As we rode over the uplands we saw that the Sudbury men would do
all honour to those who had fallen fighting beside them, for they
made a great mound over Olaf's men, and Ailwin our priest was there
with us to see that they had Christian burial with such solemnity
as might be in those troubled days. There might be no chanting of
choir or swinging of censer at that burying; but when the holy
rites were ended Ottar the scald sang the deeds of those who were
gone, while the mound was closed. And that would be what those
valiant warriors loved to hear.
So passed the day, and then were our wounded to be seen; but at
last I might sit quietly in the house on the green and speak all
that I would with Ailwin, and we had much to say. I know not if I
longed or feared now to speak of Hertha, but I would do so. Yet
first I asked Ailwin how he himself had fared when the Danes came;
for I had thought that he would have been slain.
"Aye, my son, that I should have surely been," he said, "but I
found a hiding place until their fury was past, and the host swept
on, leaving but a few among us. Some of these were wounded men, and
you mind that I am skilled in leechcraft. So I dressed myself in a
freeman's garb and tended them, winning their respect at least, if
not gratitude. So I have been the leech ever since, for the church
was burnt, and many a priest was slain, and these Danes are but
half Christian if they are not open pagans; and I might not don my
frock, else would there have been no one left to christen and say
mass and marry for our poor folk in quiet places."
Then I said:
"Where did you find a hiding place, father?"
"It was shown me by one who made me promise--aye and take oath,
moreover, as if my word were not enough--that I would tell no man
where it is. For such a place once known to any but those who use
it is safe no longer."
"Was it Gunnhild who helped you thus?" I said, for I remembered now
my last words to him, that he should seek her.
"I may say that it was Gunnhild. There she and Hertha and I were
safe till the worst was over," he answered, and looked in my face.
Then I must say what was in my mind all the while, and I asked him
plainly:
"Where is Hertha now, father? Is she yet well and safe?"
"Both well and safe with Gunnhild," he said.
"Where is she--can I seek her?"
The old man looked at me meaningly for a minute, and I grew hot
under his kindly gaze.
"What remember you of Hertha, my son?" he said gently.
"All, father," I answered; "but does she remember aught?"
"She remembers--she has never forgotten," he said.
And I had forgotten for so long. I think the old priest, who was so
used to deal with men, saw what was written in my face, for he
smiled a little and said:
"Women have time to think, but a warrior of today has had none.
What think you of your meeting with Hertha?"
Then I said, being sure that Ailwin understood the puzzle that was
in my mind:
"Father, I know not what to think. We are bound--but now it is
likely that we should not know one another if we met; in truth, I
think I fear to meet her."
"Is there any other maiden?" he asked, still smiling.
"Once I thought there was--and not so long ago either," I said
honestly, "but I remembered in time. Now I will say truly that
there is not."
I had no longing for Penhurst now.
Then there came across me a strange feeling that one might hardly
call jealousy--though it was near it--and I said:
"Has she seen any other who would make her wish to forget?"
"Truly she has not," Ailwin laughed; "how should she?"
"I know not where she has been, father," I said with a lighter
heart, although but an hour ago I thought that I should have been
glad to hear that it was so.
"Ah--I forgot," Ailwin said in some little confusion as I thought,
and he was silent. But now I would say more.
"Well, then, father, both of us are heart whole, as it seems. But I
know not if she would be pleased with me as I am now."
Ailwin looked up quickly at me, and then said:
"One cannot tell. Maybe she thinks the same concerning you and your
thought of her."
Then I told the good man of that plan which the lady of Penhurst
had made when we spoke of the same doubt, and he laughed thereat,
which did not please me. So I said:
"Well, then, let me see her."
"Not yet," he said after a little thought. "This is not the first
time that I have gone over this matter. Gunnhild has spoken with me
more than once, and yesterday she gave me a message for you, and I
was but to give it if I found that you longed to see Hertha again."
"What is it, then?"
"She says that the troubles are not over yet. Cnut will be back
shortly, and then you have warriors' work to do. When that is done
there will be peace, for England or Denmark, or both, will be worn
out. It will not be long ere that is so, she says, and she is very
wise. Then come and find Hertha if you will. But now there will be
less trouble for both if you meet not."
