follow, to be your man in good or ill. Little +use I am, but some I may be; and at least the atheling of Wessex +shall not say that none would follow him."</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," he cried, "I cannot suffer you to leave all for +me."</p> +<p>Then said Thorleif, who had been watching us in silence:</p> +<p>"Take him, prince, for you will need him. He has kept faith with +us, though he might have escaped easily enough, because he thought +his word withheld him. And he has proved himself a man in battle +with the waters, as I know well. Let him go with you, and be glad +of him."</p> +<p>"I am loath to take him from his folk to share my +misfortunes."</p> +<p>"That is naught," said Thorleif. "Pay a trader who is going to +England to tell other chapmen to pass the word to his folk where he +is. They will hear in a month or less."</p> +<p>"Hearken to the chief, my prince," I said. "That is easy, and it +will be all I care for. If my father hears that I am with you, he +will be well content."</p> +<p>"More than content, Wilfrid," said Ecgbert, smiling. "We of the +line of Ina know your folk of old. Well, be it as you will, for, on +my word, I am lonely; and I think, comrade, that if I had choice of +one to stand by me, the choice would have fallen on you.</p> +<p>"There was little need, chief, for you to tell me that Wilfrid +of Frome was steadfast. We are old friends."</p> +<p>"Bide so, then. Friends are not easily made," answered Thorleif, +laughing. "Now tell me what you are thinking of doing. Maybe I can +advise you, being an adventurer by choice, as it seems you must be +by need. But first I will offer you both a share in our cruise, if +you will turn viking and go the way of Hengist and Horsa, your +forbears. Atheling and thane's son you will be to us still, if you +have to take an oar now and then."</p> +<p>"Kindly spoken," said Ecgbert; "but this I will tell you +plainly. It had not come into my mind to think that Bertric needed +to fear me until he showed that he did so. Had he left me to +myself, I had been as good a subject of Wessex as Wilfrid here. But +now it seems to me that maybe he has some good reason to think that +the throne might be or should have been mine. Wherefore it is in my +mind to seek the great King Carl, and learn what I can of his way +of warfare, that presently, when the time comes, I may be the more +ready to take that throne and hold it."</p> +<p>"Why, then," said Thorleif, watching the face of the atheling, +"I will tell you this from out of my own knowledge of Wessex. If +you learn what Carl can teach you, you will, if you can raise a +thousand followers, walk through Wessex into Mercia, and thence +home by East Anglia to London town, and there sit with three crowns +on your head--the greatest king that has been in England yet. For +your folk know no more of fighting, though they are brave enough, +than a herd of cattle. But it will be many a long year before you +know enough, and then you will need to be able to use your +knowledge."</p> +<p>"Can you tell me where to find Carl the king? It may be that I +have years enough before me to learn much."</p> +<p>"Those who want to learn do learn," quoth Thorleif. "It is in my +mind that, unless a Flemish arrow ends you, Wessex will have to +choose between you and Bertric presently."</p> +<p>Then he told us where he had last heard of the Frankish king, +which was somewhere on the eastern Rhine border. And at last, being +taken with the fearless way of the young atheling, said that if he +would, he himself would see him as far on his way as the Rhine +mouth. And in the end Ecgbert closed with the offer, and left the +Frankish ship accordingly.</p> +<p>Thorleif's men had sought every corner of her by that time, and +had some store of silver money to show for their long chase, and +were satisfied. As for the shipmen of their prize, I think they +were well enough content to be let go in peace, and had little to +say on the matter. Ecgbert was for giving them the gold ring which +he had promised them as passage money, that being the only thing of +value he had beyond his weapons; but Thorleif would not suffer him +to do so, saying that his Danes would but take it from them +straightway.</p> +<p>So the great trader lumbered off southward, and I and the +atheling sat with Thrond and Thorleif, and told and heard all the +story of the raid on Weymouth until the stars came out. And I was +well content; for no Saxon can ask aught better than to serve his +lord, whether in wealth or distress.</p> +<p>Now I might make a long story of that voyage with Thorleif, for +there were landings such as had been made at Weymouth, and once +just such another fight. And ever the lands where we touched grew +more strange to me, until we came to the low shores of the Rhine +mouths, hardly showing above the gray waves of the sea which washed +their sad-coloured sand dunes. And there Thorleif landed us at a +fishing village, among whose huts rose the walls of a building +which promised us shelter at least.</p> +<p>Terribly frightened were the poor folk at our coming, but they +took us, with the guard Thorleif sent ashore with us, to the +building, and it turned out to be a monastery, where we were most +welcome. And there we bid farewell to the Danes, not without +regret, for we had been good comrades on the voyage. There was a +great difference between these crews of men from one village under +their own chief, and the terrible swarms of men, gathered none +knows whence, and with little heed to their leaders save in battle, +which came in after years. We saw the Dane at his best.</p> +<p>Now after that the good abbot of the place passed us on from +town to town until at last we came to Herulstad, where Carl the +mighty lay with his army, still watching and fighting the heathen +Saxons of the Rhinelands. And there Ecgbert was welcomed in all +friendliness, and our wanderings were at an end. Even the arm of +Quendritha could not reach the atheling here, though Carl and Offa +were friendly, and messengers came and went between the two courts +from time to time.</p> +<p>In that way I had messages sent home at last, and my mind was at +rest. It was, however, nearly a year before my folk heard of me, as +I learned afterward. But close on five years of warfare lay before +me ere I should set foot on English ground again.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a>. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD +ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH MARKET.</h2> +<p>Looking back on them, it seems that those five years with Carl +the Great were long, but in truth they went fast enough. With +Ecgbert I went everywhere that war was to be waged, whether on the +still half heathen, unwillingly christened Saxons, who were our own +kin of the old land; or across on the opposite frontier, where the +terrible Moors of Spain had not yet forgotten Roncesvalles. For us +it was fighting, and always fighting, and little of that most +splendid court of the king did we see; for Ecgbert had set himself +to learn all that he might, and he was not one to do things by +halves. Nor had I any wish to be anywhere but near him.</p> +<p>They were good years, therefore, if we had our share of danger +and hardship to the full, and must needs bear the marks of it ever +after. Once I was sorely wounded, and Ecgbert tended me through +that as a brother rather than as my lord--even as I would have +tended him, only that he was never hurt. Some of us grew to think +that he had a charmed life; but I thought that he was kept for the +sake of what was to be in days to come, when England was worn out +with warfare between the kingdoms, and would welcome a strong hand +over her from north to south.</p> +<p>I know not whether it was Carl himself who bade Ecgbert wait for +that day, but it is likely. The atheling was in no haste to return +to England, and it was his word that until he was needed he should +bide here and learn.</p> +<p>But when the time went on he had thought for me, and one April +day, as we rode together, he bade me go home and see that all was +well with my folk. I had some fever on me at that time, for we were +among the Frisian marshlands, and it had fallen on me when I was +weak from the wound I spoke of, so that I could not shake it off. +It came every third day, and held me in its grip for the afternoon, +cold as ice, and then hot as fire, and so leaving me little the +worse, but always thin and yellow to look on. Moreover, it always +seemed to come on the wrong day for me, when I needed to be most +busy, so that over and over again Ecgbert had to ride out without +me. There were plenty more of us in the same case that year, when +we were hunting Frisian heathen rebels to their strongholds in +their fens.</p> +<p>"I must lose you in one way or the other, comrade," Ecgbert +said. "Either you will die here, which is the worst that could +befall you, or else you must go home to England. Now there is a +fair chance for you, for Carl is sending some messengers with +presents to the young King of East Anglia, who has yet to be +crowned. Go with them, and take him greetings from me."</p> +<p>But before I could bring myself to agree to parting from him he +had to put this before me in many ways, for I could not bear to +leave him. And at last he laid his commands on me that I must go. +He said it was time that he had a friend who knew his hopes in +England, watching how matters went for him, and that I could best +do it. So there was no way out of it, and I had to go.</p> +<p>And when I knew that, there woke in me the longing for England +which lies deep in the heart of every one of her sons, wheresoever +he may be across the seas, and the days were weary before Carl's +messengers should sail. I think that Ecgbert envied me, with the +same longing on him; but one could only know it from his silences, +or from the way in which he would talk to me of all that I should +see again.</p> +<p>Two days before we sailed I was sent for by Carl himself; which +was an honour indeed for me. Very kindly he thanked me for past +services, as if I had not rather served Ecgbert than himself; and +he gave me new arms of the best from head to foot, and a heavy bag +of gold moreover, that I might not say that Carl the Great was +sparing of his reward to those who had fought for him. I did not +need that, for he had been more than generous to us for all these +years, and any man knows that it is an honour to have served with +the greatest of kings, and to have spoken freely with him.</p> +<p>I told Ecgbert that I must return to him when I was free from +the fever, but he shook his head.</p> +<p>"Nay, but you have your work at home, and mine lies here," he +said. "Your father has no other child, and, he needs you. I am well +off here till that day we wot of comes. Wait for it in patience, +and then we shall meet again. There will be no comrade like you for +me till then, but I shall know I have one at least who will welcome +me presently if you go now."</p> +<p>He made it light for me; but it was a hard parting, and I will +say no more of it. The ship left the little Frisian port whence we +sailed, and he stood on the shore and watched us until I could see +him no more; then for a time a loneliness fell on me which made me +a poor companion for the gay Frankish nobles with whom I was to go +to East Anglia.</p> +<p>Not that it mattered much after an hour or so, when we met the +waves of the open sea; for they were no sort of companion to any +one, even to themselves, and the seamen had their laugh at +them.</p> +<p>But for myself, not being troubled with the sickness, the sea +worked wonders. For the first time for many a long month the ague +fit had less hold on me when its time came next day. Then a Frisian +sailor saw that I had the illness he knew so well and over well, +and would have me take some bitter draught he made for me out of +willow bark, saying that Carl's leeches knew somewhat less than +nothing concerning ague. Whether it was the sea air, or the +draught, or both, the fit did not come when next it was due; and +the seaman said I was cured, for the power of the ill was broken. +He had time to say that again, for we had head winds the whole way +across, and were nigh a week before we made the mouth of the great +river which goes up to Norwich, where we hoped to find the king, +Ethelbert. And by that time the Franks were themselves again, and +my colour was coming back, and the joy of home was on me, and we +were gay enough.</p> +<p>It was on the last day of April that we saw the English shores +again, early in the morning, with the sun on the low green hills of +Norfolk. By sunset we were far in the heart of the land, at +Norwich, and across the wide river the cuckoo was calling. We had +left a leafless land, and here all was decked in the sweet green of +the first leaves, and all the banks were yellow with the primroses. +I heard the Franks scoffing at the houses of the town, and at the +wooden tower of the church which rose from among them; but I cared +not at all, for nothing like the beauty of sky and land had they to +show me beyond the sea.</p> +<p>And when the men thronged to the wharf, it seemed to me that +never had I looked on their like for goodliness and health, as +their great English laugh rang out over their work, and the sound +of the English voices made the old music for me.</p> +<p>The king was not at Norwich, but inland at Thetford, and there +we must seek him. But his steward rode down to us from the hall, +which stands a mile from the river, on its hill. Thither we were +led in all state as the messengers of the great king, and there we +bided for a day or two while they made ready a train of horses +which should take us to our journey's end. We had some wondrous +gifts for Ethelbert from Carl.</p> +<p>There is only one of these Frankish companions of mine of whom I +need speak, and that one was a young noble from our old land, named +Werbode. I had seen somewhat of him in these last wars, for he had +led the men of his father, and had been set under Ecgbert, who had +won to high command. So we were both Saxons, and of about the same +age; and it was pleasant to find ourselves together on the voyage, +for he was a good comrade, and, like myself, not altogether +thinking and feeling with the Franks.</p> +<p>So we saw much of each other on the voyage, and now it was +pleasant to take him about the old town, and show him what the new +home of the Saxon kin was like here in England. There was a great +fair going on at this time, and we enjoyed it; for though there was +not the richness of wares we had been wont to see at the like +gatherings of merchants and chapmen beyond the seas, here were +mirth and freedom, and rough plenty, which were as good, or +better.</p> +<p>And presently he said that here we had horses which were as fine +as any he had ever seen, and that put a thought into my mind. I +would buy one for myself rather than ride one found me by the town +reeve; for I had to get home to Somerset, and I would make no +delay.</p> +<p>"Well, then," says Werbode, "let us go and see if you people +have forgotten the ancient Saxon manner of horse dealing."</p> +<p>So we went to the horse fair, and there our foreign dress drew +every dealer in the place round us as soon as I had looked in the +mouth of one likely steed. After which, as may be supposed, it was +not likely that I could make any choice at all; but we two sat on +the bench outside the town gate, and had, I think, every horse in +the fair trotted past us, whether good or bad. And at last the +noise, and to tell the truth the wrangling of the dealers, grew +tiresome, and we went our way, some other buyer having taken their +notice for a moment.</p> +<p>And then it chanced that we came to a quiet place where a man, +armed and with two armed helpers, had a string of slaves for sale. +The poor folk were lying and sitting on the ground, with that dull +look on them which I hate to see, and I was going to pass them, +throwing them a penny as I did so. Werbode was laughing at the ways +of the horse dealers, and did not notice them; for the sight was +common enough after any war of ours with Carl, when the captives +who could not ransom them were sold.</p> +<p>And then one of them leaped up with a great cry, and hailed me +by name.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid! Wilfrid of Weymouth!"</p> +<p>I turned sharply enough at that call, for the last thing that +one could have expected was that my name should be known here in +the land of the East Angles. And who of all whom I knew in the +years gone by would name me as of Weymouth? I had but been there as +a stranger.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid the swimmer!" said the man, stretching his bound hands +to me.</p> +<p>The slave trader cracked his whip and rated the man for daring +to call to me thus, bidding him be silent. But I lifted my hand, +and he held his peace, doffing his cap to me with all reverence for +the fine dress and jewelled weapons--Carl's gift--that I wore.</p> +<p>I did not heed his words of apology, but looked at the ragged, +brown-faced man who called to me. He was thin and wiry, with a +yellow beard, and his hands were hard with some heavy work. Yet his +face was in some way not altogether strange to me, though I could +not name him. He was no thrall of ours or of my cousin's, so far as +I could tell.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid--thane--whatever you are now," he said, for I would not +suffer the trader to prevent his words, "you gave me a black eye at +Weymouth, and thereafter drank 'skoal' to me when we chased the +trading ship."</p> +<p>Thereat Werbode laughed.</p> +<p>"Faith," he said, "if every thrall to whom I have given a black +eye or so has a claim on me--"</p> +<p>But his words went on unheard as far as I was concerned. I +seemed to have the very smell of the smoke of burning Weymouth in +my nostrils, and the wild rowing song came back to me. I minded the +man well, and it went to my heart to see the free Danish warrior +tied here at the mercy of this evil-eyed slaver, for I knew that he +was as free born as myself.</p> +<p>I turned sharply on the merchant, and asked him how it came +about that he had this man for sale.</p> +<p>"He is a freeman, and I know him," I said.</p> +<p>Nevertheless it came into my mind that he had been taken +prisoner at the time of some such landing as that wherein I had +first seen him.</p> +<p>"He is a shipwrecked foreigner, lord," was the answer; "a +masterless man whom I bought from the Lindsey thane on whose manor +shore he was stranded."</p> +<p>But it seemed to me that there was a look of fear in the eyes of +this slave trader. It came when I, whom he had taken for a Frank +noble from my dress, spoke to him in good Wessex. Whereby I had a +shrewd guess that all was not so fair and lawful as he would make +it seem.</p> +<p>"He lies," growled the Dane. "Some thrall picked me up, and this +man took me from him. He was on the prowl for castaways on the morn +of the storm. Nigh dead I was, or would have fought."</p> +<p>He spoke low and quickly, and the trader seemed not to +understand his Danish. But I saw that he spoke the truth.</p> +<p>Now I think that if this shipmate of mine had been fairly taken +captive as he raided, I should have let him take the reward of his +work. But this chance was a different matter.</p> +<p>"Show me the receipt for payment to that thane of whom you +speak," I said. "If you can, well and good; if not, then we will go +to the sheriff and see this matter righted. I know the man as a +freeman."</p> +<p>"Ay, in his own land," said the trader, beginning to bluster. +"What is that to me? Here in England he is masterless--"</p> +<p>"No," said the Dane; "this is my master. Heard you not how I +owned to a black eye from him?"</p> +<p>And he looked at me in a half proud way which told me how the +bonds had broken him, and yet how they had not yet made him +shameless if he must beg me for help to freedom.</p> +<p>Then said Werbode quietly:</p> +<p>"Where is that receipt? I suppose that if you paid for his man, +my friend has to repay you for ransoming him. It is a simple +matter."</p> +<p>"I do not carry it with me, stranger. You know not this land of +ours. It is at my inn. I can show it, of course."</p> +<p>"Well, then," said I, "I will take my man and answer for him. +Bring the writing to the house of the sheriff, where I lodge, and +what is there set down I will pay you."</p> +<p>Now there were a dozen idlers gathered by this time, and seeing +that the trader hesitated, I called to one, who seemed to be a +forester by his staff and green jerkin, and bade him fetch the +sheriff, if he could find him. I would have the matter settled +here. Whereon the slaver gave in.</p> +<p>"Well, then," he grumbled, "I hold you answerable for him. Take +him, and get your money ready.</p> +<p>"Let him free," he said, turning to his men.</p> +<p>That they did with somewhat more readiness than one would have +expected. The Dane shook himself and looked round him. And then, +without a word of warning, he sprang straight at the slaver and +wrested his whip from him. Then he swung him round by the collar of +his leather jerkin, and lashed him in spite of the sword which the +man drew. The idlers shouted, and Werbode laughed, while the two +men had all they could do to prevent the other slaves from breaking +away; or else they themselves had no reason to object to seeing +their master tasting his own sauce.</p> +<p>The heavy plaits of the whiplash curled round the legs of the +trader, and he writhed. They caught his short sword and twitched it +from his hand, to send it flying among the gathering crowd, and +then the man lay down and howled for mercy. But the thralls of the +crowd were only too pleased with the sport, and as I and Werbode +did not interfere, to do so was no one else's business.</p> +<p>At last the Dane held his hand, and left his tyrant groaning. He +broke the whip stock and twisted the thong from the end of the +fragment. Then he tied it round the neck of the slaver, and rose up +and saluted me in the way of the Danish courtman.</p> +<p>"Whither, lord?" he asked, quite coolly. "I am ready."</p> +<p>"Better go back to the sheriffs," I said. "Maybe we shall have +to answer for this, and we will tell him first."</p> +<p>"No," he said, with the ghost of a smile; "you will not set eyes +on this man again. What I told you is true. He has no more right to +me than the thrall who found me; less, maybe, for I suppose the +thrall would have taken me to his lord, who had some claim on me +for a castaway."</p> +<p>The crowd closed in round the slaver, and the other slaves +raised a sort of wretched cheer as we went away. Soon we turned the +corner of the street and came to the outskirts of the fair again, +and none had followed us. There the decent folk stared at us and +our ragged follower somewhat, and a thought came to me.</p> +<p>"Comrade," I said, for I could not mind his name, "let me rig +you out afresh before we part."</p> +<p>"They call me Erling," he said. "Have you so many men to serve +you that we must needs part?"</p> +<p>"No," I answered, "but I am no sort of a master to serve. I will +help an old comrade home, however."</p> +<p>"Home was burnt a year ago," he said. "Let me bide with you, +thane; I must be some man's man. You will go back to the west +presently, I suppose?"</p> +<p>"Yes, after a time. What of that? for it is not your way."</p> +<p>"Your way is mine, unless you drive me from you. You have given +me my freedom, and I know it. Let me serve you freely."</p> +<p>"Well," said I, "you will be my only servant when once I leave +King Carl's train, with which I have come."</p> +<p>"So much the better," he said. "I am likely to be as handy a +servant as you can find, in most things."</p> +<p>"Oh," said Werbode, laughing, "take him, Wilfrid. Free service +is not to be despised. Moreover, if you want any one well and +soundly beaten, here is your man."</p> +<p>"I can keep the thane's back at a pinch, young sir," said the +Dane quietly. "That mayhap is more than most will do if they are +hired."</p> +<p>"Faith, I believe you could," said Werbode, looking the man's +wiry frame up and down.</p> +<p>"Take him, Wilfrid."</p> +<p>"Why, then," said I, "so I will, and gladly, for just so long as +I please you as a master. And when you will leave me, you shall go +without blame. Now let us see to clothing you afresh."</p> +<p>So we went to the quarter of the fair where such things as we +needed were to be had, and there we took pleasure in fitting my new +follower out in all decent housecarl attire, not by any means +sparing for good leather jerkin and Norwich-cloth hose and hood, +for I would not have him looked down on by our Frankish servants. +And, indeed, with weapon on hip and round helm on head, over washed +face and combed hair, he seemed a different man altogether. The old +free walk of the seaman came back to him, and he looked the world +in the face again as the free warrior he was.</p> +<p>He had been Thorleif's own court man, he told me, and knew the +ways of one who should follow his lord, whether in hall or field, +and I will say at once that so he did. I had little to teach him +beyond some Saxon ways which came strangely to him at first.</p> +<p>We went back to the king's hall, and there I told the sheriff +somewhat of the business with the slaver, and he laughed.</p> +<p>"Not the first time I have heard the like," he said. "If the man +complains, pay him. But if he is a man stealer, as is likely, you +will hear naught of him, and he will get him from Norwich as fast +as he may."</p> +<p>As I suppose he did, for neither I nor the sheriff heard more of +him, and next day his place in the market was empty.</p> +<p>I asked Erling of his shipwreck, and if Thorleif had been lost, +but he could not tell me. He had been washed off the fore deck as +the ship met a great breaker, and with him had come an oar, which +he clung to for long hours, making his way shoreward as best he +might. The ship was in danger at the time, and he lost sight of her +very soon. Presently some eddy of tide took him and cast him on the +sands of Humber mouth, and there he lay till he was found. That was +a month ago, and since then he had been hawked up and down the +coast with the other slaves till we met.</p> +<p>"But I was such a scarecrow, and so savage withal, that no man +would look at me," he said. "It was a good day for me when the +knave brought me to Norwich. Mayhap it was a lucky day for him +also, for sooner or later I should have got adrift, and then you +would not have been looking on to hold me from paying him somewhat +more than a beating."</p> +<p>Next day was the last of the fair, and again I went to seek a +horse, with my new follower after me. There was less choice but +more quiet, and soon I found that Erling knew more of the points of +a steed than I did. A Dane is a born horse dealer. So I sent him +one way while I went another, and when I was almost despairing of +finding what I thought would suit me, he came in search of me, +leading a great skew-bald horse, bright brown and white in broad +splashes all over him, in no sort of pattern. After him came a man +who might be a farmer, and looked as if he cared not whether he +sold the beast or kept him.</p> +<p>"The best horse in the fair, thane," Erling said to me. "I will +not praise his colour; but if you forget that and look at his +build, you will like him."</p> +<p>So I did; but if a man wanted to be noticed everywhere in such +wise that folk would reckon a week's time from the day when the man +on the skew-bald rode through the village, he could not choose a +better mount, and I said so, laughing.</p> +<p>"There is somewhat in that," Erling allowed; "but if you ride +through the foe at the head of your men on such an one, none can +deny that you did it. Nor can your men say that they lost sight of +you."</p> +<p>In the end I mounted and tried the horse. Presently I rode him +out of the town and away across the heaths, and had no fault to +find with him. Indeed, by the time that I brought him back I did +not care if he was of all the colours of the rainbow, for he was +the best horse I ever backed.</p> +<p>Then the franklin who owned him asked me a long price for him, +and I left Erling to settle that. Afterwards I knew that the man +was a known breeder of these horses, and that men thought me lucky +to get the steed. I think the Dane managed to bate somewhat of the +price, but very little, for it was a matter of taking or leaving +with the owner.</p> +<p>After that I bought a horse for Erling, or rather he chose one +and I paid for it; but that was a small matter, for the last day of +the fair brought prices down.</p> +<p>Then I had to put up with the jests of my friend Werbode +concerning my new horse, and the older Franks thought his colour +was a bit of vanity on my part. Werbode said that he was an unsafe +beast to go chicken stealing on, for he would be too well known on +a dark night; and the others said that they supposed that men would +know that I had come home now. But that sort of jest one gets used +to in camp life, and I cared not. I had a better steed than any one +of them, whether here or across the sea, and presently, as we +travelled toward Thetford, they knew it, and forgot to laugh at his +skin.</p> +<p>So we left Norwich, and rode across the moorlands to find the +king; and the gladness of homecoming grew on me every day, so that +I longed for the state affair to be over, that I might turn my +horse's head south and west for my own home. And thus, in all +gladness, and joying in every mile of the way, we came to Thetford, +strong with its earthen ramparts above its still river, and were +made most welcome at the hall of Ethelbert the king. There had gone +messengers before us to tell of our coming, and the greeting was +fitting for the men of Carl the Great.</p> +<p>Truly I saw the Franks smile at one another as we were led into +the great hall, homely and pleasant, with its open timbered roof +and central hearth, arms and antlers and heads of forest game on +walls, and bright hangings round the high place at the upper end; +for it was but a hut compared with the palaces of their own master. +But when Ethelbert the king came from his chamber to greet us, they +had no eyes for aught but him. Young and handsome and free of +speech and look as he was, none could doubt that here was one who +was worthy of his throne, for in every way he seemed a king indeed. +He minded me of Ecgbert, and if he did that, it may be certain that +I need add no more to my praise of him.</p> +<p>Now it happened that the day after we reached Thetford was a +Sunday, and I need not tell what a pleasure it was to me to hear +again the old English services that once I had thought so long, as +a boy will. And on that day, for the first time, it came to me that +my man, Erling the viking, was a stark heathen, Odin's man. Truly +he came to the church with me, and there he stood and stared at all +that went on, quietly and reverently enough, but in such wise that +I thought that he had somewhere seen the like before. So presently +when we came forth from the church I asked him if he had no +knowledge of the faith.</p> +<p>"Ay," he said; "I have helped to burn a church or two in my +time, and now I am sorry therefor. I have heard good words in this +place, so that I think I know why you were ready to risk gold to +free a captive. Let me go with you again."</p> +<p>"I will find some good priest who shall tell you more and teach +you," said I.</p> +<p>But he shook his head.</p> +<p>"That is another matter," he answered. "Let be for a time. I am +content to go your way and see what it is; but no man, if he is +worth aught, will leave the gods of his fathers offhand, not even +for the faith which is good for you and for Carl the king, and this +king here who has death written on his handsome face."</p> +<p>"What mean you by that?" I asked, almost angrily. "On the face +of Ethelbert?"</p> +<p>"Ay," he answered. "Cannot you see it?"</p> +<p>"Seldom have I seen a stronger or more healthy man! This is +sheer foolishness."</p> +<p>"I do not speak of health," he answered. "Eh, well, we of the +old race have the second sight now and then. On my word, I wish I +had it not. Pay no heed to me an you will; it is best not."</p> +<p>Then he laughed, because I was almost angered with him, and said +that maybe fasting with the slaver had made his mind full of +forebodings.</p> +<p>"There was a boding in it at one time that the slaver was nigh +his death, if so be that I got loose," he said. "That ended in a +whipping for him. But I would that this Ethelbert had not that thin +red line round his neck. It sets strange thoughts in one's +head."</p> +<p>I told him to hold his peace, and he did so. But somewhat that +night made me look to see what he meant. The king had no line such +as he spoke of on his sunburned throat, so far as I could see.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a>. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT +FOLK, AND OTHERS.</h2> +<p>It must not be supposed that the gifts of Carl the Great were +given, and his greetings spoken, offhand, as it were, by us. There +must needs be a gathering of the Witan of the East Anglians, that +all might be done with full honour both to Carl and his embassy. I +must say that it somewhat irked me to be treated with much +ceremony, as a Frank and paladin of the great king, instead of +being hailed in all good fellowship as a thane of England, who was +glad to get home again. However, there was no help for it till our +errand was done; for it was out of his goodness that Carl had given +me a place among his messengers, saying that they must have some +one of their number who could act as interpreter, and I would not +be ungrateful even in seeming.</p> +<p>So I had no chance yet of private speech with Ethelbert, when I +might give the message from Ecgbert; which was indeed the main +reason of my coming here instead of going straight home. That +chance would best be sought when the state business was done; for +since no man in all England rightly knew where Ecgbert was at this +time, and he had no mind that many should, my business would wait +well enough. So I bent myself to enjoy the feasting and the hunting +parties the court made for us all; and pleasant it was, in all +truth. And every day fresh companies of the great folk of the land +came in, till the town was full of thanes and ladies and their +trains, gathered to see and hear what had come from beyond the +seas.</p> +<p>So one day I rode with Werbode, who was all eagerness to see the +land (to which his forbears would not come when Hengist asked them, +by the way, as he told me) across the great heaths that lie north +and east of Thetford, with Erling after us, leading two greyhounds +which had been lent us from the royal kennels. There were bustards +in droves on these heaths, and roe deer to be found easily enough +by those who had skill to seek them in the right places. The +bustards were nesting; but that is the time when one can best +course the great birds, and many a good gallop we had after +them.</p> +<p>Whereby we lost ourselves presently, and made light of it until +we had wandered for some hours, and then remembered that we had +never seen a man of whom to ask the way back to the town. Of course +we tried to make our way back by the sun, but ever there would seem +to grow up a thicket or wood before us, which we must skirt, or +some marshy lake shone across our path in a hollow of the heath; +and it was slow work, and the horses grew weary as ourselves. The +hounds trailed after us with bent heads, hardly rousing themselves +to tug at the long leash when a hare scudded from its form away +from us, for they had had their fill of sport by that time. And it +grew near sunset before we met with any trace of man. There was not +even a track across the wild upland which we could follow.</p> +<p>"We shall have to make a night out of it," said I at last. +"However, that will not matter. Here is game enough for us and to +spare."</p> +<p>"And no ale to wash it down withal," said Werbode and Erling in +a breath.</p> +<p>"Why, then, we will find the best water we can," I answered; and +we rode on our way looking for a clear pool.</p> +<p>And then the first sound which told us that any one was near +came to us.</p> +<p>There rose from off to our left, where a patch of woodland lay, +a cry that made each one of us rein in his horse and stare at the +others.</p> +<p>"That was some one in dire distress," said I.</p> +<p>"A woman crying for help," said Werbode.</p> +<p>Then we forgot our own plight, and set spurs to our horses and +rode toward the place whence the cry came. We heard it once more, +and that quickened us. My horse pricked up his ears, and broke into +a long stride that left the other two behind in a few minutes, as +if he knew that there was need for dire haste. I had to ride +carefully, too, for there were holes and great stones among the +heather.</p> +<p>So I was the first to see what was amiss; and it seemed bad +enough. Round the spur of the cover I came, and there before me I +saw a wild throng of men, savage as any I have ever seen in the +mines of our Mendips--bareheaded save for great shocks of black +hair, barefooted and hoseless, dressed in untanned hides of deer +and sheep, and armed with uncouth clubs and spears on rough ash +poles. They did not hear my coming, and they had their faces from +me at first. Twenty or more of them there were; and two horses +rolled on the ground hard by them, and they had been hamstrung, as +one glance told me. One man, too, in the dress of a housecarl, lay +not far off, wounded sorely. He saw me, and beckoned wildly to me. +And next I knew why, for out of the throng came three men dragging +a lady roughly away from the rest; and as their comrades parted to +let them pass, I saw another man on the ground, and with his back +to a third a gray-haired noble, who held back the wild men with +long sweeps of his sword. He was trying to follow those who held +the lady.</p> +<p>I saw all that at once, in a flash, for it broke on my eyes the +moment I cleared the thickets of the cover; and as I saw I shouted +and bore down on the throng, calling to my comrades to hasten. Then +the men knew that I was on them.</p> +<p>They yelled to one another, and, without waiting to see if more +followed me, left the lady and the men who fought for her, and +scattered, flying. It seemed to me that the best thing I could do +was to keep them in a mind to fly, and I rode after them. One or +two I rode down; and I heard a wild outcry as some met Werbode and +Erling when they came up. But they did not make for the wood, as I +expected, but for the open heath. They ran like deer up the swell +of a rising ground and passed over it.</p> +<p>When I came to the top of that I saw a wide stretch of bare land +before me, like miles of that which we had passed, hardly +heather-covered, and stony, and over it fled the men. There was no +place where they could hide. And yet before my very eyes they +vanished. One after another they went till but one was left, still +flying. I took my eyes from him for a moment, and he too was gone. +There was not so much as a bustard on the heath, which a moment +before had been full of fleeting figures.</p> +<p>"They are trolls, thane!" cried Erling from beside me.</p> +<p>He, too, had seen the moorland and the men who had gone. Then +Werbode rode up to me, and he looked and gasped.</p> +<p>"They went over this hill! I would swear it!" he said. "Where +are they?"</p> +<p>"I do not know," I answered blankly, and, to tell the truth, +with a bit of a chill down my back. "I should be better pleased if +I did."</p> +<p>"See," said Erling, pointing, "there are the mounds wherein they +live. They are trolls;" and with that he began to mutter I know not +what heathen spells against them.</p> +<p>There were little low mounds everywhere, as I saw now.</p> +<p>"Trolls!" said Werbode, with a laugh. "One can't slay trolls. I +saw Wilfrid cut one down, and there he lies even yet."</p> +<p>"Nay, but one can, if so be the sword is rightly charmed," +answered Erling.</p> +<p>"Well, they have gone," said I. "Do you two go and see after +these folk they were attacking, and I will bide here to watch that +they do not come back."</p> +<p>"That is the work of the man, not the master," quoth Erling. +"Here I bide, for I have runes which are of power against any +trolls. I am not afraid."</p> +<p>Nor did he seem so; and I told him to call if but one man showed +himself, and so rode back to the little party we had saved. The man +who I had seen was of rank was bending over the lady, who lay where +the wild men had left her; and his unhurt servant was watching +beside him. The wounded man was sitting up and trying to bind a +hurt in his thigh with a scarf, which, from its gold fringes, was +plainly that of his mistress.</p> +<p>The thane rose up when he heard us coming, and saluted us. He +was a handsome man of sixty years or so, richly dressed, who had +plainly had a bad fall when his horse went down. There were three +or four of his assailants lying where they had been round him as I +came.</p> +<p>"Many thanks, sirs," he said. "It was going hard with us when +you came up. Now is no time for ceremony, or I would say more. I do +not know if my daughter lives yet."</p> +<p>I dismounted, and Werbode held my horse while I went to the side +of the thane and looked at his charge. Wonderfully beautiful that +young maiden seemed in the red light of the sunset, even though her +face was white and her fair hair all tangled over her shoulders, +and her rich dress all in tatters from the hands of the wild men. +And at first I thought that she was dead. Then I minded that unless +she had died of fright, which was possible, I had seen no harm done +her beyond rough handling, while those who held her had fled from +me without delay or heed to how she fell from their hands; and I +knelt and tried to find the pulse in her wrist, very gently.</p> +<p>Her white hand fell limp and cold, but the fluttering beat was +there.</p> +<p>"Not dead, thane, but fainting," I said. "Let your man get +water; there is a pool yonder."</p> +<p>The housecarl started toward it, but as he passed one of the +helpless horses, he turned to that and brought me a horn from the +saddlebags. It had wine in it, and that was better. The old thane +tried to get some of it into the lips of the lady, and succeeded +while I rubbed her hands.</p> +<p>And all the while Werbode had his eyes on Erling, whose gaunt +form was clear against the sky as he sat still on his horse and +watched the heath for the trolls to return on us. Behind him the +two hounds sat, careless.</p> +<p>"She is coming round," said the thane, with a sigh of +relief.</p> +<p>Seeing that so she was, I rose up and stood aside, not caring to +be right before her eyes as she opened them, lest she should be +frightened again. Slowly she came to herself, trembling, and +looking round fearful of what she might find about her. But when +she saw only her father and the man, she tried to smile and sat up, +with a little clutch at her disordered dress as if she wanted to +straighten it.</p> +<p>"That is better," said the thane heartily. "Those thieves have +fled, and all will be well, thanks to our good friends here."</p> +<p>The maiden looked round, and saw that I was a stranger, and at +that the colour came back of a sudden to her cheeks, and she tried +to set her hair hastily out of her eyes. Whereat her father laughed +at her, and then she was herself again.</p> +<p>"I think we had better be going on before it grows dark," I +said. "Do you know the road to Thetford?"</p> +<p>"My man here does. But you will not leave us--at least yet?"</p> +<p>"We are seeking the same road," I answered. "Now our horses are +at the service of the lady and yourself. I suppose we are not far +from the town, if we cannot find it;" and I laughed.</p> +<p>"Matter of ten or twelve miles, lord," said the housecarl.</p> +<p>"Why, then, the sooner we go the better. Lucky that the May +twilight is long."</p> +<p>"We have met you in the nick of time," said the old thane +courteously. "From your dress I take it that you are one of the +Frankish paladins we were on the way to see. But do they always +talk good Wessex at the court of King Carl?"</p> +<p>"No," laughed Werbode. "Sometimes they talk old Saxon--as I +do."</p> +<p>The thane bowed, and let that matter rest. Then he looked +ruefully at the two crippled horses, and set his arm round the +lady, who had risen and was leaning on him.</p> +<p>"I thank you for that offer of a horse," he said. "I had twelve +good men with me when we started across this moor, and you see all +who are left. One after another they have been shot by unseen men +as we rode, until these swarmed out on us as you saw."</p> +<p>"Who are they?" I asked, rolling up my cloak to set it +pillion-wise behind my saddle for the lady.</p> +<p>"The flintknappers, I suppose," he said. "But I am a stranger to +these parts, and I have but heard of them as dwelling about these +heaths."</p> +<p>Then I would have the thane mount my horse; and I lifted the +maiden up behind him, and wrapped Werbode's cloak round her, having +a smile and thanks for the service. And when they were ready I +whistled for Erling, and he came back to us at a canter, looking +behind him now and then. But there was no sign of any follower.</p> +<p>"Ten miles from the town," I said to him, "and more heath to +cross. We must hurry. But we cannot leave those horses to +suffer."</p> +<p>"Our horses; and I have tended them, lord," said the rough +housecarl, with a bit of a shake in his voice. "Leave that to +me."</p> +<p>He drew his seax, and we went on. The poor beasts could never +rise again, and that was the only way. The thane knew, and rode +round the wood end, and we went with him. Then Erling lifted the +wounded man on his own horse, and walked beside him.</p> +<p>"You and I will ride in turn," said Werbode. "As I am mounted, I +will take first turn for a mile or two. It will be all the same in +the end."</p> +<p>Presently Erling came alongside me, leaving the housecarl to +mind his comrade. He held out a broken arrow to me.</p> +<p>"I said they were trolls," he remarked. "See, this is an elf +shot."</p> +<p>And truly the arrow which he had drawn from one of the horses +had as well wrought a flint head as I have ever seen--lustrous +black, and covered with tiny chippings.</p> +<p>"It is a better made head than usual," I said; "but many a +thrall has naught but flint-headed arrows in his quiver as he tends +the swine in the forest. They are good enough against the forest +beasts."</p> +<p>Erling laughed. "Maybe. But they have slain ten of this party. I +have no mind to hear them whistling about my ears again."</p> +<p>"Again?" said I.</p> +<p>"Oh ay; they had a shot or two at me yonder. The arrows came +from nowhere and missed me, so it did not seem worth while to call +you. I could not see any one."</p> +<p>Now it seemed to me that I had found a cool and valiant man in +this Dane.</p> +<p>"I think that I should have wanted to take cover," I said. +"These are perilous folk to have to do with. I wonder what became +of them?"</p> +<p>"Gone into the mounds we saw," said he. "Betimes in our land men +have seen such mounds raised, as it were, on pillars at night, and +under them halls full of dancing trolls. But if the seer will go +near them, all is gone. And mostly thereafter he dies."</p> +<p>"Not many trolls could get under those mounds we saw," I said. +"See, there are more here; they are too small for dwellings."</p> +<p>There was indeed one of the heaps of earth close at hand to us, +and Werbode rode toward it to see that none of the wild men lurked +in its shelter. He reached it, and then his horse started and +leaped aside, almost falling; and through a rattle of falling +stones my comrade called to the steed to "hold up."</p> +<p>Whereon we supposed, of course, that he had been served as the +horses of the thane had been crippled, and Erling and I ran to him, +sword in hand, bidding the others go on. But when we came to the +side of Werbode, we found him staring into a pit which seemed to +have opened under the weight of his horse; and there was no sign of +other danger.</p> +<p>"Strange folk these," he said. "I suppose this is a trap. The +ground over it was as solid as anywhere, to all seeming. I was nigh +into it."</p> +<p>The pit was ten feet deep or so, and it was plain that out of it +had come what made the mound, though one could not see how. When I +looked in I saw that the ground had given way over the roof of a +passage hewn in the soft chalk, and that the opening of it must +have fallen in long ago. The twisted stems of the sparse heather on +the mound and all around it told of years, if not of long ages, +that had passed undisturbed.</p> +<p>"There is the trolls' house," said Erling, shrinking back +somewhat.</p> +<p>The level sunlight showed me walls of dull gray chalk, with the +marks of the pick on them still. There was a layer of black and +white flints bedded in either wall, halfway up, and on the floor +were piled stones chosen from it carefully. I wondered who had +handled them, and when. Erling moved a little aside, and a shaft of +sunlight darted down the passage and reached its end, and showed me +those who had wrought here.</p> +<p>Two white skeletons sat against the wall, with a pile of flints +between them. There was a lamp hewn from chalk on the top of that, +and the stain of its smoky flame was on the wall behind it. One man +had a pick made of the brow tine of an antler, greater than any +which the red deer carry nowadays, across his knees, and another +like pick lay by the bones of the other skeleton. That one had a +broken thigh, and he seemed to bend over it in pain.</p> +<p>"Holy saints," said Werbode, in a whisper, "they were buried +alive!"</p> +<p>So they must have been; but who shall know when? They had delved +in the chalk for the flints they needed for their weapons, and +their mine had fallen in at the mouth, and they could not escape. +The stones had, doubtless, broken the leg of that one in falling. +But by the token of the deer-horn pick I take it that it was ages +ago when this happened, maybe before the days of the Welshmen whom +we found here. Yet even then, as the red sun lit up the place of +their death, we could see that the marks of their chalky hands +bided on the handles of their picks, fresh as if made +yesterday.</p> +<p>"Come away," said Erling. "I like it not. This is over +troll-like for me."</p> +<p>I do not think that either of us was sorry to leave that sight. +We went one on either side of Werbode, with our arms across the +crupper of his horse, and hastened after the thane and his charge, +who were half a mile away by this time, waiting for us. But we +never heard any elvish arrow whistling after us, or saw any more of +the uncouth folk.</p> +<p>I told him as we went on of the pit we had seen, and how Werbode +thought it was a trap. Whereon the housecarl laughed a little, and +said that it was but an ancient flint working. The men who had +fallen on the party were the descendants of those who had made it. +The flints had been worked here from time untold even till now, and +those who worked them today had all the craft of their +forebears.</p> +<p>"Why, then, they went into their workings when they fled from +us," I said.</p> +<p>"No doubt, thane. Where else should they go?" he said. "They +came out of them on us."</p> +<p>"I wonder you brought your master and the lady across this heath +at all," I said "it is a perilous place."</p> +<p>"It grew late, and it is the nearest way," said the man humbly. +"Nor did I ever hear that the flintknappers, as we call them, +harmed any."</p> +<p>"Nor did I," said the old thane. "It is somewhat fresh to me. +Maybe parties like ours have passed here so often during this last +week that at last the sight of gold and jewels has roused them to +try to take from a weak band."</p> +<p>So we talked and went on as fast as we might, all the while +keeping a lookout around us. The lady had, in some way which is +beyond me altogether, set herself in such array again that I, for +one, could hardly tell that aught had been awry on her; and I +wondered that Werbode's red cloak had never seemed so graceful a +garment on his broad shoulders. But she said little or nothing, +leaning her head on her father as she rode with her arm round him, +save when we asked her if all was well. I think she was very +tired.</p> +<p>And so at last, with no more adventure, we came to the well-worn +track which we were making for, and by-and-by, in the May +moonlight, saw the twinkling lights of Thetford town, seeming to +welcome us into the shelter of its protecting ramparts. I was glad +to see them; but I had enjoyed that long tramp back, for some +reason which was not plain to me, unless it had been the talk of +the old thane and my comrades, and the sense of escape from +danger.</p> +<p>Now we came to the great hall, and the grooms thronged round us +to take the horses; and seeing that there was a lady, one told the +steward, and he bustled out to help her. But there I was at hand, +and lifted the maiden from the horse and set her on her feet, +having to support her for a moment, for she was weary and stiff. So +she stumbled a little and laughed at herself, and thanked me, and +was glad of my arm to help her toward the great door of the +hall.</p> +<p>Werbode and Erling went off with the horses to the stables, and +some of the housecarls took charge of the wounded man. I heard him +groan heavily as they took him from the horse.</p> +<p>Then the thane gave his name to the steward, and that was the +first time I had learned it.</p> +<p>"Sighard, thane of Mundesley, and his daughter, the Lady +Hilda."</p> +<p>They were led into the hall; and I went my way, or was going, +for I had only passed down the steps, when some one called me.</p> +<p>"Paladin, one moment!"</p> +<p>I turned, for the Frankish title could be meant for no one but +myself, and there was the old thane at the door.</p> +<p>"I did but take my daughter into the house, and I have yet to +thank you and your comrades for your help. Believe me, I know how +great it has been; but one is confused at these times. I think we +shall meet again?"</p> +<p>"Doubtless," I said. "But it was chance which brought us to you, +as we wandered."</p> +<p>"For which chance I have need to be thankful. It is not every +one, however, who can make use of a chance as you did. If you had +stood and stared for a moment instead of spurring your horse, I +should have had a flint spear among my ribs. They ache at the +thought thereof even now. Tell me your names at least."</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, son of the thane of Frome, in Somerset," I said. "I +have served with King Carl for some years, and am here with his +messages on my way home. My comrade is Werbode of old Saxony, one +of the messengers also. The third of us is my man, a Dane."</p> +<p>Sighard laughed, as if highly amused. "That explains it all. I +have been puzzling all the way hither at the divers ways in which +you three spoke. Your Dane's tongue is almost good Anglian, and yet +not quite. Werbode's Saxon is quaint, but good enough, as it should +be; but broad Wessex from the mouth of a seeming Frank was too +much. Not the best master in the world could compass it for you. +Now I am right glad that you are of England. When she has got over +her fright and is rested, the girl shall thank you also."</p> +<p>He shook hands with me heartily and left me, following his +daughter. Presently I saw him as we sat at table, and he lifted his +cup to me; but though he was on the high place, where of course we +were set, I was too far off to speak to him.</p> +<p>Now I cannot say that I had much right to that title of paladin +he had given me, unless it was as a messenger from the palace of +King Carl. Thane I was in Wessex, now that I had come of age, by +right of lands that came to me from my mother's side; but our folk +got hold of the Frankish title, and used it for any one of us, so +that I had to accept it. I did tell the old noble who led us that +it was not by my wish that so they called me; but he stroked his +beard and laughed at me.</p> +<p>"What does it matter?" he said; "it is naught but the old name +for a palace officer. It is near enough. Trouble not about it; for +if we have taken it to mean a warrior noble--well, I will not say +that you have not deserved it, else Carl had never sent you with +us."</p> +<p>One may guess that at supper that night I tried to see the Lady +Hilda. But among all the bright array of ladies at that feast I +could not spy her. And perhaps that is not to be wondered at, for +long ere we came up all the baggage had been lost. By this time her +court dress was being worn by swart women of the flint folk, far on +the wild heaths. I dare say they fought over it.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH +ETHELBERT THE KING.</h2> +<p>Early on the next morning Ethelbert the king sent for me, to ask +me concerning this affair with the flintknappers. Very pleasant he +was, too, and the first thing he did was to laugh at himself for +taking me for a Frank.</p> +<p>"I ought to have seen that you were a Saxon," he said; "and if I +had had the courtesy to speak with you, I should have learned it at +once. I had a good friend once in that atheling of yours, who is +lost to us."</p> +<p>His face clouded as he said that, and but that there were a +dozen courtiers present, I should have told him that Ecgbert was +found again for him, then and there; however, that would wait, and +I passed it over. Then he asked me of myself, and what I would do +when the state affair was ended; and I told him that I had no +greater wish than to find my way home at once.</p> +<p>"That is a long ride," he said. "I think we can assist you. It +is in my mind to ride westward myself in a week or so to see Offa, +on a matter of business. That will take us far on your way, if you +care to ride with me."</p> +<p>Now I wondered what this business might be, for the honest face +of the young king flushed somewhat as he spoke thereof; and one or +two of the courtiers behind his chair smiled at one another +meaningly. That was not for me to ask, but whatever it might be, I +was glad of the kindly offer. I thanked him, and then we spoke of +the flint folk, and I told him all I knew.</p> +<p>Then, of course, we must talk of the court of King Carl, and of +all that I had seen and done beyond the sea, and the time went +fast. I had my breakfast with the king there in his private +chamber, for he wanted to hear of laws and the like, of which, to +tell the truth, I could let him know little.</p> +<p>"Best ask the old paladin who is the head of the embassy, King +Ethelbert," I said presently. "I can tell you how Carl manages the +sword; but of the way he wields the sceptre, I cannot. Mayhap I +shall mislead you."</p> +<p>"No," he answered; "I would hear how his way seems to a plain +Englishman as myself. My chancellor shall talk with the +paladin."</p> +<p>Then at last he started up, and cried:</p> +<p>"Why, I have forgotten somewhat. I promised to take you to my +mother's bower to be thanked by the Lady Hilda. Come with me at +once."</p> +<p>"There is Werbode," I said.</p> +<p>"Let him wait," said Ethelbert. "It is the thane on the great +pied horse whom she will thank."</p> +<p>I wondered whether it was the steed or myself she remembered +best, which was not courteous of me. Ethelbert laughed and told me +so, adding that he thought after all that the horse would be +noticed first. He was the first thing which had caught his own eye +when we rode into the palace yard on our coming, certainly, so I +had to stand another jest or two about him.</p> +<p>We came to the bower, across a fair garden where the May flowers +were gay and sweet, and the king knocked at the door. It was a +handsome, low-built little hall which stood at right angles to the +great one, so that it had a door opening on the high place where we +sat at table. Its windows on this garden side were wide and high, +and this morning the heavy shutters were flung back from each, and +the curtains were drawn aside, for it faced south to the warm sun. +There were bright faces of the queen-mother's ladies at one or two +as they sat in the deep window seats working or spinning, and +anywise laughing with one another; whereon I grew bashful, for of +ladies' talk and presence I have a sort of fear, being more used to +camp than court, as I have said.</p> +<p>However, we went in, and there we stood on a floor strewn with +sweet sedge in a fair hall, tapestry hung, full of sunlight, and of +ladies also. There was a high place here at one end, and on it sat +the mother of the king, not in any state, but working at a little +loom, whose beams were all carven and made beautiful for her royal +hands. There were two ladies helping her, and they rose as the king +entered, as did all the others, and there was a sudden silence.</p> +<p>I should have been happier if only they had paid no heed to us, +and with all my heart I wished myself elsewhere. Nor did I dare +look round for the Lady Hilda, and so kept my eyes fixed more or +less on the ground, or else trying to seem unconcerned, looking +foolish, no doubt, in that effort. It came to me that one of my +shoes was muddy, and that I could not remember having combed my +hair this morning.</p> +<p>Then the queen rose and came to meet her son with a smile and +morning greeting, setting her hands on his shoulder and kissing +him, and so turned to me as if to ask Ethelbert to say who I was. +And when she heard, I knelt and kissed the hand she held to me; and +my shyness went, for I was no longer at a loss for somewhat to +think of besides myself. I suppose the king or queen made some sign +at this time, for the ladies rustled back to their seats, and their +pleasant talk began again as if we were not present, only so low +that it was like the murmur of the bees outside as we came past the +hives.</p> +<p>Now the queen asked me just a question or two of my journey--if +the crossing had been rough, and so on, and then said smiling:</p> +<p>"But you have had another journey since then, and that handsome +horse of yours bore a double burden, they tell me. Here is the Lady +Hilda, who would thank you for somewhat you did for her."</p> +<p>She beckoned, and a lady rose up from the window seat near by +and came forward. Truly I had to look twice before I was quite sure +that this was she, for here was a wonderfully stately young lady, +clad in white and gold and blue, all unlike the maiden who had +clung to her father as we rode yestereven. And if I had thought her +fair then, I saw now that she was the fairest of all those who +attended this homely and kindly-faced queen. She held out her hand +to me, and I bent and kissed it; and on the white wrist I saw the +blue marks of the clutch of the wild men, which made a great wrath +rise in my heart straightway. Yet I must say somewhat or seem +mannerless.</p> +<p>"You have fared none the worse for your ride, lady?" I said. "I +fear you were weary."</p> +<p>"I am black and blue with the claws of those folk," she said, +laughing ruefully; "they were grimy also. But I meant to try to +thank you for much kindness."</p> +<p>She blushed somewhat, and I made haste to say that I was happy +to have served her in aught. But I would not have her forget my +comrades.</p> +<p>"Ay, they helped you," she said; "I had not forgotten. And I had +the cloak of one of them. Will you thank him for it?"</p> +<p>I said that I would, and added words about Werbode's pleasure in +the loan, and so on. One could not say much with all those eyes on +us, as it were, if I had had much to say. I was glad when the king +took up the talk and asked after the welfare of the lady.</p> +<p>"I have sent men across that heath," he said; "at least they +will see to those who fell of your party. I hope they may bring +back some not much hurt after all. A fall from a horse will not be +of much account after half an hour."</p> +<p>But she shook her head and paled, for, as her father had told +me, his men who had fallen were not mounted. The king saw that the +matter was hard for her to think of, and so turned the talk by +asking how she liked that steed of mine.</p> +<p>"Sire," she said gravely, "when horse and rider first came +suddenly before my eyes, I thought that one of the saints had come +to our help. It was the most welcome sight I have ever seen, and I +shall ever love to look on a horse of that--of those--"</p> +<p>"Patchwork colours," laughed the king.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, so long as you live you will no more be taken for a +saint than shall I again. Make the most thereof. Of a truth I will +even buy me a skew-bald mount and ride round corners in search of +the like reputation. Nay, sell me yours straightway!"</p> +<p>"No, King Ethelbert," I answered--"not even to yourself after he +has won me that word, and since he has borne so fair a burden."</p> +<p>"Let us go straightway," said Ethelbert. "You will not better +that speech if you bide here for an hour.</p> +<p>"Farewell, mother; and farewell, ladies."</p> +<p>He bowed, and I did my best to leave gracefully, all those who +were present rising again as he went, and returning his bow. The +queen was laughing at him, and I dared to see if the Lady Hilda had +a smile on her face. She had, and it did not pass when she met my +look; but behind the smile was something of the terror of last +evening, which had been brought back to her. It was in my mind as +we passed the door again that if the sight of me and my horse so +wrought on her, it were better that I kept away if I could; and I +would have the beast stabled in the town.</p> +<p>Then said Ethelbert when we were halfway across the garden:</p> +<p>"We shall have the company of that very fair lady to Offa's +court. She is going to the queen as one of her ladies for a time, +by our permission. Her mother was of Lincoln, and gave hospitality +to Quendritha when she was first found on the shore. Then she +married our thane of Mundesley here; whereby we have gained this +fair subject."</p> +<p>Into my mind there came the thought of what old Thrond had told +me, and I would that this maiden could be warned. And that was just +a wild thought, for even Thrond could not say for certain that his +guess was true, and he had bidden me hold my peace; and thereon I +tried to consider that it was no concern of mine where the Lady +Hilda went, though it troubled me more than enough to think that +she was to go to Quendritha. So I said naught, and the king did not +expect any answer.</p> +<p>"I suppose you have heard why we go thither," he went on +quickly. "If not, you will, and you may as well have it from +myself."</p> +<p>He glanced sidewise at me, and I bowed. I supposed I should hear +some words of policy or other.</p> +<p>"They--that is, our wise folk and my good mother--have been +saying that I ought to marry. They have dinned that into my ears +for the last two months since I have been on the throne. It is a +matter which I had not thought of, and therefore I have been in no +haste to answer them; and they have grown impatient, saying that it +is for the good of the realm. Have you ever been at the court of +King Offa of Mercia?"</p> +<p>I had not, and I think I had told him so before, when he asked +me if I would ride with him thither.</p> +<p>He took my arm and turned to pace the garden back again, +thinking. I wondered that he took the trouble to tell me all this, +as I was so complete a stranger to him.</p> +<p>"I am sorry for that," he said; "I would have asked you +somewhat. You would have answered it frankly, and without the +thought of what might please me, as our courtiers would of course +stay to consider. But tell me, what have you heard of Offa and his +family?"</p> +<p>Now I could say nothing of what I had heard from Thrond; that +was impossible. Nor did it seem to me to matter that of it I spoke +not. The life of Quendritha the queen had lain open to all England, +as one may say, for the last twenty years, and that was of more +account than the half-told tale of a wandering Dane. So I said +simply the truth.</p> +<p>"I have ever heard of that royal house as the noblest and +greatest in all England--at least since Ina of Wessex died; but I +have been abroad for these five years, and I know not what they +have brought."</p> +<p>"Why, then," he answered, laughing, "it is I who must tell you +of them. There was once a fair little playmate of mine in Offa's +house, his youngest daughter Etheldrida. Since you left England she +has grown up, and now--Well, you will not need telling the rest, +maybe?"</p> +<p>He reddened and laughed, as if well content, and plain to me it +was that if Ethelbert meant to wed that playmate of whom he spoke +he was happy; for in this case certainly policy and inclination +went hand in hand.</p> +<p>"Then both yourself and East Anglia will be happy, King +Ethelbert," said I, smiling in turn. "That is what you would tell +me."</p> +<p>"That is it. This princess has the fairness of her wondrous +mother, and promise of the wisdom of her father; and I have known +her for long years. Three weeks ago I sent with all solemnity to +ask her hand, and I need not tell you how I waited for the answer. +It came on the day before you landed, and now when your people have +gone we shall ride to Fernlea, and--well, I suppose there will be a +wedding."</p> +<p>If Ethelbert when that day came looked as he looked at this +moment, there would in all truth be a handsome bridegroom. I +thought that the princess was to be envied, for more worth than +that were the words of every man of his land in his favour, whether +as the atheling of East Anglia or her king. And it was much for me +that here this open-hearted king was telling me his hopes as if I +were an old friend. Maybe that was because to his subjects he did +not care to speak thus, or could not, by reason of old habit. He +was wise beyond his years, being, as I think, about two years +younger than myself. And as to this match, of course it was plain +that Offa in furthering it was in nowise unwilling to link the land +to the east of Mercia to himself in so peaceful a bond as he had +linked Wessex in the year when I left home. It did come into my +mind that thus in time the descendants of that mighty king would be +likely to rule from the Humber to the Channel, but that was a dim +thought of years to come. There was Ecgbert to be counted on.</p> +<p>And at that I wondered whether this were, as it almost seemed a +good chance, a fitting time for me to remind the king of him. He +himself had told me carefully that in aught I said of his doings I +must be cautious; and now I could not tell what Ethelbert might not +think right to make known to Offa, and so to Quendritha.</p> +<p>Ethelbert went on telling me of the coming journey, having found +a listener who was no courtier, and did not heed that I was silent. +And so we paced the garden, while he chatted hopefully, and I +turned over somewhat heavier matters in my mind.</p> +<p>Once I did well-nigh tell him of Ecgbert, and then forbore; for +at that moment he said somewhat of Quendritha which almost made me +think that he feared her. Whereon I was troubled to think that this +bright and happy young king should be drawn into the net of her +pride and policy, and again thought myself foolish for giving two +thoughts to a matter which did not concern me. If the king was +happy and yon fair maiden was content, they knew more of the queen +than I. So I ended my questionings by a hearty wish that old Thrond +had never told me that wild tale of his, and said naught of my +prince, but listened patiently to the king until some one came and +prayed him to meet the council, which he had forgotten.</p> +<p>I followed him to the great hall, and thence went to the +stables, and so met with Werbode and Erling, and rode hawking with +them all that afternoon. And when we came back we heard that +tomorrow was the day for the meeting of the Witan, to hear and see +what King Carl had to say and had sent.</p> +<p>Now, of all that wonderful gathering in the hall at Thetford I +need say little. I know that our Franks had somewhat despised our +buildings, for indeed they seemed somewhat poor to me after the +mighty piles which Carl had reared. But such a wealth of colour and +jewels decking so gallant an assemblage of brave men and fair +ladies even Carl's court could not match, and so they told me. As +we stood before the high place our Frankish dress seemed almost +plain beside the English, richly as we were clad.</p> +<p>Then I found that I, by reason of having to interpret, was +thrust somewhat more forward than I liked; but there was no help +for it, and I went through it all as well as I knew how. Maybe it +was lucky that I had that talk in all confidence with the king in +the garden, for I was now in nowise afraid of him, though he sat +there crowned and with his sceptre. I was afraid, however, of the +Lady Hilda, knowing just where she stood behind the queen, and one +would have thought that with her I might have claimed more close +acquaintance than with the king; which is curious, for if I had not +known her at all, I should have cared naught for all the ladies +present, having business that needed other thoughts on hand.</p> +<p>However, after it was all over, the old paladin, who was our +chief, thanked me, and spoke some honest words of praise for the +way in which his message had been set before the Witan and the +king; and gave me, moreover, a ring, set with a ruby from some far +Eastern land, as a kindly remembrance of himself; so I verily +believe that I did not manage so badly.</p> +<p>After that was a day or two more of feasting and hunting, and +then the embassy would return. I was sorry to part with Werbode, +but I bade him carry back messages to Ecgbert, and in them I told +him that I waited for the time when his message should best be +spoken. Werbode knew not what that meant, but did not trouble to +ask. He would give my message, and would also tell the atheling of +the coming marriage. I had no doubt that it would be understood +well by him to whom it was sent. At that time there were none of +the Franks who knew or cared who Ecgbert was, save Carl; and if by +chance my friend had spoken to any of these East Anglians of the +Saxon leader under whom he had warred for Carl, the name of Ecgbert +would mean naught to them. A Wessex atheling has no honour in East +Anglia, and I doubt whether it had ever been heard here.</p> +<p>On the day after the great ceremony I noticed that Erling went +about somewhat silently, and I thought that he very likely had a +wish to cross the sea with the Franks, and so make his way home by +land from the Rhine mouth. I asked him, therefore, if it was so, +saying that I would give him money enough for all needs.</p> +<p>"It is not that, master," he said; and when he called me master +(which I had forbidden him, for he was more of a comrade, and I +would not have him remember whence I took him), I knew that he was +in earnest--"not that, for I would not leave you; unless, indeed +this means that you would have me go?"</p> +<p>"No, comrade, that I would not. But you are downcast, and I +thought that you might have the longing for home on you. Well, what +is it?"</p> +<p>"It is naught," he said.</p> +<p>But so plain it was that somewhat was amiss that I pressed him, +and at last he said that he would tell me if I would not be angry +with him. We were alone at the time, sitting on a great log in the +corner of the courtyard, waiting for supper.</p> +<p>"Saw you aught strange about the robe which this young king had +on yesterday, when you stood before him?" he asked first. "You were +close to him."</p> +<p>"I did not notice anything beyond that it was wonderfully +wrought with gold and colours. The queen made it, they tell +me."</p> +<p>He sighed, and his face fell.</p> +<p>"I have heard that the Christian folk hold most precious such +robes as are marked with the blood of one who has died for his +faith. Are you sure that this robe is not such an one?"</p> +<p>"I know it is not. The queen made it new for the +coronation."</p> +<p>He was silent for a while, looking on the ground and shifting +his foot in the dust, and some fear rose in my mind as to what he +would tell me.</p> +<p>"Eh, well," he said, sighing again, "mayhap the sun was in my +eyes before I looked on him."</p> +<p>"Is it the second sight again, Erling?" I asked in a low voice, +for that was what I feared.</p> +<p>"Ay. Methought I saw that royal robe all spotted with blood as +he sat in it."</p> +<p>"What does that portend?" I said.</p> +<p>He lifted his eyes slowly to mine, and answered, "Why need you +ask?"</p> +<p>I did not answer him, for, in truth, I only asked with a half +hope that he might have some other interpretation of this portent +than that of violent death, which seemed the plain meaning of +it--that is, if he saw aught, and I had no reason to disbelieve +him. I tried to think that his glance had met the sun for a moment +before he looked on the king; but I could not think it, for in the +hall was no chance thereof. And then he spoke again slowly, with +his eyes still on the ground.</p> +<p>"Thrond, who is my uncle, saw the same on the mail of my father +not long before he fell. He said at that time that so it had often +been in our family; but this has not come to me until I came here. +I had no second sight up to this time."</p> +<p>"It is sent for some reason, therefore," said I. "Now, is it +possible to avert the doom which seems written?"</p> +<p>He shook his head. "I have never heard so," he answered.</p> +<p>"Yet the king does not seem fey," said I, "and there is no man +in all this land who would harm him. Ah, maybe you saw the robe as +of a saint, because all men hold him most saintly!"</p> +<p>"May it he so," he answered. "You are Christian folk, and it may +mean that; I will hope it does. How should a heathen man know what +is for you? Over you the Norns may have no power. Pay no heed to +me."</p> +<p>"No," said I. "We ride to Offa with the king in a few days, and +if you and I have fears for him, there are two who will watch him +carefully. That is why the sight has come to you, I think. There is +danger, and we may meet it."</p> +<p>Thereat he cheered up, for the thought of facing a peril +heartened him. His heathen fear of fate was enough to make any man +downcast when it seemed to promise naught but ill, and I verily +believe that he thought the way of the Christian might be +altogether different from his. But I liked his second sight not at +all, for of course we Saxons know that when it is given it is not +to be despised. My father had many times told me of the like before +I heard this.</p> +<p>After that I asked now and then if there was any danger to be +guarded against on the way to Fernlea, and I was told by all that +there was none. Hardly would a strong guard be needed, for the hand +of Offa was heavy on ill doers, and his land had peace from end to +end.</p> +<p>So then I began to think the portent altogether heathenish, and +half forgot it. And with that I hoped that Erling would not often +be taken in this way.</p> +<p>I rode with the Franks for an hour or two on their road back to +Norwich, homeward, and then took leave of them, riding back to +Thetford with Erling alone, for the king had but set the embassy as +far as the gates of the town. And as I watched them pass across the +heaths and at last disappear behind a hill, it seemed to me that I +had my life to begin afresh, for the days when I was one of the +paladins of King Carl of the Franks were past and done with. Many +were the lessons I had learned therein, and I have never regretted +those five years; and, best of all, in them I had been the friend +and close comrade of Ecgbert, who I know had then all the promise +of his greatness of the days to come.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY +BEGAN WITH PORTENTS.</h2> +<p>Seeing that Carl the Great was at this time, and I suppose +always will be, the model of what a king should be, Ethelbert had +many things to ask me of him, and out of the hours which he spent +in questioning me it came to pass that he took pleasure in my +company at other times as well, treating me as a close comrade. +That sort of thing is apt to be perilous in time, for it makes +jealousies about a court if there is favour for one more than for +another of the courtiers; but as I was no more than a passing +stranger, who had not the least intention of biding here, I escaped +that. Nor do I think that any one was jealous of me, for the honour +which Carl had set on me for the sake of Ecgbert hung about me, as +it were, and I suppose that half the court thought that I had to +take some message on to Offa from my late lord.</p> +<p>Moreover, for good and wise reasons of his own, Ethelbert had no +close companions of his own age, and maybe longed for such, finding +in myself one to whom he could speak his mind of his own affairs +without any thought of favour or policy rising up to cloud my +answers to him, as his guest.</p> +<p>So in a few days I told him of Ecgbert, and gave him those +messages of which I have spoken, being sure that with him they were +safe. And I was glad that I did so, for his joy on hearing of his +friend was good to see. As for the rest of the hopes of our +atheling, he may have had his own thoughts, but he said plainly +that the day when Wessex would need him might come, and that if it +did none would more willingly welcome him home again.</p> +<p>"But," he said, "I think that best of all Ecgbert would wish to +come home in peace at once, and set all ambition aside. Presently, +if we are careful, I may be able to speak to Offa of him again. +Nay, but have no fear; I understand how matters are with Bertric, +and will risk naught. I think we may find that Offa, who is +friendly with King Carl, knows more of Ecgbert than you might +guess."</p> +<p>So that matter dropped, and I had done my errand. But for the +sake of Ecgbert I was all the more welcome to the king, for I had +to tell him of the wars and the deeds of his friend. I do not think +that any will wonder that thus I saw more of the king than +otherwise might have been my lot.</p> +<p>Now there was another of whom I saw much at this time before we +started to ride westward, and that, of course, was the Lady Hilda. +She, I found, was going to Fernlea, rather that she might be one of +the ladies who should attend the bride whom it was hoped that the +king would bring home, than as going to remain with Quendritha, and +I must say that I was glad thereof. With her and her father I rode +many a mile hawking, and both of them seemed to hold me as an old +friend by reason of that lucky chance which brought about our first +meeting; and the only fault I had to find with the journey we +looked for was that in Offa's court would end my friendship with +them.</p> +<p>So it happened one day as we rode thus that while the thane had +crossed a stream, beating up the far bank for a heron, we fell into +talk of the journey and its ending.</p> +<p>"What is amiss with it all?" she asked. "The good queen seems +terribly downcast about it. Is not the princess her choice?"</p> +<p>"Altogether so, as the king tells me. Perhaps the queen has +mother-like fears for the safety of this only son of hers, and lets +them get on her mind overmuch."</p> +<p>"That would be hardly like our queen," she answered, laughing; +"she is above that foolishness. No, but there is somewhat +more."</p> +<p>"Then," said I, thinking that this was fancy, "it will be some +trouble of state which is at the bottom of her anxiety. That none +of us can mend."</p> +<p>"It may be that," she said; "but it is some heavy trouble. I +have never seen her so downcast until yesterday. It is a sudden +thing."</p> +<p>There we left the subject, and I thought little more of it until +the next morning, which was that of the day before we started. It +had become a custom that I should wait on the king at his first +rising, when he had most leisure to talk with me, and this time I +found the queen with him in his chamber. She looked sad and +anxious, as I thought.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," she said to me when the fitting greetings were over, +"you are a stranger here, and no thought of policy will come into +your mind. Tell me truly what you think of this; it may be that +your word will have some weight with my son."</p> +<p>Ethelbert smiled, but it was not quite his usual untroubled +smile at all.</p> +<p>"It is not fair to ask Wilfrid," he said; "maybe he puts much +faith in these omens."</p> +<p>"No, but he is of Wessex," she said. "He cares naught for +alliance or court, or for any of those things which blind our eyes. +I want him to answer me as if I were just a franklin's wife who is +in doubt.</p> +<p>"Listen, then, if you will."</p> +<p>She turned to me with a sort of appeal, and spoke quietly, +though I saw that she was almost weeping.</p> +<p>"Last night I dreamed a dream, and in it I waited in the church +here for the bells to ring for the wedding of my son and +Etheldrida, whom he loves. It was in my mind that all the good folk +would come in their best array, and that so we should sing a great +'<i>Te Deum</i>' for the happiness of all. And indeed there was a +voice from the belfry--but it was of the great bell alone, as of a +knell for the dead. And indeed it seemed that the people came--but +they came softly and weeping, and they were clad all in black. And +then they sang--but it was the psalm '<i>De Profundis</i>.'"</p> +<p>I think that I paled, for I minded those other things which +Erling had told me. The lady, who looked in my face, saw it, and +she grew white also--whiter than she had been before.</p> +<p>"Lady," I stammered, "I have no wit to read these things. It +were well to ask the good bishop, for he is wise."</p> +<p>"Ay, too wise," she said. "I would hear simplicity."</p> +<p>Then Ethelbert rose up and set his arm round his mother very +gently, and said gravely:</p> +<p>"Mother, know you not of what you have dreamed? Even as you told +it first to me, and now again, I seemed to be back on that day, not +so long past, when we buried my father. So it was in the church at +that time, and it was the most terrible thing which you have +known.</p> +<p>"Is it wonderful, Wilfrid, that it should come back thus in the +night watches?"</p> +<p>"It is not wonderful," I said.</p> +<p>"Lady, I think that the king is right.</p> +<p>"But, King Ethelbert, if I am to say my mind, I would put off +the journey for the sake of the peace of the queen your +mother."</p> +<p>"And thereby offend Offa, and maybe hurt that little playmate of +mine? No, it cannot be. And what should the dream be but that we +say?"</p> +<p>Then the queen said plainly:</p> +<p>"I fear for you, my son--I fear Quendritha. In the days gone by +your wise father was wont to say that if ever danger came from +Mercia to East Anglia, it would be by reason of her ambition and +longing for power and width of realm."</p> +<p>"Why, mother, then surely in gaining the East Anglian throne for +her daughter she gains all she would. And she is Offa's queen, and +in his court can be no danger to me or any man. Presently you shall +surely dream again, and that dream shall show you the old sorrow +turned to joy, for you will have a fair daughter to drive away your +loneliness. She will be all you need, for I know that I can be of +little help to you. The dream was of the sorrow which is passing to +make way for joy to come."</p> +<p>Then the queen made shift to smile, and told him that she deemed +that her fears might be foolish. But to me it seemed that even as +she had said, the thought of policy and state came first of +necessity, setting aside such a vision as any simple thane would +surely have thought held him from a journey he would take. Indeed, +many a one would have given it up for far less, for I have known +men turn back when already started, because a harmless hare crossed +their path or a lone magpie sat on a wayside tree. Maybe I minded +such like myself once, but service with Carl mended that. If he +bade a man do a thing, that man had to do it, omen or none. Whereby +I found that mostly these journey tokens, as one may call them, +came to naught, and certainly I should not have done that if I had +been able to mind them. And yet I do not know if aught would turn a +true lover from the way which leads him toward the lady of his +choice.</p> +<p>"One thing only I do fear from this dream of yours, my mother," +the king said after a little while. "Can it mean harm to +Etheldrida? Was it for her that the knell passed, and shall I find +her gone from me? It is many days since I heard from her or of +her."</p> +<p>Now when it came to that, I knew that nothing would stay the +king, and so also did his mother. Whereon she was eager as himself +to say that the dream was but wrought of her sorrow.</p> +<p>"Why, then," said Ethelbert, "you and Wilfrid may laugh at me if +you will; for I have dreamed a dream to set against yours, because +I think it has a good meaning. I thought that I was in a city, and +that from its marketplace rose heavenward a great beam of light, +like a pathway. And so I would climb it, but I could not. Then I +had wings, and up it at last I sailed as a ship sails on the path +of sunlight on an evening sea. Surely that promises a happy journey +for me. Fear no more, therefore, my mother."</p> +<p>Then we went from him, for state business called him, and I +would take the queen across the garden to the bower door. There was +little ceremony in this quiet court, and no waiting ladies were +biding her return outside. And when we were alone there she turned +to me, and her eyes were dim and pitiful.</p> +<p>"Friend," she said, "yon beam of light led to heaven. I do not +know what it all means, but I fear--I fear terribly."</p> +<p>"Lady," I said, "many a time I have known men who thought they +had ill dreams on the night before a battle, and naught came of +them. I have forgotten to trouble myself much therewith."</p> +<p>"Nay, but they are sent at times for our warning."</p> +<p>"It may be so. I should be foolish if I did not believe what +wiser men than I tell me of their messages. But if there is ill +before the king, can it be anywise turned aside? What if he were +persuaded not to go?"</p> +<p>"Oh," she said, with a little sob, "then his troth would be +broken, and that in itself would bring ill. It seems dark all round +me."</p> +<p>Then I said, for she was in sore distress:</p> +<p>"Lady, I am a stranger and hardly known to you, but I am to ride +with your son. Will it be aught if I tell you that I will watch him +as if he were my own atheling, and if need be die for him, with his +own thanes?"</p> +<p>"It is much," she said eagerly, "much; for in that court where I +fear for him you will be a stranger, and may hear and note more +than our folk, for if ill is plotted they may be careless of you. I +shall have less fear now that I may feel that one at least shares +in my dread. I do not know how to thank you for the promise."</p> +<p>She set forth her hand to mine, and I bent and kissed it; but +she pressed my great fingers as my own mother used to press them. +Then she said in a low voice:</p> +<p>"I do not fear Offa, for he is noble in all he does. I fear +Quendritha."</p> +<p>"I have heard that she is to be feared. Can you tell me more of +her?"</p> +<p>"You will see her as the fairest woman in all the land, and will +but know her as the softest spoken. Once or twice I have seen what +looks may lie under that fair outward show, and I know that in her +heart is the rage for power and ever more power, let it be what it +may. It goes ill with the lady of her train who shares a secret +with her, if the secret is the lady's. I cannot think how harm may +come to Ethelbert from her; but none know how it may not. I pray +you remember that."</p> +<p>I promised, and then she led me to her doorway; and there I left +her, but not before she had thanked me again. I suppose that to +share a burden even with me helped somewhat to lighten it. And in +all truth I meant to do my part in watching, and if possible +guarding, the king. Perhaps it would be as the queen said, that +being in and yet not of his train I might be able to look on at all +that went on more easily.</p> +<p>To that end I kept my Frankish dress, though I had meant to take +to plain Saxon wear once more, with the knowledge that none would +wonder that Carl's man was kept near the king, and that in Offa's +court I should not be taken for an Anglian of his train.</p> +<p>Now the day came when we should set out on the long ride across +England to the Welsh border, where Offa had set his throne for the +time. As may be supposed, we went first of all on that morning to +the church in the dim daybreak, and there heard mass and sought for +blessing on our going and returning, and then I went and saw all +ready for the ride. I had bought two more horses, good enough for +change of mount now and then, one brown and the other black; and +Erling was to lead them, with our belongings on a pack. The king +would travel steadily, but no more slowly than might be managed, +and we were to have no wagons or the like to hinder us, though +there were three ladies besides the Lady Hilda who were to go with +us.</p> +<p>It was past sunrise when I went to find Erling, but the morning +was dull and dark. It was hot, too, for no breath of wind stirred +the trees, and I seemed to notice a silence around me. That was +because the thrushes and blackbirds were not singing after their +wont in the dewy daybreak of May time, and I thought they waited +for the sun to break out.</p> +<p>When I came to the stables there was bustle everywhere, of +course; but the grooms seemed troubled in some way out of the +common, and Erling himself came to meet me with a puzzled face +which told me that all was not well.</p> +<p>"There is thunder in the air, thane," he said. "If I mistake +not, we shall have somewhat out of the way, too. The horses are +feeling it--unless some thrall has poisoned the whole stable."</p> +<p>Truly the horses were looking strangely. Their coats stared, and +their ears were cold and damp, while they seemed glad of the +company of the men, whinnying low and rubbing themselves against +them as they came into the stalls. I heard one thrall say to +another that the whole stable had surely been witch ridden in the +night.</p> +<p>"Get the horses into the open," I said. "It is stifling in this +stable. Maybe that is what is wrong."</p> +<p>My own horse was standing ready, and he greeted me, after his +wont, with a little neigh; but he was wet, and his coat had lost +the gloss of which Erling was so proud. I did not like it at all, +but as every horse in the place seemed to be in the same way or +worse, I put it down to the thundery feel in the air. I led him out +myself, and there were two thanes of our party, who had come for +their horses.</p> +<p>"Why, paladin," said one, "what is amiss with the skew-bald? You +can't ride him today if he is as bad as he looks."</p> +<p>I told him that his own horse was much in the same case, and +added that I thought with Erling that it was the thundery weather +which upset the stable, though I had never known the like +before.</p> +<p>"I suppose that the king will not start until it clears," I +said.</p> +<p>"Ay, but he will," said the other thane, looking at the gray +sky. "Seldom does he put off a start, and today of all days there +is a strong cable pulling him westward."</p> +<p>Now Erling came out with the other horses, and the thane and his +comrade glanced at them, and hurried to see to their own steeds. +There was no sound of pawing hoofs and coaxing voices to be heard +as one by one the horses were led out. It might have been the +clearing of a sheep fold for all the spirit there was in the +beasts.</p> +<p>I mounted, and rode with Erling after me out of the courtyard +into the open. On the green were gathering the twenty thanes or so +who made up the party, and across it was drawn up the mounted +escort. There was the usual gathering of onlookers, and by the gate +stood the king's own huntsmen, with hawks and hounds.</p> +<p>The first thing I noticed was that the birds were dull and +uneasy, and that the dogs were still more so. The hooded hawks sat +with ruffled feathers, and one or two of the hounds lay on their +backs, with paws drawn to them as if they feared a beating, while +the rest whined, and had no eagerness in them. It seemed closer +here than in the courtyard even, and every one was watching the sky +and speaking in a low voice. Each sound seemed over loud, and +overhead the hot haze brooded without sign of breaking.</p> +<p>The king's chaplain came out, and a lay brother brought him his +mule. He looked at it as I had looked at my horse just now, and his +brow knitted. He was rather a friend of mine.</p> +<p>"Father," I said, "there is somewhat strange in the air. Look at +all the beasts; they feel more than we can."</p> +<p>He nodded to me gravely. Then he said, with his hand smoothing +the wet coat of his mule, which at any other time would have +resented the touch with a squeal, but now did not heed him:</p> +<p>"It minds me of one day in Rome when I was a lad there, at +college, learning. There is a great burning mountain at Naples, and +it was smoking at the time. Then there came--"</p> +<p>"Way for the king!" cried the marshal who waited at the gate, +and the good father had to stand aside with his tale +unfinished.</p> +<p>Ethelbert came forth with a smiling return to our salute, and +with him came his mother and the four ladies who were to bear us +company on the way. One of these was, of course, the Lady Hilda, +and I dismounted and left my horse to a groom for the time, having +promised myself the pleasure of helping her to mount.</p> +<p>At that moment the marshal, who was a thane set over all the +ordering of the journey, went to the king and asked him if it might +not be his pleasure to wait for an hour to see if the weather +broke. I think that the king was so taken up with parting words to +the queen that he had hardly noticed the gloom and heat, and +certainly he had not noted the uneasiness of the horses, which was +growing more and more. So he only turned for a moment to the thane, +signing to the man to bring his horse.</p> +<p>"Nay, but a dull start often forebodes a bright ending to a +journey. We will go," he said, laughing.</p> +<p>"Now farewell, mother, for the last time."</p> +<p>He bent his knee for her blessing, doffing his cap as he did so. +And even as he bent I was aware of a dull rumble, not loud or like +thunder, but as if all the wains of the host of King Carl were +passing toward us from far off. Hilda stood by me at that moment, +and she heard it.</p> +<p>For the life of me, though I knew that no wagons were near us, I +could not help glancing round for them, and as I did so I saw the +end of a thrall's mud hut across a field fall out. The king leaped +up and set his foot in the stirrup, and at that moment the earth +heaved and shook under us, and the whole oaken hall and buildings +round us creaked and groaned like a ship in a ground swell, while +Hilda clung to my arm in terror. Her horse, which the thane, her +father, held, trembled and broke out into white foam all over, +stumbling forward.</p> +<p>I do not think that the king felt it; indeed, as he was swinging +himself into the saddle at the moment, he could not have done so. +But his horse reared almost on end with terror, and any less +perfect rider must have had a heavy fall. All around us were +plunging horses and shouting men, but he did not seem to heed them. +He had all he could do to get his horse in hand again, and I think +his eyes were misty with that parting.</p> +<p>He gave the horse the rein, crying to us to follow, and so +passed down the dim street and out under the green arches of the +lane beyond at a gallop, as gay and hopeful a lover as heart could +wish. Doubtless to him the shouts seemed but the cries of good +speed, and the plunging of the maddened horses but the sounds of +mounting; for the way had been left clear for him westward, and he +did not look back.</p> +<p>Out of the houses of the town I saw the folk running and crying, +not in farewell to him, but in wild terror of rattling roofs and +crumbling walls. They did not heed him; but I saw him wave his hand +to them, for he thought they cheered him, as he passed too swiftly +to note either pale faces or woeful cries.</p> +<p>Then after him rode their hardest the men of the escort and +others who were already mounted, and the tumult stilled suddenly. +They say that the queen swooned there on the pavement at the gate; +and I do not doubt it, though her ladies took her so quickly away +that I did not see her. Hilda was almost fainting on my arm, and I +had to drag her away from the wild frenzy of her horse, which the +thane could hardly hold.</p> +<p>I saw two or three men stand staring at Erling, who was in +trouble with his charges, and then they went to his help. And next +I was aware that somewhat soft rubbed my sleeve, and I started and +turned. It was my own horse, who sought me in danger, and would +tell me in his own way that he was there. In that glance I noted +that his eye was bright again, and in a minute or two he shook +himself heartily. Thereby I knew that there was no more of this +terror to come, or he would have felt it yet.</p> +<p>"Thane," I said, "see. The skew-bald has not lost his senses +like that beast. Let us set Hilda on him. The marshal will help to +shift the saddle."</p> +<p>But Hilda came to herself again, and tried to laugh, saying that +there was never yet a horse of which she was afraid. Nor would she +hear of a change, for when her horse grew more quiet it was plain +that its terror had passed away. She took herself gently from my +arm, and spoke bravely now.</p> +<p>"What was it?" she asked me while Sighard soothed the beast.</p> +<p>"Why," answered Father Selred for me, "just what I was going to +tell the paladin--such an earthquake as I felt on a like day in +Rome years ago. But why it comes here in quiet England, where is no +fiery mountain to disquiet the earth, I cannot say."</p> +<p>"Father, it is the end of the world!" said a thrall, forgetting +our presence in his terror.</p> +<p>"Not so, my son. The thousand years of prophecy are not at an +end yet; and there are more foretellings of Holy Writ yet to be +fulfilled. It is just the old earth shaking herself after a +sleep."</p> +<p>The man's face cleared, and he shrank back with a low bow, +frightened at his own boldness. All seemed to have found their +tongues again, and were telling how the matter had seemed to them +without waiting to know whether they were listened to.</p> +<p>"No hurry," said Sighard; "the king cannot keep up that pace, +and anywise will have to wait the pack-horse train somewhere. Let +us see all well first."</p> +<p>Maybe we waited for half an hour after that, for the ladies were +sorely frightened. We had the horses walked to and fro for a while, +and presently they were themselves again. And there came no more +trembling of the ground, while the clouds grew blacker, and a +short, sharp thunderstorm swept over us. It was good to feel the +cleared air again, and to smell the scent that rises after rain, +and to hear the song of the birds break out around us.</p> +<p>Yet on every face was a fear that would not be put aside. Men +thought that the earthquake boded ill for the journey of the king +and what might come thereof.</p> +<p>So when the rain had passed we rode away after the king, +followed by the pack horses, and before noon caught him up. He had +heard then what had happened to set his steed beyond control, and +his face was grave also. Even he could not help fearing that the +earthquake, coming at that moment as it did, might be sent as a +token which he must hear though the dreams of his mother went for +naught.</p> +<p>"And yet," he said to Father Selred and myself as we rode beside +him, "I am doing what I deem best for throne and realm, and I have +no thought of guile or harm to any man. Nor can I see that I have +to fear any from Offa, or that at his court can be danger to +me."</p> +<p>"Journey and reason therefor are alike good so far as man can +see or plan," said Selred the priest. "I would that every journey +was undertaken as fully innocently. I cannot think that any tokens +have been sent to warn you from it. Yet if there had been aught +amiss in your plans, it is true that there have been tokens enough +to scare any man from evil."</p> +<p>"Maybe it all means naught but danger on the journey. Well, we +knew there was always that in any ride. For the rest, we are in the +hands of Him who orders all and can see beyond our ken. We will go +on till the tokens, if tokens they be, are plain in their +meaning."</p> +<p>Father Selred approved, gravely. Then he muttered somewhat to +himself, and laughed. It was Latin, but the king told me afterward +what it meant. Some old Roman poet had made a song in which he said +that a man who was just and straightforward in his purposes need +not fear if the world fell, shattered in ruins, around him.</p> +<p>It was a good saying, and surely that was the way of Ethelbert +of East Anglia. Maybe the one thing which did trouble him was his +thought of the terror of his mother, and of her anxiety for +him.</p> +<p>But it was a long while before the rest of us shook off the fear +of what all this might betoken. Perhaps of all I had the most +reason to think that ill was before the king, for Erling, though he +said no more to me, was plainly full of bodings. And I have heard +that other men dreamed dreams of terror and told them to one +another. Only Ethelbert was always cheerful, singing as he rode and +laughing with us, so that we ought to have been ashamed to be +dull.</p> +<p>Save for what was in my mind, I cannot say that the miles went +slowly. The days were bright and warm, and ever did I take more +pleasure in the old home land. And always when Ethelbert had his +counsellors round him I rode with Hilda and her father, and I think +that I wished that journey might never end, after a while.</p> +<p>For I was going homeward to where mother and father waited me, +in the first place. Then I had pleasant companions, and most of all +this one of whom I have just spoken. I had a good horse under me, +and a comrade in Erling who served me silently with that best of +service that is given for love. I was high in honour with this +wonderful young king, for the sake of Ecgbert first, I think, then +of King Carl, and lastly because he did indeed seem to like my own +company. I do not think that one could need more to add to +pleasure.</p> +<p>I have seen the progresses of kings before this and since, and +often it has been that after their passing there has been +grumbling, and the hearty hope that the long and greedy train which +ate men out of house and home, borrowed their best horses, and +otherwise made a little famine in their wake, might never come that +way again. But this Ethelbert left, as it were, a track of +happiness across England, in hall and in village, in cot and in +forest. He had ridden with so small a train that he might +overburden none of those who had to entertain him on his way, and +he stayed nowhere overlong. Everywhere he seemed to leave smiles +and wishes that he would honour that house or that town again on +his return, and not a man to whom he had spoken, if it were but a +word of thanks, would ever forget how Ethelbert the Anglian looked +on him with that kindly glance of his.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a>. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO +THE PALACE OF SUTTON.</h2> +<p>By Ely and Huntingdon and Northampton, and so through the very +heart of England, across the sweet Avon at Stratford, our way took +us, under trees that had their first leaves fresh and sweet on +them, and past orchards pink and white, with the bees busy among +the bloom. I had seen many a fair country beyond the sea in the +wide realms of Carl, but none so sweet as this to my mind. The warm +rain that came and stayed us now and then but made it all the +sweeter; and I mind, with a joy that bides with me, the hours of +waiting in old halls and quiet monasteries.</p> +<p>That black cloud of fears cleared away presently, for it was in +all truth a very bridal procession in which we rode. Everywhere the +news went before us that hither came the well-loved king to bear +away the sweet daughter of Mercia, and from town and hamlet the +bells greeted us, and the folk donned their holiday gear to come to +meet us. I had not known that the name of Ethelbert, young as he +was, could have been so held in love across the land. But Father +Selred told me that never had been such a king as he, as there +surely had never been such promise of the days when he was the heir +to the throne.</p> +<p>First in all he was in the minds of every man who knew him, +whether in war or peace, council or chamber, and maybe he was the +only one who did not know it. I learned much of him in that ride, +and always with a growing love of him and a deeper wonder. He +thought for every one but himself.</p> +<p>Nor was there a church, however small, which he passed on that +happy journey toward his bride which was not the richer and +brighter for some gift of his, left on the altar after the morning +mass, which always began our day, or given quietly after the +evensong which ended it. One might know his road now by the words +of the people, who will say with more than pride that once +Ethelbert crossed the threshold of their church and gave this or +that gift. I have seen richer gifts given, and heard more words +said; but what he gave seemed always that which was wanted, and the +word he spoke was always the best that could have been. And I have +wondered at the mighty churches which Carl the Great had reared and +was still rearing, but in some wise it seemed to me that the way of +Ethelbert was of more worth.</p> +<p>Now, seeing that we had started with our minds full of portents, +it is not by any means wonderful that we found more on the road. +For a time, if a horse did but cast a shoe, the thane it belonged +to shook his head and wished that naught ill might come of the +little delay. And once, when we stumbled into a fog among the river +country of the midlands, where one would expect to meet with it, +there was nigh a panic in the company, so that the thanes crowded +round Ethelbert and begged him to return. Whereon he laughed at +them gaily.</p> +<p>"Thanes, thanes!" he cried, "one can no more see to return than +to go forward! I might take it as a warning not to go back, just as +well. Did none of you ever see a fog before? Had it fallen on you +while hunting, you would have done naught but grumble and wait its +lifting."</p> +<p>But they were terrified, as it seemed, beyond reason; and, +indeed, it was as thick as any Friesland fog I have ever seen, and +it grew blacker for an hour or so, while we had perforce to wait +under dripping trees till we could see to go on. Even a horse will +lose his way home in such a fog as that.</p> +<p>And at last they begged the king to pray that it might clear +from off us, and so he knelt and did so. It was strange to hear his +clear voice rising from the midst of half-seen men and steaming +horses, praying for the light. And then the fog lifted as suddenly +as it had come, and the sun shone out.</p> +<p>"See," he said, "our fears are like this mist, and cloud our +senses. Surely the fears shall pass likewise from the heart of him +who prays. So read I the token, if token it be."</p> +<p>All that day thereafter we rode in brightest sunshine, and men +were fairly ashamed to say more of ill-luck and the like. And so +also in lovely weather we went for the fourteen days of our +journey, until we came to the place where we should cross the +Severn at Worcester, and but a day's long ride was before us.</p> +<p>After that time of the mist Ethelbert noticed Erling, and would +call him and speak long with him of the ways of his home, as I +thought.</p> +<p>At Worcester we waited while a message went from the town to +Offa, and next day there came to meet us some score of the best +thanes of the Welsh borderland, who should be our guides to the end +of the journey. Hard warriors and scarred with tokens of the long +wars they were, but pleasant and straightforward in their ways, as +warriors should be. Only I did not altogether like the smooth way +of the man who was their leader. His name was Gymbert, and he was +of mixed Welsh and English blood, as I was told, and he was also +high in honour with Offa, and with Quendritha herself; which in +itself spoke well for him, but nevertheless in some way I cared not +for him.</p> +<p>They feasted us that night in Worcester, and early next morning +we rode out westward again on the last stage of our journey, the +king leading us with this thane at his side, followed by the rest +of the Mercians and his own thanes. So I, not altogether +unwillingly, rode with Hilda in the rear of the party, feeling +somewhat downcast to think that this was the last time I was at all +likely to be her companion.</p> +<p>I suppose that there is not a more wonderful outlook in all +England than from the Malvern heights, save only that from our own +Quantocks, in the west. I hold that the more wonderful, for there +one has the sea, and across it the mountains of Wales, which one +misses here, while it were hard to say whence the eye can range the +furthest.</p> +<p>I told Hilda so as we reined up the horses for a moment at the +top of the steep to breathe them, and she sighed, with all the +wonder before her. We of the hill countries do not know all the +pleasure that comes into the heart of one from the level east +counties, as he looks for the first time from a height over the +lands spread out below. I had been long enough in Friesland now to +learn some of that wonder for myself anew.</p> +<p>"Well," she said, "you will be back again at home in your hills +shortly, and all this ride will be forgotten. Where does your home +lie? Can it be seen?"</p> +<p>I pointed south or thereabout. I could almost fancy that I +should be able to see the far blue line of the Mendips under the +sun, so bright it all was and clear.</p> +<p>Then she asked if my folk knew that I was on my way home.</p> +<p>"No; else I had ridden straightway from Thetford to them. They +think that I am yet with the Franks across the sea, and a few days +can make no difference to them. Nor could I be so churlish as to +refuse the king's offer of help on my way."</p> +<p>"I wonder how you will find all when you get back?"</p> +<p>"And so do I. There were merchants from Bristol who brought me a +message that all was well with them six months ago, and by the same +hands I sent back word that so it was with me. Possibly that +message has reached them about this time."</p> +<p>That was the third time I had heard from home during these +years, and I was lucky to have heard at all. It seems that my +father had bidden friends of ours at the ports to let him hear of +men from across the seas who were to go to the court of Carl.</p> +<p>"Ah," she said, "I hope so. That would be more than joy to your +mother. And then for you to follow so quickly on the message! that +will be wonderful. I would that I could see that meeting."</p> +<p>She turned and laughed in the pleasure of the thought, and I +suppose there was that in my eyes which told her that I had the +same wish. Maybe I should have said so, but she flushed a little, +and gave me no time.</p> +<p>"But I shall be on the way back to East Anglia with the +princess, and I will picture it all. Some day, when you come back +to see the king, as you say he has asked you, I shall hear of +it."</p> +<p>Now it was in my mind that it was possible that I might be back +in Thetford, or wherever Ethelbert's court might be at the time, +sooner than I had any wish. For if aught had happened amiss at +home, so that our lands, for want of the heir, had fallen into the +hands of Bertric, I should be left with naught but my sword for +heritage. Then--for the king had spoken of these chances to me--I +was to come straightway back to him and take service with him. My +knowledge of the ways in which Carl handled his men would be of use +to him, and a place and honour would wait me. But I would not think +much of such sorrow for me, though that it was possible, of course, +may have been the great reason which made me silent when there were +words I had more than once had it on the tip of my tongue to say to +Hilda. Could I have known for certain that home and wealth yet +waited for me, I know that I must needs have asked her to share +them, now that at the end of this daily companionship I learned +what my thoughts of her had grown to be.</p> +<p>"Ay, I shall be back with Ethelbert at some time," I said. "I do +not forget promises."