sneered Alsi, "for it lies with me to say whatmarriage you make, and on that depends whether the Witan, in its wisdom,sees fit to hail you as queen. Not until you are married will you takethe kingdom at all."
"Then," said the princess, growing pale, "I will speak to the Witanmyself, and learn their will."
"The Witan has broken up," answered Alsi, "and the good thanes are mileson their way homewards by this time. You are too late."
"I will call them up again."
"Certainly--that is, if I let my men run hither and thither to fetchthem. But after all, in this matter I am master. Whom you wed lies with me."
Goldberga saw that she was in the hands of the king, and maybe as much aprisoner as at Dover. So her spirits fled, and she asked what the kingwilled.
Alsi knew now that nothing but his utmost plan would be of any avail tosave that kingdom for himself, and so he broke out into wrath, workingup his fury that he might not go back.
"My will is that you obey me in this carrying out of the oath I took onthe holy ring, [10] and on the Gospels also to pleaseyour mother. You shall marry the man whom I choose, so that he beaccording to the words of that oath."
"So that he be king or son of a king, I will obey you," answered Goldberga.
"Then you defy me. For that I have told you that I will not have. Nowshall we see who is master. You mind yon kitchen knave of last night?There can be none in all England mightier or more goodly than he is tolook on, and him shall you wed. So will my oath be well kept. Then ifyour precious Witan will have him, well and good, for his master shall Ibe."
Thereat the princess said that it were better that she should die; butnow Alsi had set out all his plan to her, and he did not mean to flinchfrom carrying it out. There was no doubt that the Norfolk people wouldhold that she had disgraced herself by the marriage, and so would refuseto have her as queen. And that was all he needed.
But Goldberga had no more to say, for she was past speaking, and theking was fain to call her ladies. And when they came he went awayquickly, and gave orders for the safe keeping of the princess, lest sheshould try to fly, or to get any message to Ragnar or other of theNorfolk thanes.
Now he must go through with this marriage, for he had shown himself tooplainly, and never would the princess trust him again. I have heard thathe sent for Griffin at this time; but, as I found, he was gone; and ifthe king thought that perhaps the princess would wed him now to escapefrom the kitchen knave, he had no chance to bring him forward. I supposehe could have made out that Griffin, or for that matter any one else hechose, was such a one as his oath to Ethelwald demanded.
Sore wept Goldberga when she was back in her own place, and at first itwas hard for her to believe that Alsi could mean what he had threatened.But then she could not forget her dream, and in that she had mostcertainly seen the very form of him who stood before her at the highplace last night; and that perhaps troubled her more than aught, for itseemed to say that him she must wed. But no king's son could he be, sothat there must be yet such another mighty man to be found.
And then in her heart she knew that there could not be two such men,both alike in all points to him of the vision. And she knew also, thoughmaybe she would not own it, that if this Curan had been but a thane oflittle estate, she could have had naught to say against the matter.
And so at last she found that in her trouble and doubt and wish forpeace she was thinking, "Would that he were not the kitchen knave!"
Now, it chanced that the old nurse had gone out into the town, and wasaway all this while, so that she knew nothing of this new trouble; andpresently she was coming back with her arms full of what she had bought,and there met her Havelok and Withelm, who had been to the widow's, andwere on their way to find me at the gate.
"Mother," said Havelok, "let me help you up with these things."
That frightened the old lady, for she had been looking at him, and hadmade up her mind that he was some mighty noble, as did most strangers.
"Nay, lord," she said; "that is not fitting for you."
"Less fitting is it that a strong man should see you thus burdened andnot help. No lord am I, but only the cook's man. So I am going to thepalace."
But this she would not believe at first, and still refused. However,Lincoln Hill is very steep, and she was not sorry when Havelok laughedand took the things from her so soon as she had to halt for breath.
"Curan will carry you up also, if you will, mother," said Withelm.
The nurse tossed her head at him and made no answer, being on herdignity at once. Moreover, she had heard of Curan by this time, thoughshe had not seen him before. So she said no more, and went on proudlyenough, with her mighty attendant after her; but all the while it was inher mind that there was some jest, or maybe wager, between the two.
Now Withelm stopped at the gate; but I was not there, for I had beensent to the palace, where guards were to be at each door. The word wasthat some plot had been found out against the princess, and thattherefore we had to be careful. One easily believed that with all thetalk about the attack made on her party that was flying about. So hecame on to the palace kitchens, for Berthun knew him well, having sooften bought fish from him in the market; and there he sat down to talkwith the steward, for there was nothing much going on at the time, and Iwas on guard.