Then I grew impatient, for I hate concealments of any kind.
"Better break the betrothal at once, then," I said, "for if I must
wait I cannot say that I may not meet with a maiden whom I shall
love."
"Then shall you let me know," said Ailwin coolly, "and it shall be
broken. Thus will be no sorrow to Hertha."
"So be it," said I. "But I think you are hard on me."
"No so, my son," said the good man, "not so. Redwald and Hertha of
today are strangers. I do not altogether hold with these early
betrothals; but what is, must be. Wait a little, and then when
peace comes, and you can dwell, one at Bures and one at Wormingford
in the old way--seeing one another and learning what shall be best
for both--all will be well. Be content. Your place and hers lie in
ruins. Why, Redwald, what home have you to give her?"
Now that word of common sense was the best that he could have
spoken, for I was waxing angry at being thus played with, as I
thought. But at that moment Olaf and Ottar came in with clang and
ring of mail and sword, and so no more was said, and soon Ailwin
rose to depart. But I followed him out, and asked him for the last
time:
"Will you not tell me where Hertha bides?"
"No, my son--not yet. Believe me it is best."
"Well, then," I answered, "I shall try to find her; but if I
cannot, you mind what I said."
"I will not forget. But I will add this--that there are many fair
maidens, and but one Hertha."
Then he turned away into the dark, and was gone with an uplifting
of his hand in parting blessing. I knew the good man loved me, and
now I was sorry that I had spoken harshly to him, yet I had a
feeling that I had been treated ill. Maybe that was foolish, but
one acts on foolish thoughts often enough.
There was a man sitting on the settle in the porch of the house as
I turned back. I had not noticed him as we came out. Now the
firelight from the half-open door fell on his face, and I saw that
it was one of those two thralls of mine.
"Ho, Brand," I said, "answer me truly. Know you where bides Dame
Gunnhild the witch?"
"No, lord. We know not where she bides but it is not far hence, for
we see her at times in the village, though not often."
"How did she escape when the Danes came?"
"She and the lady Hertha took boat--it was but three days after you
had gone. All the men had fled as she bade them, but her brother
came and helped her with the boat. They went into the mere, and
that was the last we saw of them."
Now I remembered to have heard of Gunnhild's brother, but I had
never seen him.
"Where does her brother live?" I asked.
"I know not. I have not seen him again," answered the man.
"Whence comes Dame Gunnhild into the village?" I went on, thinking
that I might learn somewhat in that way.
"Master," said Brand, "she comes at twilight, nor will she have
anyone follow her. Ill would it fare with the man who did so. I do
not know whence she comes."
Now it seemed to me that the man had more in his mind than that,
and at least that there must be some talk about the place, which is
small enough to make the doings of everyone the talk of each one
else.
"Where do men say she lives?" I asked therefore.
The man looked doubtfully at me, but he could see that I was not
angry. So he smiled foolishly, and answered:
"We say nought, lord. Danes hear everything in some way."
"Well, you can tell me safely enough."
"We think it is witchcraft of the old dame's, and that she and the
lady Hertha live with the White Lady in the mere of Wormingford."
Then I was fain to laugh, for it was witchcraft more than even
Gunnhild could compass, by which she might find refuge in the
depths of that bottomless mere where the White Lady dwells. The
place has an ill name enough among our folk, and even on a bright
summer day, when all the margin of the wide circle of water is
starred with the white lilies, I have known silence fall on those
laughing ones who plucked the flowers, so still and dark are the
waters, and so silent the thick woods that hem the mere round under
the shadow of the westward hill that hides the sunset. No man cares
to go near the mere when darkness has fallen, so much do our people
fear to see the White Lady of whom Brand spoke.
I feared her not, for she was a lady of our own race, who was
drowned there by the wild Welsh folk in some raid of theirs when we
Angles first came from the land beyond the seas and drove them out.
Ours was the clan of the Wormings--I bore the badge of the twining
snake myself today, marked on my left arm, as had all my fathers
before me--so ford and mere were named after us, and we were proud
of the long descent, as I have said. Once had my mother seen the
Lady, and that was on the day that my father was slain. Therefore
had she seen unmoved the coming of Grinkel, for she knew already
what had befallen. I had not seen the Lady, but I know that many
others of my race had done so, and ever before the coming to them
of somewhat great that was not always ill. But she never spoke to
them, but floated, white robed, over the mere, singing at times, or
silent.