</p> +<p>After that we rode down the long hill silently enough, and the +way did not seem so bright to me. And so through the long day we +rode, stopping for an hour or two at the strong oaken hall, moated +and stockaded, of some great border thane for the midday meal. +There were the marks of fire on roof and walls; for once the wild +Welsh had tried to burn it, and failed, in a sudden raid before +Offa had curbed them with the mighty earthwork that runs from Dee +to Severn to keep the border of his realm. "Offa's Dyke" men call +it, and so it will be called to the end of time.</p> +<p>And now we were on the way of the war host from west to east, +the way of the Welshmen, and making toward the ford of the Wye, +which they were wont to cross, so that we call it the "ford of the +host," the "Hereford."</p> +<p>It was late when we came into the little town of Fernlea, which +stands on the gentle rise above the ford, for the five-and-twenty +miles or so of this day's work had been heavy across the hills. The +great stronghold palace whither we were bound lay some miles +northward, and it seemed right that we waited here till the next +day, that into it we might pass with all travel stains done away +with and in full state.</p> +<p>Already there had been a royal camp pitched for us by Offa's +folk, and I was glad that we had not to bide in the town. One could +not wish for better weather for the open, and the lines of gay +tents, with the pavilion for the king in their midst, seemed homely +and pleasant to me with memory of the days which seemed so long ago +when the camp of Carl was my only home.</p> +<p>As soon as we reached this camp under the hill, where the town +stockading rose strong and high against the Welsh, the thane I have +already mentioned, Gymbert, arranged our lodging, he being the +king's marshal in charge of us, and also warden of the palace. He +was a huge man, burly and strong, somewhat too smooth spoken, as I +thought, but pleasant withal. He gave me a tent to myself, somewhat +apart from the king's pavilion, as a Frankish stranger, I +suppose.</p> +<p>"Your thralls will bide with the rest," he said; "they can find +shelter in the tents there are yonder. If some of them have to bide +outside, it will not hurt them."</p> +<p>"Well enough you ken that, Gymbert," said Erling curtly, in good +Welsh.</p> +<p>I understood him, of course, for we had Welsh thralls enough at +home, but I wondered that he knew the tongue. Gymbert understood +him also, for his face flushed red and he bit his lip. But he +pretended not to do so.</p> +<p>"Your Frankish tongue is a strange one," he said. "What does the +man want?"</p> +<p>"I think that he means that outside the tent is as pleasant as +in, as you hint," I said. "But he will bide here across my door, as +is his wont."</p> +<p>"Outside, I suppose?" said Gymbert, with a laugh. "Well, as you +like."</p> +<p>He rode away, and I looked at Erling wonderingly. The Dane was +watching him with a black scowl on his face.</p> +<p>"Where on earth did you learn the British tongue?" I said; "and +what know you of Gymbert?"</p> +<p>"I learned the Welsh yonder," Erling answered, nodding westward. +"I lived in the little town men call Tenby for three years. There +also I heard of this man. He was a thrall himself once, and freed +by this queen for some service or another. He is a well-hated man, +both by Saxon and Welsh, being of both races, and therefore of +neither, as one may say."</p> +<p>"He seems to be trusted by the king, though!"</p> +<p>Erling shrugged his shoulders. "He has fought well for him, and +is rewarded. Were there aught to be had by betraying Offa, he would +betray him. Take a bad Saxon and a false Welshman, and that is +saying much, and weld them into one, and you have Gymbert."</p> +<p>"This is hearsay from the Welsh he has fought," said I; "one +need not heed it."</p> +<p>"I suppose not," quoth Erling; "but I never heard aught else of +him. And he has the face of a traitor."</p> +<p>With that he turned to his horses and began loosening the pack +from that one which bore it. There was no more to be got out of +him, as I knew, and so, leaving him to set the tent in order, I +went my way toward the river, being minded for a good swim therein +after the long, dusty way. And turning over what Erling had said of +himself, I remembered that Thorleif had told me how he had come +from Wales round the Land's End to Weymouth. I thought rightly that +he had picked up Erling there.</p> +<p>I had a good hour's swim in a deep pool of the river, and +enjoyed it to the full. The current was swift, and it was good to +battle with it, and then to turn and swing downward past the +fern-covered banks and under the shade of the trees with its flow. +And while I was splashing in the pool, a franklin came running from +his field with his hoe, waving wildly to me.</p> +<p>"Come out, master, I pray you!" he gasped; "the water is full +forty feet deep there!"</p> +<p>"Is that so?" I said gravely. "I will go and see."</p> +<p>With that I dived, and stayed under as long as I could, not +being able to find the bottom after all.</p> +<p>And when I came up again the honest face of the franklin was +white and his eyes stared in terror. So I laughed at him.</p> +<p>"I believe the pool is as deep as you say; but would seven feet +of water be any safer?"</p> +<p>"Nay, master, but it would drown me. Yet come out, I do pray +you. It gives me the cold terror to see you so overbold."</p> +<p>Then came Father Selred along the bank, and the man begged him +to bid me leave the water; and so we both laughed at him, until the +franklin waxed cross and went his way, saying that I was a fool for +not biding in the shoal water up yonder by the great tree. I could +walk across there waist deep, he said, grumbling.</p> +<p>Then I came out, and the father told me that the king would be +here anon. We walked to and fro waiting for him, and presently he +came with Hilda's father, Sighard, in attendance. The four of us +sat down on the river bank, under the great tree of which the +franklin had spoken, and watched the trout in the shallows till +Ethelbert lay back with his arms under his head, and said that he +was tired with the ride and would sleep.</p> +<p>He closed his eyes, and we went on talking in low voices for an +hour or so while he slept. And then the horns rang from the distant +camp to tell us that the evening meal was spread in the great +pavilion. But the king did not hear them, and I looked doubtfully +at him, wondering if he should be waked.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," said Father Selred in a whisper, "surely the king +dreams wondrous things. His face is as the face of a saint!"</p> +<p>And so indeed it was as he lay there in the evening light, and I +wondered at him. There was no smile around his mouth, but stillness +and, as it seemed, an awe of what he saw, most peaceful, so that I +almost feared to look on him. The horns went again, soft and mellow +in the distance from across the evening meadows. The kine heard +them, and thought them the homing call, and so lifted their lazy +heads and waded homeward through the grass.</p> +<p>"Ethelbert, my king," said Sighard gently.</p> +<p>The eyes of the king opened, and he roused.</p> +<p>"Was that your voice, my thane," he asked, "or was it the voice +of my dream?"</p> +<p>"I called you, lord, for the horns are sounding."</p> +<p>"Thanks; but I would I had dreamed more! I do not know if I +should have learned what it all meant had I slept on."</p> +<p>"What was it, my son?" said Selred.</p> +<p>The king was silent for a little, musing.</p> +<p>"It was a good dream, I think," he said. "I will tell you, and +you shall judge. You mind the little wooden church which stands +here in Fernlea town? Well, in my dream I stood outside that, and +it seemed small and mean for the house of God, so that I would that +it were built afresh. Then it seemed to me that an angel came to +me, bearing a wondrous vessel full of blood, and on the little +church he sprinkled it; and straightway it began to grow and widen +wondrously, and its walls became of stone instead of timber and +wattle, and presently it stood before me as a mighty church, great +as any of those of which Carl's paladin here tells me.</p> +<p>"Then I heard from within the sound of wonderful music and the +singing of many people; and I went near to listen, for the like of +that was never yet heard in our land. And when I was even at the +door, from out the church came in many voices my own name, as if it +were being mingled with praises--and so you woke me."</p> +<p>"It is a good dream," said Sighard bluntly. "It came from the +wondering why Offa let so mean a church stand, and from the horns, +and from my speaking your name. Strange how things like that will +weave themselves into the mind of a sleeping man to make a +wonder."</p> +<p>"It is a good dream," said Selred the priest, after a moment's +thought. I doubt not that it was in your mind to give some gift to +the church. Mayhap you shall ask Offa to restore it presently, for +memory of your wedding; and thereafter men will pray there for you +as the founder of its greatness."</p> +<p>"Yet the angel, and that he bore and sprinkled?"</p> +<p>"It seems to me," I said, "that it was a vision of the Holy +Grail; and happy would King Arthur or our Wessex Ina have held you +that you saw it, King Ethelbert."</p> +<p>"Ay," he said, "if I might think that it was so!"</p> +<p>Again the horns rang, and he leaped up.</p> +<p>"We must not keep them waiting," he cried. "Come!"</p> +<p>"More dreams," grumbled Sighard the old thane to me as the king +went on before us with the chaplain. "On my word, we have been +dream-ridden like a parcel of old women on this journey, till we +shall fear our own shadows next. There is Hilda as silent as a +mouse today, and I suppose she has been seeing more portents. I +mind that a black cat did look at us out of a doorway this +morning."</p> +<p>So he growled, scoffing, and I must say that I was more than +half minded to agree with him. Only the earthquake did seem more +than an everyday token.</p> +<p>"I suppose that the earthquake which we felt was sent for +somewhat?" I said.</p> +<p>"Why, of course; such like always are. But seeing that it was +felt everywhere we have ridden, even so far as Northampton, and +likely enough further on yet, I don't see why we should take it as +meant for the king."</p> +<p>Then he began to laugh to himself.</p> +<p>"When one comes to think thereof," he chuckled, "there must have +been scores of men who felt it just as they were starting +somewhere; and I warrant every one of them took it to himself, and +put off his business! Well, well, I can tell what it did portend, +however, for Ethelbert, and that is a mighty change in his +household so soon as he gets his new wife home. Earthquake, +forsooth! Mayhap he will wish he had hearkened to its message when +she turns his house upside down."</p> +<p>"Nay," I said, smiling; "one has not heard that of the +princess."</p> +<p>"She is Quendritha's daughter," he said grimly, and growing +grave of a sudden. "That is the one thing against this wedding, to +my mind. If she is like her mother, or indeed like her sister +Eadburga, who wedded your king, there is an end for peace to +Ethelbert, and maybe to East Anglia."</p> +<p>Now I had heard little or nothing of how that last match turned +out; I only knew that when I was taken from home we were full of +rejoicing over it. So I heard now for the first time that over all +the land of Wessex were whispers of ill done by our new queen--of +men who crossed her in aught dying suddenly, or going home to +linger awhile and come to a painful end. I heard that she bore rule +rather than the king, and that her sway was heavy, and so on in +many counts against her. The tales were the same as those I had +heard often of late about her mother, Quendritha, and with all my +heart I hoped that the Princess Etheldrida was not as those two. I +had heard naught but good of her, at all events, and I will say now +that all I had heard was true. There could be no sweeter maiden in +all the land than she. I heard the same good words of her only +brother, Ecgfrith, and I suppose that those two bore more likeness +to their mighty father than to the queen.</p> +<p>All this half-stifled talk of untold ill from Quendritha lay +heavy on my mind; and it came to me that Sighard was a true man, +and that to him I might tell the tale Thrond told me. I must share +that secret with some one who might, if he deemed it wise, warn +King Ethelbert in such sort that he should beware of her, now and +hereafter. So after a little while I said:</p> +<p>"Thane, I have heard that Quendritha came ashore--"</p> +<p>"Ay," he said sharply, looking round him. "But that is a tale +which is best let alone. It is true enough. My wife's folk took her +in at Lincoln."</p> +<p>"Is it known whence she came?" I went on, paying no heed to a +warning sign he made; for we were far from the camp yet, and the +king was a hundred yards ahead of us.</p> +<p>"Let be, Wilfrid; hold your peace on that. There are men who +have asked that question in all simplicity, and they have +gone."</p> +<p>"Why, is there aught amiss in coming ashore as she did?"</p> +<p>"Hold your peace, I tell you. On my word, it is as well, though, +that you have had it out with me here in the meadows. Listen: there +is no harm in the drifting hither. What sent her adrift?"</p> +<p>"I have sailed for a month with Danes," I said. "I have met with +a man who once set a girl adrift."</p> +<p>As I said that I looked him meaningly in the face, and he grew +pale.</p> +<p>"So," he said slowly, "you have heard that tale also. There was +a Danish chapman who came to our haven at Mundesley, where I live, +and told it there to me. That was a year after the boat was found. +I bade him be silent, but there was no need. When he heard that the +girl had become what she is, he fled the land. And, mind you, he +could not be certain, nor can I."</p> +<p>"Nor could the man who told me. But my Dane is the nephew of +that man."</p> +<p>Sighard grasped my arm.</p> +<p>"Speak to him, and bid him hold his tongue if he has heard the +tale, else he and you are dead men. Get to him at once."</p> +<p>I thought, indeed, that there was need to do so, though Erling +was in nowise talkative. For if, as was pretty certain, the tale of +the coming of Quendritha went round the groups of men at the camp +fires, he might say that he had heard of one set adrift from his +own land.</p> +<p>So instead of going in at once with the king to the pavilion, I +ran down to the lines where the horses were picketed, and found +Erling on his way to the supper, which was spread under some trees +for our servants. I took him aside and walked out into the open +with him.</p> +<p>"Erling," I said, "do you mind that tale which Thrond tells +concerning a damsel set afloat?"</p> +<p>"Ay, more than mind it--I saw it done! She went from our +village. I was a well-grown lad of fourteen then. Now I know what +you would say. It is the word of Thrond that this Quendritha, whom +men fear so, is she. He says so, since you spoke to him."</p> +<p>"Have you breathed a word thereof to any one?" I asked, with a +sort of cold fear coming on me.</p> +<p>I had no mind to die of poison.</p> +<p>"Not likely; here of all places. I mind what that maiden was in +the old days. From all accounts she has but held herself back +somewhat here. But had you had aught to do with her, I should have +warned you, master."</p> +<p>I set my hand on his shoulder.</p> +<p>"I know you would. Now you will see the queen tomorrow. Tell me, +then, if this is indeed she."</p> +<p>"Ay, I shall know her well enough. What I fear is that she may +know me!"</p> +<p>Grim as his voice was, that made me laugh.</p> +<p>"Seeing that you were but a lad when she last set eyes on +you--and now you are ten years older than myself, bearded and +scarred moreover--I do not fear that for you in the least."</p> +<p>"Nor will she have need to scan me," he said. "Of course I need +not fear it."</p> +<p>Then I asked him if he had more of the second sight.</p> +<p>"Naught fresh, master. Only that look on the face of the young +king deepens, and ever there is the red line round his neck. I fear +for him."</p> +<p>So did I, but of that we spoke no more. I tried all I knew to +fathom that fear of mine, and the most I could do was to make it +seem more and more needless and foolish. And presently, when we sat +at the table, and I saw the king speaking with the Mercians, and +noted their admiring looks at him, and their eagerness to listen to +him, I thought that Sighard was right, and that I was frayed with +shadows of my own making. I knew enough of men by this time to see +that here was no thought of ill toward Ethelbert.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN +WOVE HER PLOTS.</h2> +<p>Great was the welcome which Ethelbert of East Anglia had from +Offa of Mercia when we reached the great stronghold of Sutton Walls +on the next morning, riding there in all state and due array in our +best holiday gear, with those Mercian thanes who had met us as +escort before and after us. The morning was bright and clear, and I +thought I had never seen so fair a procession as this with which +the king went to meet his bride.</p> +<p>I had heard much of this palace of Offa's from the Mercians and +from Ethelbert himself, but it was a far stronger place than I had +expected. Seeing that here, on the newly-conquered Welsh border +lands, no man could tell when the wild Britons might swarm across +the ford, and bring fire and sword in revenge on the lands they had +lost, if the king would have a palace here, it must be a very +strong hold, and Offa had indeed made one.</p> +<p>The Romans had chosen the place long ago, having the same foe to +watch and the same ford to keep, and on the low hill, which they +saw was best for strength and position alike, they had set a great +square camp with high earthen walls and deep moat below them. Once +they had had their stone houses within it, but they had gone. The +last of them were cleared when Offa drove out the Welsh and set his +own place there after our fashion. Then he had repaired the +earthworks, and crowned them afresh with a heavy timber stockade, +making new gates and bridges across the moat.</p> +<p>Across the bridge which faces toward Wales we rode, between +lines of country folk, who thronged outside the stockading to see +our coming; and so with their cheers to greet us we came into a +great open courtyard, with long buildings for thralls and kitchens +and the like on either side of it, and right opposite the gate, +facing toward it, the timber hall of the king itself. A little +chapel, cross crowned, stood on its left, and the guest house and +guard rooms for the housecarls to the right, stretching across the +centre of the camp where once the Roman huts had been.</p> +<p>The hall was high and long, and had a wide porch and doorway in +the end which faced the gate. Behind it one could see the roofs of +other buildings which joined it, and beyond it again were stables, +and byres, and kennels, and barns, and the countless other offices +which a great house needs, filling up the rest of the space the +stockade enclosed. Nor were they set at random, as one mostly sees +them; but all having been built at once, they stood in little +streets, as it were, most orderly to look on, with a wider street +running from the back of the hall to the gate which led toward +Mercia through the midst.</p> +<p>Presently I learned that the queen's bower was a lesser hall, +which joined the back of the great palace hall itself, and that +there were other buildings, which were not to be seen at first. It +was the greatest palace in all England, and I wished that the +Franks, who had little praise for our dwellings, had seen this +before they went back home. It is true that all was built of +timber, while the Franks used stone; but that last no Angle or +Saxon cares for while good oak and ash and chestnut are to be +had.</p> +<p>I did not pay much heed to the place at the time when we rode +in, beyond a swift glance round me. There was that which held my +eyes from the first on the wide steps that led to the hall door. +There stood Offa and his queen to meet their guest, with the nobles +of Mercia round them in a wondrous gathering, blazing with colour, +and gold, and jewels, and the white horse banner of Mercia over +them.</p> +<p>To right and left along the front of chapel and guest house were +lines of the scarred housecarls who had followed Offa and won the +land for him, bright with flashing helms and weapons; and close +behind the group on the steps were some black-robed priests, who +had a vested bishop in their midst.</p> +<p>So they waited while we dismounted, and then Ethelbert went +forward alone toward the king and queen, carrying his helm in his +hand, and with only a little golden circlet round his fair hair. I +mind that the bright sun flashed from it as he went till there +seemed a halo round his head, like to the ring of light they paint +round the heads of the saints in the churches. And I thought that +even Offa seemed less kingly than did he, though the great king was +fully robed and wearing his crown. I think he had on a white tunic +with a broad golden hem, and a crimson cloak fastened on his +shoulder with cross-shaped brooch, golden and gemmed, while his +hose were of dark blue, cross-gartered with gold.</p> +<p>And then I must look at the queen, and I saw the most +wonderfully beautiful lady who ever lived outside of a gleeman's +tale, so that hardly could Guinevere herself, King Arthur's queen, +have been more beautiful. She was tall and yet not thin, and her +golden hair fell in two long plaits almost to the ground over her +pale green dress. From her shoulders hung a cloak of deeper green, +wondrously wrought with crimson and gold and silver, and fastened +with golden brooches. She also wore her crown; but even if she had +not had it, none could mistake her for any but the queen among all +the ladies who stood behind her, and they were of the noblest of +that land.</p> +<p>I thought that the Princess Etheldrida would be there also, for +beside the king was Ecgfrith the atheling; but she was not. They +say that she had some maidenly fear of meeting this husband of +hers, who was to be, in the open court thus.</p> +<p>Now Offa smiled and came down the steps to meet Ethelbert, and +set his hand on his shoulder and kissed him in a royal greeting, +and so led him to the queen, who waited him with a still face, +which at least had naught but friendliness in it. One would say +that it was such a look as a fond mother might well turn on the man +who would take her loved daughter from her, not unwilling, but half +doubting for her. There seemed no look of ill, and none of guile, +in her blue eyes as Ethelbert bent and kissed her hand; and she too +bent and kissed his forehead.</p> +<p>And at that moment from my shoulder growled Erling, and his face +was white and troubled:</p> +<p>"Yonder is she!"</p> +<p>Then he shrank away behind me, and so took himself beyond her +sight. I did not see him again until the queen had left.</p> +<p>The words struck a sort of chill into me, and I looked more +closely at the queen. Maybe I was twenty paces from her, and one of +many, so that she paid no heed to me. And as I looked again I +seemed to see pride, and mayhap cruelty, in the straight, thin lips +and square, firm chin. It was a face which would harden with little +change, and the blue eyes would be naught but cold at any time.</p> +<p>And it came to me that it was a face to be feared; yet I did not +know why one should fear aught for Ethelbert from her.</p> +<p>Now those greetings were over, and Offa led Ethelbert into the +hall. Then Gymbert the marshal came and took us to our quarters, +that we might prepare for the feast, giving some of us in charge of +his men, while he led away the leaders of the party himself toward +the guest hall by the palace.</p> +<p>One took charge of me, and led me round the little church to the +back of the hall, telling me that the king had given special orders +that the Frankish noble was to have some lodging of his own. It did +not seem to be worth while for me to explain the case to this man, +who would, doubtless, be sorely put out if I wanted to remain with +the other thanes; so I said nothing, but followed him to the rear +of the great hall, where a long building with a lean-to roof had +been set against it, behind the chapel, and as it were continuing +it. Inside it was like a great room, rush-strewn, and with a hearth +in its midst, round which the servants of those who were lodged +there might sleep, and along one side of it were chambers, small +and warm, with sliding doors opening into the room. I found Father +Selred there before me, and it seemed that he also was to have one +of these chambers, the priest's house being full, and I was glad of +it. Soon after that they brought Sighard, Hilda's father, there +also, and I thought I was in good company, and had no wish to go +further.</p> +<p>I told the man to bid Erling the Dane come hither when his work +in the stables was done, and so he left me. Sighard's men, of whom +there were two, had followed him with his packs.</p> +<p>Now they take Ethelbert to his chamber, and Offa and Quendritha +seek their own in the queen's bower.</p> +<p>"A gallant son-in-law this of ours, in all truth," says the king +gaily.</p> +<p>"Ay. And now you hold East Anglia in your hand, King Offa."</p> +<p>"Faith, I suppose so," he answers, laughing--"that is, if +Etheldrida can manage him as you rule me, my queen! She is ever a +dutiful daughter."</p> +<p>"If this young king were to die, the crown he wears with so good +a grace would then fall to you," says the queen, coldly enough.</p> +<p>"Heaven forbid that so fair a life were cut short! Do not speak +so of what may not be for many a long year, as one may hope."</p> +<p>"Then if he outlives you, he will make a bid for Mercia."</p> +<p>"Nay, but he is loyal, and Ecgfrith will be his brother. It will +be good for our son that he has two queens for sisters--Wessex and +Anglia are his supporters. But there is no need to speak thus; it +is ill omened."</p> +<p>"Nay, but one must look forward. There would be no realm like +yours if East Anglia were added thereto," says the queen +slowly.</p> +<p>"We are adding it, wife, by this marriage, surely, as nearly as +one may."</p> +<p>"It were better if it were in your own hands," she persists.</p> +<p>"Truly, you think that none can rule but yourself. Let it be, my +queen. You will have a new pupil in statecraft in your +son-in-law."</p> +<p>So says Offa, half laughing, and yet with a doubt in his mind as +to what the queen means. Then he adds, for her face is cloudy:</p> +<p>"Trouble not yourself over these matters which are of the years +to come; today all is well."</p> +<p>"Ay, today. But when the time comes that Ethelbert knows his +strength? I will mind you that East Anglia has had a king ere this +nigh as powerful as yourself. He will have other teachers in +king-craft besides ourselves."</p> +<p>"Why, you speak as if you thought there would be danger to our +realm from Ethelbert in the days to come?"</p> +<p>"So long as there is a young king there, who can tell?"</p> +<p>Then says Offa, "I am strong enough to take care of that. +Moreover, he will be our son-in-law. I wit well that not so much as +a mouse will stir in his court but you will know it;" and he +laughs.</p> +<p>At that she says plainly in a low voice:</p> +<p>"You have East Anglia in your hands. If Ethelbert did not return +thither, it is yours."</p> +<p>Whereon Offa rises, and his face grows red with wrath.</p> +<p>"Hold your peace!" he says. "What is this which you are hinting? +Far from me be the thought of the death of Ethelbert, in whatever +way it may come."</p> +<p>And so, maybe knowing only too well what lies behind the words +of the queen, he goes his way, wrathful for the moment. And +presently he forgets it all, for the spell of his love for +Quendritha is strong, and by this time he knows that her longing +for power is apt to lead her too far, in word at least, +sometimes.</p> +<p>But we knew naught of this. It was learned long afterward from +one to whom Offa told it, and I have set it here because it seems +needful.</p> +<p>Nor can I tell, even if I would, how Ethelbert met Etheldrida, +his promised bride. We saw them both at the great feast to which we +were set down in an hour or so, and the great roar of cheering +which went up was enough to scare the watching Welshmen from the +hills beyond the river, where all day long they wondered at the +thronging folk around the palace, and set their arms in order, lest +Offa should come against them across the ford of the host again. +Their camp fires were plain to be seen at night, for they were +gathering in fear of him.</p> +<p>All the rest of that day we feasted; and such a feast as that I +had never seen, nor do I suppose that any one of those present will +ever see the like of it. Three kings sat on the high place, for +Ecgfrith reigned with his father; and there was the queen, and she +who should be a queen before many days had gone by. It was the word +of all that those two, Ethelbert and the princess, were the most +royal of all who were present, whether in word or in look, and in +all the wide hall there was not one who did not hail the marriage +with pleasure. It was plain to be known that there was no plot laid +by these honest Mercian nobles against their guest. One feels aught +of that sort in the air, as it were, and it holds back the tongues +of men and makes their eyes restless.</p> +<p>There were some fifty or more who sat with the kings on the high +place at the end of the hall opposite the great door, thanes and +their ladies, of rank from earl to sheriff. They set me at one end +of the high table also, as a stranger of the court of Carl, asking +me nothing of my own rank, but most willing to honour the great +king through his man. And that was all the more pleasant because +next above me was the Lady Hilda, so that I was more than content. +She had found that she was indeed to ride home with the new-made +bride, and had spoken with her already.</p> +<p>"See," she said, "the omens have come to naught. We were most +foolish to be troubled by them. Saw you ever a fairer face than +Etheldrida's?"</p> +<p>And that was the thought of all of us who so much as remembered +that such a thing as a portent of ill had ever crossed the path of +the king on his way hither.</p> +<p>So the business of eating was ended at last, and then the +servants cleared the long boards which ran lengthwise down the hall +for the folk of lesser rank, and there was a great shifting of +places as all turned toward the high seats to hear what Offa had to +say to his guests. And when that little bustle was ended he +welcomed Ethelbert kindly and frankly, and so would drink to him in +all ceremony.</p> +<p>Then Quendritha rose from her seat and took a beaker from the +steward, and filled the king's golden horn from it. As she did so I +saw Offa look at her with a little questioning smile, as if asking +her somewhat; but she did not answer in words. She passed him, and +filled the cup of the young king who was her guest, and so sat down +again. Then Offa and Ethelbert pledged each other, and the cheers +of all the great company rose to hail them.</p> +<p>Not long after that the queen and the ladies went their way, and +we were left to end the evening with song and tale, after the old +fashion. Those gleemen of Offa's court were skilful, and he had +both Welsh and English harpers, who harped in rivalry. Soon +Ethelbert left the hall, and men smiled to one another, for they +deemed that he was seeking some quiet with the princess. But he was +only following his own custom, and I knew that he would most likely +be in the little chapel for the last service of the day.</p> +<p>Offa sat on, and it seemed to me that his face grew flushed, and +his voice somewhat loud, as the time passed. His courtiers noted it +also.</p> +<p>"Our king is merry," one said to me. "It is not often that he +will drink the red wine which your Frankish lord sent him."</p> +<p>"Ay," said another Mercian. "I saw him lift his brows when the +queen filled his horn with it awhile ago. But he has kept to it +ever since."</p> +<p>I did not heed this much, but there was more in it than one +would think. What the drinking of that potent wine might lead to +was to be seen. I hold that Offa was not himself thereafter, though +none might say that he was aught but as a king should be--not, like +the housecarls at the end of the hail, careless of how the unwonted +plenty of that feast blinded them and stole their wits.</p> +<p>Presently, indeed, the noise and heat of the hall irked me, and +I found my way out. It was a broad moonlight night, and the shadows +were long across the courtyard. There was a strong guard at the +gate, which was closed, and far off to the westward there twinkled +a red fire or two on hill peaks. They were the watch fires of the +Welshmen, and I suppose they looked at the bright glare from the +palace windows as I looked at their posts.</p> +<p>In the little chapel the lamp burned as ever, but no one stirred +near it. I thought I would find Father Selred in our lodging, and +turned that way; and as I passed the corner of the chapel I met a +man who was coming from the opposite direction.</p> +<p>"Ho!" he said, starting a little; "why, it is the Frank. What +has led you to leave the hall so early?"</p> +<p>Then I knew that it was Gymbert the marshal.</p> +<p>"I might ask you the same," I said, laughing. "I have not +learned to keep up a feast overlong in the camps of Carl, however, +and I was for my bed."</p> +<p>"Nay, but a walk will bring sleep," he said. "I have my rounds +to make, and I shall be glad of a companion. Come with me +awhile."</p> +<p>So we visited the guard, and with them spoke of the fires I had +seen, and laughed at the fears of those who had lighted them.</p> +<p>"All very well to laugh," said the captain at the gate; "but if +the Welsh are out, it will be ill for any one who will ride +westward tonight. Chapman, or priest, or beggar man, he is likely +to find a broad arrow among his ribs first, and questioned as to +what his business may be afterward."</p> +<p>Then we went along the ramparts to the rearward gate; and it +seemed as if Gymbert had somewhat on his mind, for he fell silent +now and then, for no reason which I could fathom. However, he asked +me a few questions about the life in Carl's court, and so on, until +he learned that I was a Wessex man, and that I was not going back +to him.</p> +<p>"Then you are at a loose end for the time?" he said. "Why not +take service here with Offa?"</p> +<p>"I am for home so soon as this is over," I said. "If all is well +there, I have no need to serve any man."</p> +<p>"So you have not been home yet," he said slowly, as if turning +over some thought in his mind. "What if I asked you to help me in +some small service here and now? You are free, and no man's man, as +one may say."</p> +<p>"Nor do I wish to be," I answered dryly.</p> +<p>I did not like this Gymbert.</p> +<p>"No offence," he said quickly. "You are a Frank as one may say, +and a stranger, and such an one may well be useful in affairs of +state which need to be kept quiet. I could, an you will, put you in +the way of some little profit, on the business of the queen, as I +think."</p> +<p>"Well, if the queen asks me to do her a service, that may be. +These matters do not come from second hand, as a rule."</p> +<p>He glanced sidewise at me quickly, and I minded the face of +another queen, whose hand had been on my arm while she had spoken +to me with the tears in her eyes.</p> +<p>"Right," he said, laughing uneasily. "But if one is told to seek +for, say, a messenger?"</p> +<p>"I am a thane," I said. "To a thane even a queen may speak +directly."</p> +<p>"You Wessex folk are quick-tempered; or is that a Frankish trick +you have picked up?" he sneered. "Nay, but I will not offend +you."</p> +<p>Then he was silent for a time while we walked on. I thought that +the queen had hardly sent a message to me in that way, and that he +had made some mistake. I would leave him as soon as we turned back +toward the hall. We were alone on the rampart, with the stables +below us on one side and the high stockading on the other; and then +he dropped that subject, and talked of my home going in all +friendly wise.</p> +<p>"There are always chances," he said. "Come and take service with +Offa if aught goes amiss at home."</p> +<p>"I have promised to go to Ethelbert, if so I must," I answered, +thinking to end his seemingly idle talk.</p> +<p>I had put up with it because I was his guest in a way, seeing +that he was the marshal, and it does not do to offend needlessly +those who hold one's comfort in their hands.</p> +<p>End his talk this did, suddenly, and why I could not tell.</p> +<p>"Why," he said, "then you are his man after all! I deemed that +you had but ridden westward with him for your own convenience."</p> +<p>"So it was, more or less," I said, somewhat surprised at his +tone.</p> +<p>And when I looked at him his face seemed white in the +moonlight.</p> +<p>"Of his kindness he bade me bear him company."</p> +<p>But he made no answer, and half he halted and made as if to +speak. Again he went on, but said naught until we came to the steps +which led down from the rampart to the rear gate. On the top of +them he turned and said in a low voice, staying me with his hand on +my arm:</p> +<p>"Say naught to any man of what I said concerning a state need of +the queen's, for mayhap I took too much on myself when I spoke +thereof; there may be no need after all."</p> +<p>I laughed a little, for I did but think that he had been trying +to make out that he held high honour in the counsels of Quendritha, +out of vanity, not knowing what my rank was.</p> +<p>"If she does send for me, I shall remember it, not else," I +answered.</p> +<p>And then, as he had the guard to visit, I left him, and went +across the broad street, from the gate to the hall through the +huts, back to my lodging. There I found Father Selred, and together +we waited for Sighard. Erling sat on the settle by the door, with +his weapons laid handy to him, on guard.</p> +<p>"All seems well, father," I said; "there is naught but +friendliness here."</p> +<p>"Well indeed," he answered. "It is good to hear the talk of +priests and nobles alike; they know the worth of our young +king."</p> +<p>"Well, and what is the talk of the housecarls, Erling?" I +asked.</p> +<p>"Good also," he growled. "But I would that I kenned the talk of +her of whom I have seen overmuch in the days gone by."</p> +<p>Then he remembered that of this matter Father Selred knew +nothing, and he swore under his breath at his own foolishness; but +the good father had not heard him, or his rough Danish prevented +his understanding.</p> +<p>"What says he of the men?" he asked.</p> +<p>And when I told him he was well content, saying that from high +to low all had a warm welcome for our king.</p> +<p>But even now Offa rises from the table and leaves the hall, all +men rising with him. So he passes out of the door on the high place +and seeks his own chamber, and there to him comes Quendritha.</p> +<p>"I have dreamed a dream, my king," she says, standing before +him, for he has thrown himself into a great chair, wearily. "I have +dreamed that your realm stretched from here on the Wye and the +mountains of the Welsh even to the sea that bounds the lands from +the Wash to the Thames. What shall that portend?"</p> +<p>"A wedding, and a son-in-law whom you may bend to your will," +answers the king; but his eyes are bright, and there comes a flash +into them.</p> +<p>That would be a mighty realm indeed, greater than any which had +yet been in our land. If the East Anglian levies were his, he would +march across Wales at their head, with the Mercian hosts to right +and left of him. He might even wrest Northumbria from the hold of +her kings.</p> +<p>Quendritha sees that flash, and knows that the cup has done its +work. The mind of the king is full of imaginings. So she sits by +him, and her voice seems to blend with his thoughts, and he does +not hinder her as she sets before him the might and glory of the +kingdom that would be his if that dream were true. And so she wakes +the longing for it in the mind of Offa, and plays on it until he is +half bent to her will; and her will is that the dream should come +true, and that shortly.</p> +<p>Then at last she says, "And all this is but marred because of a +niddering lad who will leave the hall at a feast for the whining of +the priests yonder! In truth, a meet leader of men, and one who +will be a source of strength to our realm! It makes me rage to +think that but he is in the way. It is ill for his own land, as it +seems to me."</p> +<p>"Ay, wife," says Offa. "But he is in the way, and there is an +end thereof."</p> +<p>"He is in your hand, and there are those who would say that +Heaven itself has set him there. Listen. He hunts with you +tomorrow. Have you never heard of an arrow which went wide of its +mark--by mischance?"</p> +<p>Again the eyes of the king flash, but he does not look on the +queen.</p> +<p>"Who would deem it mischance?" he says. "No man. And I were +dishonoured evermore."</p> +<p>"Not your arrow, not yours, but another's--mayhap yonder +Frank's. He is a stranger, and would care naught if reward was +great; then afterward he should be made to hold his peace."</p> +<p>And at that she smiles evilly. A stray Frank's life was naught +to her if he was in her way.</p> +<p>"Say no more. The thing is not possible for me; it is +folly."</p> +<p>"Folly, in truth, if you let Ethelbert keep you from the realm +which waits you. Were he gone, there is not so much as an atheling +who would make trouble there for you."</p> +<p>"Peace, I say. Ethelbert is my guest, and more than that. He +shall go as he came--in honour. What may lie in the days to come, +who shall know?"</p> +<p>"He who acts now shall see. Until the Norns set the day of doom +for a man, he makes his own future. Surely they set his end on +Ethelbert when he came here."</p> +<p>So she says in the old heathen way, but Offa does not note it. +It is in his mazed mind that Ethelbert wrongs him by living to hold +back the frontier of Mercia from the eastern sea.</p> +<p>"He is my guest, and I may not touch him," he says dully. "All +the world would cry out on me if harm came to him here. And +yet--"</p> +<p>"You shall not harm him," Quendritha says quickly. "There are +other ways. Your own name shall be free from so much as shadow of +blame. Now I would that I myself had made an end before ever I said +a word to you."</p> +<p>"Had you done so--Peace. Let it be. You set strange thoughts, +and evil, in my mind, wife."</p> +<p>Then she leaves him, and in her face is triumph, for Offa has +forbidden her nothing. Outside the door waits Gymbert, as if on +guard, alone.</p> +<p>"All goes well. Have you sounded yon Frank?" she says.</p> +<p>"He is no Frank, but a Wessex thane and a hired man of Carl's; +moreover, he is Ethelbert's friend."</p> +<p>"Fool!" she says. "How far went you with him? What does he +know--or suspect?"</p> +<p>"Naught," answers Gymbert stiffly.</p> +<p>And with that he tells her what passed between us.</p> +<p>"Come to me tomorrow early," Quendritha says, and goes her +way.</p> +<p>But we slept in peace, deeming all well. Only Erling, sleeping +armed across my door, was restless, for the cold eyes of the queen +seem to be on him in his dreams.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a>. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL LOST +HIS NAME AS A GOOD HUNTSMAN.</h2> +<p>There was to be a great hunt on this next day after we came to +Sutton, the stronghold palace.</p> +<p>It had been made ready beforehand--men driving the game from the +farther hills and woodlands into the valley of the Lugg, and then +drawing a line of nets and fires across a narrow place in its upper +reaches, that the wild creatures might not stray beyond reach +again. I should hardly like to say how many thralls watched the +sides of that valley from this barrier to a mile or two from the +palace. Nor do I know if all the tales they told of the countless +head of game, deer and boar, wolf and fox, roe and wild white +cattle, which had been driven for the kings, are true, but I will +say that never have I seen such swarming woods as those through +which we rode after the morning meal.</p> +<p>I had no thought that Offa seemed otherwise than as we met him +yesterday, and I suppose that all thought, or perhaps all +remembrance, of what he and his queen had talked of last night had +gone from him. Gay and friendly he was, and we heard him jesting +lightly with Ethelbert as they led us. With them went Gymbert, +smooth and pleasant as ever; and he nodded to me as his eye lit on +me, and smiled without trace of aught but friendliness. I looked +for nothing else, indeed; but seeing what he and Quendritha had so +nearly asked me to do that day, it may be a marvel that he hid his +thoughts so well.</p> +<p>Presently I had reason to wonder at somewhat which happened to +me, and that would have been no matter for wonder at all if I had +but known that the queen was doubtful how much I had gathered from +that talk of mine with her servant. Of course I had not suspected +anything, but a plotter will always go in fear that a chance word +will undo all.</p> +<p>Now we rode with bow and quiver on shoulder, and boar spear in +hand, as we had been bidden. All of our party, save the ladies, +from East Anglia were present, and about the same number of Mercian +thanes. Besides these there were swarms of foresters, and the +thralls who drove the game. Hounds in any number were with us, in +leash, mostly boar hounds. And as for myself, I rode the skew-bald, +whom I had called "Arrowhead," in jest, after that little matter of +the flint folk. It was the Lady Hilda who chose the name, and I had +had the flint head Erling gave me set in silver for her in +Thetford, as a charm, for they are always held lucky.</p> +<p>I suppose I might have sold that horse a dozen times, and that +for double what I gave for him, by this time. There was not an +Anglian who rode with us but wanted him, for he seemed tireless, +and here already was a horse dealer from the south who was plaguing +Erling for him. All of which, of course, made me the less willing +to part with him, even had I not found him the best steed I ever +knew, after a fortnight's steady use of him.</p> +<p>When we came to the narrowing part of the valley where the great +drive up to the nets was to begin, I was set by the head forester +off to the right of the line, being bidden to shoot any large game +which broke back, save only the boar. Most of them would go +forward, it was thought, and those which went back would be set up +by the hounds again at the end of the drive, men being in line also +behind us to harbour them. I cannot say that I have so much liking +for this sort of sport as for the wilder hunting in the open, with +as much chance for the quarry as for the man; but sport enough of a +sort there was. The bright little Lugg river lay on our left, and +for a mile on that side on which we were the woods and hills were +full of men, who drew together in a lessening curve as we rode +slowly onward. It was good to hear the shouts and the baying of the +hounds in the clear May morning.</p> +<p>Men said it was Offa's last hunt of the season; and that is +likely, seeing that the time grew late. If it was, there is no +doubt that he meant it to be his greatest also. Mile by mile, and +presently furlong by furlong, as we went the game grew thicker, +until the covers and thickets seemed alive with deer which tried to +break back, and the undergrowth on either hand of me rustled and +crackled with the wild rush of smaller game, to which I soon forgot +to pay any heed. And soon I had no arrows to waste on anything less +than a stag of ten, leaving aught else to be dealt with by the +foresters behind me.</p> +<p>Once or twice Gymbert rode across the rear of the line, and +called to me in cheery wise as he did so. He seemed to be seeing +that no man was out of his place; which was somewhat needful, since +as we drew together the arrows must be aimed heedfully.</p> +<p>Which matter was plain to me shortly. A great red hind crossed +me, and I let her go, though I had an arrow on the string, and had +aimed. Even as I lowered the bow, over my shoulder, and grazing it, +came another shaft, missing the hind and myself alike. Some one had +shot from behind at her.</p> +<p>"Ho," shouted Erling, who rode behind me, "clumsy lout, whoever +you are! That is over near to be sportsmanlike. Have a care, will +you?"</p> +<p>I turned sharply with the same thought, and angrily. But I could +not see any man near enough to have shot, for the trees were thick, +and we were in a glade of a great wood. Whoever it was had crossed +this glade out of our sight, and doubtless was somewhat ashamed of +himself. It was in my mind to tell Gymbert if he came near me +again. The man who would shoot so carelessly was not safe in a +drive like this.</p> +<p>Nor had Erling seen any one. He had heard a horse behind us, +however. Now he pulled the arrow from a sapling where it had stuck, +and showed it me. It was a handsome shaft enough.</p> +<p>Of course I forgot the matter directly. It was just one of the +common chances of a hunt, which now and then will spoil the sport +of a day. We were getting near the barrier now, and the kings must +go forward. Gymbert passed word along our line to halt, and cease +from shooting.</p> +<p>"About time, too," growled Erling as we pulled up.</p> +<p>Then we dismounted, and the foresters closed up and went +forward. One of the head men left two couple of hounds and some men +with me, saying that if I could not see the sport at the nets I +might have a boar back, and could maybe bring him to bay here, +unless the hounds were wanted. I thought that they would be, for +there were sounds of wild baying from the midst of the line, +forward where the kings were, and now and then howls told me that +some more bold hound had dashed in on a boar at bay and had met the +tusk. I would that I could see some of that sport, but there was no +chance of it.</p> +<p>However, my turn came before long. Sighard joined me, leading +his horse; and another thane, a Mercian, came up also. They had +been to right and left of me in the line, and had seen the hounds +left with me. For a quarter of an hour we stood there talking a +little under our breath, but mostly listening with some envy to the +sounds of the hunt ahead of us where wolf and boar died at the +nets, turning in grim despair on their foes. Then there was a shout +of warning that a boar had broken back.</p> +<p>He came into the glade at a swinging trot straight for us. After +him were two hounds, who kept him going though they dared not near +him. And after boar and hounds came Gymbert himself, on horseback, +with his boar spear in his hand. I thought that he could not reach +the boar by reason of the hounds, or else that he had a mind to let +us end the matter, as guests.</p> +<p>The men with us let loose the hounds we had, and they sprang in +on the boar at the sight of him. At that the great beast turned +sharp on the first two, and gored one from flank to shoulder with +the terrible sidelong swing of the flashing tusk; and then he had +his back to a great tree in a moment, and was at bay, with the +hounds round him, yelling.</p> +<p>We three ran forward, and with us came Erling, with a second +spear for me. The horses were in charge of some thralls who had +gathered to us. Then it was to be seen who should win the honour of +first spear to touch that dun hide. Gymbert was already waiting his +time, wheeling his horse round to find an opening among the hounds, +and Sighard cried to him to let us have a chance, laughing. Whereon +he reined his horse back somewhat, and we paid no more heed to him. +One has no time to mind aught behind one when the boar is at +bay.</p> +<p>One of our fresh hounds ran in, and in a moment was howling on +his back before the boar, whose white tusk and dun jowl were +reddened as he glared in fury at us from his fiery eyes. Then +across the hound I had my chance, and I ran in with levelled +spear.</p> +<p>There was a shout, and some one gripped my arm and swung me +aside with force enough to fling me to the ground. As I fell, the +broad, flashing blade of a spear passed me, and then in a medley, +as it were, I saw the boar charge over the hound and across my +legs, and I heard a wild stamping and the scream of a wounded +horse.</p> +<p>I leaped to my feet, dumb with anger, and saw the end of that. +Gymbert's steed was rearing, and one of the foresters was trying to +catch his bridle, while the boar was away down the glade with the +unwounded hounds after him, and a broken spear in his flank. And +then my three comrades broke into loud blame of Gymbert, in nowise +seeking to use soft words to him.</p> +<p>Then I saw that the flank of the horse was gashed as with a +sword cut, and that the face of the rider was more white and +terrified than should have been by reason of such a mishap. The +horse dragged its bridle from the hand of the forester, and reared +again, and then fell heavily backward, almost crushing Gymbert. +However, he had foreseen it, and was off and rolling away from it +as it reached the ground. I heard the saddletree snap as it did +so.</p> +<p>"Hold your peace, master," said Erling to me, before I could +speak; "leave this to us."</p> +<p>I looked at the Dane in wonder, and saw his face white with +wrath, while Sighard was plainly in a towering rage. The Mercian +thane was looking puzzled, but well-nigh as angry, and the +foresters were silently helping up their leader, or seeing to the +horse, which did not rise.</p> +<p>"A foul stroke, Master Gymbert," said Sighard, going up to the +marshal; "a foul spear as ever was! Had it not been for his man +yonder, you had fairly spitted my friend the paladin. Ken you +that?"</p> +<p>"How was I to know that he was going to run in?" said Gymbert, +trying to bluster. "He crossed my horse, and it is his own fault if +he was in the way of the spear."</p> +<p>"One would think that you had no knowledge of woodcraft," said +Sighard, with high disdain. "Heard one ever of a mounted man coming +in on a boar while a spear on foot was before him? Man, one needs +eyes in the back of one's head if you are about."</p> +<p>Then he turned to the Mercian thane.</p> +<p>"Is this the way of Gymbert as a rule? or has he only been +suffered to come out today?"</p> +<p>"A man gets careless at these times," answered the thane. +"Anyway he is like to lose a good horse, and I will not say that it +does not serve him right.</p> +<p>"It was a near thing for the Frank, Gymbert, let me tell +you."</p> +<p>"Well, I am sorry," said Gymbert gruffly. "I was a careless +fool, if that will suit you."</p> +<p>"A mighty poor sort of apology that."</p> +<p>"Well, then," said Gymbert stiffly, and as I thought somewhat +ashamed of himself, "I will ask pardon for a bit of heedlessness in +all truth. Mayhap I did ride in somewhat over jealously."</p> +<p>Now by that time I was myself again, and told him to think no +more of it, so far as I was concerned. Whereon he blamed himself +again more heartily, and so went to see to his horse, which was +past use again for that and many a long day. Sighard turned away +with a growl, and Erling said nothing, for the matter was ended for +the time.</p> +<p>As for the boar, it was Sighard's spear which he took with him. +The thane had got it home in his flank as he gored the horse, but +to little effect. Then the boar had taken to the thickets, and +there the foresters had slain him.</p> +<p>Gymbert sent a man for a fresh horse, and so rode away without +another word to us. The noise from the nets went on, shifting +across the little valley as the kings went from place to place in +search of fresh game at the barrier.</p> +<p>"Well," said Sighard, looking after Gymbert as he went, "if yon +thane had it in his mind to spear you, or to ride over you, or +anywise to send you on the tusks of the boar, he went the right way +to work. He rode straight at you from behind, as if he meant +it."</p> +<p>"But for his man here the paladin had gone home on a litter, +feet foremost, for certain," said the Mercian. "I do not know what +came to Gymbert, for he knows more of woodcraft than most of us. +Maybe he thought it his boar by all right, and was over hasty."</p> +<p>"A jealous hunter is no pleasant companion," answered Sighard, +with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Well, there is no harm done, +but to the poor steed yonder."</p> +<p>Then I thanked Erling for his promptness, for it was his hand +which had swung me out of danger. Whereon he smiled, and said that +he saw it coming in time and risked my wrath. But I could tell that +he had more in his mind, and let the matter rest till we were +alone. But Sighard and the other thane went on growling now and +then over the closeness of the mishap, until the horns sounded +merrily for the gathering of us all to the barrier, where was even +more work for men and hounds than the kings could undertake. They +had taken their fill of the sport also, and had no mind to leave +their courts apart from it all.</p> +<p>So for a long hour or two we brought to bay boar and wolf under +the forest trees or along the river banks, until I was fairly glad +when it was all ended. There was hardly a chance for the quarry, +and it was good when one either leaped the nets or swam the stream +and was away. Maybe it is as well to have seen such a drive, but I +do not care to take part in another. Better the horn calling one in +the early morning, and the music of the hounds whose names one +knows, and the long drawing of the cover while they work together +well and keenly, and the breaking of the stag or boar from his +holt, and so the air on one's face, and the swing of the gallop +over the open, with friends to right and left, before or +behind.</p> +<p>Maybe, then, one will end the day with the death of a valiant +stag in some bend of the trout stream, or with the last of a +warrior boar at the foot of an ancient oak; or maybe there will be +naught to show for the long day's questing. But always there will +have been the working of hounds and the paces of the good horse to +dwell on afterward, with, over all, the sight of bird and beast +under the sky with friends and freedom. Today I had not so much as +breathed my horse, and had nigh met my end in a sort of foolish +chance which came, as I had only reason to think, of the crush and +hustle of men at the end of the drive. There was, in truth, a sort +of wild excitement in the air at that time, and it brings +heedlessness.</p> +<p>Presently they gathered the game to a wide clearing on the river +banks, and such an array of lordly deer and grim boars, row on row +of fallow buck, and heaps of gray wolves, I have never seen. Roe +and even hares were there also, hardly accounted for in the +numbering. Hunting would be fairly spoiled on the Lugg side for a +season or two, maybe; but many a farmstead would be the better off +for lack of the nightly harriers of field and fold.</p> +<p>But, most of all, men looked at the one mighty wild bull which +Ethelbert himself had slain. He was the only one which had been +seen, though it was said that another had escaped at the first, and +the kine of the herd had been suffered to go free. Snow white he +was, with black muzzle and ears and hoofs, and his short horns +shone like polished ebony above the curling mane of his forehead +and neck. He was a splendid beast, the like of whom my forefathers +had slain in fair hunt among the Mendips long ago, until none were +left for us today. The wild Welsh hills held them for Offa, as did +his midland forests everywhere, as men told me.</p> +<p>Now at this last gathering I did not see Gymbert. I thought he +had most likely gone homeward, either on business or else because +he would fain hear no more of what he had done in the way of bad +woodcraft. Sighard said plainly that it was just as well that he +had gone, or his clumsiness would have been spoken of pretty +plainly. But all those to whom he did mention it, and they were +many, seemed hardly able to understand it, for the marshal's skill +was well known.</p> +<p>I suppose it was a matter of two hours before sunset when we +started for the palace from where we ended the drive, with an +hour's ride before us. We straggled back somewhat, for the kings +rode on together, and men followed as they listed. So it came to +pass that before long Erling and I were together and almost alone; +out of earshot from any one else, at all events, for Sighard was +behind us with one or two more of our own party, and the Mercians +whom we followed were ahead.</p> +<p>"What have you done to offend this Gymbert?" asked Erling, of a +sudden.</p> +<p>"Naught that I ken," I answered. "We had a talk last evening on +the rampart, but it was of no account. Why?"</p> +<p>"Because that was his arrow which so nearly struck you, first; +and then, if ever a man tried to spear another by a seeming +accident, he tried to end you when the boar turned to bay."</p> +<p>"His arrow? How do you know that?"</p> +<p>"Easily enough. When he fell yonder, those he had left fell out +of his quiver. They are easily to be known, and they were the same +as that I showed you--peacock-feathered with a bone nock, and tied +with gold and silver thread twisted curiously."</p> +<p>"A man does not shoot another with an arrow of his own known +pattern if he means it" I said.</p> +<p>"You hear what they say of the skill of Gymbert? All the more +reason, if his arrow in you were known, that men would say that of +course it was mischance, and pity him more than you. Moreover, that +is the word which would go back to Carl, whom they deem your master +yet. Offa would fain stand well with him."</p> +<p>There was truth in this, and I knew it; and yet I could hardly +believe such a tale of treachery to an unoffending stranger as this +would tell. Then I minded how Erling had spoken to him in Welsh, +and a half thought crossed my mind that he bore ill will for that. +But in that case Erling was the man who had offended by plain +speech on a matter of which every one knew. So I did not recall +this to my comrade; it seemed personal to me.</p> +<p>"Tell me what you and he spoke of last night," Erling asked me +gravely, as I turned the matter over.</p> +<p>I told him all I could remember, and it came back to me clearly +as I went on. Then he said slowly:</p> +<p>"There was more in that talk of a service to be done for the +queen than he would care for you to know. Why should a stranger be +asked if he might be led to undertake one, when there are scores of +faithful Mercians who would be only too glad to do aught to +pleasure her? As it seems to me, they needed one who could be put +away without being missed afterward, when his errand was +finished."</p> +<p>"No reason why Gymbert should have tried to end me now in that +case."</p> +<p>"The king's wine was potent last night. It may be that he cannot +rightly remember how far a loosened tongue led him," Erling said. +"Master, there is trouble in the air. I sorely misdoubt that errand +of Quendritha's."</p> +<p>"Faith," said I, "if you did not sleep across my door I would +wear my mail tonight."</p> +<p>"Ay," he answered, under his breath and earnestly. "Do so +anywise. These great palaces have strange tricks of passages and +doors which are hidden, and the like."</p> +<p>"Little shall I sleep tonight if you go on thus," I said, trying +to laugh; though it did indeed seem that he had somewhat more than +fancy in what he feared, and I grew strangely uneasy.</p> +<p>"Better so," he answered; and I gave it up.</p> +<p>Riding easily, we came back to the palace close after the kings; +and in the great courtyard I looked round for Gymbert, but could +not see him. There was nothing in that, of course; but when a man +has apparently tried twice to end one, it seems safer to have him +in sight. And Erling, as he took my horse, growled to me to have a +care and wear my mail under my tunic; which in itself was +disquieting.</p> +<p>Most of all it was so because the affair seemed unreasonable. I +tried honestly to think that all was accident, but two such mishaps +from the same hand looked unlike that.</p> +<p>So I went straight to my chamber and did as my comrade bade me, +somewhat angry with myself for thinking it needful. I took a light +chain-mail byrnie, of that wondrous Saracen make, which I had won +from a chief when we were warring on the western frontier mountains +by Roncesvalles, and belted it close to me that it should not +rattle as I moved. It was hardly so heavy as a helm, and fell into +a little handful of rings in one's hand when taken off; but there +was no sword forged in England which would bite it, nor spear which +its tiny rings would not stay. There was a hood to it also, which +went under the helm, but that I took off now. Then none could see +it under my tunic, and I myself hardly felt that it was there.</p> +<p>Then I clad myself in all feasting finery, with Carl's handsome +sword at my side, and a seax, which Ecgbert had given me to match +it, also handy to my right hand in my belt. And so I went out into +the open, for I mistrusted the dark chamber somewhat after Erling's +words, though he knew less of palaces than did I. Maybe, however, +that was why I knew that he was not so far wrong.</p> +<p>I went round to the courtyard, with a mind to pass to the +stables and look at the horses; but I met Father Selred, who asked +me to come out into the fields with him. Ethelbert had gone +thither, he said, and he would find some one to follow him quietly +as guard.</p> +<p>So we went from the great gate across the moat, and then turned +to the right, where the little Lugg flows under the palace hill +across the meadows, and then found a path toward a little copse, +which we followed. Father Selred told me that the king had bidden +him seek him there presently. He had gone to meet his princess in +such quiet as a king may find by good chance.</p> +<p>They had cut a path round this copse, and through it here and +there, and we walked slowly round the outer edge on the soft grass, +with the song of the birds and the cooing of the wood doves +pleasant to listen to in the last evening sunlight. And then we met +the Lady Hilda walking, idly as we walked, by herself, and her face +grew bright as she saw us.</p> +<p>"Two are company, my daughter," said Father Selred, with his +eyes dancing with his jest. "I doubt not that you are carrying out +the rest of the proverb. I will also retire and meditate +awhile."</p> +<p>"No, Father--" began Hilda.</p> +<p>But he smiled, and swung his rosary, and so walked away from us, +while I laughed at him. Then Hilda smiled also, and with that made +the best of it, and walked with me to and fro under the trees. The +king and the princess were here, she told me, for a little time, +and she was in attendance.</p> +<p>Presently she told me also of the goodness of Etheldrida, saying +that she thought the king and the land alike happy in this match. +She had much to say of her; and it seemed that the wedding was to +be in three days' time, here in the palace chapel. But presently +she spoke of Quendritha, and as she did so her face clouded.</p> +<p>"I am afraid of her," she said at last. "She is terrible to me, +and why I cannot tell. She is naught but kind to me. All the ladies +fear her but one or two who are her close friends."</p> +<p>"Well, you will soon be away from her," I said.</p> +<p>"I do not know," she answered, glancing round her. "She has said +that she would fain keep me here. What she says she means, +mostly."</p> +<p>"Then," said I boldly, "I shall have to come and take you away +myself."</p> +<p>Whereon she laughed a little, but did not seem displeased at the +thought.</p> +<p>"Stay," I said. "You have that arrowhead I gave you?"</p> +<p>"An I have not lost it. I will search."</p> +<p>"Send it me if you need my help," I said; "then naught shall +hinder me from coming to you."</p> +<p>"Spoken paladin-wise," she answered, laughing at me. "Mayhap +that bit of flint shall chase you round Wessex in vain, and +meanwhile the ogre will have devoured me."</p> +<p>But she set her white hand on my arm for a moment, as if in +thanks. Then she started and looked at me in the face wonderingly. +She felt the steel.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid," she whispered, "why do you wear mail under your +tunic?"</p> +<p>I told her plainly; otherwise it would have surely seemed that +it was a niddering sort of habit of mine, and unworthy of a warrior +in a king's friendly hall. And there was no laughter in her fair +face as she heard, but fear for me. Like Erling, she seemed to see +peril around us.</p> +<p>"Listen," she said. "The princess dreams that she is to be +wedded, and that even before the altar her bridal robes grow black +and the flowers of her wreath fall withered, while the strown +blooms under her feet turn to ashes on her path."</p> +<p>"More dreams!" I said bitterly. "We are beset with them, and +they are all ill!"</p> +<p>"Have you also visions?" she asked, almost faintly.</p> +<p>"No; unless you are one, and I must wake to find myself back in +bleak Flanders, or fighting for my life in Portland race again. And +I pray that so it may not be; for if I must lose the sight of you, +I am lonely indeed."</p> +<p>"Nay, hush," she said; "not now. Wait till all is well for you +and for the king--and then, maybe; but I pray you have a care of +Gymbert."</p> +<p>Now I would have told her that I had no fear of him, and mayhap +I should have heeded her other words little enough. But at that +moment Father Selred came back and beckoned to us, and silently we +went after him. The king had seen him and called to him.</p> +<p>Then and there I was made known to the princess, and I thought +her strangely sad for one so fair, when she was not speaking. She +looked wistfully on Hilda and on me, as if she knew how we had +spoken, and smiled; and then her face was as the face of a saint in +some painted evangel, such as Carl had in his churches, still and +sweet.</p> +<p>But Ethelbert was bright and cheerful as ever; and he bade me +see him home to his apartment, for he would talk with me. And I +thought rightly that as he had spoken in the Thetford garden of +Etheldrida, and as he had also spoken with me more than once on the +road hither, so he had much to say of her now.</p> +<p>So across the glades passed the princess and Hilda with the +priest, and with them the brightness went from the sunset for us +two, I think. We waited for a few minutes, and then followed +slowly, saying little. We had each our own thoughts.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a>. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING +WENT TO HIS REST.</h2> +<p>Now it becomes needful that I should tell where Ethelbert was +lodged, for I had not been to his apartments yet.</p> +<p>Across the upper end of the great hall there was a long building +set, and this was divided into three uneven parts. From the hall +one entered it by the door behind the king's high seat on the dais, +whence I had seen Offa and his guest come last night; and then one +found that the midmost of these divisions was a sort of council +chamber, lighted by a window in the opposite wall, and with a door +on the right and left at either end. That on the right led to the +largest division, where were the king's own chamber and the queen's +bower. Other buildings had been added to this end; and it had its +own entrance for the queen from the courtyards, as I knew, for it +was behind the church and priest's lodging where they had bestowed +me.</p> +<p>The door from the council chamber to the left led to the +smallest division of the cross building, and there were two +chambers for such honoured guest as Ethelbert. One could only reach +these chambers from the council room, and they had no private way +into the courtyard. It seemed that the guest hall, which was built +against the great hall to its left, ran back to the walls of this +end of the cross building, for there was a heavily-barred low +doorway, which could lead nowhere else, in the wall of the outer +living room. The only other door was that of the bedchamber, and +that was opposite the entrance.</p> +<p>Pleasant and quiet chambers these were; for the noise of the +hall could not reach them and their windows were set to the +westward, looking out toward the Welsh hills beyond the Wye, which +showed above the rampart and stockading.</p> +<p>So with much ceremony, which was wearisome to Ethelbert--and +need not be set down, for it would weary any one, and was of no +use--we reached those chambers, and there, being ready for the +feast myself, I helped to array the king, and so passed with the +royal party to the high place when the time came.</p> +<p>"Come back presently with me when the meal is over," the king +said; "I have somewhat to ask you."</p> +<p>Then I found my way to the place which had been given me last +night, and so had Hilda for neighbour again, to my much content; +for the order of sitting had been little changed, save down the +hall below the salt, where some fifty more men from the forest had +been made room for. It was a great feast and merry, and it seemed +the more so to me after the rough camp life across the sea, or the +rare state banquets which I had seen in Carl's court. There was +none of our hearty fellowship there, and there was more feeling of +difference between men of high and low rank, which made a feast go +stiffly to an English mind.</p> +<p>Presently I saw Gymbert across the hall, and I thought he looked +uneasy. As he had fairly spoiled his name as a good huntsman, I was +not surprised, nor did it trouble me. I missed him toward the end +of the feast; but no doubt he had his duties about the place as +when I spoke to him last night, and that was nothing to wonder at. +I did not see him go.</p> +<p>It was a long feast. We began by daylight, and ended in the red +blaze of torches set in sconces all down the hall, and in the +whiter shine of great wax tapers which armed housecarls held behind +us on the high place. I had never seen such waste of wax before; +but Offa was magnificent in all he did, in a rougher way than that +of Carl.</p> +<p>When the time of eating was ended and the toasts were to go +round, the queen came with a wonderful golden cup which even the +Frankish treasury could not match, and standing beside Ethelbert +filled it with the red wine and pledged him. Very beautiful did she +look as she held the cup to the young king, and her words were soft +and full of kindness. She seemed well-nigh as young as the stately +and pale Etheldrida, her daughter.</p> +<p>After that she and the other ladies left the hall after the +custom, and we sat on telling tales and listening to the gleemen +and harpers, and taking each our turn in singing. The East Anglian +thanes had a way of singing together which was new to me and +pleased me well. The hall grew hot and full of the smoke from the +pine-knot torches before the kings rose up to go. By that time, +too, the foresters seemed to be singing against one another, and +the noise grew great with their mirth.</p> +<p>I rose and followed Ethelbert as I had been bidden, and passed +into the council chamber, where Offa and his guest parted for the +night, each going his own way. I thought Offa seemed heavy and +moody, but in every wise friendly. Tired he was, methought, for it +had been a long day.</p> +<p>Ethelbert signed to me, Father Selred, and Sighard to follow +him, and we went into his apartment, closing the door after us. Out +in the council chamber we left three of the Anglian thanes and +three Mercian, who would act as guards for the night.</p> +<p>It was very pleasant in the silence of this cool chamber after +the din and glare of the great hall. The moonlight came in at the +western window; and though there were torches ready, the king would +not have us light them, for he said we would sit in the dim light +awhile till he grew sleepy. And so at first we spoke of the day's +hunting, and, of course, Sighard had his say on the matter of +Gymbert's carelessness.</p> +<p>Seeing that neither he nor the king had any doubt that +carelessness it was, and naught else, I did not think it worth +while to say anything of my own suspicions. I do not think that +they could have believed that any harm was meant me had I told of +the arrow. It seemed impossible, and if it were not that, it was a +private matter of my own.</p> +<p>Presently that matter dropped, and there was a short silence. I +heard then the sounds of shuffling feet plainly enough from +somewhere close at hand, and thought that the wall between us and +the guest hall must be somewhat thinner than it would seem, so that +the sound came through thence. Sighard heard it also, and rose up +quietly and looked into the inner chamber.</p> +<p>"What is it?" asked Ethelbert, as he came back and sat down +again.</p> +<p>"Naught, lord. I thought I heard footsteps in your bedchamber; +but there is nothing there. A strange house has strange sounds, and +it takes time to get used to them."</p> +<p>"Some one passing under the window," said Selred the chaplain, +laughing.</p> +<p>The little noise ceased, and we forgot it. Today I can seem to +hear it as if it had thundered in our ears, for I know what it was +and what it meant. Yet at the time there was no reason to think +aught of it.</p> +<p>Then Ethelbert asked us somewhat which seemed strange.</p> +<p>"Have any of you noted aught in the look or way of King Offa +which would make you think that he has not long to live?"</p> +<p>With one accord we said that we certainly had not done so, and +that in some surprise. Sighard asked plainly what had put such a +thought into his head.</p> +<p>"I will tell you," said Ethelbert in a low voice. "Between +ourselves, here it is of no use to pretend that one does not know +the name for ambition which Quendritha the queen has. Tell me what +you make of this. Today I had a little private speech with her, and +she would have me put off the wedding. She more than hinted that I +might make a higher match, and that angered me. Whereon she told me +that Offa might not have long to live; that Mercia and East Anglia +would be a mighty realm if united. And, on my word, it seemed to me +that she would bid me wait till she was a widow."</p> +<p>He laughed uneasily, as if he thought himself foolish; but we +knew that unless he had full reason for that belief he would not +have told us. That must have been a strange talk between this +honest young king and Quendritha, if he deemed it best to speak to +us of it.</p> +<p>Sighard frowned, and said:</p> +<p>"If it is true that Offa is thus--well, we are forewarned. +Quendritha has let us see that in one way or the other she would +fain have East Anglia. I think that she spoke unwarily to you, my +king."</p> +<p>"Nay," said Selred the priest; "I hold that she sounded you as +to whether you had any thought of adding Mercia to your own realm. +If it is true that Offa has some secret ailment which is slowly and +surely bringing his end near, she looks onward to the time when she +shall stand alone. She would find out if you are to be feared."</p> +<p>"Maybe that is it," said Ethelbert, with a sigh of relief. "It +must be. She is a mistress of craft; and had I one thought of +adding to my realm, that would have made me show it. However, she +should be satisfied. I would hear naught of putting off the +wedding, as you may suppose."</p> +<p>I said nothing, but it was in my mind that mayhap there was more +at the back of all this than they saw. I had heard overmuch of +Quendritha to have much doubt that if she could see her way to +reigning over both realms, she would stay for naught, even for the +removing of Offa from her path if he stood in it. And almost did I +tell the king of Thrond's knowledge of her, but forbore. Sighard +knew it also, and he was the best judge of that. But I will say +that I was somewhat lighter of heart to hear this, for it was plain +to me that Offa himself had no thought of guile toward Ethelbert; +and to this day I do not believe that he had. His mind was far too +great for that; and if he loved power, I hold that to have married +his daughter to a king was fully enough for him. Beyond that all +was from Quendritha. To tell the truth, if I feared for any one, it +was for Offa himself.</p> +<p>Now Ethelbert rose and said that he grew weary and would go to +rest. Sighard said that he would get him a light from the council +chamber; but he would rather bide in the moonlight, which was +enough to fill all the room. So we three went into his sleeping +chamber with him. At one side was the state bed with its heavy +hangings, and midway in the room, by its side, was a great chair, +softly cushioned. The smell of the sweet sedges with which the room +had been newly strown was pleasant and cool, and a little chill +breeze came in from the window with the moonlight.</p> +<p>"Leave me for a while, my thanes," he said; "I will call you +anon. Wilfrid will no doubt be glad to go to his place; so +goodnight"</p> +<p>He smiled at me, and held out his hand, and I bent and kissed +it. So we went back to the other room to wait, for we knew that the +king would pray. The door swung softly to after us.</p> +<p>Now I thought I heard the chair creak as the king went to it. +Then there was a sound as of a fall somewhere near us, and a +stifled cry.</p> +<p>"What is that?" I said, turning to Sighard.</p> +<p>"Housecarls outside;" he said. "It was from the place whence we +heard the footsteps awhile ago. Listen! there they are again."</p> +<p>I heard the same sort of dull trampling as before, and there was +also a voice.</p> +<p>"It seems to be almost beneath us," I said.</p> +<p>But the footsteps were plainly going away from us, and growing +fainter in the distance. I climbed on a settle and looked out of +the high window, which was set aloft so that none could see into +the chamber as they passed it. But I could see no man. There were +some wood piles and sheds between the rampart and us, but nothing +stirred about them so far as I could see. Whereby I supposed that +they had passed round the corner. On the rampart an armed sentry +was pacing, black against the low moon, and beyond him the fires of +the Welsh--who watched us--burnt as brightly as last night.</p> +<p>Now there was a gentle knock on the outer door, and I opened it. +One of the thanes said that the man who served me would see me, and +I went out into the great hall, bidding Sighard and the chaplain +goodnight as I did so. Down the length of the hall men were +throwing themselves on the rushes to sleep along the walls in their +wonted places, though there were yet groups at the tables still +telling tales and drinking. The torches were almost all burnt out +save where these men were, and across the open roof were strange +white shafts of moonlight through the smoke, from windows and under +westward eaves.</p> +<p>Outside the door, on the high place, stood Erling alone, for the +tables there had been cleared away. Only the throne of the king +remained. And in the light from the council chamber I saw that the +face of my comrade was white as death.</p> +<p>"Where is Ethelbert the king?" he said, almost wildly, and +clutching my arm.</p> +<p>"In his chamber," I answered. "All is well. I saw him there not +ten minutes ago."</p> +<p>"How can that be? It is not that time ago since he stood by me +on the rampart, where I walked alone, and spoke to me."</p> +<p>"It was some one else like him," I said. "He is going to +sleep."</p> +<p>But Erling stared beyond me, and grew yet paler. I saw the black +rims grow round his eyes. Then his grip tightened on my arm, and he +gasped:</p> +<p>"He stood before me, and that red line round his neck had drops +like gems therefrom. He said, 'Now do I die and pass to rest. I +would that you came after me.' And I said, 'Trouble not yourself, +king, for the like of me.' And he smiled wondrously, and answered, +'Nay, but needs must I, for you are the only heathen man in this +palace garth. I would that all were well with you as with me.' Then +he was gone, and there was only a brightness, and betimes that +faded. Then I came hither. There is ill which has befallen the +king."</p> +<p>"Impossible," I said. And even as I said it into my mind flashed +that strange, unaccounted for trampling, and I went back, with +Erling after me, unbidden. The six thanes who waited in the council +chamber stared at me, but I did not heed them. Across to the king's +door I went, and passed in. Selred and the old thane were talking +quietly under their breath, and I had but been gone three +minutes.</p> +<p>"Back again, Wilfrid? Eh, what is amiss?" said Sighard, starting +as he set eyes on Erling.</p> +<p>"Has the king called you?" I asked hastily.</p> +<p>"No; it is hardly time for him to do so," Selred answered, +smiling.</p> +<p>"Look into his chamber softly, I pray you, Father Selred," +Erling said in a strange voice. "It is upon me that all is not +well."</p> +<p>Now so urgent was the tone in which the Dane spoke that the +priest went at once to the inner door and opened it very gently, +and peered in. Then he started forward suddenly and threw the door +wide.</p> +<p>"Thanes!" he cried wildly, and we were at his side.</p> +<p>The room was empty. There was naught but the bed in it, for even +the great chair was gone. Only where it had been there was a square +patch of floor which was not covered with the sedges I had noted as +so lavishly strown. Nor was the king in the bed, whose coverings +were unruffled. Sighard lifted its hangings and peered under and +behind them in a sort of frantic hope; for though there was no +sound, and no answer to his whispering of the well-loved name of +his master, it seemed unbelievable that from this little chamber a +man should have gone utterly and without a sound during these few +minutes. Yet so it was.</p> +<p>I set my hands on the high sill of the window and drew my face +to its level. It was too narrow for a man to get through, and there +was nothing to be seen outside but the white moonlight, and the +mist which rose from the Lugg and curled over the rampart, white +and ghostly round the sentry, who leaned on his spear and stared at +the twinkling hill fires.</p> +<p>"It is wizardry," said Sighard, groaning, while cold drops broke +out on his forehead. "He has been spirited away."</p> +<p>"I saw him on the rampart," answered Erling; "but it was his +ghost that I saw. I knew it, and came and told my master here."</p> +<p>Now there came a silence in which we looked at one another. Then +Sighard went and began to search the walls for hidden +doors--hopelessly, for the timbers were a full foot thick. And so +of a sudden some frenzy seemed to take him, for he set his hand on +his sword, and would have waked the palace with the cry of treason, +but that Selred stayed him.</p> +<p>"Friend, friend," he said earnestly, "have a care--wait! We are +but two score amid hundreds, and that cry may mean death to us +all.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, call the other thanes hither."</p> +<p>I went to the door of the council chamber, and there was that in +my face which bade the thanes spring up and hurry to me with words +of question. I looked first at the three Mercians; but their faces +were blank as those of the Anglians. They expected naught.</p> +<p>"The king has gone," I said. "You Mercians may best know +whither."</p> +<p>One of them laughed, and sat down again.</p> +<p>"You have a strange idea of a jest in Carl's camp, paladin," he +said. "What is it? The king gone, with us sitting here at his door, +forsooth!"</p> +<p>"No jest, thane, but the truth," I said, taking the tall wax +torch which was on the table before them. "Come."</p> +<p>Then they leaped up and followed me into the bedchamber, and +stood staring as we had stared. It was plain that they knew as +little as ourselves.</p> +<p>"He has passed into the guest hall," said one of the Mercians, +looking round him wildly enough.</p> +<p>But that was not possible, for the door was in the outer room +whence we had come, and it was barred on both sides.</p> +<p>"We are disgraced," said another, groaning. "Our charge has been +made away with, and how we cannot tell. We shall pay for this with +our lives."</p> +<p>Then Sighard said, "He cannot be far off. Men--think! How can he +have gone hence? Who would make away with him?"</p> +<p>But there was no answer to these questions. The thing remained a +mystery. If there was any plot, these three honest thanes were not +in it. And then as I walked uneasily from side to side of the room, +turning over impossible ways of disappearance in my mind, I came +near where the great chair had been. And under my step the floor +creaked.</p> +<p>Now seeing how that house was built, this was a sound one would +not expect to hear at all. It came into my mind that here was one +of the few floors which were boarded, the most being of beaten +clay, or paved with great stones wonderfully. So I trod again +firmly in that place, and it seemed to me that the floor gave, +somewhat.</p> +<p>I reached out for the torch which I had set on the sconce in the +wall and looked at the floor, but why it creaked I did not make +out. The boards were of hewn oak, and how thick one could not +tell.</p> +<p>"Fetch Offa the king," said a Mercian; "we had better tell him. +No use in gaping here. We can swear that Ethelbert has not passed +out of these doors."</p> +<p>"No," said Selred quickly; "that were to wake the whole palace. +Let us seek further into this.--Thanes, if aught has been done +amiss to our king, we are all in danger."</p> +<p>The floor creaked under my foot again, and I looked back to it. +What I saw now made me start and call the others to me.</p> +<p>"See here!" I cried.</p> +<p>Round that clear space where the chair had been was a saw cut +newly made. It went through the flooring, so that the square was +like a trapdoor. And it was uneven, as if it had been made in +haste. Then I knew what must have been the meaning of the sounds we +heard and thought nothing of--the creak, and the fall, and the +stifled cry.</p> +<p>Sighard looked once, and then threw himself on his knees, +drawing his stout seax as he did so.</p> +<p>"Have it up!" he said, with his teeth clenched, "have it +up!"</p> +<p>Then a thought came to me, and I beckoned to Erling. It might be +that armed men lurked under that trapdoor, and that our end was +coming; but at least we would have fair play.</p> +<p>"Go and bar the door to the great hall," I told him. "We will +have none else in here if there is a fight. Then see if you can get +the door to the guest hall undone."</p> +<p>He nodded and went out. One of the Mercians asked sharply where +he was going; but Sighard paid no heed to him, for he was trying to +get his blade into the saw cut, and so raise the square of +flooring.</p> +<p>"Thane," I said to the Mercian, staying him from following +Erling, "he will shut the door to the hall, and let this thing be +seen through in silence. Go you and watch at the door of Offa, for +it has bided untended long enough."</p> +<p>He went out in haste, and Erling watched him there. I saw him +sit down to the table whence he had risen at my coming, and set his +head on his hands as if in despair. I had no fear that he would +call Offa yet, or that Erling would suffer him to go to his +comrades in the hall. The other two stayed and watched Sighard +silently.</p> +<p>Now the old thane had his blade fast in the timber and lifted. +The square of floor rose slowly at that corner, and one of the +Mercians set his hand to it. Another lift, and the whole was coming +up, for the boards had been fastened together with cross pieces +underneath, doorwise. As it rose I heard the fall of props that had +kept it in place, and I bade Sighard have a care. I feared it would +let him through suddenly as these props fell; but it had been +roughly hinged at one end with thongs. He rose, and he and the +Mercian heaved on the door and threw it back.</p> +<p>Then below us gaped a black pit which seemed to go deep into the +earth, and for a moment we shrank back from it as men must needs do +when a depth is suddenly before them. Nor should I have wondered if +thence the bright points of waiting spears had darted upward in our +faces.</p> +<p>But there was nothing save a little cold draught of wind that +blew into them from out of that pit, and we looked into it. I held +the torch so that its flickering blaze went to the bottom, and as +we saw what was there a groan came from us.</p> +<p>There was the great chair lying, overturned on its side as it +may have fallen, but it was dragged back from under the door +somewhat. There were the cushions I had noted also--one lying on +the stone floor of the pit, and the other on the seat of the chair. +But there was no sign of the king--none but a stain of red on the +cushions and on the floor, and on the blade of a sword which lay +beside that terrible pool. And the sword was the king's own.</p> +<p>Then said Sighard, and his voice came hoarse and broken:</p> +<p>"Our king is slain! Hounds of Mercians, tell us who has wrought +this!"</p> +<p>One answered him from dry lips:</p> +<p>"We cannot tell. It is a shame on the house of Offa, and on the +very name of Mercia. Kill us if you will, for we are +niddering."</p> +<p>He plucked his sword from his belt and threw it on the floor. +The thane who had gone into the council chamber was on his feet and +staring at us through the open doors, and Erling was ready to fall +on him if he cried out. But the third Mercian, whose name was +Witred, did not lose his senses thus.</p> +<p>"True enough," he said, looking fearlessly at the angry group +before him. "But it were better to follow this passage and see if +we may not overtake those who have been here.</p> +<p>"Bide here, paladin and priest, and keep our way back clear with +my comrade yonder, and let us go quickly. If they slay us--maybe +that is no loss, but at least we have done what we should."</p> +<p>Without another word Sighard leaped into that awesome pit, and +Witred followed him. Then went our three thanes, and Selred and I +stood alone in the room. I handed the torch down to the last man, +and so saw that from the place where the chair was set a low +stone-arched passage led westward into darkness. It was some work +of the old Romans, no doubt, for no Saxon ever made such +stonework--strong and heavy as rock itself.</p> +<p>The light flashed from somewhat on the wall also, as it seemed, +drawing my eyes to it.</p> +<p>"Yonder is a spear set," I said to the thane, as he took the +light from me; "hand it to me."</p> +<p>He took it from where it rested against the wall and gave it me, +turning at once to follow our comrades. Then I knew the spear well +enough, for I had seen it over close to me once before. It was +Gymbert's boar spear.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a>. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN +HAD HER WILL.</h2> +<p>Slowly the footfalls of our comrades died away down the low +passage, and then the last flicker of their torch passed from the +stone walls of that terrible pit, leaving Selred and myself alone +in the cold moonlight. Out through the doors toward the council +chamber I saw the Mercian thane, who had been watching us in +silence, sit down at the table and set his head in his hands +wearily; and I heard Erling try the bars of the door to the guest +hall, and finding it impossible to open, after a while pass into +the council chamber, and set himself against the great door once +more.</p> +<p>After that there fell a dead silence over all the place, and it +was uncanny. It seemed impossible that all men should sleep in +peace in the palace where such a deed had been wrought at our feet. +I had rather the rush and yell of the Welsh over these ramparts +they hated than this stillness of coldly-planned treachery.</p> +<p>Nor should I have been surprised if at any moment I had heard +the tramp of men who came to fall on us and end what had been +begun, or the cries and din of arms which should tell that they had +fallen on the sleeping thanes of Anglia in the guest hall. Anything +was possible after what had been wrought already, and indeed it was +hardly likely that the king should be slain and the servants let go +free.</p> +<p>I think that the stillness and waiting for unknown doings thus +went near to terrifying me. I know that I started at every sound, +if it were but the crackling of the little fire in the council +chamber, or the low challenge of one sentry to his fellow as the +word which told all well passed round the ramparts. Selred was on +his knees, and I would not speak to disturb the prayers which we so +sorely needed.</p> +<p>The time seemed long as we waited, but it could not have been +much more than ten minutes before I heard the footfalls of our +party as they returned by the passage way. One by one they came out +from under the arch, and I took the torch from Witred the Mercian, +who came first as he had gone, and then helped them one by one to +the room again from the pit. Their faces were white and hard set in +the light, and Sighard seemed as a man broken and aged in a moment +with trouble beyond his bearing. Then I knew that I had to hear the +worst, and made ready for it. Witred the Mercian told it +quietly.</p> +<p>"This passage runs under the ramparts, and ends in a thicket on +the steep by the river. I knew that there were old stones in that, +but not one of us knew of the passage. That end has been newly +opened, and the tools with which it was done are there yet. A man +sat by that entrance on guard outside, and as I came I spoke to him +by name and told him who I was. Then he stayed, and we fell on him +and bound him without giving him a chance to cry out. Whereon he +told all, and it is an evil tale."</p> +<p>He paused, and wiped his forehead, looking round as if he would +have any man but himself tell it; but none else spoke.</p> +<p>"Yesterday Gymbert's men sawed the floor through and made this +trapdoor. Then they waited underneath, and the king fell, as they +had expected, into the ready arms that waited him. There were +Gymbert and half a dozen of his men. The cushion stayed his cry, +and he was helpless. Yet he was very strong, and so Gymbert +snatched his own sword from his side and smote off his head. Out by +the river they had a cart waiting, and they bore him away at speed. +We saw and followed the wheel tracks till we lost them, and could +do no more. Then we bound and gagged the man, and have haled him +halfway down the passage till we need him again. That is all."</p> +<p>Then I said, with a cold wrath on me, "At whose orders was this +done?"</p> +<p>The Mercian shook his head, glancing at his comrades. The other +Mercian had come to hear from the council chamber.</p> +<p>"The man could not or would not tell; but I pray you think not +that this is done by Offa. The one thing that the man begged us was +that he might not be delivered to the king. And he said that +Gymbert and his men would hide till Offa's wrath was past."</p> +<p>"There is but one other at whose word this could have been +done," I said.</p> +<p>"Ay," said Witred, "I know. Yet Ethelbert was to be the +bridegroom of our princess. Is it possible that Gymbert has looked +so high, and would take him from his way?"</p> +<p>And at that one of the other Mercians answered bluntly:</p> +<p>"You speak of what is not possible, and you know it. Who but +that one of whom we ken would have seen that those who wrought here +with saw and axe were not disturbed? Let us say at once that the +thing has been wrought by the hand of Quendritha, and have done +with it. Which of us does not know that she is capable of it, and +has never dared say so yet till this minute?"</p> +<p>Then said Witred, "That is the truth, thanes. Now what will you, +for the time goes on? This man said that it was thought that the +deed would not be known till waking time in the morning. It is not +midnight yet."</p> +<p>We looked at one another, for what was best we could not say. It +was more than likely that the queen had planned against some too +early discovery of the deed, and even now waited for any sign which +should tell her to act. But for the staying of that man at the +entrance, I have no doubt that by this time her men had been warned +to fall on us. The gathering of the Welsh, and the open passage +into the heart of the palace, might be seeming proof that we had +planned the downfall of Offa, and so short work with us.</p> +<p>Now one said that it were best to tell Offa straightway, but +Selred and my comrades would not have that. We were not so sure in +our own minds that he was guiltless in the matter; and at last +Selred said that he would try to reach the guest hall and wake the +other thanes and bring them here.</p> +<p>So we passed into the council chamber, and I think we were all +glad to be away from the side of that pit. Erling stood at the +great door, and he had taken the bars down from that which led to +the guest hall. If only we could make some one of our folk hear +without too much noise, they could unbar it from their side.</p> +<p>"There is one asleep near to it," said Erling; "I heard him in +the stillness."</p> +<p>I tapped sharply once or twice on the heavy door with my sword +handle. I heard the sounds the sleeper made on the other side, and +presently they stopped suddenly. Whereon I tapped again, and I +heard a voice, and then another, as if men heard it. And then a +tapping came back. The door was very thick, and made of oaken logs, +bound together with iron, so that it was hard to hear. But I set my +face close to it and spoke, thinking that no doubt an ear was not +far off beyond.</p> +<p>"Unbar the door," I said--"unbar."</p> +<p>"Who is that?" came the muffled voice.</p> +<p>Then Selred answered, and presently I heard the great bars being +drawn from their sockets in the door posts, and at last the door +opened slowly toward us. A thane was there with his sword in his +hand, staring at us.</p> +<p>"Let me in, for I have a word to say," said Selred quietly. "Be +silent, for one does not want to rouse the place."</p> +<p>He passed in, and we closed the door. Beyond the other door lay +the housecarls of Offa down the long hall where we had feasted, and +within his own chambers there were a score or more of the young +thanes of his bodyguard sleeping across his own doors.</p> +<p>Now we heard the still voice of Selred, and after it a stifled +outcry, hushed almost before it arose, and then silence. In a +minute the door was pushed gently, and the father came back with a +pale face. Ho had told the thanes, and they were arming in silence. +Then they would come and see what we had seen.</p> +<p>"And after that?" said Witred.</p> +<p>"If I were in their place, naught should stay me here," said the +Mercian who had bided with me plainly.</p> +<p>"No," said Sighard savagely; "I have a mind to bid them burn +this hall over Offa's head, and meet their end in the turmoil."</p> +<p>"Thereby giving occasion to men to say that we wrought treason +and were punished rightly, both ourselves and the king," said +Selred coolly. "That be far from us, Sighard."</p> +<p>The old thane growled, and seeing that he was beyond reason, the +priest set his mouth close to his ear and spoke to him. Whereon he +calmed at once, and a new look of fear came into his face.</p> +<p>"Hilda," he groaned; "I had forgotten her."</p> +<p>Now the thanes came quietly through the door into the chamber, +and one by one passed to that room where Ethelbert had been +betrayed. Presently they were all gathered there, and when they +saw, there grew a sort of panic among them.</p> +<p>"Let us hence while there is time," said one, voicing the fears +of the rest; "we are all dead men else. This is what the earthquake +betokened."</p> +<p>"It is the part of Anglian thanes to die with their king," said +Sighard angrily.</p> +<p>"An there were a king left us to die with--"</p> +<p>Then Witred broke in with words of common sense which ended the +talk. He had every reason to wish us gone, to save the terror of a +wild vengeance let loose in this palace; and that we should go was +best in every way.</p> +<p>"Thanes, thanes," he said, "listen to me. Tomorrow morning early +men deemed that this would be found out. In the dawning the grooms +lead the horses to water yonder at the river, and they are the +first men afoot. Gymbert is gone, and on this thane here falls the +task of ordering the stables. He shall bid your grooms keep +together, and after watering lead your horses, as for airing, +eastward to the forest paths. Go hence by this passage, and I will +take you to some place which we will arrange, and there they shall +meet you. Then make your way swiftly beyond the reach of +Quendritha; yet it is in my mind that even Offa can no longer be +blind to the evil she works. Her power will be little."</p> +<p>The thanes looked at one another, and then one or two said that +it was not the way of Anglian thanes to fly thus; but they had +little voice in the matter. The rest had no thought but to fly, and +I do not blame them. Save some such savage work as that which +Sighard would set on foot, there was naught else to be planned.</p> +<p>But I minded the voice and pleading look of that mother who +spoke with me in the garden at Thetford, and I had a mind to stay +and see this thing to an end, for it was all that I might do. Maybe +I could find the body of her son and see it brought back to +her.</p> +<p>"I bide here," I said; and Selred stepped to my side without a +word.</p> +<p>"I also," said Sighard; "I have words to say yet before I +die."</p> +<p>They tried to persuade us, but in vain, and at last they left +the matter. In silence they went each to his place, and took the +arms and things which were of value, and so passed down the passage +with Witred at their head, and I heard one or two threaten the +honest thane with death if he played them false. But he did not +answer them, for he knew that they spoke wildly as yet in the new +terror which had broken their sleep.</p> +<p>After that we went back to the council chamber and sat down. The +worst strain was past with their going, as it seemed to me, and the +morning would tell what was to be.</p> +<p>"We will stay here," said Selred. "There should be three thanes +and myself, and you two and Erling will seem the right number when +men look into this room presently."</p> +<p>So again the silence of the midnight came down on us, and in the +chill we waited for the return of Witred; and it was two hours +before he came. After him we closed the trapdoor, and the doors of +the private rooms of the king who had gone, and then the Mercian +planned that matter of the horses.</p> +<p>"Halfway to the forest," he told us, "some of the thanes would +fain have returned to fall on this place, and take revenge and die. +Once I deemed that they would do so, but that fit passed from them. +Then they went on with me, and now they are safe. It may be that +they will get their horses, and if not, they will scatter and make +their way home on foot. Men who come to such a gathering as this +have money enough with them."</p> +<p>After that it was a question with us, and a hard one, to know +what it were best to do. It seemed terrible to wait there until men +woke and learned all; but save that we might find Offa himself, +there was naught else to be done. We must wait him. It is not to be +supposed that his thanes would hear one word which seemed to hint +that he had had any hand in this deed; but it was plain enough that +they feared what evil Quendritha might not have urged him to, else +had they made haste to call him.</p> +<p>Now, while we waited there and doubted, word came from Gymbert +secretly to Quendritha that her bidding had been done, and that +Ethelbert stood in her way no longer. In the darkness a thrall +crept to where the queen sat at a window and watched, and made some +sign which she understood, and then in a little while our waiting +was at an end.</p> +<p>For straightway she goes to Offa, and stands by his bedside with +eyes that gleam in the dim light of the lamp that burns in the +chamber, and wakes him, but not easily. On him the potency of that +Frankish wine lingers yet, and he does not rouse quickly, but +stares at her with wondering eyes.</p> +<p>"Wake," she says. "Today you are the mightiest king that has +ruled in England yet."</p> +<p>"Ay, and was so yesterday," he says, for so the songs of his +gleemen tell him night after night.</p> +<p>"Rouse yourself," she cries angrily; "hear what I have wrought +for you."</p> +<p>Thereat some remembrance of those other words of hers comes into +his mind, and he wakes suddenly, fearing, and yet half hoping.</p> +<p>"What mean you?" he says.</p> +<p>"I mean that naught stands in your way from here to the eastern +sea. Call your levies and march across the land in all its breadth, +and there is not one who will forbid you. East Anglia is +yours."</p> +<p>Now Offa looks on her face, and sees triumph written in her +eyes; and he minds all, and knows that she has done that which he +forbade her not, and round his heart is a terror and a chill +suddenly.</p> +<p>"Wife," he says in a harsh voice, "what have you done?"</p> +<p>"That which you would not do for yourself, but left to me. I +have taken the weak out of the way of the strong, and hereafter +East Anglia will thank me."</p> +<p>Then says Offa under his breath, "Ethelbert has been slain in my +house! There is not a thrall in all the land who will not sleep +better than shall I hereafter. Yet I will not believe it. This is +an evil dream. Let me hence!"</p> +<p>Then he springs from his bed, and the queen will not prevent +him. Presently, she thinks, he will learn the truth and be glad of +it. So she does but call the pages and armour bearers from the +outer chambers, and bids them see to their lord, and so leaves him. +Then he dresses and arms quickly, being minded, if the worst is not +yet done, to see that all is well. Maybe she does but urge him to +that which she would have him do again. And he will not do it. That +much he knows clearly. For the rest, all is misty in his mind, and +that is what Quendritha had planned.</p> +<p>So it came to pass that, even as we had made up our minds that +we must needs call the king, the door to his chamber opened, and a +page came out with the words that bid men meet the king, and we +rose and stood to greet him. He came forth quickly, looking +wild-eyed and haggard, with his sheathed sword grasped in the hand +which held his cloak round him against the night air. He halted for +a moment on the threshold, and stared at us; while from very force +of habit we saluted, and spoke the words of good morrow that were +but mockery today. And he knew it.</p> +<p>"Good morrow, forsooth," he said, in a terrible, dull voice; +"and I would from my heart that so it may be. Tell me, thanes, is +aught wrong here? It seems that all is quiet. Mayhap I have but +dreamed of ill--dreamed, I say, for it could be nowise else. I had +an evil dream. I thought that Ethelbert, my guest and son to be, +was harmed."</p> +<p>He looked from one of us to the other, and our faces spoke to +him, though we could find no words. The hand that held the sword +tightened its grip on the gilded scabbard, and he strode forward +into the room fiercely.</p> +<p>"It is no dream, but the truth," he said hoarsely. "Answer me, +is it true?"</p> +<p>Now I saw the wrath growing in his face. And I heard Witred +stammer, for the fear of the great king was on him; and I knew not +what Sighard might not say in his wrath, for already Selred had his +hand on him to stay him. So I spoke for the rest, being a stranger, +and of no account if the anger of the king sought a vent on me.</p> +<p>"King Offa," said I, "there is evil wrought by stealth here, and +your thanes are not to blame. Come with me, and you shall see that +so it is, and you will learn the worst. Keep your wrath for those +who are not yet named. It is true that Ethelbert has been slain +this night; but he does not lie here."</p> +<p>The king went back a pace from me and paled suddenly. I did not +know what he might do next, for I could not tell that this was but +certainty to him of that which he had reason to fear. But he kept a +tight rein on himself, and in a moment spoke to me clearly, if in +low tones.</p> +<p>"You are Carl's messenger to Ethelbert, and therefore trusted by +him. You have no need to keep aught from me, nor do you fear me, as +it seems. Tell me plainly what has been done."</p> +<p>I think that he had not understood that Ethelbert had been taken +hence, and that he dreaded to look on him. So I told him once +more.</p> +<p>"Through the old passage which lies beneath his chamber men +crept and slew Ethelbert. Then they took him hence; whither we +cannot tell. It has been but chance that we have found it out +before we went to call him in the morning."</p> +<p>"Silently, without noise, was this wrought, then?" he said, as +if he hardly believed it.</p> +<p>"So silently that if noise there was we could not tell it from +the sounds of men about the house. I pray you come and see what was +planned."</p> +<p>He hesitated for a moment, and then knew that go he must, sooner +or later.</p> +<p>"So let it be," he said. "Bide here, you others."</p> +<p>I turned, and led the way into the bedchamber. There I stooped +and opened the trapdoor, and held the torch so that the light fell +into the pit, without a word. He saw the fallen props, and the +chair, and all else that told him the terrible tale. And as he saw +he reeled a little, and I caught his arm. But he shook off my hand +savagely.</p> +<p>"Tell me," he said, between his teeth, "have you hunted for +those who did this deed?"</p> +<p>"Such of us as might go have done so. Your own door was not left +unguarded, King Offa. But the slayers had gone far hence +swiftly."</p> +<p>"An they were wise they would bide there," he said grimly.</p> +<p>Now he was more himself, and his eyes sought the pit and the +room for all he might learn. I saw that he knew the spear of +Gymbert, but he said nothing of it. It came to my mind that to his +dying day King Offa would not forget aught that his eyes lit on in +that place.</p> +<p>"There shall be a reckoning for this," he said at last, turning +to me with a stern look on his face. "Tell me, is it said that in +this I have any part?"</p> +<p>"None have said it, King Offa," I answered.</p> +<p>"They have but thought it," he said; "that is what you mean. +Well, what is that to me? Yet hereafter you shall tell Carl that in +it I had no part."</p> +<p>I bowed, and let that bide. It seemed that to be thought still +the messenger for whose return Carl would look might be some sort +of a safeguard to me if things went ill. Then Offa remembered +somewhat.</p> +<p>"What of the Anglian thanes? What will they say when this is +known by them?"</p> +<p>His brow knitted, for he thought of the likelihood of wild +turmoil in the palace, and what would come of the cry of +treason.</p> +<p>"They know, and have gone," I said simply. "It seemed best to +them and to your thanes that, seeing that this deed was done and +none could amend it, they should fly hence by this passage. It +could not be foreseen how matters would go with them."</p> +<p>"On my word, some of you have your senses still about you," said +Offa, in that cold voice of his.</p> +<p>And then all of a sudden his command of himself gave way, and he +sat down on the bed and hid his face in his hands. With the passing +of the Anglians the strain had gone from him as from us, and he was +left with the bare terror of the deed he had half approved.</p> +<p>Presently he looked up, and the weakness had passed. Then he +rose and signed to me to follow him, and we went out into the +council chamber. And even as we closed the ill-fated rooms behind +us, from his own door came forth Quendritha and moved swiftly +toward him.</p> +<p>"My king," she said, "they told me that somewhat was amiss."</p> +<p>"Ay," he said, and his words were like ice, "there is, and more +than amiss. Get you to your bower, and we will speak thereof in +private."</p> +<p>He did not look at her, and went to pass her, almost thrusting +her aside. And at that she gave a little plaintive cry, and would +have taken his arm, saying for us to hear that he was surely +distraught.</p> +<p>"Thanes, tell me what is wrong!" she said.</p> +<p>"We have no need to tell you," said Sighard savagely, and +unheeding the warning grasp of the priest on his arm. "What has +been done is your doing."</p> +<p>"What mean you?" she flashed on him with a terrible look.