Part 34 (1/2)

”It may be that thus we shall save the sadness of fighting our own people, though, indeed, they love the playground of Hodulf. He is an outlander, and perhaps he may think well to make terms with us.”

Some said that it was of no use, but then Havelok answered that even so it was good to send a challenge to him.

”For the sake of peace we will do this, though I would rather meet him in open fight, for I have my father to avenge.”

Now I rose up and said, ”Let me go and speak with him, taking Withelm as my counsellor. For I know all the story, and that will make him sure that he has the right man to fight against. I will speak with him in open hall, and more than he shall learn how he thought to slay Havelok.”

All thought that this was good, and I was to go at once. It was but a few hours' ride, as has been said, to his town, and the matter was as well done with.

So they gave me a guard of twenty of the jarl's courtmen, and in half an hour I was riding northward on my errand. And to say the truth I did not know if it was certain that I should come back, for Hodulf was hardly to be trusted.

I did wait to break my fast, and that was all, for I had no mind to spend the night on the road back from the talk that I should have had; but though I wasted so little time, the people were already beginning to prepare for rejoicing in their own way with games of all sorts and with feasting in the open. I saw, as we rode down the street, the piles of firewood that were to roast oxen whole, and near them were the b.u.t.ts that held ale for all comers. There were men who set up the marks for the archers, and others who staked out the rings for the wrestling and sword play. And as we left the town we met two men who led a great brown bear by a ring in his nose, for the baiting. I was sorry for the poor beast, but the men called him ”Hodulf,” already, and I thought that a good sign in its way.

Another good sign, and that one which could not be mistaken, was to see the warriors coming in by twos and threes as the news reached them. They were dotted along the roads from all quarters, and across the heaths we saw the flash of the arms of more.

And ever as they met us they hailed us with, ”What cheer, comrades? Is the news true? Is Havelok come to his own?” and the like, and they would hurry on, rejoicing in the answer that they had.

But I will say that presently, when we pa.s.sed a stretch of wild moor where we saw no man, the same was going on towards the town of Hodulf; for if the news came to a village, some would be for the king that was, and other and older men for the king that might be. Yet all asked that question; and more than once, when they heard the reply, there would be a halt and a talk, and then the men would turn and cast in their lot with the son of Gunnar, hastening to him with more eager steps than had taken them to Hodulf.

CHAPTER XXI. THE TOKEN OF SACK AND ANCHOR.

It seemed only the other day that I had pa.s.sed over the well-known ways, and I showed Withelm the hollow where Grim had met with the king and taken his precious burden from him. Then we pa.s.sed along the wild sh.o.r.e, and the linnets were singing and the whinchats were calling as ever, and the old mounds of the heroes of the bygone were awesome to me now as long ago, when I looked at them standing lonesome along the sh.o.r.e with only the wash of the waves to disturb them. And so we came to the town at high noon, and already there was the bustle of a gathering host in the place, for the news had fled before us.

They had built a new and greater hall in place of that which had been burned; and there sat Hodulf with his chiefs, wondering and planning, and maybe waiting for more certain news of what had happened. Not long would they wait for that now.

We rode to the door, and one came to meet us with words of welcome, thinking that we were men who came to the levy that was gathering; but his words stayed when I asked to be taken to the presence of Hodulf, as I came with a message from Havelok Gunnarsson the king.

The man, chamberlain or steward, or whatever he was, stared at me, and said in a low voice, ”It is true then?”

”True as I am Radbard Grimsson, who helped Havelok to fly from hence.”

”Unwelcome will you be, for Hodulf is in no good mood,” the man said. ”I hardly think it safe for you to trust yourself with him.”

”Then,” said I, ”open the door of the hall, and I will go in with my men, and see what he says.”

”Well, that will be bad for me, but I have a mind to see Havelok.”

So I told Withelm to come at my side, and bade half the courtmen follow us closely, and when they were inside to see that the door was not barred after us on any pretence. The rest would bide with the horses outside.

Then we loosed the peace strings of our weapons, and in we went, quietly and in order; and the chiefs turned to look at us, thinking us more of themselves. Hodulf sat on his place on the dais, and there were thirty-one others with him, sitting on the benches that were set along the walls. Withelm counted them.

Then the door was closed, and the man with whom I had spoken set his back against it, but it was not barred; and I went forward to the steps of the high place, and stood before Hodulf.

”Well, what now?” he said, seeing that I was a stranger.

”First of all, I ask for safe conduct from this hall as a messenger from king to king.”

”That you have, of course,” he answered. ”What is your message?”

It did not seem that he thought of Havelok at all, but rather that I came from some king to whom he had sent. There were two living not so far off. I thought that there was no good in beating about the bush, for such an errand as mine had better he told boldly. So I spoke out for all to hear.