Now it came into my mind that the thrall was not so far wrong, and
that there was a chance that Gunnhild might have some hiding place
among those woods about the mere, for no man willingly searches
them, and Danes fear these places more than we, being heathenish
altogether. So I asked Brand if the Danes knew about the White
Lady.
"Ay, master, they soon learned that. They call her 'Uldra', though
why I know not."
That was the name of the water spirit they believed in. So I became
all the more sure that Gunnhild was there. It would be easy for her
to feign to be the White Lady and so terrify any man who sought
her. A man is apt to shape aught he sees into what he fears he may
see.
"Has the White Lady been seen of late?" I asked therefore.
"I have heard that the Danes say that they have seen her," he
answered. "They have seen also bale fires burning on the mound
where the great queen lies."
That last was an old tale among us also, but I had never seen any
light above the great mound. Ottar had many sagas that told of the
fires that burnt, unearthly, above buried heroes, and the Danes
would watch for them, and so, as I have said, would certainly see
them, or deem that they did so. Yet I suppose that these strange
fires may have burnt on the tombs of heathen men, else would not
the tales have been told thereof so certainly. But Christian
warriors rest in peace, and about their last bed is no unquiet. Nor
may Christian folk be frighted by the bale fires of the long-ago
heathen's mounds. For their sakes they have been quenched, as I
think.
So I stood and mused for a while, turning over in my mind how best
to find Gunnhild at the mere without leading others to her hiding
place. And at last I laughed to myself, the thing was so simple. I
had but to go into the mere woods at twilight or in the dusk, and
wander about until she heard and feared my coming. Then she would
play the White Lady's part on me to fray me away, and all was done.
She could not tell who I was, nor would she think it likely that I
would seek her there, and would easily forgive me for doing so,
when we met.
I bade Brand the thrall goodnight, and went back into the great
room of the house, where Olaf sat with Ottar resting and talking
together. There was no one else in the place, for we had no fear of
aught, and Olaf cared not to have many men about him. Some of his
men would come presently and sleep across the doorway, but the
evening was young yet.
"You seem as if you had heard somewhat pleasant," Olaf said when I
came in.
I suppose that my certainty of finding Gunnhild and Hertha pleased
me well enough to make my face bright.
Now both Olaf and Ottar knew of my wish to search for Hertha, and
who she was, for I had told them as we sailed to Maldon on the way
to my own country again, and they were eager to help me to take her
from hiding into what we thought would be greater safety. So when
the king said this, at first I thought of saying only that I had
surely found out where she was hidden. But then I would not keep
back what Ailwin had said, for Olaf might have advice for me.
Therefore I sat down and told them all the story of my talks with
the priest and the thrall, adding that I was the more sure that
Gunnhild was hard by, because Ailwin had said that it was but
yesterday she had given him the message for me.
Then Olaf said:
"Cousin, I think these two old folk are right. Better wait for
peace, as they say."
"It is not so sure that Cnut will come back," I said.
"Is it not?" said Olaf. "Why--seeing that he has left his host of
thingmen in the towns, and we had Thorkel's foster brother to fight
but the other day, and that these Danes do not yield at once and so
gain peace and hold what they have, but will rather fight than own
Ethelred--I think that none can well doubt that word has gone round
the Danes in the kingdom that he will return, and that they need
not fear to hold out till he comes."
Then the last doubt of trouble to come passed from me, for it was
plain that these thingmen looked for help presently. But Olaf was
thinking of my affairs again.
"Four years is overlong for anyone to play ghost on a whole
countryside," he said laughing. "I cannot think that Gunnhild, even
if she be a witch, can have bided in sight of the village all this
time without being found."
"No man dares go near the place," I said.
"Well, whence has she her food unless from the village? I think she
cannot be so near," he replied, and there was reason in his
question.
I was cast down at this, for I had made so sure that I had found
out the secret that was so carefully kept from me. When there is
mystery made, which is, or seems, needless, there is pleasure and a
feeling of mastery in finding it out unaided, and I was losing
that.