</p> +<p>Erling answered from where he stood with his back to the great +door, "So you spoke in our old land on the day when our Jarl Hauk +bade you confess the wrong you had done, before you were set adrift +on the sea. It had been better had he slain you, as some would have +had him slay, if it were but for the saving of this."</p> +<p>Now Offa had turned angrily as he heard Sighard speak to the +queen in no courteous wise, but Erling had not heeded his look or +what wrath might light on him. Before he could say aught, and it +was plain that he was going to speak angrily enough, Offa heard the +first words of the Dane, and checked himself.</p> +<p>And when he had heard, he said in a cold voice, slowly, "So that +tale is true after all. I can believe it now, though once I slew a +man who told it me."</p> +<p>With that he turned on his heel and passed through the door and +was gone, paying no more heed to the queen than to us. For a long +moment she stood and glared at Erling, and I think that she +remembered his face in some dim way, so that the old days came back +to her, and with that remembrance the terror that had been in them. +And as she stood there in the torchlight she seemed to have grown +old of a sudden, and her face was gray and lined, while her long +white hands worked as they fell at her side.</p> +<p>But not another word did she say, though her lips seemed to form +somewhat, and in her eyes was written most terrible hate and anger. +She took her gaze from Erling, for he did not shrink from it, and +let it rest for a moment on Sighard with a meaning which made him +pale as he thought of Hilda, who was yet in her hands, and so went +from the room suddenly, and the door was closed after her from +within.</p> +<p>Then said Witred the Mercian earnestly, "Friends, an you value +your lives, get you hence while yet that passage is open. I am +going with those who do go, for we who have seen and heard all this +will not be suffered to live to tell it."</p> +<p>"It seems to me that Erling's tale is not new to some folk +here," I said.</p> +<p>"It is an old tale with us, but we did not believe it. It had +been well-nigh forgotten, for it was nowise safe to do so much as +whisper it.</p> +<p>"But, thanes, did you mark the face of the king?"</p> +<p>"It was terrible," said Selred, shuddering: "it was as the face +of the lost."</p> +<p>And then out in the courtyard the horns blew the morning call +cheerily, and the hall buzzed in a moment with the rousing of the +men who slept along its walls, and there reached us the sound of +jest and laughter and shouts as they waked the heavy sleepers.</p> +<p>"Thanes," said Witred, quite coolly, "if we want to see another +day dawn we had best be going.</p> +<p>"Brother, I rede you go to the horse watering yourself, and take +your best steed under you; and I pray you bring mine also.</p> +<p>"Paladin, that gay steed of yours will be with the rest--and +yours also, thane.</p> +<p>"Erling, you shall in nowise go stablewards, but come with +us."</p> +<p>The thane who had to see to the stables leaped up, and without +more than a nod to his comrade and us went his way down the hall in +haste.</p> +<p>"There are two or three things I don't want to leave behind," +said Witred, "but I shall have to forego them. A man need not stop +to gather property when Quendritha is at his heels. Come; why are +you waiting? I tell you that we shall find the far end of that +passage closed in one way or another if we haste not."</p> +<p>"My daughter!" said Sighard, groaning; "she is in the queen's +bower."</p> +<p>"So also is Etheldrida the princess," said Witred. "She is of +her court, as one may say, and will be safe. No harm can come to +her."</p> +<p>"I fear for her," said Sighard, still hesitating.</p> +<p>"This woman, who has slain the bridegroom of her own daughter, +will stick at little. I have offended her, and I know it."</p> +<p>Then Selred said gently, "I am going to stay, and I can do more +than even yourself. Today the archbishop comes, and I will tell him +of Hilda. Go, for I am sure that Witred speaks no less than the +truth, else he would not fly thus. For her sake you must go, and I +will bring her home. Have no fear."</p> +<p>"I am thought to be Carl's man," I said, "and one may suppose +that I am safe. I will stay with Selred, and see what happens. It +is in my mind to search for the body of the king, and surely none +will hinder that. Erling must go into hiding, but in some way he +must let me know where he is."</p> +<p>"That I can manage for you. I have men of my own in this palace, +and they shall take any message. Erling can be hidden in the town +easily."</p> +<p>So said Witred, and with that he would wait no more. We heard +men coming up the hall, and though it was most likely but the +thanes who should relieve those who had watched during the night, +there was no more delay. Sighard shook hands with me as if he would +set all that he wanted to say into that grasp, and then they passed +down the passage once more and were gone.</p> +<p>For a while I waited, fearing lest I should hear the sounds of a +fight at the far end, but no noise came. But just as I was about to +set the trapdoor back in its place I heard footsteps, and stayed. +They came from whence my friends had gone.</p> +<p>It was Erling. He came into the pit, set his hands on the edge +of the floor, and swung himself up sailorwise.</p> +<p>"I did but go to see that they got away safely," he said. "You +may need a man at your back, master, before this day is out."</p> +<p>"Erling," I cried, "I will not suffer this. I think I am safe +enough."</p> +<p>"Well, mayhap so am I. If Quendritha slays me, it is as much as +to say that my tale is true. Say no more, master, for on my word +our case is about the same; and if I must die, I had as soon do it +in good company, and for reason, as be hunted like a rat through +the hovels of yon townlet."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND ERLING +BEGAN THEIR SEARCH.</h2> +<p>Selred smiled and shook his head at Erling when we went back to +him, but I could see that he thought no less of the Dane for +standing by me. Nor did I, as may be supposed, but I had rather his +safety was somewhat more off my mind than it was likely to be here. +As he had returned for care of me, it would seem that we were each +pretty anxious about the other; but there was no use in showing +it.</p> +<p>Now the thanes who had the morning watch to keep came in, fresh +and gay, with words of good morrow, and stayed suddenly and stared +at us, for we three strangers had the council chamber to +ourselves.</p> +<p>"Where are Witred and his fellows?" one asked me.</p> +<p>I thought the best thing was to tell them the truth, and I told +all the tale of the night's doings in as few words as I could, and +at the end said that offence having been given to Quendritha, it +had seemed safest for those of whom he spoke to get out of her way +for a while. Whereat the thanes made no denial, but seemed to agree +that it was the best way for all concerned.</p> +<p>"This thing will be known all over the place in an hour or so," +one said. "What will you yourself do?"</p> +<p>"I stay here to search for the body of the Anglian king, and for +aught else I may do to help the chaplain here, and the ladies of +the Thetford party."</p> +<p>Then Selred went into the inner chamber and gathered to him the +little crown of the king, and one or two more things which were of +value because of him who had worn them, and said that he would +bestow them in the church until they might be taken back to his +mother in Norfolk. I took his arms, and the sword we had found in +the pit, for Sighard had brought that up from thence. And so we +three went down the hall, none paying much heed to us, and into the +church.</p> +<p>It was strange to see the gay bustle of the place going on with +all manner of preparations for the wedding that should never be, +and yet to say naught to stay it all. That was not our +business.</p> +<p>Selred found the sacristan in the church, for it was the hour of +matins, and between them they set what we had brought in the ambry +which was built in the chancel wall. I do not know if Selred told +the man why they were to be kept there. Then came Offa's two +chaplains, and the bell rang for the service; and it was good to +kneel and take part therein, while outside the quiet church the +noise of the great palace went on unceasingly, as the noise of a +waking camp. Beside me knelt Erling the heathen, quiet and +attentive.</p> +<p>Somewhere about the midst of the service it seemed to grow very +still all about us of a sudden. Then there were the sounds of many +men running past the door, and a dull murmur as of voices of a +crowd. The news of the deed of the night had been set going, and it +was passing from man to man; and each went to the hall to learn +more, for presently none were sure which king had been slain, and +then many thought that it was Offa. Before the service was ended he +had to show himself, and at the sight of him a great roar of joy +went up, and men were at ease once more--concerning him at +least.</p> +<p>When the little service was over I went to the church door and +looked out on the courtyard; and the whole place swarmed with folk, +for work had been stayed by the news, and none knew what was to be +done next. If one could judge from the looks of those who spoke to +one another, there were some strange tales afloat already. Some +recognized me, and doffed their caps; but it was plain that they +had no thought that I had been so nearly concerned in the matter, +and I was the easier, therefore. And while we watched them Selred +came to us.</p> +<p>"Now I am going to try to see our poor ladies," he said. "We +must learn what they will do, for if they will go homeward, we are +the only men who can ride with them. I know that you would fain go +home, but I will ask you to help me in this. Indeed, it is a work +of charity."</p> +<p>"Of course I will, father," I answered; "I am at your service +and theirs, till you need me no longer. My folk do not so much as +know that I am likely to be in England, let alone on my way to +them."</p> +<p>"Why, then, your homecoming will be none the less joyful for +you, good friend. But I pray you have a care of yourselves, both of +you, awhile."</p> +<p>Now we went back through the church, and so passed into our +lodging by the door which was between the two parts of the building +of which I have spoken already. The priest had somewhat to take +with him, book or beads or the like, and I would fain rest awhile +after that night of terrible unrest.</p> +<p>"Go to breakfast in the hall," said Selred, "and there I will +come to you."</p> +<p>It was somewhat dark in the outer room, and darker yet in the +little chambers. Selred had to grope awhile before he found what he +wanted; then Erling opened the outer door for him, and he went his +way, and I would have the door left open after him for more +light.</p> +<p>Then I went to my own chamber, sliding back its door and +speaking to Erling at the same time, so that I had my head a little +turned aside. Whereby, before I had time to hear more than a sudden +scuffle within the dark chamber, out of it leaped a man upon me, +sending me spinning against the opposite wall with a blow on the +chest which took the breath from me for the moment, and then +smiting Erling with a sort of back-handed blow as he passed him; +but the Dane saw him in time, and set out his foot, and the man +fell headlong over it. His head struck the doorpost with a great +thud, and there he lay motionless, while something flew from his +hand across the floor, rattling as it went. It was the hilt of a +knife of some sort.</p> +<p>Erling shut the outer door in haste, and then helped me to rise, +asking me if I were hurt.</p> +<p>"No," I answered. "Ho, but what is that?"</p> +<p>Out of my tunic as I straightened myself there fell a gleaming +blade, and I picked it up. It was half of a Welsh knife, keen and +pointed, which had broken on my mail shirt, leaving only a long +slit in my tunic, and maybe a black bruise to come presently on the +skin where the dint fell.</p> +<p>"I owe life to you, Erling," I said. "And I laughed at the +thought of wearing the mail, and well-nigh did not put it on. But +he smote you; has he harmed you?"</p> +<p>"The mail saved me also," he said, "for the knife broke on it; +otherwise--No, master, I am not hurt; not so much as a cut tunic. I +wonder if there are more of this sort in these dens?"</p> +<p>I drew my sword, and we looked cautiously into the chamber, and +then into Sighard's, but there was no one there. This man had been +alone, and he had fared badly. He lay yet as he had fallen, +breathing heavily.</p> +<p>"This means that Quendritha is after us," said Erling. "Our old +saw is true enough when it says, 'Look to the door or ever you pass +it;' and that we shall have to do for a while. Now I have a mind to +tie this man up for a day or two; we have a spare chamber for +him."</p> +<p>"Do so," I said. "Then we will pass out through the church, and +Quendritha will think that he waits us here yet, and we shall be +the safer."</p> +<p>So we bound him and set him, still senseless, in the empty +chamber of Sighard, making fast the door with the broken dagger so +that, even if presently the man worked his bonds loose, he could +not get to Quendritha to say that he had failed. Then I made Erling +don a buff coat of Sighard's, good enough to turn most blows. He +might need it if this went on.</p> +<p>"It is in my mind," said I when this was done, "that a crowd is +the safest place for us just now. Let us go and see how matters +fare at the stables. It is time that the horses came back from the +water."</p> +<p>We passed through the church and went stable-wards, among all +the idle and half-terrified thralls and servants; and when we came +to the long stables with their scores of stalls, there was talk and +wonderment enough among the grooms. Gymbert was nowhere to be +found, and the other thane, who took his place and gave the orders +when he was busy, had gone out with his horses, and had fled with +the Anglians, it was said. None seemed surprised that they should +have gone hastily, but the going of the king's horse thane was a +wonder.</p> +<p>However, all that was good hearing to us, and I went to see what +horses had returned. It was plain that Witred's plan had worked +well, for only those which the ladies had ridden, the pack horses, +and our own had been brought back. The young king's steeds were +both in the stable where Offa's own white chargers were kept.</p> +<p>Somewhat late the breakfast call sounded, and I went back to the +hall, not by any means wishing to seem put out by the flight of the +Anglian party, as Carl's messenger. Erling sat where I could see +him, below the salt; and I went to my own place on the dais, as +before. There were not many thanes present at first, and Offa never +appeared at all; and the meal was silent, and carelessly ordered, +for the whole course of the great household had been set awry by +the word of heavy rumour which had flown from man to man.</p> +<p>As the time went on a few more thanes came in and sat them down +with few words, and those curt, and mostly of question as to where +such and such a friend was. And soon it grew plain that man by man +the guests of Offa were leaving him and the palace.</p> +<p>Maybe that was mostly because there had come an end of that for +which they had gathered, but there were words spoken which told me +that many who might have stayed left because of the shame of the +deed which had been wrought. The great name of Offa was no cloak +for that. Few spoke to me as I sat and ate, though many seemed as +if they would like to do so but were ashamed. Those who did speak +were only anxious to tell me that their king was surely blameless; +that it was some private matter of feud--surely some Welsh +treachery or the like; but no man so much as named Quendritha, +whether in blame or in excuse.</p> +<p>Presently there came up the hall quietly one of the young +thanes, boys of fifteen or less, who were pages to the king and +queen; and he sat himself down not far from me below the high +place, where they had their seats. I noticed him because he was the +only one of the half-dozen or so who came to that breakfast at all, +and also because he seemed to look somewhat carefully at me. As I +still wore my Frankish dress I was used to that, and only smiled at +him, and nodded a good morrow.</p> +<p>Presently two men near me rose and went, and as they did so the +boy rose also, and taking a loaf from his table handed it to me +gravely.</p> +<p>"Paladin," he said, "I think you need this."</p> +<p>He was a little below me, of course, and I bent to take it. He +had both hands to the loaf, and with one he gave me it, and from +the other dropped something small into my palm at the same time, so +that the bread covered it there. I thanked the lad, and while he +watched me eagerly, looked at that which he had hidden in my hand. +It was that little arrowhead which I had given Hilda, and which I +had bidden her send me if she was in danger or in anywise sought my +help.</p> +<p>Somehow I kept my countenance when I saw that. I suppose it was +because I knew that the need must be great when Hilda sent the +token, and that no doubt the queen had her spies everywhere on me; +but what thoughts went through my mind I can hardly set down. Fear +for Hilda in ways that I could not fathom, and wonder as to how I +was to help her, were the uppermost. I halved the loaf with my +dagger, and handed the half back to the boy, who came close to the +edge of the dais again for it.</p> +<p>"In the church, presently," I said to him, and he nodded.</p> +<p>I thought he might have some message also from her who gave the +token.</p> +<p>Then I made myself bide a little longer, and it was hard work. +As soon as I might I went out, Erling following me, and turned into +the church. There I waited impatiently, with my eyes on the door of +the great hall, in the porch, and at last I saw the page come out +as it were idly, and turn toward me. Then a man came up to him and +spoke to him, and the boy seemed eager to get away. At last he +glanced toward me, and went away with the man, passing the door of +the church, and turning toward the rearward buildings. I had little +doubt that he was purposely being prevented from having more words +with me.</p> +<p>That troubled me more than enough, as may be supposed, for what +the need of Hilda might be I could not tell. And what I should have +done next I can hardly say, for I was beginning to think of going +and asking to see her; so that it was as well that as I stood in +the deep porch I turned at the sound of hasty footsteps, and saw +Selred coming to me from out of the building. He had passed through +our lodging to the church as he had gone. His look was grave and +full of care, but not more than it had shown before he left us.</p> +<p>"I have seen none of the ladies," he said. "The palace is in a +turmoil, and Offa has shut himself up, seeing but one or two of his +thanes, in grief for what has been done, as men say, and as may be +hoped. Nor will Quendritha see any one, or let her attendants pass +from her bower and its precincts."</p> +<p>"Father," I said, "I have had a token from the Lady Hilda to say +that she is in sore need of help."</p> +<p>And with that I told him of our talk yesterday in the little +wood, and of the coming of the page to me.</p> +<p>"I do not know what this may mean," he said gravely. "They say +that the poor Princess Etheldrida is overborne with grief, so that +they fear for her life. I thought that Hilda was with her; but this +would suggest that she is not. Yet all the ladies of the court are +within the bower."</p> +<p>Now there was a stir round the great gates, and a little train +of clergy came through them, with a few lay brothers, who led mules +laden with packs, after them. The whole party were dusty and +wearied, as if they had come from far on foot; and indeed only one +of all the dozen or so was mounted, and that was a man who rode, +cloaked and hooded, in their midst on a tall mule. Before him the +weariest looking of all the brothers carried a tall brazen +cross.</p> +<p>"The archbishop," said Selred. "He has not turned back, or maybe +the news has not yet reached him."</p> +<p>This was Ealdwulf, the Mercian Archbishop of Lichfield, and he +had come for the wedding from his own place. He was a close friend +of the king, who indeed had wished that Mercia should not be second +to any realm, and had so wrought that an archbishop's see had been +made for him, subject to neither Canterbury nor York. I suppose +that somewhere men had been on the watch for him, for now came the +clergy of the palace to meet him, two by two, with the chaplain of +the king at their head.</p> +<p>They came and bent before him, and he blessed them with uplifted +hand; and then I think that the first word of what had befallen was +told to him, for as the chaplain rose and spoke to him the +archbishop started somewhat and knit his brows. Nor did he offer to +dismount as yet, but sat on his mule, seeming to question those +before him, while his clergy gathered round him as close as they +dared, listening. The men who had been hurrying about the courtyard +had stayed their footsteps, and there was a strange silence while +the bad news was told.</p> +<p>Presently the chaplain looked round and spied us, and at once +came toward the church porch and said that the archbishop would +fain speak with us.</p> +<p>So together we went across the court, and with me came Erling. +Like us, he bent for the blessing of the archbishop's greeting, and +then we had to tell what we knew of the end of Ethelbert. Ealdwulf +would have it from us, as we were of the train of the young king. +And when we had told all in few words, he said:</p> +<p>"I bide in this house no longer. Not until the day when King +Offa will send for me will I stand here again, save for sterner +reproof than I may give to any while one doubt remains as to who +wrought this deed. Mayhap you men deem that you have reason to +blame a certain one; but I need surety. Now, I lay it on you that +you search for the body of your king; and when it is found, bring +him to me at Fernlea, where I will abide. It is not fitting that +these walls should hold him again."</p> +<p>And then, taking that brazen cross of his into his hand as token +of his office, there, in the open court for all to hear, he laid +such a ban on the one whose mind had contrived and on those whose +hands had wrought this murder that I may not set it down here. But +I thought that none who had any part in it could live much longer +thereafter.</p> +<p>So he turned his mule and went away, leaving men staring aghast +at one another behind him.</p> +<p>Selred and I followed him beyond the gate, watching how he rode +with bent head, wearily, by reason of the trouble which had come to +him, for he had loved the young king well, as men told us. And +after he had passed out of sight I said that I had hoped for help +for Hilda from him.</p> +<p>"Quendritha would not have seen him," said Selred. "I do not +know what he could have done. Courage, Wilfrid! for all this is but +a matter of last night, and even now the day is young. Get to +horse, and do as he bade you; and presently, when you return, I may +have news for you."</p> +<p>Loath enough I was to leave the palace, but yet there did not +seem much use in loitering about here. I should not see Hilda, and +Selred would be more likely to learn what was amiss than I. He +said, also, that if he heard of any danger to her he would seek the +king straightway, and demand speech with him on urgent business, so +that he should see matters righted. And then a thought came to him, +for I told him of the man whom we had bound in the empty +chamber.</p> +<p>"My son," he said, "it were better that you were out of this +place. Neither you nor Erling nor myself will dare sleep in peace +tonight if such deeds are still planned. Listen. Arm yourselves, +and go on your search. Take your horses with you, and presently +follow the archbishop to Fernlea for the night. It will be thought +that you have fled also. Let the man go to tell his tale, and it +will seem certain that you have done so, in fear of what may +happen. Then be in that little cover where we spoke with the king +and Hilda tonight at the same time, and there I will come to you +and tell you all I know."</p> +<p>"That is good advice, father," said Erling. "Well I know what +holds the thane here, but he can do naught.</p> +<p>"Master, if yon thrall is come to himself, we will speak words +which he will take to his mistress, and then we shall have time +before us. He shall think that we have fled eastward with the +rest."</p> +<p>Not anywise willingly, but as it were of our need, I knew that +these two friends of mine spoke rightly; so we left the good father +and went back to our lodging, there to gather what few things we +would take with us. I had no thought that we should return to this +ill-omened place.</p> +<p>In Sighard's chamber we heard the man shifting himself and +muttering; and as those sounds stilled as we entered, we knew that +he had come to himself, and that he was most likely trying to free +himself from his bonds.</p> +<p>"This is no place for us, master," said Erling pretty loudly; +"it is as well that we go while we may. Presently the road to the +eastward may be blocked against us."</p> +<p>The man was very still, listening, as we thought.</p> +<p>"The sooner the better," I answered. "One might put thirty miles +between here and ourselves before noontide. I have no mind to ride +through Worcester town, and we must pass that either to north or +south. Then we were safe enough."</p> +<p>Now the man shifted somewhat, and we heard him.</p> +<p>"That thrall lives yet," said Erling. "He listens."</p> +<p>With that he grinned at me and went to the door, drawing the +knife blade from it, and sliding it back so that the dim light +filled the chamber. As he went in the man was still, and seemingly +insensible, as we had left him; and Erling bent over him, as if to +listen to his breathing. Then he rose and came out, sliding the +door carelessly to behind him. We had no need to keep the man now. +It was plain to the Dane that he was waking enough.</p> +<p>He nodded to me as he returned, as if to say that all went well, +but aloud he said that the man was still enough. Then we armed +ourselves fully, donning mail shirt and steel helm, sword and seax +and spear for myself; and leathern jack and iron-bound leathern +helm, sword and seax, and bow and quiver for Erling--each of us +taking our round shields on our shoulders, over the horsemen's +cloaks we wore. None would think much of our going thus, for so a +thane and his housecarl may be expected to ride in time when there +is trouble about, more especially if there are but the two of +them.</p> +<p>As we armed we spoke more yet of flight, and haste, and so on, +till the thrall must have deemed that he knew all our plans.</p> +<p>We had little more than our arms that we would take. All that +bright holiday gear I had bought in Norwich and Thetford, first +against my home going, and then for this wedding that was to be, I +left behind, taking only, in the little pack which Erling would +carry behind his saddle, what linen one may need on a journey, and +fastening my little store of jewels about me under my mail. Little +enough there was, in truth; but what I had was from Ecgbert or +Carl, with one little East Anglian brooch, set with garnets, from +the lost king himself, and these I would not lose.</p> +<p>Money I had in plenty for all needs and more, as may be expected +of a warrior who has seen success with Carl. Mostly that was in +rings and chains of gold, easily carried and hidden, for a link of +one of which I could anywhere get value in silver coin enough to +carry us on for a fortnight or more.</p> +<p>Then we went round to the stables, leaving the place by the door +away from the church, not minding who saw us go out. We had no +doubt at all that word would go to Quendritha that we were unhurt +and away so soon as we were seen to come thence; whereon she would +send to seek her man.</p> +<p>"I would your steed was not quite so easily known," growled +Erling to me as we crossed the open garth round the palace and +entered what I call the street of small buildings which went toward +the rear gate. "He will be easily heard of."</p> +<p>"When they find that we have not gone to the one side of +Worcester, therefore, they will try the other," I answered; "that +is, if any take the trouble to follow us, which I doubt."</p> +<p>"I doubt not at all concerning that," said Erling grimly. "Too +well I ken the ways of Quendritha. Neither you nor I who know the +truth of her sending to this land may be suffered to tell that +tale, if she can prevent it."</p> +<p>The great skew-bald whinnied as I came to him, glad to see that +I meant to take him out across the open country, and the grooms +came in haste to see what I needed. And as they saddled the two +horses, Erling was watching all they did, and had his eye on the +doorway from time to time. But here it was peaceful enough, for the +first turmoil of the morning had passed, and there were none but a +few of the grooms about. There was no man to ask us aught, and we +mounted quietly, without seeming to find much notice from any.</p> +<p>Now, as I have said, the rear gate of the palace enclosure led +toward Mercia, and we rode straight out of it, and away down the +road, grass grown and little cared for, which the Romans had once +made and paved for the march of their legions. At first we went in +leisurely wise, and then before we were fairly out of sight from +the gate spurred away in haste. And so we rode for two miles or so, +into the heart of the woodland country, where the road became a +mere track midway in the crest of its wide embankment. Then we drew +rein and took counsel as to whither next.</p> +<p>"Master," said Erling as we stayed, "did you see a man staring +at us from out of a stable across the road as we started?"</p> +<p>"Ay. But I did not heed him; he was only one of the +thralls."</p> +<p>"So he looked; but if that was not Gymbert, I am sorely blind +today. Moreover, I looked back as we passed the gate, as if one of +the guard spoke to me. The man was hastening toward our lodging. +And he walked like Gymbert. Many a man can disguise his face; but, +after all, his back and gait betray him."</p> +<p>Now if this was indeed Gymbert whom Erling had seen, it was +plain that he waited about the palace precincts for speech with his +mistress, or for some fresh orders, and I did not by any means like +it. However, when I came to turn the matter over in my mind, I +thought that after all, whether inside the palace garth or out, he +would not be far from the call of Quendritha, so that maybe it did +not so much matter. At all events, what I would do would be to bide +as near to the place as I might without being known, and be content +to hear from Selred that at least naught was wrong.</p> +<p>Troubled enough I was in my mind at this time in all truth. For +it lay heavily on me that I had promised the poor queen away in +Thetford that I would watch her loved son and if need be die with +him, and I had lost him and yet lived. I know now that I had no +real need to blame myself in this; but the thing was so terrible, +and had been wrought as it were but at arm's length from me, that +for the time I did so bitterly, framing to myself all sorts of ways +in which a little care might have prevented all. As if one can ever +guard against such treachery!</p> +<p>And then there was the fear for Hilda, none the less troublous +that I knew not what her need might be. One could believe aught of +cruelty from Quendritha.</p> +<p>Only these two things remained to me--one, in some measure to +redeem my word to the mother of the king by finding his body; and +the other, to stay here and watch as well as I might for chance of +helping this one who had suddenly grown to be the best part of my +life, as it seemed to me. And these things I told Erling, for he +was my comrade, and together we had been in danger, and so were +even yet. Rough he was, but with that roughness which is somehow +full of kindness. And I was glad I had told him, for he understood, +and straightway planned for me.</p> +<p>Most of all the difficulty in this planning lay in the +outrageous colour of my good steed. Once we thought of tarring him; +but a tarred horse would be nearly as plain to be noticed as a +skew-bald. I think it says much for the steed that neither of us +thought for a moment of parting with him. In the end we said that +we would even take our chance, for if we were sought it would not +be near the palace.</p> +<p>So we bent ourselves to plan the search for where the body of +the king might be hidden, and that was to unravel a tangled skein +indeed. All we knew was that the cart which had borne him from the +end of the hidden passage had gone northward along a riverside +track. Beyond that, we guessed that it might not have gone far, +whether for fear of meeting folk in the dawning, or because the +slayers would not be willing to cumber their flight for any +distance with it. Moreover, Gymbert was in the palace, as Erling +was certain.</p> +<p>We would ride northward and seek what we might till the time for +meeting Selred came, working down the river toward the palace from +far up stream. Sooner or later thus we should meet with the wheel +tracks, and perhaps be able to follow them whither they went into +the woodlands from the old stream-side way which Gymbert had at +first taken.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a>. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH +CARE THRUST ON HIM.</h2> +<p>Now we were just about to ride off the ancient road into the +woods when we heard the muffled sounds of a party coming along the +way. For a moment I thought that we were pursued, but then I knew +that whoever came was bound in the direction of the palace. The +causeway was straight as an arrow, as these old Roman roads will +be, but the track men used on its crest was not so. Here and there +a great tree had grown from acorn or beech nut, and had set +wayfarers aside since it was a sapling, to root up which was no +man's business. So we could not see who came, there being a tree +and bushes at a swerve of the way. The horses heard, and pricked up +their ears, and told us in their way that more steeds were nearing +us.</p> +<p>"Ho!" said Erling suddenly. "Mayhap it is just as well that +these good folk should see us in flight eastward. Spur past them, +and look not back, master."</p> +<p>I laughed, and let my horse have his head, and glad enough he +was. Round that bend of the track we went at a swinging gallop, and +saw a dozen foresters ahead of us, bearing home some deer, left in +the woodlands wounded, no doubt, after the great hunt, on ponies. +They reined aside in haste as they saw us coming, while their +beasts reared and plunged as the thundering hoofs of our horses +minded them of liberty; and through the party we went, leaving them +shouting abuse of us so long as they could see us. And so long as +that was possible we galloped as in dire haste, nor did we draw +rein for a good mile.</p> +<p>Then we leaped from the causeway, and went northward through the +woodlands, sure that the chase for us would hear from the foresters +whither we were heading, and would pass on for many a mile before +they found that no other party had seen us. Whereon they would +suppose that we had struck southward to pass Worcester by the other +road, even as we had said in the hearing of the thrall in the +house.</p> +<p>Then I thought that the chase for us was not likely to be kept +up long, for it would grow difficult; but Erling shook his head. He +had a deadly fear of Quendritha.</p> +<p>Now we rode for all the forenoon in a wide curve, northward and +then westward, across the land which the long border wars had +ravaged so that we saw no man save once or twice a swineherd. More +than once we passed burned farmsteads, over whose piled ruin the +creepers were thriving; and all the old tracks were overgrown, and +had never a wheel mark on them, save ancient ruts in which the +water stood, thick with the growth of duckweed, which told of long +disuse.</p> +<p>And at last we came to the valley of the little Lugg river which +we sought, and then were perhaps ten miles north of Sutton and its +palace stronghold. The day had grown dull, and now and then the +rain swept up from the southwest and passed in springtime showers, +just enough to make us draw our cloaks round us for the moment, +soft and sweet. In the river the trout leaped at the May flies that +floated, fat and helpless, into their ready mouths, and the +thrushes were singing everywhere above their nests.</p> +<p>Those were things that I was ever wont to take pleasure in, and +the more since I had been beyond the sea. But today I had little +heart to heed them, for the heaviness of all the trouble was on me. +Maybe, however, and that I do believe, I should have been more +gloomy still had I been one of those who have no care for the +things of the land they look on, lovely as they are. I dare say +Erling the viking took pleasure in them, if he would have preferred +the wild sea birds and the thunder of the shore breakers to all +this quiet inland softness. At all events, he had no mind that I +should brood on trouble overmuch, and strove to cheer me.</p> +<p>"Thane," he said presently, even as I began to quest hither and +thither by the riverside for the track of the cart, which indeed I +hardly thought would have come thus far, "it seems to me that food +before search will be the better, an you please."</p> +<p>"Why," said I, having altogether forgotten that matter, "twice +men have told me that when Quendritha is at a man's heels he had +better not wait for aught. Yet I blame myself for having forgotten. +It is not the way for a warrior to be heedless of the +supplies."</p> +<p>"When the warrior is a seaman also he cannot forget," quoth +Erling. "Had you bided with Thorleif for another season, you had +found that out. I have not forgotten. Dismount, and we will see +what is hidden in the saddlebags."</p> +<p>We went into a sheltered nook among the water-side trees, and he +brought out bread and venison enough for two meals each, and I was +glad of the rest and food. He had helped himself at breakfast, he +said, being sure that sooner or later we should have to fly the +palace.</p> +<p>"Well, and if we had not had to fly?" I asked.</p> +<p>"Betimes I wax hungry in the night," he answered, smiling +broadly. "It would not have been wasted."</p> +<p>When that little meal was done I leaned myself against a tree +trunk, and said naught for a time. Nor did Erling. The horses +cropped the grass quietly at a little distance, and the sound of +the water was very soothing.</p> +<p>The next thing that I knew was that Erling was bidding me wake, +and I opened my eyes to see that the sun was not more than two +hours from setting, and that therefore I had had a great sleep, +which indeed I needed somewhat sorely after that last night. The +sky had cleared, but here and there the rain drifted from the sky +over the hills to the west. I sprang to my feet, somewhat +angry.</p> +<p>"You should have waked me earlier," I said. "Now it grows late +for our quest."</p> +<p>"About time to begin it, master," the Dane said, "if we do not +want to run our heads into parties from the palace. Maybe they will +be out also on the same business. What we seek cannot be far from +thence."</p> +<p>Then we mounted and rode down stream, quickly at first, with a +wary eye for any comers, searching the banks for traces of wheels, +carelessly for a few miles, and afterward more closely. But we saw +nothing more than old marks. The track ended, and we climbed the +rising ground above the river, and sought it there, found it, and +went back to the water, for no cart had newly passed to it here. +And so we went until we were but a mile or two from the palace, and +then we were fain to go carefully.</p> +<p>In an hour I was due in the copse to meet Selred, and then men +would be gathered in the palace yards in readiness for supper, so +that we might have little trouble in being unseen there. Now, on +the other hand, men from the forest and fields might be making +their way palaceward for the same reason.</p> +<p>"I would that we could find some place where we might hide the +horses for a while," I said. "What is that yonder across the +river?"</p> +<p>There was some sort of building there, more than half hidden in +bushes and trees. Toward it a little cattle track crossed the +water, showing that there was a ford.</p> +<p>"The track passes the walls, and does not go thereto," said +Erling. "It may be worth while to see if there is a shelter +there."</p> +<p>So across the ford we rode, with the trout flicking in and out +among the horses' hoofs. The building, whatever it was, stood a +hundred yards or more from the river on a little southern slope +which had been once terraced carefully. Over the walls, which were +ruinous, the weeds grew rankly, and among them a young tree had +found a rooting. The place had been undisturbed for long years; and +I thought that it seemed as if men shunned it as haunted, for of a +certainty not a foot had gone within half arrowshot of it this +spring.</p> +<p>We stood in the cattle track and looked at it, doubting, for no +man cares to pass where others have feared to step for reasons not +known.</p> +<p>"It is an uncanny place," said Erling; "which may be all the +better for us. At any rate, we will go and look into it. Stay, +though; no need to make a plain track to it hence."</p> +<p>The cattle tracks bent round and about it, and as we followed +one it seemed at last to lead straight into the ruin. So we went +with it, and found the entrance to the place. Last year the cattle +had used it for a shelter, but not this, and there were no signs +that any man had followed them into it. And then I knew what the +place was, and wondered at its desertion little, for it was a Roman +villa. Any Saxon knows that the old heathen gods those hard folk +worshipped still hang about the walls where their images used to +hold sway, not now in the fair shapes they feigned for them, but as +the devils we know them to have been, horned and hoofed and tailed. +Minding which a fear came on me that the marks we took for those +made by harmless kine were of those unearthly footsteps, and I +reined back.</p> +<p>"What is there to fear?" said Erling--"fiends? Well, they make +no footmarks like honest cattle, surely. Moreover, I suppose that a +good Christian man need not fear them; and Odin's man will not, so +long as the horses do not. The beasts would know if aught of that +sort was about."</p> +<p>Whereon I made the holy sign on my breast, and rode to the gap +in the white walls which had been the doorway, and looked in. I +suppose that some half-Roman Briton had made the house after the +pattern his lords had taught him, or else that it did indeed belong +to the Roman commander of that force which kept the border, with +the Sutton camp hard by for his men. If this was so, the Briton had +kept the place up till Offa came and burnt the roof over it, for +the black charcoal of the timbers lay on the floors. Only in one +place the pavement of little square stones set in iron-hard cement +still showed in bright patches of red and black and yellow +patterning, where a rabbit had scratched aside the gathered +rubbish. Across walls and floors the brambles trailed, and the +yellow wallflower crowned the ruins of the stonework +everywhere.</p> +<p>One could see that there had been many rooms and a courtyard, +bits of wall still marking the plan of the place. And in this one +corner there was shelter enough in a stone-floored room whose walls +were more than a man's height. The cattle had used that for +long.</p> +<p>"This is luck," said my comrade. "Here we can leave the horses, +and if one does happen past here before dark and spies a pied skin, +he will but deem that kine are sleeping here. After dark, who will +come this way at all?"</p> +<p>"We shall have to," said I, somewhat doubtfully.</p> +<p>Erling leaped from his horse and laughed. "We may hide here for +a week if we must," he said. "I think that the trolls have all gone +to the old lands where men yet believe in them; and seeing that we +are on a good errand, your fiends should not dare come near us. I +care not if I have to come back here alone to fetch the horses when +you will."</p> +<p>I dismounted also, for he shamed me, and I said so. Then we tied +the steeds carefully, loosening the girths, and managed to get a +sapling or two from the undergrowth set across the door to keep +wandering cattle out. More than that we could not do, but at least +the horses were safe till we needed them, and that would hardly be +long, as we hoped. They had well fed as I slept.</p> +<p>Then we went away from the ruin, passing behind it up the little +slope on which it stood, meaning, if we were seen, to come down as +if we had not been near the place. And from the top of that slope +we could see the walls of the palace, with the white horse banner +of Mercia floating over them. From the roof of his villa the Roman +captain could have seen his camp, and maybe that deadly passage +into its midst was for his use. It led this way.</p> +<p>We waded through the ford again, and wandered down stream once +more, looking as we went for the first sign of wheel marks. I was +on the banks above the water by twenty yards, and Erling was at +their foot, close to the stream, when we had the first hope of +finding what we sought. I spied a rough farm cart standing idle and +deserted fifty yards away from me and the river, in the brushwood, +half hidden by it, as if thrust hastily there out of sight; and the +very glimpse of the thing, with its rough-hewn wheels of rounded +tree-trunk slices, iron bound, made my heart beat fast and thick, +for I feared what I might see in it.</p> +<p>I called Erling, and as he ran to me I pointed, and together, +without a word, we went to the cart and looked into it. It was +empty, but on its rough floor were tokens, not to be mistaken, +which told us that it was indeed the cart which Gymbert and his men +had used. And so we knew that we could not be far from the place +where they had hidden the king's body.</p> +<p>Now, if there had been traces of that burden which would once +have led us to its hiding place, the rain had washed them away, and +we had naught to guide us. The turf held no footmarks of men, and +it was not plain how the cart had come to this place; for men had +been hauling timber and fagots hence, so that tracks were many, and +some new. All round us was wooded, and it seemed most likely that +somewhere among the bushes they had found a place; and so for half +an hour we went to and fro, but never a sign of upturned ground did +we see.</p> +<p>"They brought the cart far from the place," said I +presently.</p> +<p>And at that moment from the palace courtyard the horns called +men to their supper, and I started to find how near we were to the +walls. We had wandered onward as we searched, and it is a wonder we +had seen no man. But perhaps it was because this place was mostly +deserted, being out of the way to anywhere, that Gymbert chose it. +The traffic of the palace went along the road to Fernlea and the +ford of the host there, away from here. The carting of the wood cut +during winter was over now, and it was too near the palace for the +deer to be sought in these woods.</p> +<p>"Selred will be waiting me, and all men else will be within the +walls," I said. "I must go to him. Will you bide here and search, +or risk coming with me, comrade?"</p> +<p>"I come with you, of course," Erling answered. "The search can +wait. There is moonlight enough for us to carry it on again this +night, if we will, between these showers."</p> +<p>It rained again as we went through the thickets. Under cover of +the driving squalls we might pass unseen to where the little copse +we sought came close to the river. And we cloaked ourselves against +the shower, pulling the hoods over our helms. None, if we were +seen, would take us for aught but belated men hurrying to the +hall.</p> +<p>Unseen, so far as we could tell, we came to the edge of the +little copse and entered it. The whole breadth of it lay between us +and the palace; and under its trees was pretty dark, for the sun +had set. We turned into the path where I had walked with Hilda, and +I half hoped to see the priest there, but it was lonely. Down that +path we hurried and turned the corner, but an arrow shot from the +ramparts, and again I saw no one coming.</p> +<p>"We must bide and wait," I said. "He will come when the men are +in hall."</p> +<p>"I don't like it," Erling answered, speaking quietly. "You were +to meet him at the same time as before; yet he cannot have come. +None would wonder at a priest staying out after the supper call, +but maybe men might wonder at his leaving after it had +sounded."</p> +<p>For a quarter of an hour we walked to and fro in the wood, down +one path and up another. Then we thought that we might be following +the priest round the wood as he looked for us, and we dared not +call. The watch on the ramparts was set already. Now the loneliness +of the wood had made us bold, and we thought we had best go one +each way, and so make sure that we should find Selred if he were +here.</p> +<p>At that time we were at the far corner of the wood, which was +square, with a path all round it and one each way across. It was a +favourite walk of Offa's during summer, men told me.</p> +<p>Erling turned to the left and I to the right, and we walked fast +away from each other. It was getting very dim in these overarched +paths under the great trees, but not so dim that one could not see +fairly well if any figure came down the way. There was no wind to +speak of, and it was all very silent. One could hear the noises +from the palace plainly at times, and in one place the red light +from the hall shone from a high window through the trees. Just at +this time the clouds fled from off the face of the moon, and it was +light, with that strange brightness that comes of dying day and +brightening night mingled.</p> +<p>I came to the corner where my path turned, and before me there +was a figure, as it were of some one who had just turned into the +wood from toward the ramparts. The way by which Selred and I came +here last night was there. And it was surely the cassocked priest +himself, though I could not see his face. I hurried toward him with +a little word of low greeting which he could hardly have heard. My +foot caught a dry twig in the path, and it cracked loudly, and with +that the figure stopped suddenly and half turned away.</p> +<p>Then I said, "Stay, father; it is but I."</p> +<p>And with that came a little cry from the figure, and it turned +and came swiftly to me.</p> +<p>It was Hilda herself, and how she came here alone thus I could +not guess. She had on a long black cloak which was like enough to +the garb of the chaplain to deceive me at first in the dim light, +so that I made no movement to meet her. I think that frightened her +for the moment, for she stayed, as if she doubted whether I were +indeed he whose voice she thought she knew, until I spoke her name +and went toward her.</p> +<p>And then in a moment she had sought the safety of my arms, and +was weeping as if she would never stop; while I tried to stay her +fears, and bid her tell me what had befallen her. And it was many a +minute before I could do that.</p> +<p>As we stood so Erling came hastily, having heard the hushed +voices. More than that he had heard also, for his sword was drawn. +He half halted as he saw who was here, and pointed over his +shoulder toward the palace gate, and then held up his hand to bid +me hearken.</p> +<p>I lifted my head and did so. There were footsteps in the +stillness, and a gruff word or two, and the steps came this way, +and nearer, fast.</p> +<p>"Hilda," I said, "are you likely to be pursued?"</p> +<p>For I could think of nothing but that she had managed to fly +from Quendritha, and that perhaps Selred had bidden her seek me +here.</p> +<p>"I cannot tell," she said, and her voice was full of terror. +"Take me hence quickly--anywhere. That terrible queen told me that +you had fled, and so thrust me out to seek you--"</p> +<p>I did not wait to hear more, for the steps came on. Between us +Erling and I half carried the poor maiden back toward the place +where we had entered the wood, and we went swiftly enough. Yet we +could not help the noises that footsteps must needs make in the +dark of a cover, where one cannot see to pick the way.</p> +<p>Nor, of course, could those who came, as they tried to follow +us. We heard them plainly entering the wood as we came to the edge +of it and passed out toward the river bank.</p> +<p>"We must get back to the horses, and then ride to Fernlea and +the archbishop," I said, under my breath.</p> +<p>"Ay, if we can," Erling answered; "but that is more easily said +than done."</p> +<p>He pointed to the river and up it. The moonlight was flooding +all its valley, and the last of the day still lingered in the sky. +If these men came to the place where we stood, they could see us +before we had time to get to any cover.</p> +<p>As we came hither we had gone easily, under the shelter of the +gray rain, because no man was at this place to spy us. It was +different now. The men were in the wood at this time as we stood +and doubted. Next we heard them running to right and left, that +they might be sure to meet whoever it was they sought; and plainly +that could be none but Hilda, unless we had been seen. Yet we could +hardly have been suspected to be any but late comers homeward.</p> +<p>"There is but one thing," I said suddenly. "We must cross the +river. They will be here in a moment and looking into the +open."</p> +<p>Hilda shrunk close to me in terror, and Erling looked at the +stream. It was coming down in full volume after the rain, for up in +its hills there had been much more than here. Across the stream +were bushes enough to hide us.</p> +<p>"You have your mail on, and there is the lady. But it is not +far; maybe we two could manage. We can't fight these men, or we +shall have the whole place out on us like a beehive."</p> +<p>So said Erling, looking doubtfully at the water. I asked Hilda +if she feared, and she shivered a little, but answered that aught +was better than to bide and be taken by Quendritha.</p> +<p>"I can trust you," she said quietly. "Do what you will."</p> +<p>"Faith," said Erling, "one must do somewhat to stay these men, +or else little chance shall we have of aught but a good fight here +against odds. I count six of them by the voices. Wait a moment and +we will try somewhat. Get you to the water, thane, ready."</p> +<p>I set my arm round Hilda and led her to the water's edge. Erling +went to the very verge of the wood and listened for a moment. The +men from either side were nearing each other, but as yet neither +party could see the other. Then, of a sudden, Erling lifted his +voice and called, as if hastily:</p> +<p>"Back, back! Get round the far end--quick!"</p> +<p>The footsteps stopped, and voices cried in answer. Each party +thought the other called to them. Erling gave a hunter's whoop, as +if he saw the quarry, and cried them back again. Then there were a +quick rush away on either side, and more shouts, and at that Erling +came to us, laughing.</p> +<p>"There will be a bit of a puzzlement at the other end of the +cover," he said. "Now, master, let me see what water there is."</p> +<p>He stepped into it, trying the depth with his spear as he went. +For ten paces it deepened gradually, and then more quickly. He +passed on, up to his waist, then to his elbows, and so to his neck. +Then he disappeared suddenly, and Hilda almost cried out. His head +came up again in a moment, and he swam for three strokes or so, and +then he was on his feet again.</p> +<p>Now he turned toward us, and felt about with his spear once +more, and so walked steadily back to us--not quite in the same +line, but with the water hardly more than to his shoulders.</p> +<p>"It is easy enough," he said. "I did but step into a hole, and +so lost my footing. Pass me the cloaks, for we will have them over +dry."</p> +<p>I took his from where he left it by me, and rolled up mine and +Hilda's in it. Silently, but with a little wan smile, she took a +scarf from her neck and gave it me to tie them with. Then Erling +took them on his spear and waded back till he could toss them to +the far bank, and so turned to my help.</p> +<p>By that time I had taken up Hilda as best I might, holding her +high, bidding her fear not, and clutch me as little as possible. +She said nothing, being very brave, but nearly choked me once when +the water struck cold as it reached her.</p> +<p>The rising flood water swirled and beat on me as I went deeper +and deeper, and glad enough I was when Erling came to my side +upstream and helped to steady me. Once we stopped and swayed +against the rush for a long moment, half helpless; but we won, and +struggled on. Then a back eddy took the pressure from us, and we +went more quickly and steadily, and so found the shallows, and at +last the bank.</p> +<p>Thankful enough I was, for it had nearly been a matter of +swimming at one time; and if that had happened, I hardly care to +think how we should have fared.</p> +<p>I set Hilda down and gasped. She was not light when we started, +but with each step from the deeps to the shallows she had grown +heavier with the dragging weight of wet skirts; and that had +puzzled me in a foolish way, so that I thought that the weeds were +holding her down. Now we three stood and dripped, and were fain to +laugh at one another; while the men we had escaped from were +talking loudly at the far end of the cover, where they had met.</p> +<p>"That will not last long," I said; "they will be back at the +water's edge in a minute."</p> +<p>Thereat we took to the bushes, which were thick here, in a +little patch. Beyond them was a clear space of turf a hundred yards +wide, which we must cross to reach more wooded land, where we might +go as we pleased back to the ruin where the horses waited. Hilda +went slowly, for the wet garments clogged her, and were heavy +still.</p> +<p>We must bide here till the men went away, or till it grew +darker; for there was no need--though they would hardly follow +us--to let them know who was with their quarry, or that she was +anywhere but on their side of the water. We might find our way to +Fernlea cut off. We took Hilda into the thicket, and crept back to +see what happened, leaving the dry cloaks with her.</p> +<p>The loud voices had stopped suddenly, and we knew that it meant +that the men were coming back through the wood, beating it +cautiously. We lay flat under the nut bushes and alders, watching, +and the edge of the cover was not more than an arrow flight from +us.</p> +<p>Presently there was a rustle in it, and a man looked out, but we +could not see much of him. He spoke to another, and then came into +the open, peering up and down the moonlit river. Another joined +him, and this newcomer wore mail which glistened as he turned. A +third man came from the other side of the wood and saw these two, +and came to them, and there they stood and wondered.</p> +<p>"I could swear the girl went into the wood," said one; "I saw +her plainly."</p> +<p>"Then she must be there still," answered the second comer. "Get +back and look again."</p> +<p>"We have beaten the wood as if for a hare," said the third. +"Unless she has climbed a tree she is not there."</p> +<p>"Well, then, look in the trees," said the mailed man, and with +that he came down to the water, and turned his face toward us.</p> +<p>It was Gymbert himself.</p> +<p>"Mayhap she has drowned herself," said one of the men +sullenly.</p> +<p>Gymbert growled somewhat, and turned sharply, going back to the +wood. The other men looked after him, and one chuckled.</p> +<p>"Best thing she could do," he said. "Gymbert would surely have +sold her to the Welsh."</p> +<p>"Maybe made her his own slave, which were worse."</p> +<p>"No, but he is out of favour just now. The money she would fetch +will be more to him maybe. He dare not let Offa see him."</p> +<p>They turned away slowly. At least it did not seem that these two +were much in earnest in the matter. As they went, one asked the +other who cried the chase back after all.</p> +<p>"Some fool on the other side who doesn't care to own to it now, +seeing that he must have fancied he saw her," was the answer.</p> +<p>Then they turned into the wood again and were gone. Still we +waited; and it was as well, for suddenly Gymbert came back, leaping +out into the open as if he thought to surprise the lost object of +his search. He glanced up and down, and then went back. I heard him +call his men together and rate them, and so they seemed to pass +back to the palace. Their voices rose and died away, and we were +safe.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a>. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS +REWARDED.</h2> +<p>For ten minutes after the last voice was to be heard we waited, +and then, leaving two pools of water where we had lain, we crept +back to the open and sought Hilda. I feared to find her chilled +with the passage of the river; but, in some way which is beyond me, +she had made to herself, as it were, dry clothing of the cloak she +had given to Erling. What she had taken off had been carefully +wrung out, and lay near her in a bundle. She laughed a little when +I told her that I had been troubling about her wetness.</p> +<p>"What, with three dry cloaks ready for me?" she said. "I have +fared worse on many a wet ride."</p> +<p>Then we crossed the little meadow swiftly, and entered the +scattered trees of the riverside forest. After that we had no more +fear of Gymbert and his men, and went easily. In that time I heard +what had happened in the palace, and how this strange meeting had +come about.</p> +<p>"Offa the king has shut himself up, and will see no man," Hilda +said. "Nor will he go near the queen or suffer her to see him. He +has had guards set at the doors of the bower that she may not go +from it, so that she is a prisoner in her own apartments with her +ladies. The poor princess is ill, and has none but bitter words for +the queen; for all know by whose contrivance this has been done. I +heard that all our thanes had fled."</p> +<p>There she would have ended; but I had to hear more of herself, +and it was not easy for her to tell me. Only when Erling fell +behind us somewhat, out of thought for her, would she speak of what +she had gone through, after I had told her that her father was +surely safe, and maybe not far off.</p> +<p>"The queen turned on me when she was left a prisoner. I do not +know why, but I think my father had offended her in some way. I +know that he speaks too hastily at times when he is angry. First +she told me that he had slain our king, and seeing that I would not +believe it by any means, said that you had done the deed--that she +had hired you to do it. Thereat I was more angry yet, for the +saying was plainly false, and had no excuse. And because I was so +angry I think she knew that I--that I did think more of you than I +would have her know. After that I had no peace. I tried to send the +arrowhead to you by the little page who was left with the queen, +and I do not know if you had it. He told me that you were yet in +the palace."</p> +<p>"Ay, I did, and therefore I am here," I said.</p> +<p>"I was sorry afterward, for I did not know what you could do. +The page was not suffered to come back, I think, for I have not +seen him again. This morning the queen told me that you had fled, +after slaying a man of her household. So she went on tormenting me, +until I could forbear no longer, and told her to mind that my +mother had befriended her at her first coming to this land, and it +was ill done to treat her daughter thus.</p> +<p>"Thereat she turned deathly white, and she shook with rage, as +it seemed. At that time she said no word to me, but turned and left +me, and I was glad. Presently one of her ladies, who pitied me, +told me that Gymbert had done the deed, as all men knew by this +time, and that I was to be brave, for all this must have an end. +And that end came as the sun set. I was with the princess, and +Quendritha came in. First she spoke soothingly to Etheldrida, who +turned from the sight of her, being too sick at heart to answer +her; then she spoke to me, looking at me evilly, so that I feared +what was coming.</p> +<p>"'You minded me that your mother was one of our subjects,' she +said, in that terrible, cold voice of hers. 'Now I will see you +wedded safely, to one who is a friend of ours.</p> +<p>"'No,' she said sharply, for I was going to speak, 'you have no +choice. Whom I choose you shall wed. The man I have in my mind for +you is our good thane Gymbert.'</p> +<p>"I suppose that she sought an opportunity against me, and she +had her will. I do not rightly know what I said. The end of it was +that out of the palace I was to go, and she bade me seek you, +Wilfrid. It is in my mind that she meant it in insult, or that she +deems you far away, careless of what befalls me. And I think, too, +that after me she meant to send Gymbert."</p> +<p>Then she set both hands on my arm, and leaned on it, shaking. I +knew that she was weeping with the thought of what had been, and I +did not know what to say rightly. Only I was sure that the secret +of the queen's coming was at the bottom of this, as Quendritha must +have feared that Hilda knew it all, either from me or her +father.</p> +<p>"Your father would not have fled had he not known that Selred +and I were to stay and look after you," I said, lamely enough. +"Have you not seen the good chaplain?"</p> +<p>She had not, and it seemed most likely that in some way he had +been prevented from leaving the palace. Afterwards I knew that Offa +had had all going out of the place stopped, hoping to take some man +who knew more of the secret of Ethelbert's end, if not Gymbert +himself. Hilda had been thrust out by a private postern hastily, +and doubtless Gymbert had been told where to seek her long before. +I believe it was no affair of the spur of the moment, but wrought +in revenge on Sighard and myself.</p> +<p>Now what more I said to Hilda at this time is no matter, but at +the end of the words I made shift to put together she knew that I +could wish no more than to guard her with my life, and for all my +life, and naught more was needed to be said between us. What we +might do next remained to be seen, but the first thing now was to +get to the archbishop, with whom we should be in safety no doubt. +Even Quendritha would not dare to take Hilda from his charge.</p> +<p>I had forgotten my fear of the old walls when we came to the +ruined villa. Maybe I thought thereof when I and Erling went in and +found the horses all safe and ready to take to the road again; for +in one corner of the wall among the grass shone a glow worm, and it +startled me, whereat Erling chuckled, and I remembered.</p> +<p>We made a pillion of my cloak, and lifted Hilda up behind me; +and so we set out in the moonlight to find our way to Fernlea, +striking away from the river somewhat at first, and then taking a +track which led in the right direction. And so for an hour we rode +and saw no man. The land slept round us, and the night was still +and warm, and I forgot the troubles that were upon us in the +pleasure of having Hilda here and safe with me.</p> +<p>Presently we came out of forest growth into the open, and passed +a little hut, out of whose yard a dog came and barked fiercely as +we passed. There was no sound of any man stirring in the hovel, +however, and we went on steadily. As the crow flies, Fernlea town +was not more than five miles from the palace; but we wandered +somewhat, no doubt, being nowise anxious to meet any men on the +way, and also wishing to come into the town from any direction but +that of the road from Sutton.</p> +<p>A quarter of a mile from the hut where the dog was we entered a +deep old track, worn with long years of timber hauling and +pack-horse travel, and under the overhanging trees it was dark +again.</p> +<p>Now we had not gone fifty yards down this lane when my horse +grew uneasy, snorting, and bidding me beware of somewhat, as a +horse will. Hilda knew what the steed meant, and took a tighter +hold on my belt, lest he should swerve or rear.</p> +<p>"'Tis a stray wolf or somewhat," said Erling from behind us. +"The horses have winded him."</p> +<p>Then out of the shadows under the trees came a great voice which +cried in bad Saxon, "Ay, a wolf indeed! Stand and answer for +yourselves!"</p> +<p>"Spurs!" I cried to Erling, and the great skew-bald shot +forward.</p> +<p>Out of the darkness, from the overhanging banks, and seemingly +from the middle of the hollow road, rose with a roar a crowd of +white-clad dim figures and flung themselves at the bridles, and had +my sword arm helpless before ever I had time to know that they were +there. And all in a moment I knew that these were no men of +Gymbert's, but Welshmen from the hills spying on the doings of Offa +at Sutton. Some one had told me that they were in doubt as to what +his great gathering meant.</p> +<p>Now, if Hilda had not been with us, there would have been some +sort of a fight here in the dark, for I should certainly have drawn +sword first and spurred afterward. As it was, my only thought must +needs be to save Hilda from any harm.</p> +<p>"Hold hard!" I cried in Welsh; "this is a lady travelling."</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed," one of the men who had hold of my bridle +answered; "he says truly."</p> +<p>"A lady?" said the voice which had spoken first. "Let her bid +her men be still, and we will speak with her!"</p> +<p>Then Hilda answered very bravely, "So it shall be. Bid your men +free us, and we shall harm none."</p> +<p>The leader spoke in Welsh, and his men fell back from us. Then +he came to my side and asked what we did here so late. And as he +spoke it came to me that the best thing to do would be to tell him +the very truth. No more than himself were we friends of Offa and +Quendritha.</p> +<p>"To tell the truth, we are flying from Sutton," I said. "We +belonged to the train of Ethelbert of East Anglia."</p> +<p>"Why fly, then?"</p> +<p>"Have you heard nothing of what has been done?" I asked.</p> +<p>"No. We heard that there was a king with Offa; that is all."</p> +<p>Then I told him what our trouble was, and the men round me--for +I spoke in Welsh, learned when I was a child from our +thralls--understood me; and more than once I heard them speak low +words of pity for the young king. They had no unfriendliness for +East Anglia.</p> +<p>"Then that is all that the gathering was for?" asked the +leader.</p> +<p>And then he suddenly seemed suspicious, and said sharply, with +his hand on the neck of my horse:</p> +<p>"But to come hither from Sutton you had to cross the river. Your +horse is dry. He has not had time to shake the water from him +yet."</p> +<p>"That is a longer story," I said. "But he was on this side; we +had to wade to reach him."</p> +<p>The chief set his hand on my leg and gripped it. Then he +laughed. "Reach down your arm," he said.</p> +<p>I did so, and he laughed again.</p> +<p>"Very wet," he said. "But the lady?"</p> +<p>"Very wet also," answered Hilda. "I pray you, sir, let us pass +on, if only for that reason. I would fain get to the archbishop at +Fernlea shortly."</p> +<p>"Why to him, lady?"</p> +<p>"Because even Quendritha will fear to take me thence."</p> +<p>"Eh, but you are flying from her! Then speed you well, lady and +good sirs. We have little love for Offa, but he is a warrior and a +man; whereas--Well, I will bid you promise to say no word of this +meeting, and you shall go."</p> +<p>That promise we gave freely, as may be supposed. If the Welsh +chose to swarm over the border and burn Sutton Palace, it might be +but just recompense for what those walls had seen; but I thought +that, with their fear of the gathering at an end, the man who had +lit yonder hillside fires would disband his levies for the time. So +we parted very good friends, in a way, and this chief bade one of +his men guide us for the mile or so which he could pass in safety. +We were closer then to Fernlea than I thought, and in half an hour +we were at the gates.</p> +<p>Where our Welshman left us I cannot say. Somewhere he slipped +from my side into the darkness, and when next I spoke to him there +was no answer.</p> +<p>Now we had to wait outside the town gates--for the place was, as +might be supposed, strongly stockaded against the Welsh--until one +went to the town reeve and fetched him, seeing that we had not the +password for the night. But at last they let us in, and took us to +the house of the reeve himself, for the archbishop was there. And +there is no need to say that when he heard our story he welcomed us +most kindly, promising Hilda his protection. There, too, the good +wife of the reeve cared for the maiden as if she were her own +daughter, and I saw her no more that night.</p> +<p>As for myself, I sat down at supper, which they had but half +finished, with the archbishop and his little train; and glad enough +I was of it, and I and Erling ate as famished men who do not know +when their next meal may be.</p> +<p>The archbishop watched us, smiling at first, and then grew +thoughtful. After I had fairly done, he said:</p> +<p>"My son, I thought you had come to me with news of the finding +of the body of your poor king. That is a matter which lies heavily +on my mind. It must be done."</p> +<p>"I think I can tell you within a few yards, father, where it +must needs be, for today I and my comrade have searched where it +was taken. We have found, at least, the cart Gymbert used, and it +cannot be far thence. We think that the cart was left close to the +hiding place."</p> +<p>Then one of the priests said eagerly:</p> +<p>"Father, the moon lies bright on all the meadows, and we might +well seek in the place the thane has found. This is a thing done at +night in most seemly wise, as I think."</p> +<p>"Ay," answered the archbishop thoughtfully. "Yet it were hard to +ask the thane to turn out once more."</p> +<p>"This is a quest which lies close to my heart, lord," I said, +rising. "I will go gladly if you will let me guide your folk."</p> +<p>"Yet you are weary, and need rest."</p> +<p>"I have slept for long hours in the open today," I said. "I am +fed and rested. Let us go."</p> +<p>For indeed, now that Hilda was in safety, the longing to end the +quest came on me, and I should have slept little that night for +thinking of it. Moreover, I should have no fear of Gymbert and his +men spying me, and thereby making fresh trouble.</p> +<p>So in the end the archbishop said that we might go, and with +that four of his priests and the reeve with half a dozen men made +ready, and in a very short time we rode out of the gates again in +the moonlight, on our way back toward Sutton. The river was between +us and the Welsh we had met, and they were not to be feared. The +monks were riding their sumpter mules, and the reeve and we were +mounted on horses from his own stable or lent by his friends, and +his men trotted after us, some bearing picks and spades.</p> +<p>Under the little hill whereon the palace stands we rode +presently, and I suppose that we were taken for a train of belated +chapmen, or that the guards saw we were headed by monks, and would +not trouble us. Maybe, however, the disorder of the palace had put +an end for the time to much care in watching, but at any rate we +passed without challenge.</p> +<p>And so we came to the riverside track which should lead us to +the end of our journey, and, as I hoped with all my heart, to the +end of our quest. Already I could see the trees under which the +cart stood.</p> +<p>Out of the southwest came one of those showers which had been +about all day, and which had not yet quite cleared off from the +hills round us. It drew across the face of the moon, which had been +sending our long shadows before us as if they were in as great +haste as we, and for a few minutes we stayed in the dark to let it +pass. And as it passed there came what men sometimes hold as a +marvel.</p> +<p>The rain left us, passing ahead of us like a dark wall, and the +moon shone out suddenly from the cloud's edge, and then across the +land leaped a great white rainbow, perfect and bright, so that one +could dimly see the seven colours which should be in its span. And +one end rested on the river bank close under the place where the +cart stood among the trees, and the other was away beyond the +forest, eastward somewhere.</p> +<p>"Lo," said the monk who had bidden us come, "yonder is the sign +of hope, leading us as it were the pillar of fire of Holy +Writ!"</p> +<p>"Men say there is ever treasure hidden under the end of a +rainbow," said the reeve; "but never yet did I meet with a man who +had found it. Yet I have never seen the like of this. I have heard +that they may be seen at night."</p> +<p>And so said another and another; for indeed men look to their +feet rather than to the sky at night, and thereby miss the things +they might see. But a strange thought came to my mind, and I spoke +it.</p> +<p>"Under the end of that pillar does indeed lie the treasure we +seek. See, it is not on the wood, but on the river bank. We +searched not there, comrade."</p> +<p>"Ay, we shall find it there," Erling answered. "It is +Bifrost--Allfather's bridge. He takes his son home across it."</p> +<p>The rainbow faded and passed to the north and east with the +rain, and it went across the land through which Ethelbert had +ridden so gaily but a few days agone. Sometimes I love to think +that its end rested here and there on house or village or church +which had been the happier for the bright presence of the king, and +betimes I think that a strange fancy for a rough warrior like +myself. Yet I had ridden with Ethelbert, and the thoughts he set in +the minds of men are not as common thoughts. I hold that once I +rode and spoke with a very saint.</p> +<p>There fell a sort of awe and a silence on us after that. +Silently we went on up the riverside track, for I was leading with +Erling, and that strange belief that by the river we should find +what we sought would not leave me; and when we came below the place +where the cart was, I saw marks where its wheels had riven the soft +earth close to the water. Without a word I signed my companions to +spread abroad and search, and I dismounted, and with the bridle of +my horse over my arm, I went scanning each foot of the ground in +the moonlight.</p> +<p>Twenty yards, not more, from the water, where some winter flood +had left a wide patch of sand and little pebbles, I saw the marks +of the cart again. It had stopped there, and round the spot were +deep footprints of men. They went on for a few yards, and then +there was a little fresh-turned place. Out of that lapped a piece +of cloth, plain to be seen in the light of the moon, but easily +overlooked in the haste of those who had left it. And then I knew +that I had indeed found the king.</p> +<p>Now I lifted my hand, and the rest saw me, one by one, and came +to my side, and for a moment we stood still, not daring to disturb +that resting. Then I took the spade one man had, and gently turned +the gravel from that bit of cloth, and there was surety. They who +set him there had but covered him hastily, no doubt because they +heard our friends after them.</p> +<p>Little by little, and very reverently, we uncovered, and so took +him from that strange resting, and the water welled into the place +where he had lain. And as we thought, his head had been smitten +from his body, and it was that which we found first, wrapped in the +cloak whose end had betrayed his hiding. Yet had it not been for +the token of the rainbow we had hardly thought to seek here, so +near the water.</p> +<p>Men speak today of the finding of Ethelbert the saint by reason +of the pillar of fire which shone from where he was hidden, and +they tell the truth in a way, if they know not how that marvel came +from the heaven before our eyes who saw it. Let the tale be, for +from the heaven the sign came in our need and it is near enough, so +that it be not forgotten. There is many a man who has seen the +like, but not at such a time or as such a portent; and, again, for +one man who has seen the bow in the clouds over against the moon +are mayhap a thousand who may go through long lives and never set +eyes thereon. Whereby it happens that there are some who will not +believe that such a thing can be.</p> +<p>Now we wondered how to bear back this precious burden, until we +bethought ourselves of that cart which had been used before. Erling +and two of the reeve's men went to seek it, and it stood untouched +where we found it. Moreover, those who fled from it in haste left +the rough harness still hanging anywise from the shafts, and we +were able, therefore, to set one of the horses in it without +trouble. Then we made a bed of our cloaks in the bottom, and +thereon laid the body, covering it carefully; and so we went our +way toward Fernlea, silently and slowly, but with hearts somewhat +lightened, for we had done what we might.</p> +<p>But yet I have to tell somewhat strange of this journey, and how +it came about I do not rightly know. Nor will I answer for the +truth of it all, for part of that I must set down I did not see for +myself; only the priests told me, and they heard it from the men +who did see.</p> +<p>This cart was old and crazy. I think that Gymbert must have +taken it from some deserted farm, whence it would not be missed. It +was open behind, and its wheels were bad. Still it served us; and +glad enough we were of it, for the road was rough, and heavy with +the rain of the day. It pained me to see the thing jolting and +lurching as it went, knowing how little it befitted that which it +was honoured in bearing.</p> +<p>Presently out of the roadside rose up a man, and joined us.</p> +<p>"Good sirs," he said, "I am a blind man, and would fain be led +to Fernlea. May I go with you so far as the road you take lies in +that direction?"</p> +<p>"Truly, my son," said the eldest priest. "But you are afoot +late."</p> +<p>"'Tis a priest speaks to me, as I hear," said the man, doffing +his cap in the direction of the voice and laughing gently. "Is it +so late, father? Well, I have thought so, for there seem to be few +men about. Yet I slept alone in a shed last night, and know not for +how long. I think I have also slept some of today, for I am out of +count of the hours. There is neither dark nor light for me."</p> +<p>He fell back and walked after the cart, saying no more. Now and +then I heard his stick tapping the stones of the way, and once one +of our men helped him in a rough place, and he thanked him.</p> +<p>Now we came to a terribly bad place in the road, and there the +cart seemed like to break down; and it was the worse for us that a +cloud came over the moon at the time, and it was very dark. Whereby +the blind man was of much help in the care for the cart, until the +moon shone out again suddenly, when he was left behind us for a few +minutes. Then we heard him calling.</p> +<p>"Two of you help the poor soul," said the reeve, "else he will +hardly get across that slough. He has fallen, I think."</p> +<p>He named two of his own men, and they went back. After a while +the blind man's voice came again, and he seemed to be shouting +joyfully. I thought it was by reason of the help that came to +him.</p> +<p>"Thane," said the eldest priest to me just at this time, "I pray +you ride on and tell the archbishop that you have indeed found what +we sought. It is but right that all should be ready against the +time we get back. We are not more than a mile away from the gates, +and you will have time. This is slow travelling, perforce."</p> +<p>Erling and I rode on with the reeve, therefore, and I thought no +more of the blind man, as one may suppose, until I heard what had +happened.</p> +<p>When the two men went back to his help, he sat again by the side +of the road, hiding his face in his hands on his knees. And he was +trembling.</p> +<p>"Friends," he said, "now I know why you go so sadly, welladay! +For evil men have slain some one young and well favoured, as I +learned even now, when I helped you yonder. Tell me what has +befallen, I pray you, for I am afeard."</p> +<p>"Why," said one of the men, "we are honest folk, as our being +with the good fathers may be surety. The trouble is ours to +bear."</p> +<p>But the blind man still kept his eyes hidden, and when the other +man bade him rise and come on with them he did not move.</p> +<p>"I know not what ails me," he said. "Even as I set my hand on +him you bear yonder, there came as it were a great flash of light +across my eyes, and needs must I fall away and hide them. I fear +that, not you, friends. I pray you, tell me what has been +wrought."</p> +<p>"His foes have slain a bridegroom, most cruelly," one of the men +answered after a pause. "We do but bear him to Fernlea."</p> +<p>"What bridegroom?" he asked, in a hushed voice.</p> +<p>And then the pity of the thing came to him, and he wept +silently. Presently he raised his head, dashing away the tears as +he did so.</p> +<p>"It is a many years since these eyes of mine have wept," he +said. "It seems to me that to weep for the woes of another is a +wondrous thing."</p> +<p>His eyes of a sudden opened widely in the moonlight, and he +cried out and clutched at the man next him.</p> +<p>"Brothers! brothers!" he said; "what is this?"</p> +<p>And again he set his hand to his eyes as if shading them, as +does a man at noontide.</p> +<p>"What ails you?" one of the men asked, wondering.</p> +<p>"I have no ailment--none. I see once more!" he cried. "Look you, +yonder is the blessed moon, and there lies a broken tree; and see, +there are fires on the hills of the Welshmen!"</p> +<p>Then with both hands wide before him he said:</p> +<p>"Now I see that I have set my hands on one who can be naught but +a saint most holy, for therefrom I have my sight again. Who is this +that has been slain?"</p> +<p>The men answered him, telling him. The blind man had heard, of +course, of the poor young king, and had, indeed, been brought +hither from wherever he lived that he might share in the largess of +the wedding day.</p> +<p>Now the men would go their way with him again, wondering, but +yet half doubting the truth of what the man said.</p> +<p>"It is in my mind that you have not been so blind as you would +have us think," said one, growling.</p> +<p>The man pointed at the cart as it went.</p> +<p>"Would I lie in that presence?" he said.</p> +<p>And with that he broke into the song I had heard. Some old chant +of victory it was, which he made to fit his case, being somewhat of +a gleeman, as so many of these wanderers are. And there the men +left him in the road, singing and careless of aught save his +recovered sight, and hastened after the party.</p> +<p>Yet it was not until the next day that they told the tale, and +whether the once blind man was ever found again I cannot tell; but +I have set this down as I knew of it, because it was the first of +many healings wrought by the saint we loved. I ken well that the +tale is told nowadays in a more awesome way; but let that pass. +Tales of wonder grow ever more strange as the years go on.</p> +<p>Men call Ethelbert a martyr now, I suppose because he was slain. +That is not quite what we mean by a martyr, for that is one who +gives up his life rather than deny his Lord. Yet Ethelbert was +indeed a witness to the faith all his life, and so the name may +stand.</p> +<p>So presently they brought back the body to Fernlea, and its +resting was ready in the little church which had come into the +strange dream by the riverside. And I knew, as I watched by it all +the rest of that night till the hour of prime, that this was what +the vision foreboded.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a>. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE +MORE WITH OFFA.</h2> +<p>Now that I had Hilda safe with the archbishop, it mattered +nothing to me if all the world knew that I was yet here. So when +Ealdwulf, the archbishop himself, asked me to ride with him to +Sutton Palace and tell Offa of the finding, I said that I was most +willing. I should see Selred, and maybe bring him away with me, and +at least could tell him that all was well with Hilda.</p> +<p>I will say now that she was none the worse for the wetting and +the rest of last night's doings, but that I saw her come fresh and +bright to the breakfast in the little hall of the reeve's house. +There she would bide till she could go with the archbishop +homewards in some way, most likely from nunnery to nunnery across +the land, as ladies will often travel, with parties of the holy +women--that is, if Sighard was not to be found. In my own mind I +thought that he would not be far off, most likely with Witred, the +Mercian thane who had arranged the flight.</p> +<p>Presently, therefore, we rode away from Fernlea toward Sutton, +there being but one priest with the archbishop, and six of the +townsmen, besides Erling and myself. It was no state visit, but the +going of one who would speak with an erring friend in private. +Sorely downcast was the good man, for he loved Offa well, and this +terrible wrong lay heavily on his heart.</p> +<p>Halfway or so to Sutton we passed the place where trees were +thick, and I saw a man lurking among them as if he was watching the +road. Wherefore I watched him, and presently saw that he was coming +to us, as if half afraid. Somehow the walk and figure of this man +seemed known to me, though his face was strange, and I thought that +he made for myself. Soon I knew that this was indeed the case; for +finding that there were none whom he need fear in the party, the +man came boldly from the trees, and, cap in hand, stood by the +wayside waiting me.</p> +<p>"Well, friend, what is it?" I asked, as he walked alongside my +horse.</p> +<p>He answered in Welsh, and then I knew that he was the guide we +had been given last night.</p> +<p>"Jefan ap Huwal the prince sends greeting to the thane on the +pied horse, and bids him and the lady come to him if there is need +for help. He has heard that the thane serves the Frankish king who +hates Saxons beyond the seas, and thinks that mayhap he has foes +here in Mercia."</p> +<p>"Thank your prince from me," I answered, after a moment's +thought, in which it came to me that no offer of friendship was to +be scorned, "and tell him that if need is I will not forget. Tell +him also that, thanks to him, the lady is safe and well, and that I +have no fear at present."</p> +<p>"That, said Jefan, is what a thane would answer," said the man. +"Whereon I was to tell you that yonder evil queen was to be feared +the most when she seemed to be the least dangerous. He wits well +that she is shut up."</p> +<p>Then it seemed plain that the Welsh prince had spies pretty +nearly inside the palace; which is not at all unlikely. However, I +said nothing of that, and thanked the man again, looking to see him +leave me. The archbishop had ridden on with the rest, for I went +slowly, to talk to the Welshman. Still the man did not go, and he +had more to say.</p> +<p>"Also I was to tell you that he had a chief of your folk in his +hands. But that he deems that he belongs to East Anglia, he would +have set him in chains. He is hurt, and is in our camp, free, save +for his promise not to escape. His name is Sighard."</p> +<p>"Sighard?" I said. "How came he in your hands?"</p> +<p>"He came over the border, lord, and we had him straightway," +said the man simply. "Methinks there were men after him."</p> +<p>"Where is he?" said I, anxiously enough. "He can pay +ransom."</p> +<p>"He is ill," said the man; "he cries for his daughter. Jefan +thinks that he is that thane whose daughter was in our hands last +night with you."</p> +<p>"Ill?" said I; "is he much hurt?"</p> +<p>"There had been a bit of a fight before we took him. One smote +him on the helm, and he was stunned. Thereafter he came to himself, +and again fell ill. He will mend, for it is naught."</p> +<p>"But where is he?"</p> +<p>"We have many camps, and I cannot tell you. You are a stranger. +But, says Jefan the prince, an you will come to him I am to guide +you."</p> +<p>Now I was in doubt indeed, for this was a dangerous errand. The +man saw that I hesitated, and smiled at me.</p> +<p>"Wise is our prince," he said. "He knew that you would fear to +come, therefore he bade me say that you were to mind that once he +had you, and set you free, and that he does not go back on his +doings, save he must. He has no enmity for the friends of the slain +king, but a great hatred for him who slew him."</p> +<p>"Would he not let Sighard the thane come to Fernlea, where his +daughter is?"</p> +<p>"Truly, if you will. But it is safer for you to come to him. +There Jefan will have all care for all of you until he may send you +home. It is told him that Quendritha has sworn the death of four +men--of the thane who rides the great pied horse, of his housecarl, +of Sighard of Anglia, and of Witred of Bradley, who helped the +Anglians to escape."</p> +<p>"How knows he all this? It is more than I have heard--if I have +guessed some of it."</p> +<p>The man shrugged his shoulders.</p> +<p>"Thane," he said, with a sidewise smile, "a man who is thrall to +a Mercian may yet be a Briton. The Saxon may make a slave of his +body, but his heart will be free."</p> +<p>Now I was the more sure that this Welsh prince had some good +source of knowledge of what went on inside the palace, and I +thought that mayhap he was right. Across the Welsh border might +indeed be the safest place for any man who had brought the wrath of +the queen on him. I would go to Sighard, and take Hilda with me. +One thing I was fairly glad of, and that was that so far as I knew +none in all the court of Offa had heard who my folk in Wessex were, +else there might be trouble for them; for Quendritha's daughter was +not unlike her mother, if all I heard was true.</p> +<p>"Meet me tonight, then," I said. "I will go to Jefan, and will +bring the lady."</p> +<p>"You do well," he answered gravely. "I will meet you somewhere +on the westward track, a mile from Fernlea ford. You shall but ride +on till I come. You shall choose your own time, for I cannot tell +what may stay you. I have naught to do but wait. If you meet other +Britons, tell them that you seek the prince, and they will pass you +on. If so be you come not tonight, I will wait for another, and yet +another. After that--"</p> +<p>"If we do not come, what then?"</p> +<p>"Doubtless we shall burn Sutton walls. A curse lies thereon now, +and it may be that we shall wreak it."</p> +<p>With that he leaped across the brook which ran by the road, and +passed into shelter. Then I turned to Erling, who waited for me +across the road, and asked if he had understood what was said.</p> +<p>"Ay, all," he answered. "It is good enough; otherwise I might +have put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I +have ever heard."</p> +<p>"The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be +running away from hearsay," I said.</p> +<p>"Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across +the border, I take it," Erling answered. "Seeing that you have no +more to keep you here, it is about time we went also. We have foes +we cannot see, and are in a land of which we know not a foot. Jefan +will help us to ken the foe, and will guide us when we need +it."</p> +<p>Now of all things which I had in my mind, the first seemed to me +to be that I must ride eastward with Hilda and see the mother of +the slain king, to give what account I might of that charge she had +laid on me. But if Sighard had been prevented from getting +homeward, it was certain that so should I. Wherefore we should not +be watched for on any westward road, and that way, at least, was +open. Thence we might find our way when the days wore on and +Sighard could travel. That remained to be seen; and, take it all +round, I was more easy than I had been.</p> +<p>So also seemed the archbishop presently, when I told him the +message I had had. And he agreed with us that we might do worse +than go to Jefan at once with Hilda; matters being as they were, it +was not safe in Mercia.</p> +<p>"He is a good prince and honourable," he said; "and if I say +that, I speak of one who is the foe of our folk. He has suffered +much from us, and has cause for enmity with Offa--and maybe with +Quendritha. I can say plainly now that her restless longing for +power has kept our armies busy many a time when they had been +better at rest."</p> +<p>He sighed; and then came somewhat which turned our thoughts, and +no more was said at the time, either of Quendritha or of my doings. +For now we were in sight of the palace on its little hill, and from +its gates came toward us a train of folk, guarded by men of Offa's +own housecarls in front and rear, as if those who travelled were no +common wayfarers. In the midst of all was a closed horse litter, +beside which rode two or three veiled and hooded ladies and a +priest. Save the captain of the guards, there was no thane with the +party, and but a few pack horses followed them, and I thought it +would be some abbess, perhaps, who was leaving the palace.</p> +<p>We drew up on the roadside to let this train pass, though I +suppose that by all right the archbishop might have claimed the +crown of the way for himself, had he been other than the +humble-minded man that he was. As the leading guards passed us they +saluted in all due form; and then one of the ladies knew who was +here, and bent to the litter, and so turned and spoke to the +captain, who straightway called a halt, and came, helm in hand, to +the archbishop, praying him to speak with the lady who was in his +charge.</p> +<p>Who this was I did not hear, but I saw the face of the good man +change, and he hurried to dismount and go to the litter. And +thence, after a word or two had passed, came the priest I had seen; +and when he uncowled I knew him for my friend Selred, and glad I +was to see him.</p> +<p>"Why, how goes it, father?" I said, as my hand met his. "You +were not in the wood of our tryst, and I feared that you were in +trouble."</p> +<p>Very gravely he shook his head, looking sadly at me.</p> +<p>"There is naught but trouble in all this place," he said. "I +could not come to you, for the gates were closed early, that +Gymbert might be taken. He was not taken. And yet I have heavier +trouble to tell you than you can think."</p> +<p>"No, father," I said quickly, seeing that he had learned too +little, and doubtless believed Hilda either drowned or else in the +hands of Gymbert and his men--whichever tale Quendritha had been +told or chose to tell him.</p> +<p>"I was in the wood, and thither came the lady we ken of when she +was set forth from the place. I was in time to get her away, and +she is safe."</p> +<p>It was wonderful to see the face of the chaplain lighten at +this.</p> +<p>"<i>Laus Deo</i>," he said under his breath, and his hand sought +mine again and gripped it. "That is a terrible load off my heart," +he said. "Yet I have heard that our good Sighard is slain. They +have burned the hall of honest Witred over his head, and he is +gone, and it was said that Sighard fell there with him."</p> +<p>"It is not half an hour ago that I heard how he fled to the +west, where the Welsh saved him, for hatred of Offa and pity for +the betrayed Anglian king. He is safe, if a little hurt."</p> +<p>Now the horse of Erling reared suddenly, and I looked up. It was +still in a moment, and he spoke to it without heeding me. But as +soon as he caught my eye when I first turned, he set his hand +carelessly across his lips, and I knew what he meant. I had better +say no more of where Sighard was or how I hoped to see him.</p> +<p>So I said what I had to tell him of the finding of the king, and +how we had come to tell Offa thereof; and as he heard, Selred the +chaplain knelt there by the roadside and gave thanks openly, with +the tears of joy in his eyes. The rough housecarls heard also, and +there went a word or two among them; and their grim faces +lightened, for one shame, at least, had been taken from the house +of their master.</p> +<p>Now there was a sound as of a woman's weeping from the litter, +and Selred heard it and rose to his feet.</p> +<p>"It is Etheldrida the princess," he whispered to me. "She is +flying to some far nunnery--mayhap to Crowland--that there she may +end her days in what peace she may find. It is well, for here with +her mother is but terror for her."</p> +<p>The archbishop signed to me, and I went to the side of that +litter, unhelming, while Erling took my horse's bridle. There I +knelt on one knee, and waited for what I was to hear. It was a +little while before that came, but the sobs were at length stilled. +I heard one of the ladies, who were those who came from East +Anglia, say to the other that it was good that she had wept at +last.</p> +<p>And presently from behind the curtains of the litter the +princess spoke to me, very low, and I do not think any other +heard.</p> +<p>"Good friend of him whom I loved, I thank you for your loyalty +to him. The archbishop has told me, and you have given me back a +little of my trust in men. I had deemed that all were false for +aye, but for you, I think. Now I go hence, and beyond the walls of +some nunnery I shall never pass, and there I will pray for you +also. And for you there shall be happy days to come, in the meed of +utmost loyalty."</p> +<p>I could not answer her, and still I knelt, for there was +somewhat needed to come ere I could part from her without a word. +But before I could frame aught she set her hand through the +curtains, and in it was somewhat small, as it were a silken case +cunningly woven round a little jewel, perchance.</p> +<p>"There was none whom I would ask to do what I longed for," she +said; "but now it will be done. I pray you set this on his heart, +that it may go to his grave with him."</p> +<p>"There it shall most surely be, lady," I said. "I am honoured in +the duty."</p> +<p>"Go!" she said faintly; "and farewell."</p> +<p>I rose up hastily, and went back to my horse, while the lady who +had spoken just now busied herself in caring for her mistress. +Selred took my arm and walked aside with me.</p> +<p>"You must not come back to East Anglia," he said. "I know that +you would fain see the lady of Thetford, but it were useless danger +for you. I will tell her all that you have done, now; and if in +after days you may come to us, do so. Bide and tend Sighard and +Hilda, and mind that there is sore peril to both of them so long as +Quendritha lives. She is shut up now, but all the more has her mind +freedom to plan and plot the fall of those who have seen her at her +worst. One cannot shut up such a woman as she, but she will have +her ways of learning all she will, and her tools are many."</p> +<p>"I would that you could bide here," I said.</p> +<p>"I also; but I must pass eastward with this poor lady and these +others. Yet I am sure that Offa will do all honour to our king. He +has been seen by none as yet save his pages. They whisper that he +is fasting, and bowed with shame and grief."</p> +<p>For a little longer we spoke, and then we must part. The sad +train of the princess went on, and swung into the eastward track +which she would take, and the archbishop signed to us to follow +him. And that was the last which any man in Mercia saw of the fair +princess who had been the pride of the land, for she came safely to +far Crowland, in the fenland, and there pined and died.</p> +<p>It is said that the parting between her and her terrible mother +was such that men will tell little thereof. I know that in that +time some strange gift of prophecy came over the maiden, and she +foretold the death of her who planned the deed, even to the day, +and the awesome manner of it; and that also she wept for the +knowledge given her that the deed should bring the end of the line +of Offa and the fall of Mercia--things which no man could think +possible at this time, so that she seemed to rave. More things +strange and terrible, I heard also, but them I will not set down. +Mayhap they were not true.</p> +<p>Now we went on slowly up the hill, and at last rode into the +gates. There men loitered idly, as yesterday; for the head of the +house sat silent and moody in his chamber, and none had orders for +aught. Across the court we went to the priests' lodgings, and +thence came the chaplains to meet their lord, and with him I was +taken into the house.</p> +<p>"I have come to see the king," said the archbishop; "take me to +him straightway."</p> +<p>"He will see none," they said; "it is his word that no man shall +disturb him."</p> +<p>"If he will hear what shall make his heart less heavy, he will +see me," said the archbishop. "Tell him that I have news for him. +Or stay; I will go to him myself."</p> +<p>The priests looked at one another, but they could not stop their +lord; and with a sign to us to follow, he passed across the court +again, up the long hall, and so into the council chamber. At the +door which led to Offa's apartments there was a young thane on +guard, but no others were to be seen. I suppose that never before +had Offa been so ill attended, for the very courtiers feared what +curse should light on the place and all who bided in it.</p> +<p>"Tell your lord that I demand audience with him," said the +archbishop to this thane. "The matter will not wait; it is +urgent."</p> +<p>The youth rose and bowed, and passed within the door. In a +moment or two he was back again, throwing the door open for us.</p> +<p>"Yourself and no other, lord," he said.</p> +<p>"I take these two," answered Ealdwulf the archbishop. "I will +answer to the king for their presence."</p> +<p>So we two, Erling and I, followed him into the chamber of the +king; and with my first glance at Offa there fell on me a great +pity for him.</p> +<p>He sat at a great heavy table in a carven chair, leaning his +crossed arms before him on the board, and staring at naught with +hollow, black-ringed eyes, as of sleeplessness and grief. His face +was wan and drawn, so that he seemed ten years or more older than +when last he sat in hall with us; and he was clad in the same +clothes which he wore when he came forth to us on the morning of +terror. None had dared to touch aught in his room; and bent and +soiled among the rushes on the floor lay the little gold crown +which he wore at the last feast, as if he had swept it from the +table out of his sight, and had spurned it from him thereafter in +some fit of passion. Hard by that lay a broken sword, and its hilt +flashed and sparkled with the gems I had noted in the hall. It was +his own.</p> +<p>On the table was neither wine nor food, but there was a great +book, silver covered and golden lettered, and it was open at a +place where a wondrous picture in many hues showed a king who +seemed to humble himself in fear before a long-robed man +priestlike.</p> +<p>He did not stir when we came in, nor did he say a word. Only he +looked at Ealdwulf, as it were blindly, waiting what he should hear +from his lips. And into his look there crept somewhat like +fear.</p> +<p>But there was naught terrible or hard in the face which he +looked on; it had but deepest sorrow and pity.</p> +<p>"My king," said Ealdwulf, seeing that he must needs speak first, +"here is one who has a word for you. I think that you will be glad +to hear it. Know you where the body of Ethelbert was hidden?"</p> +<p>"No," said the king in a dull voice. "My men search even now. It +is all that I can do."</p> +<p>Then Ealdwulf bade me tell the story of the finding, and I did +so. Yet the look of Offa never brightened as he heard, nor did he +ask me one question.</p> +<p>"It is well," he said, when I had no more to say, and his +fingers moved restlessly on the table.</p> +<p>But he did not look in my face, nor had he done so since I came +before him. I stood back, and Ealdwulf was alone near him.</p> +<p>"My son," said the old man, "my son, this has not been your +doing. I will not believe that."</p> +<p>Offa set his hand on the great book with its picture.</p> +<p>"As much my doing as the slaying of the Hittite by David the +king. It was planned, and I hindered it not."</p> +<p>Then he set his hands to his face, and his voice softened. And +at that I passed silently from the room, leaving those two +together, for this was not a meeting in which I had wish to meddle. +Erling came with me, and we sat in the council chamber for half an +hour, waiting.</p> +<p>Presently--after the young thane had told us how that Quendritha +was closely guarded, and that the voice of all blamed her utterly +for every wrong that had been wrought in Mercia for many a long +year, now that the fear of her was somewhat passed--Erling rose +up.</p> +<p>"With your leave, thane," he said to me, "we have a few things +left here, and our other horses still stand in the stable. It is in +my mind to see what I can take back with me."</p> +<p>We went out together, for the stillness and waiting grew +wearisome. There were none of the pleasant sounds of the household +at work or sport in all the palace. It was as a place stricken with +some plague.</p> +<p>So we passed through the church to our lodging, and took our few +goods, and Sighard's, and so went with them to the long stables +where our two spare horses stood in idleness. The rows of stalls +were well-nigh empty now, those who had gone having taken their +steeds.</p> +<p>"I wonder ours are left," quoth Erling. "These Mercians are more +honest than some folk I know."</p> +<p>He called the grooms, and we made ready, taking the horses out +to where the folk of the archbishop waited in the sunny courtyard, +and there leaving them. Then we went back to the council chamber, +and again waited for what seemed a long time. The young thane had a +meal brought for us there.</p> +<p>Presently Ealdwulf himself came to the door and called me +softly, and I followed him back to the presence of the king. I +cannot tell what had passed between those two, nor do I suppose +that any man will ever know; but Offa was more himself, save that +on his face was a deep sadness, and no trace of hardness or pride +therewith.</p> +<p>"Friend," he said, "is it your duty to go back to Carl the +Great?"</p> +<p>"I have left his service, King Offa; I am on my way homeward. It +was but by the kindness of Ethelbert, to whom I helped bear +messages, that I came hither."</p> +<p>"Well," he said, "I will not hinder you. Had you gone back, I +would have asked you to tell him plainly all of this. As it is, +Ealdwulf shall send churchmen to tell him; I would have him know +the truth. Now I must thank you for this that you did last night, +and tell you what shall be done in atonement for the death of your +friend."</p> +<p>There he checked himself and bit his lip.</p> +<p>"Nay," he said unsteadily, "there is no atonement possible. +There is but left to me the power of showing that I do repent, and +will have all men know it for aye. There shall be at Fernlea, where +he will lie in his last sleep, the greatest cathedral that has been +seen or heard of in this land, and men shall hail him as the very +saint that you and I knew him to be; and after his name shall it be +called, and in it shall be all due service of priest and choir for +him till time shall end it. What more may I do?"</p> +<p>"I think that the place where his body lay should not be left +unmarked," I said boldly, for so it had seemed to me. "May not +somewhat be done there, that the spot may be kept?"</p> +<p>"Ay, at Marden," he said eagerly, as if he did but long to do +all that he might, "there also shall be a church, that it may be +held holy for all time. It shall be seen to at once."</p> +<p>After that promise Offa bade me farewell sadly enough, and I was +glad to leave the chamber. Nor had we long to wait before Ealdwulf +came out, and we were once more turning our backs on the palace of +Sutton. On its walls I never set eyes again, nor did I wish to do +so.</p> +<p>As we went in leisurely wise back to Fernlea, the archbishop +told me those few things which I have set down concerning the way +in which Quendritha had beguiled the king into suffering the +thought of this deed of shame. No more than was needful for me to +understand how little part, indeed, Offa had had in the matter did +he tell me, for all else that had passed between those two was not +to be told. Both he and I think that had the evil queen left the +doing of her deed until morning it had never been wrought, for Offa +would have come to himself.</p> +<p>Yet one cannot tell. What Quendritha had set her heart on was +apt to be carried through, even to the bitterest of endings for +those who were in her way thereto. How she would fare now Ealdwulf +could not tell me. It was true that she was almost imprisoned, as I +have said, but none could tell whether that would last. Yet he +thought, indeed, that Offa would have no more to do with her.</p> +<p>So we came back to Fernlea, and when I saw the little church I +minded once more that strange dream of the poor young king's. I had +heard the words which told that it would come to pass. Nor was +there any doubt now in my mind that all those things which we had +deemed omens were indeed so. The fears we had tried to laugh at +were more than justified.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a>. HOW WILFRID AND HIS +CHARGE MET JEFAN THE PRINCE.</h2> +<p>Now I went straightway to Hilda with the news of her father, +telling her that it seemed almost the best for us to trust to the +word of the Welsh prince, and go to him, rather than to risk a +journey hither for the thane if he was wounded.</p> +<p>"I trust you altogether, Wilfrid," she said. "Take me to him. I +know that you have bided here in sore risk for me, and maybe you +also will be safer if once we are across the Wye. The Welsh are not +the foes of East Anglia."</p> +<p>I did not tell her that they were very much so of Wessex, on our +western border; for at all events ours were Cornish, who had not so +much to do with their brothers beyond the Channel here. So, having +bidden her keep up heart, I sought the wife of the reeve, and would +have given her gold to buy such things as she might think Hilda +needed for travel.</p> +<p>"Dear heart!" she said, bridling, "set your gold back in your +pouch. May not the reeve's wife of Fernlea give of her plenty to +one so fair and hapless? I will see to that in all good time."</p> +<p>She stood by a great press against the wall, and as she spoke, +as if by chance, she swung the door open, so that I had a glimpse +of the mighty piles of homespun cloth and linen, her pride, which +lay therein, Truly she had to spare, and I laughed.</p> +<p>"Mistress," I said, "be not offended. I am in haste, for we must +go hence tonight. There is no time for planning and cutting and +making."</p> +<p>She turned, swinging the heavy press door to and fro.</p> +<p>"Tonight!" she said, with wide eyes; "why so hasty?"</p> +<p>"Because her father lies wounded across the Wye, and we have to +go to him. Maybe we shall have to ransom him."</p> +<p>"Man," she cried, "those Welsh are swarming beyond the river. +Ken you what you are doing with this poor damsel?"</p> +<p>"Ay," answered I plainly: "I am taking her out of the way of +Quendritha and of Gymbert. I have the word of Jefan the prince for +our safety."</p> +<p>"Get to him," she said at once, "get to him straightway; he is +honest. And on my word, if Gymbert is the man you saved her from +last night, there is no time to be lost."</p> +<p>"He does not know where she has gone."</p> +<p>"Did not," she said. "By this time he kens well enough. Go, and +all shall be ready."</p> +<p>I thanked her heartily, for she was a friend in need in all +truth. And then I sought her husband, and told him what we must do. +I do not know if I were the more pleased or disquieted when he said +much the same as his wife. He would have us go from the town after +the gates were shut, and he himself would see us across the ford. +Once beyond that he did not think there was any risk. Most likely +Jefan and his men were on Dynedor hill fort, their nearest post to +the river, for he had seen a fire there. What he did fear was that +Gymbert had his spies in the town, and would beset all the +roads.</p> +<p>"He cares naught for reeve--or for archbishop either, for that +matter," he said. "He has half the outlaws on these marches at his +beck and call, and one has to pay him for quiet. Nor dare any man +complain, for he is the servant of Quendritha."</p> +<p>So his advice also was that the sooner we were gone the better. +I have somewhat of a suspicion that he half feared that his house +should be burned over his head, like Witred's. It seems that when +the archbishop came back here from Sutton he excommunicated, with +all solemnity, every man who had aught to do with that deed of +which he had been told. Wherefore Gymbert, if he cared aught for +the wrath of the Church, might be desperate, and would heed little +whom he destroyed, so that he ended those he meant to harm.</p> +<p>Then I called Erling, and we planned all that we might for +going, and after that we two went into the little church where lay +Ethelbert the king. There was silence in it, and little light save +for two tall tapers which burned at the head of the bier on which +he lay, but I could see that all had been made ready against his +showing to the people on the morrow. A priest sat on either side of +the bier's head, and one of them read softly, so that I had not +heard him at first. So I stood and looked in the face which was so +calm, and then knelt and prayed there for a little time.</p> +<p>When I rose I was aware for the first time that behind me knelt +Erling, but he did not rise with me. He stayed as he was, and in +the light of the tall tapers was somewhat which glistened on the +rough cheeks of the viking. I knew that he had been mightily taken +with the way of Ethelbert on our long ride with him; but he was +silent, and said little at any time of what his thoughts were. I +had not thought to see him so moved. Now he looked up at me as it +were wistfully, and spoke to me, yet on his knees:</p> +<p>"Master, this poor king, who talked with me as we rode, bade me +be a Christian man, that hereafter we might meet again. And you ken +that I saw him, and how he spoke to me, that night when he was +slain, so that from me you learned his death. Now I would do his +bidding, and so be christened straightway, if so it may be."</p> +<p>I did not know what to answer, for it was sudden.</p> +<p>Not that I was much surprised, for Erling had ever been most +careful of all that might offend in his way when he came into a +church with me, but that here in the dim church the question came +so strangely and, as it were, fittingly. I held out my hand to him, +and looked round to the priests, who had heard all. One of them was +that elder man who went to seek the king's body with us, and he +rose up and came to us, and bade us into the little bare sacristy +apart.</p> +<p>"My son," he said to Erling, "it is a good and fitting wish; yet +I would not have you do aught hastily. How long has this matter +been in your mind?"</p> +<p>"I think that it indeed began long years ago, when my lord here +kept his faith with Thorleif when he might have escaped. That made +me think well of Christian men. He had not so much as taken +oath."</p> +<p>"Carl the Great would christen a heathen man first and teach him +afterward," said I, meaning indeed to help on Erling's hope without +bringing my own name into the matter thus, and minding Carl's rough +way with the Saxon folk.</p> +<p>"Carl's man has taught first, and that all unknowing," he said, +smiling. "I do not know what he speaks of, but it has been worth +doing."</p> +<p>"I only kept my word, father, as a Saxon should."</p> +<p>"As a Saxon Christian has been taught to keep it, by his faith, +rather," he answered, smiling at me. "Well, well, so may it be.</p> +<p>"Now, my son, you will need many a long day's teaching, +mayhap."</p> +<p>"I think not, father," said Erling. "I have been in Wales, and +there I learned well-nigh enough. They gave me the prime signing +there. You have but my word for it, but Ethelbert himself said that +an I would be baptized he would stand sponsor for me. He said it as +we rode on the day of the great mist, when it chanced that all of +us must pray together. He saw me make the holy sign, and asked +presently if it was that of Thor. And I told him that in Wales I +was what they call a catechumen. I mind me that so ran the word for +one prime signed."</p> +<p>"And thereafter he spoke to you?"</p> +<p>"He said many and wondrous things to me."</p> +<p>I minded how often Ethelbert had spoken with Erling. I had +deemed that he did but ask him questions of Denmark, as once he did +in my hearing at the first.</p> +<p>So I wondered. But the old priest asked Erling to say the creed, +and that he did well, and with a sort of gladness on him. After +which the good father said that tomorrow should surely be the +baptism, in all form.</p> +<p>"Nay, but here and now," begged Erling. "Tomorrow I must be away +with my master beyond the river, and I would fain be christened +here--in yon presence."</p> +<p>"Ay; why not," said the old priest, half to himself, "why not? +Yet I will fetch the archbishop."</p> +<p>He led the way back into the church, and we entered just below +the sanctuary steps. In the little chancel lay the king; and almost +in shadow, for no window light fell on it, the font stood at the +entering in of the nave, opposite the one south door.</p> +<p>"See," said the priest, "some one has come in. Maybe he seeks +you twain."</p> +<p>I looked toward the door, and dimly I saw a tall figure standing +close to the font, but I could not see who it was. Erling knew +him.</p> +<p>"It is Ethelbert," he said very quietly; "he said he would be my +godfather."</p> +<p>The priest set his hand on my arm and half shrank back. The +other priest lifted his eyes from his book, and so bided, +motionless. But I did not rightly take in what they meant, and +looked more closely. Then some stray gleam of light from the broken +sky overhead came into the door, and it shone round the tall and +gracious figure--and it was that of Ethelbert himself.</p> +<p>I saw him, and there he bided while he turned his face to us, +smiling at us. And so he set his hand on the font, and smiled +again, and was gone.</p> +<p>"Brother," said the seated priest, "did you see?"</p> +<p>"I saw, and I think it is but the first of many wonders which we +may see here."</p> +<p>Now we stayed there still and hardly daring to move, looking yet +for the king to be yonder again, but we saw no more. Then at last +the priest begged me to go to the archbishop and bring him, telling +him what had happened. I went, and when Ealdwulf came there was no +more delay, but where the form of Ethelbert had stood there stood +Erling, and was baptized by the archbishop, I and the old priest +standing for him. And thereafter he knelt at the steps of the +sanctuary, and on him the hands of the archbishop were laid in his +confirmation.</p> +<p>That was the most wonderful baptism I have ever seen, and it +bides in my mind ever as I see another, even if it be but of a +little babe of thrall or forester, so that for a time I seem to +stand in the church at Fernlea once more, and hear the voice of +Erling as he made his answers firmly and truly. Betimes it seems to +me that it was but longing and the work of minds in many ways +overwrought which showed us the form of the dead king there by the +font--and I cannot tell. Yet the watching priest saw, besides us +three who had searched for him.</p> +<p>Presently, on the morrow, and again in days later, when the body +of the king lay for the people to pass and see, and when it was +taken with all pomp to its resting in the great new cathedral which +men call that of Hereford, there were many healings and the like, +as they tell me. And at Marden, where Offa built at once the little +church which should mark where Ethelbert was hidden, that water +which welled from the place whence we took him healed many.</p> +<p>Now we went forth from the church for a little while, and +presently I went back alone and placed the little gift which +Etheldrida had given me on the breast of the king, hiding it next +his heart in his robes. I had learned that they would not be moved +again. Ealdwulf knew that I had done it, and when I came back to +him, where he talked yet with Erling in the reeve's chamber, he +asked me if I knew what the little case held. I did not, and that +is known to none save to her who gave it me.</p> +<p>"I think that you two will value this more than other men," he +said then.</p> +<p>And with that he gave us each a little silken bag, square, with +a cross and a letter E worked thereon. He had cut for us each a +lock from the head of Ethelbert, and had it set hastily thus for +us. And he was right as to the way in which we held it of more +worth than aught else. Hilda wrought the little cases as she sat +waiting in the house. It is my word that mine shall go to my last +resting with me.</p> +<p>Now all too soon the dusk came, and we must set ourselves back +from these wondrous things that had been to the ways of hard +warriors again, with a precious charge in our keeping. With Hilda +we supped, and then it was dark. Out in the stables the horses +stood ready, my brown second steed being made ready for the lady, +and Erling's second carrying the packs, as on our first journey +from Norfolk. And then we heard the last words of farewell from the +archbishop, and knelt for his blessing, even as the watch mustered +outside in the street, and the last wayfarer hurried into or from +the gates, and I heard the horns which told their closing. It was +dark overhead, and the moon had not yet climbed far into the sky; +which was as well for our passing the ford unseen, if Gymbert had +it watched.</p> +<p>Then the reeve came in, armed and ready, and we must go. There +was a little sobbing from the good wife, as was no doubt fitting, +but by no means cheering; and so we passed from the warmly-lit +little hall into the street, and mounted, clattering away toward +the westward gate of the town, with the reeve ahead and two of his +men after us.</p> +<p>The gates swung open for us, and two wayfarers took advantage +thereof to get inside, which was to their good fortune. Then we had +a quarter of a mile of road to pass before we came to the ford +below the field where our camp had been when we came. After us the +gates were shut again, and we rode on.</p> +<p>Then befell us a wonderful bit of good luck. There came the +quick tramp of a horse coming toward us, and out of the gloom rode +a man in haste. He pulled up short on seeing us, and I heard +another horse stop and go away directly afterward. It was too dark +to see much against the black trees and land among which we rode, +and the plainest thing about this comer was the little shower of +sparks which flew now and then from the paving of the old way and +from his horse's hoofs.</p> +<p>"Ho," said the reeve, with his hand on his sword hilt, "who +comes?"</p> +<p>"Is that you, reeve? Well glad am I. Are you out with a posse +against those knaves at the ford?"</p> +<p>"Eh," said the reeve, while we all halted, "is the ford beset +with the Welsh?"</p> +<p>The man laughed somewhat.</p> +<p>"Not Welsh, but thieves of nearer kin. I ride homeward along the +river bank, and they stop me. It seemed to put them out that my +horse is not skew-bald, and that I am alone. However, they would +rob me."</p> +<p>The reeve whistled under his breath.</p> +<p>"How have you got away?" he asked.</p> +<p>"Rode over one of them who held my horse. There was one after +me, or more."</p> +<p>Now the reeve turned to me.</p> +<p>"What is to be done?" he said blankly. "This is what we had to +fear most of all. This is surely Gymbert with his men."</p> +<p>"How many may there be?" said I.</p> +<p>"Ten or a dozen, and mostly mounted," the stranger told me.</p> +<p>Now I had no time to think of aught, for the men who waited for +us heard the voices, and had been told that we had halted; whereon +here they came up the road at a hand gallop, in silence. The two +men of the reeve made no more ado, but fled townwards, and after +them, swearing, went their leader. With him the stranger went also, +shouting, and we three were left in the road with plunging horses; +and then, with a wild half thought that we might meet and cut our +way through these knaves ere they knew we were on them, I bethought +me of somewhat. I cried to Erling, and caught Hilda's bridle, and +so leaped from the road to the meadow, and held on straight across +it toward the dim outlines of bush and furze clumps which I +remembered as being close to our first camp.</p> +<p>I suppose that against the black woodland, with the town rampart +beyond us, we were hardly noted, or else those who came made sure +that we must try to get back to the town. At all events along the +road they thundered, past where we had stopped, and on after the +reeve and his men, who were shouting for the guard to open to +them.</p> +<p>So we did not turn to right or left, but rode our hardest across +the soft turf, among the ashes of our camp fires, until we were +close on the place where Ethelbert had dreamed his dream of Fernlea +church under the riverside trees, by the pool where I had bathed +and frightened the franklin by my pranks. That schoolboy jest had +flashed into my mind with the memory of the shallows and +half-forgotten ford across them. I thought I might find it +again.</p> +<p>"They are after us," said Erling. "Whither now?"</p> +<p>Hilda drew her breath in sharply, but made no more sign of +fear.</p> +<p>"There is a ford here," I said, "if I can but find it. Let the +packhorse go, if need be."</p> +<p>"No need yet; they are at fault," my comrade answered.</p> +<p>Now I saw the tree which had sheltered the king, and close to it +was the ford, and already I scanned the surface of the swirling +water for the breaks in its flow which would mark the shallows. The +pursuers had spread abroad somewhat, and were keeping on a line +that would lead them past us, for we had turned down to the river +somewhat sharply.</p> +<p>Then the river water flashed white suddenly, and I pulled up. +This ford was beset also, for across it, waist deep in the middle, +hustled and splashed a line of men whose long spears lifted black +lines against the gleam of the pool below. And I suppose we were +seen at the same time against the white water; for there came a +yell from behind us, and the hoofs which followed us trampled +wildly after us.</p> +<p>At that the men in the water hurried yet more, passing to the +Welsh side, and that struck me as unlike the men who would seek to +stay us. And Erling knew what it meant.</p> +<p>"Welshmen," he said--"raiders! After them, and call to +them."</p> +<p>With that I lifted my voice, and spurred my horse at the same +time.</p> +<p>"Ho, men of the Cymro!" I cried in Welsh. "Ho! we are beset. Ho, +Jefan ap Huwal!"</p> +<p>The Welsh stayed in a moment, with a roar and swinging round of +weapons. Not fifty yards behind us, as the horses plunged into the +ford, there was a shout for halt, and Gymbert's men reined up with +a sound of slipping hoofs and clattering weapons on the steep bank +above us. A sharp voice from the other bank called to know who we +were and who after us.</p> +<p>"The Anglians!" I cried back. "Gymbert and ten men in +pursuit!"</p> +<p>Then was a yell from the Welsh, and past us back they came with +a rush that told of hate for Gymbert. For a moment the longing to +get but one blow at that villain took hold of me, and I half turned +also.</p> +<p>"No, no," said Hilda at my side, and I remembered I might not go +from her.</p> +<p>So I passed through the water, and on the far bank turned to see +what I might. The white-clad Welsh were still swarming back, and +their leader began to try to stop them. I heard, as did he, the +sound of retreating horsemen as Gymbert found out the trap into +which he had so nearly fallen, and made haste to get out of it.</p> +<p>Now we were safe, and a tall Welshman came to me and welcomed +us. All this far bank was like a fair; for it was full of cattle, +and sheep, and horses, with a gray dog or two minding them.</p> +<p>"Jefan told us you were to come," he said; "but we looked for +you to cross at the great ford. We thought none knew of this +now."</p> +<p>I told him how I found it, and thanked him for timely help. His +men were coming back, laughing and talking fast over the scare they +had given their enemy. They had taken one horse also, in the first +rush, but Gymbert had escaped.</p> +<p>The chief gave a short laugh.</p> +<p>"We were in time, indeed," he said; "but your coming fairly +frightened our rearguard across the water more quickly than our +wont. We could not tell who was coming. A wise man runs first and +looks round afterward, when he is in this sort of case."</p> +<p>"It seems to me that you have been somewhat bold tonight," I +said.</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed; which made us fear the more. But we have had a +fair lifting, as you may see, dark as it is. Save that Offa has +gone to sleep, as men say, we might not have come. We have lifted +every head of stock well-nigh up to Sutton walls since dusk," and +he chuckled. "There was no man to hinder us."</p> +<p>Then he told us that we were all bound for Dynedor hill fort +together, and that there we should find Jefan. And so we went +slowly, with the herd of raided cattle before us, with a silence +which made me wonder. Presently I said as much, and the chief +chuckled again.</p> +<p>"'Tis practice," quoth he. "An you had had as much raiding as we +borderers, you would have learned the trick of quiet cattle +droving. I doubt if ever you had need to lift a herd."</p> +<p>I heard Erling laugh, and he answered for me.</p> +<p>"The paladin has most likely stolen as many head in a day as you +may find in a year. And I ken somewhat of the trade myself: I was +driving his countryside when I first met him. But we have both done +it with the high hand, and I think that yours is like to be the +best sport. You are first-rate drovers!"</p> +<p>That pleased the raiders, and there was pleasant talk enough of +old days as we went on. Presently the moon came out, and we went +quicker. It shone on the white faces of the great Hereford oxen and +kine, and showed us the keen dogs herding them skilfully as +men.</p> +<p>So at last the black hill of Dynedor, crested with its works, +rose before us, and from it shone a score of watch fires.</p> +<p>"See, Hilda," I said, "yonder is your father, and all will be +well."</p> +<p>She answered me cheerfully, with a little shake of the reins, as +if she longed to hurry on; and I told her that now I must keep her +back, as she had kept me just now.</p> +<p>"Each to their own way," she said, sighing somewhat: "the man to +his weapon, and the woman to the sickbed that comes thereafter. See +what one evil deed has let loose on this land. It is terrible to +me. And how long it seems since we came to Fernlea in the bright +sunshine, deeming that all was to go well!"</p> +<p>"Yet all is not so much amiss," said I, seeing that the fears of +the day had hold of her.</p> +<p>And so I told her of Erling's christening, and of what we saw in +the church; for of this I had had no time to tell her before, save +when Erling himself had been with us.</p> +<p>Then in very gladness, for she liked my comrade, she lost her +gloomy thoughts, and would tell him softly of her pleasure. And so +we climbed the steep of the hill, and were met at the gate by Jefan +himself, with a frank welcome.</p> +<p>There were rough huts across the camp, set more or less at +random, and among them burned the fires which we had seen. There +would be about fifty men at most in the place, now that all had +returned; but the prince told me presently that he had had more +when first the alarm had been raised that Offa was summoning his +thanes to him for some unknown reason; whereby I gathered that here +he had waited for us.</p> +<p>"Lady," he said, as he helped Hilda from her horse, "your father +is but weak. I think that he began to mend when I told him that +doubtless you would be here tonight. I hope your ride has been easy +and without alarm."</p> +<p>"Hardly," said the chief who had rescued us. "It was a hard ride +for a matter of ten minutes, and we were frightened sorely. The +lady is the bravest I have ever met, for she screamed not once; and +the thanes are no bad judges of cattle raiding."</p> +<p>"Why, you have met with men after your own heart, Kynan," +laughed Jefan. "More of that tale by-and-by.</p> +<p>"Well, lady, you are safe, and that is the best. Now you shall +see your father.</p> +<p>"See to our guests, brother."</p> +<p>Jefan took Hilda's hand and led her to the best of the huts, +and, with a word to one within, entered. In a moment he was out +again, with a smile on his face in the firelight. I knew from that +how Sighard had met his daughter.</p> +<p>Kynan gave some orders to his men, and they took our horses, +leading them to a far corner of the camp. After that we were set +down to a great supper, and the tale of the flight and the raid was +told and retold. Then at last one fetched a little gilded harp, and +Kynan ap Huwal, the raider of cattle, set the whole story into +song, and did it well and sweetly.</p> +<p>After that was done came a white-haired priest, and we knelt for +the vespers; and then the watch was set under the moonlight, and +Erling and I stood in the gateway of the fort, and looked out on +the quiet land below us. It was no very great hill, but the place +was strong. How old it may be I cannot say, perhaps no man knows; +but since Offa drove the Welsh to the Wye it had been set in order, +with a stockade halfway down the steep earthwork round the hill +crest, so that men on its top could use their weapons on those who +were trying to scale it. The dry ditch was deep and steep sided, +and, so far as I could see in the moonlight, on this side at least +it would need a strong force to take it by storm, were it fairly +manned by say two hundred men. The gate had been made afresh of +heavy timber, narrow, and flanked on either side by overhanging +mounds, whence men could rain javelins on those who tried to force +it; and outside the gate were slight fences, which bent in wide +half circles, inside which the cattle we had driven in were penned. +Peaceful enough it all was, and the stillness of this hilltop after +the long unrest seemed as of a very haven after storm.</p> +<p>Presently Jefan and his brother came back after posting their +men, and then for half an hour I sat with Sighard and Hilda in the +hut. The thane had indeed had a narrow escape from the burning +hall, and had been left for dead by his pursuers. However, he had +been but stunned by the blow which felled him from his horse, and +presently recovering, had managed to get across the river and to +some Welshman's hut, whence Jefan took him.</p> +<p>As for those who had burnt the hall, he was sure that they were +led by Gymbert, and that they were no housecarls of Offa's. They +had slain Witred and another of the Mercian thanes who had fled +with him.</p> +<p>Then I asked him of himself and of his hurt.</p> +<p>"I am old to have the senses knocked out of me, and a blow that +you might think little of is enough to keep me quiet for a time. +However, that is all. Now that Hilda and you are safe, and the king +is found and honoured, I have naught to do but to get well. Trouble +not for me."</p> +<p>It seemed to me that there was no need for me to trouble about +aught either, and out in the open air, by one of the fires, I slept +till the dawn woke me, without so much as stirring.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a>. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE +GUARDED HIS GUESTS.</h2> +<p>In the stir which comes with the waking of a camp, I and Erling +went out of the eastward gate and watched the sun coming up over +the Mercian hills across the river. The white morning mists lay +deep and heavy below us, and the little breeze from the southwest +drifted curls of it up the hill and across it, mixed with the smell +of the newly-lighted fires; and as the sun touched the drifts they +vanished. In the cattle enclosures the beasts moved restless and +ghostlike, lowing for their home meadows after the night on the +open hillside. Jefan had ridden out to go round his posts, and I +was waiting to bid Hilda good morrow before breakfast.</p> +<p>"What shall you do next?" asked Erling, with his eyes on the +misty treetops below us.</p> +<p>He was silent beyond his wont this morning, and I did not wonder +at it.</p> +<p>"I can hardly say. I have thought that by-and-by, when Sighard +is fit to move hence, we might get to one of the Welsh ports, and +so cross into my own land, Wessex, unknown to any in all +Mercia."</p> +<p>Erling nodded.</p> +<p>"That is good," he said. "I only wish we were a trifle farther +from the Wye now, or that we had a few more men."</p> +<p>"You think that Gymbert is still to be feared?"</p> +<p>"T know it. Unless we get hence shortly we shall be fallen on. +The reeve told me that he could gather five-score men of the worst +sort in a day by the raising of his finger."</p> +<p>"It would need men of the best to take this place."</p> +<p>"Outlaws and suchlike I meant--men who will have Gymbert's +promise of inlawing again if they will do his bidding. See, here +comes Jefan!"</p> +<p>Up the hill from out of the mists rode the prince, and with him +ran a few of his men, swiftly as mountain men will, so that the +horse was no swifter up the steep. After them, through the mist, +from men I could not see, sped an arrow, badly aimed, which fell +short, and told of danger.</p> +<p>One of the two men who were at the gate on guard turned and +whistled, and the rest, busy over their cooking, dropped what they +held and ran to their weapons. Kynan came hastily to us, and +watched his brother as he rode up.</p> +<p>"Jefan is in a hurry," he said. "Get your arms, thane, for there +must be reason. Mayhap it is naught, however, for one is easily +scared in a fog."</p> +<p>Still he was anxious; for if he had looked at me he would have +seen that I was already armed, and that so also was Erling. We +needed but our spears to complete the gear for battle--if that was +to come--and they stood, each with the round shield at its foot, by +the fire where we slept, twenty paces off.</p> +<p>Now Jefan pulled up, and tried to look back through the mists. +They were thinning fast as the sun climbed higher, but were yet +thick. His men came on and entered the gate, while Kynan asked what +was amiss.</p> +<p>"There are men everywhere," one said--"Mercians. They must have +slain the outpost toward the ford, and so have crept on us under +cover of the thickness."</p> +<p>"Trying to see where their cattle are," said Kynan. "They will +not come up here."</p> +<p>The man shook his head, but laughed.</p> +<p>"They are bold enough to shoot at us, however," he said.</p> +<p>"You would do the same if you met a Mercian cattle lifter," +laughed Kynan. "That is naught."</p> +<p>Jefan rode in slowly, bidding us good morrow cheerfully as he +came. Kynan said that he supposed the owners of the kine were +about.</p> +<p>"They, or some others who should be on the other side of the +river," answered his brother carelessly, as he dismounted. "Send a +picket down on the west side of the hill, and bid them be wary. Let +them eat their breakfast as they go, and send men to keep in touch +with them. I can see naught in this mist, and if we have to leave +here we must know in time. Come, let us get to our meal."</p> +<p>Plainly enough I saw that there was more in the matter than +Jefan would let his men know yet; but if I was anxious, I would no +more show it than he. So we sat down to the food his men had ready, +and before we had half finished a man came and spoke to him quietly +and went his way again.</p> +<p>"One of the western picket. It seems that here we must stay for +a while."</p> +<p>So said Jefan, and laughed a short laugh. But he did not look at +his brother, nor did Kynan look at him.</p> +<p>"That is the worst of a raid," said Kynan. "It stirs up such a +hornet's nest round one's ears. However, we on the border are +somewhat used to it. We can take care of ourselves."</p> +<p>We went on eating, and then a second man came; and Jefan told +him to call in the pickets, after he had heard what was said. Then +he turned to me at last.</p> +<p>"Thane," he said, "we seem to be beset here, but how and with +what force we cannot yet tell. I am sorry, for your sakes and the +lady's, that so it is. I fear our raid has made trouble for you, by +bringing Offa's men on us in the hope we may be forced to return +our booty."</p> +<p>"Our fault, I fear, for keeping you here, prince," said I. "I +think that of your kindness to us you have stayed longer near the +river than you might have done at any other time."</p> +<p>He smiled.</p> +<p>"That were to credit me with too much," he said. "Mostly the +Mercians care little to follow us. There lies our mistake."</p> +<p>"Then it may be that Gymbert is after us," said I, "and this has +happened because he knows that we are here. He is doing +Quendritha's bidding."</p> +<p>"Not likely in the least," said Kynan; "it is just a cattle +affair. It is my fault for suggesting a raid last evening. I would +go, though Jefan had no mind for it."</p> +<p>"Wrong, brother.</p> +<p>"Do not listen to him, thanes. I did but stay here because it +was his turn to go. One of us must needs bide in the camp."</p> +<p>Then they both laughed, and I dare say would have gone on with +their jest; but there came a cry from the gate, and they both +leaped up. It was the word that a man bearing a white scarf on a +spear was coming.</p> +<p>They went to the gate, which was not yet closed, and Erling and +I climbed the rampart near and looked over, bareheaded, lest our +English helms should tell who we were. In my own mind I was pretty +sure that we were sought.</p> +<p>The mists had thinned to nothing, and only lingered in the +hollows and round the scattered tree clumps. Long ago the Welsh had +bared all this hillside, and there was no cover for a foe as he +came up the hill. Across the grass came one man alone, and that man +was Gymbert, as I had half expected. It was ourselves whom he was +after. Maybe his only chance of regaining favour with the king +being through Quendritha, he was trying his best to pleasure her. +Or else she had threatened him. Either would be enough to set him +on his mettle, for none with whom I had spoken thought that the +forced retirement of the queen would last long. She would soon be +as powerful as ever, they said.</p> +<p>Now he came within half arrow shot of the gate, outside of which +the two princes stood. There he halted, and lowered his spear to +the ground.</p> +<p>"Jefan ap Huwal the prince?" he said in the best of Welsh.</p> +<p>"You know me well enough by sight," Jefan replied. "There needs +no ceremony. Tell us what you want here."</p> +<p>"I bring a message from Offa the king. It is his word that, if +you will give up the English fugitives you have with you, this +matter of the cattle will not be noticed."</p> +<p>"We have no objection to its being noticed," said Jefan. "I +don't know what else you could do about it. But you say this +message is from Offa?"</p> +<p>"Ay. You have here with you a Frankish thane, so called, being a +Wessex man in disguise, a heathen Dane his servant, and a girl, +escaped thrall of the queen. Doubtless you have apprehended them +for us, and I only need ask you to give them up."</p> +<p>"This needs no answering, Gymbert. You never were known as a +truth teller. This is your own affair, or Quendritha's, for Offa +has seen no man to give any such order to. Nor dare you go near him +on your own account, or short would be your shrift. Get hence, and +take your lies back to her who sent you. Mayhap you have told that +queen that you have slain Sighard the thane. If so, another lie or +two will make no odds."</p> +<p>Thereat Gymbert grew purple with passion. Plainly that was just +what he had told the queen. And now he began to bluster, after his +wont, stammering with rage. He had forgotten what we must have told +the princes.</p> +<p>"You hear the message? Pay heed to it, or it will be the worse +for you. Set these folk outside the walls straightway, or +else--"</p> +<p>He shook his spear at the gate.</p> +<p>"I will not give them up," said Jefan; "and if--"</p> +<p>He set his hand on his sword hilt and laughed. Naught more was +needed.</p> +<p>Then Kynan, who was fairly stamping, broke in, being nowise so +patient as his brother:</p> +<p>"Hence, knave and liar! If there were naught else, it were +enough that you have called a freeborn thane's daughter a thrall to +your evil mistress. The truce is at an end."</p> +<p>His sword flashed out, and Gymbert was ware of bent bows on the +rampart which had more than a menace for him. He turned his horse +slowly and went his way, only quickening his pace when he was out +of range. Just before that some man loosed an arrow at him, which +missed him but nearly; and at that Jefan's pent up rage found a +vent.</p> +<p>"Take that man and bind him!" he cried to those on the rampart. +"Shame on us that a truce bearer should be shot at. Bind him, and +set me up a gallows that the country round may see."</p> +<p>I saw the man throw down his bow and hold out his hands.</p> +<p>"The prince is right," he said in a dull voice.</p> +<p>Jefan walked up to him and looked at him.</p> +<p>"So you own that? Well, you shall not die.</p> +<p>"Set him in a hut till this affair is ended, and then we will +think of what shall be done to him."</p> +<p>His passion had blazed up and passed as the fierce rage of the +Cymro will. They took the man away, and he turned to us with a word +of regret on his lips, and that was cut short by a yell from the +rampart, while the gate was swung to and barred hastily. I ran to +my spear and shield, while Kynan cried to his men to get to their +places; and scattered enough they seemed as they lined the +ramparts. Already they had driven the cattle from the enclosures +westward down the hill to the woodlands.</p> +<p>As I took my spear from the place where it stood upright, I +looked toward the hut where Hilda was, and saw her standing in the +door. It was the first sight I had of her that morning, and now her +eyes were wide with wonder at the cries and bustle of armed +men.</p> +<p>"Wilfrid, what is it all?" she cried.</p> +<p>"Gymbert has gathered some men, and is trying to make Jefan give +us up," I said, knowing it was best to tell her plainly. "But you +need have no fear; this place is strong, and the man cannot have +any following worth naming."</p> +<p>"There will be fighting?"</p> +<p>"I think there will be little; but the arrows may come over the +rampart, and you must keep under cover."</p> +<p>"Shall you take part if there is any?"</p> +<p>"Why, of course," said I, laughing; "it is for you."</p> +<p>She looked at me, and I know that for a moment she had a mind to +beg me not to fight; but that she could not do, and so she only +smiled a wan smile and bade me have a care. So I bent and kissed +her hand, and she went back into the hut. Sighard was calling to +her to come and tell him what all the turmoil was.</p> +<p>Then I hurried to where Jefan stood on the works by the gate, +whence one could see all over the camp, and half round the hillside +as well. Not a shred of mist was left, and it was as glorious a +morning as one could see; only it was hotter than the wont of a +Maytime morning, and over the southward hung a heavy, white-topped +cloud bank, with a promise of thunder in its pile. Not that I noted +it now, but I had done so. From the ramparts there was more than +enough to keep my eyes on the hillside.</p> +<p>Up the steep came three bodies of men, to right and left, where +the hill was sharpest, and straight for the gate, where there was a +long, even slope ending in a platform, as it were, before it. +Gymbert himself headed this company on foot, and men whose names +the princes seemed to scorn altogether led the others. Altogether +there were not less than a hundred and fifty men; but as they drew +nearer I saw that they were not at all the sort of force with which +I should hope to take so strongly stockaded a place as this. +Outlaws, runaway thralls, and such-like masterless men they were, +ill armed and unkempt and noisy. Their only strength was in their +numbers, so far as I could see.</p> +<p>As for ourselves, the gate was the weakest place, by reason of +there being no ditch before it, and that the ground was level, or +nearly so, for twenty paces outside. I did not think it in the +least likely that our men could not hold off the two side attacks; +for the stockade was well placed and high, and the ditch +sheer-sided and deep. Take it all round, it was hard to see how +Gymbert expected to take the place, or why he would try it at +all.</p> +<p>"Quendritha is driving him," said Kynan, laughing, when I said +as much. "If that woman bids a man do a thing, he has to do it, or +woe betide him. But it will be a fight, for a time."</p> +<p>Now Gymbert halted his men beyond bow shot, and called to Jefan +once more to give us up; and so finding no answer beyond a laugh +from the men who were watching him from the rampart, drew his sword +and bade his men fall on.</p> +<p>They broke into a run for a dozen paces, and then some half of +either company halted, and while the rest went forward, those who +stood began to try to clear the way with arrow flights, shooting +over their heads so that the shafts might drop within the +stockading. And at the same time our men began to shoot, somewhat +too soon; for the Welsh bow will not carry so far as the English, +though the arrows are more deadly, being heavier.</p> +<p>Seeing that, Jefan bade his men hold their hands until he gave +the word; on which Gymbert called to his men, and they came the +faster. The arrows met them then at short range, and in a deadly +hail, and they faltered. Many fell under them, yet they still came +on; and now the men who had been shooting found that the Welsh were +too well sheltered under the stockade timbering for much harm to be +done them, and they ran and joined their comrades at some call from +their leaders. Then without stay the whole three companies threw +themselves with a great shout against the defences, leaping into +the ditch on either side, and surging up against the gate +itself.</p> +<p>In a breathing space our Welsh were ready with the long spears, +and as one by one the heads of those who climbed gate or stockade +showed themselves, hoisted up by their comrades, or climbing in +some way or other, back they were sent with a flash of the terrible +weapon, falling on those below them. And now and again the Welsh +spears darted through the spaces between the timbers of the +stockade at some man who came close to them and was spied, or at +those who tried to help their comrades to climb. The whole place +was full of yells and shouting.</p> +<p>But it was harder work at the gate, for there the foemen were +more densely packed before us, and they seemed to climb in an +unending stream. More than one fell inside the gate, and there lay +still; but none had won his way to the ground alive, nor had we yet +lost a man. The loss was all on the side of the attack.</p> +<p>Then at last the men at the gate drew back for a time; but from +the side attacks came a new danger. With spear butt and seax they +were trying to undermine the stockade, and one could hear the +creaking of the stout timbers as they tried to tear them down. It +would have gone hardly with us had there been but a few more men, +or if these had brought pick and spade with them.</p> +<p>As it was, that attempt did not last long. Into the crowd of men +who worked the heavy javelins fell, and through the timbering the +reddened spears went and came, driving at last the foe to safer +distance. And so the first attack ended, and for all that Gymbert +from the gate tried to urge them on, his men stood sullenly in the +deep ditch and under the gate, where we could not well reach them, +save by casting javelins and darts high into the air, that they +might pitch among them; but there were few throwing weapons to +spare.</p> +<p>"He would have done better to attack at one point only," said +Jefan, sitting down on the rampart above the gate. "He might have +overwhelmed us so, for he has men enough."</p> +<p>His brother laughed.</p> +<p>"There is a difference between us in this way," he said, "and it +is a great one: there is little fight in his men, and we must needs +fight our best. Listen! they are passing some word round."</p> +<p>So it was, for there fell a silence on the humming men below us, +and we could hear muttered words from one to another. Then the +attack came again from the same three places, but I thought it was +not pushed home as at first. Nor did it last so long. In a few +minutes men began to get out of the ditch and away down the +hillside while the Welsh were too busy to shoot at them. There they +scattered, and stood and watched. And then the attack on the gate +ceased, and back the foe went.</p> +<p>"After them, and scourge them home to their mistress," shouted +Kynan, leaping down to the gateway, where his men did but wait some +word which should tell them to throw it open for a sally.</p> +<p>I looked for Jefan; but he was across the camp, seeing hastily +to the weakened places in the stockade.</p> +<p>"Kynan," I cried, "have a care! This is what they want you to +do! Wait!"</p> +<p>For I could see that in the open Gymbert had the advantage of +numbers, and I suspected that he was trying to draw the fiery Welsh +from their works. There was surely some reason for this +half-hearted attack on the stockade that had been already proved +too strong.</p> +<p>He did not hear me. It is in my mind that I may have called to +him in the Frankish tongue of my last warfare. That is likely +enough, for with the clash of arms again I know I had been thinking +in the familiar tongue once more. I do not know, but again I called +him, and he seemed not to hear. The gate flew open, and with a wild +yell of victory out went the Welshmen, with the prince at their +head.</p> +<p>Jefan heard and turned back, and called to him to stay; but he +also was too late. He had but a dozen men with him, while from the +opposite side of the camp those who had driven off their foes had +joined those who poured out with Kynan. One or two of Jefan's men +shouted, and went with them, unheeding the call of their leader to +stay.</p> +<p>Then in a moment I knew what the word which had been passed +meant. The Mercians who had drawn off from the side attacks closed +up and charged down on the scattered Welsh, on whose pursuit +Gymbert and his men turned. We could do naught but stand and watch, +helpless, for we dared not leave the gate, which we could not close +against the retreat which must come.</p> +<p>Round Kynan and his men Gymbert's force swarmed, and the din of +wild battle rang as the ancient foes, Welsh and Mercian, met on the +level turf. I saw Kynan's red sword rise above the turmoil, and +heard his voice rallying his men to him; and then he had them +together in a close body, outnumbered indeed by two to one, but +better fighters and better trained than the mob against them. And +then they began to cut their way back to the gate.</p> +<p>We stood there across it, waiting, and then it was our turn. Of +a sudden out of the ditch on either hand leaped men who had waited +there unnoticed for this moment, and they fell on us. We were +eight, and but four of us could stand in the gateway at a time. +Jefan and I and Erling and a tall Welshman were the first, and +before us were some dozen Mercians, and more to come as they could +find room on the narrow causeway.</p> +<p>Now it was a question whether we might hold the gate till Kynan +won back to it, or whether when he did come he should find it held +against him; and for one terrible moment I had a fear that men +would be coming over the stockade in the rear upon us. And I could +not look round, for I had all my time taken up in keeping my own +life from the attack in front.</p> +<p>I think it was about that time that Kynan began to sing some +wonderful old Welsh war song, which rang above the clash of weapons +and the cries of those who fought. It took hold of me, and I seemed +to smite in time to its swinging cadence. Yet he came back very +slowly.</p> +<p>Jefan went down first. Into the ditch he rolled, with his grip +on the throat of a Mercian; for his sword snapped, and he flew at +the man. One from behind us took his place with a yell of rage, and +he went too far, and was gone also, speared at once. Then another, +and another to my left; for the tall Briton was down, and still +Erling and I were not hurt. I would that Kynan would get back more +quickly. He was coming, but the press before us was thick.</p> +<p>So we fought, and I fell to thinking what a wondrous sword this +was which Carl the Great had given me. It shore the spear shafts, +and the brass-studded shields seemed to split before it touched +them, and the tough leather jerkins of the forest men could not +hold its edge back. The wild song of Kynan never ceased, and he +seemed to sing of it. He was getting nearer, but the Mercians +thronged between his men and us.</p> +<p>Now there seemed to be a grim joy in the faces of the men before +me, and the Briton at my right fell. There was none left to take +his place, and there were but three of us in the gate.</p> +<p>"Kynan! Kynan!" I cried, for in a moment he would find his +retreat barred. I do not know whether any voice came from me, but I +seemed to call him.</p> +<p>Then Erling and I were alone in the gateway, and the snarling +Mercians leaped at us. The last Welshman had fallen, hurling his +broken sword at a man who smote at me, and so staying the blow.</p> +<p>"A good fight for a man's last, master," said Erling to me +through his teeth, standing steadily as a rock with his hacked +shield linked in mine, and his notched sword swinging untiringly to +the grim old viking war shout "Ahoy!" as it fell.</p> +<p>Kynan was twenty yards from us, and now I saw Gymbert among +those whom he was steadily driving back.</p> +<p>A shadow swept over me, and it grew darker. I saw all the land +below me lying in brightest sunlight, and then the great swift +cloud shadow fled across it, though round us there was not a breath +of wind. I think the men before us two shrank back a little at that +moment, so that I had time to note all that went on, as a man will +at such a time, and yet without taking his eyes from the foe before +him.</p> +<p>That was but a breathing space. With a fresh yell the Mercians +fell on us again, and I had three of them on me; and my hands were +full, though they hampered one another. The old Wessex war cry +which I had not heard for so long came back to me, and I shouted +"Out! out!" and met them. There needed but a little time and Kynan +would be on the causeway. His song rang close to us.</p> +<p>Erling reeled and steadied himself against me, and the Mercians +howled. His war shout rang once, and then he fell across my feet, +face downward, and I stood over him in a white rage, and set my +teeth and smote. It came to me that there were more men on the +causeway now, but that they would not near me. I was fending +spearheads from me, and I forgot Kynan.</p> +<p>Then of a sudden those who were on me seemed to know that his +song was in their very ears, and they looked round. His men were on +the narrow gate path, and they were between them and me; and with +that they yelled and fled into the ditch on either side the +causeway, and I was aware that for a long minute I had kept the +gate alone.</p> +<p>But I did not think of that. Out of the way of heedless, +tramping feet of those who came back into safety I must get my +fallen comrade, and I threw my sword within the gate and stooped +and dragged him after it, setting him on one side, on the steep +rampart bank, out of the way. He smiled and tried to speak, but +could not; and even so much cheered me, for I had thought him +dead.</p> +<p>Some one came swiftly and touched me as I bent over him, and I +saw the old priest.</p> +<p>"Leave him to me," he said. "See to Kynan now; there may be work +yet for the lady's sake."</p> +<p>Even as I rose at his word, loath to leave my comrade, but +knowing that I must, and while I still had my face from the gate, +there came a blinding flash of lightning from the ragged black edge +of the cloud overhead, and with it one short, awesome crash of +thunder. The storm which had crept up behind us had broken on the +hilltop.</p> +<p>After that crash came a dead silence, and then were yells of +terror such as the fight had had no power to raise from men on +either side. And among them one voice cried shrill that this was +the work of Ethelbert, the slain king.</p> +<p>Then as the foe fled back the gates swung to, and I heard the +bars clatter into their sockets, and Kynan came to me.</p> +<p>"Holy saints!" he said; "look yonder!"</p> +<p>I went a pace or two up the earthwork and looked over toward the +foe. Some twenty yards from the gate lay as it were a blackened +heap, round which reeled and staggered men with hands to blinded +faces, and from which those who were unhurt fled in wildest terror +down the hill, casting even their weapons from them. Save only +those who could not fly, not one Mercian was staying.</p> +<p>"Yonder lies Gymbert," Kynan said in a still voice. "The bolt +struck him. It is the judgment of Heaven on him for that which he +wrought in darkness."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a>. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME TO +WESSEX.</h2> +<p>For a moment I looked and then turned away, with but one thought +in my mind, and that was the knowledge that it was a good thing +that the punishment of this man had been taken from our hands. I do +not think that I took in all the terror of it at the time, for on +that field there was death in so many forms--death brought +needlessly by his contriving again, and in all injustice--and this +end of his was to me but right and fitting. Some terrible fate the +man deserved, and he had met it. Now I had my own friends to think +of.</p> +<p>"See to Jefan!" I said to Kynan, without a word of Gymbert. "He +fell at the gate, in the first onset."</p> +<p>"My fault," groaned the brother, "my fault. I should have waited +his word before sallying out. I heard you call me back, too, and +heeded not."</p> +<p>He called some men, and they opened the gate and passed out +hastily, while I knelt at the side of Erling. The old priest was +trying to stay the bleeding from a great wound in his side; but he +shook his head at me, and I knew that it was hopeless.</p> +<p>Erling knew it also.</p> +<p>"Get to the others, father," he said; "I am past your +heeding."</p> +<p>"They will fetch me if I am needed, my son," the old man +answered. "There are few of us who cannot tend a common wound. I am +but wanted at the last."</p> +<p>"Ay, for the one thing," said Erling, with a great light +springing into his weary eyes. "For me also, father.</p> +<p>"Tell him, master."</p> +<p>The old man looked at me, and I nodded. He was a British priest, +and one had been told that they and our priests hated each other +and quarrelled over deep matters; but what was that in this moment? +Neither Briton nor Englishman, priest of St. David's nor of +Canterbury would heed that here and thus. He rose and went +hurriedly, and we two were alone.</p> +<p>"We kept the gate," he said.</p> +<p>"Ay, we kept it; and all is well."</p> +<p>"Jefan is not dead," he said next; "he lay and watched it all. I +could see him."</p> +<p>Then across my shoulder he saw some one, and smiled. I turned, +and there was Hilda, white and still, standing by us, and she set +her hand on my shoulder. Then she bent toward my comrade.</p> +<p>"Ay, you two kept the gate, and all are praising you. They say +that but for you the fort had been lost."</p> +<p>The lightning came again, and after a second or two the thunder, +close still, but not so terribly so. The rain would come presently, +and I longed for it, but not yet. I dared not move Erling, and +there was the priest to come.</p> +<p>Now he came, and with him brought that which was needed; and so +we two knelt, and there came one or two Welshmen, gently, and knelt +also, unlike our Saxons, who would have stood aloof, with bared +heads indeed, but unsharing.</p> +<p>I will say naught of that little service. When it was ended +Erling closed his eyes and sighed, as one who is content; and we +waited for them to open again, but they did not. It was the first +and last sacrament of the new-made Christian.</p> +<p>The priest ended his words, and looked at me. Hilda took her +cloak and gave it to him, and he set it across my comrade, and that +was all. He was Ethelbert's first follower to the new place he had +won, and that also seemed good to me.</p> +<p>Through the gate came Kynan, followed by four men who bore on a +spear-framed stretcher their prince who had fallen.</p> +<p>"All well," he called up to me cheerfully. "Naught but a broken +leg from the fall, and no wound."</p> +<p>Then the rain came, sweeping in a sheet across the open hilltop. +Hilda took my arm.</p> +<p>"Come," she said, "take me to the hut again. My father is +well-nigh raving because he is too weak to fight. Once he rose and +staggered to the door, and there fell. He cried to you as you stood +alone with those savage men before you in the gate. Did you not +hear him?"</p> +<p>So she spoke fast, and drew me away to the hut, and there +Sighard bade me tell him all I might of the fight. It had been hard +for him to lie and hear the din going on, to know that the battle +was for Hilda and for him, and not to be able to share it. And he +grumbled that the girl would not look out on it and tell him how it +went.</p> +<p>"But I saw Wilfrid in the gate," she said, "and I feared for him +for a moment, until I saw that the foe feared him; and then I was +proud. But Erling has gone, father."</p> +<p>"A good man and steadfast," Sighard said. "I think that you and +I owe life to him and Wilfrid alike. It will be long before we +forget him, or before you find such another comrade and follower, +Wilfrid."</p> +<p>More there was said of him at that time, but not too much. I had +known him but a little while, but in that we had gone through peril +together with but one mind. It hardly seemed possible that it was +only a matter of six weeks since I took him from the Norwich +marketplace.</p> +<p>The thunder rolled round us while we talked of him, passing but +slowly, and the rain fell in sheets, washing away the more terrible +stains of war. Through it came back, unarmed and humbly, some of +the Mercians, begging truce wherein to take away their comrades, +and Kynan spoke to them. As we had reason to think, the whole +affair was the doing of Gymbert, so far as his men knew. Behind him +was the hand of Quendritha, of course, but of that they had heard +no more than that to take us would please her.</p> +<p>When the storm ended, with naught but a far-off mutter of +thunder among the hills beyond the Wye to mind us of it, I went out +to find Jefan. At that time there were folk from the Welsh +woodlands coming up to help in any way that was needed, for a fire +on the highest point of the ramparts was sending a tall smoke +curling and wavering into the air, and the meaning of that was well +known to them. One might see by the way in which they were tending +the wounded and digging two long trenches without the ramparts, +where the slain should rest presently, that such fights were no new +thing to them on the marches of Mercia.</p> +<p>Jefan the prince lay in a hut, and he smiled ruefully as I came +in. His ankle was broken, and the old priest had set it, skilfully +enough, but it would be many a long day before he could use it +again. He held out his hand to me before I could speak.</p> +<p>"Are you hurt?" he said anxiously.</p> +<p>I was not, save for a scratch or two of no account. More was +Kynan, and that was a wonder, or his luck, as he would have it. But +Jefan said, trying to laugh:</p> +<p>"I would that I might see just one bout of sword play betwixt +you two. I had held my brother as the best swordsman in all the +West, but I saw a better in the gate. There I must lie helpless, +with a Mercian across me moreover, and it was somewhat of a comfort +that there was that to watch. I had seen naught of it but for the +fall."</p> +<p>So I had not been learning all that the best men in the Frankish +armies could teach me of weapon craft for nothing, and hereafter I +learned that such praise from Jefan was worth having.</p> +<p>But as for my thanking them for this protection of us, they +would have it that the whole trouble was of their own making, since +they had stayed so near the border after a raid. Even now we must +hence, for the sheriff would gather a levy to follow them no doubt. +It needed no command from Offa for that; but he would be here anon, +in leisurely wise perhaps, but certainly.</p> +<p>"Wherefore we must go," said Kynan. "Then, as usual, he will +find no one to fight with, and naught but a few broken marrow bones +to remind him that last night we feasted on Mercian cattle up +here."</p> +<p>Now I would that Erling might have been laid to rest in Fernlea, +near to Ethelbert, but that could not be. We set him in a place +near the gate which he had kept so well, raising a little mound +over him, and Jefan said that it should be a custom with every +warrior of the Cymro who entered the camp in the days to come that +he should salute him, and that the tale of his deed should be told +at the camp fire here from age to age, so long as harp was strung +and men should sing of deeds worth minding. Maybe that was the +resting and that the honour the viking would have chosen for +himself.</p> +<p>And he was set there with all the still rites of the ancient +Church of the Briton, in the way which he had learned to love.</p> +<p>Alone, unmarked Gymbert lies, out of sight of the warriors +against whom he came. The Mercians dared not touch him, and the +Welsh would not. But Jefan bade that man who had shot at him see to +him, and that was the punishment for his deed. Men say that when a +storm breaks round Dynedor hill fort it is ill to be there, for +then he wanders round the gate unquiet and wailing; and so he also +is not forgotten, nor the evil which he wrought.</p> +<p>That evening we were in some Welsh thane's house, far in the +folds of the Black Mountains, and there not even Offa could reach +us. The people had come with litters and hill ponies, and slowly +and somewhat painfully we had gone our way from the hill, gathering +the cattle, and leaving men to bring them after us still more +slowly.</p> +<p>"Hurry no man's cattle," quoth Kynan, "except when they are by +way of becoming yours by right of haste homeward to the hills."</p> +<p>In this homestead, whose name I cannot write, we rested for a +fortnight or so, while Sighard gathered his strength again and +Jefan's ankle knit itself together. For me there was the best of +hunting in the hills and rich forests with Kynan, who was a master +of all woodcraft, and with our host. Wonderfully plentiful was game +of all sorts, whether red deer or fallow, boar, or wolf, or badger +in the forests, and here and there beaver as well as otter in the +swift trout streams. There were the white wild cattle also; and +there were tales of a bear somewhere in the hills, but we never +came on his tracks, though I knew them well from having seen them +often enough on the Basque frontier lands. That one chance of +having slain the bear there was the only matter of hunting in which +I was ahead of my hosts.</p> +<p>At the end of the fortnight we went from this village to the +ancient city of Caerleon, travelling slowly, though Jefan made +shift to mount a horse, and so ride with us. Pleasant were the June +days that passed among the hilly ways, under the great green +mountains, and through the forest lands, with good friends and +pleasant halts by the way. And I was going homeward now in all +truth.</p> +<p>Jefan had a wonderful palace in Caerleon, which his forbears had +held since the days when they took the place of the Roman governor +by whom it had been built. I think that it had been but little +altered, and on its walls were still the pictures the artists +brought from far-off Rome had painted, and its floors were laid +with the wondrous patterned pavement of the old days, so beautiful +that it almost seemed a shame to tread on them. The old Roman walls +stood round the town, and there were more houses, less but +well-nigh as good, in the place, and the great tower the Romans +made.</p> +<p>Yet, being a Saxon and a forest-bred man, I cared not at all for +the stone-walled houses. They seemed low and hot to me, and above +one was the ceiled roof, all unlike the high open timbering of our +halls, where the smoke curls, and the birds are as free to perch on +the timbers as they were in the oaks whence they were cut. The +walls round the town irked me also, for one does not like to feel +shut in from the open country. One must have fences, of course, and +maybe in border places earthworks and stockades, but surely no more +should be needed. Yet in a day or two I grew used to all this, and +I have naught but good to say of Caerleon elsewise.</p> +<p>For when we had been there a few days Jefan would speak with me, +and together we went to the walls of the city and looked southward +across the river toward the Severn sea, beyond which lay my +home.</p> +<p>"See, friend," he said, "there is your way, and there is a ship +crossing to the old port at Worle tomorrow. Now, from all you have +told me, there is a chance that through her daughter Quendritha may +yet try to harm you."</p> +<p>"I think she cannot," I said. "So far as I know, she has never +learned where my home is."</p> +<p>"Yet," he said, "go home and see how things are for you. Well I +know that your first thought is for the Lady Hilda, and that is +right. I am going to see your wedding. But you cannot take her home +without going there first to learn whether she will have any home +to go to."</p> +<p>"That is what I have been thinking," said I. "You are but first +in speaking of the matter by a day or so."</p> +<p>"Well, then, do you go at once. If all is well, then you shall +come back here, and so there will be a wedding. If not, come back, +and I will give you a place with me.</p> +<p>"Nay, but listen. I have sorely troublesome tenants, the Danes, +in our land of Gower, and you can take them in hand for me. You are +the man I need as what you would call the ealdorman there. You may +take such a place in all honour."</p> +<p>"Jefan," I said, "you are indeed a friend, and I will not say no +to you. All seems to go well when you have a hand in it."</p> +<p>"Sometimes," said he, laughing. "I only wish that everything was +as easily arranged as this. Well, go. I want you back to stay, and +yet I don't, as one may say. At all events, we will have the +wedding here."</p> +<p>Now it need not be said that on the next day I did go, landing +in the early morning under the ancient walled camp of Worle, which +the Eastern traders made when they used to come for our Mendip +metals; and there I hired a horse and rode homeward, sorely longing +for my good skew-bald steed, which stood in a Roman stable at +Caerleon.</p> +<p>Now I cannot tell all the thoughts which came into my mind as I +climbed the last hill and looked down into the wooded hollow where +lay our home. The long years seemed to roll back, and it was but as +yesterday that I had been there. And then I met a man I knew, one +of our own thralls; and he seemed to have aged all in a moment, for +I had thought, before he drew near, to see his face as it had been +on the day when I went to Winchester to see the bride of our king +brought home. He did not know me, but he doffed his cap.</p> +<p>"Wulf," said I, "how fares the thane?"</p> +<p>"Well, lord," he answered, staring at me. "He is in the hall an +you want him."</p> +<p>And then of a sudden a great smile began to grow across his +face, and he roared in his honest Wessex voice:</p> +<p>"By staff and thorn, if it is not our young master home from the +wars! Good lack, but how you have grown and widened!"</p> +<p>He clutched at my hand and shook it, and then kissed it, after a +friend's fashion first, and then as a thrall should, saying all +sorts of welcomes. And then he turned, forgetting any business +which was taking him to the hill, and must needs lead my horse with +all care down to the hall. And as he went, whenever he saw any man +of the place he shouted to him, and one by one men came running, +until I had half the village after me. That was a good old Saxon +welcome, and I could not find fault with it.</p> +<p>So we came to the hall gate, and the dogs ran out and barked; +and I thought I could tell those which had been but pups when I +left home, for they had been my charge. Then they bayed and yelled, +mistrusting what all the noise meant, though they saw none but +friends there, till two gray old hounds rose from the sunny corner +of the court and came running, and they knew me; and I called them +by name, and the rest stilled their clamour.</p> +<p>Then, with his sword caught up to him, my father came to the +great door and called for silence, and so saw me as I sat in my +outland mail and stretched my hands to him; and after him came my +mother. So I was home once more, and all was well.</p> +<p>I need say naught of the feasting which they made for me, nor of +all that I had to tell of my doings since that day when the Danes +came and took me. Little enough there was to tell me, save of the +village happenings; and that was well, for it meant that there had +in every way been peace.</p> +<p>Two days after I came home my cousin came from Weymouth, +rejoicing to see me safe and well once more, for he had ever blamed +himself for my loss.</p> +<p>Presently we spoke of Ecgbert, but there was yet no chance for +him to return. Our Wessex queen, Quendritha's daughter, was bad as +her mother, in all truth; but Bertric the king was just and wise, +save only when he was swayed by her. Moreover, to him Ecgbert had +sworn fealty when he came to the crown, and until he was gone he +would do naught.</p> +<p>And then there was the question as to whether it was safe for me +to come home.</p> +<p>There was an old thane who came to see me at this time, and he +had been to Winchester within a few days; and he settled the +matter, having heard all the court news from Mercia.</p> +<p>"Quendritha's power is over for good and all," he said. "Offa +has sworn a great oath that he will never set eyes on her again. +They say that she is shut up in some stronghold, with none but men +of the king's own round her, and that there she pines and rages in +turn, helpless for harm. You may be sure that no word of you has +come hither. Doubtless she believes you fled back to Carl the +Great. You may sleep in peace."</p> +<p>"Get married, my son, and settle down," said my mother softly. +"I may not bear to lose you again."</p> +<p>So that other matter was easily settled, as may be supposed, +though no doubt my good mother would have fain had somewhat more +say in the choice of a wife for me. But when my father and cousin +heard of the way in which we two had met, and what we had gone +through together, they said it was good that I had found no fair +weather, fireside bride, and there was a great welcome ready for +her as soon as we could bring her home.</p> +<p>Ten miles south of Selwood, on the forest's edge, lies that hall +which was my mother's, and to which I had the right as her son, and +there I was to live. I think that I have spoken of it before as +that which gave me the right to the rank of thane. Now and then we +had gone there and bided in the hall, seeing to the lands, and so +forth, but mostly it had been left to the care of the steward. So +it was waiting for me, and thither I should bring Hilda as soon as +all was ready.</p> +<p>And I need not tell of that time of preparation, which seemed +long to me; but at last we sailed across the still sea from Worle +to Caerleon--my father, and my cousin, and half a dozen others of +our friends--for word had gone and come from Jefan by the fishers +of the Parrett river, and he would welcome all whom we would bring +with us.</p> +<p>"Make it as good a wedding as you may," was his word to me.</p> +<p>I think that Offa once sent an embassy to Caerleon, and that +they were the first of our race who had ever been within its old +walls. But I know that never before had a Saxon party been welcomed +there as we were welcomed, nor had there been such a feast since +Jefan himself was wedded.</p> +<p>It seems to me that I am leaving out a many things now; but who +wants to hear of that wedding? If any one does, he must even go to +Caerleon and call the bards to him, if they will come, and ask them +to sing the songs they made thereon. Otherwise he may ask any man +of Caerleon to tell him what he saw of it himself, for indeed I +cannot say that I had thought or eyes for any but one figure in all +the splendour of that ancient court. I do mind that Jefan's fair +princess had clad Hilda in wondrous British array, which passes me +to tell of, and that Kynan and Jefan and the men of their host had +decked her with gold and pearl and mountain gems, such as lured the +Roman hither. They had a splendid sword and mail shirt and helm for +me, too, better even than that which Carl gave me, because of the +holding of the gate.</p> +<p>Now if one listens, as I have said, to the tales they tell over +there, it will be heard how I was said to have kept that gate +against all the host of Mercia, not to say Offa himself; for, like +our own gleemen, the Welsh bards do not fail to make the most of a +story. But how much thereof to believe those who have read my own +tale will know. I suppose they are obliged to make too much of a +matter, so that about the rights thereof may be believed.</p> +<p>At that wedding there were a surprise and a pleasure for me +which Jefan had prepared. He had heard of a vessel new come to +Swansea, where the Danes are, and he had sent thither to learn what +she was. And when he heard, he bade her captain to this feast to +meet me. And so it came to pass that when we landed I saw two men +in the Danish array standing behind the Welsh nobles, and I seemed +to know them. One was tall and grim and scarred, and the other +broad of shoulder and white of hair and beard. They were Thorleif +and old Thrond, come from Ireland to see their friends in this +land, and so Jefan's guests.</p> +<p>So that was a great wedding, in which I had the least part, +being overlooked, as mostly happens with a bridegroom. And after it +we passed home again to peace and happiness in the old hall in the +land of Wessex, and there none will care to follow me. It is the +troublous part of a man's life that makes the story to all but +himself. He is glad enough when it is over and there is no more +danger left of which to make a tale.</p> +<p>When I first came back to Caerleon I had some news to hear from +the Mercian border, and that was nothing more or less than that +after all Offa had stretched out his hand to grasp that realm which +Quendritha had plotted to give him; for he had gathered his levies, +and marched eastward into East Anglia. There was none to oppose +him, and he took it, and so reigned from the Wye to the sea, the +greatest king who had ever sat on an English throne.</p> +<p>And Quendritha was dead. That which her daughter had boded for +her as she left the palace had come to pass, and she had gone. She +had never set eyes on her husband again, and never heard how that +which she planned had come to pass.</p> +<p>That death seemed to take the last doubt of our peace from us; +but now Sighard would no more go back to his lands.</p> +<p>"I was Ethelbert's thane and his father's; I will not hold from +Offa. Let me come back with you now until I know what I can +do."</p> +<p>So when our wedding was over he crossed with us to Wessex, and +there for a time he bided. Then came a message from Thetford that +the widowed queen, Ethelbert's mother, would speak with him, and +without delay he went to her. Offa had left her in peace in her own +house; but now she would go to Crowland, that she might be with her +who should have been her daughter, and thither Sighard took her. +Then he went to see what had happened with his own place, and found +it untouched. Offa, when he took the realm, had at least proved +that he had no mind to enrich himself with lesser spoils.</p> +<p>So Sighard sold his right of succession, and all else that was +his own in East Anglia, and thereafter bought a place for himself +near us; and there he lives now, well loved by all and honoured. +Many and kind were the messages which he brought back from the +queen to me and to Hilda, whom she had loved, rejoicing that the +way to Sutton had at least brought happiness to us two.</p> +<p>My good skew-bald steed I could not take across the sea with me, +and I was loath to sell him. At last I persuaded Jefan, our friend, +to take him as a gift, for I cared for none save the prince himself +to ride him.</p> +<p>"He is nowise a safe steed to go cattle-raiding on," said Kynan, +"for one can mark him for miles. Nevertheless he is a princely +mount, and a good rallying point for the men after they have been +scattered in a charge."</p> +<p>So they laughed, and were well pleased, as was I. Erling's horse +I gave to that man who had been our guide when we fled, and there +was no difficulty in finding owners for the rest.</p> +<p>Now one will ask concerning Ecgbert the atheling, whose friend I +had been for so long.</p> +<p>All men know that today he is the king of all England, and the +greatest who ever sat on her throne. But for long years we waited +till the time for his return came. While Bertric lived, to whom he +had sworn fealty, he would do naught, in utmost loyalty, and with +the Mercian throne he had no mind to meddle.</p> +<p>Two years after the death of Ethelbert, Offa died. His bright +young son took the throne, and was gone also in a few months, and +then the house of Offa was at an end. An atheling of some younger +branch of the Mercian royal line took his place peaceably, and +under this king, Kenulf, Mercia was at her greatest. The doom of +Offa fell not on him.</p> +<p>Ecgbert bided with Carl the emperor, learning all he might of +statecraft and of war until his time came, and well he learned his +lesson. Then at last, through Quendritha's teaching, came the end +of the Wessex line, and thereafter the fall of Mercia from her +first place among the English kingdoms. For, after Quendritha's +way, Eadburga would poison some thane of the court who had offended +her; and Bertric drank the cup she had made ready for his servant, +and so perished. Eadburga fled to Carl the emperor, as men had then +hailed him; and he received her kindly for Offa's sake, and at +least England knew her ways no more. Then we had all ready, and +sent for Ecgbert; and from the time of his coming began that day of +greatness for Wessex which has led him to the overlordship of all +England and the end of the old divided and warring kingdoms.</p> +<p>One may see many tokens of the repentance of Offa for that deed +which was wrought unhindered by him. Greatest of all, perhaps, is +the cathedral which he built at Hereford over the remains of the +murdered king. There the saint rests in peace, and will be honoured +while time is. But where Offa himself lies no man knows. His folk +buried him in a little church which he had loved, hard by Bedford, +in the heart of his realm, on the banks of the Ouse. But in one +night of storm and rain the ancient river rose and swept away both +church and tomb and what lay therein, not leaving so much as the +foundations to tell where the place had been. And yet, not a +stone's throw from the edge of the rapid Lugg, the little church of +Marden, built where we found the body of the murdered king, stands, +and will stand, unharmed by the waters which once made soft his +resting.</p> +<p>The wonderful palace of Sutton lies shunned and ruined. After +that which had been done there, Offa would live within its walls no +longer, and it was deserted by all men. Only, as the wind and rain +wrought their will unchecked on the timbered halls, the thralls +took what they would for huts and for firing, and slowly at first, +and then apace, the palace sank to heaps of rotting rubbish, where +the fox and the badger have their lairs, and the boar from the +forest roots unscared. Presently naught hut the ancient Roman +earthworks will be left to tell that once it was a place of +strength against the Briton.</p> +<p>And with bated breath the thralls tell of a white wolf which +haunts the ruin from time to time, deeming it the witch queen +herself, who may not leave the scene of her ill doing.</p> +<p>Now, for myself, I have but to say that for the sake of old days +in the Frankish land I stand high in the honour of Ecgbert the +king. And yet it seems to me that greater honour still it is that I +should have ridden across England on that strange wedding journey +as the comrade of Ethelbert the king and saint.</p> +<p>Often I am asked to tell the story of that ride and all that +came thereafter, for men say that they cannot learn it better than +from me. And so I have set all down here that men may read. Yet, +whether I write or not, I know well that forgotten Ethelbert can +never be.</p> +<p>THE END.</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A King's Comrade, by Charles Whistler + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KING'S COMRADE *** + +***** This file should be named 13438-h.htm or 13438-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/4/3/13438/ + +Produced by Martin Robb + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A King's Comrade + A Story of Old Hereford + +Author: Charles Whistler + +Release Date: September 11, 2004 [EBook #13438] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KING'S COMRADE *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + + + A KING'S COMRADE: + +A Story of Old Hereford, + +by Charles W. Whistler + + PREFACE. + + INTRODUCTORY. + + CHAPTER I. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO ENGLAND. + + CHAPTER II. HOW WILFRID KEPT A PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND + + CHAPTER III. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT THE ATHELING. + + CHAPTER IV. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH + + CHAPTER V. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT FOLK, AND OTHERS. + + CHAPTER VI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH ETHELBERT THE KING. + + CHAPTER VII. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY BEGAN WITH PORTENTS. + + CHAPTER VIII. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO THE PALACE OF SUTTON. + + CHAPTER IX. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN WOVE HER PLOTS. + + CHAPTER X. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL LOST HIS NAME AS A GOOD + + CHAPTER XI. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING WENT TO HIS REST. + + CHAPTER XII. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN HAD HER WILL. + + CHAPTER XIII. HOW WILFRID AND ERLING BEGAN THEIR SEARCH. + + CHAPTER XIV. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH CARE THRUST ON HIM. + + CHAPTER XV. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS REWARDED. + + CHAPTER XVI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE MORE WITH OFFA. + + CHAPTER XVII. HOW WILFRID AND HIS CHARGE MET JEFAN THE + + CHAPTER XVIII. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE GUARDED HIS GUESTS. + + CHAPTER XIX. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME TO WESSEX. + + + +PREFACE. + + +Hereford Cathedral bears the name of Ethelbert of East Anglia, king +and martyr, round whose death, at the hands of the men of Offa of +Mercia, this story of his comrade centres, and dates its foundation +from Offa's remorse for the deed which at least he had not +prevented. In the sanctuary itself stands an ancient battered +statue--somewhat hard to find--of the saint, and in the pavement +hard by a modern stone bears a representation of his murder. The +date of the martyrdom is usually given as May 20, 792 A.D. + +A brief mention of the occurrence is given under that date in the +"Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," and full details are recorded by later +historians, Matthew of Westminster and Roger of Wendover being the +most precise and full. The ancient Hereford Breviary preserves +further details also, for which I am indebted to my friend the Rev. +H. Housman, B.D., of Bradley. + +These authorities I have followed as closely as possible, only slightly +varying the persons to whom the portents, so characteristic of the +times, occurred, and referring some--as is quite possible, without +detracting from their significance to men of that day--to natural +causes. Those who searched for the body of the king are unnamed by the +chroniclers, and I have, therefore, had no hesitation in putting the +task into the hands of the hero of the tale. The whole sequence of +events is unaltered. + +Offa's own part in the removal of the hapless young king is given +entirely from the accounts of the chroniclers, and the characters +of Quendritha the queen and her accomplice Gymbert are by no means +drawn here more darkly than in their pages. The story of her voyage +and finding by Offa is from Brompton's Annals. + +The first recorded landing of the Danes in Wessex, with which the +story opens, is from the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle;" the name of the +sheriff, and the account of the headstrong conduct which led to his +end, being added from Ethelwerd. The exact place of the landing is +not stated; but as it was undoubtedly near Dorchester, it may be +located at Weymouth with sufficient probability. For the reasons +which led to the exile of Ecgbert, and to his long stay at the +court of Carl the Great, the authority is William of Malmesbury. +The close correspondence between the Mercian and Frankish courts +is, of course, historic--Offa seeming most anxious to ally himself +with the great Continental monarch, if only in name. The position +of the hero as an honoured and independent guest at the hall of +Offa would certainly be that assigned to an emissary from Carl. + +With regard to the proper names involved, I have preferred to use +modern forms rather than the cumbrous if more correct spelling of +the period. The name of the terrible queen, for example, appears on +her coins as "Cynethryth," and varies in the pages of the +chroniclers from "Quendred" to the form chosen as most simple for +use today. And it has not seemed worth while to substitute the +ancient names of places for those in present use which sufficiently +retain their earlier form or meaning. + +The whole story of King Ethelbert's wooing and its disastrous +ending is a perfect romance in all truth, without much need for +enhancement by fiction, and perhaps has its forgotten influence on +many a modern romance, by the postponement of a wedding day until +the month of May--so disastrous for him and his bride--has passed. + +C. W. WHISTLER. + +STOCKLAND, 1904. + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +A shore of dull green and yellow sand dunes, beyond whose low tops +a few sea-worn pines and birch trees show their heads, and at whose +feet the gray sea hardly breaks in the heavy stillness that comes +with the near thunder of high summer. The tide is full and nearing +the turn, and the shore birds have gone elsewhere till their food +is bared again at its falling. Only a few dotterels, whose eggs lie +somewhere near, run and flit, piping, to and fro, for a boat and +two men are resting at the very edge of the wave as if the ebb +would see them afloat again. + +Armed men they are, too, and the boat is new and handsome, graceful +with the beautiful lines of a northern shipwright's designing. She +has mast and sail and one steering oar, but neither rowlocks nor +other oars to fit in them. One of the men is pacing quietly up and +down the sand, as if on the quarterdeck of a ship, and the other +rests against the boat's gunwale. + +"Nigh time," says one, glancing at the fringe of weed which the +tide is beginning to leave. + +"Ay, nigh, and I would it were past and over. It is a hard doom." + +"No harder than is deserved. The doom ring and the great stone had +been the end in days which I can remember. That was the old Danish +way." + +The other man nods. + +"But the jarl is merciful, as ever." + +"When one finds a coiled adder, one slays it. One does not say, +'Bide alive, because I saw you too soon to be harmed by you.' Mercy +to the beast that might be, but not to the child who shall some day +set his hand on it." + +"Eh, well! The wind is off shore, and it is a far cry to succour, +and Ran waits the drowning." + +"I know not that Ran cares for women." + +"Maybe a witch like herself. They are coming!" + +Now through a winding gap in the line of dunes comes from inland a +little company of men and women, swiftly and in silence. The two +men range themselves on either bow of the boat, and stand at +attention as the newcomers near them, and so wait. Maybe there are +two-score people, led by a man and woman, who walk side by side +without word or look passing between them. The man is tall and +handsome, armed in the close-knit ring-mail shirt of the Dane, with +gemmed sword hilt and golden mountings to scabbard and dirk, and +his steel helm and iron-gray hair seem the same colour in the +shadowless light of the dull sky overhead. One would set his age at +about sixty years. + +But the woman at his side is young and wonderfully lovely. She is +dressed in white and gold, and her hair is golden as the coiled +necklace and armlets she wears, and hangs in two long plaits far +below her knees, though it is looped in the golden girdle round her +waist. Fastened to the girdle hangs the sheath of a little dagger, +but there is no blade in it. She is plainly of high rank, and +unwedded. Now her fair face is set and hard, and it would almost +seem that despair was written on it. + +After those two the other folk seem hardly worth a glance, though +they are richly dressed, and the men are as well armed as the jarl +their leader. Nor do they seem to have eyes for any but those two +at their head, and no word passes among them. Their faces also are +set and hard, as if they had somewhat heavy to see to, and would +fain carry it through to the end unflinching. + +So they come to the edge of the sea, where the boat waits them, and +there halt; and the tall jarl faces the girl at his side, and +speaks to her in a dull voice, while the people slowly make a half +circle round them, listening. + +"Now we have come to the end," he says, "and from henceforth this +land shall know you and the ways of you no more. There were other +dooms which men had thought more fitting for you, but they were +dooms of death. You shall not die at our hands. You are young, and +you have time to bethink you whither the ways you have trodden +shall lead you. If the sea spares you, begin life afresh. If it +spares you not, maybe it is well. No others shall be beguiled by +that fair face of yours. The Norns heed not the faces of men." + +He pauses; but the girl stands silent, hand locked in hand, and +with no change of face. Nor does she look at her accuser, but gazes +steadily out to the still sea, which seems endless, for there is no +line between sea and sky in the hot haze. For all its exceeding +beauty, hers is an evil face to look on at this time. And the women +who gaze on her have no pity in their eyes, nor have the men. + +Once again the great jarl speaks, and his words are cold and +measured. + +"Also, I and our wisest hold that what you have tried to compass +was out of the longing for power that ever lies in the heart of +youth. We had done no more than laugh thereat had you been content +to try to win your will with the ancient wiles of woman that lie in +beauty and weakness. But for the evil ways in which you have +wrought the land is accursed, and will be so as long as we suffer +you. Go hence, and meet elsewhere what fate befalls you. In the +skill you have in the seaman's craft is your one hope. We leave it +you." + +Then, without a word of answer or so much as a look aside, the girl +of her own accord steps into the boat; and at a sign from their +lord the two men launch her from the shelving sand into the sea, +following her, knee deep, among the little breakers that hardly +hinder their steps. They see that in her look is deepest hate and +wrath, but they pay no heed to it. And even as their hands leave +the gunwale, the girl goes to the mast, and with the skill and ease +of long custom hoists the sail, and so making fast the halliard +deftly, comes aft again to ship the steering oar, and seat herself +as the breeze wakes the ripples at the bow and the land slips away +from her. She has gone, and never looks back. + +Then a sort of sigh whispers among the women folk on shore; but it +is not as a sigh of grief, but rather as if a danger had passed +from the land. They know that the boat must needs drive but as the +wind takes her, for oars wherewith to row against it are none, and +the long summer spell of seaward breezes has set in. The jarl folds +his arms and bides still in his place, and the two men still stand +in the water, watching. And so the boat and its fair burden of +untold ill fades into the mist and grows ghostly, and is lost to +sight; and across the dunes the clouds gather, and the thunder +mutters from inland with the promise of long-looked-for rain to a +parched and starving folk. + +* * * * + +Through the long summer morning Offa, the young King of Mercia, has +hunted across the rich Lindsey marshes which lie south of the +Humber; and now in the heat of the noon he will leave his party +awhile and ride with one thane only to the great Roman bank which +holds back the tides, and seek a cool breath from the salt sea, +whose waves he can hear. So he sets spurs to his great white steed, +and with the follower after him, rides to where the high sand dunes +are piled against the bank, and reins up on their grassy summit, +and looks eastward across the most desolate sands in all England, +gull-haunted only. + +"Here is a marvel," he cries, turning to his thane. "Many a time +have I hunted along this shore, but never before have I seen the +like of this here." + +He laughs, and points below him toward the sand, and his thane +rides nearer. The tide has crept almost to the foot of the ancient +sea wall, and gently rocking on it lies a wondrously beautiful boat +with red and white sail set, but with no man, or aught living +beyond the white terns which hover and swoop about it, to be seen. + +"'Tis a foreign boat," says the thane. "Our folk cannot frame such +an one as this. Doubtless she has broken her line from astern of +some ship last night, and so has been wafted hither." + +"Men do not tow a boat with her sail set," laughs the king. "Let us +go and see her." + +So they ride shoreward across the dunes, and ever the breeze edges +the boat nearer and nearer, till at last she is at rest on the edge +of the tide, lifting now and then as some little wave runs beneath +her sharp stern. For once the North Sea is still, and even the +brown water of the Humber tides is blue across the yellow sands. + +The horses come swiftly and noiselessly across the strand, but the +white steed of the king is restless as he nears the boat, sniffing +the air and tossing his head. The king speaks to him, thinking that +it is the swinging sail which he pretends to fear. And then the +horse starts and almost rears, for at the sound of the clear voice +there rises somewhat from the hollow of the little craft, and the +king himself stays in amaze. + +For he sees before him the most wondrously beautiful maiden his +eyes have rested on, golden-haired and blue-eyed, wan and weary +with the long voyage from the far-off shore, and holding out to him +piteous hands, blistered with the rough sheet and steering oar. She +says naught, but naught is needed. + +"Lady," he says, doffing his gold-circled cap, "have no fear. All +is well, and you are safe. Whence come you?" + +But he has no answer, for the maiden sinks back into the boat +swooning. Then in all haste the king sends his thane for help to +the party they have left; and so he sits on the boat's gunwale and +watches the worn face pityingly. + +Now come his men, and at his word they tend the maiden with all +care, so that very soon she revives again, and can tell her tale. +Beyond the hunger and thirst there has indeed been little hardship +to a daughter of the sea in the summer weather, for the breeze has +been kindly and steady, and the boat stanch and swift. There has +been rain too, gentle, and enough to stave off the utmost thirst. + +All this she tells the king truly; and then he must know how she +came to lose her own shore. And at that she weeps, but is ready. In +the long hours she has conned every tale that may be made, and it +is on her lips. + +She is the orphan daughter of a Danish jarl, she says, and her +father has been slain. She has been set adrift by the chief who has +taken her lands, for her folk had but power to ask that grace for +her. He would have slain her, but that they watched him. Doubtless +he had poisoned their minds against her, or they would not have +suffered thus far of ill to her even. Otherwise she cannot believe +so ill of them. It is all terrible to her. + +And so, with many tears, she accounts for her want of oars, and +provides against the day when some chapman from beyond seas shall +know her and tell the tale of her shame. At the end she weeps, and +begs for kindness to an outcast pitifully. + +There is no reason why men should not believe the tale, and told +with those wondrous tear-dimmed eyes on them, they doubt not a word +of it. It is no new thing that a usurper should make away with the +heiress, and doubtless they think her beauty saved her from a worse +fate. + +So in all honour the maiden is taken to Lincoln, and presently +given into the care of one of the great ladies of the court. + +But as they ride homeward with the weary maiden in the midst of the +company, Offa the king is silent beyond his wont, so that the thane +who rode yonder with him asks if aught is amiss. + +"Naught," answers Offa. "But if it is true that men say that none +but a heaven-sent bride will content me, maybe this is the one of +whom they spoke." + +Now, if it was longing for power and place which had tempted this +maiden to ill in the old home, here she sees her way to more than +her wildest dream plain before her; and she bends her mind to +please, and therein prospers. For when wit and beauty go hand in +hand that is no hard matter. So in no long time it comes to pass +that she has gained all she would, and is queen of all the Mercian +land, from the Wash to the Thames, and from Thames to Trent, and +from Severn to the Lindsey shore; for Offa has wedded her, and all +who see her rejoice in his choice, holding her as a heaven-sent +queen indeed, so sweetly and lowly and kindly she bears herself. +Nor for many a long year can she think of aught which would bring +her more power, so that even she deems that the lust of it is dead +within her. Only for many a year she somewhat fears the coming of +every stranger from beyond the sea lest she may be known, until it +is certain that none would believe a tale against their queen. + +Yet when that time comes there are old counsellors of the Witan who +will say among themselves that they deem Quendritha the queen the +leader and planner of all that may go to the making great the +kingdom of the Mercians; and there are one or two who think within +themselves that, were she thwarted in aught she had set her mind +on, she might have few scruples as to how she gained her ends. But +no man dare put that thought into words. + + + +CHAPTER I. HOW THE FIRST DANES CAME TO ENGLAND. + + +Two fair daughters had Offa, the mighty King of Mercia, and +Quendritha his queen. The elder of those two, Eadburga, was wedded +to our Wessex king, Bertric, in the year when my story begins, and +all men in our land south of the Thames thought that the wedding +was a matter of full rejoicing. There had been but one enemy for +Wessex to fear, besides, of course, the wild Cornish, who were of +no account, and that enemy was Mercia. Now the two kingdoms were +knit together by the marriage, and there would be lasting peace. + +Wherefore we all rejoiced, and the fires flamed from the hilltops, +and in the towns men feasted and drank to the alliance, and dreamed +of days of unbroken ease to come, wherein the weapons, save always +for the ways of the border Welsh, should rust on the wall, and the +trodden grass of the old camps of the downs on our north should +grow green in loneliness. And that was a good dream, for our land +had been torn with war for overlong--Saxon against Angle, +Kentishman against Sussexman, Northumbrian against Mercian, and so +on in a terrible round of hate and jealousy and pride, till we +tired thereof, and the rest was needed most sorely. + +And in that same year the shadow of a new trouble fell on England, +and none heeded it, though we know it over well now--the shadow of +the coming of the Danes. My own story must needs begin with that, +for I saw its falling, and presently understood its blackness. + +I had been to Winchester with my father, Ethelward the thane of +Frome Selwood, to see the bringing home of the bride by our king, +and there met a far cousin of ours, with whom it was good to enjoy +all the gay doings of the court for the week while we were there. +He belonged to Dorchester, and taking as much fancy to my company +as a man double his age can have pleasure in the ways of a lad of +eighteen, he asked me to ride home with him, and so stay in his +house for a time, seeing the new country, and hunting with him for +a while before I went home. And my father being very willing that I +should do so, I went accordingly, and merry days on down and in +forest I had with Elfric the thane, this new-found cousin of ours. + +So it came to pass that one day we found ourselves on the steep of +a down whence we could overlook the sea and the deep bay of +Weymouth, with the great rock of Portland across it; and the width +and beauty of that outlook were wonderful to me, whose home was +inland, in the fair sunshine of late August. We had come suddenly +on it as we rode, and I reined up my horse to look with a sort of +cry of pleasure, so fair the blue water and dappled sky and +towering headland, grass and woodland and winding river, leaped on +my eyes. And in the midst of the still bay three beautiful ships +were heading for the land, the long oars rising and falling +swiftly, while the red and white striped sails hung idly in the +calm. One could see the double of each ship in the water, broken +wonderfully by the ripple of the oars, and after each stretched a +white wake like a path seaward. + +My cousin stayed his horse also with a grip of the reins that +brought him up short, and he also made an exclamation, but by no +means for the same reason as myself. + +"Ho!" he said, "what are these ships?" + +Then he set his hand to his forehead and looked long at them from +under it, while I watched them also, unknowing that there was +anything unusual in the sight for one who lived so near the sea and +the little haven of Weymouth below us. + +"Well, what do you think of them?" I asked presently. + +"On my word, I do not know," he answered thoughtfully. "They are no +Frisian traders, and I have never seen their like before. Moreover, +it seems to me that they are full of armed men. See how the sun +sparkles on their decks here and there!" + +But we were too far off to make out more than that, and as we +watched it was plain that the ships would make for the river mouth +and haven. + +"We will ride down and see more of them," said my cousin. "I only +hope--" + +There he stayed his words; but I saw that his face had grown grave +of a sudden, and knew that some heavy thought had crossed his mind. + +"What?" I asked. + +"It must be impossible," he said slowly--"and this is between you +and me--for it seems foolish. But have you heard of the northern +strangers who have harried the Welsh beyond the Severn sea?" + +I had heard of them, of course, for they traded with the Devon men +at times, having settled in towns of their own in Wales beyond the +Severn. It was said that they were heathen, worshipping the same +gods whom our forefathers had worshipped, and were akin to +ourselves, with a tongue not unlike our own at all, and easy to be +understood by us. Also they had fought the Welsh, as we had to +fight them; but one heard of them only as strangers who had naught +to do with us Saxons. + +"Well, then," my cousin said, "suppose these are more of the +northern folk." + +"If they are, they will have come to trade," I said lightly. "But +they will more likely be men from the land across this sea--men +from the land of the Franks, such as we saw at Winchester the other +day." + +"Maybe, maybe," he said. "We shall see presently." + +So we rode on. I dare say we had four miles to go before we came to +the outskirts of Weymouth village, and by that time the ships were +in the haven. By that time also the Weymouth folk were leaving the +place, and that hastily; and before we were within half a mile of +the nearest houses we met two men on horseback, who rode fast on +the road toward Dorchester. + +"What is amiss?" cried my cousin as they neared us. + +The men knew him well, and stayed. + +"Three strange ships in the haven, and their crews ashore armed, +and taking all they can lay their hands on. We are going to the +sheriff; where is he?" + +"Home at Dorchester. Whence are the ships? Have they hurt any one?" + +"We cannot tell whence they are. They speak a strange sort of +English, as it were, like the Northumbrian priest we have. +Red-headed, big men they are, and good-tempered so far, seeing that +none dare gainsay them. But they are most outrageously thievish." + +"What have they taken, then?" + +"Ask the bakers and butchers. Now they are gathering up all the +horses, and they say they are going to drive the cattle." + +"Sheriff's business that, in all truth. Get to him as soon as you +may. I will go and see if I can reason with them meanwhile." + +"Have a care, thane!" they cried, and spurred their horses again. + +Then my cousin turned to me, and his face was grave. + +"Wilfrid," he said, "you had better go with those messengers. I am +going to see if aught can be done; but it sounds bad. I don't like +an armed landing of this sort." + +"No, cousin," I answered. "Let me go with you. It would be hard if +you must send me back, for I would fain see the ships. That talk of +driving the cattle can be naught but a jest." + +"Likely enough," he answered, laughing. "It is no new thing for a +crew to come ashore and clear out the booths of the tradesmen +without troubling to pay offhand. Presently their captains will +come and pay what is asked, grumbling, and there will be no loss to +our folk. As for this talk of taking the horses--well, a sailor +always wants a ride when he first comes ashore, if it is only on an +ass. Then if there is not enough meat ready to hand in the town, no +doubt they would say they would find it for themselves. Well, come +on, and we will see." + +So we rode on, but the laugh faded from the face of my kinsman as +we did so. + +"They have no business to come ashore armed," he said, half to +himself, "and Weymouth folk ought to be used to the ways of seamen +by this time. I don't like it, Wilfrid." + +Nevertheless, we did not stop, and presently came among the first +houses of the village, where there was a little crowd of the folk, +half terrified, and yet not altogether minded to fly. They said +that the strangers were sacking the houses along the water's edge, +but not harming any one. However, they were taking all the ale and +cider casks they could find on board their ships, and never a word +of payment. + +"Do not go near them," said my cousin. "Doubtless some one will pay +presently, and I will go and speak with their head men. Maybe they +can't find any one who can rightly understand their talk." + +"Oh ay," said an old man, "it passes me to know how a thane like +your worship can understand all sorts of talk they use in England. +It is all the likes of us can compass to understand even a Mercian; +but I warrant you would ken what a Northumbrian means easily." + +He shook his head with much wisdom, and we left him grumbling at +the speech of the priest we had already heard of. + +We passed down the straggling shoreward street, and as we neared +the waterside we heard the shouts and laughter of the strangers +plainly enough. And over the houses were the mastheads of their +three ships. One of them had a forked red flag, whereon was a raven +worked in black, so well that it was easy to see what bird it was +meant for. It was the raven of the Danish sea kings, but that meant +naught to us yet. The terror which went before and the weeping that +bided after that flag were yet to come. + +The next thing was that from the haven rode swiftly half a dozen +mounted men toward us, and the first glance told us that here were +warriors whose very war gear was new to us. Three of them had +close-fitting coats of ring mail, and wore burnished round helms of +bronze or steel; while the others, who were also helmed, had +jerkins of buff leather, gilded and cut in patterns on the edges of +the short sleeves and skirts. Their arms were bare, save that one +had heavy golden bracelets above the elbow; and they all wore white +trousers, girt to the leg loosely with coloured cross-gartering, +which reached higher than ours. I had never seen such mail as +theirs, and straightway I began to wonder if I might not buy a suit +from them. + +But most different from any arming of ours was that each had a +heavy axe either in his hand or slung to his saddle, and that their +swords were longer, with very handsome hilts. Only two had spears, +and these were somewhat shorter than ours and maybe heavier. They +were better armed warriors than ever I had seen before, even at +Winchester. + +Some word passed among these men as they saw us; but they came on, +making no sign of enmity of any sort. Perhaps that was because, +being in hunting gear and with naught more than the short sword and +seax one always wears, we had no weapons, and were plainly on +peaceful business. + +And as in spite of their arms they seemed peaceful enough also, my +cousin and I waited for them, so that they pulled up to speak to +us, that man who wore the bracelets being at their head. + +"Friends," said my cousin quietly, as they stared at him, "there is +no war in the land, and we are wont to welcome strangers. No need +for all this weapon wearing." + +"Faith, I am glad to hear it," said the leader, with a grim smile. +"We thought there might be need. There mostly is when we come +ashore." + +One could understand him well enough, if his speech was rougher +than ours. The words were the same, if put together somewhat +differently and with a new way of speaking them. It was only a +matter of thinking twice, as it were, and one knew what he meant. +Also he seemed to understand us better than we him, doubtless by +reason of years of travelling and practice in different tongues of +the northern lands. + +"The arms somewhat terrify our folk," said my cousin, not heeding +the meaning which might lie in the words of the chief. "But I +suppose you have put in for food and water." + +"For ale and beef--that is more like it," said the Dane. "Having +found which we are going away again. The sooner we find it the +better, therefore, and maybe you will be glad to help us to what we +seek." + +"Our folk tell me that you are helping yourselves somewhat freely +already," answered the thane. "One may suppose that, like honest +seamen, you mean to face the reckoning presently." + +"Oh ay, we always pay, if we are asked," answered the chief; and as +he said it he hitched his sword hilt forward into reach in a way +which there was no mistaking. + +"It is a new thing to us that seamen should hint that they will pay +for what they need with the cold steel. We are not such churls as +to withhold what a man would seek in his need." + +"No man ever withholds aught from us, if so be we have set our +minds on it," said the chief, with a great laugh. + +Then he turned to his men, who were all round us by this time, +listening. + +"Here, take these two down to the ships, and see that they escape +not; they will be good hostages." + +In a moment, before we had time so much as to spur our horses, much +less to draw sword, we were seized and pinioned by the men in spite +of the rearing of the frightened steeds. Plainly it was not the +first time they had handled men in that wise. Then, with a warrior +on either side of us, we were hurried seaward; and I thought it +best to hold my tongue, for there was not the least use in +protesting. So also thought my cousin, for he never said a word. + +Along the rough wharves there was bustle and noise enough, for the +place swarmed with the mailed seamen, who had littered the roadway +with goods of all sorts from the houses and merchants' stores, and +were getting what they chose to take across the gang planks into +their ships. Here and there I saw some of our people standing +helpless in doorways, or looking from the loft windows and +stairways; but it was plain that the most of them had fled. There +were several boatloads of them crossing the bay with all speed for +safety. + +Next I saw that at the high stems and sterns of the ships stood +posted men, who seemed to be on watch, leaning on their spears, and +taking no part in the bustle. But every man worked with his arms +ready, and more men who had found horses rode out along the roads +as we came in. They were the pickets who would watch for the +raising of the country, or who would drive in the cattle from the +fields. + +Twice I had seen border warfare with the west Welsh on the Devon +side of our country, and so I knew what these horsemen were about, +or rather guessed it. But at the time all the affair was a confused +medley to me, if I seem to see it plainly now as I look back. Maybe +I saw more from the ships presently, for we were hurried on board, +handed over to the ship guard and there left, while our captors +rode away again. + +I only hoped that when the first messengers reached Beaduheard the +sheriff he would bring force enough with him. But I doubted it. + +The guard took our weapons from us, bound us afresh but not very +tightly, and set us with our backs against the gunwale of the fore +deck of the ship they had us on board, which was that with the +raven flag. Over us towered a wonderful carven dragon's head, +painted green and gilded, and at the stern of the ship rose what +was meant for its carven tail. The other ships had somewhat the +same adornment to their stems and stern posts, but they were not so +high or so handsome. Plainly this was the chief's own ship. + +Now I suppose that the presence of a captive or two was no new +thing to the men, for when they had secured us each to a ring bolt +with a short line, they paid little heed to us, but stood and +talked to one another with hardly a glance in our direction. Seeing +which my cousin spoke to me in a low voice. + +"This is a bad business, Wilfrid," he said. "Poor lad, I am more +than sorry I let you come with me. Forgive me. I ought to have +known that there was danger." + +"Trouble not at all," I said, as stoutly as I could, which is not +saying much. "I wanted to come, and there was no reason to think +that things would go thus. Even now I suppose we shall be let go +presently." + +Elfric shook his head. I could see that he was far more deeply +troubled than he cared to show, and my heart sank. + +"I cannot rightly make it all out," he said. "But these men are +certainly the northern strangers who have harried Wales, even as we +feared." + +"Well," I said, "we shall have the sheriff here shortly." + +"Beaduheard? I suppose so. Little help will be from him. It would +take three days to raise force enough to drive off these men, and +he is headstrong and hot tempered. His only chance is to scare them +away with a show of force, or, at best, to prevent their going +inland after plunder; for that is what they are here for." + +"Maybe they will hold us to ransom." + +"That is the best we can hope for. Of course I will pay yours." + +The bustle went on, and I watched the stowing of the plunder after +this, for I had no more to say. I thought of my father, and of the +trouble he would be in if he knew my plight, and tried to think +what a tale I should have to tell him when I reached home again. + +And then came an old warrior, well armed and handsome, with +iron-gray hair and beard, and he stepped on the deck and looked +curiously at us. + +"Captives, eh?" he said to the men. "Whence came they?" + +"Thorleif sent them in," answered one of the guard. "It was his +word that they would be good hostages." + +As I knew that this man spoke of his chief, it seemed to me that he +was hardly respectful; but I did not know the way of free Danes and +vikings as yet. There was no disrespect at all, in truth, but full +loyalty and discipline in every way. Only it sounded strangely to a +Saxon to hear no term of rank or respect added to the bare name of +a leader. + +Then the old warrior turned toward us, and looked us over again, +and I thought he seemed kindly, and, from his way, another chief of +some rank. + +"I suppose this is your son?" he said to Elfric directly. + +"My young cousin," answered the thane. "Let him go, I pray you; for +he is far from his own folk, and he was in my charge. You may bid +him ride home without a word to any man if you will, and he will +keep the trust." + +The warrior shook his head, but smiled. + +"No, I cannot do that. However, I suppose Thorleif will let you go +by and by. If our having you here saves trouble, you may be +thankful. We are not here to fight if we can help it." + +"Why, then," said Elfric, "unbind us, and we will bide here +quietly. You may take the word of a thane." + +"I have always heard that the word of a Saxon is to be relied on," +said the old warrior, and gave an order to the guard. + +Whereon they freed us, and glad I was to stretch my limbs again, +while my spirits rose somewhat. + +The old chief talked with us for a while after that, and made no +secret of whence the ships had come. It seemed that they were +indeed from Wales, had touched on the south coast of Ireland, and +thence had rounded the Land's End, and, growing short of food, had +put in here. Also, he told us that they had been "collecting +property," and were on the way home to Denmark. He thought they +were the first ships of the Danes to cruise in these waters, and +was proud of it. + +"It is a wondrously fair land of yours here," he said, looking +inland on the rolling downs and forest-hidden valleys. + +"Fairer than your own?" I asked. + +"Surely; else why should we care to leave our homes?" + +"Ho, Thrond!" shouted some man from the wharves, "here are cattle +coming in." + +The old warrior turned and left us, going ashore. Round the turning +of the street inland, whence we came, some of the mounted men were +driving our red cattle from the nearer meadows, and doing it well +as any drover who ever waited for hire at a fair. I saw that they +had great heavy-headed dogs, tall and smooth haired, which worked +well enough, though not so well as our rough gray shepherd dogs. +The ship we were in lay alongside the wooden wharf; and one could +watch all that went on, for the fore deck was high above the busy +crowd ashore. + +I wondered for a few minutes what the Danes would do with the +cattle; but they had no doubt at all. Before old Thrond had reached +them the work of slaughter had begun, and wonderfully fast the men +were carrying the meat on board the ships, heaping it in piles +forward, and throwing the hides over the heaps. I heard one of the +guards say to another that this was a good "strand hewing," that +being their name for this hasty victualling of the ships. + +More cattle came in presently, and sheep also, to be served in the +same way. There were a hundred and fifty men or so on each ship, +and I think that this was the first landing they had made since +they left Ireland, so that they were in need of plenty of stores. + +Then all in the midst of the bustle came the wild note of a war +horn from somewhere inland beyond the town, and in a moment every +man stood still where he happened to be, and listened. Twice again +the note sounded, and a horseman came clattering down to the shore. +He was Thorleif, the chief with whom we had spoken, and he reined +up the horse and lifted his hand, with a short, sharp order of some +kind. + +At that every man dropped what he was carrying, and the men who +were stowing the plunder on board the ships left their work and +hurried ashore, gripping their weapons from where they had set them +against the gunwales. There was a moment's wild hurrying on the +wharves, and then the warriors were drawn up in three lines along +the wharf, across the berths where they had laid the ships, and +facing the landward road. Only the ship guard never stirred. + +"If only we could get our men to form up like these!" said Elfric. +"See, every man knows his