I will say this, however, that I was more vexed in this way than
with the thought that I should not find Hertha, for in my own mind
I began already to own that Ailwin and Gunnhild were in the right
about our not meeting yet.
Olaf saw that I was vexed now, and put forward a plan which he
thought would be pleasant to me, for he was certain that I should
not be satisfied until I had seen if I was right.
"There is no reason why we should not go to the mere and see if
Gunnhild is there," he said. "If she is, maybe it will be well for
you to speak with her. And if not--why, then we know at least that
she has a good hiding place elsewhere."
That was a plan that pleased me well, for though I had no fear of
going to that lonely place so long as I had made myself certain
that I should meet Gunnhild, now that it seemed not quite so sure
but that I should find myself alone there, the thought of the quest
was not quite so pleasant to me.
"Then we may as well go at once," Olaf said. "How like you the
thought, Ottar?"
"I like not such places, my king," the scald answered honestly.
"There are chills that come over one, and rising of the hair."
"Aye, there are," answered Olaf. "I have a fear of this White Lady
myself. Therefore am I going with Redwald, because I want to see if
there is aught to be feared of."
"I will come with you," the scald said, hardening his heart, for
his mind was full of the wild tales of the old heathen days which
he sang, and he feared more than we.
"It is but a lady after all," said Olaf, laughing at Ottar's face.
"I have a sort of fear of living ladies," the scald said, "how much
more, therefore, of their ghosts! I had rather meet Danes. For when
one sees them there comes a stiffening of back and knees and
fists--whereas--"
"Aye, Redwald and I know somewhat of what you mean," laughed Olaf,
and then Ottar laughed, and we took our cloaks and were going, but
first must seek Rani, and tell him that we were now about to leave
the village for an hour or so.
Now no man questioned Olaf as to his lonely walks, as I saw in
Normandy, and Rani said nought but:
"Take your arms, for there may be wandering Danes about."
But we were armed already, though without mail, and as we went not
far it seemed unlikely that we should need any. It was but a
half-hour's walk from the house.
Now the mere lies on the south side of the river, which runs into
it only by a narrow inlet, and this inlet is so overshadowed by the
trees of the thick woodland that when one has passed through the
opening it is lost to sight very quickly. So heavy is the growth of
timber round the mere that one can see the water from no place,
save for a glimpse as this inlet is passed in going down the river,
and many a stranger has passed by all unknowing that such a mere
could be near him. Hardly can the wind reach the wide waters to
ruffle them even when a gale blows, and so the place is more
silent, and its terror falls more heavily on a man's mind.
It was two hours after sunset when we started, but the fringe of
the woodland is but a mile and a half from the village, and we were
soon there. The night was bright enough, with a clear sky and stars
overhead, though there was no moon as yet.
As we went Olaf was very cheerful, and railed pleasantly at Ottar
for his fears, while I said little, not knowing if I wanted to find
Gunnhild or not.
But Ottar would not pretend to be braver than he felt, having no
shame in fear of things other than earthly, a matter wherein I
think that he was right.
"Why," said the king, "if Dame Gunnhild tries to fray us, do you
but turn that cloak of yours inside out, and you will frighten
her"--for it chanced that the scald's red cloak had a white woollen
lining, whereof he was somewhat proud, being a lover of bright
dress.
"It is ill to mock a spirit," the scald said; "wherefore do I
believe the less that a Wise Woman will bide in the place that it
haunts."
So they talked until we came to the woodland; and when we came
among the trees a silence fell on us.
"It is of no use," I said, "let us go back. You are right, and she
cannot bide here."
"Why, now that I have got over my fear so far," Olaf said, "I will
go on, even to the water's edge. Then will we go back."
I could not gainsay him, as may be known, and so we went on. It was
easy at first to thread our way through the trees, but presently
they were thicker, and it was dark. There was no wind moving in the
boughs overhead, and there is no denying that the silence of that
deserted place weighed heavily on us all.
And when we drew close to the water's edge, and saw the still
water, starlit, stretching before us, a water hen sprang from the
reeds almost at our feet with her shrill warning cry, and flapped
out into the middle of the dark mere, leaving a long trail of
broken water behind her that gleamed for a moment with dancing star
sparks from the sky, as if it might have been the path of the White
Lady herself. And from all round the lake came the answering cries
of her mates, sounding weird and strange through the silent gloom.