place, and keeps it. They are silent +also. Mind you the way of our levies?" + +I did well enough. Never had I seen aught like this. For our folk, +called up from plough and forest hastily--and now and then +only--have never been taught the long lesson of order and readiness +that these men had learned of necessity in the yearly battle with +wind and wave in their ships. Nor had they ever to face a foe any +better ordered than themselves. + +"Is the sheriff at hand?" I said breathlessly. + +"Maybe. I hope not closely." + +Down the street galloped a few more Danes, looking behind them as +they rode. They spoke to Thorleif, and he laughed, and then turned +their horses loose and leaped to their places in the ranks. +Thorleif dismounted also, and paced to and fro, as a waiting seaman +will, with his arms behind him. + +And then came a rush of horsemen, and my cousin gripped my arm, and +cried out in a choked voice: + +"Mercy!" he gasped, "is the man mad?" + +The new horsemen were men of our own from Dorchester. I saw one or +two of Elfric's housecarls among them, and the rest were the +sheriff's own men, with a few franklins who had joined him on the +road. + +At the head of the group rode Beaduheard himself, red and hot with +his ride, and plainly in a rage. His rough brown beard bristled +fiercely, and his hand griped the bridle so that the knuckles were +white. He had armed himself, and his men were armed also, but their +gear showed poorly beside the Danish harness. He had hardly more +than twenty men after him, and I thought he had outridden his +followers who were on foot. + +"O fool!" groaned Elfric. "What is the use of this?" + +But we could do nothing, and watched in anxiety to see what +Beaduheard had in his mind. It was impossible that he could have +ridden in here with no warning of the real danger, as we had ridden +two hours ago, before things had gone so far. Every townsman had +fled long since, and would be making for Dorchester. He must have +met them. + +Now he halted in front of that terrible silent line, while his men +seemed to shrink somewhat as they, too, pulled up. Then he faced +Thorleif as boldly as if he had the army of Wessex behind him, and +spoke his mind. + +"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted in his great voice. "We +can have no breaking of the king's peace here, let me tell you. Set +down those arms, and do your errand here as peaceful merchants, +whereto will be no hindrance. But concerning the lifting of cattle +which has gone on, I must have your leaders brought to Dorchester, +there to answer for the same." + +There was a moment's silence, and then the Danes broke into a great +roar of laughter. Even Thorleif's grim face had a smile on it, and +he set his hand to his mouth, and stroked his long moustache as if +hiding it, while he looked wonderingly at the angry man before him. +But beside me Elfric stamped his foot with impatience, and muttered +curses on the foolhardiness of the sheriff, which, indeed, I +suppose no one understands to this day. + +Some say that he took them for merchants, run wild indeed, but to +be brought to soberness by authority. Others think that finding +himself, as it were, in a wolf's mouth, he was minded to carry it +off with a high hand, seeing no other way out of the danger. But +most think that he had such belief in his own power that he did +indeed look to see these men bow to it, and lay down their arms +then and there. But none will ever know, by reason of what was to +come. + +"Throw down your arms!" he commanded again, when the laughter +ceased. + +His voice shook with rage. + +"Stay!" said Thorleif. "What is your authority?" + +The question was put very courteously, if coldly, and it was common +sense. + +"I am the sheriff of Dorchester. Whence are you that you should +defy the king's officer?" + +"Pardon," said Thorleif. "It is only at this moment that we have +learned that we have so great a man before us. As for your +question, we are hungry Danes who are looking for victuals. It is +our custom to go armed in a strange land, that we may protect our +ships at the least." + +"Trouble not for your ships, for none will harm them," Beaduheard +said, seeming to be somewhat pacified by the quiet way of the +chief. "Set down your arms, and render up yourself and the other +ship captains, and the theft of the cattle and damage here shall be +compounded for at Dorchester." + +Then Thorleif turned to his men and said: + +"You hear what the sheriff says; what is the answer?" + +That came in a crash and rattle of weapons on round shields that +rang over the bay, and sent the staring cattle headlong from where +they had been left at the wharf end, tail in air, down the beach. +There was no doubting what that meant, and Beaduheard, brave man as +he was, if foolish, recoiled. His men were already edging out of +the wide space toward the homeward track, and he glanced at them +and saw it. + +At that he seemed to form some sudden resolve; and calling to them, +he rode straight at Thorleif and griped him by the collar of his +mail shirt, crying that he arrested him in the name of Bertric the +king. Thorleif never struggled, but twisted himself round strongly, +and hauled the sheriff off his horse in a moment, and the two +rolled over and over on the ground, wrestling fiercely. Three or +four of Beaduheard's men rode up to their master's help in haste, +caring naught that a dozen of the Danes had sprung forward. There +was a wild shouting and stamping, and the horses went down as the +axes of the Danes flashed. Two more of the sheriff's men joined in, +and I saw the Danes hew off the points of their levelled spears. +Then into the huddled party of our men who were watching the +fight--still doubting whether they should join in or fly--rode a +dozen Danes from out of the country, axe and sword in hand, driving +them back on the main line of the vikings, and then the fight +seemed to end as suddenly as it began. Two or three horses went +riderless homeward, and that was how Dorchester learned that +Beaduheard the sheriff had met his end. + +The Danes fell back into their places, one or two with wounds on +them; and Thorleif rose up from the ground, shaking his armour into +place, and looking round him on those who lay there. They were all +Saxons. Not one had escaped. + +"Pick up the sheriff," he said to some of his men. "I never saw a +braver fool. Maybe he is not hurt." + +But, however he died, Beaduheard never moved again. Some of the +Danes said that a horse must have kicked him; Thorleif had never +drawn weapon. + +"Pity," said Thorleif. "He was somewhat of a Berserk; but he +brought it on himself." + +Which was true enough, and we knew it. Neither Elfric nor I had a +word to say to each other. The whole fight had sprung up and was +over almost before we knew what was happening. + +Then the Danes mounted the horses of the men who had fallen, caught +the others they had turned loose on the alarm, and were off on +their errands without delay. The ranks fell out, and went back to +their work as if nothing had happened, and the wharf buzzed with +peaceful-seeming noise again. + +That is how the first Danes came to Wessex. Men say that these +three ships were the first Danish vessels that came to all England; +and so it may be, as far as coming on viking raids is concerned. +Wales knew them, and Ireland, and now our turn had come. + + + +CHAPTER II. HOW WILFRID KEPT A PROMISE, AND SWAM IN PORTLAND RACE. + + +All the rest of that afternoon we two had to bide on the narrow +fore deck of the long ship, watching the pillage of the little +town. Once I waxed impatient, and asked my cousin if we might not +try to escape, seeing that little heed was paid to us, and that our +staying here as hostages had been of no use. But he shook his head, +telling me that until he had spoken with Thorleif or Thrond, to +whom we had passed our word, we must bide; which I saw was right. + +Presently, as the evening began to close in, Thorleif came to us, +and with him was the old chief. After them came a man with food in +plenty in a ship's cauldron, and a leathern jack of ale, which he +set before us as we sat on the coils of rope which were stowed +forward. + +"Welsh mutton and Welsh ale," said Thorleif, smiling. "That is +plunder one may ask a Saxon to share without offence. Fall to, I +pray you." + +There was a rough courtesy in this, at the least intended, and we +were hungry, so we did not delay. And as we ate, the chief spoke +with us plainly. + +"I had hoped," he said, "to manage this raid without fighting, but +I never met so headstrong a man as your sheriff. Truly, I would +have sent him home in peace, if in a hurry, had we been given a +chance, but, as you saw, we had none. Now, if you will, I will send +one of you home to say that if your folk will pay us fair ransom in +coined silver or weighed gold, we will harry no more, and will not +burn the town. One of you shall go at once, and bring me word by +noon at latest tomorrow, while the other shall bide as hostage for +his return. We will do no harm to aught until the time is up." + +"Plain speaking, chief," said Elfric. "If we go, we must not have +more than a reasonable sum named, else will the message be +useless." + +Then they talked of what sum should be named, and in the end agreed +on what was possible, I think; at all events, it was far less than +has been paid to the like force of Danes since. The riches of our +peaceful Wessex were as yet unknown to the vikings, save by +hearsay; indeed, it has been said that these three ships came to +spy out the land. And then came the question as to which of us two +was to go. + +That was ended by Thorleif himself. I said that Elfric should go, +and he was most anxious that I should be freed from the clutches of +the Danes. And as we spoke thereof, neither of us being willing to +give way--for, indeed, it did not seem to me that it mattered much +whether I stayed, while Elfric had his own family, who would be +sorely terrified for him--Thorleif decided it. + +"Elfric the thane must go," he said, "for men will listen to him. +That is the main thing, after all. + +"We will not harm your cousin, thane, and you may be easy in your +mind." + +"Nay," said Thrond, "I think that Dorchester would pay ransom for +the thane willingly. Best let the lad go." + +"This is more a question of ransoming the town and countryside, +foster father," answered Thorleif. "The thane shall go." + +In a quarter of an hour he was gone, the Danes giving him back his +weapons and mounting him on his own horse. He told me that he had +no doubt that I should be freed by noon tomorrow, and so we parted +in good spirits, as far as ourselves were concerned. + +As to the trouble that had fallen on the land, that was another +matter. I did not rightly take it in, but it was heavy on his mind. +For myself, therefore, I was content enough; I had no reason to +think that the Danes were likely to treat me evilly in any way. + +Nor did they. On the other hand, as if I were one of themselves, +they set me by the chief when they made a feast presently, and did +not ask me questions about the country; which was what I feared. +Most likely their riders had learned all they would from others. + +When it grew dark they lighted great fires along the wharves, and +sat by them in their arms, drinking the Weymouth ale, and eating +the Dorset fare they had taken. The ship guards went ashore, and +their places were taken by others, and I saw strong pickets passing +out of the town to guard the ways into it. Thorleif would not risk +aught in the way of safeguard. After that was done, those whose +watch off it was went on board the ships, and slept under the +shelter of the gunwales, wrapped in their thick sea cloaks. They +gave me one, and bade me rest on the after deck by the chiefs; and +in spite of the strangeness of everything I slept dreamlessly, +being tired in mind as well as in body. + +Next morning things were to all seeming much the same. The Danes +had kept their word, and all was peaceful. There being nothing more +in the town left worth taking, they stowed everything carefully, +and made all ready for sailing. And then, halfway between noon and +sunrise, Elfric rode back. + +I did not see him, for he was not suffered to come beyond the line +of outposts, and all that he had to say, of course, I did not know +at the time. One came and told Thorleif that the thane waited to +speak with him, and he was gone from the ships for half an hour +with Thrond. When he came back his face was grimmer than ever, and +a red scar which crossed his forehead was burning crimson. He +stayed to speak to the men on the wharves, and some order he gave +was passed from one to another, and in ten minutes every man had +left the wharves and had passed inland, with him at their head. + +"Ho, that is it!" said one of the ship guard from the deck below +me. + +"What is it?" I asked, for I had been talking to the man in all +friendly wise, of ship and sea and strange lands. + +"Why, your folk will not pay, and so we must needs take payment for +ourselves in the viking's way." + +I said no more, nor did the man. I think he was sorry for me; but +it was not long before he called to me and pointed to the hillside +above the town. On it was a black throng of folk, slowly coming +down toward us. + +"Your people coming to drive us out," he said, laughing a short +laugh. + +Then he and his comrades bustled about the ship, setting every +loose thing in place, until the decks were clear. In the other +ships the guard were at the same work, and at last they cast off +all the shore lines but one at stem and stern. The ships might sail +at the moment their men were on board if they were beaten back. + +About that time the farther houses in Weymouth began to burn, and I +heard the Wessex war cry rise, hoarse and savage, as the foes met. +There were more of our men coming over the hill, and it was good to +me to see that the Danes, who watched as eagerly as I, waxed silent +and anxious. One said that there seemed a many folk hereabout, as +if the gathering against them was more than they cared for. + +Now I did not know what I had best wish for. Sometimes I thought +that if our men were beaten back they might come to terms, and I +should be freed. And it being a thing impossible that I could hope +that Wessex was to be beaten, and next to impossible that I should +so much as imagine she could, I mostly wondered what would happen +to me when the Danes had to seek the ships. But as the noise of the +fight drew nearer, and the black smoke from burning houses grew +thicker, I forgot myself, and only wished I was with Elfric in that +struggle; and at last I could stand it no longer. + +"Let me go, men," I said; "I cannot bide here." + +"We must, and you have to," said the friendly man. "We want to help +as much as you, but here we have to stay. Be quiet." + +"Ay, or we will bind you again," said another man shortly. + +But neither looked toward me; their eyes were on the road inland, +down which we could not see, for it opened at the end of the wharf. + +Now a wounded man or two crawled down that road, and some of the +guard helped them to the ships. They growled fiercely when their +comrades asked how things went, and thereby I knew that it was ill +for the Danes. The houses nearer the wharves were burning one after +another, as they were driven back. + +At last there came a rush of Danes down that road, and into the +seaward houses they went, and fired them. Then they came on board +the ships, and bade the ship guard relieve them at the front. More +than one of those who came thus had slight wounds on them, but they +did not heed them. + +"Keep still, lad," said my friend as he hurried away. "The men are +savage. We are getting the worst of it--not for the first time." + +Savage enough the men were, and I saw that the advice was good; so +I sat down on the steering bench and went on watching. But I was +not long left in peace. The noise of the fight came closer and +closer, and the wounded crept in a piteous stream to us. And then a +man would look to the after line from the ship to the bollard on +the wharf, and leaped on the after deck close to me. + +"Out of the way, you Saxon!" he said savagely, and with that sent +me across the deck with a fierce push which was almost a blow; and +that was the spark which was all I needed to set my smouldering +impatience alight. + +I recovered myself, and without a word hit him fairly in the face +with all my weight behind a good blow from the shoulder, and sent +him spinning in turn. He went headlong over the edge of the raised +deck, and lit among a group of his comrades, thereby saving himself +from what would have been a heavy fall on his head and shoulders. + +"Well hit, Saxon!" shouted a man from the nearest ship, and there +was a great roar of laughter thence. + +However, before his comrades, who had been watching the fires they +had lighted, knew rightly how the man had thus been hurled on them, +and were abusing him for clumsiness, he had his sword out, swearing +to end me; and I suppose he might have done so without any of the +others interfering had they understood the matter. But he was a +heavy man, and mailed moreover; whereby three or four were smarting +under his weight. So they fell on him and held his arm, thinking, +no doubt, that he was resenting their words; which was the saving +of me, for at that moment a roar came from the wharf, and slowly +out of the lane end we had been watching came Thorleif's men. Their +faces were toward the foe, and those who led the retreat were at +work with their bows, shooting over the heads of those before them +at the press which drove them back. And some leader from among +them, with lifted sword, signed to the ship guards to heed the open +end of the wharf, to my right. + +They forgot the little matter on hand, and ran ashore. Then I noted +that on that end of the wharf, where a narrow lane came down to the +water, there was another fight going on, and they had to support +the Danes there. The other end of the wharf was kept by a curve of +the shore, and that was safe. + +Presently all the Danes were back on the water front, and across +the end of the two entrances to its wide space they drew some heavy +wagons, which had been set there in readiness, blocking them. One +could only see now and then what was being done, as the wind +drifted the black smoke aside, for now every house was burning +fiercely. + +Then came a wild and yet orderly rush of the Danes to the ships, +and it was wonderful to see each man get to his post at the oars as +he came. Three men went to each oar port. One had the oar ready for +thrusting outboard, one stood by with his shield ready to protect +the rower, and the other, standing in the midship gangway, had his +bow ready. + +Thrond came on board with the first, and leaped to the steering +deck, where he grasped the tiller, paying no heed to me. His eyes +were on the lane end. I got out of his way, and stood by the stern +post, with my arm round the dragon tail. + +For I saw nothing else to do but to keep quiet. I did not know +rightly whether honour compelled me to stay as a captive still, but +I thought it did. But if not, in one way I could have escaped; for +I had been forgotten, and every man was watching the shore. I could +drop overboard and swim ashore somewhere beyond the reach of the +Danes, being a good swimmer; but as I say, I doubted if I might. So +I stayed, whether wrongly or not I will leave others to decide; but +seeing that I doubted, I think I need not be blamed for doing as I +did. + +One of the houses fell in with a tremendous crash, and an eddying +of smoke and flame across the wharf to leeward. Out of that smother +came running the men who had left the ships just now, stooping and +hiding their blackened faces from the sparks with their shields, +and they too found their posts at once. A dozen came on the after +deck with bows, and lined the shoreward gunwale. + +Hardly had they come on board when the rest came in a rush, +Thorleif being last of all. Behind them the wharf was empty, save +for one man whom an arrow out of the smoke caught up and smote. +Thorleif heard him fall, though in the turmoil of trampling feet I +could not; and he turned back to him, and lifted him as if he had +been a child, and bore him on board. Then the gang planks rattled +in, and the lines were cast off, and the ship began to move. + +Still the wharf was empty. I think the Saxons had been driven back +for a while, and that they did not yet know, so thick was the smoke +of the burning, that the barrier at the end of the lane was +unguarded. + +Now there were five yards between ship and shore--then ten--then +twenty. The oars took the water, and she headed for sea. Out of the +smoke came my people, and ran yelling across the open, and I seemed +to wake up. + +"Thrond," I cried, "I take back my promise. Let me go." + +"Eh!" he said, looking round. + +I was then with my hands on the gunwale, in the act of leaping +overboard, when he reached round and held me fast. + +"Steady, fool!" he said; "you will have a dozen arrows through you. + +"Here, hold him," he said sharply. + +And the men fell on me, binding me deftly with a few turns of a +line, and then troubling themselves no more about me. + +Next moment there was a sharp hiss, and an arrow from the shore +stuck in the deck close to me, and another chipped the tail of the +dragon and glanced into the sea. I mind noting that many another +such splinter had been taken from that stern post, and presently +saw--for I lay on my back, helpless--that a flint arrowhead still +showed itself through a new coat of paint. It was too deeply bedded +to be cut out, or else it was token of some honourable fight. It at +least had come from forward, whereas I thought that most of the +chips had come from astern, as this new one did. It is strange what +little things one will notice when at one's wits' end. + +The shouts ashore grew more faint, and at last were past. The crew +were very silent, but the oars swung steadily, and at last Thorleif +came from the midship gangway and saw me. The weary men laid in the +oars at that moment, and threw themselves down to rest. + +"Ho, Saxon!" he said, "on my word I had forgotten you. Who had you +tied up?" + +"I did," said Thrond. "He said somewhat about taking back a +promise, and wanted to go overboard." + +Thorleif stooped and unbound me, and I thanked him. + +"Well, you won't go overboard now," he said, nodding toward the +shore. + +The great rock of Portland was broad off on our right, and maybe we +were five miles from the nearest shore. Astern--for we were still +heading out to sea--the smoke of burning Weymouth hung black +against the blue sky. It was just such a day as yesterday, fair and +warm, and the land I loved had never seemed so lovely. + +"Let me go, chief," I said; "it is of no use for you to keep me." + +"Why," he answered, "I don't know that it is. But your folk would +pay no ransom, and it would seem foolish if I had let you go +offhand. Not but what your folk have not proved their wisdom, for +they have got rid of us pretty cheaply. Odin! how they swarmed on +us!" + +"Ay," growled Thrond. "I did not dream that so many men could be +gathered in so few hours; but they fought anyhow, and it was only a +matter of numbers. Well, the place is good enough, and it is but a +question of more ships next time." + +"Why did not you try an escape when we were all busy in the fight?" +asked Thorleif, turning to me. "I have lost more than one captive +in that way." + +I told him, and he looked kindly enough at me, and smiled in his +grim way. + +"You were right in saying that a Saxon's word was good, Thrond," he +said. + +"I am sorry we can in no way send you back now. Your cousin did his +best to win his folk to peace--and fought well when he could not. +Nay, he is not hurt, so far as I know." + +"Let me swim ashore, if there is no other way," I said, with a dull +despair on me. + +Thorleif looked at the sea and frowned. + +"I could not do it myself," he said. "There is a swift current +round yon headland. See, it is setting us eastward even now." + +But I did not wait to hear any more; I shook my shoes off, and over +I went. The wake of the swift vessel closed over my head as the men +shouted, and when I came to the surface I looked back once. It +seemed that Thorleif was preventing the men from sending a shower +of arrows after me, but in those few moments a long space of water +had widened between us; and I doubt whether they would have hit me, +for I could have dived. + +Then I headed for shore and freedom, and it was good to be in the +water alone with silence round me. As for the other two ships, they +were half a mile away from Thorleif's, and I did not heed them. So +I never looked back, but gave myself to the warm waves, and saved +my strength for the long swim before me. There was not much sea, +and what there was set more or less shoreward, so that it did not +hinder me. Presently I shook myself out of my tunic, and was more +free. + +I suppose that I swam steadily for an hour before I began to think +in earnest what a long way the land yet was from me. In another +half hour I had to try to make myself believe that it was growing +nearer. Certainly Portland was farther from me, but that was the +set of the current; and presently I knew, with a terrible sinking +of heart, that the land also was lessening in my sight. The current +was sweeping me away from it. + +When I understood that, I turned on my back and rested. Then I saw +that the ships were not so far away as I had expected. I seemed to +have made little way from them also; which puzzled me. They had not +yet set sail, and it was almost as if the oars were idle. I think +they were not more than a mile off. I could almost have wept with +vexation, so utterly did all the toil seem to be thrown away. +However, a matter of two hours in the water when as pleasant as +this was nothing to me, for I had stayed as long therein, many a +time, for sport. So I hoped to do better with the turn of the tide, +and let myself go easily to wait for it. + +We had left Weymouth when the flood had three hours more to run, so +I had not long to wait. It turned; and I knew when it turned, +because the wind against it raised a sea which bid fair to wear me +out. I had to go with it more or less. + +Then, indeed, the land seemed very dear to me, and I began to think +of home and of those who sat there deeming that all was well with +me. They would never know how I had ended. I will not say much of +all that went on in my mind, save only that I am ashamed of naught +that passed through it. Nor did I swim less strongly for the +thoughts, but struggled on steadily. + +And at last the sun set, and the wind came chill over the water, +and I knew that little hope was for me. Again I turned on my back +and rested, and I grew drowsy, I think. + +Now the daylight faded from the sky, and overhead the stars began +to come out; but as the sky darkened the sea seemed to grow +brighter. Presently all around me seemed to sparkle, and I wondered +listlessly that the stars were so bright in the water to one who +swam among their reflections. Then the little crests of foam on the +waves seemed on fire, and my arms struck sparks, as it were from +the water, as the sparks fly from the anvil. Only these were palest +blue, not red, and I wondered at them, thinking at first that they +were fancy, or from the shine of the bright stars above. + +And all of a sudden, ahead of me, moved swiftly in the sea and +across my way a sheet of dazzling blue brightness, and it +frightened me. Often as I had seen the sea and swum in it, I had +never seen the like of this, nor had heard of it. The sheet of +silver fire turned and drew toward me, and I ceased swimming, and +stood, treading water, watching it. Out of its midmost fires darted +long streaks of light, everywhere, lightning swift, coming and +going ceaselessly. + +Into the midst of that brightness rushed five bolts of flame, and +scattered it. The water boiled, alive with the darting fires around +me and under my feet, and my heart stood still with terror. Yet I +was not harmed. And then I saw one of those great white-hot silver +bolts hurl itself from sea to air in a wide arch, and fall back +again into the water with a mighty splash; and all the flying water +seemed to burn as it fled. + +Truly it was but a school of mackerel, and the porpoises which fed +on the silver fish, all made wonderful by the eerie fires of a +summer sea; but I could not tell that all at once. I think that I +knew what it was when the great sea pig leaped, for his shape was +plain to me. The shoal went its way, and after it the harmless +porpoises. But the sea was fairly alight now; all round me it shone +with its soft glow, and my body was wondrous with it, and I seemed +to float in naught but light. + +Then I think that I wandered in my mind, what with the fright and +weariness; for I had been five or six hours in the water, and it +was long since I had tasted food. It came to me that I was dead at +last, and that I was far in the sky, floating on bright air, with +stars above me and stars below. And that seemed good to me. I +rested, paddling just enough to keep myself upright and forget my +troubles in wonderment. + +Surely that was a voice singing! There was a strange melody I had +never heard the like of, and it came from the brightness not far +from me. I came back to knowledge of where I was with a start, +trying to make out from which direction it sounded. + +"This is a nixie trying to lure me to the depth," I thought. +"Truly, he need not take the trouble; for thither I must go +shortly, without any coaxing." + +I turned myself in the water, trying to see if I could make out the +singer, but I could not. Seeing that no other was likely to be +swimming in Portland race but myself, I had no thought that the +song was human. + +But I could find nothing. When my face was seaward, I saw far off +the ships I had left, indeed; and one seemed to have set her sail, +for it showed as a square patch of blackness against the sky, but +no voice could come from them to me. Presently I thought that +somewhat dark rose and fell on the little waves between me and her, +but that was doubtless the tunic I had given to the water. I did +not think of wondering why I still saw it after all this long swim, +but I seemed to have made no headway from the ships, which were as +near as when I last looked at them. + +So I turned again and swam easily, as I thought, shoreward. The +song went on, but it seemed to ring in my ears as the drone of our +miller's pipes comes up from the river on a still summer evening. +Yet it grew more plain. + +Then I saw the ships before me. I was swimming in a circle, my +right arm mastering the left, I suppose. That told me how weary I +was, if I had not known it to the full before. At that moment the +song, which was close to me, stopped, and a fiery arm rose from a +wave top against the sky, and seemed to hail me. + +"Ho, Wilfrid! have you had enough yet? By Aegir himself, you are a +fine swimmer!" + +Through the brightness came a sparkling head, round which the foam +curled in fleecy fire; and shining as I shone, Thorleif the viking +floated up to me and trod the water. + +"What, you also?" I said. "Both of us drowned together at last?" + +And with that I went into the brightness below me, and troubled no +more for anything. + + + +CHAPTER III. HOW WILFRID MET ECGBERT THE ATHELING. + + +It was indeed Thorleif whom I saw as the deadly faintness of utter +weariness and want of food came over me, and I sank. The Danes had +hardly lost sight of me from the ships, for they had drifted +backward and forward on the tide as I drifted, and I was never more +than a mile from them. Until the tide turned to the eastward there +had been no wind of any use to them, and that which came with +sunset was barely enough to give them steerage way. So they had +watched me for want of somewhat else to do, being worn out with the +long fight; and when I was far off, some keen-sighted seaman would +spy my head as it rose on a wave, and cry that the Saxon was yet +swimming. + +Now, if there is one thing that the northern folk of our kin think +much of in the way of sports, it is swimming, and it seems that I +won high praise from all. Maybe they did not consider how a man who +is trying to win his home again from captivity is likely to do more +than his best. At all events, I had never so much as tried a swim +like that before, nor do I think that I could compass it again. +Presently, when the turn of the tide brought with it no eddy into +the bay which set me homeward, Thorleif would let me go no longer, +and followed me in the boat with two men; which was easy enough, +for I swam between the ship and the place where the red glow of +burning Weymouth still shone in the northern sky. He could not +leave me to drown. + +For a time, in the growing dusk, he could not find me. Then the sea +fires showed me black against their glow, and the sea tempted him, +and he leaped in after me, singing to cheer me, for it was plain +that I was nearly spent. When he brought me up from the depth again +I had little of the drowned man about me, for I had fainted. I +remember coming round painfully after that swoon, and eating and +drinking, and straightway falling into a dreamless sleep on the +deck of the ship; and I also remember the untoldly evil and fishy +smell of the seal oil they had rubbed me with. + +When I came to myself, my first thought was that a solid wall of +that smell stood round me; but such were the virtues of the oil and +the rubbing that when I woke after eighteen hours' sleep I was not +so much as stiff. It would ill beseem me to complain thereof, +therefore, but it might have been fresher. + +When I woke from my great sleep it was long past noon. I lay in the +shelter of the gunwales under the curve of the high stern post, +wrapped in a yellow Irish cloak, and in my ears roared and surged a +deep-voiced song, which kept time with the steady roll of oars and +the thrashing of the water under their blades. The ship was +quivering in every timber with the pull of them, and I could feel +her leap to every stroke. The great red and white sail was set +also, and the westerly breeze was humming in it, and over the high +bows the spray arched and fell without ceasing as oar and sail +drove the sharp stem through the seas. Thorleif was in a hurry for +some reason. + +Only one man was on the after deck, steering, and he was fully +armed. Save that his brown arm swayed a little, resting on the +carven tiller, as the waves lifted the steering oar with a creak +now and then, he was motionless, looking steadily ahead under the +arch of the foot of the sail. The run of the deck set me higher +than him, and I could not see more than the feet of some men who +were clustered on the fore deck. But I could look all down the +length of the ship, and there every man was armed, even the rowers. +They had hung red and yellow wooden shields all along the gunwales, +raising the bulwark against sea and arrow flight alike by a foot +and more, and the rowers were fairly in shelter under them, if +there was to be a broadside attack. + +I never doubted that a fight was intended, though I could not tell +why. Every man was at his post--two to each oar bench beside the +rower, one with ready shield, and the other with bent bow, and +these were looking forward also as they sang that hoarse song which +had roused me. I do not know that I have ever heard aught so +terrible as that. The wildness and savageness of it bides with me, +and of a night when the wind blows round the roof I wake and think +I hear it again. But it set me longing for battle, even here on the +strange deck, and I would that I might join in it. + +And then I knew that my own weapons lay beside me, and I sprang up, +and grasped the sword and seax in haste to buckle them on. They +rattled, and the steersman turned his head and laughed at me. It +was old Thrond. + +"That is right, lad," he said, turning his head back to watch his +course again. "None the worse for the wetting, it seems." + +Truth to tell, I felt little of it, being altogether myself again +after the rest. So I laughed also, setting aside for the moment the +question of what my fate was to be. It was plain that the man who +saved me from the sea and gave me back my arms did not mean to make +a captive of me in any hard sort. + +"Only mightily hungry," I said. "It seems that I have slept +heavily." + +Thrond jerked his free thumb toward a pitcher and wooden bowl that +were set near me, without looking round. + +"So I suppose," he said. "Eat well, and then we will see what sort +of a viking you make. You have half an hour or so." + +Ale and beef there were, ready for me, and I took them and sat down +at the feet of the old chief, with my legs hanging over the edge of +the fore deck. Thence I could see that Thorleif was forward, and +that away to the northward of us a ship was heading across our +course, under sail only. The two other Danish ships were far astern +of us, but their oars were flashing in the sun as they made after +us. + +Then I looked northward for England, but there was only the sea's +rim, and over that a bank of white summer clouds. Under the sun, to +the south, was a long blue line of hills whose shapes were strange +to me, and that was the Frankish shore. We were far across the +Channel, and still heading eastward. + +"Thrond," I said, "are you after that ship yonder?" + +"Ay. She will be a Frankish trader going home, and worth +overhauling. Maybe there will be no fight, however; but one never +knows." + +Now it was in my mind to ask him what would be done with me, but I +did not. That was perhaps a matter which must be settled hereafter, +and not on the eve of a fight at sea. Moreover, I thought that a +Frankish ship was fair game for any one, and that if I were needed +there was no reason at all why I should not take a hand in the +fight. Certainly I should fare no worse for taking my plight in the +best way I could. So I held my tongue and went on eating. + +One or two of the men looked up from the oars and grinned at me, +and of these one had a black eye, being the man I had knocked off +the deck. It was plain that he bore no malice, so I smiled back at +him, and lifted the jug of ale toward him as I drank. He was a +pleasant-looking man enough, now that the savagery of battle had +passed from him. + +Now I would have it remembered that a Saxon lad reared on the west +Welsh marches is not apt to think much of a cattle raid and the +fighting that ends it, and that with these Danes, who were so like +ourselves, we had as yet no enmity. It seemed to me that being in +strange company I must even fit myself to it, and all was wonderful +to me in the sight of the splendid ship and her well-armed, +well-ordered crew. Maybe, had we not been speeding to a fight the +like of which I had never so much as heard of, I should have +thought of home and the fears of those who would hear that I was +gone; but as things were, how could I think of aught but what was +on hand? + +We were nearing the vessel fast, and seeing that she did not turn +her head and fly, old Thrond growled that there was some fight in +her. + +"Unless," he added with a hard chuckle, "they have never so much as +heard of a viking. Are there pirates in this sea, lad?" + +"They say that the seamen from the southern lands are, betimes. I +have heard of ships taken by swarthy men thence. The Cornish tin +merchants tell the tales of them." + +"Tin?" said Thrond. "Now I would that we had heard thereof before. +I reckon we passed some booty westward. Eh, well, we shall know +better next time." + +After that he was silent, watching the ship ahead. She was a great +heavy trader, with higher sides than this swift longship. + +And presently, as I watched her, a thought came to me, and I was +ashamed that I had not asked before if it was true that my cousin +had not been hurt in the fighting. + +"He was not harmed," answered the old chief. "He hurt us; he is a +good fighter. Get yon shield and hold it ready to cover me. It is +not worth while to have the helmsman shot, and it will set a man +free to fight forward." + +Now the ship was within arrow shot, and we could see that there +were few men on her decks. Thorleif hailed her to heave to, sending +an arrow on her deck by way of hint. Whereon she shot up into the +wind, and her sail rattled down. Thrond whistled to himself. + +"Empty as a dry walnut shell, or I am mistaken," he said between +his teeth. + +Then he shouted to Thorleif, and some order came back. The sail was +lowered, and the ship swung alongside the stranger under oars only, +while a rush of men came aft. Thorleif hailed the other ship to +send him a line from the bows, and one flew on board us as we shot +past. Then in a few moments we were under easy sail again, towing +the great trader slowly after us; and the men were grumbling at the +ease of the capture, thinking, with Thrond, that it boded a useless +chase. Thorleif came aft to speak with the shipmaster from our +stern. + +Then there climbed on the bows of the trader a tall, handsome young +man, at the sight of whom I could not withhold a cry of wonder, for +I knew him well. He was Ecgbert the atheling, nephew of our great +king Ina, and the one man whom Bertric feared as a rival when he +came to the throne. His father and mine had been close friends, and +we two had played and hunted together many a time, until the +jealousy of Bertric drove him to seek refuge with Offa of Mercia. I +thought him there yet. + +"Yield yourselves," said Thorleif, "and we will speak in peace of +ransom. I will come on board with a score of men, and harm none." + +"We have yielded, seeing that there was no other chance for as," +said Ecgbert quietly. "Come on board if you will, but on my word it +is hardly worth your while. We left in too great a hurry to bring +much with us." + +"Whence are you, then, and whither bound?" + +"From Mercia, by way of Southampton, and bound anywhere out of the +way of Quendritha the queen. We had a mind to go to Carl the king, +but any port in a storm!" + +"Well," said Thorleif, laughing, "I am coming on board. That must +be a terrible dame of whom you speak, if she has set the fear of +death on a warrior such as you seem to be." + +Then he bade the men haul on the cable, and the ships drew together +slowly. I had to leave the deck, being in the way of the men, and +Ecgbert did not see me, as far as I could tell. + +Thorleif and his men boarded the prize over her bows and went aft, +Ecgbert going with them. The two ships drifted apart again, and I +found my place by Thrond once more, while the men sat on the +gunwale, waiting for the time when their chief should return. + +"Who is the queen yon Saxon speaks of?" asked Thrond. + +I told him; and as we had heard much of her of late, I also told +him how men said that she had been found on the shore by the king +himself. Whereon Thrond's grave face grew yet more grave, and he +said: + +"Lad, is that a true tale?" + +"My father had it from the thane who was with the king when they +found her alone in her boat." + +"So her name was not Quendritha when she began that voyage?" + +"I have heard that she was a heathen. Mayhap the king gave her the +name when she was christened. It means 'the might of the king.'" + +So I suppose that he did, for the hope of what his wife should be. +Nor was the name ill chosen, as it turned out, for all men knew by +this time that the queen was the wisest adviser in all the council +of Mercia in aught to do with the greatness of the kingdom. + +"I have ever had it in my mind that she would get through that +voyage in safety," Thrond said. "Ran would not have her." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Lad, I saw her start thereon, or so I think. Tell me when she was +found." + +That I could do, within a very short time. My father and Offa had +been wedded in the same year, as I had heard him say but a few days +ago, at Winchester, as men talked of the bride whom we had +welcomed, Quendritha's daughter. And as he heard, Thrond's face +grew very dark. + +"That is she. Now I will tell you the beginning of that voyage. I +was a courtman then to the father of Thorleif, our jarl here, and I +myself made the boat ready and launched her in it." + +And then he told me that which I have set down at the beginning of +this tale--neither more nor less. What was the fullness of the evil +the woman had wrought he did not tell me, and I am glad. + +When he ended he sat silent and brooding for a long time. The ship +forged slowly and uneasily over the waves with the heavy trader +after her, and on our decks the men were silent, waiting for word +from Thorleif of what was to be done. We could hear him, now and +then, laughing with the crew of the other ship as if all went +easily. + +"Lad," said old Thrond, suddenly turning to me, "you had best +forget all this. It is dangerous to know aught of the secrets of +great folk; and if it comes to the ears of Quendritha that one is +telling such a tale of her, the life of the man who has told it +will not be worth much. Maybe I am wrong, and I speak of one who is +drowned long since; for, indeed, it seems out of the way of chance +that a girl could win across the sea from Denmark to a throne thus. +And if it is true, she has done even as Thorleif's father bade her, +and has left her ways of ill. + +"And, yet," he said again, "if ever you have to do with her, +remember what she may have been. It will be ill to offend her, or +to cross her in aught." + +"That is the hardest saying that our folk have of her," I said, +"but I have heard it many a time." + +"There is much in that saying," Thrond answered grimly. + +"Well," I answered shortly, "I suppose that if any man will set +himself against a king or a queen, he has to take the chances." + +"Small chance for such an one if the queen be--well, such another +as I helped to set adrift from our shore." + +Meaningly that was said, and I had no answer. I was glad that +Thorleif showed himself on the bows of the prize and hailed Thrond. + +"Send the Saxon lad on board here," he said; "we have met with a +friend of his." + +That could be none but the atheling, and I leaped up. The men were +heaving on the tow line, and the ships were slowly nearing each +other. + +"Thrond," I said breathlessly, "will Thorleif let me go?" + +"Of course," he answered, smiling. "We only picked you up again to +save your life. He had a mind to land you on the English shore +presently; for he said you had kept faith with us well, and he +could not let you suffer therefor." + +The bows of the trader grated against our stern, and one of the men +gave me a hoist over her gunwale with such good will that I landed +sprawling among the coils of rope on the fore deck. When I gathered +myself up I saw Ecgbert and Thorleif aft, while the Danes were +rummaging the ship, and I made my way to them. And as I came the +atheling stared at me, and then hastened forward with outstretched +hand of welcome. + +"Why, Wilfrid, old comrade, how come you here? I heard only of a +West Saxon, and whether this is luck for you or not I do not know." + +"Good luck enough, I think," I answered, with a great hand grip. "I +had not yet let myself wonder how long it would be before I saw +home again." + +His face fell, and he looked doubtfully at me. + +"I cannot take you home, Wilfrid; I am flying thence myself. The +Danish chief will set you ashore somewhere at his first chance, he +says." + +"Why, what is amiss again?" + +"The old jealousy, I suppose," he answered grimly. "As if a lad +like myself was likely to try to overturn a throne! Here had I +hardly settled down in Mercia as a fighter of the Welsh and +hanger-on of Offa's court, when there come Bertric's messengers, +asking that I should be given up, and backing the demand with a +request for closer alliance by marriage. Offa, being an honest man, +was for sending the message back unanswered. But the queen had a +mind for the match, and as I was in the way, it was plain to me +that I must be out of it. So I did not wait for Quendritha to +remove me, but removed myself." + +"Alone?" I asked. + +"Alone, and that hastily. You do not know the lady of Mercia, or +you would not ask." + +Now I thought to myself that in the last half hour I had learned +more of that lady than even Ecgbert knew, and I felt that he was +wise in time, if Thrond's tale was true; which, indeed, I began to +believe. But it did not seem right to me that an atheling of Wessex +should be alone, without so much as a housecarl to tend him and +stand at his back at need. I minded what my father taught me since +I could learn. + +"Here is your duty, son Wilfrid. First to God; then to the king; +then to the atheling, the king's son, and then to father and +mother; then to the shire reeve and the ealdorman, if so be that +they are loyal; and then to helpless woman and friendless poor man. +But to the weak first of all, against whomsoever will wrong them, +whether it be the king or myself." + +"Where will you go, atheling?" I asked, speaking low, for I had +many things warring in my mind. + +"I cannot tell yet. I am an outcast." + +Then I knelt on the deck before him and made him take my hands +between his own, and I said to him, while he tried to prevent me: + +"Whither you go I follow, to be your man in good or ill. Little use +I am, but some I may be; and at least the atheling of Wessex shall +not say that none would follow him." + +"Wilfrid," he cried, "I cannot suffer you to leave all for me." + +Then said Thorleif, who had been watching us in silence: + +"Take him, prince, for you will need him. He has kept faith with +us, though he might have escaped easily enough, because he thought +his word withheld him. And he has proved himself a man in battle +with the waters, as I know well. Let him go with you, and be glad +of him." + +"I am loath to take him from his folk to share my misfortunes." + +"That is naught," said Thorleif. "Pay a trader who is going to +England to tell other chapmen to pass the word to his folk where he +is. They will hear in a month or less." + +"Hearken to the chief, my prince," I said. "That is easy, and it +will be all I care for. If my father hears that I am with you, he +will be well content." + +"More than content, Wilfrid," said Ecgbert, smiling. "We of the +line of Ina know your folk of old. Well, be it as you will, for, on +my word, I am lonely; and I think, comrade, that if I had choice of +one to stand by me, the choice would have fallen on you. + +"There was little need, chief, for you to tell me that Wilfrid of +Frome was steadfast. We are old friends." + +"Bide so, then. Friends are not easily made," answered Thorleif, +laughing. "Now tell me what you are thinking of doing. Maybe I can +advise you, being an adventurer by choice, as it seems you must be +by need. But first I will offer you both a share in our cruise, if +you will turn viking and go the way of Hengist and Horsa, your +forbears. Atheling and thane's son you will be to us still, if you +have to take an oar now and then." + +"Kindly spoken," said Ecgbert; "but this I will tell you plainly. +It had not come into my mind to think that Bertric needed to fear +me until he showed that he did so. Had he left me to myself, I had +been as good a subject of Wessex as Wilfrid here. But now it seems +to me that maybe he has some good reason to think that the throne +might be or should have been mine. Wherefore it is in my mind to +seek the great King Carl, and learn what I can of his way of +warfare, that presently, when the time comes, I may be the more +ready to take that throne and hold it." + +"Why, then," said Thorleif, watching the face of the atheling, "I +will tell you this from out of my own knowledge of Wessex. If you +learn what Carl can teach you, you will, if you can raise a +thousand followers, walk through Wessex into Mercia, and thence +home by East Anglia to London town, and there sit with three crowns +on your head--the greatest king that has been in England yet. For +your folk know no more of fighting, though they are brave enough, +than a herd of cattle. But it will be many a long year before you +know enough, and then you will need to be able to use your +knowledge." + +"Can you tell me where to find Carl the king? It may be that I have +years enough before me to learn much." + +"Those who want to learn do learn," quoth Thorleif. "It is in my +mind that, unless a Flemish arrow ends you, Wessex will have to +choose between you and Bertric presently." + +Then he told us where he had last heard of the Frankish king, which +was somewhere on the eastern Rhine border. And at last, being taken +with the fearless way of the young atheling, said that if he would, +he himself would see him as far on his way as the Rhine mouth. And +in the end Ecgbert closed with the offer, and left the Frankish +ship accordingly. + +Thorleif's men had sought every corner of her by that time, and had +some store of silver money to show for their long chase, and were +satisfied. As for the shipmen of their prize, I think they were +well enough content to be let go in peace, and had little to say on +the matter. Ecgbert was for giving them the gold ring which he had +promised them as passage money, that being the only thing of value +he had beyond his weapons; but Thorleif would not suffer him to do +so, saying that his Danes would but take it from them straightway. + +So the great trader lumbered off southward, and I and the atheling +sat with Thrond and Thorleif, and told and heard all the story of +the raid on Weymouth until the stars came out. And I was well +content; for no Saxon can ask aught better than to serve his lord, +whether in wealth or distress. + +Now I might make a long story of that voyage with Thorleif, for +there were landings such as had been made at Weymouth, and once +just such another fight. And ever the lands where we touched grew +more strange to me, until we came to the low shores of the Rhine +mouths, hardly showing above the gray waves of the sea which washed +their sad-coloured sand dunes. And there Thorleif landed us at a +fishing village, among whose huts rose the walls of a building +which promised us shelter at least. + +Terribly frightened were the poor folk at our coming, but they took +us, with the guard Thorleif sent ashore with us, to the building, +and it turned out to be a monastery, where we were most welcome. +And there we bid farewell to the Danes, not without regret, for we +had been good comrades on the voyage. There was a great difference +between these crews of men from one village under their own chief, +and the terrible swarms of men, gathered none knows whence, and +with little heed to their leaders save in battle, which came in +after years. We saw the Dane at his best. + +Now after that the good abbot of the place passed us on from town +to town until at last we came to Herulstad, where Carl the mighty +lay with his army, still watching and fighting the heathen Saxons +of the Rhinelands. And there Ecgbert was welcomed in all +friendliness, and our wanderings were at an end. Even the arm of +Quendritha could not reach the atheling here, though Carl and Offa +were friendly, and messengers came and went between the two courts +from time to time. + +In that way I had messages sent home at last, and my mind was at +rest. It was, however, nearly a year before my folk heard of me, as +I learned afterward. But close on five years of warfare lay before +me ere I should set foot on English ground again. + + + +CHAPTER IV. HOW WILFRID MET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWICH MARKET. + + +Looking back on them, it seems that those five years with Carl the +Great were long, but in truth they went fast enough. With Ecgbert I +went everywhere that war was to be waged, whether on the still half +heathen, unwillingly christened Saxons, who were our own kin of the +old land; or across on the opposite frontier, where the terrible +Moors of Spain had not yet forgotten Roncesvalles. For us it was +fighting, and always fighting, and little of that most splendid +court of the king did we see; for Ecgbert had set himself to learn +all that he might, and he was not one to do things by halves. Nor +had I any wish to be anywhere but near him. + +They were good years, therefore, if we had our share of danger and +hardship to the full, and must needs bear the marks of it ever +after. Once I was sorely wounded, and Ecgbert tended me through +that as a brother rather than as my lord--even as I would have +tended him, only that he was never hurt. Some of us grew to think +that he had a charmed life; but I thought that he was kept for the +sake of what was to be in days to come, when England was worn out +with warfare between the kingdoms, and would welcome a strong hand +over her from north to south. + +I know not whether it was Carl himself who bade Ecgbert wait for +that day, but it is likely. The atheling was in no haste to return +to England, and it was his word that until he was needed he should +bide here and learn. + +But when the time went on he had thought for me, and one April day, +as we rode together, he bade me go home and see that all was well +with my folk. I had some fever on me at that time, for we were +among the Frisian marshlands, and it had fallen on me when I was +weak from the wound I spoke of, so that I could not shake it off. +It came every third day, and held me in its grip for the afternoon, +cold as ice, and then hot as fire, and so leaving me little the +worse, but always thin and yellow to look on. Moreover, it always +seemed to come on the wrong day for me, when I needed to be most +busy, so that over and over again Ecgbert had to ride out without +me. There were plenty more of us in the same case that year, when +we were hunting Frisian heathen rebels to their strongholds in +their fens. + +"I must lose you in one way or the other, comrade," Ecgbert said. +"Either you will die here, which is the worst that could befall +you, or else you must go home to England. Now there is a fair +chance for you, for Carl is sending some messengers with presents +to the young King of East Anglia, who has yet to be crowned. Go +with them, and take him greetings from me." + +But before I could bring myself to agree to parting from him he had +to put this before me in many ways, for I could not bear to leave +him. And at last he laid his commands on me that I must go. He said +it was time that he had a friend who knew his hopes in England, +watching how matters went for him, and that I could best do it. So +there was no way out of it, and I had to go. + +And when I knew that, there woke in me the longing for England +which lies deep in the heart of every one of her sons, wheresoever +he may be across the seas, and the days were weary before Carl's +messengers should sail. I think that Ecgbert envied me, with the +same longing on him; but one could only know it from his silences, +or from the way in which he would talk to me of all that I should +see again. + +Two days before we sailed I was sent for by Carl himself; which was +an honour indeed for me. Very kindly he thanked me for past +services, as if I had not rather served Ecgbert than himself; and +he gave me new arms of the best from head to foot, and a heavy bag +of gold moreover, that I might not say that Carl the Great was +sparing of his reward to those who had fought for him. I did not +need that, for he had been more than generous to us for all these +years, and any man knows that it is an honour to have served with +the greatest of kings, and to have spoken freely with him. + +I told Ecgbert that I must return to him when I was free from the +fever, but he shook his head. + +"Nay, but you have your work at home, and mine lies here," he said. +"Your father has no other child, and, he needs you. I am well off +here till that day we wot of comes. Wait for it in patience, and +then we shall meet again. There will be no comrade like you for me +till then, but I shall know I have one at least who will welcome me +presently if you go now." + +He made it light for me; but it was a hard parting, and I will say +no more of it. The ship left the little Frisian port whence we +sailed, and he stood on the shore and watched us until I could see +him no more; then for a time a loneliness fell on me which made me +a poor companion for the gay Frankish nobles with whom I was to go +to East Anglia. + +Not that it mattered much after an hour or so, when we met the +waves of the open sea; for they were no sort of companion to any +one, even to themselves, and the seamen had their laugh at them. + +But for myself, not being troubled with the sickness, the sea +worked wonders. For the first time for many a long month the ague +fit had less hold on me when its time came next day. Then a Frisian +sailor saw that I had the illness he knew so well and over well, +and would have me take some bitter draught he made for me out of +willow bark, saying that Carl's leeches knew somewhat less than +nothing concerning ague. Whether it was the sea air, or the +draught, or both, the fit did not come when next it was due; and +the seaman said I was cured, for the power of the ill was broken. +He had time to say that again, for we had head winds the whole way +across, and were nigh a week before we made the mouth of the great +river which goes up to Norwich, where we hoped to find the king, +Ethelbert. And by that time the Franks were themselves again, and +my colour was coming back, and the joy of home was on me, and we +were gay enough. + +It was on the last day of April that we saw the English shores +again, early in the morning, with the sun on the low green hills of +Norfolk. By sunset we were far in the heart of the land, at +Norwich, and across the wide river the cuckoo was calling. We had +left a leafless land, and here all was decked in the sweet green of +the first leaves, and all the banks were yellow with the primroses. +I heard the Franks scoffing at the houses of the town, and at the +wooden tower of the church which rose from among them; but I cared +not at all, for nothing like the beauty of sky and land had they to +show me beyond the sea. + +And when the men thronged to the wharf, it seemed to me that never +had I looked on their like for goodliness and health, as their +great English laugh rang out over their work, and the sound of the +English voices made the old music for me. + +The king was not at Norwich, but inland at Thetford, and there we +must seek him. But his steward rode down to us from the hall, which +stands a mile from the river, on its hill. Thither we were led in +all state as the messengers of the great king, and there we bided +for a day or two while they made ready a train of horses which +should take us to our journey's end. We had some wondrous gifts for +Ethelbert from Carl. + +There is only one of these Frankish companions of mine of whom I +need speak, and that one was a young noble from our old land, named +Werbode. I had seen somewhat of him in these last wars, for he had +led the men of his father, and had been set under Ecgbert, who had +won to high command. So we were both Saxons, and of about the same +age; and it was pleasant to find ourselves together on the voyage, +for he was a good comrade, and, like myself, not altogether +thinking and feeling with the Franks. + +So we saw much of each other on the voyage, and now it was pleasant +to take him about the old town, and show him what the new home of +the Saxon kin was like here in England. There was a great fair +going on at this time, and we enjoyed it; for though there was not +the richness of wares we had been wont to see at the like +gatherings of merchants and chapmen beyond the seas, here were +mirth and freedom, and rough plenty, which were as good, or better. + +And presently he said that here we had horses which were as fine as +any he had ever seen, and that put a thought into my mind. I would +buy one for myself rather than ride one found me by the town reeve; +for I had to get home to Somerset, and I would make no delay. + +"Well, then," says Werbode, "let us go and see if you people have +forgotten the ancient Saxon manner of horse dealing." + +So we went to the horse fair, and there our foreign dress drew +every dealer in the place round us as soon as I had looked in the +mouth of one likely steed. After which, as may be supposed, it was +not likely that I could make any choice at all; but we two sat on +the bench outside the town gate, and had, I think, every horse in +the fair trotted past us, whether good or bad. And at last the +noise, and to tell the truth the wrangling of the dealers, grew +tiresome, and we went our way, some other buyer having taken their +notice for a moment. + +And then it chanced that we came to a quiet place where a man, +armed and with two armed helpers, had a string of slaves for sale. +The poor folk were lying and sitting on the ground, with that dull +look on them which I hate to see, and I was going to pass them, +throwing them a penny as I did so. Werbode was laughing at the ways +of the horse dealers, and did not notice them; for the sight was +common enough after any war of ours with Carl, when the captives +who could not ransom them were sold. + +And then one of them leaped up with a great cry, and hailed me by +name. + +"Wilfrid! Wilfrid of Weymouth!" + +I turned sharply enough at that call, for the last thing that one +could have expected was that my name should be known here in the +land of the East Angles. And who of all whom I knew in the years +gone by would name me as of Weymouth? I had but been there as a +stranger. + +"Wilfrid the swimmer!" said the man, stretching his bound hands to +me. + +The slave trader cracked his whip and rated the man for daring to +call to me thus, bidding him be silent. But I lifted my hand, and +he held his peace, doffing his cap to me with all reverence for the +fine dress and jewelled weapons--Carl's gift--that I wore. + +I did not heed his words of apology, but looked at the ragged, +brown-faced man who called to me. He was thin and wiry, with a +yellow beard, and his hands were hard with some heavy work. Yet his +face was in some way not altogether strange to me, though I could +not name him. He was no thrall of ours or of my cousin's, so far as +I could tell. + +"Wilfrid--thane--whatever you are now," he said, for I would not +suffer the trader to prevent his words, "you gave me a black eye at +Weymouth, and thereafter drank 'skoal' to me when we chased the +trading ship." + +Thereat Werbode laughed. + +"Faith," he said, "if every thrall to whom I have given a black eye +or so has a claim on me--" + +But his words went on unheard as far as I was concerned. I seemed +to have the very smell of the smoke of burning Weymouth in my +nostrils, and the wild rowing song came back to me. I minded the +man well, and it went to my heart to see the free Danish warrior +tied here at the mercy of this evil-eyed slaver, for I knew that he +was as free born as myself. + +I turned sharply on the merchant, and asked him how it came about +that he had this man for sale. + +"He is a freeman, and I know him," I said. + +Nevertheless it came into my mind that he had been taken prisoner +at the time of some such landing as that wherein I had first seen +him. + +"He is a shipwrecked foreigner, lord," was the answer; "a +masterless man whom I bought from the Lindsey thane on whose manor +shore he was stranded." + +But it seemed to me that there was a look of fear in the eyes of +this slave trader. It came when I, whom he had taken for a Frank +noble from my dress, spoke to him in good Wessex. Whereby I had a +shrewd guess that all was not so fair and lawful as he would make +it seem. + +"He lies," growled the Dane. "Some thrall picked me up, and this +man took me from him. He was on the prowl for castaways on the morn +of the storm. Nigh dead I was, or would have fought." + +He spoke low and quickly, and the trader seemed not to understand +his Danish. But I saw that he spoke the truth. + +Now I think that if this shipmate of mine had been fairly taken +captive as he raided, I should have let him take the reward of his +work. But this chance was a different matter. + +"Show me the receipt for payment to that thane of whom you speak," +I said. "If you can, well and good; if not, then we will go to the +sheriff and see this matter righted. I know the man as a freeman." + +"Ay, in his own land," said the trader, beginning to bluster. "What +is that to me? Here in England he is masterless--" + +"No," said the Dane; "this is my master. Heard you not how I owned +to a black eye from him?" + +And he looked at me in a half proud way which told me how the bonds +had broken him, and yet how they had not yet made him shameless if +he must beg me for help to freedom. + +Then said Werbode quietly: + +"Where is that receipt? I suppose that if you paid for his man, my +friend has to repay you for ransoming him. It is a simple matter." + +"I do not carry it with me, stranger. You know not this land of +ours. It is at my inn. I can show it, of course." + +"Well, then," said I, "I will take my man and answer for him. Bring +the writing to the house of the sheriff, where I lodge, and what is +there set down I will pay you." + +Now there were a dozen idlers gathered by this time, and seeing +that the trader hesitated, I called to one, who seemed to be a +forester by his staff and green jerkin, and bade him fetch the +sheriff, if he could find him. I would have the matter settled +here. Whereon the slaver gave in. + +"Well, then," he grumbled, "I hold you answerable for him. Take +him, and get your money ready. + +"Let him free," he said, turning to his men. + +That they did with somewhat more readiness than one would have +expected. The Dane shook himself and looked round him. And then, +without a word of warning, he sprang straight at the slaver and +wrested his whip from him. Then he swung him round by the collar of +his leather jerkin, and lashed him in spite of the sword which the +man drew. The idlers shouted, and Werbode laughed, while the two +men had all they could do to prevent the other slaves from breaking +away; or else they themselves had no reason to object to seeing +their master tasting his own sauce. + +The heavy plaits of the whiplash curled round the legs of the +trader, and he writhed. They caught his short sword and twitched it +from his hand, to send it flying among the gathering crowd, and +then the man lay down and howled for mercy. But the thralls of the +crowd were only too pleased with the sport, and as I and Werbode +did not interfere, to do so was no one else's business. + +At last the Dane held his hand, and left his tyrant groaning. He +broke the whip stock and twisted the thong from the end of the +fragment. Then he tied it round the neck of the slaver, and rose up +and saluted me in the way of the Danish courtman. + +"Whither, lord?" he asked, quite coolly. "I am ready." + +"Better go back to the sheriffs," I said. "Maybe we shall have to +answer for this, and we will tell him first." + +"No," he said, with the ghost of a smile; "you will not set eyes on +this man again. What I told you is true. He has no more right to me +than the thrall who found me; less, maybe, for I suppose the thrall +would have taken me to his lord, who had some claim on me for a +castaway." + +The crowd closed in round the slaver, and the other slaves raised a +sort of wretched cheer as we went away. Soon we turned the corner +of the street and came to the outskirts of the fair again, and none +had followed us. There the decent folk stared at us and our ragged +follower somewhat, and a thought came to me. + +"Comrade," I said, for I could not mind his name, "let me rig you +out afresh before we part." + +"They call me Erling," he said. "Have you so many men to serve you +that we must needs part?" + +"No," I answered, "but I am no sort of a master to serve. I will +help an old comrade home, however." + +"Home was burnt a year ago," he said. "Let me bide with you, thane; +I must be some man's man. You will go back to the west presently, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, after a time. What of that? for it is not your way." + +"Your way is mine, unless you drive me from you. You have given me +my freedom, and I know it. Let me serve you freely." + +"Well," said I, "you will be my only servant when once I leave King +Carl's train, with which I have come." + +"So much the better," he said. "I am likely to be as handy a +servant as you can find, in most things." + +"Oh," said Werbode, laughing, "take him, Wilfrid. Free service is +not to be despised. Moreover, if you want any one well and soundly +beaten, here is your man." + +"I can keep the thane's back at a pinch, young sir," said the Dane +quietly. "That mayhap is more than most will do if they are hired." + +"Faith, I believe you could," said Werbode, looking the man's wiry +frame up and down. + +"Take him, Wilfrid." + +"Why, then," said I, "so I will, and gladly, for just so long as I +please you as a master. And when you will leave me, you shall go +without blame. Now let us see to clothing you afresh." + +So we went to the quarter of the fair where such things as we +needed were to be had, and there we took pleasure in fitting my new +follower out in all decent housecarl attire, not by any means +sparing for good leather jerkin and Norwich-cloth hose and hood, +for I would not have him looked down on by our Frankish servants. +And, indeed, with weapon on hip and round helm on head, over washed +face and combed hair, he seemed a different man altogether. The old +free walk of the seaman came back to him, and he looked the world +in the face again as the free warrior he was. + +He had been Thorleif's own court man, he told me, and knew the ways +of one who should follow his lord, whether in hall or field, and I +will say at once that so he did. I had little to teach him beyond +some Saxon ways which came strangely to him at first. + +We went back to the king's hall, and there I told the sheriff +somewhat of the business with the slaver, and he laughed. + +"Not the first time I have heard the like," he said. "If the man +complains, pay him. But if he is a man stealer, as is likely, you +will hear naught of him, and he will get him from Norwich as fast +as he may." + +As I suppose he did, for neither I nor the sheriff heard more of +him, and next day his place in the market was empty. + +I asked Erling of his shipwreck, and if Thorleif had been lost, but +he could not tell me. He had been washed off the fore deck as the +ship met a great breaker, and with him had come an oar, which he +clung to for long hours, making his way shoreward as best he might. +The ship was in danger at the time, and he lost sight of her very +soon. Presently some eddy of tide took him and cast him on the +sands of Humber mouth, and there he lay till he was found. That was +a month ago, and since then he had been hawked up and down the +coast with the other slaves till we met. + +"But I was such a scarecrow, and so savage withal, that no man +would look at me," he said. "It was a good day for me when the +knave brought me to Norwich. Mayhap it was a lucky day for him +also, for sooner or later I should have got adrift, and then you +would not have been looking on to hold me from paying him somewhat +more than a beating." + +Next day was the last of the fair, and again I went to seek a +horse, with my new follower after me. There was less choice but +more quiet, and soon I found that Erling knew more of the points of +a steed than I did. A Dane is a born horse dealer. So I sent him +one way while I went another, and when I was almost despairing of +finding what I thought would suit me, he came in search of me, +leading a great skew-bald horse, bright brown and white in broad +splashes all over him, in no sort of pattern. After him came a man +who might be a farmer, and looked as if he cared not whether he +sold the beast or kept him. + +"The best horse in the fair, thane," Erling said to me. "I will not +praise his colour; but if you forget that and look at his build, +you will like him." + +So I did; but if a man wanted to be noticed everywhere in such wise +that folk would reckon a week's time from the day when the man on +the skew-bald rode through the village, he could not choose a +better mount, and I said so, laughing. + +"There is somewhat in that," Erling allowed; "but if you ride +through the foe at the head of your men on such an one, none can +deny that you did it. Nor can your men say that they lost sight of +you." + +In the end I mounted and tried the horse. Presently I rode him out +of the town and away across the heaths, and had no fault to find +with him. Indeed, by the time that I brought him back I did not +care if he was of all the colours of the rainbow, for he was the +best horse I ever backed. + +Then the franklin who owned him asked me a long price for him, and +I left Erling to settle that. Afterwards I knew that the man was a +known breeder of these horses, and that men thought me lucky to get +the steed. I think the Dane managed to bate somewhat of the price, +but very little, for it was a matter of taking or leaving with the +owner. + +After that I bought a horse for Erling, or rather he chose one and +I paid for it; but that was a small matter, for the last day of the +fair brought prices down. + +Then I had to put up with the jests of my friend Werbode concerning +my new horse, and the older Franks thought his colour was a bit of +vanity on my part. Werbode said that he was an unsafe beast to go +chicken stealing on, for he would be too well known on a dark +night; and the others said that they supposed that men would know +that I had come home now. But that sort of jest one gets used to in +camp life, and I cared not. I had a better steed than any one of +them, whether here or across the sea, and presently, as we +travelled toward Thetford, they knew it, and forgot to laugh at his +skin. + +So we left Norwich, and rode across the moorlands to find the king; +and the gladness of homecoming grew on me every day, so that I +longed for the state affair to be over, that I might turn my +horse's head south and west for my own home. And thus, in all +gladness, and joying in every mile of the way, we came to Thetford, +strong with its earthen ramparts above its still river, and were +made most welcome at the hall of Ethelbert the king. There had gone +messengers before us to tell of our coming, and the greeting was +fitting for the men of Carl the Great. + +Truly I saw the Franks smile at one another as we were led into the +great hall, homely and pleasant, with its open timbered roof and +central hearth, arms and antlers and heads of forest game on walls, +and bright hangings round the high place at the upper end; for it +was but a hut compared with the palaces of their own master. But +when Ethelbert the king came from his chamber to greet us, they had +no eyes for aught but him. Young and handsome and free of speech +and look as he was, none could doubt that here was one who was +worthy of his throne, for in every way he seemed a king indeed. He +minded me of Ecgbert, and if he did that, it may be certain that I +need add no more to my praise of him. + +Now it happened that the day after we reached Thetford was a +Sunday, and I need not tell what a pleasure it was to me to hear +again the old English services that once I had thought so long, as +a boy will. And on that day, for the first time, it came to me that +my man, Erling the viking, was a stark heathen, Odin's man. Truly +he came to the church with me, and there he stood and stared at all +that went on, quietly and reverently enough, but in such wise that +I thought that he had somewhere seen the like before. So presently +when we came forth from the church I asked him if he had no +knowledge of the faith. + +"Ay," he said; "I have helped to burn a church or two in my time, +and now I am sorry therefor. I have heard good words in this place, +so that I think I know why you were ready to risk gold to free a +captive. Let me go with you again." + +"I will find some good priest who shall tell you more and teach +you," said I. + +But he shook his head. + +"That is another matter," he answered. "Let be for a time. I am +content to go your way and see what it is; but no man, if he is +worth aught, will leave the gods of his fathers offhand, not even +for the faith which is good for you and for Carl the king, and this +king here who has death written on his handsome face." + +"What mean you by that?" I asked, almost angrily. "On the face of +Ethelbert?" + +"Ay," he answered. "Cannot you see it?" + +"Seldom have I seen a stronger or more healthy man! This is sheer +foolishness." + +"I do not speak of health," he answered. "Eh, well, we of the old +race have the second sight now and then. On my word, I wish I had +it not. Pay no heed to me an you will; it is best not." + +Then he laughed, because I was almost angered with him, and said +that maybe fasting with the slaver had made his mind full of +forebodings. + +"There was a boding in it at one time that the slaver was nigh his +death, if so be that I got loose," he said. "That ended in a +whipping for him. But I would that this Ethelbert had not that thin +red line round his neck. It sets strange thoughts in one's head." + +I told him to hold his peace, and he did so. But somewhat that +night made me look to see what he meant. The king had no line such +as he spoke of on his sunburned throat, so far as I could see. + + + +CHAPTER V. HOW WILFRID MET THE FLINT FOLK, AND OTHERS. + + +It must not be supposed that the gifts of Carl the Great were +given, and his greetings spoken, offhand, as it were, by us. There +must needs be a gathering of the Witan of the East Anglians, that +all might be done with full honour both to Carl and his embassy. I +must say that it somewhat irked me to be treated with much +ceremony, as a Frank and paladin of the great king, instead of +being hailed in all good fellowship as a thane of England, who was +glad to get home again. However, there was no help for it till our +errand was done; for it was out of his goodness that Carl had given +me a place among his messengers, saying that they must have some +one of their number who could act as interpreter, and I would not +be ungrateful even in seeming. + +So I had no chance yet of private speech with Ethelbert, when I +might give the message from Ecgbert; which was indeed the main +reason of my coming here instead of going straight home. That +chance would best be sought when the state business was done; for +since no man in all England rightly knew where Ecgbert was at this +time, and he had no mind that many should, my business would wait +well enough. So I bent myself to enjoy the feasting and the hunting +parties the court made for us all; and pleasant it was, in all +truth. And every day fresh companies of the great folk of the land +came in, till the town was full of thanes and ladies and their +trains, gathered to see and hear what had come from beyond the +seas. + +So one day I rode with Werbode, who was all eagerness to see the +land (to which his forbears would not come when Hengist asked them, +by the way, as he told me) across the great heaths that lie north +and east of Thetford, with Erling after us, leading two greyhounds +which had been lent us from the royal kennels. There were bustards +in droves on these heaths, and roe deer to be found easily enough +by those who had skill to seek them in the right places. The +bustards were nesting; but that is the time when one can best +course the great birds, and many a good gallop we had after them. + +Whereby we lost ourselves presently, and made light of it until we +had wandered for some hours, and then remembered that we had never +seen a man of whom to ask the way back to the town. Of course we +tried to make our way back by the sun, but ever there would seem to +grow up a thicket or wood before us, which we must skirt, or some +marshy lake shone across our path in a hollow of the heath; and it +was slow work, and the horses grew weary as ourselves. The hounds +trailed after us with bent heads, hardly rousing themselves to tug +at the long leash when a hare scudded from its form away from us, +for they had had their fill of sport by that time. And it grew near +sunset before we met with any trace of man. There was not even a +track across the wild upland which we could follow. + +"We shall have to make a night out of it," said I at last. +"However, that will not matter. Here is game enough for us and to +spare." + +"And no ale to wash it down withal," said Werbode and Erling in a +breath. + +"Why, then, we will find the best water we can," I answered; and we +rode on our way looking for a clear pool. + +And then the first sound which told us that any one was near came +to us. + +There rose from off to our left, where a patch of woodland lay, a +cry that made each one of us rein in his horse and stare at the +others. + +"That was some one in dire distress," said I. + +"A woman crying for help," said Werbode. + +Then we forgot our own plight, and set spurs to our horses and rode +toward the place whence the cry came. We heard it once more, and +that quickened us. My horse pricked up his ears, and broke into a +long stride that left the other two behind in a few minutes, as if +he knew that there was need for dire haste. I had to ride +carefully, too, for there were holes and great stones among the +heather. + +So I was the first to see what was amiss; and it seemed bad enough. +Round the spur of the cover I came, and there before me I saw a +wild throng of men, savage as any I have ever seen in the mines of +our Mendips--bareheaded save for great shocks of black hair, +barefooted and hoseless, dressed in untanned hides of deer and +sheep, and armed with uncouth clubs and spears on rough ash poles. +They did not hear my coming, and they had their faces from me at +first. Twenty or more of them there were; and two horses rolled on +the ground hard by them, and they had been hamstrung, as one glance +told me. One man, too, in the dress of a housecarl, lay not far +off, wounded sorely. He saw me, and beckoned wildly to me. And next +I knew why, for out of the throng came three men dragging a lady +roughly away from the rest; and as their comrades parted to let +them pass, I saw another man on the ground, and with his back to a +third a gray-haired noble, who held back the wild men with long +sweeps of his sword. He was trying to follow those who held the +lady. + +I saw all that at once, in a flash, for it broke on my eyes the +moment I cleared the thickets of the cover; and as I saw I shouted +and bore down on the throng, calling to my comrades to hasten. Then +the men knew that I was on them. + +They yelled to one another, and, without waiting to see if more +followed me, left the lady and the men who fought for her, and +scattered, flying. It seemed to me that the best thing I could do +was to keep them in a mind to fly, and I rode after them. One or +two I rode down; and I heard a wild outcry as some met Werbode and +Erling when they came up. But they did not make for the wood, as I +expected, but for the open heath. They ran like deer up the swell +of a rising ground and passed over it. + +When I came to the top of that I saw a wide stretch of bare land +before me, like miles of that which we had passed, hardly +heather-covered, and stony, and over it fled the men. There was no +place where they could hide. And yet before my very eyes they +vanished. One after another they went till but one was left, still +flying. I took my eyes from him for a moment, and he too was gone. +There was not so much as a bustard on the heath, which a moment +before had been full of fleeting figures. + +"They are trolls, thane!" cried Erling from beside me. + +He, too, had seen the moorland and the men who had gone. Then +Werbode rode up to me, and he looked and gasped. + +"They went over this hill! I would swear it!" he said. "Where are +they?" + +"I do not know," I answered blankly, and, to tell the truth, with a +bit of a chill down my back. "I should be better pleased if I did." + +"See," said Erling, pointing, "there are the mounds wherein they +live. They are trolls;" and with that he began to mutter I know not +what heathen spells against them. + +There were little low mounds everywhere, as I saw now. + +"Trolls!" said Werbode, with a laugh. "One can't slay trolls. I saw +Wilfrid cut one down, and there he lies even yet." + +"Nay, but one can, if so be the sword is rightly charmed," answered +Erling. + +"Well, they have gone," said I. "Do you two go and see after these +folk they were attacking, and I will bide here to watch that they +do not come back." + +"That is the work of the man, not the master," quoth Erling. "Here +I bide, for I have runes which are of power against any trolls. I +am not afraid." + +Nor did he seem so; and I told him to call if but one man showed +himself, and so rode back to the little party we had saved. The man +who I had seen was of rank was bending over the lady, who lay where +the wild men had left her; and his unhurt servant was watching +beside him. The wounded man was sitting up and trying to bind a +hurt in his thigh with a scarf, which, from its gold fringes, was +plainly that of his mistress. + +The thane rose up when he heard us coming, and saluted us. He was a +handsome man of sixty years or so, richly dressed, who had plainly +had a bad fall when his horse went down. There were three or four +of his assailants lying where they had been round him as I came. + +"Many thanks, sirs," he said. "It was going hard with us when you +came up. Now is no time for ceremony, or I would say more. I do not +know if my daughter lives yet." + +I dismounted, and Werbode held my horse while I went to the side of +the thane and looked at his charge. Wonderfully beautiful that +young maiden seemed in the red light of the sunset, even though her +face was white and her fair hair all tangled over her shoulders, +and her rich dress all in tatters from the hands of the wild men. +And at first I thought that she was dead. Then I minded that unless +she had died of fright, which was possible, I had seen no harm done +her beyond rough handling, while those who held her had fled from +me without delay or heed to how she fell from their hands; and I +knelt and tried to find the pulse in her wrist, very gently. + +Her white hand fell limp and cold, but the fluttering beat was +there. + +"Not dead, thane, but fainting," I said. "Let your man get water; +there is a pool yonder." + +The housecarl started toward it, but as he passed one of the +helpless horses, he turned to that and brought me a horn from the +saddlebags. It had wine in it, and that was better. The old thane +tried to get some of it into the lips of the lady, and succeeded +while I rubbed her hands. + +And all the while Werbode had his eyes on Erling, whose gaunt form +was clear against the sky as he sat still on his horse and watched +the heath for the trolls to return on us. Behind him the two hounds +sat, careless. + +"She is coming round," said the thane, with a sigh of relief. + +Seeing that so she was, I rose up and stood aside, not caring to be +right before her eyes as she opened them, lest she should be +frightened again. Slowly she came to herself, trembling, and +looking round fearful of what she might find about her. But when +she saw only her father and the man, she tried to smile and sat up, +with a little clutch at her disordered dress as if she wanted to +straighten it. + +"That is better," said the thane heartily. "Those thieves have +fled, and all will be well, thanks to our good friends here." + +The maiden looked round, and saw that I was a stranger, and at that +the colour came back of a sudden to her cheeks, and she tried to +set her hair hastily out of her eyes. Whereat her father laughed at +her, and then she was herself again. + +"I think we had better be going on before it grows dark," I said. +"Do you know the road to Thetford?" + +"My man here does. But you will not leave us--at least yet?" + +"We are seeking the same road," I answered. "Now our horses are at +the service of the lady and yourself. I suppose we are not far from +the town, if we cannot find it;" and I laughed. + +"Matter of ten or twelve miles, lord," said the housecarl. + +"Why, then, the sooner we go the better. Lucky that the May +twilight is long." + +"We have met you in the nick of time," said the old thane +courteously. "From your dress I take it that you are one of the +Frankish paladins we were on the way to see. But do they always +talk good Wessex at the court of King Carl?" + +"No," laughed Werbode. "Sometimes they talk old Saxon--as I do." + +The thane bowed, and let that matter rest. Then he looked ruefully +at the two crippled horses, and set his arm round the lady, who had +risen and was leaning on him. + +"I thank you for that offer of a horse," he said. "I had twelve +good men with me when we started across this moor, and you see all +who are left. One after another they have been shot by unseen men +as we rode, until these swarmed out on us as you saw." + +"Who are they?" I asked, rolling up my cloak to set it pillion-wise +behind my saddle for the lady. + +"The flintknappers, I suppose," he said. "But I am a stranger to +these parts, and I have but heard of them as dwelling about these +heaths." + +Then I would have the thane mount my horse; and I lifted the maiden +up behind him, and wrapped Werbode's cloak round her, having a +smile and thanks for the service. And when they were ready I +whistled for Erling, and he came back to us at a canter, looking +behind him now and then. But there was no sign of any follower. + +"Ten miles from the town," I said to him, "and more heath to cross. +We must hurry. But we cannot leave those horses to suffer." + +"Our horses; and I have tended them, lord," said the rough +housecarl, with a bit of a shake in his voice. "Leave that to me." + +He drew his seax, and we went on. The poor beasts could never rise +again, and that was the only way. The thane knew, and rode round +the wood end, and we went with him. Then Erling lifted the wounded +man on his own horse, and walked beside him. + +"You and I will ride in turn," said Werbode. "As I am mounted, I +will take first turn for a mile or two. It will be all the same in +the end." + +Presently Erling came alongside me, leaving the housecarl to mind +his comrade. He held out a broken arrow to me. + +"I said they were trolls," he remarked. "See, this is an elf shot." + +And truly the arrow which he had drawn from one of the horses had +as well wrought a flint head as I have ever seen--lustrous black, +and covered with tiny chippings. + +"It is a better made head than usual," I said; "but many a thrall +has naught but flint-headed arrows in his quiver as he tends the +swine in the forest. They are good enough against the forest +beasts." + +Erling laughed. "Maybe. But they have slain ten of this party. I +have no mind to hear them whistling about my ears again." + +"Again?" said I. + +"Oh ay; they had a shot or two at me yonder. The arrows came from +nowhere and missed me, so it did not seem worth while to call you. +I could not see any one." + +Now it seemed to me that I had found a cool and valiant man in this +Dane. + +"I think that I should have wanted to take cover," I said. "These +are perilous folk to have to do with. I wonder what became of +them?" + +"Gone into the mounds we saw," said he. "Betimes in our land men +have seen such mounds raised, as it were, on pillars at night, and +under them halls full of dancing trolls. But if the seer will go +near them, all is gone. And mostly thereafter he dies." + +"Not many trolls could get under those mounds we saw," I said. +"See, there are more here; they are too small for dwellings." + +There was indeed one of the heaps of earth close at hand to us, and +Werbode rode toward it to see that none of the wild men lurked in +its shelter. He reached it, and then his horse started and leaped +aside, almost falling; and through a rattle of falling stones my +comrade called to the steed to "hold up." + +Whereon we supposed, of course, that he had been served as the +horses of the thane had been crippled, and Erling and I ran to him, +sword in hand, bidding the others go on. But when we came to the +side of Werbode, we found him staring into a pit which seemed to +have opened under the weight of his horse; and there was no sign of +other danger. + +"Strange folk these," he said. "I suppose this is a trap. The +ground over it was as solid as anywhere, to all seeming. I was nigh +into it." + +The pit was ten feet deep or so, and it was plain that out of it +had come what made the mound, though one could not see how. When I +looked in I saw that the ground had given way over the roof of a +passage hewn in the soft chalk, and that the opening of it must +have fallen in long ago. The twisted stems of the sparse heather on +the mound and all around it told of years, if not of long ages, +that had passed undisturbed. + +"There is the trolls' house," said Erling, shrinking back somewhat. + +The level sunlight showed me walls of dull gray chalk, with the +marks of the pick on them still. There was a layer of black and +white flints bedded in either wall, halfway up, and on the floor +were piled stones chosen from it carefully. I wondered who had +handled them, and when. Erling moved a little aside, and a shaft of +sunlight darted down the passage and reached its end, and showed me +those who had wrought here. + +Two white skeletons sat against the wall, with a pile of flints +between them. There was a lamp hewn from chalk on the top of that, +and the stain of its smoky flame was on the wall behind it. One man +had a pick made of the brow tine of an antler, greater than any +which the red deer carry nowadays, across his knees, and another +like pick lay by the bones of the other skeleton. That one had a +broken thigh, and he seemed to bend over it in pain. + +"Holy saints," said Werbode, in a whisper, "they were buried +alive!" + +So they must have been; but who shall know when? They had delved in +the chalk for the flints they needed for their weapons, and their +mine had fallen in at the mouth, and they could not escape. The +stones had, doubtless, broken the leg of that one in falling. But +by the token of the deer-horn pick I take it that it was ages ago +when this happened, maybe before the days of the Welshmen whom we +found here. Yet even then, as the red sun lit up the place of their +death, we could see that the marks of their chalky hands bided on +the handles of their picks, fresh as if made yesterday. + +"Come away," said Erling. "I like it not. This is over troll-like +for me." + +I do not think that either of us was sorry to leave that sight. We +went one on either side of Werbode, with our arms across the +crupper of his horse, and hastened after the thane and his charge, +who were half a mile away by this time, waiting for us. But we +never heard any elvish arrow whistling after us, or saw any more of +the uncouth folk. + +I told him as we went on of the pit we had seen, and how Werbode +thought it was a trap. Whereon the housecarl laughed a little, and +said that it was but an ancient flint working. The men who had +fallen on the party were the descendants of those who had made it. +The flints had been worked here from time untold even till now, and +those who worked them today had all the craft of their forebears. + +"Why, then, they went into their workings when they fled from us," +I said. + +"No doubt, thane. Where else should they go?" he said. "They came +out of them on us." + +"I wonder you brought your master and the lady across this heath at +all," I said "it is a perilous place." + +"It grew late, and it is the nearest way," said the man humbly. +"Nor did I ever hear that the flintknappers, as we call them, +harmed any." + +"Nor did I," said the old thane. "It is somewhat fresh to me. Maybe +parties like ours have passed here so often during this last week +that at last the sight of gold and jewels has roused them to try to +take from a weak band." + +So we talked and went on as fast as we might, all the while keeping +a lookout around us. The lady had, in some way which is beyond me +altogether, set herself in such array again that I, for one, could +hardly tell that aught had been awry on her; and I wondered that +Werbode's red cloak had never seemed so graceful a garment on his +broad shoulders. But she said little or nothing, leaning her head +on her father as she rode with her arm round him, save when we +asked her if all was well. I think she was very tired. + +And so at last, with no more adventure, we came to the well-worn +track which we were making for, and by-and-by, in the May +moonlight, saw the twinkling lights of Thetford town, seeming to +welcome us into the shelter of its protecting ramparts. I was glad +to see them; but I had enjoyed that long tramp back, for some +reason which was not plain to me, unless it had been the talk of +the old thane and my comrades, and the sense of escape from danger. + +Now we came to the great hall, and the grooms thronged round us to +take the horses; and seeing that there was a lady, one told the +steward, and he bustled out to help her. But there I was at hand, +and lifted the maiden from the horse and set her on her feet, +having to support her for a moment, for she was weary and stiff. So +she stumbled a little and laughed at herself, and thanked me, and +was glad of my arm to help her toward the great door of the hall. + +Werbode and Erling went off with the horses to the stables, and +some of the housecarls took charge of the wounded man. I heard him +groan heavily as they took him from the horse. + +Then the thane gave his name to the steward, and that was the first +time I had learned it. + +"Sighard, thane of Mundesley, and his daughter, the Lady Hilda." + +They were led into the hall; and I went my way, or was going, for I +had only passed down the steps, when some one called me. + +"Paladin, one moment!" + +I turned, for the Frankish title could be meant for no one but +myself, and there was the old thane at the door. + +"I did but take my daughter into the house, and I have yet to thank +you and your comrades for your help. Believe me, I know how great +it has been; but one is confused at these times. I think we shall +meet again?" + +"Doubtless," I said. "But it was chance which brought us to you, as +we wandered." + +"For which chance I have need to be thankful. It is not every one, +however, who can make use of a chance as you did. If you had stood +and stared for a moment instead of spurring your horse, I should +have had a flint spear among my ribs. They ache at the thought +thereof even now. Tell me your names at least." + +"Wilfrid, son of the thane of Frome, in Somerset," I said. "I have +served with King Carl for some years, and am here with his messages +on my way home. My comrade is Werbode of old Saxony, one of the +messengers also. The third of us is my man, a Dane." + +Sighard laughed, as if highly amused. "That explains it all. I have +been puzzling all the way hither at the divers ways in which you +three spoke. Your Dane's tongue is almost good Anglian, and yet not +quite. Werbode's Saxon is quaint, but good enough, as it should be; +but broad Wessex from the mouth of a seeming Frank was too much. +Not the best master in the world could compass it for you. Now I am +right glad that you are of England. When she has got over her +fright and is rested, the girl shall thank you also." + +He shook hands with me heartily and left me, following his +daughter. Presently I saw him as we sat at table, and he lifted his +cup to me; but though he was on the high place, where of course we +were set, I was too far off to speak to him. + +Now I cannot say that I had much right to that title of paladin he +had given me, unless it was as a messenger from the palace of King +Carl. Thane I was in Wessex, now that I had come of age, by right +of lands that came to me from my mother's side; but our folk got +hold of the Frankish title, and used it for any one of us, so that +I had to accept it. I did tell the old noble who led us that it was +not by my wish that so they called me; but he stroked his beard and +laughed at me. + +"What does it matter?" he said; "it is naught but the old name for +a palace officer. It is near enough. Trouble not about it; for if +we have taken it to mean a warrior noble--well, I will not say that +you have not deserved it, else Carl had never sent you with us." + +One may guess that at supper that night I tried to see the Lady +Hilda. But among all the bright array of ladies at that feast I +could not spy her. And perhaps that is not to be wondered at, for +long ere we came up all the baggage had been lost. By this time her +court dress was being worn by swart women of the flint folk, far on +the wild heaths. I dare say they fought over it. + + + +CHAPTER VI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE WITH ETHELBERT THE KING. + + +Early on the next morning Ethelbert the king sent for me, to ask me +concerning this affair with the flintknappers. Very pleasant he +was, too, and the first thing he did was to laugh at himself for +taking me for a Frank. + +"I ought to have seen that you were a Saxon," he said; "and if I +had had the courtesy to speak with you, I should have learned it at +once. I had a good friend once in that atheling of yours, who is +lost to us." + +His face clouded as he said that, and but that there were a dozen +courtiers present, I should have told him that Ecgbert was found +again for him, then and there; however, that would wait, and I +passed it over. Then he asked me of myself, and what I would do +when the state affair was ended; and I told him that I had no +greater wish than to find my way home at once. + +"That is a long ride," he said. "I think we can assist you. It is +in my mind to ride westward myself in a week or so to see Offa, on +a matter of business. That will take us far on your way, if you +care to ride with me." + +Now I wondered what this business might be, for the honest face of +the young king flushed somewhat as he spoke thereof; and one or two +of the courtiers behind his chair smiled at one another meaningly. +That was not for me to ask, but whatever it might be, I was glad of +the kindly offer. I thanked him, and then we spoke of the flint +folk, and I told him all I knew. + +Then, of course, we must talk of the court of King Carl, and of all +that I had seen and done beyond the sea, and the time went fast. I +had my breakfast with the king there in his private chamber, for he +wanted to hear of laws and the like, of which, to tell the truth, I +could let him know little. + +"Best ask the old paladin who is the head of the embassy, King +Ethelbert," I said presently. "I can tell you how Carl manages the +sword; but of the way he wields the sceptre, I cannot. Mayhap I +shall mislead you." + +"No," he answered; "I would hear how his way seems to a plain +Englishman as myself. My chancellor shall talk with the paladin." + +Then at last he started up, and cried: + +"Why, I have forgotten somewhat. I promised to take you to my +mother's bower to be thanked by the Lady Hilda. Come with me at +once." + +"There is Werbode," I said. + +"Let him wait," said Ethelbert. "It is the thane on the great pied +horse whom she will thank." + +I wondered whether it was the steed or myself she remembered best, +which was not courteous of me. Ethelbert laughed and told me so, +adding that he thought after all that the horse would be noticed +first. He was the first thing which had caught his own eye when we +rode into the palace yard on our coming, certainly, so I had to +stand another jest or two about him. + +We came to the bower, across a fair garden where the May flowers +were gay and sweet, and the king knocked at the door. It was a +handsome, low-built little hall which stood at right angles to the +great one, so that it had a door opening on the high place where we +sat at table. Its windows on this garden side were wide and high, +and this morning the heavy shutters were flung back from each, and +the curtains were drawn aside, for it faced south to the warm sun. +There were bright faces of the queen-mother's ladies at one or two +as they sat in the deep window seats working or spinning, and +anywise laughing with one another; whereon I grew bashful, for of +ladies' talk and presence I have a sort of fear, being more used to +camp than court, as I have said. + +However, we went in, and there we stood on a floor strewn with +sweet sedge in a fair hall, tapestry hung, full of sunlight, and of +ladies also. There was a high place here at one end, and on it sat +the mother of the king, not in any state, but working at a little +loom, whose beams were all carven and made beautiful for her royal +hands. There were two ladies helping her, and they rose as the king +entered, as did all the others, and there was a sudden silence. + +I should have been happier if only they had paid no heed to us, and +with all my heart I wished myself elsewhere. Nor did I dare look +round for the Lady Hilda, and so kept my eyes fixed more or less on +the ground, or else trying to seem unconcerned, looking foolish, no +doubt, in that effort. It came to me that one of my shoes was +muddy, and that I could not remember having combed my hair this +morning. + +Then the queen rose and came to meet her son with a smile and +morning greeting, setting her hands on his shoulder and kissing +him, and so turned to me as if to ask Ethelbert to say who I was. +And when she heard, I knelt and kissed the hand she held to me; and +my shyness went, for I was no longer at a loss for somewhat to +think of besides myself. I suppose the king or queen made some sign +at this time, for the ladies rustled back to their seats, and their +pleasant talk began again as if we were not present, only so low +that it was like the murmur of the bees outside as we came past the +hives. + +Now the queen asked me just a question or two of my journey--if the +crossing had been rough, and so on, and then said smiling: + +"But you have had another journey since then, and that handsome +horse of yours bore a double burden, they tell me. Here is the Lady +Hilda, who would thank you for somewhat you did for her." + +She beckoned, and a lady rose up from the window seat near by and +came forward. Truly I had to look twice before I was quite sure +that this was she, for here was a wonderfully stately young lady, +clad in white and gold and blue, all unlike the maiden who had +clung to her father as we rode yestereven. And if I had thought her +fair then, I saw now that she was the fairest of all those who +attended this homely and kindly-faced queen. She held out her hand +to me, and I bent and kissed it; and on the white wrist I saw the +blue marks of the clutch of the wild men, which made a great wrath +rise in my heart straightway. Yet I must say somewhat or seem +mannerless. + +"You have fared none the worse for your ride, lady?" I said. "I +fear you were weary." + +"I am black and blue with the claws of those folk," she said, +laughing ruefully; "they were grimy also. But I meant to try to +thank you for much kindness." + +She blushed somewhat, and I made haste to say that I was happy to +have served her in aught. But I would not have her forget my +comrades. + +"Ay, they helped you," she said; "I had not forgotten. And I had +the cloak of one of them. Will you thank him for it?" + +I said that I would, and added words about Werbode's pleasure in +the loan, and so on. One could not say much with all those eyes on +us, as it were, if I had had much to say. I was glad when the king +took up the talk and asked after the welfare of the lady. + +"I have sent men across that heath," he said; "at least they will +see to those who fell of your party. I hope they may bring back +some not much hurt after all. A fall from a horse will not be of +much account after half an hour." + +But she shook her head and paled, for, as her father had told me, +his men who had fallen were not mounted. The king saw that the +matter was hard for her to think of, and so turned the talk by +asking how she liked that steed of mine. + +"Sire," she said gravely, "when horse and rider first came suddenly +before my eyes, I thought that one of the saints had come to our +help. It was the most welcome sight I have ever seen, and I shall +ever love to look on a horse of that--of those--" + +"Patchwork colours," laughed the king. + +"Wilfrid, so long as you live you will no more be taken for a saint +than shall I again. Make the most thereof. Of a truth I will even +buy me a skew-bald mount and ride round corners in search of the +like reputation. Nay, sell me yours straightway!" + +"No, King Ethelbert," I answered--"not even to yourself after he +has won me that word, and since he has borne so fair a burden." + +"Let us go straightway," said Ethelbert. "You will not better that +speech if you bide here for an hour. + +"Farewell, mother; and farewell, ladies." + +He bowed, and I did my best to leave gracefully, all those who were +present rising again as he went, and returning his bow. The queen +was laughing at him, and I dared to see if the Lady Hilda had a +smile on her face. She had, and it did not pass when she met my +look; but behind the smile was something of the terror of last +evening, which had been brought back to her. It was in my mind as +we passed the door again that if the sight of me and my horse so +wrought on her, it were better that I kept away if I could; and I +would have the beast stabled in the town. + +Then said Ethelbert when we were halfway across the garden: + +"We shall have the company of that very fair lady to Offa's court. +She is going to the queen as one of her ladies for a time, by our +permission. Her mother was of Lincoln, and gave hospitality to +Quendritha when she was first found on the shore. Then she married +our thane of Mundesley here; whereby we have gained this fair +subject." + +Into my mind there came the thought of what old Thrond had told me, +and I would that this maiden could be warned. And that was just a +wild thought, for even Thrond could not say for certain that his +guess was true, and he had bidden me hold my peace; and thereon I +tried to consider that it was no concern of mine where the Lady +Hilda went, though it troubled me more than enough to think that +she was to go to Quendritha. So I said naught, and the king did not +expect any answer. + +"I suppose you have heard why we go thither," he went on quickly. +"If not, you will, and you may as well have it from myself." + +He glanced sidewise at me, and I bowed. I supposed I should hear +some words of policy or other. + +"They--that is, our wise folk and my good mother--have been saying +that I ought to marry. They have dinned that into my ears for the +last two months since I have been on the throne. It is a matter +which I had not thought of, and therefore I have been in no haste +to answer them; and they have grown impatient, saying that it is +for the good of the realm. Have you ever been at the court of King +Offa of Mercia?" + +I had not, and I think I had told him so before, when he asked me +if I would ride with him thither. + +He took my arm and turned to pace the garden back again, thinking. +I wondered that he took the trouble to tell me all this, as I was +so complete a stranger to him. + +"I am sorry for that," he said; "I would have asked you somewhat. +You would have answered it frankly, and without the thought of what +might please me, as our courtiers would of course stay to consider. +But tell me, what have you heard of Offa and his family?" + +Now I could say nothing of what I had heard from Thrond; that was +impossible. Nor did it seem to me to matter that of it I spoke not. +The life of Quendritha the queen had lain open to all England, as +one may say, for the last twenty years, and that was of more +account than the half-told tale of a wandering Dane. So I said +simply the truth. + +"I have ever heard of that royal house as the noblest and greatest +in all England--at least since Ina of Wessex died; but I have been +abroad for these five years, and I know not what they have +brought." + +"Why, then," he answered, laughing, "it is I who must tell you of +them. There was once a fair little playmate of mine in Offa's +house, his youngest daughter Etheldrida. Since you left England she +has grown up, and now--Well, you will not need telling the rest, +maybe?" + +He reddened and laughed, as if well content, and plain to me it was +that if Ethelbert meant to wed that playmate of whom he spoke he +was happy; for in this case certainly policy and inclination went +hand in hand. + +"Then both yourself and East Anglia will be happy, King Ethelbert," +said I, smiling in turn. "That is what you would tell me." + +"That is it. This princess has the fairness of her wondrous mother, +and promise of the wisdom of her father; and I have known her for +long years. Three weeks ago I sent with all solemnity to ask her +hand, and I need not tell you how I waited for the answer. It came +on the day before you landed, and now when your people have gone we +shall ride to Fernlea, and--well, I suppose there will be a +wedding." + +If Ethelbert when that day came looked as he looked at this moment, +there would in all truth be a handsome bridegroom. I thought that +the princess was to be envied, for more worth than that were the +words of every man of his land in his favour, whether as the +atheling of East Anglia or her king. And it was much for me that +here this open-hearted king was telling me his hopes as if I were +an old friend. Maybe that was because to his subjects he did not +care to speak thus, or could not, by reason of old habit. He was +wise beyond his years, being, as I think, about two years younger +than myself. And as to this match, of course it was plain that Offa +in furthering it was in nowise unwilling to link the land to the +east of Mercia to himself in so peaceful a bond as he had linked +Wessex in the year when I left home. It did come into my mind that +thus in time the descendants of that mighty king would be likely to +rule from the Humber to the Channel, but that was a dim thought of +years to come. There was Ecgbert to be counted on. + +And at that I wondered whether this were, as it almost seemed a +good chance, a fitting time for me to remind the king of him. He +himself had told me carefully that in aught I said of his doings I +must be cautious; and now I could not tell what Ethelbert might not +think right to make known to Offa, and so to Quendritha. + +Ethelbert went on telling me of the coming journey, having found a +listener who was no courtier, and did not heed that I was silent. +And so we paced the garden, while he chatted hopefully, and I +turned over somewhat heavier matters in my mind. + +Once I did well-nigh tell him of Ecgbert, and then forbore; for at +that moment he said somewhat of Quendritha which almost made me +think that he feared her. Whereon I was troubled to think that this +bright and happy young king should be drawn into the net of her +pride and policy, and again thought myself foolish for giving two +thoughts to a matter which did not concern me. If the king was +happy and yon fair maiden was content, they knew more of the queen +than I. So I ended my questionings by a hearty wish that old Thrond +had never told me that wild tale of his, and said naught of my +prince, but listened patiently to the king until some one came and +prayed him to meet the council, which he had forgotten. + +I followed him to the great hall, and thence went to the stables, +and so met with Werbode and Erling, and rode hawking with them all +that afternoon. And when we came back we heard that tomorrow was +the day for the meeting of the Witan, to hear and see what King +Carl had to say and had sent. + +Now, of all that wonderful gathering in the hall at Thetford I need +say little. I know that our Franks had somewhat despised our +buildings, for indeed they seemed somewhat poor to me after the +mighty piles which Carl had reared. But such a wealth of colour and +jewels decking so gallant an assemblage of brave men and fair +ladies even Carl's court could not match, and so they told me. As +we stood before the high place our Frankish dress seemed almost +plain beside the English, richly as we were clad. + +Then I found that I, by reason of having to interpret, was thrust +somewhat more forward than I liked; but there was no help for it, +and I went through it all as well as I knew how. Maybe it was lucky +that I had that talk in all confidence with the king in the garden, +for I was now in nowise afraid of him, though he sat there crowned +and with his sceptre. I was afraid, however, of the Lady Hilda, +knowing just where she stood behind the queen, and one would have +thought that with her I might have claimed more close acquaintance +than with the king; which is curious, for if I had not known her at +all, I should have cared naught for all the ladies present, having +business that needed other thoughts on hand. + +However, after it was all over, the old paladin, who was our chief, +thanked me, and spoke some honest words of praise for the way in +which his message had been set before the Witan and the king; and +gave me, moreover, a ring, set with a ruby from some far Eastern +land, as a kindly remembrance of himself; so I verily believe that +I did not manage so badly. + +After that was a day or two more of feasting and hunting, and then +the embassy would return. I was sorry to part with Werbode, but I +bade him carry back messages to Ecgbert, and in them I told him +that I waited for the time when his message should best be spoken. +Werbode knew not what that meant, but did not trouble to ask. He +would give my message, and would also tell the atheling of the +coming marriage. I had no doubt that it would be understood well by +him to whom it was sent. At that time there were none of the Franks +who knew or cared who Ecgbert was, save Carl; and if by chance my +friend had spoken to any of these East Anglians of the Saxon leader +under whom he had warred for Carl, the name of Ecgbert would mean +naught to them. A Wessex atheling has no honour in East Anglia, and +I doubt whether it had ever been heard here. + +On the day after the great ceremony I noticed that Erling went +about somewhat silently, and I thought that he very likely had a +wish to cross the sea with the Franks, and so make his way home by +land from the Rhine mouth. I asked him, therefore, if it was so, +saying that I would give him money enough for all needs. + +"It is not that, master," he said; and when he called me master +(which I had forbidden him, for he was more of a comrade, and I +would not have him remember whence I took him), I knew that he was +in earnest--"not that, for I would not leave you; unless, indeed +this means that you would have me go?" + +"No, comrade, that I would not. But you are downcast, and I thought +that you might have the longing for home on you. Well, what is it?" + +"It is naught," he said. + +But so plain it was that somewhat was amiss that I pressed him, and +at last he said that he would tell me if I would not be angry with +him. We were alone at the time, sitting on a great log in the +corner of the courtyard, waiting for supper. + +"Saw you aught strange about the robe which this young king had on +yesterday, when you stood before him?" he asked first. "You were +close to him." + +"I did not notice anything beyond that it was wonderfully wrought +with gold and colours. The queen made it, they tell me." + +He sighed, and his face fell. + +"I have heard that the Christian folk hold most precious such robes +as are marked with the blood of one who has died for his faith. Are +you sure that this robe is not such an one?" + +"I know it is not. The queen made it new for the coronation." + +He was silent for a while, looking on the ground and shifting his +foot in the dust, and some fear rose in my mind as to what he would +tell me. + +"Eh, well," he said, sighing again, "mayhap the sun was in my eyes +before I looked on him." + +"Is it the second sight again, Erling?" I asked in a low voice, for +that was what I feared. + +"Ay. Methought I saw that royal robe all spotted with blood as he +sat in it." + +"What does that portend?" I said. + +He lifted his eyes slowly to mine, and answered, "Why need you +ask?" + +I did not answer him, for, in truth, I only asked with a half hope +that he might have some other interpretation of this portent than +that of violent death, which seemed the plain meaning of it--that +is, if he saw aught, and I had no reason to disbelieve him. I tried +to think that his glance had met the sun for a moment before he +looked on the king; but I could not think it, for in the hall was +no chance thereof. And then he spoke again slowly, with his eyes +still on the ground. + +"Thrond, who is my uncle, saw the same on the mail of my father not +long before he fell. He said at that time that so it had often been +in our family; but this has not come to me until I came here. I had +no second sight up to this time." + +"It is sent for some reason, therefore," said I. "Now, is it +possible to avert the doom which seems written?" + +He shook his head. "I have never heard so," he answered. + +"Yet the king does not seem fey," said I, "and there is no man in +all this land who would harm him. Ah, maybe you saw the robe as of +a saint, because all men hold him most saintly!" + +"May it he so," he answered. "You are Christian folk, and it may +mean that; I will hope it does. How should a heathen man know what +is for you? Over you the Norns may have no power. Pay no heed to +me." + +"No," said I. "We ride to Offa with the king in a few days, and if +you and I have fears for him, there are two who will watch him +carefully. That is why the sight has come to you, I think. There is +danger, and we may meet it." + +Thereat he cheered up, for the thought of facing a peril heartened +him. His heathen fear of fate was enough to make any man downcast +when it seemed to promise naught but ill, and I verily believe that +he thought the way of the Christian might be altogether different +from his. But I liked his second sight not at all, for of course we +Saxons know that when it is given it is not to be despised. My +father had many times told me of the like before I heard this. + +After that I asked now and then if there was any danger to be +guarded against on the way to Fernlea, and I was told by all that +there was none. Hardly would a strong guard be needed, for the hand +of Offa was heavy on ill doers, and his land had peace from end to +end. + +So then I began to think the portent altogether heathenish, and +half forgot it. And with that I hoped that Erling would not often +be taken in this way. + +I rode with the Franks for an hour or two on their road back to +Norwich, homeward, and then took leave of them, riding back to +Thetford with Erling alone, for the king had but set the embassy as +far as the gates of the town. And as I watched them pass across the +heaths and at last disappear behind a hill, it seemed to me that I +had my life to begin afresh, for the days when I was one of the +paladins of King Carl of the Franks were past and done with. Many +were the lessons I had learned therein, and I have never regretted +those five years; and, best of all, in them I had been the friend +and close comrade of Ecgbert, who I know had then all the promise +of his greatness of the days to come. + + + +CHAPTER VII. HOW ETHELBERT'S JOURNEY BEGAN WITH PORTENTS. + + +Seeing that Carl the Great was at this time, and I suppose always +will be, the model of what a king should be, Ethelbert had many +things to ask me of him, and out of the hours which he spent in +questioning me it came to pass that he took pleasure in my company +at other times as well, treating me as a close comrade. That sort +of thing is apt to be perilous in time, for it makes jealousies +about a court if there is favour for one more than for another of +the courtiers; but as I was no more than a passing stranger, who +had not the least intention of biding here, I escaped that. Nor do +I think that any one was jealous of me, for the honour which Carl +had set on me for the sake of Ecgbert hung about me, as it were, +and I suppose that half the court thought that I had to take some +message on to Offa from my late lord. + +Moreover, for good and wise reasons of his own, Ethelbert had no +close companions of his own age, and maybe longed for such, finding +in myself one to whom he could speak his mind of his own affairs +without any thought of favour or policy rising up to cloud my +answers to him, as his guest. + +So in a few days I told him of Ecgbert, and gave him those messages +of which I have spoken, being sure that with him they were safe. +And I was glad that I did so, for his joy on hearing of his friend +was good to see. As for the rest of the hopes of our atheling, he +may have had his own thoughts, but he said plainly that the day +when Wessex would need him might come, and that if it did none +would more willingly welcome him home again. + +"But," he said, "I think that best of all Ecgbert would wish to +come home in peace at once, and set all ambition aside. Presently, +if we are careful, I may be able to speak to Offa of him again. +Nay, but have no fear; I understand how matters are with Bertric, +and will risk naught. I think we may find that Offa, who is +friendly with King Carl, knows more of Ecgbert than you might +guess." + +So that matter dropped, and I had done my errand. But for the sake +of Ecgbert I was all the more welcome to the king, for I had to +tell him of the wars and the deeds of his friend. I do not think +that any will wonder that thus I saw more of the king than +otherwise might have been my lot. + +Now there was another of whom I saw much at this time before we +started to ride westward, and that, of course, was the Lady Hilda. +She, I found, was going to Fernlea, rather that she might be one of +the ladies who should attend the bride whom it was hoped that the +king would bring home, than as going to remain with Quendritha, and +I must say that I was glad thereof. With her and her father I rode +many a mile hawking, and both of them seemed to hold me as an old +friend by reason of that lucky chance which brought about our first +meeting; and the only fault I had to find with the journey we +looked for was that in Offa's court would end my friendship with +them. + +So it happened one day as we rode thus that while the thane had +crossed a stream, beating up the far bank for a heron, we fell into +talk of the journey and its ending. + +"What is amiss with it all?" she asked. "The good queen seems +terribly downcast about it. Is not the princess her choice?" + +"Altogether so, as the king tells me. Perhaps the queen has +mother-like fears for the safety of this only son of hers, and lets +them get on her mind overmuch." + +"That would be hardly like our queen," she answered, laughing; "she +is above that foolishness. No, but there is somewhat more." + +"Then," said I, thinking that this was fancy, "it will be some +trouble of state which is at the bottom of her anxiety. That none +of us can mend." + +"It may be that," she said; "but it is some heavy trouble. I have +never seen her so downcast until yesterday. It is a sudden thing." + +There we left the subject, and I thought little more of it until +the next morning, which was that of the day before we started. It +had become a custom that I should wait on the king at his first +rising, when he had most leisure to talk with me, and this time I +found the queen with him in his chamber. She looked sad and +anxious, as I thought. + +"Wilfrid," she said to me when the fitting greetings were over, +"you are a stranger here, and no thought of policy will come into +your mind. Tell me truly what you think of this; it may be that +your word will have some weight with my son." + +Ethelbert smiled, but it was not quite his usual untroubled smile +at all. + +"It is not fair to ask Wilfrid," he said; "maybe he puts much faith +in these omens." + +"No, but he is of Wessex," she said. "He cares naught for alliance +or court, or for any of those things which blind our eyes. I want +him to answer me as if I were just a franklin's wife who is in +doubt. + +"Listen, then, if you will." + +She turned to me with a sort of appeal, and spoke quietly, though I +saw that she was almost weeping. + +"Last night I dreamed a dream, and in it I waited in the church +here for the bells to ring for the wedding of my son and +Etheldrida, whom he loves. It was in my mind that all the good folk +would come in their best array, and that so we should sing a great +'Te Deum' for the happiness of all. And indeed there was a voice +from the belfry--but it was of the great bell alone, as of a knell +for the dead. And indeed it seemed that the people came--but they +came softly and weeping, and they were clad all in black. And then +they sang--but it was the psalm 'De Profundis.'" + +I think that I paled, for I minded those other things which Erling +had told me. The lady, who looked in my face, saw it, and she grew +white also--whiter than she had been before. + +"Lady," I stammered, "I have no wit to read these things. It were +well to ask the good bishop, for he is wise." + +"Ay, too wise," she said. "I would hear simplicity." + +Then Ethelbert rose up and set his arm round his mother very +gently, and said gravely: + +"Mother, know you not of what you have dreamed? Even as you told it +first to me, and now again, I seemed to be back on that day, not so +long past, when we buried my father. So it was in the church at +that time, and it was the most terrible thing which you have known. + +"Is it wonderful, Wilfrid, that it should come back thus in the +night watches?" + +"It is not wonderful," I said. + +"Lady, I think that the king is right. + +"But, King Ethelbert, if I am to say my mind, I would put off the +journey for the sake of the peace of the queen your mother." + +"And thereby offend Offa, and maybe hurt that little playmate of +mine? No, it cannot be. And what should the dream be but that we +say?" + +Then the queen said plainly: + +"I fear for you, my son--I fear Quendritha. In the days gone by +your wise father was wont to say that if ever danger came from +Mercia to East Anglia, it would be by reason of her ambition and +longing for power and width of realm." + +"Why, mother, then surely in gaining the East Anglian throne for +her daughter she gains all she would. And she is Offa's queen, and +in his court can be no danger to me or any man. Presently you shall +surely dream again, and that dream shall show you the old sorrow +turned to joy, for you will have a fair daughter to drive away your +loneliness. She will be all you need, for I know that I can be of +little help to you. The dream was of the sorrow which is passing to +make way for joy to come." + +Then the queen made shift to smile, and told him that she deemed +that her fears might be foolish. But to me it seemed that even as +she had said, the thought of policy and state came first of +necessity, setting aside such a vision as any simple thane would +surely have thought held him from a journey he would take. Indeed, +many a one would have given it up for far less, for I have known +men turn back when already started, because a harmless hare crossed +their path or a lone magpie sat on a wayside tree. Maybe I minded +such like myself once, but service with Carl mended that. If he +bade a man do a thing, that man had to do it, omen or none. Whereby +I found that mostly these journey tokens, as one may call them, +came to naught, and certainly I should not have done that if I had +been able to mind them. And yet I do not know if aught would turn a +true lover from the way which leads him toward the lady of his +choice. + +"One thing only I do fear from this dream of yours, my mother," the +king said after a little while. "Can it mean harm to Etheldrida? +Was it for her that the knell passed, and shall I find her gone +from me? It is many days since I heard from her or of her." + +Now when it came to that, I knew that nothing would stay the king, +and so also did his mother. Whereon she was eager as himself to say +that the dream was but wrought of her sorrow. + +"Why, then," said Ethelbert, "you and Wilfrid may laugh at me if +you will; for I have dreamed a dream to set against yours, because +I think it has a good meaning. I thought that I was in a city, and +that from its marketplace rose heavenward a great beam of light, +like a pathway. And so I would climb it, but I could not. Then I +had wings, and up it at last I sailed as a ship sails on the path +of sunlight on an evening sea. Surely that promises a happy journey +for me. Fear no more, therefore, my mother." + +Then we went from him, for state business called him, and I would +take the queen across the garden to the bower door. There was +little ceremony in this quiet court, and no waiting ladies were +biding her return outside. And when we were alone there she turned +to me, and her eyes were dim and pitiful. + +"Friend," she said, "yon beam of light led to heaven. I do not know +what it all means, but I fear--I fear terribly." + +"Lady," I said, "many a time I have known men who thought they had +ill dreams on the night before a battle, and naught came of them. I +have forgotten to trouble myself much therewith." + +"Nay, but they are sent at times for our warning." + +"It may be so. I should be foolish if I did not believe what wiser +men than I tell me of their messages. But if there is ill before +the king, can it be anywise turned aside? What if he were persuaded +not to go?" + +"Oh," she said, with a little sob, "then his troth would be broken, +and that in itself would bring ill. It seems dark all round me." + +Then I said, for she was in sore distress: + +"Lady, I am a stranger and hardly known to you, but I am to ride +with your son. Will it be aught if I tell you that I will watch him +as if he were my own atheling, and if need be die for him, with his +own thanes?" + +"It is much," she said eagerly, "much; for in that court where I +fear for him you will be a stranger, and may hear and note more +than our folk, for if ill is plotted they may be careless of you. I +shall have less fear now that I may feel that one at least shares +in my dread. I do not know how to thank you for the promise." + +She set forth her hand to mine, and I bent and kissed it; but she +pressed my great fingers as my own mother used to press them. Then +she said in a low voice: + +"I do not fear Offa, for he is noble in all he does. I fear +Quendritha." + +"I have heard that she is to be feared. Can you tell me more of +her?" + +"You will see her as the fairest woman in all the land, and will +but know her as the softest spoken. Once or twice I have seen what +looks may lie under that fair outward show, and I know that in her +heart is the rage for power and ever more power, let it be what it +may. It goes ill with the lady of her train who shares a secret +with her, if the secret is the lady's. I cannot think how harm may +come to Ethelbert from her; but none know how it may not. I pray +you remember that." + +I promised, and then she led me to her doorway; and there I left +her, but not before she had thanked me again. I suppose that to +share a burden even with me helped somewhat to lighten it. And in +all truth I meant to do my part in watching, and if possible +guarding, the king. Perhaps it would be as the queen said, that +being in and yet not of his train I might be able to look on at all +that went on more easily. + +To that end I kept my Frankish dress, though I had meant to take to +plain Saxon wear once more, with the knowledge that none would +wonder that Carl's man was kept near the king, and that in Offa's +court I should not be taken for an Anglian of his train. + +Now the day came when we should set out on the long ride across +England to the Welsh border, where Offa had set his throne for the +time. As may be supposed, we went first of all on that morning to +the church in the dim daybreak, and there heard mass and sought for +blessing on our going and returning, and then I went and saw all +ready for the ride. I had bought two more horses, good enough for +change of mount now and then, one brown and the other black; and +Erling was to lead them, with our belongings on a pack. The king +would travel steadily, but no more slowly than might be managed, +and we were to have no wagons or the like to hinder us, though +there were three ladies besides the Lady Hilda who were to go with +us. + +It was past sunrise when I went to find Erling, but the morning was +dull and dark. It was hot, too, for no breath of wind stirred the +trees, and I seemed to notice a silence around me. That was because +the thrushes and blackbirds were not singing after their wont in +the dewy daybreak of May time, and I thought they waited for the +sun to break out. + +When I came to the stables there was bustle everywhere, of course; +but the grooms seemed troubled in some way out of the common, and +Erling himself came to meet me with a puzzled face which told me +that all was not well. + +"There is thunder in the air, thane," he said. "If I mistake not, +we shall have somewhat out of the way, too. The horses are feeling +it--unless some thrall has poisoned the whole stable." + +Truly the horses were looking strangely. Their coats stared, and +their ears were cold and damp, while they seemed glad of the +company of the men, whinnying low and rubbing themselves against +them as they came into the stalls. I heard one thrall say to +another that the whole stable had surely been witch ridden in the +night. + +"Get the horses into the open," I said. "It is stifling in this +stable. Maybe that is what is wrong." + +My own horse was standing ready, and he greeted me, after his wont, +with a little neigh; but he was wet, and his coat had lost the +gloss of which Erling was so proud. I did not like it at all, but +as every horse in the place seemed to be in the same way or worse, +I put it down to the thundery feel in the air. I led him out +myself, and there were two thanes of our party, who had come for +their horses. + +"Why, paladin," said one, "what is amiss with the skew-bald? You +can't ride him today if he is as bad as he looks." + +I told him that his own horse was much in the same case, and added +that I thought with Erling that it was the thundery weather which +upset the stable, though I had never known the like before. + +"I suppose that the king will not start until it clears," I said. + +"Ay, but he will," said the other thane, looking at the gray sky. +"Seldom does he put off a start, and today of all days there is a +strong cable pulling him westward." + +Now Erling came out with the other horses, and the thane and his +comrade glanced at them, and hurried to see to their own steeds. +There was no sound of pawing hoofs and coaxing voices to be heard +as one by one the horses were led out. It might have been the +clearing of a sheep fold for all the spirit there was in the +beasts. + +I mounted, and rode with Erling after me out of the courtyard into +the open. On the green were gathering the twenty thanes or so who +made up the party, and across it was drawn up the mounted escort. +There was the usual gathering of onlookers, and by the gate stood +the king's own huntsmen, with hawks and hounds. + +The first thing I noticed was that the birds were dull and uneasy, +and that the dogs were still more so. The hooded hawks sat with +ruffled feathers, and one or two of the hounds lay on their backs, +with paws drawn to them as if they feared a beating, while the rest +whined, and had no eagerness in them. It seemed closer here than in +the courtyard even, and every one was watching the sky and speaking +in a low voice. Each sound seemed over loud, and overhead the hot +haze brooded without sign of breaking. + +The king's chaplain came out, and a lay brother brought him his +mule. He looked at it as I had looked at my horse just now, and his +brow knitted. He was rather a friend of mine. + +"Father," I said, "there is somewhat strange in the air. Look at +all the beasts; they feel more than we can." + +He nodded to me gravely. Then he said, with his hand smoothing the +wet coat of his mule, which at any other time would have resented +the touch with a squeal, but now did not heed him: + +"It minds me of one day in Rome when I was a lad there, at college, +learning. There is a great burning mountain at Naples, and it was +smoking at the time. Then there came--" + +"Way for the king!" cried the marshal who waited at the gate, and +the good father had to stand aside with his tale unfinished. + +Ethelbert came forth with a smiling return to our salute, and with +him came his mother and the four ladies who were to bear us company +on the way. One of these was, of course, the Lady Hilda, and I +dismounted and left my horse to a groom for the time, having +promised myself the pleasure of helping her to mount. + +At that moment the marshal, who was a thane set over all the +ordering of the journey, went to the king and asked him if it might +not be his pleasure to wait for an hour to see if the weather +broke. I think that the king was so taken up with parting words to +the queen that he had hardly noticed the gloom and heat, and +certainly he had not noted the uneasiness of the horses, which was +growing more and more. So he only turned for a moment to the thane, +signing to the man to bring his horse. + +"Nay, but a dull start often forebodes a bright ending to a +journey. We will go," he said, laughing. + +"Now farewell, mother, for the last time." + +He bent his knee for her blessing, doffing his cap as he did so. +And even as he bent I was aware of a dull rumble, not loud or like +thunder, but as if all the wains of the host of King Carl were +passing toward us from far off. Hilda stood by me at that moment, +and she heard it. + +For the life of me, though I knew that no wagons were near us, I +could not help glancing round for them, and as I did so I saw the +end of a thrall's mud hut across a field fall out. The king leaped +up and set his foot in the stirrup, and at that moment the earth +heaved and shook under us, and the whole oaken hall and buildings +round us creaked and groaned like a ship in a ground swell, while +Hilda clung to my arm in terror. Her horse, which the thane, her +father, held, trembled and broke out into white foam all over, +stumbling forward. + +I do not think that the king felt it; indeed, as he was swinging +himself into the saddle at the moment, he could not have done so. +But his horse reared almost on end with terror, and any less +perfect rider must have had a heavy fall. All around us were +plunging horses and shouting men, but he did not seem to heed them. +He had all he could do to get his horse in hand again, and I think +his eyes were misty with that parting. + +He gave the horse the rein, crying to us to follow, and so passed +down the dim street and out under the green arches of the lane +beyond at a gallop, as gay and hopeful a lover as heart could wish. +Doubtless to him the shouts seemed but the cries of good speed, and +the plunging of the maddened horses but the sounds of mounting; for +the way had been left clear for him westward, and he did not look +back. + +Out of the houses of the town I saw the folk running and crying, +not in farewell to him, but in wild terror of rattling roofs and +crumbling walls. They did not heed him; but I saw him wave his hand +to them, for he thought they cheered him, as he passed too swiftly +to note either pale faces or woeful cries. + +Then after him rode their hardest the men of the escort and others +who were already mounted, and the tumult stilled suddenly. They say +that the queen swooned there on the pavement at the gate; and I do +not doubt it, though her ladies took her so quickly away that I did +not see her. Hilda was almost fainting on my arm, and I had to drag +her away from the wild frenzy of her horse, which the thane could +hardly hold. + +I saw two or three men stand staring at Erling, who was in trouble +with his charges, and then they went to his help. And next I was +aware that somewhat soft rubbed my sleeve, and I started and +turned. It was my own horse, who sought me in danger, and would +tell me in his own way that he was there. In that glance I noted +that his eye was bright again, and in a minute or two he shook +himself heartily. Thereby I knew that there was no more of this +terror to come, or he would have felt it yet. + +"Thane," I said, "see. The skew-bald has not lost his senses like +that beast. Let us set Hilda on him. The marshal will help to shift +the saddle." + +But Hilda came to herself again, and tried to laugh, saying that +there was never yet a horse of which she was afraid. Nor would she +hear of a change, for when her horse grew more quiet it was plain +that its terror had passed away. She took herself gently from my +arm, and spoke bravely now. + +"What was it?" she asked me while Sighard soothed the beast. + +"Why," answered Father Selred for me, "just what I was going to +tell the paladin--such an earthquake as I felt on a like day in +Rome years ago. But why it comes here in quiet England, where is no +fiery mountain to disquiet the earth, I cannot say." + +"Father, it is the end of the world!" said a thrall, forgetting our +presence in his terror. + +"Not so, my son. The thousand years of prophecy are not at an end +yet; and there are more foretellings of Holy Writ yet to be +fulfilled. It is just the old earth shaking herself after a sleep." + +The man's face cleared, and he shrank back with a low bow, +frightened at his own boldness. All seemed to have found their +tongues again, and were telling how the matter had seemed to them +without waiting to know whether they were listened to. + +"No hurry," said Sighard; "the king cannot keep up that pace, and +anywise will have to wait the pack-horse train somewhere. Let us +see all well first." + +Maybe we waited for half an hour after that, for the ladies were +sorely frightened. We had the horses walked to and fro for a while, +and presently they were themselves again. And there came no more +trembling of the ground, while the clouds grew blacker, and a +short, sharp thunderstorm swept over us. It was good to feel the +cleared air again, and to smell the scent that rises after rain, +and to hear the song of the birds break out around us. + +Yet on every face was a fear that would not be put aside. Men +thought that the earthquake boded ill for the journey of the king +and what might come thereof. + +So when the rain had passed we rode away after the king, followed +by the pack horses, and before noon caught him up. He had heard +then what had happened to set his steed beyond control, and his +face was grave also. Even he could not help fearing that the +earthquake, coming at that moment as it did, might be sent as a +token which he must hear though the dreams of his mother went for +naught. + +"And yet," he said to Father Selred and myself as we rode beside +him, "I am doing what I deem best for throne and realm, and I have +no thought of guile or harm to any man. Nor can I see that I have +to fear any from Offa, or that at his court can be danger to me." + +"Journey and reason therefor are alike good so far as man can see +or plan," said Selred the priest. "I would that every journey was +undertaken as fully innocently. I cannot think that any tokens have +been sent to warn you from it. Yet if there had been aught amiss in +your plans, it is true that there have been tokens enough to scare +any man from evil." + +"Maybe it all means naught but danger on the journey. Well, we knew +there was always that in any ride. For the rest, we are in the +hands of Him who orders all and can see beyond our ken. We will go +on till the tokens, if tokens they be, are plain in their meaning." + +Father Selred approved, gravely. Then he muttered somewhat to +himself, and laughed. It was Latin, but the king told me afterward +what it meant. Some old Roman poet had made a song in which he said +that a man who was just and straightforward in his purposes need +not fear if the world fell, shattered in ruins, around him. + +It was a good saying, and surely that was the way of Ethelbert of +East Anglia. Maybe the one thing which did trouble him was his +thought of the terror of his mother, and of her anxiety for him. + +But it was a long while before the rest of us shook off the fear of +what all this might betoken. Perhaps of all I had the most reason +to think that ill was before the king, for Erling, though he said +no more to me, was plainly full of bodings. And I have heard that +other men dreamed dreams of terror and told them to one another. +Only Ethelbert was always cheerful, singing as he rode and laughing +with us, so that we ought to have been ashamed to be dull. + +Save for what was in my mind, I cannot say that the miles went +slowly. The days were bright and warm, and ever did I take more +pleasure in the old home land. And always when Ethelbert had his +counsellors round him I rode with Hilda and her father, and I think +that I wished that journey might never end, after a while. + +For I was going homeward to where mother and father waited me, in +the first place. Then I had pleasant companions, and most of all +this one of whom I have just spoken. I had a good horse under me, +and a comrade in Erling who served me silently with that best of +service that is given for love. I was high in honour with this +wonderful young king, for the sake of Ecgbert first, I think, then +of King Carl, and lastly because he did indeed seem to like my own +company. I do not think that one could need more to add to +pleasure. + +I have seen the progresses of kings before this and since, and +often it has been that after their passing there has been +grumbling, and the hearty hope that the long and greedy train which +ate men out of house and home, borrowed their best horses, and +otherwise made a little famine in their wake, might never come that +way again. But this Ethelbert left, as it were, a track of +happiness across England, in hall and in village, in cot and in +forest. He had ridden with so small a train that he might +overburden none of those who had to entertain him on his way, and +he stayed nowhere overlong. Everywhere he seemed to leave smiles +and wishes that he would honour that house or that town again on +his return, and not a man to whom he had spoken, if it were but a +word of thanks, would ever forget how Ethelbert the Anglian looked +on him with that kindly glance of his. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. HOW ETHELBERT CAME TO THE PALACE OF SUTTON. + + +By Ely and Huntingdon and Northampton, and so through the very +heart of England, across the sweet Avon at Stratford, our way took +us, under trees that had their first leaves fresh and sweet on +them, and past orchards pink and white, with the bees busy among +the bloom. I had seen many a fair country beyond the sea in the +wide realms of Carl, but none so sweet as this to my mind. The warm +rain that came and stayed us now and then but made it all the +sweeter; and I mind, with a joy that bides with me, the hours of +waiting in old halls and quiet monasteries. + +That black cloud of fears cleared away presently, for it was in all +truth a very bridal procession in which we rode. Everywhere the +news went before us that hither came the well-loved king to bear +away the sweet daughter of Mercia, and from town and hamlet the +bells greeted us, and the folk donned their holiday gear to come to +meet us. I had not known that the name of Ethelbert, young as he +was, could have been so held in love across the land. But Father +Selred told me that never had been such a king as he, as there +surely had never been such promise of the days when he was the heir +to the throne. + +First in all he was in the minds of every man who knew him, whether +in war or peace, council or chamber, and maybe he was the only one +who did not know it. I learned much of him in that ride, and always +with a growing love of him and a deeper wonder. He thought for +every one but himself. + +Nor was there a church, however small, which he passed on that +happy journey toward his bride which was not the richer and +brighter for some gift of his, left on the altar after the morning +mass, which always began our day, or given quietly after the +evensong which ended it. One might know his road now by the words +of the people, who will say with more than pride that once +Ethelbert crossed the threshold of their church and gave this or +that gift. I have seen richer gifts given, and heard more words +said; but what he gave seemed always that which was wanted, and the +word he spoke was always the best that could have been. And I have +wondered at the mighty churches which Carl the Great had reared and +was still rearing, but in some wise it seemed to me that the way of +Ethelbert was of more worth. + +Now, seeing that we had started with our minds full of portents, it +is not by any means wonderful that we found more on the road. For a +time, if a horse did but cast a shoe, the thane it belonged to +shook his head and wished that naught ill might come of the little +delay. And once, when we stumbled into a fog among the river +country of the midlands, where one would expect to meet with it, +there was nigh a panic in the company, so that the thanes crowded +round Ethelbert and begged him to return. Whereon he laughed at +them gaily. + +"Thanes, thanes!" he cried, "one can no more see to return than to +go forward! I might take it as a warning not to go back, just as +well. Did none of you ever see a fog before? Had it fallen on you +while hunting, you would have done naught but grumble and wait its +lifting." + +But they were terrified, as it seemed, beyond reason; and, indeed, +it was as thick as any Friesland fog I have ever seen, and it grew +blacker for an hour or so, while we had perforce to wait under +dripping trees till we could see to go on. Even a horse will lose +his way home in such a fog as that. + +And at last they begged the king to pray that it might clear from +off us, and so he knelt and did so. It was strange to hear his +clear voice rising from the midst of half-seen men and steaming +horses, praying for the light. And then the fog lifted as suddenly +as it had come, and the sun shone out. + +"See," he said, "our fears are like this mist, and cloud our +senses. Surely the fears shall pass likewise from the heart of him +who prays. So read I the token, if token it be." + +All that day thereafter we rode in brightest sunshine, and men were +fairly ashamed to say more of ill-luck and the like. And so also in +lovely weather we went for the fourteen days of our journey, until +we came to the place where we should cross the Severn at Worcester, +and but a day's long ride was before us. + +After that time of the mist Ethelbert noticed Erling, and would +call him and speak long with him of the ways of his home, as I +thought. + +At Worcester we waited while a message went from the town to Offa, +and next day there came to meet us some score of the best thanes of +the Welsh borderland, who should be our guides to the end of the +journey. Hard warriors and scarred with tokens of the long wars +they were, but pleasant and straightforward in their ways, as +warriors should be. Only I did not altogether like the smooth way +of the man who was their leader. His name was Gymbert, and he was +of mixed Welsh and English blood, as I was told, and he was also +high in honour with Offa, and with Quendritha herself; which in +itself spoke well for him, but nevertheless in some way I cared not +for him. + +They feasted us that night in Worcester, and early next morning we +rode out westward again on the last stage of our journey, the king +leading us with this thane at his side, followed by the rest of the +Mercians and his own thanes. So I, not altogether unwillingly, rode +with Hilda in the rear of the party, feeling somewhat downcast to +think that this was the last time I was at all likely to be her +companion. + +I suppose that there is not a more wonderful outlook in all England +than from the Malvern heights, save only that from our own +Quantocks, in the west. I hold that the more wonderful, for there +one has the sea, and across it the mountains of Wales, which one +misses here, while it were hard to say whence the eye can range the +furthest. + +I told Hilda so as we reined up the horses for a moment at the top +of the steep to breathe them, and she sighed, with all the wonder +before her. We of the hill countries do not know all the pleasure +that comes into the heart of one from the level east counties, as +he looks for the first time from a height over the lands spread out +below. I had been long enough in Friesland now to learn some of +that wonder for myself anew. + +"Well," she said, "you will be back again at home in your hills +shortly, and all this ride will be forgotten. Where does your home +lie? Can it be seen?" + +I pointed south or thereabout. I could almost fancy that I should +be able to see the far blue line of the Mendips under the sun, so +bright it all was and clear. + +Then she asked if my folk knew that I was on my way home. + +"No; else I had ridden straightway from Thetford to them. They +think that I am yet with the Franks across the sea, and a few days +can make no difference to them. Nor could I be so churlish as to +refuse the king's offer of help on my way." + +"I wonder how you will find all when you get back?" + +"And so do I. There were merchants from Bristol who brought me a +message that all was well with them six months ago, and by the same +hands I sent back word that so it was with me. Possibly that +message has reached them about this time." + +That was the third time I had heard from home during these years, +and I was lucky to have heard at all. It seems that my father had +bidden friends of ours at the ports to let him hear of men from +across the seas who were to go to the court of Carl. + +"Ah," she said, "I hope so. That would be more than joy to your +mother. And then for you to follow so quickly on the message! that +will be wonderful. I would that I could see that meeting." + +She turned and laughed in the pleasure of the thought, and I +suppose there was that in my eyes which told her that I had the +same wish. Maybe I should have said so, but she flushed a little, +and gave me no time. + +"But I shall be on the way back to East Anglia with the princess, +and I will picture it all. Some day, when you come back to see the +king, as you say he has asked you, I shall hear of it." + +Now it was in my mind that it was possible that I might be back in +Thetford, or wherever Ethelbert's court might be at the time, +sooner than I had any wish. For if aught had happened amiss at +home, so that our lands, for want of the heir, had fallen into the +hands of Bertric, I should be left with naught but my sword for +heritage. Then--for the king had spoken of these chances to me--I +was to come straightway back to him and take service with him. My +knowledge of the ways in which Carl handled his men would be of use +to him, and a place and honour would wait me. But I would not think +much of such sorrow for me, though that it was possible, of course, +may have been the great reason which made me silent when there were +words I had more than once had it on the tip of my tongue to say to +Hilda. Could I have known for certain that home and wealth yet +waited for me, I know that I must needs have asked her to share +them, now that at the end of this daily companionship I learned +what my thoughts of her had grown to be. + +"Ay, I shall be back with Ethelbert at some time," I said. "I do +not forget promises." + +After that we rode down the long hill silently enough, and the way +did not seem so bright to me. And so through the long day we rode, +stopping for an hour or two at the strong oaken hall, moated and +stockaded, of some great border thane for the midday meal. There +were the marks of fire on roof and walls; for once the wild Welsh +had tried to burn it, and failed, in a sudden raid before Offa had +curbed them with the mighty earthwork that runs from Dee to Severn +to keep the border of his realm. "Offa's Dyke" men call it, and so +it will be called to the end of time. + +And now we were on the way of the war host from west to east, the +way of the Welshmen, and making toward the ford of the Wye, which +they were wont to cross, so that we call it the "ford of the host," +the "Hereford." + +It was late when we came into the little town of Fernlea, which +stands on the gentle rise above the ford, for the five-and-twenty +miles or so of this day's work had been heavy across the hills. The +great stronghold palace whither we were bound lay some miles +northward, and it seemed right that we waited here till the next +day, that into it we might pass with all travel stains done away +with and in full state. + +Already there had been a royal camp pitched for us by Offa's folk, +and I was glad that we had not to bide in the town. One could not +wish for better weather for the open, and the lines of gay tents, +with the pavilion for the king in their midst, seemed homely and +pleasant to me with memory of the days which seemed so long ago +when the camp of Carl was my only home. + +As soon as we reached this camp under the hill, where the town +stockading rose strong and high against the Welsh, the thane I have +already mentioned, Gymbert, arranged our lodging, he being the +king's marshal in charge of us, and also warden of the palace. He +was a huge man, burly and strong, somewhat too smooth spoken, as I +thought, but pleasant withal. He gave me a tent to myself, somewhat +apart from the king's pavilion, as a Frankish stranger, I suppose. + +"Your thralls will bide with the rest," he said; "they can find +shelter in the tents there are yonder. If some of them have to bide +outside, it will not hurt them." + +"Well enough you ken that, Gymbert," said Erling curtly, in good +Welsh. + +I understood him, of course, for we had Welsh thralls enough at +home, but I wondered that he knew the tongue. Gymbert understood +him also, for his face flushed red and he bit his lip. But he +pretended not to do so. + +"Your Frankish tongue is a strange one," he said. "What does the +man want?" + +"I think that he means that outside the tent is as pleasant as in, +as you hint," I said. "But he will bide here across my door, as is +his wont." + +"Outside, I suppose?" said Gymbert, with a laugh. "Well, as you +like." + +He rode away, and I looked at Erling wonderingly. The Dane was +watching him with a black scowl on his face. + +"Where on earth did you learn the British tongue?" I said; "and +what know you of Gymbert?" + +"I learned the Welsh yonder," Erling answered, nodding westward. "I +lived in the little town men call Tenby for three years. There also +I heard of this man. He was a thrall himself once, and freed by +this queen for some service or another. He is a well-hated man, +both by Saxon and Welsh, being of both races, and therefore of +neither, as one may say." + +"He seems to be trusted by the king, though!" + +Erling shrugged his shoulders. "He has fought well for him, and is +rewarded. Were there aught to be had by betraying Offa, he would +betray him. Take a bad Saxon and a false Welshman, and that is +saying much, and weld them into one, and you have Gymbert." + +"This is hearsay from the Welsh he has fought," said I; "one need +not heed it." + +"I suppose not," quoth Erling; "but I never heard aught else of +him. And he has the face of a traitor." + +With that he turned to his horses and began loosening the pack from +that one which bore it. There was no more to be got out of him, as +I knew, and so, leaving him to set the tent in order, I went my way +toward the river, being minded for a good swim therein after the +long, dusty way. And turning over what Erling had said of himself, +I remembered that Thorleif had told me how he had come from Wales +round the Land's End to Weymouth. I thought rightly that he had +picked up Erling there. + +I had a good hour's swim in a deep pool of the river, and enjoyed +it to the full. The current was swift, and it was good to battle +with it, and then to turn and swing downward past the fern-covered +banks and under the shade of the trees with its flow. And while I +was splashing in the pool, a franklin came running from his field +with his hoe, waving wildly to me. + +"Come out, master, I pray you!" he gasped; "the water is full forty +feet deep there!" + +"Is that so?" I said gravely. "I will go and see." + +With that I dived, and stayed under as long as I could, not being +able to find the bottom after all. + +And when I came up again the honest face of the franklin was white +and his eyes stared in terror. So I laughed at him. + +"I believe the pool is as deep as you say; but would seven feet of +water be any safer?" + +"Nay, master, but it would drown me. Yet come out, I do pray you. +It gives me the cold terror to see you so overbold." + +Then came Father Selred along the bank, and the man begged him to +bid me leave the water; and so we both laughed at him, until the +franklin waxed cross and went his way, saying that I was a fool for +not biding in the shoal water up yonder by the great tree. I could +walk across there waist deep, he said, grumbling. + +Then I came out, and the father told me that the king would be here +anon. We walked to and fro waiting for him, and presently he came +with Hilda's father, Sighard, in attendance. The four of us sat +down on the river bank, under the great tree of which the franklin +had spoken, and watched the trout in the shallows till Ethelbert +lay back with his arms under his head, and said that he was tired +with the ride and would sleep. + +He closed his eyes, and we went on talking in low voices for an +hour or so while he slept. And then the horns rang from the distant +camp to tell us that the evening meal was spread in the great +pavilion. But the king did not hear them, and I looked doubtfully +at him, wondering if he should be waked. + +"Wilfrid," said Father Selred in a whisper, "surely the king dreams +wondrous things. His face is as the face of a saint!" + +And so indeed it was as he lay there in the evening light, and I +wondered at him. There was no smile around his mouth, but stillness +and, as it seemed, an awe of what he saw, most peaceful, so that I +almost feared to look on him. The horns went again, soft and mellow +in the distance from across the evening meadows. The kine heard +them, and thought them the homing call, and so lifted their lazy +heads and waded homeward through the grass. + +"Ethelbert, my king," said Sighard gently. + +The eyes of the king opened, and he roused. + +"Was that your voice, my thane," he asked, "or was it the voice of +my dream?" + +"I called you, lord, for the horns are sounding." + +"Thanks; but I would I had dreamed more! I do not know if I should +have learned what it all meant had I slept on." + +"What was it, my son?" said Selred. + +The king was silent for a little, musing. + +"It was a good dream, I think," he said. "I will tell you, and you +shall judge. You mind the little wooden church which stands here in +Fernlea town? Well, in my dream I stood outside that, and it seemed +small and mean for the house of God, so that I would that it were +built afresh. Then it seemed to me that an angel came to me, +bearing a wondrous vessel full of blood, and on the little church +he sprinkled it; and straightway it began to grow and widen +wondrously, and its walls became of stone instead of timber and +wattle, and presently it stood before me as a mighty church, great +as any of those of which Carl's paladin here tells me. + +"Then I heard from within the sound of wonderful music and the +singing of many people; and I went near to listen, for the like of +that was never yet heard in our land. And when I was even at the +door, from out the church came in many voices my own name, as if it +were being mingled with praises--and so you woke me." + +"It is a good dream," said Sighard bluntly. "It came from the +wondering why Offa let so mean a church stand, and from the horns, +and from my speaking your name. Strange how things like that will +weave themselves into the mind of a sleeping man to make a wonder." + +"It is a good dream," said Selred the priest, after a moment's +thought. I doubt not that it was in your mind to give some gift to +the church. Mayhap you shall ask Offa to restore it presently, for +memory of your wedding; and thereafter men will pray there for you +as the founder of its greatness." + +"Yet the angel, and that he bore and sprinkled?" + +"It seems to me," I said, "that it was a vision of the Holy Grail; +and happy would King Arthur or our Wessex Ina have held you that +you saw it, King Ethelbert." + +"Ay," he said, "if I might think that it was so!" + +Again the horns rang, and he leaped up. + +"We must not keep them waiting," he cried. "Come!" + +"More dreams," grumbled Sighard the old thane to me as the king +went on before us with the chaplain. "On my word, we have been +dream-ridden like a parcel of old women on this journey, till we +shall fear our own shadows next. There is Hilda as silent as a +mouse today, and I suppose she has been seeing more portents. I +mind that a black cat did look at us out of a doorway this +morning." + +So he growled, scoffing, and I must say that I was more than half +minded to agree with him. Only the earthquake did seem more than an +everyday token. + +"I suppose that the earthquake which we felt was sent for +somewhat?" I said. + +"Why, of course; such like always are. But seeing that it was felt +everywhere we have ridden, even so far as Northampton, and likely +enough further on yet, I don't see why we should take it as meant +for the king." + +Then he began to laugh to himself. + +"When one comes to think thereof," he chuckled, "there must have +been scores of men who felt it just as they were starting +somewhere; and I warrant every one of them took it to himself, and +put off his business! Well, well, I can tell what it did portend, +however, for Ethelbert, and that is a mighty change in his +household so soon as he gets his new wife home. Earthquake, +forsooth! Mayhap he will wish he had hearkened to its message when +she turns his house upside down." + +"Nay," I said, smiling; "one has not heard that of the princess." + +"She is Quendritha's daughter," he said grimly, and growing grave +of a sudden. "That is the one thing against this wedding, to my +mind. If she is like her mother, or indeed like her sister +Eadburga, who wedded your king, there is an end for peace to +Ethelbert, and maybe to East Anglia." + +Now I had heard little or nothing of how that last match turned +out; I only knew that when I was taken from home we were full of +rejoicing over it. So I heard now for the first time that over all +the land of Wessex were whispers of ill done by our new queen--of +men who crossed her in aught dying suddenly, or going home to +linger awhile and come to a painful end. I heard that she bore rule +rather than the king, and that her sway was heavy, and so on in +many counts against her. The tales were the same as those I had +heard often of late about her mother, Quendritha, and with all my +heart I hoped that the Princess Etheldrida was not as those two. I +had heard naught but good of her, at all events, and I will say now +that all I had heard was true. There could be no sweeter maiden in +all the land than she. I heard the same good words of her only +brother, Ecgfrith, and I suppose that those two bore more likeness +to their mighty father than to the queen. + +All this half-stifled talk of untold ill from Quendritha lay heavy +on my mind; and it came to me that Sighard was a true man, and that +to him I might tell the tale Thrond told me. I must share that +secret with some one who might, if he deemed it wise, warn King +Ethelbert in such sort that he should beware of her, now and +hereafter. So after a little while I said: + +"Thane, I have heard that Quendritha came ashore--" + +"Ay," he said sharply, looking round him. "But that is a tale which +is best let alone. It is true enough. My wife's folk took her in at +Lincoln." + +"Is it known whence she came?" I went on, paying no heed to a +warning sign he made; for we were far from the camp yet, and the +king was a hundred yards ahead of us. + +"Let be, Wilfrid; hold your peace on that. There are men who have +asked that question in all simplicity, and they have gone." + +"Why, is there aught amiss in coming ashore as she did?" + +"Hold your peace, I tell you. On my word, it is as well, though, +that you have had it out with me here in the meadows. Listen: there +is no harm in the drifting hither. What sent her adrift?" + +"I have sailed for a month with Danes," I said. "I have met with a +man who once set a girl adrift." + +As I said that I looked him meaningly in the face, and he grew +pale. + +"So," he said slowly, "you have heard that tale also. There was a +Danish chapman who came to our haven at Mundesley, where I live, +and told it there to me. That was a year after the boat was found. +I bade him be silent, but there was no need. When he heard that the +girl had become what she is, he fled the land. And, mind you, he +could not be certain, nor can I." + +"Nor could the man who told me. But my Dane is the nephew of that +man." + +Sighard grasped my arm. + +"Speak to him, and bid him hold his tongue if he has heard the +tale, else he and you are dead men. Get to him at once." + +I thought, indeed, that there was need to do so, though Erling was +in nowise talkative. For if, as was pretty certain, the tale of the +coming of Quendritha went round the groups of men at the camp +fires, he might say that he had heard of one set adrift from his +own land. + +So instead of going in at once with the king to the pavilion, I ran +down to the lines where the horses were picketed, and found Erling +on his way to the supper, which was spread under some trees for our +servants. I took him aside and walked out into the open with him. + +"Erling," I said, "do you mind that tale which Thrond tells +concerning a damsel set afloat?" + +"Ay, more than mind it--I saw it done! She went from our village. I +was a well-grown lad of fourteen then. Now I know what you would +say. It is the word of Thrond that this Quendritha, whom men fear +so, is she. He says so, since you spoke to him." + +"Have you breathed a word thereof to any one?" I asked, with a sort +of cold fear coming on me. + +I had no mind to die of poison. + +"Not likely; here of all places. I mind what that maiden was in the +old days. From all accounts she has but held herself back somewhat +here. But had you had aught to do with her, I should have warned +you, master." + +I set my hand on his shoulder. + +"I know you would. Now you will see the queen tomorrow. Tell me, +then, if this is indeed she." + +"Ay, I shall know her well enough. What I fear is that she may know +me!" + +Grim as his voice was, that made me laugh. + +"Seeing that you were but a lad when she last set eyes on you--and +now you are ten years older than myself, bearded and scarred +moreover--I do not fear that for you in the least." + +"Nor will she have need to scan me," he said. "Of course I need not +fear it." + +Then I asked him if he had more of the second sight. + +"Naught fresh, master. Only that look on the face of the young king +deepens, and ever there is the red line round his neck. I fear for +him." + +So did I, but of that we spoke no more. I tried all I knew to +fathom that fear of mine, and the most I could do was to make it +seem more and more needless and foolish. And presently, when we sat +at the table, and I saw the king speaking with the Mercians, and +noted their admiring looks at him, and their eagerness to listen to +him, I thought that Sighard was right, and that I was frayed with +shadows of my own making. I knew enough of men by this time to see +that here was no thought of ill toward Ethelbert. + + + +CHAPTER IX. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN WOVE HER PLOTS. + + +Great was the welcome which Ethelbert of East Anglia had from Offa +of Mercia when we reached the great stronghold of Sutton Walls on +the next morning, riding there in all state and due array in our +best holiday gear, with those Mercian thanes who had met us as +escort before and after us. The morning was bright and clear, and I +thought I had never seen so fair a procession as this with which +the king went to meet his bride. + +I had heard much of this palace of Offa's from the Mercians and +from Ethelbert himself, but it was a far stronger place than I had +expected. Seeing that here, on the newly-conquered Welsh border +lands, no man could tell when the wild Britons might swarm across +the ford, and bring fire and sword in revenge on the lands they had +lost, if the king would have a palace here, it must be a very +strong hold, and Offa had indeed made one. + +The Romans had chosen the place long ago, having the same foe to +watch and the same ford to keep, and on the low hill, which they +saw was best for strength and position alike, they had set a great +square camp with high earthen walls and deep moat below them. Once +they had had their stone houses within it, but they had gone. The +last of them were cleared when Offa drove out the Welsh and set his +own place there after our fashion. Then he had repaired the +earthworks, and crowned them afresh with a heavy timber stockade, +making new gates and bridges across the moat. + +Across the bridge which faces toward Wales we rode, between lines +of country folk, who thronged outside the stockading to see our +coming; and so with their cheers to greet us we came into a great +open courtyard, with long buildings for thralls and kitchens and +the like on either side of it, and right opposite the gate, facing +toward it, the timber hall of the king itself. A little chapel, +cross crowned, stood on its left, and the guest house and guard +rooms for the housecarls to the right, stretching across the centre +of the camp where once the Roman huts had been. + +The hall was high and long, and had a wide porch and doorway in the +end which faced the gate. Behind it one could see the roofs of +other buildings which joined it, and beyond it again were stables, +and byres, and kennels, and barns, and the countless other offices +which a great house needs, filling up the rest of the space the +stockade enclosed. Nor were they set at random, as one mostly sees +them; but all having been built at once, they stood in little +streets, as it were, most orderly to look on, with a wider street +running from the back of the hall to the gate which led toward +Mercia through the midst. + +Presently I learned that the queen's bower was a lesser hall, which +joined the back of the great palace hall itself, and that there +were other buildings, which were not to be seen at first. It was +the greatest palace in all England, and I wished that the Franks, +who had little praise for our dwellings, had seen this before they +went back home. It is true that all was built of timber, while the +Franks used stone; but that last no Angle or Saxon cares for while +good oak and ash and chestnut are to be had. + +I did not pay much heed to the place at the time when we rode in, +beyond a swift glance round me. There was that which held my eyes +from the first on the wide steps that led to the hall door. There +stood Offa and his queen to meet their guest, with the nobles of +Mercia round them in a wondrous gathering, blazing with colour, and +gold, and jewels, and the white horse banner of Mercia over them. + +To right and left along the front of chapel and guest house were +lines of the scarred housecarls who had followed Offa and won the +land for him, bright with flashing helms and weapons; and close +behind the group on the steps were some black-robed priests, who +had a vested bishop in their midst. + +So they waited while we dismounted, and then Ethelbert went forward +alone toward the king and queen, carrying his helm in his hand, and +with only a little golden circlet round his fair hair. I mind that +the bright sun flashed from it as he went till there seemed a halo +round his head, like to the ring of light they paint round the +heads of the saints in the churches. And I thought that even Offa +seemed less kingly than did he, though the great king was fully +robed and wearing his crown. I think he had on a white tunic with a +broad golden hem, and a crimson cloak fastened on his shoulder with +cross-shaped brooch, golden and gemmed, while his hose were of dark +blue, cross-gartered with gold. + +And then I must look at the queen, and I saw the most wonderfully +beautiful lady who ever lived outside of a gleeman's tale, so that +hardly could Guinevere herself, King Arthur's queen, have been more +beautiful. She was tall and yet not thin, and her golden hair fell +in two long plaits almost to the ground over her pale green dress. +From her shoulders hung a cloak of deeper green, wondrously wrought +with crimson and gold and silver, and fastened with golden +brooches. She also wore her crown; but even if she had not had it, +none could mistake her for any but the queen among all the ladies +who stood behind her, and they were of the noblest of that land. + +I thought that the Princess Etheldrida would be there also, for +beside the king was Ecgfrith the atheling; but she was not. They +say that she had some maidenly fear of meeting this husband of +hers, who was to be, in the open court thus. + +Now Offa smiled and came down the steps to meet Ethelbert, and set +his hand on his shoulder and kissed him in a royal greeting, and so +led him to the queen, who waited him with a still face, which at +least had naught but friendliness in it. One would say that it was +such a look as a fond mother might well turn on the man who would +take her loved daughter from her, not unwilling, but half doubting +for her. There seemed no look of ill, and none of guile, in her +blue eyes as Ethelbert bent and kissed her hand; and she too bent +and kissed his forehead. + +And at that moment from my shoulder growled Erling, and his face +was white and troubled: + +"Yonder is she!" + +Then he shrank away behind me, and so took himself beyond her +sight. I did not see him again until the queen had left. + +The words struck a sort of chill into me, and I looked more closely +at the queen. Maybe I was twenty paces from her, and one of many, +so that she paid no heed to me. And as I looked again I seemed to +see pride, and mayhap cruelty, in the straight, thin lips and +square, firm chin. It was a face which would harden with little +change, and the blue eyes would be naught but cold at any time. + +And it came to me that it was a face to be feared; yet I did not +know why one should fear aught for Ethelbert from her. + +Now those greetings were over, and Offa led Ethelbert into the +hall. Then Gymbert the marshal came and took us to our quarters, +that we might prepare for the feast, giving some of us in charge of +his men, while he led away the leaders of the party himself toward +the guest hall by the palace. + +One took charge of me, and led me round the little church to the +back of the hall, telling me that the king had given special orders +that the Frankish noble was to have some lodging of his own. It did +not seem to be worth while for me to explain the case to this man, +who would, doubtless, be sorely put out if I wanted to remain with +the other thanes; so I said nothing, but followed him to the rear +of the great hall, where a long building with a lean-to roof had +been set against it, behind the chapel, and as it were continuing +it. Inside it was like a great room, rush-strewn, and with a hearth +in its midst, round which the servants of those who were lodged +there might sleep, and along one side of it were chambers, small +and warm, with sliding doors opening into the room. I found Father +Selred there before me, and it seemed that he also was to have one +of these chambers, the priest's house being full, and I was glad of +it. Soon after that they brought Sighard, Hilda's father, there +also, and I thought I was in good company, and had no wish to go +further. + +I told the man to bid Erling the Dane come hither when his work in +the stables was done, and so he left me. Sighard's men, of whom +there were two, had followed him with his packs. + +Now they take Ethelbert to his chamber, and Offa and Quendritha +seek their own in the queen's bower. + +"A gallant son-in-law this of ours, in all truth," says the king +gaily. + +"Ay. And now you hold East Anglia in your hand, King Offa." + +"Faith, I suppose so," he answers, laughing--"that is, if +Etheldrida can manage him as you rule me, my queen! She is ever a +dutiful daughter." + +"If this young king were to die, the crown he wears with so good a +grace would then fall to you," says the queen, coldly enough. + +"Heaven forbid that so fair a life were cut short! Do not speak so +of what may not be for many a long year, as one may hope." + +"Then if he outlives you, he will make a bid for Mercia." + +"Nay, but he is loyal, and Ecgfrith will be his brother. It will be +good for our son that he has two queens for sisters--Wessex and +Anglia are his supporters. But there is no need to speak thus; it +is ill omened." + +"Nay, but one must look forward. There would be no realm like yours +if East Anglia were added thereto," says the queen slowly. + +"We are adding it, wife, by this marriage, surely, as nearly as one +may." + +"It were better if it were in your own hands," she persists. + +"Truly, you think that none can rule but yourself. Let it be, my +queen. You will have a new pupil in statecraft in your son-in-law." + +So says Offa, half laughing, and yet with a doubt in his mind as to +what the queen means. Then he adds, for her face is cloudy: + +"Trouble not yourself over these matters which are of the years to +come; today all is well." + +"Ay, today. But when the time comes that Ethelbert knows his +strength? I will mind you that East Anglia has had a king ere this +nigh as powerful as yourself. He will have other teachers in +king-craft besides ourselves." + +"Why, you speak as if you thought there would be danger to our +realm from Ethelbert in the days to come?" + +"So long as there is a young king there, who can tell?" + +Then says Offa, "I am strong enough to take care of that. Moreover, +he will be our son-in-law. I wit well that not so much as a mouse +will stir in his court but you will know it;" and he laughs. + +At that she says plainly in a low voice: + +"You have East Anglia in your hands. If Ethelbert did not return +thither, it is yours." + +Whereon Offa rises, and his face grows red with wrath. + +"Hold your peace!" he says. "What is this which you are hinting? +Far from me be the thought of the death of Ethelbert, in whatever +way it may come." + +And so, maybe knowing only too well what lies behind the words of +the queen, he goes his way, wrathful for the moment. And presently +he forgets it all, for the spell of his love for Quendritha is +strong, and by this time he knows that her longing for power is apt +to lead her too far, in word at least, sometimes. + +But we knew naught of this. It was learned long afterward from one +to whom Offa told it, and I have set it here because it seems +needful. + +Nor can I tell, even if I would, how Ethelbert met Etheldrida, his +promised bride. We saw them both at the great feast to which we +were set down in an hour or so, and the great roar of cheering +which went up was enough to scare the watching Welshmen from the +hills beyond the river, where all day long they wondered at the +thronging folk around the palace, and set their arms in order, lest +Offa should come against them across the ford of the host again. +Their camp fires were plain to be seen at night, for they were +gathering in fear of him. + +All the rest of that day we feasted; and such a feast as that I had +never seen, nor do I suppose that any one of those present will +ever see the like of it. Three kings sat on the high place, for +Ecgfrith reigned with his father; and there was the queen, and she +who should be a queen before many days had gone by. It was the word +of all that those two, Ethelbert and the princess, were the most +royal of all who were present, whether in word or in look, and in +all the wide hall there was not one who did not hail the marriage +with pleasure. It was plain to be known that there was no plot laid +by these honest Mercian nobles against their guest. One feels aught +of that sort in the air, as it were, and it holds back the tongues +of men and makes their eyes restless. + +There were some fifty or more who sat with the kings on the high +place at the end of the hall opposite the great door, thanes and +their ladies, of rank from earl to sheriff. They set me at one end +of the high table also, as a stranger of the court of Carl, asking +me nothing of my own rank, but most willing to honour the great +king through his man. And that was all the more pleasant because +next above me was the Lady Hilda, so that I was more than content. +She had found that she was indeed to ride home with the new-made +bride, and had spoken with her already. + +"See," she said, "the omens have come to naught. We were most +foolish to be troubled by them. Saw you ever a fairer face than +Etheldrida's?" + +And that was the thought of all of us who so much as remembered +that such a thing as a portent of ill had ever crossed the path of +the king on his way hither. + +So the business of eating was ended at last, and then the servants +cleared the long boards which ran lengthwise down the hall for the +folk of lesser rank, and there was a great shifting of places as +all turned toward the high seats to hear what Offa had to say to +his guests. And when that little bustle was ended he welcomed +Ethelbert kindly and frankly, and so would drink to him in all +ceremony. + +Then Quendritha rose from her seat and took a beaker from the +steward, and filled the king's golden horn from it. As she did so I +saw Offa look at her with a little questioning smile, as if asking +her somewhat; but she did not answer in words. She passed him, and +filled the cup of the young king who was her guest, and so sat down +again. Then Offa and Ethelbert pledged each other, and the cheers +of all the great company rose to hail them. + +Not long after that the queen and the ladies went their way, and we +were left to end the evening with song and tale, after the old +fashion. Those gleemen of Offa's court were skilful, and he had +both Welsh and English harpers, who harped in rivalry. Soon +Ethelbert left the hall, and men smiled to one another, for they +deemed that he was seeking some quiet with the princess. But he was +only following his own custom, and I knew that he would most likely +be in the little chapel for the last service of the day. + +Offa sat on, and it seemed to me that his face grew flushed, and +his voice somewhat loud, as the time passed. His courtiers noted it +also. + +"Our king is merry," one said to me. "It is not often that he will +drink the red wine which your Frankish lord sent him." + +"Ay," said another Mercian. "I saw him lift his brows when the +queen filled his horn with it awhile ago. But he has kept to it +ever since." + +I did not heed this much, but there was more in it than one would +think. What the drinking of that potent wine might lead to was to +be seen. I hold that Offa was not himself thereafter, though none +might say that he was aught but as a king should be--not, like the +housecarls at the end of the hail, careless of how the unwonted +plenty of that feast blinded them and stole their wits. + +Presently, indeed, the noise and heat of the hall irked me, and I +found my way out. It was a broad moonlight night, and the shadows +were long across the courtyard. There was a strong guard at the +gate, which was closed, and far off to the westward there twinkled +a red fire or two on hill peaks. They were the watch fires of the +Welshmen, and I suppose they looked at the bright glare from the +palace windows as I looked at their posts. + +In the little chapel the lamp burned as ever, but no one stirred +near it. I thought I would find Father Selred in our lodging, and +turned that way; and as I passed the corner of the chapel I met a +man who was coming from the opposite direction. + +"Ho!" he said, starting a little; "why, it is the Frank. What has +led you to leave the hall so early?" + +Then I knew that it was Gymbert the marshal. + +"I might ask you the same," I said, laughing. "I have not learned +to keep up a feast overlong in the camps of Carl, however, and I +was for my bed." + +"Nay, but a walk will bring sleep," he said. "I have my rounds to +make, and I shall be glad of a companion. Come with me awhile." + +So we visited the guard, and with them spoke of the fires I had +seen, and laughed at the fears of those who had lighted them. + +"All very well to laugh," said the captain at the gate; "but if the +Welsh are out, it will be ill for any one who will ride westward +tonight. Chapman, or priest, or beggar man, he is likely to find a +broad arrow among his ribs first, and questioned as to what his +business may be afterward." + +Then we went along the ramparts to the rearward gate; and it seemed +as if Gymbert had somewhat on his mind, for he fell silent now and +then, for no reason which I could fathom. However, he asked me a +few questions about the life in Carl's court, and so on, until he +learned that I was a Wessex man, and that I was not going back to +him. + +"Then you are at a loose end for the time?" he said. "Why not take +service here with Offa?" + +"I am for home so soon as this is over," I said. "If all is well +there, I have no need to serve any man." + +"So you have not been home yet," he said slowly, as if turning over +some thought in his mind. "What if I asked you to help me in some +small service here and now? You are free, and no man's man, as one +may say." + +"Nor do I wish to be," I answered dryly. + +I did not like this Gymbert. + +"No offence," he said quickly. "You are a Frank as one may say, and +a stranger, and such an one may well be useful in affairs of state +which need to be kept quiet. I could, an you will, put you in the +way of some little profit, on the business of the queen, as I +think." + +"Well, if the queen asks me to do her a service, that may be. These +matters do not come from second hand, as a rule." + +He glanced sidewise at me quickly, and I minded the face of another +queen, whose hand had been on my arm while she had spoken to me +with the tears in her eyes. + +"Right," he said, laughing uneasily. "But if one is told to seek +for, say, a messenger?" + +"I am a thane," I said. "To a thane even a queen may speak +directly." + +"You Wessex folk are quick-tempered; or is that a Frankish trick +you have picked up?" he sneered. "Nay, but I will not offend you." + +Then he was silent for a time while we walked on. I thought that +the queen had hardly sent a message to me in that way, and that he +had made some mistake. I would leave him as soon as we turned back +toward the hall. We were alone on the rampart, with the stables +below us on one side and the high stockading on the other; and then +he dropped that subject, and talked of my home going in all +friendly wise. + +"There are always chances," he said. "Come and take service with +Offa if aught goes amiss at home." + +"I have promised to go to Ethelbert, if so I must," I answered, +thinking to end his seemingly idle talk. + +I had put up with it because I was his guest in a way, seeing that +he was the marshal, and it does not do to offend needlessly those +who hold one's comfort in their hands. + +End his talk this did, suddenly, and why I could not tell. + +"Why," he said, "then you are his man after all! I deemed that you +had but ridden westward with him for your own convenience." + +"So it was, more or less," I said, somewhat surprised at his tone. + +And when I looked at him his face seemed white in the moonlight. + +"Of his kindness he bade me bear him company." + +But he made no answer, and half he halted and made as if to speak. +Again he went on, but said naught until we came to the steps which +led down from the rampart to the rear gate. On the top of them he +turned and said in a low voice, staying me with his hand on my arm: + +"Say naught to any man of what I said concerning a state need of +the queen's, for mayhap I took too much on myself when I spoke +thereof; there may be no need after all." + +I laughed a little, for I did but think that he had been trying to +make out that he held high honour in the counsels of Quendritha, +out of vanity, not knowing what my rank was. + +"If she does send for me, I shall remember it, not else," I +answered. + +And then, as he had the guard to visit, I left him, and went across +the broad street, from the gate to the hall through the huts, back +to my lodging. There I found Father Selred, and together we waited +for Sighard. Erling sat on the settle by the door, with his weapons +laid handy to him, on guard. + +"All seems well, father," I said; "there is naught but friendliness +here." + +"Well indeed," he answered. "It is good to hear the talk of priests +and nobles alike; they know the worth of our young king." + +"Well, and what is the talk of the housecarls, Erling?" I asked. + +"Good also," he growled. "But I would that I kenned the talk of her +of whom I have seen overmuch in the days gone by." + +Then he remembered that of this matter Father Selred knew nothing, +and he swore under his breath at his own foolishness; but the good +father had not heard him, or his rough Danish prevented his +understanding. + +"What says he of the men?" he asked. + +And when I told him he was well content, saying that from high to +low all had a warm welcome for our king. + +But even now Offa rises from the table and leaves the hall, all men +rising with him. So he passes out of the door on the high place and +seeks his own chamber, and there to him comes Quendritha. + +"I have dreamed a dream, my king," she says, standing before him, +for he has thrown himself into a great chair, wearily. "I have +dreamed that your realm stretched from here on the Wye and the +mountains of the Welsh even to the sea that bounds the lands from +the Wash to the Thames. What shall that portend?" + +"A wedding, and a son-in-law whom you may bend to your will," +answers the king; but his eyes are bright, and there comes a flash +into them. + +That would be a mighty realm indeed, greater than any which had yet +been in our land. If the East Anglian levies were his, he would +march across Wales at their head, with the Mercian hosts to right +and left of him. He might even wrest Northumbria from the hold of +her kings. + +Quendritha sees that flash, and knows that the cup has done its +work. The mind of the king is full of imaginings. So she sits by +him, and her voice seems to blend with his thoughts, and he does +not hinder her as she sets before him the might and glory of the +kingdom that would be his if that dream were true. And so she wakes +the longing for it in the mind of Offa, and plays on it until he is +half bent to her will; and her will is that the dream should come +true, and that shortly. + +Then at last she says, "And all this is but marred because of a +niddering lad who will leave the hall at a feast for the whining of +the priests yonder! In truth, a meet leader of men, and one who +will be a source of strength to our realm! It makes me rage to +think that but he is in the way. It is ill for his own land, as it +seems to me." + +"Ay, wife," says Offa. "But he is in the way, and there is an end +thereof." + +"He is in your hand, and there are those who would say that Heaven +itself has set him there. Listen. He hunts with you tomorrow. Have +you never heard of an arrow which went wide of its mark--by +mischance?" + +Again the eyes of the king flash, but he does not look on the +queen. + +"Who would deem it mischance?" he says. "No man. And I were +dishonoured evermore." + +"Not your arrow, not yours, but another's--mayhap yonder Frank's. +He is a stranger, and would care naught if reward was great; then +afterward he should be made to hold his peace." + +And at that she smiles evilly. A stray Frank's life was naught to +her if he was in her way. + +"Say no more. The thing is not possible for me; it is folly." + +"Folly, in truth, if you let Ethelbert keep you from the realm +which waits you. Were he gone, there is not so much as an atheling +who would make trouble there for you." + +"Peace, I say. Ethelbert is my guest, and more than that. He shall +go as he came--in honour. What may lie in the days to come, who +shall know?" + +"He who acts now shall see. Until the Norns set the day of doom for +a man, he makes his own future. Surely they set his end on +Ethelbert when he came here." + +So she says in the old heathen way, but Offa does not note it. It +is in his mazed mind that Ethelbert wrongs him by living to hold +back the frontier of Mercia from the eastern sea. + +"He is my guest, and I may not touch him," he says dully. "All the +world would cry out on me if harm came to him here. And yet--" + +"You shall not harm him," Quendritha says quickly. "There are other +ways. Your own name shall be free from so much as shadow of blame. +Now I would that I myself had made an end before ever I said a word +to you." + +"Had you done so--Peace. Let it be. You set strange thoughts, and +evil, in my mind, wife." + +Then she leaves him, and in her face is triumph, for Offa has +forbidden her nothing. Outside the door waits Gymbert, as if on +guard, alone. + +"All goes well. Have you sounded yon Frank?" she says. + +"He is no Frank, but a Wessex thane and a hired man of Carl's; +moreover, he is Ethelbert's friend." + +"Fool!" she says. "How far went you with him? What does he know--or +suspect?" + +"Naught," answers Gymbert stiffly. + +And with that he tells her what passed between us. + +"Come to me tomorrow early," Quendritha says, and goes her way. + +But we slept in peace, deeming all well. Only Erling, sleeping +armed across my door, was restless, for the cold eyes of the queen +seem to be on him in his dreams. + + + +CHAPTER X. HOW GYMBERT THE MARSHAL LOST HIS NAME AS A GOOD HUNTSMAN. + + +There was to be a great hunt on this next day after we came to +Sutton, the stronghold palace. + +It had been made ready beforehand--men driving the game from the +farther hills and woodlands into the valley of the Lugg, and then +drawing a line of nets and fires across a narrow place in its upper +reaches, that the wild creatures might not stray beyond reach +again. I should hardly like to say how many thralls watched the +sides of that valley from this barrier to a mile or two from the +palace. Nor do I know if all the tales they told of the countless +head of game, deer and boar, wolf and fox, roe and wild white +cattle, which had been driven for the kings, are true, but I will +say that never have I seen such swarming woods as those through +which we rode after the morning meal. + +I had no thought that Offa seemed otherwise than as we met him +yesterday, and I suppose that all thought, or perhaps all +remembrance, of what he and his queen had talked of last night had +gone from him. Gay and friendly he was, and we heard him jesting +lightly with Ethelbert as they led us. With them went Gymbert, +smooth and pleasant as ever; and he nodded to me as his eye lit on +me, and smiled without trace of aught but friendliness. I looked +for nothing else, indeed; but seeing what he and Quendritha had so +nearly asked me to do that day, it may be a marvel that he hid his +thoughts so well. + +Presently I had reason to wonder at somewhat which happened to me, +and that would have been no matter for wonder at all if I had but +known that the queen was doubtful how much I had gathered from that +talk of mine with her servant. Of course I had not suspected +anything, but a plotter will always go in fear that a chance word +will undo all. + +Now we rode with bow and quiver on shoulder, and boar spear in +hand, as we had been bidden. All of our party, save the ladies, +from East Anglia were present, and about the same number of Mercian +thanes. Besides these there were swarms of foresters, and the +thralls who drove the game. Hounds in any number were with us, in +leash, mostly boar hounds. And as for myself, I rode the skew-bald, +whom I had called "Arrowhead," in jest, after that little matter of +the flint folk. It was the Lady Hilda who chose the name, and I had +had the flint head Erling gave me set in silver for her in +Thetford, as a charm, for they are always held lucky. + +I suppose I might have sold that horse a dozen times, and that for +double what I gave for him, by this time. There was not an Anglian +who rode with us but wanted him, for he seemed tireless, and here +already was a horse dealer from the south who was plaguing Erling +for him. All of which, of course, made me the less willing to part +with him, even had I not found him the best steed I ever knew, +after a fortnight's steady use of him. + +When we came to the narrowing part of the valley where the great +drive up to the nets was to begin, I was set by the head forester +off to the right of the line, being bidden to shoot any large game +which broke back, save only the boar. Most of them would go +forward, it was thought, and those which went back would be set up +by the hounds again at the end of the drive, men being in line also +behind us to harbour them. I cannot say that I have so much liking +for this sort of sport as for the wilder hunting in the open, with +as much chance for the quarry as for the man; but sport enough of a +sort there was. The bright little Lugg river lay on our left, and +for a mile on that side on which we were the woods and hills were +full of men, who drew together in a lessening curve as we rode +slowly onward. It was good to hear the shouts and the baying of the +hounds in the clear May morning. + +Men said it was Offa's last hunt of the season; and that is likely, +seeing that the time grew late. If it was, there is no doubt that +he meant it to be his greatest also. Mile by mile, and presently +furlong by furlong, as we went the game grew thicker, until the +covers and thickets seemed alive with deer which tried to break +back, and the undergrowth on either hand of me rustled and crackled +with the wild rush of smaller game, to which I soon forgot to pay +any heed. And soon I had no arrows to waste on anything less than a +stag of ten, leaving aught else to be dealt with by the foresters +behind me. + +Once or twice Gymbert rode across the rear of the line, and called +to me in cheery wise as he did so. He seemed to be seeing that no +man was out of his place; which was somewhat needful, since as we +drew together the arrows must be aimed heedfully. + +Which matter was plain to me shortly. A great red hind crossed me, +and I let her go, though I had an arrow on the string, and had +aimed. Even as I lowered the bow, over my shoulder, and grazing it, +came another shaft, missing the hind and myself alike. Some one had +shot from behind at her. + +"Ho," shouted Erling, who rode behind me, "clumsy lout, whoever you +are! That is over near to be sportsmanlike. Have a care, will you?" + +I turned sharply with the same thought, and angrily. But I could +not see any man near enough to have shot, for the trees were thick, +and we were in a glade of a great wood. Whoever it was had crossed +this glade out of our sight, and doubtless was somewhat ashamed of +himself. It was in my mind to tell Gymbert if he came near me +again. The man who would shoot so carelessly was not safe in a +drive like this. + +Nor had Erling seen any one. He had heard a horse behind us, +however. Now he pulled the arrow from a sapling where it had stuck, +and showed it me. It was a handsome shaft enough. + +Of course I forgot the matter directly. It was just one of the +common chances of a hunt, which now and then will spoil the sport +of a day. We were getting near the barrier now, and the kings must +go forward. Gymbert passed word along our line to halt, and cease +from shooting. + +"About time, too," growled Erling as we pulled up. + +Then we dismounted, and the foresters closed up and went forward. +One of the head men left two couple of hounds and some men with me, +saying that if I could not see the sport at the nets I might have a +boar back, and could maybe bring him to bay here, unless the hounds +were wanted. I thought that they would be, for there were sounds of +wild baying from the midst of the line, forward where the kings +were, and now and then howls told me that some more bold hound had +dashed in on a boar at bay and had met the tusk. I would that I +could see some of that sport, but there was no chance of it. + +However, my turn came before long. Sighard joined me, leading his +horse; and another thane, a Mercian, came up also. They had been to +right and left of me in the line, and had seen the hounds left with +me. For a quarter of an hour we stood there talking a little under +our breath, but mostly listening with some envy to the sounds of +the hunt ahead of us where wolf and boar died at the nets, turning +in grim despair on their foes. Then there was a shout of warning +that a boar had broken back. + +He came into the glade at a swinging trot straight for us. After +him were two hounds, who kept him going though they dared not near +him. And after boar and hounds came Gymbert himself, on horseback, +with his boar spear in his hand. I thought that he could not reach +the boar by reason of the hounds, or else that he had a mind to let +us end the matter, as guests. + +The men with us let loose the hounds we had, and they sprang in on +the boar at the sight of him. At that the great beast turned sharp +on the first two, and gored one from flank to shoulder with the +terrible sidelong swing of the flashing tusk; and then he had his +back to a great tree in a moment, and was at bay, with the hounds +round him, yelling. + +We three ran forward, and with us came Erling, with a second spear +for me. The horses were in charge of some thralls who had gathered +to us. Then it was to be seen who should win the honour of first +spear to touch that dun hide. Gymbert was already waiting his time, +wheeling his horse round to find an opening among the hounds, and +Sighard cried to him to let us have a chance, laughing. Whereon he +reined his horse back somewhat, and we paid no more heed to him. +One has no time to mind aught behind one when the boar is at bay. + +One of our fresh hounds ran in, and in a moment was howling on his +back before the boar, whose white tusk and dun jowl were reddened +as he glared in fury at us from his fiery eyes. Then across the +hound I had my chance, and I ran in with levelled spear. + +There was a shout, and some one gripped my arm and swung me aside +with force enough to fling me to the ground. As I fell, the broad, +flashing blade of a spear passed me, and then in a medley, as it +were, I saw the boar charge over the hound and across my legs, and +I heard a wild stamping and the scream of a wounded horse. + +I leaped to my feet, dumb with anger, and saw the end of that. +Gymbert's steed was rearing, and one of the foresters was trying to +catch his bridle, while the boar was away down the glade with the +unwounded hounds after him, and a broken spear in his flank. And +then my three comrades broke into loud blame of Gymbert, in nowise +seeking to use soft words to him. + +Then I saw that the flank of the horse was gashed as with a sword +cut, and that the face of the rider was more white and terrified +than should have been by reason of such a mishap. The horse dragged +its bridle from the hand of the forester, and reared again, and +then fell heavily backward, almost crushing Gymbert. However, he +had foreseen it, and was off and rolling away from it as it reached +the ground. I heard the saddletree snap as it did so. + +"Hold your peace, master," said Erling to me, before I could speak; +"leave this to us." + +I looked at the Dane in wonder, and saw his face white with wrath, +while Sighard was plainly in a towering rage. The Mercian thane was +looking puzzled, but well-nigh as angry, and the foresters were +silently helping up their leader, or seeing to the horse, which did +not rise. + +"A foul stroke, Master Gymbert," said Sighard, going up to the +marshal; "a foul spear as ever was! Had it not been for his man +yonder, you had fairly spitted my friend the paladin. Ken you +that?" + +"How was I to know that he was going to run in?" said Gymbert, +trying to bluster. "He crossed my horse, and it is his own fault if +he was in the way of the spear." + +"One would think that you had no knowledge of woodcraft," said +Sighard, with high disdain. "Heard one ever of a mounted man coming +in on a boar while a spear on foot was before him? Man, one needs +eyes in the back of one's head if you are about." + +Then he turned to the Mercian thane. + +"Is this the way of Gymbert as a rule? or has he only been suffered +to come out today?" + +"A man gets careless at these times," answered the thane. "Anyway +he is like to lose a good horse, and I will not say that it does +not serve him right. + +"It was a near thing for the Frank, Gymbert, let me tell you." + +"Well, I am sorry," said Gymbert gruffly. "I was a careless fool, +if that will suit you." + +"A mighty poor sort of apology that." + +"Well, then," said Gymbert stiffly, and as I thought somewhat +ashamed of himself, "I will ask pardon for a bit of heedlessness in +all truth. Mayhap I did ride in somewhat over jealously." + +Now by that time I was myself again, and told him to think no more +of it, so far as I was concerned. Whereon he blamed himself again +more heartily, and so went to see to his horse, which was past use +again for that and many a long day. Sighard turned away with a +growl, and Erling said nothing, for the matter was ended for the +time. + +As for the boar, it was Sighard's spear which he took with him. The +thane had got it home in his flank as he gored the horse, but to +little effect. Then the boar had taken to the thickets, and there +the foresters had slain him. + +Gymbert sent a man for a fresh horse, and so rode away without +another word to us. The noise from the nets went on, shifting +across the little valley as the kings went from place to place in +search of fresh game at the barrier. + +"Well," said Sighard, looking after Gymbert as he went, "if yon +thane had it in his mind to spear you, or to ride over you, or +anywise to send you on the tusks of the boar, he went the right way +to work. He rode straight at you from behind, as if he meant it." + +"But for his man here the paladin had gone home on a litter, feet +foremost, for certain," said the Mercian. "I do not know what came +to Gymbert, for he knows more of woodcraft than most of us. Maybe +he thought it his boar by all right, and was over hasty." + +"A jealous hunter is no pleasant companion," answered Sighard, with +a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Well, there is no harm done, but +to the poor steed yonder." + +Then I thanked Erling for his promptness, for it was his hand which +had swung me out of danger. Whereon he smiled, and said that he saw +it coming in time and risked my wrath. But I could tell that he had +more in his mind, and let the matter rest till we were alone. But +Sighard and the other thane went on growling now and then over the +closeness of the mishap, until the horns sounded merrily for the +gathering of us all to the barrier, where was even more work for +men and hounds than the kings could undertake. They had taken their +fill of the sport also, and had no mind to leave their courts apart +from it all. + +So for a long hour or two we brought to bay boar and wolf under the +forest trees or along the river banks, until I was fairly glad when +it was all ended. There was hardly a chance for the quarry, and it +was good when one either leaped the nets or swam the stream and was +away. Maybe it is as well to have seen such a drive, but I do not +care to take part in another. Better the horn calling one in the +early morning, and the music of the hounds whose names one knows, +and the long drawing of the cover while they work together well and +keenly, and the breaking of the stag or boar from his holt, and so +the air on one's face, and the swing of the gallop over the open, +with friends to right and left, before or behind. + +Maybe, then, one will end the day with the death of a valiant stag +in some bend of the trout stream, or with the last of a warrior +boar at the foot of an ancient oak; or maybe there will be naught +to show for the long day's questing. But always there will have +been the working of hounds and the paces of the good horse to dwell +on afterward, with, over all, the sight of bird and beast under the +sky with friends and freedom. Today I had not so much as breathed +my horse, and had nigh met my end in a sort of foolish chance which +came, as I had only reason to think, of the crush and hustle of men +at the end of the drive. There was, in truth, a sort of wild +excitement in the air at that time, and it brings heedlessness. + +Presently they gathered the game to a wide clearing on the river +banks, and such an array of lordly deer and grim boars, row on row +of fallow buck, and heaps of gray wolves, I have never seen. Roe +and even hares were there also, hardly accounted for in the +numbering. Hunting would be fairly spoiled on the Lugg side for a +season or two, maybe; but many a farmstead would be the better off +for lack of the nightly harriers of field and fold. + +But, most of all, men looked at the one mighty wild bull which +Ethelbert himself had slain. He was the only one which had been +seen, though it was said that another had escaped at the first, and +the kine of the herd had been suffered to go free. Snow white he +was, with black muzzle and ears and hoofs, and his short horns +shone like polished ebony above the curling mane of his forehead +and neck. He was a splendid beast, the like of whom my forefathers +had slain in fair hunt among the Mendips long ago, until none were +left for us today. The wild Welsh hills held them for Offa, as did +his midland forests everywhere, as men told me. + +Now at this last gathering I did not see Gymbert. I thought he had +most likely gone homeward, either on business or else because he +would fain hear no more of what he had done in the way of bad +woodcraft. Sighard said plainly that it was just as well that he +had gone, or his clumsiness would have been spoken of pretty +plainly. But all those to whom he did mention it, and they were +many, seemed hardly able to understand it, for the marshal's skill +was well known. + +I suppose it was a matter of two hours before sunset when we +started for the palace from where we ended the drive, with an +hour's ride before us. We straggled back somewhat, for the kings +rode on together, and men followed as they listed. So it came to +pass that before long Erling and I were together and almost alone; +out of earshot from any one else, at all events, for Sighard was +behind us with one or two more of our own party, and the Mercians +whom we followed were ahead. + +"What have you done to offend this Gymbert?" asked Erling, of a +sudden. + +"Naught that I ken," I answered. "We had a talk last evening on the +rampart, but it was of no account. Why?" + +"Because that was his arrow which so nearly struck you, first; and +then, if ever a man tried to spear another by a seeming accident, +he tried to end you when the boar turned to bay." + +"His arrow? How do you know that?" + +"Easily enough. When he fell yonder, those he had left fell out of +his quiver. They are easily to be known, and they were the same as +that I showed you--peacock-feathered with a bone nock, and tied +with gold and silver thread twisted curiously." + +"A man does not shoot another with an arrow of his own known +pattern if he means it" I said. + +"You hear what they say of the skill of Gymbert? All the more +reason, if his arrow in you were known, that men would say that of +course it was mischance, and pity him more than you. Moreover, that +is the word which would go back to Carl, whom they deem your master +yet. Offa would fain stand well with him." + +There was truth in this, and I knew it; and yet I could hardly +believe such a tale of treachery to an unoffending stranger as this +would tell. Then I minded how Erling had spoken to him in Welsh, +and a half thought crossed my mind that he bore ill will for that. +But in that case Erling was the man who had offended by plain +speech on a matter of which every one knew. So I did not recall +this to my comrade; it seemed personal to me. + +"Tell me what you and he spoke of last night," Erling asked me +gravely, as I turned the matter over. + +I told him all I could remember, and it came back to me clearly as +I went on. Then he said slowly: + +"There was more in that talk of a service to be done for the queen +than he would care for you to know. Why should a stranger be asked +if he might be led to undertake one, when there are scores of +faithful Mercians who would be only too glad to do aught to +pleasure her? As it seems to me, they needed one who could be put +away without being missed afterward, when his errand was finished." + +"No reason why Gymbert should have tried to end me now in that +case." + +"The king's wine was potent last night. It may be that he cannot +rightly remember how far a loosened tongue led him," Erling said. +"Master, there is trouble in the air. I sorely misdoubt that errand +of Quendritha's." + +"Faith," said I, "if you did not sleep across my door I would wear +my mail tonight." + +"Ay," he answered, under his breath and earnestly. "Do so anywise. +These great palaces have strange tricks of passages and doors which +are hidden, and the like." + +"Little shall I sleep tonight if you go on thus," I said, trying to +laugh; though it did indeed seem that he had somewhat more than +fancy in what he feared, and I grew strangely uneasy. + +"Better so," he answered; and I gave it up. + +Riding easily, we came back to the palace close after the kings; +and in the great courtyard I looked round for Gymbert, but could +not see him. There was nothing in that, of course; but when a man +has apparently tried twice to end one, it seems safer to have him +in sight. And Erling, as he took my horse, growled to me to have a +care and wear my mail under my tunic; which in itself was +disquieting. + +Most of all it was so because the affair seemed unreasonable. I +tried honestly to think that all was accident, but two such mishaps +from the same hand looked unlike that. + +So I went straight to my chamber and did as my comrade bade me, +somewhat angry with myself for thinking it needful. I took a light +chain-mail byrnie, of that wondrous Saracen make, which I had won +from a chief when we were warring on the western frontier mountains +by Roncesvalles, and belted it close to me that it should not +rattle as I moved. It was hardly so heavy as a helm, and fell into +a little handful of rings in one's hand when taken off; but there +was no sword forged in England which would bite it, nor spear which +its tiny rings would not stay. There was a hood to it also, which +went under the helm, but that I took off now. Then none could see +it under my tunic, and I myself hardly felt that it was there. + +Then I clad myself in all feasting finery, with Carl's handsome +sword at my side, and a seax, which Ecgbert had given me to match +it, also handy to my right hand in my belt. And so I went out into +the open, for I mistrusted the dark chamber somewhat after Erling's +words, though he knew less of palaces than did I. Maybe, however, +that was why I knew that he was not so far wrong. + +I went round to the courtyard, with a mind to pass to the stables +and look at the horses; but I met Father Selred, who asked me to +come out into the fields with him. Ethelbert had gone thither, he +said, and he would find some one to follow him quietly as guard. + +So we went from the great gate across the moat, and then turned to +the right, where the little Lugg flows under the palace hill across +the meadows, and then found a path toward a little copse, which we +followed. Father Selred told me that the king had bidden him seek +him there presently. He had gone to meet his princess in such quiet +as a king may find by good chance. + +They had cut a path round this copse, and through it here and +there, and we walked slowly round the outer edge on the soft grass, +with the song of the birds and the cooing of the wood doves +pleasant to listen to in the last evening sunlight. And then we met +the Lady Hilda walking, idly as we walked, by herself, and her face +grew bright as she saw us. + +"Two are company, my daughter," said Father Selred, with his eyes +dancing with his jest. "I doubt not that you are carrying out the +rest of the proverb. I will also retire and meditate awhile." + +"No, Father--" began Hilda. + +But he smiled, and swung his rosary, and so walked away from us, +while I laughed at him. Then Hilda smiled also, and with that made +the best of it, and walked with me to and fro under the trees. The +king and the princess were here, she told me, for a little time, +and she was in attendance. + +Presently she told me also of the goodness of Etheldrida, saying +that she thought the king and the land alike happy in this match. +She had much to say of her; and it seemed that the wedding was to +be in three days' time, here in the palace chapel. But presently +she spoke of Quendritha, and as she did so her face clouded. + +"I am afraid of her," she said at last. "She is terrible to me, and +why I cannot tell. She is naught but kind to me. All the ladies +fear her but one or two who are her close friends." + +"Well, you will soon be away from her," I said. + +"I do not know," she answered, glancing round her. "She has said +that she would fain keep me here. What she says she means, mostly." + +"Then," said I boldly, "I shall have to come and take you away +myself." + +Whereon she laughed a little, but did not seem displeased at the +thought. + +"Stay," I said. "You have that arrowhead I gave you?" + +"An I have not lost it. I will search." + +"Send it me if you need my help," I said; "then naught shall hinder +me from coming to you." + +"Spoken paladin-wise," she answered, laughing at me. "Mayhap that +bit of flint shall chase you round Wessex in vain, and meanwhile +the ogre will have devoured me." + +But she set her white hand on my arm for a moment, as if in thanks. +Then she started and looked at me in the face wonderingly. She felt +the steel. + +"Wilfrid," she whispered, "why do you wear mail under your tunic?" + +I told her plainly; otherwise it would have surely seemed that it +was a niddering sort of habit of mine, and unworthy of a warrior in +a king's friendly hall. And there was no laughter in her fair face +as she heard, but fear for me. Like Erling, she seemed to see peril +around us. + +"Listen," she said. "The princess dreams that she is to be wedded, +and that even before the altar her bridal robes grow black and the +flowers of her wreath fall withered, while the strown blooms under +her feet turn to ashes on her path." + +"More dreams!" I said bitterly. "We are beset with them, and they +are all ill!" + +"Have you also visions?" she asked, almost faintly. + +"No; unless you are one, and I must wake to find myself back in +bleak Flanders, or fighting for my life in Portland race again. And +I pray that so it may not be; for if I must lose the sight of you, +I am lonely indeed." + +"Nay, hush," she said; "not now. Wait till all is well for you and +for the king--and then, maybe; but I pray you have a care of +Gymbert." + +Now I would have told her that I had no fear of him, and mayhap I +should have heeded her other words little enough. But at that +moment Father Selred came back and beckoned to us, and silently we +went after him. The king had seen him and called to him. + +Then and there I was made known to the princess, and I thought her +strangely sad for one so fair, when she was not speaking. She +looked wistfully on Hilda and on me, as if she knew how we had +spoken, and smiled; and then her face was as the face of a saint in +some painted evangel, such as Carl had in his churches, still and +sweet. + +But Ethelbert was bright and cheerful as ever; and he bade me see +him home to his apartment, for he would talk with me. And I thought +rightly that as he had spoken in the Thetford garden of Etheldrida, +and as he had also spoken with me more than once on the road +hither, so he had much to say of her now. + +So across the glades passed the princess and Hilda with the priest, +and with them the brightness went from the sunset for us two, I +think. We waited for a few minutes, and then followed slowly, +saying little. We had each our own thoughts. + + + +CHAPTER XI. HOW ETHELBERT THE KING WENT TO HIS REST. + + +Now it becomes needful that I should tell where Ethelbert was +lodged, for I had not been to his apartments yet. + +Across the upper end of the great hall there was a long building +set, and this was divided into three uneven parts. From the hall +one entered it by the door behind the king's high seat on the dais, +whence I had seen Offa and his guest come last night; and then one +found that the midmost of these divisions was a sort of council +chamber, lighted by a window in the opposite wall, and with a door +on the right and left at either end. That on the right led to the +largest division, where were the king's own chamber and the queen's +bower. Other buildings had been added to this end; and it had its +own entrance for the queen from the courtyards, as I knew, for it +was behind the church and priest's lodging where they had bestowed +me. + +The door from the council chamber to the left led to the smallest +division of the cross building, and there were two chambers for +such honoured guest as Ethelbert. One could only reach these +chambers from the council room, and they had no private way into +the courtyard. It seemed that the guest hall, which was built +against the great hall to its left, ran back to the walls of this +end of the cross building, for there was a heavily-barred low +doorway, which could lead nowhere else, in the wall of the outer +living room. The only other door was that of the bedchamber, and +that was opposite the entrance. + +Pleasant and quiet chambers these were; for the noise of the hall +could not reach them and their windows were set to the westward, +looking out toward the Welsh hills beyond the Wye, which showed +above the rampart and stockading. + +So with much ceremony, which was wearisome to Ethelbert--and need +not be set down, for it would weary any one, and was of no use--we +reached those chambers, and there, being ready for the feast +myself, I helped to array the king, and so passed with the royal +party to the high place when the time came. + +"Come back presently with me when the meal is over," the king said; +"I have somewhat to ask you." + +Then I found my way to the place which had been given me last +night, and so had Hilda for neighbour again, to my much content; +for the order of sitting had been little changed, save down the +hall below the salt, where some fifty more men from the forest had +been made room for. It was a great feast and merry, and it seemed +the more so to me after the rough camp life across the sea, or the +rare state banquets which I had seen in Carl's court. There was +none of our hearty fellowship there, and there was more feeling of +difference between men of high and low rank, which made a feast go +stiffly to an English mind. + +Presently I saw Gymbert across the hall, and I thought he looked +uneasy. As he had fairly spoiled his name as a good huntsman, I was +not surprised, nor did it trouble me. I missed him toward the end +of the feast; but no doubt he had his duties about the place as +when I spoke to him last night, and that was nothing to wonder at. +I did not see him go. + +It was a long feast. We began by daylight, and ended in the red +blaze of torches set in sconces all down the hall, and in the +whiter shine of great wax tapers which armed housecarls held behind +us on the high place. I had never seen such waste of wax before; +but Offa was magnificent in all he did, in a rougher way than that +of Carl. + +When the time of eating was ended and the toasts were to go round, +the queen came with a wonderful golden cup which even the Frankish +treasury could not match, and standing beside Ethelbert filled it +with the red wine and pledged him. Very beautiful did she look as +she held the cup to the young king, and her words were soft and +full of kindness. She seemed well-nigh as young as the stately and +pale Etheldrida, her daughter. + +After that she and the other ladies left the hall after the custom, +and we sat on telling tales and listening to the gleemen and +harpers, and taking each our turn in singing. The East Anglian +thanes had a way of singing together which was new to me and +pleased me well. The hall grew hot and full of the smoke from the +pine-knot torches before the kings rose up to go. By that time, +too, the foresters seemed to be singing against one another, and +the noise grew great with their mirth. + +I rose and followed Ethelbert as I had been bidden, and passed into +the council chamber, where Offa and his guest parted for the night, +each going his own way. I thought Offa seemed heavy and moody, but +in every wise friendly. Tired he was, methought, for it had been a +long day. + +Ethelbert signed to me, Father Selred, and Sighard to follow him, +and we went into his apartment, closing the door after us. Out in +the council chamber we left three of the Anglian thanes and three +Mercian, who would act as guards for the night. + +It was very pleasant in the silence of this cool chamber after the +din and glare of the great hall. The moonlight came in at the +western window; and though there were torches ready, the king would +not have us light them, for he said we would sit in the dim light +awhile till he grew sleepy. And so at first we spoke of the day's +hunting, and, of course, Sighard had his say on the matter of +Gymbert's carelessness. + +Seeing that neither he nor the king had any doubt that carelessness +it was, and naught else, I did not think it worth while to say +anything of my own suspicions. I do not think that they could have +believed that any harm was meant me had I told of the arrow. It +seemed impossible, and if it were not that, it was a private matter +of my own. + +Presently that matter dropped, and there was a short silence. I +heard then the sounds of shuffling feet plainly enough from +somewhere close at hand, and thought that the wall between us and +the guest hall must be somewhat thinner than it would seem, so that +the sound came through thence. Sighard heard it also, and rose up +quietly and looked into the inner chamber. + +"What is it?" asked Ethelbert, as he came back and sat down again. + +"Naught, lord. I thought I heard footsteps in your bedchamber; but +there is nothing there. A strange house has strange sounds, and it +takes time to get used to them." + +"Some one passing under the window," said Selred the chaplain, +laughing. + +The little noise ceased, and we forgot it. Today I can seem to hear +it as if it had thundered in our ears, for I know what it was and +what it meant. Yet at the time there was no reason to think aught +of it. + +Then Ethelbert asked us somewhat which seemed strange. + +"Have any of you noted aught in the look or way of King Offa which +would make you think that he has not long to live?" + +With one accord we said that we certainly had not done so, and that +in some surprise. Sighard asked plainly what had put such a thought +into his head. + +"I will tell you," said Ethelbert in a low voice. "Between +ourselves, here it is of no use to pretend that one does not know +the name for ambition which Quendritha the queen has. Tell me what +you make of this. Today I had a little private speech with her, and +she would have me put off the wedding. She more than hinted that I +might make a higher match, and that angered me. Whereon she told me +that Offa might not have long to live; that Mercia and East Anglia +would be a mighty realm if united. And, on my word, it seemed to me +that she would bid me wait till she was a widow." + +He laughed uneasily, as if he thought himself foolish; but we knew +that unless he had full reason for that belief he would not have +told us. That must have been a strange talk between this honest +young king and Quendritha, if he deemed it best to speak to us of +it. + +Sighard frowned, and said: + +"If it is true that Offa is thus--well, we are forewarned. +Quendritha has let us see that in one way or the other she would +fain have East Anglia. I think that she spoke unwarily to you, my +king." + +"Nay," said Selred the priest; "I hold that she sounded you as to +whether you had any thought of adding Mercia to your own realm. If +it is true that Offa has some secret ailment which is slowly and +surely bringing his end near, she looks onward to the time when she +shall stand alone. She would find out if you are to be feared." + +"Maybe that is it," said Ethelbert, with a sigh of relief. "It must +be. She is a mistress of craft; and had I one thought of adding to +my realm, that would have made me show it. However, she should be +satisfied. I would hear naught of putting off the wedding, as you +may suppose." + +I said nothing, but it was in my mind that mayhap there was more at +the back of all this than they saw. I had heard overmuch of +Quendritha to have much doubt that if she could see her way to +reigning over both realms, she would stay for naught, even for the +removing of Offa from her path if he stood in it. And almost did I +tell the king of Thrond's knowledge of her, but forbore. Sighard +knew it also, and he was the best judge of that. But I will say +that I was somewhat lighter of heart to hear this, for it was plain +to me that Offa himself had no thought of guile toward Ethelbert; +and to this day I do not believe that he had. His mind was far too +great for that; and if he loved power, I hold that to have married +his daughter to a king was fully enough for him. Beyond that all +was from Quendritha. To tell the truth, if I feared for any one, it +was for Offa himself. + +Now Ethelbert rose and said that he grew weary and would go to +rest. Sighard said that he would get him a light from the council +chamber; but he would rather bide in the moonlight, which was +enough to fill all the room. So we three went into his sleeping +chamber with him. At one side was the state bed with its heavy +hangings, and midway in the room, by its side, was a great chair, +softly cushioned. The smell of the sweet sedges with which the room +had been newly strown was pleasant and cool, and a little chill +breeze came in from the window with the moonlight. + +"Leave me for a while, my thanes," he said; "I will call you anon. +Wilfrid will no doubt be glad to go to his place; so goodnight" + +He smiled at me, and held out his hand, and I bent and kissed it. +So we went back to the other room to wait, for we knew that the +king would pray. The door swung softly to after us. + +Now I thought I heard the chair creak as the king went to it. Then +there was a sound as of a fall somewhere near us, and a stifled +cry. + +"What is that?" I said, turning to Sighard. + +"Housecarls outside;" he said. "It was from the place whence we +heard the footsteps awhile ago. Listen! there they are again." + +I heard the same sort of dull trampling as before, and there was +also a voice. + +"It seems to be almost beneath us," I said. + +But the footsteps were plainly going away from us, and growing +fainter in the distance. I climbed on a settle and looked out of +the high window, which was set aloft so that none could see into +the chamber as they passed it. But I could see no man. There were +some wood piles and sheds between the rampart and us, but nothing +stirred about them so far as I could see. Whereby I supposed that +they had passed round the corner. On the rampart an armed sentry +was pacing, black against the low moon, and beyond him the fires of +the Welsh--who watched us--burnt as brightly as last night. + +Now there was a gentle knock on the outer door, and I opened it. +One of the thanes said that the man who served me would see me, and +I went out into the great hall, bidding Sighard and the chaplain +goodnight as I did so. Down the length of the hall men were +throwing themselves on the rushes to sleep along the walls in their +wonted places, though there were yet groups at the tables still +telling tales and drinking. The torches were almost all burnt out +save where these men were, and across the open roof were strange +white shafts of moonlight through the smoke, from windows and under +westward eaves. + +Outside the door, on the high place, stood Erling alone, for the +tables there had been cleared away. Only the throne of the king +remained. And in the light from the council chamber I saw that the +face of my comrade was white as death. + +"Where is Ethelbert the king?" he said, almost wildly, and +clutching my arm. + +"In his chamber," I answered. "All is well. I saw him there not ten +minutes ago." + +"How can that be? It is not that time ago since he stood by me on +the rampart, where I walked alone, and spoke to me." + +"It was some one else like him," I said. "He is going to sleep." + +But Erling stared beyond me, and grew yet paler. I saw the black +rims grow round his eyes. Then his grip tightened on my arm, and he +gasped: + +"He stood before me, and that red line round his neck had drops +like gems therefrom. He said, 'Now do I die and pass to rest. I +would that you came after me.' And I said, 'Trouble not yourself, +king, for the like of me.' And he smiled wondrously, and answered, +'Nay, but needs must I, for you are the only heathen man in this +palace garth. I would that all were well with you as with me.' Then +he was gone, and there was only a brightness, and betimes that +faded. Then I came hither. There is ill which has befallen the +king." + +"Impossible," I said. And even as I said it into my mind flashed +that strange, unaccounted for trampling, and I went back, with +Erling after me, unbidden. The six thanes who waited in the council +chamber stared at me, but I did not heed them. Across to the king's +door I went, and passed in. Selred and the old thane were talking +quietly under their breath, and I had but been gone three minutes. + +"Back again, Wilfrid? Eh, what is amiss?" said Sighard, starting as +he set eyes on Erling. + +"Has the king called you?" I asked hastily. + +"No; it is hardly time for him to do so," Selred answered, smiling. + +"Look into his chamber softly, I pray you, Father Selred," Erling +said in a strange voice. "It is upon me that all is not well." + +Now so urgent was the tone in which the Dane spoke that the priest +went at once to the inner door and opened it very gently, and +peered in. Then he started forward suddenly and threw the door +wide. + +"Thanes!" he cried wildly, and we were at his side. + +The room was empty. There was naught but the bed in it, for even +the great chair was gone. Only where it had been there was a square +patch of floor which was not covered with the sedges I had noted as +so lavishly strown. Nor was the king in the bed, whose coverings +were unruffled. Sighard lifted its hangings and peered under and +behind them in a sort of frantic hope; for though there was no +sound, and no answer to his whispering of the well-loved name of +his master, it seemed unbelievable that from this little chamber a +man should have gone utterly and without a sound during these few +minutes. Yet so it was. + +I set my hands on the high sill of the window and drew my face to +its level. It was too narrow for a man to get through, and there +was nothing to be seen outside but the white moonlight, and the +mist which rose from the Lugg and curled over the rampart, white +and ghostly round the sentry, who leaned on his spear and stared at +the twinkling hill fires. + +"It is wizardry," said Sighard, groaning, while cold drops broke +out on his forehead. "He has been spirited away." + +"I saw him on the rampart," answered Erling; "but it was his ghost +that I saw. I knew it, and came and told my master here." + +Now there came a silence in which we looked at one another. Then Sighard +went and began to search the walls for hidden doors--hopelessly, for the +timbers were a full foot thick. And so of a sudden some frenzy seemed to +take him, for he set his hand on his sword, and would have waked the +palace with the cry of treason, but that Selred stayed him. + +"Friend, friend," he said earnestly, "have a care--wait! We are but +two score amid hundreds, and that cry may mean death to us all. + +"Wilfrid, call the other thanes hither." + +I went to the door of the council chamber, and there was that in my +face which bade the thanes spring up and hurry to me with words of +question. I looked first at the three Mercians; but their faces +were blank as those of the Anglians. They expected naught. + +"The king has gone," I said. "You Mercians may best know whither." + +One of them laughed, and sat down again. + +"You have a strange idea of a jest in Carl's camp, paladin," he +said. "What is it? The king gone, with us sitting here at his door, +forsooth!" + +"No jest, thane, but the truth," I said, taking the tall wax torch +which was on the table before them. "Come." + +Then they leaped up and followed me into the bedchamber, and stood +staring as we had stared. It was plain that they knew as little as +ourselves. + +"He has passed into the guest hall," said one of the Mercians, +looking round him wildly enough. + +But that was not possible, for the door was in the outer room +whence we had come, and it was barred on both sides. + +"We are disgraced," said another, groaning. "Our charge has been +made away with, and how we cannot tell. We shall pay for this with +our lives." + +Then Sighard said, "He cannot be far off. Men--think! How can he +have gone hence? Who would make away with him?" + +But there was no answer to these questions. The thing remained a +mystery. If there was any plot, these three honest thanes were not +in it. And then as I walked uneasily from side to side of the room, +turning over impossible ways of disappearance in my mind, I came +near where the great chair had been. And under my step the floor +creaked. + +Now seeing how that house was built, this was a sound one would not +expect to hear at all. It came into my mind that here was one of +the few floors which were boarded, the most being of beaten clay, +or paved with great stones wonderfully. So I trod again firmly in +that place, and it seemed to me that the floor gave, somewhat. + +I reached out for the torch which I had set on the sconce in the +wall and looked at the floor, but why it creaked I did not make +out. The boards were of hewn oak, and how thick one could not tell. + +"Fetch Offa the king," said a Mercian; "we had better tell him. No +use in gaping here. We can swear that Ethelbert has not passed out +of these doors." + +"No," said Selred quickly; "that were to wake the whole palace. Let +us seek further into this.