I heard Ottar draw a deep breath, and we all three started, and
stood still, as if turned to stone.
"We have taken fright easily," said Olaf, as if angry with himself
for being thus startled. "My heart beats like a hammer, and I will
bide here till I can do better than that."
Yet he spoke in a whisper; and I saw no reason to try to answer him
if I could. Then he walked on, keeping to the right, where the
ground is high, at the hill foot, but still skirting the water's
edge. Then I saw something beside the reeds, and went aside to see
what it was; and, as I thought, it was a canoe that some fisher had
left. There was a paddle still in it, and a bow net set on hoops,
such as we were wont to use for eels and tench.
"Here is how Gunnhild might find food," I thought, but it was not
likely.
Ottar stood and looked into it with me, but the king had walked on.
Now it grew darker as we followed him, and Ottar tripped and fell,
and I lost him, though I could hear him close behind me as he broke
a branch now and then in passing.
The king stayed in a clear place that I remembered well. Great
trees stood round, and it was pleasant to sit there and look out
over the water on a summers noonday.
"Where is Ottar?" he said, when I stood by him.
"Close behind me. I heard him even now," I answered. "Let us go
back, my king. There is nought here."
"Aye, we will go back now," he said. "But Ottar is before me."
"Listen," I said, "the scald is behind us. I lost him in the dark."
"Nay, but I heard him in front of me even as you came," the king
said.
And when we stood still we could hear the scald where I thought;
but also we heard footsteps and breaking branches before us.
We could see anything that was not in shadow pretty plainly; and
now Olaf whispered to me:
"Someone is forward, and coming nearer. Get your sword loose."
At that there came a cry like the moor hen's from the thicket
before us, and in a moment, with a great shout and crashing, there
broke out on us many men, and I was down and held fast before I
could draw on them. I saw Olaf draw the long dagger that hung ready
to his right hand, and smite backwards over his shoulder in the
face of a man who was pinioning him from behind, and the man
shrieked and reeled backward into the bushes, hands to face. And
then Olaf cried, "We are beset," and was borne down.
Then the men tied us roughly with belts, and stood round us.
I looked every moment to see the rush of Ottar into the midst,
sword in hand; and saw that it would go hard with him, for all the
men were armed, and some wore mail that rattled as they moved. But
he came not; and I wondered if he too were taken, or if he had
turned craven and had fled, a thought that I put from me as sorely
wronging the brave scald; and then wondered how long it would take
him to reach the nearest outpost of our men and come to rescue us.
But now one was hammering flint on steel and making a fire in haste
that he might see who they had caught. And when it blazed up I saw
that the men were Danes. No doubt they were strangers to the place,
men who had wandered here from the Leavenheath woods after the
battle; for no Dane who came from close at hand would have dared to
shelter in this place. There were fourteen of them in all.
"Ho," said one who seemed to take the lead, "we have trapped some
gay birds. Now, who might you be?"
He spoke to Olaf, who answered nothing. So the man turned to me
with the same question. But I followed the king's plan and made no
answer. Whereat the man kicked me, saying:
"Answer, you Norway rat!"
I ground my teeth with rage, and said nothing.
"Fetch the English churl, and ask him if he knows who these are,"
said the Dane. "Then shall we see if this is a question of drowning
or ransom."
Two of tho men went back into the woods, and presently returned,
dragging with them my thrall Brand, whose teeth chattered with
terror, more of the place than of the Danes as it seemed, for he
kept his eyes on the mere.
When he saw me I shook my head ever so little in token that he
should not own us. If Olaf thought best we could do that for
ourselves.
Then they cuffed the poor thrall, and asked him if he knew us; and
for answer he did but point out over the mere, whose waters looked
black as ink beyond the fire lit circle of trees and shore.
"Let us go hence, lord Danes," he said trembling, "then will I say
what I can. The Lady is wroth with men who come here at night."
"We care for no ladies," said the leading Dane. "What are you
feared of?"
"The White Lady who dwells in the mere. To look on her in her wrath
is death," Brand said--and one might well see that his terror was
real.