--Thanes, if aught has been done amiss to +our king, we are all in danger." + +The floor creaked under my foot again, and I looked back to it. +What I saw now made me start and call the others to me. + +"See here!" I cried. + +Round that clear space where the chair had been was a saw cut newly +made. It went through the flooring, so that the square was like a +trapdoor. And it was uneven, as if it had been made in haste. Then +I knew what must have been the meaning of the sounds we heard and +thought nothing of--the creak, and the fall, and the stifled cry. + +Sighard looked once, and then threw himself on his knees, drawing +his stout seax as he did so. + +"Have it up!" he said, with his teeth clenched, "have it up!" + +Then a thought came to me, and I beckoned to Erling. It might be +that armed men lurked under that trapdoor, and that our end was +coming; but at least we would have fair play. + +"Go and bar the door to the great hall," I told him. "We will have +none else in here if there is a fight. Then see if you can get the +door to the guest hall undone." + +He nodded and went out. One of the Mercians asked sharply where he +was going; but Sighard paid no heed to him, for he was trying to +get his blade into the saw cut, and so raise the square of +flooring. + +"Thane," I said to the Mercian, staying him from following Erling, +"he will shut the door to the hall, and let this thing be seen +through in silence. Go you and watch at the door of Offa, for it +has bided untended long enough." + +He went out in haste, and Erling watched him there. I saw him sit +down to the table whence he had risen at my coming, and set his +head on his hands as if in despair. I had no fear that he would +call Offa yet, or that Erling would suffer him to go to his +comrades in the hall. The other two stayed and watched Sighard +silently. + +Now the old thane had his blade fast in the timber and lifted. The +square of floor rose slowly at that corner, and one of the Mercians +set his hand to it. Another lift, and the whole was coming up, for +the boards had been fastened together with cross pieces underneath, +doorwise. As it rose I heard the fall of props that had kept it in +place, and I bade Sighard have a care. I feared it would let him +through suddenly as these props fell; but it had been roughly +hinged at one end with thongs. He rose, and he and the Mercian +heaved on the door and threw it back. + +Then below us gaped a black pit which seemed to go deep into the +earth, and for a moment we shrank back from it as men must needs do +when a depth is suddenly before them. Nor should I have wondered if +thence the bright points of waiting spears had darted upward in our +faces. + +But there was nothing save a little cold draught of wind that blew +into them from out of that pit, and we looked into it. I held the +torch so that its flickering blaze went to the bottom, and as we +saw what was there a groan came from us. + +There was the great chair lying, overturned on its side as it may +have fallen, but it was dragged back from under the door somewhat. +There were the cushions I had noted also--one lying on the stone +floor of the pit, and the other on the seat of the chair. But there +was no sign of the king--none but a stain of red on the cushions +and on the floor, and on the blade of a sword which lay beside that +terrible pool. And the sword was the king's own. + +Then said Sighard, and his voice came hoarse and broken: + +"Our king is slain! Hounds of Mercians, tell us who has wrought +this!" + +One answered him from dry lips: + +"We cannot tell. It is a shame on the house of Offa, and on the +very name of Mercia. Kill us if you will, for we are niddering." + +He plucked his sword from his belt and threw it on the floor. The +thane who had gone into the council chamber was on his feet and +staring at us through the open doors, and Erling was ready to fall +on him if he cried out. But the third Mercian, whose name was +Witred, did not lose his senses thus. + +"True enough," he said, looking fearlessly at the angry group +before him. "But it were better to follow this passage and see if +we may not overtake those who have been here. + +"Bide here, paladin and priest, and keep our way back clear with my +comrade yonder, and let us go quickly. If they slay us--maybe that +is no loss, but at least we have done what we should." + +Without another word Sighard leaped into that awesome pit, and +Witred followed him. Then went our three thanes, and Selred and I +stood alone in the room. I handed the torch down to the last man, +and so saw that from the place where the chair was set a low +stone-arched passage led westward into darkness. It was some work +of the old Romans, no doubt, for no Saxon ever made such +stonework--strong and heavy as rock itself. + +The light flashed from somewhat on the wall also, as it seemed, +drawing my eyes to it. + +"Yonder is a spear set," I said to the thane, as he took the light +from me; "hand it to me." + +He took it from where it rested against the wall and gave it me, +turning at once to follow our comrades. Then I knew the spear well +enough, for I had seen it over close to me once before. It was +Gymbert's boar spear. + + + +CHAPTER XII. HOW QUENDRITHA THE QUEEN HAD HER WILL. + + +Slowly the footfalls of our comrades died away down the low +passage, and then the last flicker of their torch passed from the +stone walls of that terrible pit, leaving Selred and myself alone +in the cold moonlight. Out through the doors toward the council +chamber I saw the Mercian thane, who had been watching us in +silence, sit down at the table and set his head in his hands +wearily; and I heard Erling try the bars of the door to the guest +hall, and finding it impossible to open, after a while pass into +the council chamber, and set himself against the great door once +more. + +After that there fell a dead silence over all the place, and it was +uncanny. It seemed impossible that all men should sleep in peace in +the palace where such a deed had been wrought at our feet. I had +rather the rush and yell of the Welsh over these ramparts they +hated than this stillness of coldly-planned treachery. + +Nor should I have been surprised if at any moment I had heard the +tramp of men who came to fall on us and end what had been begun, or +the cries and din of arms which should tell that they had fallen on +the sleeping thanes of Anglia in the guest hall. Anything was +possible after what had been wrought already, and indeed it was +hardly likely that the king should be slain and the servants let go +free. + +I think that the stillness and waiting for unknown doings thus went +near to terrifying me. I know that I started at every sound, if it +were but the crackling of the little fire in the council chamber, +or the low challenge of one sentry to his fellow as the word which +told all well passed round the ramparts. Selred was on his knees, +and I would not speak to disturb the prayers which we so sorely +needed. + +The time seemed long as we waited, but it could not have been much +more than ten minutes before I heard the footfalls of our party as +they returned by the passage way. One by one they came out from +under the arch, and I took the torch from Witred the Mercian, who +came first as he had gone, and then helped them one by one to the +room again from the pit. Their faces were white and hard set in the +light, and Sighard seemed as a man broken and aged in a moment with +trouble beyond his bearing. Then I knew that I had to hear the +worst, and made ready for it. Witred the Mercian told it quietly. + +"This passage runs under the ramparts, and ends in a thicket on the +steep by the river. I knew that there were old stones in that, but +not one of us knew of the passage. That end has been newly opened, +and the tools with which it was done are there yet. A man sat by +that entrance on guard outside, and as I came I spoke to him by +name and told him who I was. Then he stayed, and we fell on him and +bound him without giving him a chance to cry out. Whereon he told +all, and it is an evil tale." + +He paused, and wiped his forehead, looking round as if he would +have any man but himself tell it; but none else spoke. + +"Yesterday Gymbert's men sawed the floor through and made this +trapdoor. Then they waited underneath, and the king fell, as they +had expected, into the ready arms that waited him. There were +Gymbert and half a dozen of his men. The cushion stayed his cry, +and he was helpless. Yet he was very strong, and so Gymbert +snatched his own sword from his side and smote off his head. Out by +the river they had a cart waiting, and they bore him away at speed. +We saw and followed the wheel tracks till we lost them, and could +do no more. Then we bound and gagged the man, and have haled him +halfway down the passage till we need him again. That is all." + +Then I said, with a cold wrath on me, "At whose orders was this +done?" + +The Mercian shook his head, glancing at his comrades. The other +Mercian had come to hear from the council chamber. + +"The man could not or would not tell; but I pray you think not that +this is done by Offa. The one thing that the man begged us was that +he might not be delivered to the king. And he said that Gymbert and +his men would hide till Offa's wrath was past." + +"There is but one other at whose word this could have been done," I +said. + +"Ay," said Witred, "I know. Yet Ethelbert was to be the bridegroom +of our princess. Is it possible that Gymbert has looked so high, +and would take him from his way?" + +And at that one of the other Mercians answered bluntly: + +"You speak of what is not possible, and you know it. Who but that +one of whom we ken would have seen that those who wrought here with +saw and axe were not disturbed? Let us say at once that the thing +has been wrought by the hand of Quendritha, and have done with it. +Which of us does not know that she is capable of it, and has never +dared say so yet till this minute?" + +Then said Witred, "That is the truth, thanes. Now what will you, +for the time goes on? This man said that it was thought that the +deed would not be known till waking time in the morning. It is not +midnight yet." + +We looked at one another, for what was best we could not say. It +was more than likely that the queen had planned against some too +early discovery of the deed, and even now waited for any sign which +should tell her to act. But for the staying of that man at the +entrance, I have no doubt that by this time her men had been warned +to fall on us. The gathering of the Welsh, and the open passage +into the heart of the palace, might be seeming proof that we had +planned the downfall of Offa, and so short work with us. + +Now one said that it were best to tell Offa straightway, but Selred +and my comrades would not have that. We were not so sure in our own +minds that he was guiltless in the matter; and at last Selred said +that he would try to reach the guest hall and wake the other thanes +and bring them here. + +So we passed into the council chamber, and I think we were all glad +to be away from the side of that pit. Erling stood at the great +door, and he had taken the bars down from that which led to the +guest hall. If only we could make some one of our folk hear without +too much noise, they could unbar it from their side. + +"There is one asleep near to it," said Erling; "I heard him in the +stillness." + +I tapped sharply once or twice on the heavy door with my sword +handle. I heard the sounds the sleeper made on the other side, and +presently they stopped suddenly. Whereon I tapped again, and I +heard a voice, and then another, as if men heard it. And then a +tapping came back. The door was very thick, and made of oaken logs, +bound together with iron, so that it was hard to hear. But I set my +face close to it and spoke, thinking that no doubt an ear was not +far off beyond. + +"Unbar the door," I said--"unbar." + +"Who is that?" came the muffled voice. + +Then Selred answered, and presently I heard the great bars being +drawn from their sockets in the door posts, and at last the door +opened slowly toward us. A thane was there with his sword in his +hand, staring at us. + +"Let me in, for I have a word to say," said Selred quietly. "Be +silent, for one does not want to rouse the place." + +He passed in, and we closed the door. Beyond the other door lay the +housecarls of Offa down the long hall where we had feasted, and +within his own chambers there were a score or more of the young +thanes of his bodyguard sleeping across his own doors. + +Now we heard the still voice of Selred, and after it a stifled +outcry, hushed almost before it arose, and then silence. In a +minute the door was pushed gently, and the father came back with a +pale face. Ho had told the thanes, and they were arming in silence. +Then they would come and see what we had seen. + +"And after that?" said Witred. + +"If I were in their place, naught should stay me here," said the +Mercian who had bided with me plainly. + +"No," said Sighard savagely; "I have a mind to bid them burn this +hall over Offa's head, and meet their end in the turmoil." + +"Thereby giving occasion to men to say that we wrought treason and +were punished rightly, both ourselves and the king," said Selred +coolly. "That be far from us, Sighard." + +The old thane growled, and seeing that he was beyond reason, the +priest set his mouth close to his ear and spoke to him. Whereon he +calmed at once, and a new look of fear came into his face. + +"Hilda," he groaned; "I had forgotten her." + +Now the thanes came quietly through the door into the chamber, and +one by one passed to that room where Ethelbert had been betrayed. +Presently they were all gathered there, and when they saw, there +grew a sort of panic among them. + +"Let us hence while there is time," said one, voicing the fears of +the rest; "we are all dead men else. This is what the earthquake +betokened." + +"It is the part of Anglian thanes to die with their king," said +Sighard angrily. + +"An there were a king left us to die with--" + +Then Witred broke in with words of common sense which ended the +talk. He had every reason to wish us gone, to save the terror of a +wild vengeance let loose in this palace; and that we should go was +best in every way. + +"Thanes, thanes," he said, "listen to me. Tomorrow morning early +men deemed that this would be found out. In the dawning the grooms +lead the horses to water yonder at the river, and they are the +first men afoot. Gymbert is gone, and on this thane here falls the +task of ordering the stables. He shall bid your grooms keep +together, and after watering lead your horses, as for airing, +eastward to the forest paths. Go hence by this passage, and I will +take you to some place which we will arrange, and there they shall +meet you. Then make your way swiftly beyond the reach of +Quendritha; yet it is in my mind that even Offa can no longer be +blind to the evil she works. Her power will be little." + +The thanes looked at one another, and then one or two said that it +was not the way of Anglian thanes to fly thus; but they had little +voice in the matter. The rest had no thought but to fly, and I do +not blame them. Save some such savage work as that which Sighard +would set on foot, there was naught else to be planned. + +But I minded the voice and pleading look of that mother who spoke +with me in the garden at Thetford, and I had a mind to stay and see +this thing to an end, for it was all that I might do. Maybe I could +find the body of her son and see it brought back to her. + +"I bide here," I said; and Selred stepped to my side without a +word. + +"I also," said Sighard; "I have words to say yet before I die." + +They tried to persuade us, but in vain, and at last they left the +matter. In silence they went each to his place, and took the arms +and things which were of value, and so passed down the passage with +Witred at their head, and I heard one or two threaten the honest +thane with death if he played them false. But he did not answer +them, for he knew that they spoke wildly as yet in the new terror +which had broken their sleep. + +After that we went back to the council chamber and sat down. The +worst strain was past with their going, as it seemed to me, and the +morning would tell what was to be. + +"We will stay here," said Selred. "There should be three thanes and +myself, and you two and Erling will seem the right number when men +look into this room presently." + +So again the silence of the midnight came down on us, and in the +chill we waited for the return of Witred; and it was two hours +before he came. After him we closed the trapdoor, and the doors of +the private rooms of the king who had gone, and then the Mercian +planned that matter of the horses. + +"Halfway to the forest," he told us, "some of the thanes would fain +have returned to fall on this place, and take revenge and die. Once +I deemed that they would do so, but that fit passed from them. Then +they went on with me, and now they are safe. It may be that they +will get their horses, and if not, they will scatter and make their +way home on foot. Men who come to such a gathering as this have +money enough with them." + +After that it was a question with us, and a hard one, to know what +it were best to do. It seemed terrible to wait there until men woke +and learned all; but save that we might find Offa himself, there +was naught else to be done. We must wait him. It is not to be +supposed that his thanes would hear one word which seemed to hint +that he had had any hand in this deed; but it was plain enough that +they feared what evil Quendritha might not have urged him to, else +had they made haste to call him. + +Now, while we waited there and doubted, word came from Gymbert +secretly to Quendritha that her bidding had been done, and that +Ethelbert stood in her way no longer. In the darkness a thrall +crept to where the queen sat at a window and watched, and made some +sign which she understood, and then in a little while our waiting +was at an end. + +For straightway she goes to Offa, and stands by his bedside with +eyes that gleam in the dim light of the lamp that burns in the +chamber, and wakes him, but not easily. On him the potency of that +Frankish wine lingers yet, and he does not rouse quickly, but +stares at her with wondering eyes. + +"Wake," she says. "Today you are the mightiest king that has ruled +in England yet." + +"Ay, and was so yesterday," he says, for so the songs of his +gleemen tell him night after night. + +"Rouse yourself," she cries angrily; "hear what I have wrought for +you." + +Thereat some remembrance of those other words of hers comes into +his mind, and he wakes suddenly, fearing, and yet half hoping. + +"What mean you?" he says. + +"I mean that naught stands in your way from here to the eastern +sea. Call your levies and march across the land in all its breadth, +and there is not one who will forbid you. East Anglia is yours." + +Now Offa looks on her face, and sees triumph written in her eyes; +and he minds all, and knows that she has done that which he forbade +her not, and round his heart is a terror and a chill suddenly. + +"Wife," he says in a harsh voice, "what have you done?" + +"That which you would not do for yourself, but left to me. I have +taken the weak out of the way of the strong, and hereafter East +Anglia will thank me." + +Then says Offa under his breath, "Ethelbert has been slain in my +house! There is not a thrall in all the land who will not sleep +better than shall I hereafter. Yet I will not believe it. This is +an evil dream. Let me hence!" + +Then he springs from his bed, and the queen will not prevent him. +Presently, she thinks, he will learn the truth and be glad of it. +So she does but call the pages and armour bearers from the outer +chambers, and bids them see to their lord, and so leaves him. Then +he dresses and arms quickly, being minded, if the worst is not yet +done, to see that all is well. Maybe she does but urge him to that +which she would have him do again. And he will not do it. That much +he knows clearly. For the rest, all is misty in his mind, and that +is what Quendritha had planned. + +So it came to pass that, even as we had made up our minds that we +must needs call the king, the door to his chamber opened, and a +page came out with the words that bid men meet the king, and we +rose and stood to greet him. He came forth quickly, looking +wild-eyed and haggard, with his sheathed sword grasped in the hand +which held his cloak round him against the night air. He halted for +a moment on the threshold, and stared at us; while from very force +of habit we saluted, and spoke the words of good morrow that were +but mockery today. And he knew it. + +"Good morrow, forsooth," he said, in a terrible, dull voice; "and I +would from my heart that so it may be. Tell me, thanes, is aught +wrong here? It seems that all is quiet. Mayhap I have but dreamed +of ill--dreamed, I say, for it could be nowise else. I had an evil +dream. I thought that Ethelbert, my guest and son to be, was +harmed." + +He looked from one of us to the other, and our faces spoke to him, +though we could find no words. The hand that held the sword +tightened its grip on the gilded scabbard, and he strode forward +into the room fiercely. + +"It is no dream, but the truth," he said hoarsely. "Answer me, is +it true?" + +Now I saw the wrath growing in his face. And I heard Witred +stammer, for the fear of the great king was on him; and I knew not +what Sighard might not say in his wrath, for already Selred had his +hand on him to stay him. So I spoke for the rest, being a stranger, +and of no account if the anger of the king sought a vent on me. + +"King Offa," said I, "there is evil wrought by stealth here, and +your thanes are not to blame. Come with me, and you shall see that +so it is, and you will learn the worst. Keep your wrath for those +who are not yet named. It is true that Ethelbert has been slain +this night; but he does not lie here." + +The king went back a pace from me and paled suddenly. I did not +know what he might do next, for I could not tell that this was but +certainty to him of that which he had reason to fear. But he kept a +tight rein on himself, and in a moment spoke to me clearly, if in +low tones. + +"You are Carl's messenger to Ethelbert, and therefore trusted by +him. You have no need to keep aught from me, nor do you fear me, as +it seems. Tell me plainly what has been done." + +I think that he had not understood that Ethelbert had been taken +hence, and that he dreaded to look on him. So I told him once more. + +"Through the old passage which lies beneath his chamber men crept +and slew Ethelbert. Then they took him hence; whither we cannot +tell. It has been but chance that we have found it out before we +went to call him in the morning." + +"Silently, without noise, was this wrought, then?" he said, as if +he hardly believed it. + +"So silently that if noise there was we could not tell it from the +sounds of men about the house. I pray you come and see what was +planned." + +He hesitated for a moment, and then knew that go he must, sooner or +later. + +"So let it be," he said. "Bide here, you others." + +I turned, and led the way into the bedchamber. There I stooped and +opened the trapdoor, and held the torch so that the light fell into +the pit, without a word. He saw the fallen props, and the chair, +and all else that told him the terrible tale. And as he saw he +reeled a little, and I caught his arm. But he shook off my hand +savagely. + +"Tell me," he said, between his teeth, "have you hunted for those +who did this deed?" + +"Such of us as might go have done so. Your own door was not left +unguarded, King Offa. But the slayers had gone far hence swiftly." + +"An they were wise they would bide there," he said grimly. + +Now he was more himself, and his eyes sought the pit and the room +for all he might learn. I saw that he knew the spear of Gymbert, +but he said nothing of it. It came to my mind that to his dying day +King Offa would not forget aught that his eyes lit on in that +place. + +"There shall be a reckoning for this," he said at last, turning to +me with a stern look on his face. "Tell me, is it said that in this +I have any part?" + +"None have said it, King Offa," I answered. + +"They have but thought it," he said; "that is what you mean. Well, +what is that to me? Yet hereafter you shall tell Carl that in it I +had no part." + +I bowed, and let that bide. It seemed that to be thought still the +messenger for whose return Carl would look might be some sort of a +safeguard to me if things went ill. Then Offa remembered somewhat. + +"What of the Anglian thanes? What will they say when this is known +by them?" + +His brow knitted, for he thought of the likelihood of wild turmoil +in the palace, and what would come of the cry of treason. + +"They know, and have gone," I said simply. "It seemed best to them +and to your thanes that, seeing that this deed was done and none +could amend it, they should fly hence by this passage. It could not +be foreseen how matters would go with them." + +"On my word, some of you have your senses still about you," said +Offa, in that cold voice of his. + +And then all of a sudden his command of himself gave way, and he +sat down on the bed and hid his face in his hands. With the passing +of the Anglians the strain had gone from him as from us, and he was +left with the bare terror of the deed he had half approved. + +Presently he looked up, and the weakness had passed. Then he rose +and signed to me to follow him, and we went out into the council +chamber. And even as we closed the ill-fated rooms behind us, from +his own door came forth Quendritha and moved swiftly toward him. + +"My king," she said, "they told me that somewhat was amiss." + +"Ay," he said, and his words were like ice, "there is, and more +than amiss. Get you to your bower, and we will speak thereof in +private." + +He did not look at her, and went to pass her, almost thrusting her +aside. And at that she gave a little plaintive cry, and would have +taken his arm, saying for us to hear that he was surely distraught. + +"Thanes, tell me what is wrong!" she said. + +"We have no need to tell you," said Sighard savagely, and unheeding +the warning grasp of the priest on his arm. "What has been done is +your doing." + +"What mean you?" she flashed on him with a terrible look. + +Erling answered from where he stood with his back to the great +door, "So you spoke in our old land on the day when our Jarl Hauk +bade you confess the wrong you had done, before you were set adrift +on the sea. It had been better had he slain you, as some would have +had him slay, if it were but for the saving of this." + +Now Offa had turned angrily as he heard Sighard speak to the queen +in no courteous wise, but Erling had not heeded his look or what +wrath might light on him. Before he could say aught, and it was +plain that he was going to speak angrily enough, Offa heard the +first words of the Dane, and checked himself. + +And when he had heard, he said in a cold voice, slowly, "So that +tale is true after all. I can believe it now, though once I slew a +man who told it me." + +With that he turned on his heel and passed through the door and was +gone, paying no more heed to the queen than to us. For a long +moment she stood and glared at Erling, and I think that she +remembered his face in some dim way, so that the old days came back +to her, and with that remembrance the terror that had been in them. +And as she stood there in the torchlight she seemed to have grown +old of a sudden, and her face was gray and lined, while her long +white hands worked as they fell at her side. + +But not another word did she say, though her lips seemed to form +somewhat, and in her eyes was written most terrible hate and anger. +She took her gaze from Erling, for he did not shrink from it, and +let it rest for a moment on Sighard with a meaning which made him +pale as he thought of Hilda, who was yet in her hands, and so went +from the room suddenly, and the door was closed after her from +within. + +Then said Witred the Mercian earnestly, "Friends, an you value your +lives, get you hence while yet that passage is open. I am going +with those who do go, for we who have seen and heard all this will +not be suffered to live to tell it." + +"It seems to me that Erling's tale is not new to some folk here," I +said. + +"It is an old tale with us, but we did not believe it. It had been +well-nigh forgotten, for it was nowise safe to do so much as +whisper it. + +"But, thanes, did you mark the face of the king?" + +"It was terrible," said Selred, shuddering: "it was as the face of +the lost." + +And then out in the courtyard the horns blew the morning call +cheerily, and the hall buzzed in a moment with the rousing of the +men who slept along its walls, and there reached us the sound of +jest and laughter and shouts as they waked the heavy sleepers. + +"Thanes," said Witred, quite coolly, "if we want to see another day +dawn we had best be going. + +"Brother, I rede you go to the horse watering yourself, and take +your best steed under you; and I pray you bring mine also. + +"Paladin, that gay steed of yours will be with the rest--and yours +also, thane. + +"Erling, you shall in nowise go stablewards, but come with us." + +The thane who had to see to the stables leaped up, and without more +than a nod to his comrade and us went his way down the hall in +haste. + +"There are two or three things I don't want to leave behind," said +Witred, "but I shall have to forego them. A man need not stop to +gather property when Quendritha is at his heels. Come; why are you +waiting? I tell you that we shall find the far end of that passage +closed in one way or another if we haste not." + +"My daughter!" said Sighard, groaning; "she is in the queen's +bower." + +"So also is Etheldrida the princess," said Witred. "She is of her +court, as one may say, and will be safe. No harm can come to her." + +"I fear for her," said Sighard, still hesitating. + +"This woman, who has slain the bridegroom of her own daughter, will +stick at little. I have offended her, and I know it." + +Then Selred said gently, "I am going to stay, and I can do more +than even yourself. Today the archbishop comes, and I will tell him +of Hilda. Go, for I am sure that Witred speaks no less than the +truth, else he would not fly thus. For her sake you must go, and I +will bring her home. Have no fear." + +"I am thought to be Carl's man," I said, "and one may suppose that +I am safe. I will stay with Selred, and see what happens. It is in +my mind to search for the body of the king, and surely none will +hinder that. Erling must go into hiding, but in some way he must +let me know where he is." + +"That I can manage for you. I have men of my own in this palace, +and they shall take any message. Erling can be hidden in the town +easily." + +So said Witred, and with that he would wait no more. We heard men +coming up the hall, and though it was most likely but the thanes +who should relieve those who had watched during the night, there +was no more delay. Sighard shook hands with me as if he would set +all that he wanted to say into that grasp, and then they passed +down the passage once more and were gone. + +For a while I waited, fearing lest I should hear the sounds of a +fight at the far end, but no noise came. But just as I was about to +set the trapdoor back in its place I heard footsteps, and stayed. +They came from whence my friends had gone. + +It was Erling. He came into the pit, set his hands on the edge of +the floor, and swung himself up sailorwise. + +"I did but go to see that they got away safely," he said. "You may +need a man at your back, master, before this day is out." + +"Erling," I cried, "I will not suffer this. I think I am safe +enough." + +"Well, mayhap so am I. If Quendritha slays me, it is as much as to +say that my tale is true. Say no more, master, for on my word our +case is about the same; and if I must die, I had as soon do it in +good company, and for reason, as be hunted like a rat through the +hovels of yon townlet." + + + +CHAPTER XIII. HOW WILFRID AND ERLING BEGAN THEIR SEARCH. + + +Selred smiled and shook his head at Erling when we went back to +him, but I could see that he thought no less of the Dane for +standing by me. Nor did I, as may be supposed, but I had rather his +safety was somewhat more off my mind than it was likely to be here. +As he had returned for care of me, it would seem that we were each +pretty anxious about the other; but there was no use in showing it. + +Now the thanes who had the morning watch to keep came in, fresh and +gay, with words of good morrow, and stayed suddenly and stared at +us, for we three strangers had the council chamber to ourselves. + +"Where are Witred and his fellows?" one asked me. + +I thought the best thing was to tell them the truth, and I told all +the tale of the night's doings in as few words as I could, and at +the end said that offence having been given to Quendritha, it had +seemed safest for those of whom he spoke to get out of her way for +a while. Whereat the thanes made no denial, but seemed to agree +that it was the best way for all concerned. + +"This thing will be known all over the place in an hour or so," one +said. "What will you yourself do?" + +"I stay here to search for the body of the Anglian king, and for +aught else I may do to help the chaplain here, and the ladies of +the Thetford party." + +Then Selred went into the inner chamber and gathered to him the +little crown of the king, and one or two more things which were of +value because of him who had worn them, and said that he would +bestow them in the church until they might be taken back to his +mother in Norfolk. I took his arms, and the sword we had found in +the pit, for Sighard had brought that up from thence. And so we +three went down the hall, none paying much heed to us, and into the +church. + +It was strange to see the gay bustle of the place going on with all +manner of preparations for the wedding that should never be, and +yet to say naught to stay it all. That was not our business. + +Selred found the sacristan in the church, for it was the hour of +matins, and between them they set what we had brought in the ambry +which was built in the chancel wall. I do not know if Selred told +the man why they were to be kept there. Then came Offa's two +chaplains, and the bell rang for the service; and it was good to +kneel and take part therein, while outside the quiet church the +noise of the great palace went on unceasingly, as the noise of a +waking camp. Beside me knelt Erling the heathen, quiet and +attentive. + +Somewhere about the midst of the service it seemed to grow very +still all about us of a sudden. Then there were the sounds of many +men running past the door, and a dull murmur as of voices of a +crowd. The news of the deed of the night had been set going, and it +was passing from man to man; and each went to the hall to learn +more, for presently none were sure which king had been slain, and +then many thought that it was Offa. Before the service was ended he +had to show himself, and at the sight of him a great roar of joy +went up, and men were at ease once more--concerning him at least. + +When the little service was over I went to the church door and +looked out on the courtyard; and the whole place swarmed with folk, +for work had been stayed by the news, and none knew what was to be +done next. If one could judge from the looks of those who spoke to +one another, there were some strange tales afloat already. Some +recognized me, and doffed their caps; but it was plain that they +had no thought that I had been so nearly concerned in the matter, +and I was the easier, therefore. And while we watched them Selred +came to us. + +"Now I am going to try to see our poor ladies," he said. "We must +learn what they will do, for if they will go homeward, we are the +only men who can ride with them. I know that you would fain go +home, but I will ask you to help me in this. Indeed, it is a work +of charity." + +"Of course I will, father," I answered; "I am at your service and +theirs, till you need me no longer. My folk do not so much as know +that I am likely to be in England, let alone on my way to them." + +"Why, then, your homecoming will be none the less joyful for you, +good friend. But I pray you have a care of yourselves, both of you, +awhile." + +Now we went back through the church, and so passed into our lodging +by the door which was between the two parts of the building of +which I have spoken already. The priest had somewhat to take with +him, book or beads or the like, and I would fain rest awhile after +that night of terrible unrest. + +"Go to breakfast in the hall," said Selred, "and there I will come +to you." + +It was somewhat dark in the outer room, and darker yet in the +little chambers. Selred had to grope awhile before he found what he +wanted; then Erling opened the outer door for him, and he went his +way, and I would have the door left open after him for more light. + +Then I went to my own chamber, sliding back its door and speaking +to Erling at the same time, so that I had my head a little turned +aside. Whereby, before I had time to hear more than a sudden +scuffle within the dark chamber, out of it leaped a man upon me, +sending me spinning against the opposite wall with a blow on the +chest which took the breath from me for the moment, and then +smiting Erling with a sort of back-handed blow as he passed him; +but the Dane saw him in time, and set out his foot, and the man +fell headlong over it. His head struck the doorpost with a great +thud, and there he lay motionless, while something flew from his +hand across the floor, rattling as it went. It was the hilt of a +knife of some sort. + +Erling shut the outer door in haste, and then helped me to rise, +asking me if I were hurt. + +"No," I answered. "Ho, but what is that?" + +Out of my tunic as I straightened myself there fell a gleaming +blade, and I picked it up. It was half of a Welsh knife, keen and +pointed, which had broken on my mail shirt, leaving only a long +slit in my tunic, and maybe a black bruise to come presently on the +skin where the dint fell. + +"I owe life to you, Erling," I said. "And I laughed at the thought +of wearing the mail, and well-nigh did not put it on. But he smote +you; has he harmed you?" + +"The mail saved me also," he said, "for the knife broke on it; +otherwise--No, master, I am not hurt; not so much as a cut tunic. I +wonder if there are more of this sort in these dens?" + +I drew my sword, and we looked cautiously into the chamber, and +then into Sighard's, but there was no one there. This man had been +alone, and he had fared badly. He lay yet as he had fallen, +breathing heavily. + +"This means that Quendritha is after us," said Erling. "Our old saw +is true enough when it says, 'Look to the door or ever you pass +it;' and that we shall have to do for a while. Now I have a mind to +tie this man up for a day or two; we have a spare chamber for him." + +"Do so," I said. "Then we will pass out through the church, and +Quendritha will think that he waits us here yet, and we shall be +the safer." + +So we bound him and set him, still senseless, in the empty chamber +of Sighard, making fast the door with the broken dagger so that, +even if presently the man worked his bonds loose, he could not get +to Quendritha to say that he had failed. Then I made Erling don a +buff coat of Sighard's, good enough to turn most blows. He might +need it if this went on. + +"It is in my mind," said I when this was done, "that a crowd is the +safest place for us just now. Let us go and see how matters fare at +the stables. It is time that the horses came back from the water." + +We passed through the church and went stable-wards, among all the +idle and half-terrified thralls and servants; and when we came to +the long stables with their scores of stalls, there was talk and +wonderment enough among the grooms. Gymbert was nowhere to be +found, and the other thane, who took his place and gave the orders +when he was busy, had gone out with his horses, and had fled with +the Anglians, it was said. None seemed surprised that they should +have gone hastily, but the going of the king's horse thane was a +wonder. + +However, all that was good hearing to us, and I went to see what +horses had returned. It was plain that Witred's plan had worked +well, for only those which the ladies had ridden, the pack horses, +and our own had been brought back. The young king's steeds were +both in the stable where Offa's own white chargers were kept. + +Somewhat late the breakfast call sounded, and I went back to the +hall, not by any means wishing to seem put out by the flight of the +Anglian party, as Carl's messenger. Erling sat where I could see +him, below the salt; and I went to my own place on the dais, as +before. There were not many thanes present at first, and Offa never +appeared at all; and the meal was silent, and carelessly ordered, +for the whole course of the great household had been set awry by +the word of heavy rumour which had flown from man to man. + +As the time went on a few more thanes came in and sat them down +with few words, and those curt, and mostly of question as to where +such and such a friend was. And soon it grew plain that man by man +the guests of Offa were leaving him and the palace. + +Maybe that was mostly because there had come an end of that for +which they had gathered, but there were words spoken which told me +that many who might have stayed left because of the shame of the +deed which had been wrought. The great name of Offa was no cloak +for that. Few spoke to me as I sat and ate, though many seemed as +if they would like to do so but were ashamed. Those who did speak +were only anxious to tell me that their king was surely blameless; +that it was some private matter of feud--surely some Welsh +treachery or the like; but no man so much as named Quendritha, +whether in blame or in excuse. + +Presently there came up the hall quietly one of the young thanes, +boys of fifteen or less, who were pages to the king and queen; and +he sat himself down not far from me below the high place, where +they had their seats. I noticed him because he was the only one of +the half-dozen or so who came to that breakfast at all, and also +because he seemed to look somewhat carefully at me. As I still wore +my Frankish dress I was used to that, and only smiled at him, and +nodded a good morrow. + +Presently two men near me rose and went, and as they did so the boy +rose also, and taking a loaf from his table handed it to me +gravely. + +"Paladin," he said, "I think you need this." + +He was a little below me, of course, and I bent to take it. He had +both hands to the loaf, and with one he gave me it, and from the +other dropped something small into my palm at the same time, so +that the bread covered it there. I thanked the lad, and while he +watched me eagerly, looked at that which he had hidden in my hand. +It was that little arrowhead which I had given Hilda, and which I +had bidden her send me if she was in danger or in anywise sought my +help. + +Somehow I kept my countenance when I saw that. I suppose it was +because I knew that the need must be great when Hilda sent the +token, and that no doubt the queen had her spies everywhere on me; +but what thoughts went through my mind I can hardly set down. Fear +for Hilda in ways that I could not fathom, and wonder as to how I +was to help her, were the uppermost. I halved the loaf with my +dagger, and handed the half back to the boy, who came close to the +edge of the dais again for it. + +"In the church, presently," I said to him, and he nodded. + +I thought he might have some message also from her who gave the +token. + +Then I made myself bide a little longer, and it was hard work. As +soon as I might I went out, Erling following me, and turned into +the church. There I waited impatiently, with my eyes on the door of +the great hall, in the porch, and at last I saw the page come out +as it were idly, and turn toward me. Then a man came up to him and +spoke to him, and the boy seemed eager to get away. At last he +glanced toward me, and went away with the man, passing the door of +the church, and turning toward the rearward buildings. I had little +doubt that he was purposely being prevented from having more words +with me. + +That troubled me more than enough, as may be supposed, for what the +need of Hilda might be I could not tell. And what I should have +done next I can hardly say, for I was beginning to think of going +and asking to see her; so that it was as well that as I stood in +the deep porch I turned at the sound of hasty footsteps, and saw +Selred coming to me from out of the building. He had passed through +our lodging to the church as he had gone. His look was grave and +full of care, but not more than it had shown before he left us. + +"I have seen none of the ladies," he said. "The palace is in a +turmoil, and Offa has shut himself up, seeing but one or two of his +thanes, in grief for what has been done, as men say, and as may be +hoped. Nor will Quendritha see any one, or let her attendants pass +from her bower and its precincts." + +"Father," I said, "I have had a token from the Lady Hilda to say +that she is in sore need of help." + +And with that I told him of our talk yesterday in the little wood, +and of the coming of the page to me. + +"I do not know what this may mean," he said gravely. "They say that +the poor Princess Etheldrida is overborne with grief, so that they +fear for her life. I thought that Hilda was with her; but this +would suggest that she is not. Yet all the ladies of the court are +within the bower." + +Now there was a stir round the great gates, and a little train of +clergy came through them, with a few lay brothers, who led mules +laden with packs, after them. The whole party were dusty and +wearied, as if they had come from far on foot; and indeed only one +of all the dozen or so was mounted, and that was a man who rode, +cloaked and hooded, in their midst on a tall mule. Before him the +weariest looking of all the brothers carried a tall brazen cross. + +"The archbishop," said Selred. "He has not turned back, or maybe +the news has not yet reached him." + +This was Ealdwulf, the Mercian Archbishop of Lichfield, and he had +come for the wedding from his own place. He was a close friend of +the king, who indeed had wished that Mercia should not be second to +any realm, and had so wrought that an archbishop's see had been +made for him, subject to neither Canterbury nor York. I suppose +that somewhere men had been on the watch for him, for now came the +clergy of the palace to meet him, two by two, with the chaplain of +the king at their head. + +They came and bent before him, and he blessed them with uplifted +hand; and then I think that the first word of what had befallen was +told to him, for as the chaplain rose and spoke to him the +archbishop started somewhat and knit his brows. Nor did he offer to +dismount as yet, but sat on his mule, seeming to question those +before him, while his clergy gathered round him as close as they +dared, listening. The men who had been hurrying about the courtyard +had stayed their footsteps, and there was a strange silence while +the bad news was told. + +Presently the chaplain looked round and spied us, and at once came +toward the church porch and said that the archbishop would fain +speak with us. + +So together we went across the court, and with me came Erling. Like +us, he bent for the blessing of the archbishop's greeting, and then +we had to tell what we knew of the end of Ethelbert. Ealdwulf would +have it from us, as we were of the train of the young king. And +when we had told all in few words, he said: + +"I bide in this house no longer. Not until the day when King Offa +will send for me will I stand here again, save for sterner reproof +than I may give to any while one doubt remains as to who wrought +this deed. Mayhap you men deem that you have reason to blame a +certain one; but I need surety. Now, I lay it on you that you +search for the body of your king; and when it is found, bring him +to me at Fernlea, where I will abide. It is not fitting that these +walls should hold him again." + +And then, taking that brazen cross of his into his hand as token of +his office, there, in the open court for all to hear, he laid such +a ban on the one whose mind had contrived and on those whose hands +had wrought this murder that I may not set it down here. But I +thought that none who had any part in it could live much longer +thereafter. + +So he turned his mule and went away, leaving men staring aghast at +one another behind him. + +Selred and I followed him beyond the gate, watching how he rode +with bent head, wearily, by reason of the trouble which had come to +him, for he had loved the young king well, as men told us. And +after he had passed out of sight I said that I had hoped for help +for Hilda from him. + +"Quendritha would not have seen him," said Selred. "I do not know +what he could have done. Courage, Wilfrid! for all this is but a +matter of last night, and even now the day is young. Get to horse, +and do as he bade you; and presently, when you return, I may have +news for you." + +Loath enough I was to leave the palace, but yet there did not seem +much use in loitering about here. I should not see Hilda, and +Selred would be more likely to learn what was amiss than I. He +said, also, that if he heard of any danger to her he would seek the +king straightway, and demand speech with him on urgent business, so +that he should see matters righted. And then a thought came to him, +for I told him of the man whom we had bound in the empty chamber. + +"My son," he said, "it were better that you were out of this place. +Neither you nor Erling nor myself will dare sleep in peace tonight +if such deeds are still planned. Listen. Arm yourselves, and go on +your search. Take your horses with you, and presently follow the +archbishop to Fernlea for the night. It will be thought that you +have fled also. Let the man go to tell his tale, and it will seem +certain that you have done so, in fear of what may happen. Then be +in that little cover where we spoke with the king and Hilda tonight +at the same time, and there I will come to you and tell you all I +know." + +"That is good advice, father," said Erling. "Well I know what holds +the thane here, but he can do naught. + +"Master, if yon thrall is come to himself, we will speak words +which he will take to his mistress, and then we shall have time +before us. He shall think that we have fled eastward with the +rest." + +Not anywise willingly, but as it were of our need, I knew that +these two friends of mine spoke rightly; so we left the good father +and went back to our lodging, there to gather what few things we +would take with us. I had no thought that we should return to this +ill-omened place. + +In Sighard's chamber we heard the man shifting himself and +muttering; and as those sounds stilled as we entered, we knew that +he had come to himself, and that he was most likely trying to free +himself from his bonds. + +"This is no place for us, master," said Erling pretty loudly; "it +is as well that we go while we may. Presently the road to the +eastward may be blocked against us." + +The man was very still, listening, as we thought. + +"The sooner the better," I answered. "One might put thirty miles +between here and ourselves before noontide. I have no mind to ride +through Worcester town, and we must pass that either to north or +south. Then we were safe enough." + +Now the man shifted somewhat, and we heard him. + +"That thrall lives yet," said Erling. "He listens." + +With that he grinned at me and went to the door, drawing the knife +blade from it, and sliding it back so that the dim light filled the +chamber. As he went in the man was still, and seemingly insensible, +as we had left him; and Erling bent over him, as if to listen to +his breathing. Then he rose and came out, sliding the door +carelessly to behind him. We had no need to keep the man now. It +was plain to the Dane that he was waking enough. + +He nodded to me as he returned, as if to say that all went well, +but aloud he said that the man was still enough. Then we armed +ourselves fully, donning mail shirt and steel helm, sword and seax +and spear for myself; and leathern jack and iron-bound leathern +helm, sword and seax, and bow and quiver for Erling--each of us +taking our round shields on our shoulders, over the horsemen's +cloaks we wore. None would think much of our going thus, for so a +thane and his housecarl may be expected to ride in time when there +is trouble about, more especially if there are but the two of them. + +As we armed we spoke more yet of flight, and haste, and so on, till +the thrall must have deemed that he knew all our plans. + +We had little more than our arms that we would take. All that +bright holiday gear I had bought in Norwich and Thetford, first +against my home going, and then for this wedding that was to be, I +left behind, taking only, in the little pack which Erling would +carry behind his saddle, what linen one may need on a journey, and +fastening my little store of jewels about me under my mail. Little +enough there was, in truth; but what I had was from Ecgbert or +Carl, with one little East Anglian brooch, set with garnets, from +the lost king himself, and these I would not lose. + +Money I had in plenty for all needs and more, as may be expected of +a warrior who has seen success with Carl. Mostly that was in rings +and chains of gold, easily carried and hidden, for a link of one of +which I could anywhere get value in silver coin enough to carry us +on for a fortnight or more. + +Then we went round to the stables, leaving the place by the door +away from the church, not minding who saw us go out. We had no +doubt at all that word would go to Quendritha that we were unhurt +and away so soon as we were seen to come thence; whereon she would +send to seek her man. + +"I would your steed was not quite so easily known," growled Erling +to me as we crossed the open garth round the palace and entered +what I call the street of small buildings which went toward the +rear gate. "He will be easily heard of." + +"When they find that we have not gone to the one side of Worcester, +therefore, they will try the other," I answered; "that is, if any +take the trouble to follow us, which I doubt." + +"I doubt not at all concerning that," said Erling grimly. "Too well +I ken the ways of Quendritha. Neither you nor I who know the truth +of her sending to this land may be suffered to tell that tale, if +she can prevent it." + +The great skew-bald whinnied as I came to him, glad to see that I +meant to take him out across the open country, and the grooms came +in haste to see what I needed. And as they saddled the two horses, +Erling was watching all they did, and had his eye on the doorway +from time to time. But here it was peaceful enough, for the first +turmoil of the morning had passed, and there were none but a few of +the grooms about. There was no man to ask us aught, and we mounted +quietly, without seeming to find much notice from any. + +Now, as I have said, the rear gate of the palace enclosure led +toward Mercia, and we rode straight out of it, and away down the +road, grass grown and little cared for, which the Romans had once +made and paved for the march of their legions. At first we went in +leisurely wise, and then before we were fairly out of sight from +the gate spurred away in haste. And so we rode for two miles or so, +into the heart of the woodland country, where the road became a +mere track midway in the crest of its wide embankment. Then we drew +rein and took counsel as to whither next. + +"Master," said Erling as we stayed, "did you see a man staring at +us from out of a stable across the road as we started?" + +"Ay. But I did not heed him; he was only one of the thralls." + +"So he looked; but if that was not Gymbert, I am sorely blind +today. Moreover, I looked back as we passed the gate, as if one of +the guard spoke to me. The man was hastening toward our lodging. +And he walked like Gymbert. Many a man can disguise his face; but, +after all, his back and gait betray him." + +Now if this was indeed Gymbert whom Erling had seen, it was plain +that he waited about the palace precincts for speech with his +mistress, or for some fresh orders, and I did not by any means like +it. However, when I came to turn the matter over in my mind, I +thought that after all, whether inside the palace garth or out, he +would not be far from the call of Quendritha, so that maybe it did +not so much matter. At all events, what I would do would be to bide +as near to the place as I might without being known, and be content +to hear from Selred that at least naught was wrong. + +Troubled enough I was in my mind at this time in all truth. For it +lay heavily on me that I had promised the poor queen away in +Thetford that I would watch her loved son and if need be die with +him, and I had lost him and yet lived. I know now that I had no +real need to blame myself in this; but the thing was so terrible, +and had been wrought as it were but at arm's length from me, that +for the time I did so bitterly, framing to myself all sorts of ways +in which a little care might have prevented all. As if one can ever +guard against such treachery! + +And then there was the fear for Hilda, none the less troublous that +I knew not what her need might be. One could believe aught of +cruelty from Quendritha. + +Only these two things remained to me--one, in some measure to +redeem my word to the mother of the king by finding his body; and +the other, to stay here and watch as well as I might for chance of +helping this one who had suddenly grown to be the best part of my +life, as it seemed to me. And these things I told Erling, for he +was my comrade, and together we had been in danger, and so were +even yet. Rough he was, but with that roughness which is somehow +full of kindness. And I was glad I had told him, for he understood, +and straightway planned for me. + +Most of all the difficulty in this planning lay in the outrageous +colour of my good steed. Once we thought of tarring him; but a +tarred horse would be nearly as plain to be noticed as a skew-bald. +I think it says much for the steed that neither of us thought for a +moment of parting with him. In the end we said that we would even +take our chance, for if we were sought it would not be near the +palace. + +So we bent ourselves to plan the search for where the body of the +king might be hidden, and that was to unravel a tangled skein +indeed. All we knew was that the cart which had borne him from the +end of the hidden passage had gone northward along a riverside +track. Beyond that, we guessed that it might not have gone far, +whether for fear of meeting folk in the dawning, or because the +slayers would not be willing to cumber their flight for any +distance with it. Moreover, Gymbert was in the palace, as Erling +was certain. + +We would ride northward and seek what we might till the time for +meeting Selred came, working down the river toward the palace from +far up stream. Sooner or later thus we should meet with the wheel +tracks, and perhaps be able to follow them whither they went into +the woodlands from the old stream-side way which Gymbert had at +first taken. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. HOW WILFRID HAD A FRESH CARE THRUST ON HIM. + + +Now we were just about to ride off the ancient road into the woods +when we heard the muffled sounds of a party coming along the way. +For a moment I thought that we were pursued, but then I knew that +whoever came was bound in the direction of the palace. The causeway +was straight as an arrow, as these old Roman roads will be, but the +track men used on its crest was not so. Here and there a great tree +had grown from acorn or beech nut, and had set wayfarers aside +since it was a sapling, to root up which was no man's business. So +we could not see who came, there being a tree and bushes at a +swerve of the way. The horses heard, and pricked up their ears, and +told us in their way that more steeds were nearing us. + +"Ho!" said Erling suddenly. "Mayhap it is just as well that these +good folk should see us in flight eastward. Spur past them, and +look not back, master." + +I laughed, and let my horse have his head, and glad enough he was. +Round that bend of the track we went at a swinging gallop, and saw +a dozen foresters ahead of us, bearing home some deer, left in the +woodlands wounded, no doubt, after the great hunt, on ponies. They +reined aside in haste as they saw us coming, while their beasts +reared and plunged as the thundering hoofs of our horses minded +them of liberty; and through the party we went, leaving them +shouting abuse of us so long as they could see us. And so long as +that was possible we galloped as in dire haste, nor did we draw +rein for a good mile. + +Then we leaped from the causeway, and went northward through the +woodlands, sure that the chase for us would hear from the foresters +whither we were heading, and would pass on for many a mile before +they found that no other party had seen us. Whereon they would +suppose that we had struck southward to pass Worcester by the other +road, even as we had said in the hearing of the thrall in the +house. + +Then I thought that the chase for us was not likely to be kept up +long, for it would grow difficult; but Erling shook his head. He +had a deadly fear of Quendritha. + +Now we rode for all the forenoon in a wide curve, northward and +then westward, across the land which the long border wars had +ravaged so that we saw no man save once or twice a swineherd. More +than once we passed burned farmsteads, over whose piled ruin the +creepers were thriving; and all the old tracks were overgrown, and +had never a wheel mark on them, save ancient ruts in which the +water stood, thick with the growth of duckweed, which told of long +disuse. + +And at last we came to the valley of the little Lugg river which we +sought, and then were perhaps ten miles north of Sutton and its +palace stronghold. The day had grown dull, and now and then the +rain swept up from the southwest and passed in springtime showers, +just enough to make us draw our cloaks round us for the moment, +soft and sweet. In the river the trout leaped at the May flies that +floated, fat and helpless, into their ready mouths, and the +thrushes were singing everywhere above their nests. + +Those were things that I was ever wont to take pleasure in, and the +more since I had been beyond the sea. But today I had little heart +to heed them, for the heaviness of all the trouble was on me. +Maybe, however, and that I do believe, I should have been more +gloomy still had I been one of those who have no care for the +things of the land they look on, lovely as they are. I dare say +Erling the viking took pleasure in them, if he would have preferred +the wild sea birds and the thunder of the shore breakers to all +this quiet inland softness. At all events, he had no mind that I +should brood on trouble overmuch, and strove to cheer me. + +"Thane," he said presently, even as I began to quest hither and +thither by the riverside for the track of the cart, which indeed I +hardly thought would have come thus far, "it seems to me that food +before search will be the better, an you please." + +"Why," said I, having altogether forgotten that matter, "twice men +have told me that when Quendritha is at a man's heels he had better +not wait for aught. Yet I blame myself for having forgotten. It is +not the way for a warrior to be heedless of the supplies." + +"When the warrior is a seaman also he cannot forget," quoth Erling. +"Had you bided with Thorleif for another season, you had found that +out. I have not forgotten. Dismount, and we will see what is hidden +in the saddlebags." + +We went into a sheltered nook among the water-side trees, and he +brought out bread and venison enough for two meals each, and I was +glad of the rest and food. He had helped himself at breakfast, he +said, being sure that sooner or later we should have to fly the +palace. + +"Well, and if we had not had to fly?" I asked. + +"Betimes I wax hungry in the night," he answered, smiling broadly. +"It would not have been wasted." + +When that little meal was done I leaned myself against a tree +trunk, and said naught for a time. Nor did Erling. The horses +cropped the grass quietly at a little distance, and the sound of +the water was very soothing. + +The next thing that I knew was that Erling was bidding me wake, and +I opened my eyes to see that the sun was not more than two hours +from setting, and that therefore I had had a great sleep, which +indeed I needed somewhat sorely after that last night. The sky had +cleared, but here and there the rain drifted from the sky over the +hills to the west. I sprang to my feet, somewhat angry. + +"You should have waked me earlier," I said. "Now it grows late for +our quest." + +"About time to begin it, master," the Dane said, "if we do not want +to run our heads into parties from the palace. Maybe they will be +out also on the same business. What we seek cannot be far from +thence." + +Then we mounted and rode down stream, quickly at first, with a wary +eye for any comers, searching the banks for traces of wheels, +carelessly for a few miles, and afterward more closely. But we saw +nothing more than old marks. The track ended, and we climbed the +rising ground above the river, and sought it there, found it, and +went back to the water, for no cart had newly passed to it here. +And so we went until we were but a mile or two from the palace, and +then we were fain to go carefully. + +In an hour I was due in the copse to meet Selred, and then men +would be gathered in the palace yards in readiness for supper, so +that we might have little trouble in being unseen there. Now, on +the other hand, men from the forest and fields might be making +their way palaceward for the same reason. + +"I would that we could find some place where we might hide the +horses for a while," I said. "What is that yonder across the +river?" + +There was some sort of building there, more than half hidden in +bushes and trees. Toward it a little cattle track crossed the +water, showing that there was a ford. + +"The track passes the walls, and does not go thereto," said Erling. +"It may be worth while to see if there is a shelter there." + +So across the ford we rode, with the trout flicking in and out +among the horses' hoofs. The building, whatever it was, stood a +hundred yards or more from the river on a little southern slope +which had been once terraced carefully. Over the walls, which were +ruinous, the weeds grew rankly, and among them a young tree had +found a rooting. The place had been undisturbed for long years; and +I thought that it seemed as if men shunned it as haunted, for of a +certainty not a foot had gone within half arrowshot of it this +spring. + +We stood in the cattle track and looked at it, doubting, for no man +cares to pass where others have feared to step for reasons not +known. + +"It is an uncanny place," said Erling; "which may be all the better +for us. At any rate, we will go and look into it. Stay, though; no +need to make a plain track to it hence." + +The cattle tracks bent round and about it, and as we followed one +it seemed at last to lead straight into the ruin. So we went with +it, and found the entrance to the place. Last year the cattle had +used it for a shelter, but not this, and there were no signs that +any man had followed them into it. And then I knew what the place +was, and wondered at its desertion little, for it was a Roman +villa. Any Saxon knows that the old heathen gods those hard folk +worshipped still hang about the walls where their images used to +hold sway, not now in the fair shapes they feigned for them, but as +the devils we know them to have been, horned and hoofed and tailed. +Minding which a fear came on me that the marks we took for those +made by harmless kine were of those unearthly footsteps, and I +reined back. + +"What is there to fear?" said Erling--"fiends? Well, they make no +footmarks like honest cattle, surely. Moreover, I suppose that a +good Christian man need not fear them; and Odin's man will not, so +long as the horses do not. The beasts would know if aught of that +sort was about." + +Whereon I made the holy sign on my breast, and rode to the gap in +the white walls which had been the doorway, and looked in. I +suppose that some half-Roman Briton had made the house after the +pattern his lords had taught him, or else that it did indeed belong +to the Roman commander of that force which kept the border, with +the Sutton camp hard by for his men. If this was so, the Briton had +kept the place up till Offa came and burnt the roof over it, for +the black charcoal of the timbers lay on the floors. Only in one +place the pavement of little square stones set in iron-hard cement +still showed in bright patches of red and black and yellow +patterning, where a rabbit had scratched aside the gathered +rubbish. Across walls and floors the brambles trailed, and the +yellow wallflower crowned the ruins of the stonework everywhere. + +One could see that there had been many rooms and a courtyard, bits +of wall still marking the plan of the place. And in this one corner +there was shelter enough in a stone-floored room whose walls were +more than a man's height. The cattle had used that for long. + +"This is luck," said my comrade. "Here we can leave the horses, and +if one does happen past here before dark and spies a pied skin, he +will but deem that kine are sleeping here. After dark, who will +come this way at all?" + +"We shall have to," said I, somewhat doubtfully. + +Erling leaped from his horse and laughed. "We may hide here for a +week if we must," he said. "I think that the trolls have all gone +to the old lands where men yet believe in them; and seeing that we +are on a good errand, your fiends should not dare come near us. I +care not if I have to come back here alone to fetch the horses when +you will." + +I dismounted also, for he shamed me, and I said so. Then we tied +the steeds carefully, loosening the girths, and managed to get a +sapling or two from the undergrowth set across the door to keep +wandering cattle out. More than that we could not do, but at least +the horses were safe till we needed them, and that would hardly be +long, as we hoped. They had well fed as I slept. + +Then we went away from the ruin, passing behind it up the little +slope on which it stood, meaning, if we were seen, to come down as +if we had not been near the place. And from the top of that slope +we could see the walls of the palace, with the white horse banner +of Mercia floating over them. From the roof of his villa the Roman +captain could have seen his camp, and maybe that deadly passage +into its midst was for his use. It led this way. + +We waded through the ford again, and wandered down stream once +more, looking as we went for the first sign of wheel marks. I was +on the banks above the water by twenty yards, and Erling was at +their foot, close to the stream, when we had the first hope of +finding what we sought. I spied a rough farm cart standing idle and +deserted fifty yards away from me and the river, in the brushwood, +half hidden by it, as if thrust hastily there out of sight; and the +very glimpse of the thing, with its rough-hewn wheels of rounded +tree-trunk slices, iron bound, made my heart beat fast and thick, +for I feared what I might see in it. + +I called Erling, and as he ran to me I pointed, and together, +without a word, we went to the cart and looked into it. It was +empty, but on its rough floor were tokens, not to be mistaken, +which told us that it was indeed the cart which Gymbert and his men +had used. And so we knew that we could not be far from the place +where they had hidden the king's body. + +Now, if there had been traces of that burden which would once have +led us to its hiding place, the rain had washed them away, and we +had naught to guide us. The turf held no footmarks of men, and it +was not plain how the cart had come to this place; for men had been +hauling timber and fagots hence, so that tracks were many, and some +new. All round us was wooded, and it seemed most likely that +somewhere among the bushes they had found a place; and so for half +an hour we went to and fro, but never a sign of upturned ground did +we see. + +"They brought the cart far from the place," said I presently. + +And at that moment from the palace courtyard the horns called men +to their supper, and I started to find how near we were to the +walls. We had wandered onward as we searched, and it is a wonder we +had seen no man. But perhaps it was because this place was mostly +deserted, being out of the way to anywhere, that Gymbert chose it. +The traffic of the palace went along the road to Fernlea and the +ford of the host there, away from here. The carting of the wood cut +during winter was over now, and it was too near the palace for the +deer to be sought in these woods. + +"Selred will be waiting me, and all men else will be within the +walls," I said. "I must go to him. Will you bide here and search, +or risk coming with me, comrade?" + +"I come with you, of course," Erling answered. "The search can +wait. There is moonlight enough for us to carry it on again this +night, if we will, between these showers." + +It rained again as we went through the thickets. Under cover of the +driving squalls we might pass unseen to where the little copse we +sought came close to the river. And we cloaked ourselves against +the shower, pulling the hoods over our helms. None, if we were +seen, would take us for aught but belated men hurrying to the hall. + +Unseen, so far as we could tell, we came to the edge of the little +copse and entered it. The whole breadth of it lay between us and +the palace; and under its trees was pretty dark, for the sun had +set. We turned into the path where I had walked with Hilda, and I +half hoped to see the priest there, but it was lonely. Down that +path we hurried and turned the corner, but an arrow shot from the +ramparts, and again I saw no one coming. + +"We must bide and wait," I said. "He will come when the men are in +hall." + +"I don't like it," Erling answered, speaking quietly. "You were to +meet him at the same time as before; yet he cannot have come. None +would wonder at a priest staying out after the supper call, but +maybe men might wonder at his leaving after it had sounded." + +For a quarter of an hour we walked to and fro in the wood, down one +path and up another. Then we thought that we might be following the +priest round the wood as he looked for us, and we dared not call. +The watch on the ramparts was set already. Now the loneliness of +the wood had made us bold, and we thought we had best go one each +way, and so make sure that we should find Selred if he were here. + +At that time we were at the far corner of the wood, which was +square, with a path all round it and one each way across. It was a +favourite walk of Offa's during summer, men told me. + +Erling turned to the left and I to the right, and we walked fast +away from each other. It was getting very dim in these overarched +paths under the great trees, but not so dim that one could not see +fairly well if any figure came down the way. There was no wind to +speak of, and it was all very silent. One could hear the noises +from the palace plainly at times, and in one place the red light +from the hall shone from a high window through the trees. Just at +this time the clouds fled from off the face of the moon, and it was +light, with that strange brightness that comes of dying day and +brightening night mingled. + +I came to the corner where my path turned, and before me there was +a figure, as it were of some one who had just turned into the wood +from toward the ramparts. The way by which Selred and I came here +last night was there. And it was surely the cassocked priest +himself, though I could not see his face. I hurried toward him with +a little word of low greeting which he could hardly have heard. My +foot caught a dry twig in the path, and it cracked loudly, and with +that the figure stopped suddenly and half turned away. + +Then I said, "Stay, father; it is but I." + +And with that came a little cry from the figure, and it turned and +came swiftly to me. + +It was Hilda herself, and how she came here alone thus I could not +guess. She had on a long black cloak which was like enough to the +garb of the chaplain to deceive me at first in the dim light, so +that I made no movement to meet her. I think that frightened her +for the moment, for she stayed, as if she doubted whether I were +indeed he whose voice she thought she knew, until I spoke her name +and went toward her. + +And then in a moment she had sought the safety of my arms, and was +weeping as if she would never stop; while I tried to stay her +fears, and bid her tell me what had befallen her. And it was many a +minute before I could do that. + +As we stood so Erling came hastily, having heard the hushed voices. +More than that he had heard also, for his sword was drawn. He half +halted as he saw who was here, and pointed over his shoulder toward +the palace gate, and then held up his hand to bid me hearken. + +I lifted my head and did so. There were footsteps in the stillness, +and a gruff word or two, and the steps came this way, and nearer, +fast. + +"Hilda," I said, "are you likely to be pursued?" + +For I could think of nothing but that she had managed to fly from +Quendritha, and that perhaps Selred had bidden her seek me here. + +"I cannot tell," she said, and her voice was full of terror. "Take +me hence quickly--anywhere. That terrible queen told me that you +had fled, and so thrust me out to seek you--" + +I did not wait to hear more, for the steps came on. Between us +Erling and I half carried the poor maiden back toward the place +where we had entered the wood, and we went swiftly enough. Yet we +could not help the noises that footsteps must needs make in the +dark of a cover, where one cannot see to pick the way. + +Nor, of course, could those who came, as they tried to follow us. +We heard them plainly entering the wood as we came to the edge of +it and passed out toward the river bank. + +"We must get back to the horses, and then ride to Fernlea and the +archbishop," I said, under my breath. + +"Ay, if we can," Erling answered; "but that is more easily said +than done." + +He pointed to the river and up it. The moonlight was flooding all +its valley, and the last of the day still lingered in the sky. If +these men came to the place where we stood, they could see us +before we had time to get to any cover. + +As we came hither we had gone easily, under the shelter of the gray +rain, because no man was at this place to spy us. It was different +now. The men were in the wood at this time as we stood and doubted. +Next we heard them running to right and left, that they might be +sure to meet whoever it was they sought; and plainly that could be +none but Hilda, unless we had been seen. Yet we could hardly have +been suspected to be any but late comers homeward. + +"There is but one thing," I said suddenly. "We must cross the +river. They will be here in a moment and looking into the open." + +Hilda shrunk close to me in terror, and Erling looked at the +stream. It was coming down in full volume after the rain, for up in +its hills there had been much more than here. Across the stream +were bushes enough to hide us. + +"You have your mail on, and there is the lady. But it is not far; +maybe we two could manage. We can't fight these men, or we shall +have the whole place out on us like a beehive." + +So said Erling, looking doubtfully at the water. I asked Hilda if +she feared, and she shivered a little, but answered that aught was +better than to bide and be taken by Quendritha. + +"I can trust you," she said quietly. "Do what you will." + +"Faith," said Erling, "one must do somewhat to stay these men, or +else little chance shall we have of aught but a good fight here +against odds. I count six of them by the voices. Wait a moment and +we will try somewhat. Get you to the water, thane, ready." + +I set my arm round Hilda and led her to the water's edge. Erling +went to the very verge of the wood and listened for a moment. The +men from either side were nearing each other, but as yet neither +party could see the other. Then, of a sudden, Erling lifted his +voice and called, as if hastily: + +"Back, back! Get round the far end--quick!" + +The footsteps stopped, and voices cried in answer. Each party +thought the other called to them. Erling gave a hunter's whoop, as +if he saw the quarry, and cried them back again. Then there were a +quick rush away on either side, and more shouts, and at that Erling +came to us, laughing. + +"There will be a bit of a puzzlement at the other end of the +cover," he said. "Now, master, let me see what water there is." + +He stepped into it, trying the depth with his spear as he went. For +ten paces it deepened gradually, and then more quickly. He passed +on, up to his waist, then to his elbows, and so to his neck. Then +he disappeared suddenly, and Hilda almost cried out. His head came +up again in a moment, and he swam for three strokes or so, and then +he was on his feet again. + +Now he turned toward us, and felt about with his spear once more, +and so walked steadily back to us--not quite in the same line, but +with the water hardly more than to his shoulders. + +"It is easy enough," he said. "I did but step into a hole, and so +lost my footing. Pass me the cloaks, for we will have them over +dry." + +I took his from where he left it by me, and rolled up mine and +Hilda's in it. Silently, but with a little wan smile, she took a +scarf from her neck and gave it me to tie them with. Then Erling +took them on his spear and waded back till he could toss them to +the far bank, and so turned to my help. + +By that time I had taken up Hilda as best I might, holding her +high, bidding her fear not, and clutch me as little as possible. +She said nothing, being very brave, but nearly choked me once when +the water struck cold as it reached her. + +The rising flood water swirled and beat on me as I went deeper and +deeper, and glad enough I was when Erling came to my side upstream +and helped to steady me. Once we stopped and swayed against the +rush for a long moment, half helpless; but we won, and struggled +on. Then a back eddy took the pressure from us, and we went more +quickly and steadily, and so found the shallows, and at last the +bank. + +Thankful enough I was, for it had nearly been a matter of swimming +at one time; and if that had happened, I hardly care to think how +we should have fared. + +I set Hilda down and gasped. She was not light when we started, but +with each step from the deeps to the shallows she had grown heavier +with the dragging weight of wet skirts; and that had puzzled me in +a foolish way, so that I thought that the weeds were holding her +down. Now we three stood and dripped, and were fain to laugh at one +another; while the men we had escaped from were talking loudly at +the far end of the cover, where they had met. + +"That will not last long," I said; "they will be back at the +water's edge in a minute." + +Thereat we took to the bushes, which were thick here, in a little +patch. Beyond them was a clear space of turf a hundred yards wide, +which we must cross to reach more wooded land, where we might go as +we pleased back to the ruin where the horses waited. Hilda went +slowly, for the wet garments clogged her, and were heavy still. + +We must bide here till the men went away, or till it grew darker; +for there was no need--though they would hardly follow us--to let +them know who was with their quarry, or that she was anywhere but +on their side of the water. We might find our way to Fernlea cut +off. We took Hilda into the thicket, and crept back to see what +happened, leaving the dry cloaks with her. + +The loud voices had stopped suddenly, and we knew that it meant +that the men were coming back through the wood, beating it +cautiously. We lay flat under the nut bushes and alders, watching, +and the edge of the cover was not more than an arrow flight from +us. + +Presently there was a rustle in it, and a man looked out, but we +could not see much of him. He spoke to another, and then came into +the open, peering up and down the moonlit river. Another joined +him, and this newcomer wore mail which glistened as he turned. A +third man came from the other side of the wood and saw these two, +and came to them, and there they stood and wondered. + +"I could swear the girl went into the wood," said one; "I saw her +plainly." + +"Then she must be there still," answered the second comer. "Get +back and look again." + +"We have beaten the wood as if for a hare," said the third. "Unless +she has climbed a tree she is not there." + +"Well, then, look in the trees," said the mailed man, and with that +he came down to the water, and turned his face toward us. + +It was Gymbert himself. + +"Mayhap she has drowned herself," said one of the men sullenly. + +Gymbert growled somewhat, and turned sharply, going back to the +wood. The other men looked after him, and one chuckled. + +"Best thing she could do," he said. "Gymbert would surely have sold +her to the Welsh." + +"Maybe made her his own slave, which were worse." + +"No, but he is out of favour just now. The money she would fetch +will be more to him maybe. He dare not let Offa see him." + +They turned away slowly. At least it did not seem that these two +were much in earnest in the matter. As they went, one asked the +other who cried the chase back after all. + +"Some fool on the other side who doesn't care to own to it now, +seeing that he must have fancied he saw her," was the answer. + +Then they turned into the wood again and were gone. Still we +waited; and it was as well, for suddenly Gymbert came back, leaping +out into the open as if he thought to surprise the lost object of +his search. He glanced up and down, and then went back. I heard him +call his men together and rate them, and so they seemed to pass +back to the palace. Their voices rose and died away, and we were +safe. + + + +CHAPTER XV. HOW WILFRID'S SEARCH WAS REWARDED. + + +For ten minutes after the last voice was to be heard we waited, and +then, leaving two pools of water where we had lain, we crept back +to the open and sought Hilda. I feared to find her chilled with the +passage of the river; but, in some way which is beyond me, she had +made to herself, as it were, dry clothing of the cloak she had +given to Erling. What she had taken off had been carefully wrung +out, and lay near her in a bundle. She laughed a little when I told +her that I had been troubling about her wetness. + +"What, with three dry cloaks ready for me?" she said. "I have fared +worse on many a wet ride." + +Then we crossed the little meadow swiftly, and entered the +scattered trees of the riverside forest. After that we had no more +fear of Gymbert and his men, and went easily. In that time I heard +what had happened in the palace, and how this strange meeting had +come about. + +"Offa the king has shut himself up, and will see no man," Hilda +said. "Nor will he go near the queen or suffer her to see him. He +has had guards set at the doors of the bower that she may not go +from it, so that she is a prisoner in her own apartments with her +ladies. The poor princess is ill, and has none but bitter words for +the queen; for all know by whose contrivance this has been done. I +heard that all our thanes had fled." + +There she would have ended; but I had to hear more of herself, and +it was not easy for her to tell me. Only when Erling fell behind us +somewhat, out of thought for her, would she speak of what she had +gone through, after I had told her that her father was surely safe, +and maybe not far off. + +"The queen turned on me when she was left a prisoner. I do not know +why, but I think my father had offended her in some way. I know +that he speaks too hastily at times when he is angry. First she +told me that he had slain our king, and seeing that I would not +believe it by any means, said that you had done the deed--that she +had hired you to do it. Thereat I was more angry yet, for the +saying was plainly false, and had no excuse. And because I was so +angry I think she knew that I--that I did think more of you than I +would have her know. After that I had no peace. I tried to send the +arrowhead to you by the little page who was left with the queen, +and I do not know if you had it. He told me that you were yet in +the palace." + +"Ay, I did, and therefore I am here," I said. + +"I was sorry afterward, for I did not know what you could do. The +page was not suffered to come back, I think, for I have not seen +him again. This morning the queen told me that you had fled, after +slaying a man of her household. So she went on tormenting me, until +I could forbear no longer, and told her to mind that my mother had +befriended her at her first coming to this land, and it was ill +done to treat her daughter thus. + +"Thereat she turned deathly white, and she shook with rage, as it +seemed. At that time she said no word to me, but turned and left +me, and I was glad. Presently one of her ladies, who pitied me, +told me that Gymbert had done the deed, as all men knew by this +time, and that I was to be brave, for all this must have an end. +And that end came as the sun set. I was with the princess, and +Quendritha came in. First she spoke soothingly to Etheldrida, who +turned from the sight of her, being too sick at heart to answer +her; then she spoke to me, looking at me evilly, so that I feared +what was coming. + +"'You minded me that your mother was one of our subjects,' she +said, in that terrible, cold voice of hers. 