The Danes looked on one another, and there were white faces among
them. Then, as luck would have it, one said:
"This must be the mere of which I have heard strange tales. Let us
go," and he began to edge away towards the fire.
Then the leader said:
"Let us find out if these men are worth taking with us," and he
came and questioned us again, and again we answered not.
"I will make you speak," he said savagely. "Take them up and make
ready to cast them into the water."
Now I wondered where Ottar was. Surely he must be back with more
men soon.
"Aye, throw them in, and let us be going," said one or two, for
they had been asking Brand many questions, and now were eager to
leave the place and its terrors.
So one brawny Dane took my feet and another my shoulders and began
to lift me; while I could not so much as struggle, so tightly was I
bound.
"Hold!" said the leader. "Will you throw away a sword like that?"
It was certain now that they were in haste, for they had forgotten
to strip me in their wish to have done.
They set me down again, and that was the saving of us. For even as
they loosed their grip on me, one who stood near the water cried
out in a sharp voice:
"Listen--what is that!"
And they all stayed motionless as had we when the bird scared us.
There was a sound of wondrously sweet singing from away across the
mere. Such a voice it was as I had never heard before, neither like
the singing of man or woman, nor had the song words that I could
catch.
The Danes forgot us as they heard that, and huddled together in
twos and threes, looking out to whence the sound came. As for Brand
the thrall, he fell on his knees and hid his face against a tree
trunk, crying faintly:
"It is the White Lady."
So too thought I; and now I will not say that I feared her, for she
was of my own race, and maybe she came to my help.
Then I saw some of the Danes gasp and start, and point across the
water, speechless, and I looked also.
Plain enough in the firelight stood a tall white figure on the
water of the mere, coming slowly towards us, and singing the while
that wondrous song. And ever as it drew nearer the song grew
wilder; and the long white-robed arm pointed towards us.
Then the thrall leapt up and yelled, and fled into the dark wood.
And that was enough for the Danes. They gave not another thought to
us, but cried out in mortal terror and fled also, tripping and
crashing through the underwood as they went; while the song of the
White Lady grew louder, and she still neared us.
Then, still singing, her pace quickened, and suddenly I saw that
she came in no magic wise, but in the fisher's canoe which I had
seen. And then the bows touched the shore, while with a wholesome
clank of sword, and throwing back his long white cloak, Ottar the
scald leapt ashore and came to us, dagger in hand, and cut our
bonds.
"Into the boat, lord king--quick!" he said. "We shall be safe
there."
Dazed and stiff I was, but I rose and followed Olaf; then Ottar
pushed off, and we shot out towards the midst of the mere into
safety.
Then the king stared at me and at Ottar for a moment in amazement,
and then laughed until the woods rang again, and I and the scald
were fain to join him. Never had I heard such sounds before in that
haunted place.
"Now, Ottar," he said, when he could speak again, "never say more
that you fear troll, or nix, or ghost--for you have done what you
told me but half an hour ago was most unwise."
"I needs must do somewhat, lord king," said Ottar gravely, "and it
came into my mind that these Danes would be as badly scared as
should I have been had I met Gunnhild; and methought that Redwald's
lady would forgive me for his sake."
"Aye, surely," I said.
Then--was it fancy, or a vision wrought on me by long looking at
Ottar as he came across the red track of the firelight on the
water, still dimpled by the boat, glided the white form of no
earthly maiden, and was gone.
I saw it and said nought. Ottar sat in the stern facing us, and his
eyes were away from the fire, and Olaf was beside me, and I thought
that he started.
Then Ottar said:
"Can we go back by water, Redwald? It would be safer."
I showed him the channel which leads to the river, and he took the
paddle with which he had so deftly sculled the boat across the
mere, and as we left the overhanging trees and saw the faint glow
of the rising moon across the open river we breathed more freely,
and were safe.
Surely had it not been for the scald's ready wit both Olaf and I
had been lying even now in the dark mere. For it would have been
death to us all three had Ottar tried to rescue us sword in hand.
It is his saying that he was so frozen with fear at first--until he
knew we had met with mortals only--that he stood still and
helpless, listening. Then came to him the thought of what to do,
when he heard the talk of either ransom or drowning and knew that
we were not slain. So even as Olaf had bidden him in jest, he had
turned his cloak and had saved us.
But Ottar the scald's courage and craft are well known, and I have
other thoughts concerning his fear. But I know this, that never
again could he find that strange and sweet voice that had come to
him in the need of his master.
Brand the thrall cowered in the house porch when we returned, and
he was pale as a sheet, while his knees trembled even yet. We took
him in and gave him wine and meat, and then asked him how the Danes
got hold of him.
"Master," he said, "they caught me but a little while after I had
left you--as I set snares for rabbits on the hill. I let them come
to me, thinking them some of the king's men who are kindly. Then
they said they needed a guide through the country to the sea, and
kept me with them."
Then Olaf said to him:
"No ill will come of this seeing of the White Lady, for she came to
save Redwald your lord; you may sleep in peace therefore, but it
would be unlucky to say that you saw her."
Then the man said that he would not speak of the matter, and it was
plain that he dared not do so. But he went away cheerfully enough,
with his mind at rest from its fears.
"It would be ill luck for me if Rani heard of this," said Olaf,
looking ruefully at us; "for we cannot deny that he warned us. My
foster father loves rating a king now and then, though it be only a
small one like myself."
So we said nought that night, and none asked where we had been. Now
I slept next to Olaf, and in the night I woke with a new terror on
me, and I put my hand on his and woke him.
"My king," I whispered, "what if Gunnhild and Hertha are indeed in
the woods yonder? These Danes will have found them."
The king was silent for a moment, for the fear that my guess as to
their hiding place might be right came to him also before he gave
the matter thought.
"It is not likely. The thought of danger makes it seem possible
again," he said. "But I like not these prowling Danes--they are
looking for hiding places for themselves."
"She was safe before," I said, but a great fear came to me with his
words.
There had been nought to drive the Danes to seek sheltered spots
before, now they were sure to do so.
"This matter is not in our hands," said the king, when I said as
much. "We can do nought. Pray, therefore, and sleep again. I think
that you need fear little."
Then after a while he spoke once more.
"Redwald, saw you aught upon the mere while we sat in the canoe in
its midst?"
"Aye, my king," I answered, knowing what he meant.
"I saw her also," he said.
So it had been no fancy of mine, but the White Lady of our house
had indeed passed before my eyes. I began to wonder if this
portended aught to me, but soon I thought that it did not, for the
like peril in which I had been, and even then had hardly escaped
from, had not befallen any of my kin, as I was in peril at her own
place, which was a new thing. So I judged that she showed her
thought of us only.
In the morning matters fell out so that we had never need to say
what danger we had run. For the men had seen Brand's plight, which
was pitiful, after Danes and thickets had done their work on him,
and told Olaf that the man had met with and escaped Danes from the
mere woods.
So with twenty men we searched those covers in broad daylight, and
found no token of any dwellers in the place. Nor were any Danes
left, save one, and that was the man whom Olaf had smitten, for he
had died. The embers of the fire were near him, and on the bank lay
the severed belts that had bound us.
"These Danes have fought among themselves," said our men, and hove
the body into the water. So the Dane lies there instead of Olaf the
king and me, with the Welshmen whom my heathen forefathers cast
into the black depths, in revenge for the death of the White Lady.
Now when we came back to Bures there was a tired horse standing by
the house door, and in the hall waited a messenger from Colchester,
and he brought the news that we looked for and yet feared, so that
we had hoped against hope that it would not come.
A Frisian trader had put into the Colchester river, and he brought
word that even now Cnut might be taking the sea for England, for in
all the western havens of Denmark was gathered such a mighty host
and fleet that no man had ever known the like, and he had heard
that the day for sailing would soon come.
Then Olaf made no delay but rode to Colchester to see this
shipmaster and speak with him, for he thought that he might find
out from him what point on our coasts would be that at which Cnut
aimed first.
So Gunnhild and Olaf were right, and the little peace we had had
was to end. Now would come the last struggle of English and Dane
for mastery in our land, and in my heart I wished that we had such
a king as Olaf Haraldsson. For it seemed to me that we were not
ready, though we had had a year and more in which to prepare.