'Now I will see you +wedded safely, to one who is a friend of ours. + +"'No,' she said sharply, for I was going to speak, 'you have no +choice. Whom I choose you shall wed. The man I have in my mind for +you is our good thane Gymbert.' + +"I suppose that she sought an opportunity against me, and she had +her will. I do not rightly know what I said. The end of it was that +out of the palace I was to go, and she bade me seek you, Wilfrid. +It is in my mind that she meant it in insult, or that she deems you +far away, careless of what befalls me. And I think, too, that after +me she meant to send Gymbert." + +Then she set both hands on my arm, and leaned on it, shaking. I +knew that she was weeping with the thought of what had been, and I +did not know what to say rightly. Only I was sure that the secret +of the queen's coming was at the bottom of this, as Quendritha must +have feared that Hilda knew it all, either from me or her father. + +"Your father would not have fled had he not known that Selred and I +were to stay and look after you," I said, lamely enough. "Have you +not seen the good chaplain?" + +She had not, and it seemed most likely that in some way he had been +prevented from leaving the palace. Afterwards I knew that Offa had +had all going out of the place stopped, hoping to take some man who +knew more of the secret of Ethelbert's end, if not Gymbert himself. +Hilda had been thrust out by a private postern hastily, and +doubtless Gymbert had been told where to seek her long before. I +believe it was no affair of the spur of the moment, but wrought in +revenge on Sighard and myself. + +Now what more I said to Hilda at this time is no matter, but at the +end of the words I made shift to put together she knew that I could +wish no more than to guard her with my life, and for all my life, +and naught more was needed to be said between us. What we might do +next remained to be seen, but the first thing now was to get to the +archbishop, with whom we should be in safety no doubt. Even +Quendritha would not dare to take Hilda from his charge. + +I had forgotten my fear of the old walls when we came to the ruined +villa. Maybe I thought thereof when I and Erling went in and found +the horses all safe and ready to take to the road again; for in one +corner of the wall among the grass shone a glow worm, and it +startled me, whereat Erling chuckled, and I remembered. + +We made a pillion of my cloak, and lifted Hilda up behind me; and +so we set out in the moonlight to find our way to Fernlea, striking +away from the river somewhat at first, and then taking a track +which led in the right direction. And so for an hour we rode and +saw no man. The land slept round us, and the night was still and +warm, and I forgot the troubles that were upon us in the pleasure +of having Hilda here and safe with me. + +Presently we came out of forest growth into the open, and passed a +little hut, out of whose yard a dog came and barked fiercely as we +passed. There was no sound of any man stirring in the hovel, +however, and we went on steadily. As the crow flies, Fernlea town +was not more than five miles from the palace; but we wandered +somewhat, no doubt, being nowise anxious to meet any men on the +way, and also wishing to come into the town from any direction but +that of the road from Sutton. + +A quarter of a mile from the hut where the dog was we entered a +deep old track, worn with long years of timber hauling and +pack-horse travel, and under the overhanging trees it was dark +again. + +Now we had not gone fifty yards down this lane when my horse grew +uneasy, snorting, and bidding me beware of somewhat, as a horse +will. Hilda knew what the steed meant, and took a tighter hold on +my belt, lest he should swerve or rear. + +"'Tis a stray wolf or somewhat," said Erling from behind us. "The +horses have winded him." + +Then out of the shadows under the trees came a great voice which +cried in bad Saxon, "Ay, a wolf indeed! Stand and answer for +yourselves!" + +"Spurs!" I cried to Erling, and the great skew-bald shot forward. + +Out of the darkness, from the overhanging banks, and seemingly from +the middle of the hollow road, rose with a roar a crowd of +white-clad dim figures and flung themselves at the bridles, and had +my sword arm helpless before ever I had time to know that they were +there. And all in a moment I knew that these were no men of +Gymbert's, but Welshmen from the hills spying on the doings of Offa +at Sutton. Some one had told me that they were in doubt as to what +his great gathering meant. + +Now, if Hilda had not been with us, there would have been some sort +of a fight here in the dark, for I should certainly have drawn +sword first and spurred afterward. As it was, my only thought must +needs be to save Hilda from any harm. + +"Hold hard!" I cried in Welsh; "this is a lady travelling." + +"Yes, indeed," one of the men who had hold of my bridle answered; +"he says truly." + +"A lady?" said the voice which had spoken first. "Let her bid her +men be still, and we will speak with her!" + +Then Hilda answered very bravely, "So it shall be. Bid your men +free us, and we shall harm none." + +The leader spoke in Welsh, and his men fell back from us. Then he +came to my side and asked what we did here so late. And as he spoke +it came to me that the best thing to do would be to tell him the +very truth. No more than himself were we friends of Offa and +Quendritha. + +"To tell the truth, we are flying from Sutton," I said. "We +belonged to the train of Ethelbert of East Anglia." + +"Why fly, then?" + +"Have you heard nothing of what has been done?" I asked. + +"No. We heard that there was a king with Offa; that is all." + +Then I told him what our trouble was, and the men round me--for I spoke +in Welsh, learned when I was a child from our thralls--understood me; +and more than once I heard them speak low words of pity for the young +king. They had no unfriendliness for East Anglia. + +"Then that is all that the gathering was for?" asked the leader. + +And then he suddenly seemed suspicious, and said sharply, with his +hand on the neck of my horse: + +"But to come hither from Sutton you had to cross the river. Your +horse is dry. He has not had time to shake the water from him yet." + +"That is a longer story," I said. "But he was on this side; we had +to wade to reach him." + +The chief set his hand on my leg and gripped it. Then he laughed. +"Reach down your arm," he said. + +I did so, and he laughed again. + +"Very wet," he said. "But the lady?" + +"Very wet also," answered Hilda. "I pray you, sir, let us pass on, +if only for that reason. I would fain get to the archbishop at +Fernlea shortly." + +"Why to him, lady?" + +"Because even Quendritha will fear to take me thence." + +"Eh, but you are flying from her! Then speed you well, lady and +good sirs. We have little love for Offa, but he is a warrior and a +man; whereas--Well, I will bid you promise to say no word of this +meeting, and you shall go." + +That promise we gave freely, as may be supposed. If the Welsh chose +to swarm over the border and burn Sutton Palace, it might be but +just recompense for what those walls had seen; but I thought that, +with their fear of the gathering at an end, the man who had lit +yonder hillside fires would disband his levies for the time. So we +parted very good friends, in a way, and this chief bade one of his +men guide us for the mile or so which he could pass in safety. We +were closer then to Fernlea than I thought, and in half an hour we +were at the gates. + +Where our Welshman left us I cannot say. Somewhere he slipped from +my side into the darkness, and when next I spoke to him there was +no answer. + +Now we had to wait outside the town gates--for the place was, as +might be supposed, strongly stockaded against the Welsh--until one +went to the town reeve and fetched him, seeing that we had not the +password for the night. But at last they let us in, and took us to +the house of the reeve himself, for the archbishop was there. And +there is no need to say that when he heard our story he welcomed us +most kindly, promising Hilda his protection. There, too, the good +wife of the reeve cared for the maiden as if she were her own +daughter, and I saw her no more that night. + +As for myself, I sat down at supper, which they had but half +finished, with the archbishop and his little train; and glad enough +I was of it, and I and Erling ate as famished men who do not know +when their next meal may be. + +The archbishop watched us, smiling at first, and then grew +thoughtful. After I had fairly done, he said: + +"My son, I thought you had come to me with news of the finding of +the body of your poor king. That is a matter which lies heavily on +my mind. It must be done." + +"I think I can tell you within a few yards, father, where it must +needs be, for today I and my comrade have searched where it was +taken. We have found, at least, the cart Gymbert used, and it +cannot be far thence. We think that the cart was left close to the +hiding place." + +Then one of the priests said eagerly: + +"Father, the moon lies bright on all the meadows, and we might well +seek in the place the thane has found. This is a thing done at +night in most seemly wise, as I think." + +"Ay," answered the archbishop thoughtfully. "Yet it were hard to +ask the thane to turn out once more." + +"This is a quest which lies close to my heart, lord," I said, +rising. "I will go gladly if you will let me guide your folk." + +"Yet you are weary, and need rest." + +"I have slept for long hours in the open today," I said. "I am fed +and rested. Let us go." + +For indeed, now that Hilda was in safety, the longing to end the +quest came on me, and I should have slept little that night for +thinking of it. Moreover, I should have no fear of Gymbert and his +men spying me, and thereby making fresh trouble. + +So in the end the archbishop said that we might go, and with that +four of his priests and the reeve with half a dozen men made ready, +and in a very short time we rode out of the gates again in the +moonlight, on our way back toward Sutton. The river was between us +and the Welsh we had met, and they were not to be feared. The monks +were riding their sumpter mules, and the reeve and we were mounted +on horses from his own stable or lent by his friends, and his men +trotted after us, some bearing picks and spades. + +Under the little hill whereon the palace stands we rode presently, +and I suppose that we were taken for a train of belated chapmen, or +that the guards saw we were headed by monks, and would not trouble +us. Maybe, however, the disorder of the palace had put an end for +the time to much care in watching, but at any rate we passed +without challenge. + +And so we came to the riverside track which should lead us to the +end of our journey, and, as I hoped with all my heart, to the end +of our quest. Already I could see the trees under which the cart +stood. + +Out of the southwest came one of those showers which had been about +all day, and which had not yet quite cleared off from the hills +round us. It drew across the face of the moon, which had been +sending our long shadows before us as if they were in as great +haste as we, and for a few minutes we stayed in the dark to let it +pass. And as it passed there came what men sometimes hold as a +marvel. + +The rain left us, passing ahead of us like a dark wall, and the +moon shone out suddenly from the cloud's edge, and then across the +land leaped a great white rainbow, perfect and bright, so that one +could dimly see the seven colours which should be in its span. And +one end rested on the river bank close under the place where the +cart stood among the trees, and the other was away beyond the +forest, eastward somewhere. + +"Lo," said the monk who had bidden us come, "yonder is the sign of +hope, leading us as it were the pillar of fire of Holy Writ!" + +"Men say there is ever treasure hidden under the end of a rainbow," +said the reeve; "but never yet did I meet with a man who had found +it. Yet I have never seen the like of this. I have heard that they +may be seen at night." + +And so said another and another; for indeed men look to their feet +rather than to the sky at night, and thereby miss the things they +might see. But a strange thought came to my mind, and I spoke it. + +"Under the end of that pillar does indeed lie the treasure we seek. +See, it is not on the wood, but on the river bank. We searched not +there, comrade." + +"Ay, we shall find it there," Erling answered. "It is +Bifrost--Allfather's bridge. He takes his son home across it." + +The rainbow faded and passed to the north and east with the rain, +and it went across the land through which Ethelbert had ridden so +gaily but a few days agone. Sometimes I love to think that its end +rested here and there on house or village or church which had been +the happier for the bright presence of the king, and betimes I +think that a strange fancy for a rough warrior like myself. Yet I +had ridden with Ethelbert, and the thoughts he set in the minds of +men are not as common thoughts. I hold that once I rode and spoke +with a very saint. + +There fell a sort of awe and a silence on us after that. Silently +we went on up the riverside track, for I was leading with Erling, +and that strange belief that by the river we should find what we +sought would not leave me; and when we came below the place where +the cart was, I saw marks where its wheels had riven the soft earth +close to the water. Without a word I signed my companions to spread +abroad and search, and I dismounted, and with the bridle of my +horse over my arm, I went scanning each foot of the ground in the +moonlight. + +Twenty yards, not more, from the water, where some winter flood had +left a wide patch of sand and little pebbles, I saw the marks of +the cart again. It had stopped there, and round the spot were deep +footprints of men. They went on for a few yards, and then there was +a little fresh-turned place. Out of that lapped a piece of cloth, +plain to be seen in the light of the moon, but easily overlooked in +the haste of those who had left it. And then I knew that I had +indeed found the king. + +Now I lifted my hand, and the rest saw me, one by one, and came to +my side, and for a moment we stood still, not daring to disturb +that resting. Then I took the spade one man had, and gently turned +the gravel from that bit of cloth, and there was surety. They who +set him there had but covered him hastily, no doubt because they +heard our friends after them. + +Little by little, and very reverently, we uncovered, and so took +him from that strange resting, and the water welled into the place +where he had lain. And as we thought, his head had been smitten +from his body, and it was that which we found first, wrapped in the +cloak whose end had betrayed his hiding. Yet had it not been for +the token of the rainbow we had hardly thought to seek here, so +near the water. + +Men speak today of the finding of Ethelbert the saint by reason of +the pillar of fire which shone from where he was hidden, and they +tell the truth in a way, if they know not how that marvel came from +the heaven before our eyes who saw it. Let the tale be, for from +the heaven the sign came in our need and it is near enough, so that +it be not forgotten. There is many a man who has seen the like, but +not at such a time or as such a portent; and, again, for one man +who has seen the bow in the clouds over against the moon are mayhap +a thousand who may go through long lives and never set eyes +thereon. Whereby it happens that there are some who will not +believe that such a thing can be. + +Now we wondered how to bear back this precious burden, until we +bethought ourselves of that cart which had been used before. Erling +and two of the reeve's men went to seek it, and it stood untouched +where we found it. Moreover, those who fled from it in haste left +the rough harness still hanging anywise from the shafts, and we +were able, therefore, to set one of the horses in it without +trouble. Then we made a bed of our cloaks in the bottom, and +thereon laid the body, covering it carefully; and so we went our +way toward Fernlea, silently and slowly, but with hearts somewhat +lightened, for we had done what we might. + +But yet I have to tell somewhat strange of this journey, and how it +came about I do not rightly know. Nor will I answer for the truth +of it all, for part of that I must set down I did not see for +myself; only the priests told me, and they heard it from the men +who did see. + +This cart was old and crazy. I think that Gymbert must have taken +it from some deserted farm, whence it would not be missed. It was +open behind, and its wheels were bad. Still it served us; and glad +enough we were of it, for the road was rough, and heavy with the +rain of the day. It pained me to see the thing jolting and lurching +as it went, knowing how little it befitted that which it was +honoured in bearing. + +Presently out of the roadside rose up a man, and joined us. + +"Good sirs," he said, "I am a blind man, and would fain be led to +Fernlea. May I go with you so far as the road you take lies in that +direction?" + +"Truly, my son," said the eldest priest. "But you are afoot late." + +"'Tis a priest speaks to me, as I hear," said the man, doffing his +cap in the direction of the voice and laughing gently. "Is it so +late, father? Well, I have thought so, for there seem to be few men +about. Yet I slept alone in a shed last night, and know not for how +long. I think I have also slept some of today, for I am out of +count of the hours. There is neither dark nor light for me." + +He fell back and walked after the cart, saying no more. Now and +then I heard his stick tapping the stones of the way, and once one +of our men helped him in a rough place, and he thanked him. + +Now we came to a terribly bad place in the road, and there the cart +seemed like to break down; and it was the worse for us that a cloud +came over the moon at the time, and it was very dark. Whereby the +blind man was of much help in the care for the cart, until the moon +shone out again suddenly, when he was left behind us for a few +minutes. Then we heard him calling. + +"Two of you help the poor soul," said the reeve, "else he will +hardly get across that slough. He has fallen, I think." + +He named two of his own men, and they went back. After a while the +blind man's voice came again, and he seemed to be shouting +joyfully. I thought it was by reason of the help that came to him. + +"Thane," said the eldest priest to me just at this time, "I pray +you ride on and tell the archbishop that you have indeed found what +we sought. It is but right that all should be ready against the +time we get back. We are not more than a mile away from the gates, +and you will have time. This is slow travelling, perforce." + +Erling and I rode on with the reeve, therefore, and I thought no +more of the blind man, as one may suppose, until I heard what had +happened. + +When the two men went back to his help, he sat again by the side of +the road, hiding his face in his hands on his knees. And he was +trembling. + +"Friends," he said, "now I know why you go so sadly, welladay! For +evil men have slain some one young and well favoured, as I learned +even now, when I helped you yonder. Tell me what has befallen, I +pray you, for I am afeard." + +"Why," said one of the men, "we are honest folk, as our being with +the good fathers may be surety. The trouble is ours to bear." + +But the blind man still kept his eyes hidden, and when the other +man bade him rise and come on with them he did not move. + +"I know not what ails me," he said. "Even as I set my hand on him +you bear yonder, there came as it were a great flash of light +across my eyes, and needs must I fall away and hide them. I fear +that, not you, friends. I pray you, tell me what has been wrought." + +"His foes have slain a bridegroom, most cruelly," one of the men +answered after a pause. "We do but bear him to Fernlea." + +"What bridegroom?" he asked, in a hushed voice. + +And then the pity of the thing came to him, and he wept silently. +Presently he raised his head, dashing away the tears as he did so. + +"It is a many years since these eyes of mine have wept," he said. +"It seems to me that to weep for the woes of another is a wondrous +thing." + +His eyes of a sudden opened widely in the moonlight, and he cried +out and clutched at the man next him. + +"Brothers! brothers!" he said; "what is this?" + +And again he set his hand to his eyes as if shading them, as does a +man at noontide. + +"What ails you?" one of the men asked, wondering. + +"I have no ailment--none. I see once more!" he cried. "Look you, +yonder is the blessed moon, and there lies a broken tree; and see, +there are fires on the hills of the Welshmen!" + +Then with both hands wide before him he said: + +"Now I see that I have set my hands on one who can be naught but a +saint most holy, for therefrom I have my sight again. Who is this +that has been slain?" + +The men answered him, telling him. The blind man had heard, of +course, of the poor young king, and had, indeed, been brought +hither from wherever he lived that he might share in the largess of +the wedding day. + +Now the men would go their way with him again, wondering, but yet +half doubting the truth of what the man said. + +"It is in my mind that you have not been so blind as you would have +us think," said one, growling. + +The man pointed at the cart as it went. + +"Would I lie in that presence?" he said. + +And with that he broke into the song I had heard. Some old chant of +victory it was, which he made to fit his case, being somewhat of a +gleeman, as so many of these wanderers are. And there the men left +him in the road, singing and careless of aught save his recovered +sight, and hastened after the party. + +Yet it was not until the next day that they told the tale, and +whether the once blind man was ever found again I cannot tell; but +I have set this down as I knew of it, because it was the first of +many healings wrought by the saint we loved. I ken well that the +tale is told nowadays in a more awesome way; but let that pass. +Tales of wonder grow ever more strange as the years go on. + +Men call Ethelbert a martyr now, I suppose because he was slain. +That is not quite what we mean by a martyr, for that is one who +gives up his life rather than deny his Lord. Yet Ethelbert was +indeed a witness to the faith all his life, and so the name may +stand. + +So presently they brought back the body to Fernlea, and its resting +was ready in the little church which had come into the strange +dream by the riverside. And I knew, as I watched by it all the rest +of that night till the hour of prime, that this was what the vision +foreboded. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. HOW WILFRID SPOKE ONCE MORE WITH OFFA. + + +Now that I had Hilda safe with the archbishop, it mattered nothing +to me if all the world knew that I was yet here. So when Ealdwulf, +the archbishop himself, asked me to ride with him to Sutton Palace +and tell Offa of the finding, I said that I was most willing. I +should see Selred, and maybe bring him away with me, and at least +could tell him that all was well with Hilda. + +I will say now that she was none the worse for the wetting and the +rest of last night's doings, but that I saw her come fresh and +bright to the breakfast in the little hall of the reeve's house. +There she would bide till she could go with the archbishop +homewards in some way, most likely from nunnery to nunnery across +the land, as ladies will often travel, with parties of the holy +women--that is, if Sighard was not to be found. In my own mind I +thought that he would not be far off, most likely with Witred, the +Mercian thane who had arranged the flight. + +Presently, therefore, we rode away from Fernlea toward Sutton, +there being but one priest with the archbishop, and six of the +townsmen, besides Erling and myself. It was no state visit, but the +going of one who would speak with an erring friend in private. +Sorely downcast was the good man, for he loved Offa well, and this +terrible wrong lay heavily on his heart. + +Halfway or so to Sutton we passed the place where trees were thick, +and I saw a man lurking among them as if he was watching the road. +Wherefore I watched him, and presently saw that he was coming to +us, as if half afraid. Somehow the walk and figure of this man +seemed known to me, though his face was strange, and I thought that +he made for myself. Soon I knew that this was indeed the case; for +finding that there were none whom he need fear in the party, the +man came boldly from the trees, and, cap in hand, stood by the +wayside waiting me. + +"Well, friend, what is it?" I asked, as he walked alongside my +horse. + +He answered in Welsh, and then I knew that he was the guide we had +been given last night. + +"Jefan ap Huwal the prince sends greeting to the thane on the pied +horse, and bids him and the lady come to him if there is need for +help. He has heard that the thane serves the Frankish king who +hates Saxons beyond the seas, and thinks that mayhap he has foes +here in Mercia." + +"Thank your prince from me," I answered, after a moment's thought, +in which it came to me that no offer of friendship was to be +scorned, "and tell him that if need is I will not forget. Tell him +also that, thanks to him, the lady is safe and well, and that I +have no fear at present." + +"That, said Jefan, is what a thane would answer," said the man. +"Whereon I was to tell you that yonder evil queen was to be feared +the most when she seemed to be the least dangerous. He wits well +that she is shut up." + +Then it seemed plain that the Welsh prince had spies pretty nearly +inside the palace; which is not at all unlikely. However, I said +nothing of that, and thanked the man again, looking to see him +leave me. The archbishop had ridden on with the rest, for I went +slowly, to talk to the Welshman. Still the man did not go, and he +had more to say. + +"Also I was to tell you that he had a chief of your folk in his +hands. But that he deems that he belongs to East Anglia, he would +have set him in chains. He is hurt, and is in our camp, free, save +for his promise not to escape. His name is Sighard." + +"Sighard?" I said. "How came he in your hands?" + +"He came over the border, lord, and we had him straightway," said +the man simply. "Methinks there were men after him." + +"Where is he?" said I, anxiously enough. "He can pay ransom." + +"He is ill," said the man; "he cries for his daughter. Jefan thinks +that he is that thane whose daughter was in our hands last night +with you." + +"Ill?" said I; "is he much hurt?" + +"There had been a bit of a fight before we took him. One smote him +on the helm, and he was stunned. Thereafter he came to himself, and +again fell ill. He will mend, for it is naught." + +"But where is he?" + +"We have many camps, and I cannot tell you. You are a stranger. +But, says Jefan the prince, an you will come to him I am to guide +you." + +Now I was in doubt indeed, for this was a dangerous errand. The man +saw that I hesitated, and smiled at me. + +"Wise is our prince," he said. "He knew that you would fear to +come, therefore he bade me say that you were to mind that once he +had you, and set you free, and that he does not go back on his +doings, save he must. He has no enmity for the friends of the slain +king, but a great hatred for him who slew him." + +"Would he not let Sighard the thane come to Fernlea, where his +daughter is?" + +"Truly, if you will. But it is safer for you to come to him. There +Jefan will have all care for all of you until he may send you home. +It is told him that Quendritha has sworn the death of four men--of +the thane who rides the great pied horse, of his housecarl, of +Sighard of Anglia, and of Witred of Bradley, who helped the +Anglians to escape." + +"How knows he all this? It is more than I have heard--if I have +guessed some of it." + +The man shrugged his shoulders. + +"Thane," he said, with a sidewise smile, "a man who is thrall to a +Mercian may yet be a Briton. The Saxon may make a slave of his +body, but his heart will be free." + +Now I was the more sure that this Welsh prince had some good source +of knowledge of what went on inside the palace, and I thought that +mayhap he was right. Across the Welsh border might indeed be the +safest place for any man who had brought the wrath of the queen on +him. I would go to Sighard, and take Hilda with me. One thing I was +fairly glad of, and that was that so far as I knew none in all the +court of Offa had heard who my folk in Wessex were, else there +might be trouble for them; for Quendritha's daughter was not unlike +her mother, if all I heard was true. + +"Meet me tonight, then," I said. "I will go to Jefan, and will +bring the lady." + +"You do well," he answered gravely. "I will meet you somewhere on +the westward track, a mile from Fernlea ford. You shall but ride on +till I come. You shall choose your own time, for I cannot tell what +may stay you. I have naught to do but wait. If you meet other +Britons, tell them that you seek the prince, and they will pass you +on. If so be you come not tonight, I will wait for another, and yet +another. After that--" + +"If we do not come, what then?" + +"Doubtless we shall burn Sutton walls. A curse lies thereon now, +and it may be that we shall wreak it." + +With that he leaped across the brook which ran by the road, and +passed into shelter. Then I turned to Erling, who waited for me +across the road, and asked if he had understood what was said. + +"Ay, all," he answered. "It is good enough; otherwise I might have +put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I have +ever heard." + +"The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be +running away from hearsay," I said. + +"Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across the +border, I take it," Erling answered. "Seeing that you have no more +to keep you here, it is about time we went also. We have foes we +cannot see, and are in a land of which we know not a foot. Jefan +will help us to ken the foe, and will guide us when we need it." + +Now of all things which I had in my mind, the first seemed to me to +be that I must ride eastward with Hilda and see the mother of the +slain king, to give what account I might of that charge she had +laid on me. But if Sighard had been prevented from getting +homeward, it was certain that so should I. Wherefore we should not +be watched for on any westward road, and that way, at least, was +open. Thence we might find our way when the days wore on and +Sighard could travel. That remained to be seen; and, take it all +round, I was more easy than I had been. + +So also seemed the archbishop presently, when I told him the +message I had had. And he agreed with us that we might do worse +than go to Jefan at once with Hilda; matters being as they were, it +was not safe in Mercia. + +"He is a good prince and honourable," he said; "and if I say that, +I speak of one who is the foe of our folk. He has suffered much +from us, and has cause for enmity with Offa--and maybe with +Quendritha. I can say plainly now that her restless longing for +power has kept our armies busy many a time when they had been +better at rest." + +He sighed; and then came somewhat which turned our thoughts, and no +more was said at the time, either of Quendritha or of my doings. +For now we were in sight of the palace on its little hill, and from +its gates came toward us a train of folk, guarded by men of Offa's +own housecarls in front and rear, as if those who travelled were no +common wayfarers. In the midst of all was a closed horse litter, +beside which rode two or three veiled and hooded ladies and a +priest. Save the captain of the guards, there was no thane with the +party, and but a few pack horses followed them, and I thought it +would be some abbess, perhaps, who was leaving the palace. + +We drew up on the roadside to let this train pass, though I suppose +that by all right the archbishop might have claimed the crown of +the way for himself, had he been other than the humble-minded man +that he was. As the leading guards passed us they saluted in all +due form; and then one of the ladies knew who was here, and bent to +the litter, and so turned and spoke to the captain, who straightway +called a halt, and came, helm in hand, to the archbishop, praying +him to speak with the lady who was in his charge. + +Who this was I did not hear, but I saw the face of the good man +change, and he hurried to dismount and go to the litter. And +thence, after a word or two had passed, came the priest I had seen; +and when he uncowled I knew him for my friend Selred, and glad I +was to see him. + +"Why, how goes it, father?" I said, as my hand met his. "You were +not in the wood of our tryst, and I feared that you were in +trouble." + +Very gravely he shook his head, looking sadly at me. + +"There is naught but trouble in all this place," he said. "I could +not come to you, for the gates were closed early, that Gymbert +might be taken. He was not taken. And yet I have heavier trouble to +tell you than you can think." + +"No, father," I said quickly, seeing that he had learned too +little, and doubtless believed Hilda either drowned or else in the +hands of Gymbert and his men--whichever tale Quendritha had been +told or chose to tell him. + +"I was in the wood, and thither came the lady we ken of when she +was set forth from the place. I was in time to get her away, and +she is safe." + +It was wonderful to see the face of the chaplain lighten at this. + +"Laus Deo," he said under his breath, and his hand sought mine +again and gripped it. "That is a terrible load off my heart," he +said. "Yet I have heard that our good Sighard is slain. They have +burned the hall of honest Witred over his head, and he is gone, and +it was said that Sighard fell there with him." + +"It is not half an hour ago that I heard how he fled to the west, +where the Welsh saved him, for hatred of Offa and pity for the +betrayed Anglian king. He is safe, if a little hurt." + +Now the horse of Erling reared suddenly, and I looked up. It was +still in a moment, and he spoke to it without heeding me. But as +soon as he caught my eye when I first turned, he set his hand +carelessly across his lips, and I knew what he meant. I had better +say no more of where Sighard was or how I hoped to see him. + +So I said what I had to tell him of the finding of the king, and +how we had come to tell Offa thereof; and as he heard, Selred the +chaplain knelt there by the roadside and gave thanks openly, with +the tears of joy in his eyes. The rough housecarls heard also, and +there went a word or two among them; and their grim faces +lightened, for one shame, at least, had been taken from the house +of their master. + +Now there was a sound as of a woman's weeping from the litter, and +Selred heard it and rose to his feet. + +"It is Etheldrida the princess," he whispered to me. "She is flying +to some far nunnery--mayhap to Crowland--that there she may end her +days in what peace she may find. It is well, for here with her +mother is but terror for her." + +The archbishop signed to me, and I went to the side of that litter, +unhelming, while Erling took my horse's bridle. There I knelt on +one knee, and waited for what I was to hear. It was a little while +before that came, but the sobs were at length stilled. I heard one +of the ladies, who were those who came from East Anglia, say to the +other that it was good that she had wept at last. + +And presently from behind the curtains of the litter the princess +spoke to me, very low, and I do not think any other heard. + +"Good friend of him whom I loved, I thank you for your loyalty to +him. The archbishop has told me, and you have given me back a +little of my trust in men. I had deemed that all were false for +aye, but for you, I think. Now I go hence, and beyond the walls of +some nunnery I shall never pass, and there I will pray for you +also. And for you there shall be happy days to come, in the meed of +utmost loyalty." + +I could not answer her, and still I knelt, for there was somewhat +needed to come ere I could part from her without a word. But before +I could frame aught she set her hand through the curtains, and in +it was somewhat small, as it were a silken case cunningly woven +round a little jewel, perchance. + +"There was none whom I would ask to do what I longed for," she +said; "but now it will be done. I pray you set this on his heart, +that it may go to his grave with him." + +"There it shall most surely be, lady," I said. "I am honoured in +the duty." + +"Go!" she said faintly; "and farewell." + +I rose up hastily, and went back to my horse, while the lady who +had spoken just now busied herself in caring for her mistress. +Selred took my arm and walked aside with me. + +"You must not come back to East Anglia," he said. "I know that you +would fain see the lady of Thetford, but it were useless danger for +you. I will tell her all that you have done, now; and if in after +days you may come to us, do so. Bide and tend Sighard and Hilda, +and mind that there is sore peril to both of them so long as +Quendritha lives. She is shut up now, but all the more has her mind +freedom to plan and plot the fall of those who have seen her at her +worst. One cannot shut up such a woman as she, but she will have +her ways of learning all she will, and her tools are many." + +"I would that you could bide here," I said. + +"I also; but I must pass eastward with this poor lady and these +others. Yet I am sure that Offa will do all honour to our king. He +has been seen by none as yet save his pages. They whisper that he +is fasting, and bowed with shame and grief." + +For a little longer we spoke, and then we must part. The sad train +of the princess went on, and swung into the eastward track which +she would take, and the archbishop signed to us to follow him. And +that was the last which any man in Mercia saw of the fair princess +who had been the pride of the land, for she came safely to far +Crowland, in the fenland, and there pined and died. + +It is said that the parting between her and her terrible mother was +such that men will tell little thereof. I know that in that time +some strange gift of prophecy came over the maiden, and she +foretold the death of her who planned the deed, even to the day, +and the awesome manner of it; and that also she wept for the +knowledge given her that the deed should bring the end of the line +of Offa and the fall of Mercia--things which no man could think +possible at this time, so that she seemed to rave. More things +strange and terrible, I heard also, but them I will not set down. +Mayhap they were not true. + +Now we went on slowly up the hill, and at last rode into the gates. +There men loitered idly, as yesterday; for the head of the house +sat silent and moody in his chamber, and none had orders for aught. +Across the court we went to the priests' lodgings, and thence came +the chaplains to meet their lord, and with him I was taken into the +house. + +"I have come to see the king," said the archbishop; "take me to him +straightway." + +"He will see none," they said; "it is his word that no man shall +disturb him." + +"If he will hear what shall make his heart less heavy, he will see +me," said the archbishop. "Tell him that I have news for him. Or +stay; I will go to him myself." + +The priests looked at one another, but they could not stop their +lord; and with a sign to us to follow, he passed across the court +again, up the long hall, and so into the council chamber. At the +door which led to Offa's apartments there was a young thane on +guard, but no others were to be seen. I suppose that never before +had Offa been so ill attended, for the very courtiers feared what +curse should light on the place and all who bided in it. + +"Tell your lord that I demand audience with him," said the +archbishop to this thane. "The matter will not wait; it is urgent." + +The youth rose and bowed, and passed within the door. In a moment +or two he was back again, throwing the door open for us. + +"Yourself and no other, lord," he said. + +"I take these two," answered Ealdwulf the archbishop. "I will +answer to the king for their presence." + +So we two, Erling and I, followed him into the chamber of the king; +and with my first glance at Offa there fell on me a great pity for +him. + +He sat at a great heavy table in a carven chair, leaning his +crossed arms before him on the board, and staring at naught with +hollow, black-ringed eyes, as of sleeplessness and grief. His face +was wan and drawn, so that he seemed ten years or more older than +when last he sat in hall with us; and he was clad in the same +clothes which he wore when he came forth to us on the morning of +terror. None had dared to touch aught in his room; and bent and +soiled among the rushes on the floor lay the little gold crown +which he wore at the last feast, as if he had swept it from the +table out of his sight, and had spurned it from him thereafter in +some fit of passion. Hard by that lay a broken sword, and its hilt +flashed and sparkled with the gems I had noted in the hall. It was +his own. + +On the table was neither wine nor food, but there was a great book, +silver covered and golden lettered, and it was open at a place +where a wondrous picture in many hues showed a king who seemed to +humble himself in fear before a long-robed man priestlike. + +He did not stir when we came in, nor did he say a word. Only he +looked at Ealdwulf, as it were blindly, waiting what he should hear +from his lips. And into his look there crept somewhat like fear. + +But there was naught terrible or hard in the face which he looked +on; it had but deepest sorrow and pity. + +"My king," said Ealdwulf, seeing that he must needs speak first, +"here is one who has a word for you. I think that you will be glad +to hear it. Know you where the body of Ethelbert was hidden?" + +"No," said the king in a dull voice. "My men search even now. It is +all that I can do." + +Then Ealdwulf bade me tell the story of the finding, and I did so. +Yet the look of Offa never brightened as he heard, nor did he ask +me one question. + +"It is well," he said, when I had no more to say, and his fingers +moved restlessly on the table. + +But he did not look in my face, nor had he done so since I came +before him. I stood back, and Ealdwulf was alone near him. + +"My son," said the old man, "my son, this has not been your doing. +I will not believe that." + +Offa set his hand on the great book with its picture. + +"As much my doing as the slaying of the Hittite by David the king. +It was planned, and I hindered it not." + +Then he set his hands to his face, and his voice softened. And at +that I passed silently from the room, leaving those two together, +for this was not a meeting in which I had wish to meddle. Erling +came with me, and we sat in the council chamber for half an hour, +waiting. + +Presently--after the young thane had told us how that Quendritha +was closely guarded, and that the voice of all blamed her utterly +for every wrong that had been wrought in Mercia for many a long +year, now that the fear of her was somewhat passed--Erling rose up. + +"With your leave, thane," he said to me, "we have a few things left +here, and our other horses still stand in the stable. It is in my +mind to see what I can take back with me." + +We went out together, for the stillness and waiting grew wearisome. +There were none of the pleasant sounds of the household at work or +sport in all the palace. It was as a place stricken with some +plague. + +So we passed through the church to our lodging, and took our few +goods, and Sighard's, and so went with them to the long stables +where our two spare horses stood in idleness. The rows of stalls +were well-nigh empty now, those who had gone having taken their +steeds. + +"I wonder ours are left," quoth Erling. "These Mercians are more +honest than some folk I know." + +He called the grooms, and we made ready, taking the horses out to +where the folk of the archbishop waited in the sunny courtyard, and +there leaving them. Then we went back to the council chamber, and +again waited for what seemed a long time. The young thane had a +meal brought for us there. + +Presently Ealdwulf himself came to the door and called me softly, +and I followed him back to the presence of the king. I cannot tell +what had passed between those two, nor do I suppose that any man +will ever know; but Offa was more himself, save that on his face +was a deep sadness, and no trace of hardness or pride therewith. + +"Friend," he said, "is it your duty to go back to Carl the Great?" + +"I have left his service, King Offa; I am on my way homeward. It +was but by the kindness of Ethelbert, to whom I helped bear +messages, that I came hither." + +"Well," he said, "I will not hinder you. Had you gone back, I would +have asked you to tell him plainly all of this. As it is, Ealdwulf +shall send churchmen to tell him; I would have him know the truth. +Now I must thank you for this that you did last night, and tell you +what shall be done in atonement for the death of your friend." + +There he checked himself and bit his lip. + +"Nay," he said unsteadily, "there is no atonement possible. There +is but left to me the power of showing that I do repent, and will +have all men know it for aye. There shall be at Fernlea, where he +will lie in his last sleep, the greatest cathedral that has been +seen or heard of in this land, and men shall hail him as the very +saint that you and I knew him to be; and after his name shall it be +called, and in it shall be all due service of priest and choir for +him till time shall end it. What more may I do?" + +"I think that the place where his body lay should not be left +unmarked," I said boldly, for so it had seemed to me. "May not +somewhat be done there, that the spot may be kept?" + +"Ay, at Marden," he said eagerly, as if he did but long to do all +that he might, "there also shall be a church, that it may be held +holy for all time. It shall be seen to at once." + +After that promise Offa bade me farewell sadly enough, and I was +glad to leave the chamber. Nor had we long to wait before Ealdwulf +came out, and we were once more turning our backs on the palace of +Sutton. On its walls I never set eyes again, nor did I wish to do +so. + +As we went in leisurely wise back to Fernlea, the archbishop told +me those few things which I have set down concerning the way in +which Quendritha had beguiled the king into suffering the thought +of this deed of shame. No more than was needful for me to +understand how little part, indeed, Offa had had in the matter did +he tell me, for all else that had passed between those two was not +to be told. Both he and I think that had the evil queen left the +doing of her deed until morning it had never been wrought, for Offa +would have come to himself. + +Yet one cannot tell. What Quendritha had set her heart on was apt +to be carried through, even to the bitterest of endings for those +who were in her way thereto. How she would fare now Ealdwulf could +not tell me. It was true that she was almost imprisoned, as I have +said, but none could tell whether that would last. Yet he thought, +indeed, that Offa would have no more to do with her. + +So we came back to Fernlea, and when I saw the little church I +minded once more that strange dream of the poor young king's. I had +heard the words which told that it would come to pass. Nor was +there any doubt now in my mind that all those things which we had +deemed omens were indeed so. The fears we had tried to laugh at +were more than justified. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. HOW WILFRID AND HIS CHARGE MET JEFAN THE PRINCE. + + +Now I went straightway to Hilda with the news of her father, +telling her that it seemed almost the best for us to trust to the +word of the Welsh prince, and go to him, rather than to risk a +journey hither for the thane if he was wounded. + +"I trust you altogether, Wilfrid," she said. "Take me to him. I +know that you have bided here in sore risk for me, and maybe you +also will be safer if once we are across the Wye. The Welsh are not +the foes of East Anglia." + +I did not tell her that they were very much so of Wessex, on our +western border; for at all events ours were Cornish, who had not so +much to do with their brothers beyond the Channel here. So, having +bidden her keep up heart, I sought the wife of the reeve, and would +have given her gold to buy such things as she might think Hilda +needed for travel. + +"Dear heart!" she said, bridling, "set your gold back in your +pouch. May not the reeve's wife of Fernlea give of her plenty to +one so fair and hapless? I will see to that in all good time." + +She stood by a great press against the wall, and as she spoke, as +if by chance, she swung the door open, so that I had a glimpse of +the mighty piles of homespun cloth and linen, her pride, which lay +therein, Truly she had to spare, and I laughed. + +"Mistress," I said, "be not offended. I am in haste, for we must go +hence tonight. There is no time for planning and cutting and +making." + +She turned, swinging the heavy press door to and fro. + +"Tonight!" she said, with wide eyes; "why so hasty?" + +"Because her father lies wounded across the Wye, and we have to go +to him. Maybe we shall have to ransom him." + +"Man," she cried, "those Welsh are swarming beyond the river. Ken +you what you are doing with this poor damsel?" + +"Ay," answered I plainly: "I am taking her out of the way of +Quendritha and of Gymbert. I have the word of Jefan the prince for +our safety." + +"Get to him," she said at once, "get to him straightway; he is +honest. And on my word, if Gymbert is the man you saved her from +last night, there is no time to be lost." + +"He does not know where she has gone." + +"Did not," she said. "By this time he kens well enough. Go, and all +shall be ready." + +I thanked her heartily, for she was a friend in need in all truth. +And then I sought her husband, and told him what we must do. I do +not know if I were the more pleased or disquieted when he said much +the same as his wife. He would have us go from the town after the +gates were shut, and he himself would see us across the ford. Once +beyond that he did not think there was any risk. Most likely Jefan +and his men were on Dynedor hill fort, their nearest post to the +river, for he had seen a fire there. What he did fear was that +Gymbert had his spies in the town, and would beset all the roads. + +"He cares naught for reeve--or for archbishop either, for that +matter," he said. "He has half the outlaws on these marches at his +beck and call, and one has to pay him for quiet. Nor dare any man +complain, for he is the servant of Quendritha." + +So his advice also was that the sooner we were gone the better. I +have somewhat of a suspicion that he half feared that his house +should be burned over his head, like Witred's. It seems that when +the archbishop came back here from Sutton he excommunicated, with +all solemnity, every man who had aught to do with that deed of +which he had been told. Wherefore Gymbert, if he cared aught for +the wrath of the Church, might be desperate, and would heed little +whom he destroyed, so that he ended those he meant to harm. + +Then I called Erling, and we planned all that we might for going, +and after that we two went into the little church where lay +Ethelbert the king. There was silence in it, and little light save +for two tall tapers which burned at the head of the bier on which +he lay, but I could see that all had been made ready against his +showing to the people on the morrow. A priest sat on either side of +the bier's head, and one of them read softly, so that I had not +heard him at first. So I stood and looked in the face which was so +calm, and then knelt and prayed there for a little time. + +When I rose I was aware for the first time that behind me knelt +Erling, but he did not rise with me. He stayed as he was, and in +the light of the tall tapers was somewhat which glistened on the +rough cheeks of the viking. I knew that he had been mightily taken +with the way of Ethelbert on our long ride with him; but he was +silent, and said little at any time of what his thoughts were. I +had not thought to see him so moved. Now he looked up at me as it +were wistfully, and spoke to me, yet on his knees: + +"Master, this poor king, who talked with me as we rode, bade me be +a Christian man, that hereafter we might meet again. And you ken +that I saw him, and how he spoke to me, that night when he was +slain, so that from me you learned his death. Now I would do his +bidding, and so be christened straightway, if so it may be." + +I did not know what to answer, for it was sudden. + +Not that I was much surprised, for Erling had ever been most +careful of all that might offend in his way when he came into a +church with me, but that here in the dim church the question came +so strangely and, as it were, fittingly. I held out my hand to him, +and looked round to the priests, who had heard all. One of them was +that elder man who went to seek the king's body with us, and he +rose up and came to us, and bade us into the little bare sacristy +apart. + +"My son," he said to Erling, "it is a good and fitting wish; yet I +would not have you do aught hastily. How long has this matter been +in your mind?" + +"I think that it indeed began long years ago, when my lord here +kept his faith with Thorleif when he might have escaped. That made +me think well of Christian men. He had not so much as taken oath." + +"Carl the Great would christen a heathen man first and teach him +afterward," said I, meaning indeed to help on Erling's hope without +bringing my own name into the matter thus, and minding Carl's rough +way with the Saxon folk. + +"Carl's man has taught first, and that all unknowing," he said, +smiling. "I do not know what he speaks of, but it has been worth +doing." + +"I only kept my word, father, as a Saxon should." + +"As a Saxon Christian has been taught to keep it, by his faith, +rather," he answered, smiling at me. "Well, well, so may it be. + +"Now, my son, you will need many a long day's teaching, mayhap." + +"I think not, father," said Erling. "I have been in Wales, and +there I learned well-nigh enough. They gave me the prime signing +there. You have but my word for it, but Ethelbert himself said that +an I would be baptized he would stand sponsor for me. He said it as +we rode on the day of the great mist, when it chanced that all of +us must pray together. He saw me make the holy sign, and asked +presently if it was that of Thor. And I told him that in Wales I +was what they call a catechumen. I mind me that so ran the word for +one prime signed." + +"And thereafter he spoke to you?" + +"He said many and wondrous things to me." + +I minded how often Ethelbert had spoken with Erling. I had deemed +that he did but ask him questions of Denmark, as once he did in my +hearing at the first. + +So I wondered. But the old priest asked Erling to say the creed, +and that he did well, and with a sort of gladness on him. After +which the good father said that tomorrow should surely be the +baptism, in all form. + +"Nay, but here and now," begged Erling. "Tomorrow I must be away +with my master beyond the river, and I would fain be christened +here--in yon presence." + +"Ay; why not," said the old priest, half to himself, "why not? Yet +I will fetch the archbishop." + +He led the way back into the church, and we entered just below the +sanctuary steps. In the little chancel lay the king; and almost in +shadow, for no window light fell on it, the font stood at the +entering in of the nave, opposite the one south door. + +"See," said the priest, "some one has come in. Maybe he seeks you +twain." + +I looked toward the door, and dimly I saw a tall figure standing +close to the font, but I could not see who it was. Erling knew him. + +"It is Ethelbert," he said very quietly; "he said he would be my +godfather." + +The priest set his hand on my arm and half shrank back. The other +priest lifted his eyes from his book, and so bided, motionless. But +I did not rightly take in what they meant, and looked more closely. +Then some stray gleam of light from the broken sky overhead came +into the door, and it shone round the tall and gracious figure--and +it was that of Ethelbert himself. + +I saw him, and there he bided while he turned his face to us, +smiling at us. And so he set his hand on the font, and smiled +again, and was gone. + +"Brother," said the seated priest, "did you see?" + +"I saw, and I think it is but the first of many wonders which we +may see here." + +Now we stayed there still and hardly daring to move, looking yet +for the king to be yonder again, but we saw no more. Then at last +the priest begged me to go to the archbishop and bring him, telling +him what had happened. I went, and when Ealdwulf came there was no +more delay, but where the form of Ethelbert had stood there stood +Erling, and was baptized by the archbishop, I and the old priest +standing for him. And thereafter he knelt at the steps of the +sanctuary, and on him the hands of the archbishop were laid in his +confirmation. + +That was the most wonderful baptism I have ever seen, and it bides +in my mind ever as I see another, even if it be but of a little +babe of thrall or forester, so that for a time I seem to stand in +the church at Fernlea once more, and hear the voice of Erling as he +made his answers firmly and truly. Betimes it seems to me that it +was but longing and the work of minds in many ways overwrought +which showed us the form of the dead king there by the font--and I +cannot tell. Yet the watching priest saw, besides us three who had +searched for him. + +Presently, on the morrow, and again in days later, when the body of +the king lay for the people to pass and see, and when it was taken +with all pomp to its resting in the great new cathedral which men +call that of Hereford, there were many healings and the like, as +they tell me. And at Marden, where Offa built at once the little +church which should mark where Ethelbert was hidden, that water +which welled from the place whence we took him healed many. + +Now we went forth from the church for a little while, and presently +I went back alone and placed the little gift which Etheldrida had +given me on the breast of the king, hiding it next his heart in his +robes. I had learned that they would not be moved again. Ealdwulf +knew that I had done it, and when I came back to him, where he +talked yet with Erling in the reeve's chamber, he asked me if I +knew what the little case held. I did not, and that is known to +none save to her who gave it me. + +"I think that you two will value this more than other men," he said +then. + +And with that he gave us each a little silken bag, square, with a +cross and a letter E worked thereon. He had cut for us each a lock +from the head of Ethelbert, and had it set hastily thus for us. And +he was right as to the way in which we held it of more worth than +aught else. Hilda wrought the little cases as she sat waiting in +the house. It is my word that mine shall go to my last resting with +me. + +Now all too soon the dusk came, and we must set ourselves back from +these wondrous things that had been to the ways of hard warriors +again, with a precious charge in our keeping. With Hilda we supped, +and then it was dark. Out in the stables the horses stood ready, my +brown second steed being made ready for the lady, and Erling's +second carrying the packs, as on our first journey from Norfolk. +And then we heard the last words of farewell from the archbishop, +and knelt for his blessing, even as the watch mustered outside in +the street, and the last wayfarer hurried into or from the gates, +and I heard the horns which told their closing. It was dark +overhead, and the moon had not yet climbed far into the sky; which +was as well for our passing the ford unseen, if Gymbert had it +watched. + +Then the reeve came in, armed and ready, and we must go. There was +a little sobbing from the good wife, as was no doubt fitting, but +by no means cheering; and so we passed from the warmly-lit little +hall into the street, and mounted, clattering away toward the +westward gate of the town, with the reeve ahead and two of his men +after us. + +The gates swung open for us, and two wayfarers took advantage +thereof to get inside, which was to their good fortune. Then we had +a quarter of a mile of road to pass before we came to the ford +below the field where our camp had been when we came. After us the +gates were shut again, and we rode on. + +Then befell us a wonderful bit of good luck. There came the quick +tramp of a horse coming toward us, and out of the gloom rode a man +in haste. He pulled up short on seeing us, and I heard another +horse stop and go away directly afterward. It was too dark to see +much against the black trees and land among which we rode, and the +plainest thing about this comer was the little shower of sparks +which flew now and then from the paving of the old way and from his +horse's hoofs. + +"Ho," said the reeve, with his hand on his sword hilt, "who comes?" + +"Is that you, reeve? Well glad am I. Are you out with a posse +against those knaves at the ford?" + +"Eh," said the reeve, while we all halted, "is the ford beset with +the Welsh?" + +The man laughed somewhat. + +"Not Welsh, but thieves of nearer kin. I ride homeward along the +river bank, and they stop me. It seemed to put them out that my +horse is not skew-bald, and that I am alone. However, they would +rob me." + +The reeve whistled under his breath. + +"How have you got away?" he asked. + +"Rode over one of them who held my horse. There was one after me, +or more." + +Now the reeve turned to me. + +"What is to be done?" he said blankly. "This is what we had to fear +most of all. This is surely Gymbert with his men." + +"How many may there be?" said I. + +"Ten or a dozen, and mostly mounted," the stranger told me. + +Now I had no time to think of aught, for the men who waited for us +heard the voices, and had been told that we had halted; whereon +here they came up the road at a hand gallop, in silence. The two +men of the reeve made no more ado, but fled townwards, and after +them, swearing, went their leader. With him the stranger went also, +shouting, and we three were left in the road with plunging horses; +and then, with a wild half thought that we might meet and cut our +way through these knaves ere they knew we were on them, I bethought +me of somewhat. I cried to Erling, and caught Hilda's bridle, and +so leaped from the road to the meadow, and held on straight across +it toward the dim outlines of bush and furze clumps which I +remembered as being close to our first camp. + +I suppose that against the black woodland, with the town rampart +beyond us, we were hardly noted, or else those who came made sure +that we must try to get back to the town. At all events along the +road they thundered, past where we had stopped, and on after the +reeve and his men, who were shouting for the guard to open to them. + +So we did not turn to right or left, but rode our hardest across +the soft turf, among the ashes of our camp fires, until we were +close on the place where Ethelbert had dreamed his dream of Fernlea +church under the riverside trees, by the pool where I had bathed +and frightened the franklin by my pranks. That schoolboy jest had +flashed into my mind with the memory of the shallows and +half-forgotten ford across them. I thought I might find it again. + +"They are after us," said Erling. "Whither now?" + +Hilda drew her breath in sharply, but made no more sign of fear. + +"There is a ford here," I said, "if I can but find it. Let the +packhorse go, if need be." + +"No need yet; they are at fault," my comrade answered. + +Now I saw the tree which had sheltered the king, and close to it +was the ford, and already I scanned the surface of the swirling +water for the breaks in its flow which would mark the shallows. The +pursuers had spread abroad somewhat, and were keeping on a line +that would lead them past us, for we had turned down to the river +somewhat sharply. + +Then the river water flashed white suddenly, and I pulled up. This +ford was beset also, for across it, waist deep in the middle, +hustled and splashed a line of men whose long spears lifted black +lines against the gleam of the pool below. And I suppose we were +seen at the same time against the white water; for there came a +yell from behind us, and the hoofs which followed us trampled +wildly after us. + +At that the men in the water hurried yet more, passing to the Welsh +side, and that struck me as unlike the men who would seek to stay +us. And Erling knew what it meant. + +"Welshmen," he said--"raiders! After them, and call to them." + +With that I lifted my voice, and spurred my horse at the same time. + +"Ho, men of the Cymro!" I cried in Welsh. "Ho! we are beset. Ho, +Jefan ap Huwal!" + +The Welsh stayed in a moment, with a roar and swinging round of +weapons. Not fifty yards behind us, as the horses plunged into the +ford, there was a shout for halt, and Gymbert's men reined up with +a sound of slipping hoofs and clattering weapons on the steep bank +above us. A sharp voice from the other bank called to know who we +were and who after us. + +"The Anglians!" I cried back. "Gymbert and ten men in pursuit!" + +Then was a yell from the Welsh, and past us back they came with a +rush that told of hate for Gymbert. For a moment the longing to get +but one blow at that villain took hold of me, and I half turned +also. + +"No, no," said Hilda at my side, and I remembered I might not go +from her. + +So I passed through the water, and on the far bank turned to see +what I might. The white-clad Welsh were still swarming back, and +their leader began to try to stop them. I heard, as did he, the +sound of retreating horsemen as Gymbert found out the trap into +which he had so nearly fallen, and made haste to get out of it. + +Now we were safe, and a tall Welshman came to me and welcomed us. +All this far bank was like a fair; for it was full of cattle, and +sheep, and horses, with a gray dog or two minding them. + +"Jefan told us you were to come," he said; "but we looked for you +to cross at the great ford. We thought none knew of this now." + +I told him how I found it, and thanked him for timely help. His men +were coming back, laughing and talking fast over the scare they had +given their enemy. They had taken one horse also, in the first +rush, but Gymbert had escaped. + +The chief gave a short laugh. + +"We were in time, indeed," he said; "but your coming fairly +frightened our rearguard across the water more quickly than our +wont. We could not tell who was coming. A wise man runs first and +looks round afterward, when he is in this sort of case." + +"It seems to me that you have been somewhat bold tonight," I said. + +"Yes, indeed; which made us fear the more. But we have had a fair +lifting, as you may see, dark as it is. Save that Offa has gone to +sleep, as men say, we might not have come. We have lifted every +head of stock well-nigh up to Sutton walls since dusk," and he +chuckled. "There was no man to hinder us." + +Then he told us that we were all bound for Dynedor hill fort +together, and that there we should find Jefan. And so we went +slowly, with the herd of raided cattle before us, with a silence +which made me wonder. Presently I said as much, and the chief +chuckled again. + +"'Tis practice," quoth he. "An you had had as much raiding as we +borderers, you would have learned the trick of quiet cattle +droving. I doubt if ever you had need to lift a herd." + +I heard Erling laugh, and he answered for me. + +"The paladin has most likely stolen as many head in a day as you +may find in a year. And I ken somewhat of the trade myself: I was +driving his countryside when I first met him. But we have both done +it with the high hand, and I think that yours is like to be the +best sport. You are first-rate drovers!" + +That pleased the raiders, and there was pleasant talk enough of old +days as we went on. Presently the moon came out, and we went +quicker. It shone on the white faces of the great Hereford oxen and +kine, and showed us the keen dogs herding them skilfully as men. + +So at last the black hill of Dynedor, crested with its works, rose +before us, and from it shone a score of watch fires. + +"See, Hilda," I said, "yonder is your father, and all will be +well." + +She answered me cheerfully, with a little shake of the reins, as if +she longed to hurry on; and I told her that now I must keep her +back, as she had kept me just now. + +"Each to their own way," she said, sighing somewhat: "the man to +his weapon, and the woman to the sickbed that comes thereafter. See +what one evil deed has let loose on this land. It is terrible to +me. And how long it seems since we came to Fernlea in the bright +sunshine, deeming that all was to go well!" + +"Yet all is not so much amiss," said I, seeing that the fears of +the day had hold of her. + +And so I told her of Erling's christening, and of what we saw in +the church; for of this I had had no time to tell her before, save +when Erling himself had been with us. + +Then in very gladness, for she liked my comrade, she lost her +gloomy thoughts, and would tell him softly of her pleasure. And so +we climbed the steep of the hill, and were met at the gate by Jefan +himself, with a frank welcome. + +There were rough huts across the camp, set more or less at random, +and among them burned the fires which we had seen. There would be +about fifty men at most in the place, now that all had returned; +but the prince told me presently that he had had more when first +the alarm had been raised that Offa was summoning his thanes to him +for some unknown reason; whereby I gathered that here he had waited +for us. + +"Lady," he said, as he helped Hilda from her horse, "your father is +but weak. I think that he began to mend when I told him that +doubtless you would be here tonight. I hope your ride has been easy +and without alarm." + +"Hardly," said the chief who had rescued us. "It was a hard ride +for a matter of ten minutes, and we were frightened sorely. The +lady is the bravest I have ever met, for she screamed not once; and +the thanes are no bad judges of cattle raiding." + +"Why, you have met with men after your own heart, Kynan," laughed +Jefan. "More of that tale by-and-by. + +"Well, lady, you are safe, and that is the best. Now you shall see +your father. + +"See to our guests, brother." + +Jefan took Hilda's hand and led her to the best of the huts, and, +with a word to one within, entered. In a moment he was out again, +with a smile on his face in the firelight. I knew from that how +Sighard had met his daughter. + +Kynan gave some orders to his men, and they took our horses, +leading them to a far corner of the camp. After that we were set +down to a great supper, and the tale of the flight and the raid was +told and retold. Then at last one fetched a little gilded harp, and +Kynan ap Huwal, the raider of cattle, set the whole story into +song, and did it well and sweetly. + +After that was done came a white-haired priest, and we knelt for +the vespers; and then the watch was set under the moonlight, and +Erling and I stood in the gateway of the fort, and looked out on +the quiet land below us. It was no very great hill, but the place +was strong. How old it may be I cannot say, perhaps no man knows; +but since Offa drove the Welsh to the Wye it had been set in order, +with a stockade halfway down the steep earthwork round the hill +crest, so that men on its top could use their weapons on those who +were trying to scale it. The dry ditch was deep and steep sided, +and, so far as I could see in the moonlight, on this side at least +it would need a strong force to take it by storm, were it fairly +manned by say two hundred men. The gate had been made afresh of +heavy timber, narrow, and flanked on either side by overhanging +mounds, whence men could rain javelins on those who tried to force +it; and outside the gate were slight fences, which bent in wide +half circles, inside which the cattle we had driven in were penned. +Peaceful enough it all was, and the stillness of this hilltop after +the long unrest seemed as of a very haven after storm. + +Presently Jefan and his brother came back after posting their men, +and then for half an hour I sat with Sighard and Hilda in the hut. +The thane had indeed had a narrow escape from the burning hall, and +had been left for dead by his pursuers. However, he had been but +stunned by the blow which felled him from his horse, and presently +recovering, had managed to get across the river and to some +Welshman's hut, whence Jefan took him. + +As for those who had burnt the hall, he was sure that they were led +by Gymbert, and that they were no housecarls of Offa's. They had +slain Witred and another of the Mercian thanes who had fled with +him. + +Then I asked him of himself and of his hurt. + +"I am old to have the senses knocked out of me, and a blow that you +might think little of is enough to keep me quiet for a time. +However, that is all. Now that Hilda and you are safe, and the king +is found and honoured, I have naught to do but to get well. Trouble +not for me." + +It seemed to me that there was no need for me to trouble about +aught either, and out in the open air, by one of the fires, I slept +till the dawn woke me, without so much as stirring. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. HOW JEFAN THE PRINCE GUARDED HIS GUESTS. + + +In the stir which comes with the waking of a camp, I and Erling +went out of the eastward gate and watched the sun coming up over +the Mercian hills across the river. The white morning mists lay +deep and heavy below us, and the little breeze from the southwest +drifted curls of it up the hill and across it, mixed with the smell +of the newly-lighted fires; and as the sun touched the drifts they +vanished. In the cattle enclosures the beasts moved restless and +ghostlike, lowing for their home meadows after the night on the +open hillside. Jefan had ridden out to go round his posts, and I +was waiting to bid Hilda good morrow before breakfast. + +"What shall you do next?" asked Erling, with his eyes on the misty +treetops below us. + +He was silent beyond his wont this morning, and I did not wonder at +it. + +"I can hardly say. I have thought that by-and-by, when Sighard is +fit to move hence, we might get to one of the Welsh ports, and so +cross into my own land, Wessex, unknown to any in all Mercia." + +Erling nodded. + +"That is good," he said. "I only wish we were a trifle farther from +the Wye now, or that we had a few more men." + +"You think that Gymbert is still to be feared?" + +"T know it. Unless we get hence shortly we shall be fallen on. The +reeve told me that he could gather five-score men of the worst sort +in a day by the raising of his finger." + +"It would need men of the best to take this place." + +"Outlaws and suchlike I meant--men who will have Gymbert's promise +of inlawing again if they will do his bidding. See, here comes +Jefan!" + +Up the hill from out of the mists rode the prince, and with him ran +a few of his men, swiftly as mountain men will, so that the horse +was no swifter up the steep. After them, through the mist, from men +I could not see, sped an arrow, badly aimed, which fell short, and +told of danger. + +One of the two men who were at the gate on guard turned and +whistled, and the rest, busy over their cooking, dropped what they +held and ran to their weapons. Kynan came hastily to us, and +watched his brother as he rode up. + +"Jefan is in a hurry," he said. "Get your arms, thane, for there +must be reason. Mayhap it is naught, however, for one is easily +scared in a fog." + +Still he was anxious; for if he had looked at me he would have seen +that I was already armed, and that so also was Erling. We needed +but our spears to complete the gear for battle--if that was to +come--and they stood, each with the round shield at its foot, by +the fire where we slept, twenty paces off. + +Now Jefan pulled up, and tried to look back through the mists. They +were thinning fast as the sun climbed higher, but were yet thick. +His men came on and entered the gate, while Kynan asked what was +amiss. + +"There are men everywhere," one said--"Mercians. They must have +slain the outpost toward the ford, and so have crept on us under +cover of the thickness." + +"Trying to see where their cattle are," said Kynan. "They will not +come up here." + +The man shook his head, but laughed. + +"They are bold enough to shoot at us, however," he said. + +"You would do the same if you met a Mercian cattle lifter," laughed +Kynan. "That is naught." + +Jefan rode in slowly, bidding us good morrow cheerfully as he came. +Kynan said that he supposed the owners of the kine were about. + +"They, or some others who should be on the other side of the +river," answered his brother carelessly, as he dismounted. "Send a +picket down on the west side of the hill, and bid them be wary. Let +them eat their breakfast as they go, and send men to keep in touch +with them. I can see naught in this mist, and if we have to leave +here we must know in time. Come, let us get to our meal." + +Plainly enough I saw that there was more in the matter than Jefan +would let his men know yet; but if I was anxious, I would no more +show it than he. So we sat down to the food his men had ready, and +before we had half finished a man came and spoke to him quietly and +went his way again. + +"One of the western picket. It seems that here we must stay for a +while." + +So said Jefan, and laughed a short laugh. But he did not look at +his brother, nor did Kynan look at him. + +"That is the worst of a raid," said Kynan. "It stirs up such a +hornet's nest round one's ears. However, we on the border are +somewhat used to it. We can take care of ourselves." + +We went on eating, and then a second man came; and Jefan told him +to call in the pickets, after he had heard what was said. Then he +turned to me at last. + +"Thane," he said, "we seem to be beset here, but how and with what +force we cannot yet tell. I am sorry, for your sakes and the +lady's, that so it is. I fear our raid has made trouble for you, by +bringing Offa's men on us in the hope we may be forced to return +our booty." + +"Our fault, I fear, for keeping you here, prince," said I. "I think +that of your kindness to us you have stayed longer near the river +than you might have done at any other time." + +He smiled. + +"That were to credit me with too much," he said. "Mostly the +Mercians care little to follow us. There lies our mistake." + +"Then it may be that Gymbert is after us," said I, "and this has +happened because he knows that we are here. He is doing +Quendritha's bidding." + +"Not likely in the least," said Kynan; "it is just a cattle affair. +It is my fault for suggesting a raid last evening. I would go, +though Jefan had no mind for it." + +"Wrong, brother. + +"Do not listen to him, thanes. I did but stay here because it was +his turn to go. One of us must needs bide in the camp." + +Then they both laughed, and I dare say would have gone on with +their jest; but there came a cry from the gate, and they both +leaped up. It was the word that a man bearing a white scarf on a +spear was coming. + +They went to the gate, which was not yet closed, and Erling and I +climbed the rampart near and looked over, bareheaded, lest our +English helms should tell who we were. In my own mind I was pretty +sure that we were sought. + +The mists had thinned to nothing, and only lingered in the hollows +and round the scattered tree clumps. Long ago the Welsh had bared +all this hillside, and there was no cover for a foe as he came up +the hill. Across the grass came one man alone, and that man was +Gymbert, as I had half expected. It was ourselves whom he was +after. Maybe his only chance of regaining favour with the king +being through Quendritha, he was trying his best to pleasure her. +Or else she had threatened him. Either would be enough to set him +on his mettle, for none with whom I had spoken thought that the +forced retirement of the queen would last long. She would soon be +as powerful as ever, they said. + +Now he came within half arrow shot of the gate, outside of which +the two princes stood. There he halted, and lowered his spear to +the ground. + +"Jefan ap Huwal the prince?" he said in the best of Welsh. + +"You know me well enough by sight," Jefan replied. "There needs no +ceremony. Tell us what you want here." + +"I bring a message from Offa the king. It is his word that, if you +will give up the English fugitives you have with you, this matter +of the cattle will not be noticed." + +"We have no objection to its being noticed," said Jefan. "I don't +know what else you could do about it. But you say this message is +from Offa?" + +"Ay. You have here with you a Frankish thane, so called, being a +Wessex man in disguise, a heathen Dane his servant, and a girl, +escaped thrall of the queen. Doubtless you have apprehended them +for us, and I only need ask you to give them up." + +"This needs no answering, Gymbert. You never were known as a truth +teller. This is your own affair, or Quendritha's, for Offa has seen +no man to give any such order to. Nor dare you go near him on your +own account, or short would be your shrift. Get hence, and take +your lies back to her who sent you. Mayhap you have told that queen +that you have slain Sighard the thane. If so, another lie or two +will make no odds." + +Thereat Gymbert grew purple with passion. Plainly that was just +what he had told the queen. And now he began to bluster, after his +wont, stammering with rage. He had forgotten what we must have told +the princes. + +"You hear the message? Pay heed to it, or it will be the worse for +you. Set these folk outside the walls straightway, or else--" + +He shook his spear at the gate. + +"I will not give them up," said Jefan; "and if--" + +He set his hand on his sword hilt and laughed. Naught more was +needed. + +Then Kynan, who was fairly stamping, broke in, being nowise so +patient as his brother: + +"Hence, knave and liar! If there were naught else, it were enough +that you have called a freeborn thane's daughter a thrall to your +evil mistress. The truce is at an end." + +His sword flashed out, and Gymbert was ware of bent bows on the +rampart which had more than a menace for him. He turned his horse +slowly and went his way, only quickening his pace when he was out +of range. Just before that some man loosed an arrow at him, which +missed him but nearly; and at that Jefan's pent up rage found a +vent. + +"Take that man and bind him!" he cried to those on the rampart. +"Shame on us that a truce bearer should be shot at. Bind him, and +set me up a gallows that the country round may see." + +I saw the man throw down his bow and hold out his hands. + +"The prince is right," he said in a dull voice. + +Jefan walked up to him and looked at him. + +"So you own that? Well, you shall not die. + +"Set him in a hut till this affair is ended, and then we will think +of what shall be done to him." + +His passion had blazed up and passed as the fierce rage of the +Cymro will. They took the man away, and he turned to us with a word +of regret on his lips, and that was cut short by a yell from the +rampart, while the gate was swung to and barred hastily. I ran to +my spear and shield, while Kynan cried to his men to get to their +places; and scattered enough they seemed as they lined the +ramparts. Already they had driven the cattle from the enclosures +westward down the hill to the woodlands. + +As I took my spear from the place where it stood upright, I looked +toward the hut where Hilda was, and saw her standing in the door. +It was the first sight I had of her that morning, and now her eyes +were wide with wonder at the cries and bustle of armed men. + +"Wilfrid, what is it all?" she cried. + +"Gymbert has gathered some men, and is trying to make Jefan give us +up," I said, knowing it was best to tell her plainly. "But you need +have no fear; this place is strong, and the man cannot have any +following worth naming." + +"There will be fighting?" + +"I think there will be little; but the arrows may come over the +rampart, and you must keep under cover." + +"Shall you take part if there is any?" + +"Why, of course," said I, laughing; "it is for you." + +She looked at me, and I know that for a moment she had a mind to +beg me not to fight; but that she could not do, and so she only +smiled a wan smile and bade me have a care. So I bent and kissed +her hand, and she went back into the hut. Sighard was calling to +her to come and tell him what all the turmoil was. + +Then I hurried to where Jefan stood on the works by the gate, +whence one could see all over the camp, and half round the hillside +as well. Not a shred of mist was left, and it was as glorious a +morning as one could see; only it was hotter than the wont of a +Maytime morning, and over the southward hung a heavy, white-topped +cloud bank, with a promise of thunder in its pile. Not that I noted +it now, but I had done so. From the ramparts there was more than +enough to keep my eyes on the hillside. + +Up the steep came three bodies of men, to right and left, where the +hill was sharpest, and straight for the gate, where there was a +long, even slope ending in a platform, as it were, before it. +Gymbert himself headed this company on foot, and men whose names +the princes seemed to scorn altogether led the others. Altogether +there were not less than a hundred and fifty men; but as they drew +nearer I saw that they were not at all the sort of force with which +I should hope to take so strongly stockaded a place as this. +Outlaws, runaway thralls, and such-like masterless men they were, +ill armed and unkempt and noisy. Their only strength was in their +numbers, so far as I could see. + +As for ourselves, the gate was the weakest place, by reason of +there being no ditch before it, and that the ground was level, or +nearly so, for twenty paces outside. I did not think it in the +least likely that our men could not hold off the two side attacks; +for the stockade was well placed and high, and the ditch +sheer-sided and deep. Take it all round, it was hard to see how +Gymbert expected to take the place, or why he would try it at all. + +"Quendritha is driving him," said Kynan, laughing, when I said as +much. "If that woman bids a man do a thing, he has to do it, or woe +betide him. But it will be a fight, for a time." + +Now Gymbert halted his men beyond bow shot, and called to Jefan +once more to give us up; and so finding no answer beyond a laugh +from the men who were watching him from the rampart, drew his sword +and bade his men fall on. + +They broke into a run for a dozen paces, and then some half of +either company halted, and while the rest went forward, those who +stood began to try to clear the way with arrow flights, shooting +over their heads so that the shafts might drop within the +stockading. And at the same time our men began to shoot, somewhat +too soon; for the Welsh bow will not carry so far as the English, +though the arrows are more deadly, being heavier. + +Seeing that, Jefan bade his men hold their hands until he gave the +word; on which Gymbert called to his men, and they came the faster. +The arrows met them then at short range, and in a deadly hail, and +they faltered. Many fell under them, yet they still came on; and +now the men who had been shooting found that the Welsh were too +well sheltered under the stockade timbering for much harm to be +done them, and they ran and joined their comrades at some call from +their leaders. Then without stay the whole three companies threw +themselves with a great shout against the defences, leaping into +the ditch on either side, and surging up against the gate itself. + +In a breathing space our Welsh were ready with the long spears, and +as one by one the heads of those who climbed gate or stockade +showed themselves, hoisted up by their comrades, or climbing in +some way or other, back they were sent with a flash of the terrible +weapon, falling on those below them. And now and again the Welsh +spears darted through the spaces between the timbers of the +stockade at some man who came close to them and was spied, or at +those who tried to help their comrades to climb. The whole place +was full of yells and shouting. + +But it was harder work at the gate, for there the foemen were more +densely packed before us, and they seemed to climb in an unending +stream. More than one fell inside the gate, and there lay still; +but none had won his way to the ground alive, nor had we yet lost a +man. The loss was all on the side of the attack. + +Then at last the men at the gate drew back for a time; but from the +side attacks came a new danger. With spear butt and seax they were +trying to undermine the stockade, and one could hear the creaking +of the stout timbers as they tried to tear them down. It would have +gone hardly with us had there been but a few more men, or if these +had brought pick and spade with them. + +As it was, that attempt did not last long. Into the crowd of men +who worked the heavy javelins fell, and through the timbering the +reddened spears went and came, driving at last the foe to safer +distance. And so the first attack ended, and for all that Gymbert +from the gate tried to urge them on, his men stood sullenly in the +deep ditch and under the gate, where we could not well reach them, +save by casting javelins and darts high into the air, that they +might pitch among them; but there were few throwing weapons to +spare. + +"He would have done better to attack at one point only," said +Jefan, sitting down on the rampart above the gate. "He might have +overwhelmed us so, for he has men enough." + +His brother laughed. + +"There is a difference between us in this way," he said, "and it is +a great one: there is little fight in his men, and we must needs +fight our best. Listen! they are passing some word round." + +So it was, for there fell a silence on the humming men below us, +and we could hear muttered words from one to another. Then the +attack came again from the same three places, but I thought it was +not pushed home as at first. Nor did it last so long. In a few +minutes men began to get out of the ditch and away down the +hillside while the Welsh were too busy to shoot at them. There they +scattered, and stood and watched. And then the attack on the gate +ceased, and back the foe went. + +"After them, and scourge them home to their mistress," shouted +Kynan, leaping down to the gateway, where his men did but wait some +word which should tell them to throw it open for a sally. + +I looked for Jefan; but he was across the camp, seeing hastily to +the weakened places in the stockade. + +"Kynan," I cried, "have a care! This is what they want you to do! +Wait!" + +For I could see that in the open Gymbert had the advantage of +numbers, and I suspected that he was trying to draw the fiery Welsh +from their works. There was surely some reason for this +half-hearted attack on the stockade that had been already proved +too strong. + +He did not hear me. It is in my mind that I may have called to him +in the Frankish tongue of my last warfare. That is likely enough, +for with the clash of arms again I know I had been thinking in the +familiar tongue once more. I do not know, but again I called him, +and he seemed not to hear. The gate flew open, and with a wild yell +of victory out went the Welshmen, with the prince at their head. + +Jefan heard and turned back, and called to him to stay; but he also +was too late. He had but a dozen men with him, while from the +opposite side of the camp those who had driven off their foes had +joined those who poured out with Kynan. One or two of Jefan's men +shouted, and went with them, unheeding the call of their leader to +stay. + +Then in a moment I knew what the word which had been passed meant. +The Mercians who had drawn off from the side attacks closed up and +charged down on the scattered Welsh, on whose pursuit Gymbert and +his men turned. We could do naught but stand and watch, helpless, +for we dared not leave the gate, which we could not close against +the retreat which must come. + +Round Kynan and his men Gymbert's force swarmed, and the din of +wild battle rang as the ancient foes, Welsh and Mercian, met on the +level turf. I saw Kynan's red sword rise above the turmoil, and +heard his voice rallying his men to him; and then he had them +together in a close body, outnumbered indeed by two to one, but +better fighters and better trained than the mob against them. And +then they began to cut their way back to the gate. + +We stood there across it, waiting, and then it was our turn. Of a +sudden out of the ditch on either hand leaped men who had waited +there unnoticed for this moment, and they fell on us. We were +eight, and but four of us could stand in the gateway at a time. +Jefan and I and Erling and a tall Welshman were the first, and +before us were some dozen Mercians, and more to come as they could +find room on the narrow causeway. + +Now it was a question whether we might hold the gate till Kynan won +back to it, or whether when he did come he should find it held +against him; and for one terrible moment I had a fear that men +would be coming over the stockade in the rear upon us. And I could +not look round, for I had all my time taken up in keeping my own +life from the attack in front. + +I think it was about that time that Kynan began to sing some +wonderful old Welsh war song, which rang above the clash of weapons +and the cries of those who fought. It took hold of me, and I seemed +to smite in time to its swinging cadence. Yet he came back very +slowly. + +Jefan went down first. Into the ditch he rolled, with his grip on +the throat of a Mercian; for his sword snapped, and he flew at the +man. One from behind us took his place with a yell of rage, and he +went too far, and was gone also, speared at once. Then another, and +another to my left; for the tall Briton was down, and still Erling +and I were not hurt. I would that Kynan would get back more +quickly. He was coming, but the press before us was thick. + +So we fought, and I fell to thinking what a wondrous sword this was +which Carl the Great had given me. It shore the spear shafts, and +the brass-studded shields seemed to split before it touched them, +and the tough leather jerkins of the forest men could not hold its +edge back. The wild song of Kynan never ceased, and he seemed to +sing of it. He was getting nearer, but the Mercians thronged +between his men and us. + +Now there seemed to be a grim joy in the faces of the men before +me, and the Briton at my right fell. There was none left to take +his place, and there were but three of us in the gate. + +"Kynan! Kynan!" I cried, for in a moment he would find his retreat +barred. I do not know whether any voice came from me, but I seemed +to call him. + +Then Erling and I were alone in the gateway, and the snarling +Mercians leaped at us. The last Welshman had fallen, hurling his +broken sword at a man who smote at me, and so staying the blow. + +"A good fight for a man's last, master," said Erling to me through +his teeth, standing steadily as a rock with his hacked shield +linked in mine, and his notched sword swinging untiringly to the +grim old viking war shout "Ahoy!" as it fell. + +Kynan was twenty yards from us, and now I saw Gymbert among those +whom he was steadily driving back. + +A shadow swept over me, and it grew darker. I saw all the land +below me lying in brightest sunlight, and then the great swift +cloud shadow fled across it, though round us there was not a breath +of wind. I think the men before us two shrank back a little at that +moment, so that I had time to note all that went on, as a man will +at such a time, and yet without taking his eyes from the foe before +him. + +That was but a breathing space. With a fresh yell the Mercians fell +on us again, and I had three of them on me; and my hands were full, +though they hampered one another. The old Wessex war cry which I +had not heard for so long came back to me, and I shouted "Out! +out!" and met them. There needed but a little time and Kynan would +be on the causeway. His song rang close to us. + +Erling reeled and steadied himself against me, and the Mercians +howled. His war shout rang once, and then he fell across my feet, +face downward, and I stood over him in a white rage, and set my +teeth and smote. It came to me that there were more men on the +causeway now, but that they would not near me. I was fending +spearheads from me, and I forgot Kynan. + +Then of a sudden those who were on me seemed to know that his song +was in their very ears, and they looked round. His men were on the +narrow gate path, and they were between them and me; and with that +they yelled and fled into the ditch on either side the causeway, +and I was aware that for a long minute I had kept the gate alone. + +But I did not think of that. Out of the way of heedless, tramping +feet of those who came back into safety I must get my fallen +comrade, and I threw my sword within the gate and stooped and +dragged him after it, setting him on one side, on the steep rampart +bank, out of the way. He smiled and tried to speak, but could not; +and even so much cheered me, for I had thought him dead. + +Some one came swiftly and touched me as I bent over him, and I saw +the old priest. + +"Leave him to me," he said. "See to Kynan now; there may be work +yet for the lady's sake." + +Even as I rose at his word, loath to leave my comrade, but knowing +that I must, and while I still had my face from the gate, there +came a blinding flash of lightning from the ragged black edge of +the cloud overhead, and with it one short, awesome crash of +thunder. The storm which had crept up behind us had broken on the +hilltop. + +After that crash came a dead silence, and then were yells of terror +such as the fight had had no power to raise from men on either +side. And among them one voice cried shrill that this was the work +of Ethelbert, the slain king. + +Then as the foe fled back the gates swung to, and I heard the bars +clatter into their sockets, and Kynan came to me. + +"Holy saints!" he said; "look yonder!" + +I went a pace or two up the earthwork and looked over toward the +foe. Some twenty yards from the gate lay as it were a blackened +heap, round which reeled and staggered men with hands to blinded +faces, and from which those who were unhurt fled in wildest terror +down the hill, casting even their weapons from them. Save only +those who could not fly, not one Mercian was staying. + +"Yonder lies Gymbert," Kynan said in a still voice. "The bolt +struck him. It is the judgment of Heaven on him for that which he +wrought in darkness." + + + +CHAPTER XIX. HOW WILFRID CAME HOME TO WESSEX. + + +For a moment I looked and then turned away, with but one thought in +my mind, and that was the knowledge that it was a good thing that +the punishment of this man had been taken from our hands. I do not +think that I took in all the terror of it at the time, for on that +field there was death in so many forms--death brought needlessly by +his contriving again, and in all injustice--and this end of his was +to me but right and fitting. Some terrible fate the man deserved, +and he had met it. Now I had my own friends to think of. + +"See to Jefan!" I said to Kynan, without a word of Gymbert. "He +fell at the gate, in the first onset." + +"My fault," groaned the brother, "my fault. I should have waited +his word before sallying out. I heard you call me back, too, and +heeded not." + +He called some men, and they opened the gate and passed out +hastily, while I knelt at the side of Erling. The old priest was +trying to stay the bleeding from a great wound in his side; but he +shook his head at me, and I knew that it was hopeless. + +Erling knew it also. + +"Get to the others, father," he said; "I am past your heeding." + +"They will fetch me if I am needed, my son," the old man answered. +"There are few of us who cannot tend a common wound. I am but +wanted at the last." + +"Ay, for the one thing," said Erling, with a great light springing +into his weary eyes. "For me also, father. + +"Tell him, master." + +The old man looked at me, and I nodded. He was a British priest, +and one had been told that they and our priests hated each other +and quarrelled over deep matters; but what was that in this moment? +Neither Briton nor Englishman, priest of St. David's nor of +Canterbury would heed that here and thus. He rose and went +hurriedly, and we two were alone. + +"We kept the gate," he said. + +"Ay, we kept it; and all is well." + +"Jefan is not dead," he said next; "he lay and watched it all. I +could see him." + +Then across my shoulder he saw some one, and smiled. I turned, and +there was Hilda, white and still, standing by us, and she set her +hand on my shoulder. Then she bent toward my comrade. + +"Ay, you two kept the gate, and all are praising you. They say that +but for you the fort had been lost." + +The lightning came again, and after a second or two the thunder, +close still, but not so terribly so. The rain would come presently, +and I longed for it, but not yet. I dared not move Erling, and +there was the priest to come. + +Now he came, and with him brought that which was needed; and so we +two knelt, and there came one or two Welshmen, gently, and knelt +also, unlike our Saxons, who would have stood aloof, with bared +heads indeed, but unsharing. + +I will say naught of that little service. When it was ended Erling +closed his eyes and sighed, as one who is content; and we waited +for them to open again, but they did not. It was the first and last +sacrament of the new-made Christian. + +The priest ended his words, and looked at me. Hilda took her cloak +and gave it to him, and he set it across my comrade, and that was +all. He was Ethelbert's first follower to the new place he had won, +and that also seemed good to me. + +Through the gate came Kynan, followed by four men who bore on a +spear-framed stretcher their prince who had fallen. + +"All well," he called up to me cheerfully. "Naught but a broken leg +from the fall, and no wound." + +Then the rain came, sweeping in a sheet across the open hilltop. +Hilda took my arm. + +"Come," she said, "take me to the hut again. My father is well-nigh +raving because he is too weak to fight. Once he rose and staggered +to the door, and there fell. He cried to you as you stood alone +with those savage men before you in the gate. Did you not hear +him?" + +So she spoke fast, and drew me away to the hut, and there Sighard +bade me tell him all I might of the fight. It had been hard for him +to lie and hear the din going on, to know that the battle was for +Hilda and for him, and not to be able to share it. And he grumbled +that the girl would not look out on it and tell him how it went. + +"But I saw Wilfrid in the gate," she said, "and I feared for him +for a moment, until I saw that the foe feared him; and then I was +proud. But Erling has gone, father." + +"A good man and steadfast," Sighard said. "I think that you and I +owe life to him and Wilfrid alike. It will be long before we forget +him, or before you find such another comrade and follower, +Wilfrid." + +More there was said of him at that time, but not too much. I had +known him but a little while, but in that we had gone through peril +together with but one mind. It hardly seemed possible that it was +only a matter of six weeks since I took him from the Norwich +marketplace. + +The thunder rolled round us while we talked of him, passing but +slowly, and the rain fell in sheets, washing away the more terrible +stains of war. Through it came back, unarmed and humbly, some of +the Mercians, begging truce wherein to take away their comrades, +and Kynan spoke to them. As we had reason to think, the whole +affair was the doing of Gymbert, so far as his men knew. Behind him +was the hand of Quendritha, of course, but of that they had heard +no more than that to take us would please her. + +When the storm ended, with naught but a far-off mutter of thunder +among the hills beyond the Wye to mind us of it, I went out to find +Jefan. At that time there were folk from the Welsh woodlands coming +up to help in any way that was needed, for a fire on the highest +point of the ramparts was sending a tall smoke curling and wavering +into the air, and the meaning of that was well known to them. One +might see by the way in which they were tending the wounded and +digging two long trenches without the ramparts, where the slain +should rest presently, that such fights were no new thing to them +on the marches of Mercia. + +Jefan the prince lay in a hut, and he smiled ruefully as I came in. +His ankle was broken, and the old priest had set it, skilfully +enough, but it would be many a long day before he could use it +again. He held out his hand to me before I could speak. + +"Are you hurt?" he said anxiously. + +I was not, save for a scratch or two of no account. More was Kynan, +and that was a wonder, or his luck, as he would have it. But Jefan +said, trying to laugh: + +"I would that I might see just one bout of sword play betwixt you +two. I had held my brother as the best swordsman in all the West, +but I saw a better in the gate. There I must lie helpless, with a +Mercian across me moreover, and it was somewhat of a comfort that +there was that to watch. I had seen naught of it but for the fall." + +So I had not been learning all that the best men in the Frankish +armies could teach me of weapon craft for nothing, and hereafter I +learned that such praise from Jefan was worth having. + +But as for my thanking them for this protection of us, they would +have it that the whole trouble was of their own making, since they +had stayed so near the border after a raid. Even now we must hence, +for the sheriff would gather a levy to follow them no doubt. It +needed no command from Offa for that; but he would be here anon, in +leisurely wise perhaps, but certainly. + +"Wherefore we must go," said Kynan. "Then, as usual, he will find +no one to fight with, and naught but a few broken marrow bones to +remind him that last night we feasted on Mercian cattle up here." + +Now I would that Erling might have been laid to rest in Fernlea, +near to Ethelbert, but that could not be. We set him in a place +near the gate which he had kept so well, raising a little mound +over him, and Jefan said that it should be a custom with every +warrior of the Cymro who entered the camp in the days to come that +he should salute him, and that the tale of his deed should be told +at the camp fire here from age to age, so long as harp was strung +and men should sing of deeds worth minding. Maybe that was the +resting and that the honour the viking would have chosen for +himself. + +And he was set there with all the still rites of the ancient Church +of the Briton, in the way which he had learned to love. + +Alone, unmarked Gymbert lies, out of sight of the warriors against +whom he came. The Mercians dared not touch him, and the Welsh would +not. But Jefan bade that man who had shot at him see to him, and +that was the punishment for his deed. Men say that when a storm +breaks round Dynedor hill fort it is ill to be there, for then he +wanders round the gate unquiet and wailing; and so he also is not +forgotten, nor the evil which he wrought. + +That evening we were in some Welsh thane's house, far in the folds +of the Black Mountains, and there not even Offa could reach us. The +people had come with litters and hill ponies, and slowly and +somewhat painfully we had gone our way from the hill, gathering the +cattle, and leaving men to bring them after us still more slowly. + +"Hurry no man's cattle," quoth Kynan, "except when they are by way +of becoming yours by right of haste homeward to the hills." + +In this homestead, whose name I cannot write, we rested for a +fortnight or so, while Sighard gathered his strength again and +Jefan's ankle knit itself together. For me there was the best of +hunting in the hills and rich forests with Kynan, who was a master +of all woodcraft, and with our host. Wonderfully plentiful was game +of all sorts, whether red deer or fallow, boar, or wolf, or badger +in the forests, and here and there beaver as well as otter in the +swift trout streams. There were the white wild cattle also; and +there were tales of a bear somewhere in the hills, but we never +came on his tracks, though I knew them well from having seen them +often enough on the Basque frontier lands. That one chance of +having slain the bear there was the only matter of hunting in which +I was ahead of my hosts. + +At the end of the fortnight we went from this village to the +ancient city of Caerleon, travelling slowly, though Jefan made +shift to mount a horse, and so ride with us. Pleasant were the June +days that passed among the hilly ways, under the great green +mountains, and through the forest lands, with good friends and +pleasant halts by the way. And I was going homeward now in all +truth. + +Jefan had a wonderful palace in Caerleon, which his forbears had +held since the days when they took the place of the Roman governor +by whom it had been built. I think that it had been but little +altered, and on its walls were still the pictures the artists +brought from far-off Rome had painted, and its floors were laid +with the wondrous patterned pavement of the old days, so beautiful +that it almost seemed a shame to tread on them. The old Roman walls +stood round the town, and there were more houses, less but +well-nigh as good, in the place, and the great tower the Romans +made. + +Yet, being a Saxon and a forest-bred man, I cared not at all for +the stone-walled houses. They seemed low and hot to me, and above +one was the ceiled roof, all unlike the high open timbering of our +halls, where the smoke curls, and the birds are as free to perch on +the timbers as they were in the oaks whence they were cut. The +walls round the town irked me also, for one does not like to feel +shut in from the open country. One must have fences, of course, and +maybe in border places earthworks and stockades, but surely no more +should be needed. Yet in a day or two I grew used to all this, and +I have naught but good to say of Caerleon elsewise. + +For when we had been there a few days Jefan would speak with me, +and together we went to the walls of the city and looked southward +across the river toward the Severn sea, beyond which lay my home. + +"See, friend," he said, "there is your way, and there is a ship +crossing to the old port at Worle tomorrow. Now, from all you have +told me, there is a chance that through her daughter Quendritha may +yet try to harm you." + +"I think she cannot," I said. "So far as I know, she has never +learned where my home is." + +"Yet," he said, "go home and see how things are for you. Well I +know that your first thought is for the Lady Hilda, and that is +right. I am going to see your wedding. But you cannot take her home +without going there first to learn whether she will have any home +to go to." + +"That is what I have been thinking," said I. "You are but first in +speaking of the matter by a day or so." + +"Well, then, do you go at once. If all is well, then you shall come +back here, and so there will be a wedding. If not, come back, and I +will give you a place with me. + +"Nay, but listen. I have sorely troublesome tenants, the Danes, in +our land of Gower, and you can take them in hand for me. You are +the man I need as what you would call the ealdorman there. You may +take such a place in all honour." + +"Jefan," I said, "you are indeed a friend, and I will not say no to +you. All seems to go well when you have a hand in it." + +"Sometimes," said he, laughing. "I only wish that everything was as +easily arranged as this. Well, go. I want you back to stay, and yet +I don't, as one may say. At all events, we will have the wedding +here." + +Now it need not be said that on the next day I did go, landing in +the early morning under the ancient walled camp of Worle, which the +Eastern traders made when they used to come for our Mendip metals; +and there I hired a horse and rode homeward, sorely longing for my +good skew-bald steed, which stood in a Roman stable at Caerleon. + +Now I cannot tell all the thoughts which came into my mind as I +climbed the last hill and looked down into the wooded hollow where +lay our home. The long years seemed to roll back, and it was but as +yesterday that I had been there. And then I met a man I knew, one +of our own thralls; and he seemed to have aged all in a moment, for +I had thought, before he drew near, to see his face as it had been +on the day when I went to Winchester to see the bride of our king +brought home. He did not know me, but he doffed his cap. + +"Wulf," said I, "how fares the thane?" + +"Well, lord," he answered, staring at me. "He is in the hall an you +want him." + +And then of a sudden a great smile began to grow across his face, +and he roared in his honest Wessex voice: + +"By staff and thorn, if it is not our young master home from the +wars! Good lack, but how you have grown and widened!" + +He clutched at my hand and shook it, and then kissed it, after a +friend's fashion first, and then as a thrall should, saying all +sorts of welcomes. And then he turned, forgetting any business +which was taking him to the hill, and must needs lead my horse with +all care down to the hall. And as he went, whenever he saw any man +of the place he shouted to him, and one by one men came running, +until I had half the village after me. That was a good old Saxon +welcome, and I could not find fault with it. + +So we came to the hall gate, and the dogs ran out and barked; and I +thought I could tell those which had been but pups when I left +home, for they had been my charge. Then they bayed and yelled, +mistrusting what all the noise meant, though they saw none but +friends there, till two gray old hounds rose from the sunny corner +of the court and came running, and they knew me; and I called them +by name, and the rest stilled their clamour. + +Then, with his sword caught up to him, my father came to the great +door and called for silence, and so saw me as I sat in my outland +mail and stretched my hands to him; and after him came my mother. +So I was home once more, and all was well. + +I need say naught of the feasting which they made for me, nor of +all that I had to tell of my doings since that day when the Danes +came and took me. Little enough there was to tell me, save of the +village happenings; and that was well, for it meant that there had +in every way been peace. + +Two days after I came home my cousin came from Weymouth, rejoicing +to see me safe and well once more, for he had ever blamed himself +for my loss. + +Presently we spoke of Ecgbert, but there was yet no chance for him +to return. Our Wessex queen, Quendritha's daughter, was bad as her +mother, in all truth; but Bertric the king was just and wise, save +only when he was swayed by her. Moreover, to him Ecgbert had sworn +fealty when he came to the crown, and until he was gone he would do +naught. + +And then there was the question as to whether it was safe for me to +come home. + +There was an old thane who came to see me at this time, and he had +been to Winchester within a few days; and he settled the matter, +having heard all the court news from Mercia. + +"Quendritha's power is over for good and all," he said. "Offa has +sworn a great oath that he will never set eyes on her again. They +say that she is shut up in some stronghold, with none but men of +the king's own round her, and that there she pines and rages in +turn, helpless for harm. You may be sure that no word of you has +come hither. Doubtless she believes you fled back to Carl the +Great. You may sleep in peace." + +"Get married, my son, and settle down," said my mother softly. "I +may not bear to lose you again." + +So that other matter was easily settled, as may be supposed, though +no doubt my good mother would have fain had somewhat more say in +the choice of a wife for me. But when my father and cousin heard of +the way in which we two had met, and what we had gone through +together, they said it was good that I had found no fair weather, +fireside bride, and there was a great welcome ready for her as soon +as we could bring her home. + +Ten miles south of Selwood, on the forest's edge, lies that hall +which was my mother's, and to which I had the right as her son, and +there I was to live. I think that I have spoken of it before as +that which gave me the right to the rank of thane. Now and then we +had gone there and bided in the hall, seeing to the lands, and so +forth, but mostly it had been left to the care of the steward. So +it was waiting for me, and thither I should bring Hilda as soon as +all was ready. + +And I need not tell of that time of preparation, which seemed long +to me; but at last we sailed across the still sea from Worle to +Caerleon--my father, and my cousin, and half a dozen others of our +friends--for word had gone and come from Jefan by the fishers of +the Parrett river, and he would welcome all whom we would bring +with us. + +"Make it as good a wedding as you may," was his word to me. + +I think that Offa once sent an embassy to Caerleon, and that they +were the first of our race who had ever been within its old walls. +But I know that never before had a Saxon party been welcomed there +as we were welcomed, nor had there been such a feast since Jefan +himself was wedded. + +It seems to me that I am leaving out a many things now; but who +wants to hear of that wedding? If any one does, he must even go to +Caerleon and call the bards to him, if they will come, and ask them +to sing the songs they made thereon. Otherwise he may ask any man +of Caerleon to tell him what he saw of it himself, for indeed I +cannot say that I had thought or eyes for any but one figure in all +the splendour of that ancient court. I do mind that Jefan's fair +princess had clad Hilda in wondrous British array, which passes me +to tell of, and that Kynan and Jefan and the men of their host had +decked her with gold and pearl and mountain gems, such as lured the +Roman hither. They had a splendid sword and mail shirt and helm for +me, too, better even than that which Carl gave me, because of the +holding of the gate. + +Now if one listens, as I have said, to the tales they tell over +there, it will be heard how I was said to have kept that gate +against all the host of Mercia, not to say Offa himself; for, like +our own gleemen, the Welsh bards do not fail to make the most of a +story. But how much thereof to believe those who have read my own +tale will know. I suppose they are obliged to make too much of a +matter, so that about the rights thereof may be believed. + +At that wedding there were a surprise and a pleasure for me which +Jefan had prepared. He had heard of a vessel new come to Swansea, +where the Danes are, and he had sent thither to learn what she was. +And when he heard, he bade her captain to this feast to meet me. +And so it came to pass that when we landed I saw two men in the +Danish array standing behind the Welsh nobles, and I seemed to know +them. One was tall and grim and scarred, and the other broad of +shoulder and white of hair and beard. They were Thorleif and old +Thrond, come from Ireland to see their friends in this land, and so +Jefan's guests. + +So that was a great wedding, in which I had the least part, being +overlooked, as mostly happens with a bridegroom. And after it we +passed home again to peace and happiness in the old hall in the +land of Wessex, and there none will care to follow me. It is the +troublous part of a man's life that makes the story to all but +himself. He is glad enough when it is over and there is no more +danger left of which to make a tale. + +When I first came back to Caerleon I had some news to hear from the +Mercian border, and that was nothing more or less than that after +all Offa had stretched out his hand to grasp that realm which +Quendritha had plotted to give him; for he had gathered his levies, +and marched eastward into East Anglia. There was none to oppose +him, and he took it, and so reigned from the Wye to the sea, the +greatest king who had ever sat on an English throne. + +And Quendritha was dead. That which her daughter had boded for her +as she left the palace had come to pass, and she had gone. She had +never set eyes on her husband again, and never heard how that which +she planned had come to pass. + +That death seemed to take the last doubt of our peace from us; but +now Sighard would no more go back to his lands. + +"I was Ethelbert's thane and his father's; I will not hold from +Offa. Let me come back with you now until I know what I can do." + +So when our wedding was over he crossed with us to Wessex, and +there for a time he bided. Then came a message from Thetford that +the widowed queen, Ethelbert's mother, would speak with him, and +without delay he went to her. Offa had left her in peace in her own +house; but now she would go to Crowland, that she might be with her +who should have been her daughter, and thither Sighard took her. +Then he went to see what had happened with his own place, and found +it untouched. Offa, when he took the realm, had at least proved +that he had no mind to enrich himself with lesser spoils. + +So Sighard sold his right of succession, and all else that was his +own in East Anglia, and thereafter bought a place for himself near +us; and there he lives now, well loved by all and honoured. Many +and kind were the messages which he brought back from the queen to +me and to Hilda, whom she had loved, rejoicing that the way to +Sutton had at least brought happiness to us two. + +My good skew-bald steed I could not take across the sea with me, +and I was loath to sell him. At last I persuaded Jefan, our friend, +to take him as a gift, for I cared for none save the prince himself +to ride him. + +"He is nowise a safe steed to go cattle-raiding on," said Kynan, +"for one can mark him for miles. Nevertheless he is a princely +mount, and a good rallying point for the men after they have been +scattered in a charge." + +So they laughed, and were well pleased, as was I. Erling's horse I +gave to that man who had been our guide when we fled, and there was +no difficulty in finding owners for the rest. + +Now one will ask concerning Ecgbert the atheling, whose friend I +had been for so long. + +All men know that today he is the king of all England, and the +greatest who ever sat on her throne. But for long years we waited +till the time for his return came. While Bertric lived, to whom he +had sworn fealty, he would do naught, in utmost loyalty, and with +the Mercian throne he had no mind to meddle. + +Two years after the death of Ethelbert, Offa died. His bright young +son took the throne, and was gone also in a few months, and then +the house of Offa was at an end. An atheling of some younger branch +of the Mercian royal line took his place peaceably, and under this +king, Kenulf, Mercia was at her greatest. The doom of Offa fell not +on him. + +Ecgbert bided with Carl the emperor, learning all he might of +statecraft and of war until his time came, and well he learned his +lesson. Then at last, through Quendritha's teaching, came the end +of the Wessex line, and thereafter the fall of Mercia from her +first place among the English kingdoms. For, after Quendritha's +way, Eadburga would poison some thane of the court who had offended +her; and Bertric drank the cup she had made ready for his servant, +and so perished. Eadburga fled to Carl the emperor, as men had then +hailed him; and he received her kindly for Offa's sake, and at +least England knew her ways no more. Then we had all ready, and +sent for Ecgbert; and from the time of his coming began that day of +greatness for Wessex which has led him to the overlordship of all +England and the end of the old divided and warring kingdoms. + +One may see many tokens of the repentance of Offa for that deed +which was wrought unhindered by him. Greatest of all, perhaps, is +the cathedral which he built at Hereford over the remains of the +murdered king. There the saint rests in peace, and will be honoured +while time is. But where Offa himself lies no man knows. His folk +buried him in a little church which he had loved, hard by Bedford, +in the heart of his realm, on the banks of the Ouse. But in one +night of storm and rain the ancient river rose and swept away both +church and tomb and what lay therein, not leaving so much as the +foundations to tell where the place had been. And yet, not a +stone's throw from the edge of the rapid Lugg, the little church of +Marden, built where we found the body of the murdered king, stands, +and will stand, unharmed by the waters which once made soft his +resting. + +The wonderful palace of Sutton lies shunned and ruined. After that +which had been done there, Offa would live within its walls no +longer, and it was deserted by all men. Only, as the wind and rain +wrought their will unchecked on the timbered halls, the thralls +took what they would for huts and for firing, and slowly at first, +and then apace, the palace sank to heaps of rotting rubbish, where +the fox and the badger have their lairs, and the boar from the +forest roots unscared. Presently naught hut the ancient Roman +earthworks will be left to tell that once it was a place of +strength against the Briton. + +And with bated breath the thralls tell of a white wolf which haunts +the ruin from time to time, deeming it the witch queen herself, who +may not leave the scene of her ill doing. + +Now, for myself, I have but to say that for the sake of old days in +the Frankish land I stand high in the honour of Ecgbert the king. +And yet it seems to me that greater honour still it is that I +should have ridden across England on that strange wedding journey +as the comrade of Ethelbert the king and saint. + +Often I am asked to tell the story of that ride and all that came +thereafter, for men say that they cannot learn it better than from +me. And so I have set all down here that men may read. Yet, whether +I write or not, I know well that forgotten Ethelbert can never be. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A King's Comrade, by Charles Whistler + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KING'S COMRADE *** + +***** This file should be named 13438.txt or 13438.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/4/3/13438/ + +Produced by Martin Robb + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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