Now, the old nurse went to her mistress; and Goldberga sat in theshadow, and was weeping no longer, seeing that it would not help at all.
"There is a wonder down yonder," said the old lady, not seeing thatthere had been any trouble yet--"such a man as I never saw in all mydays; and he even carried my goods up all the hill for me, old and uglyas I am. That is not what every young man would do nowadays. Maybe itwas different when I was young, or else my being young made thedifference. The youth with him called him Curan, which is the name ofthe strong porter they prate of, but doubtless that was a jest. This isthe most kingly man that could be; and I ween that those two made awager that he dared not carry a bundle up to the palace, whereby I wasthe gainer, for breath grows short up that pitch. And when I thanked himhe bowed in that wise that can only come of being rightly taught whenone is young. Now, I am going to ask Berthun who he is, for he spoke tohim when he saw him, and that humbly, as it seemed."
So talked the nurse, and to all Goldberga answered never a word, for allthe trouble came back again, and with it the thought that she hated,that if only--
Then, as the nurse was leaving her, she called her back.
"Nurse," she said, "I am in sore trouble about the dream. It bides withme, and will not cease to puzzle me until I weary for some one to readit plainly. I would that Queen Bertha's good chaplain were here, for Imight have been helped by him."
Then the nurse came back, quick to hear the sad tone in the voice of herwhom she had tended and loved since she was a child.
"Why, my pretty, have you been weeping?" she said. "There was naught ina dream like that to fray you thus."
"Nay, but it has come to me that this place is altogether heathen; andit may have come from the hand of Freya, the false fiend that theyworship as a goddess, so that I may be ready to wed a heathen. Is thereno Christian in all this place?"
"There are Welsh folk yet left in the marsh," said the nurse, pondering;"and where there is a Briton there is a Christian, and there, also, willbe a hidden priest. But it would be as much as his life is worth to comehere, even could we find one."
Then Goldberga said, "Alsi is not altogether heathen. If I asked hewould surely grant this."
For she thought that she knew how to gain consent.
"If one can be found, and that is not likely. Well, then, I will askBerthun, who is good-natured enough, and most likely will not troubleabout a Christian coming here; and if so, we need not even ask Alsi."
So she went, not thinking for a moment that there was a priest of thefaith to be heard of. Mostly she wanted to hear more of Havelok, but shewould honestly do her other errand.
But on her way across the courtyard she met Mord, and he
was a greatfriend of hers.
"Whither now, nurse? They will not let you go out of the palace. Theysay that there is trouble on hand with those folk that fell on us, andwe have to bide in shelter for a day or two."
"Well, I have been down the town this hour, and all is quiet enough.This Alsi is an over-timid man. But I was seeking Berthun with a strangemessage from the princess, and one that is not over safe here."
"Let me give it then."
"Well, it is nothing more or less than to ask if he can find a Christianpriest. Our mistress has had a strange dream, and it is true that itsorely troubles her. So she wants one to whom she may tell it, that itmay be read aright. But though I must ask, I do not hope to find one."
"Why," said Mord, "there is not one Christian in all Lindsey."
"I would not say that. When I was first here with Orwenna the queen,before she married Ethelwald, there were some in the marsh; for one dayI heard my own tongue spoken there, hunting with my mistress; and so shestayed and talked with these poor folk, though the Welsh they spoke wasbad enough. But they were Christians, as they told her in fear andtrembling. They have not so much need to fear now."
"Then I can help you," said Mord gladly. "Say nothing to the cook, for Ihave found old friends who come from far in the marsh, and they willtell me at once if they have heard of any priest. Why, when I think,they know Welsh, and one has called himself by a Welsh name, and youhave seen him--Curan the porter."
"Ay; then do you ask these friends, and tell them that the sooner theycan bring a priest the better shall they be rewarded. I would give muchto have Goldberga's mind set at rest."
So Mord said that he would go at once; and glad he was to see Withelmsitting with Berthun,
"Well," said the steward, "I have known Withelm of Grimsby for the lastten years or so, and I do not suppose that it matters if you speak withhim."
"Why should it matter if I speak with any one I choose?" asked Mord,somewhat angrily.
"That you must ask the king; for his orders are that the people of theprincess have no dealings with outsiders for two days."
"Mighty careful of us is Alsi all of a sudden," said Mord. "I suppose hethinks that someone will stick a seax into some of us in all friendlywise while we are talking."
But Berthun only laughed, and went to where the nurse was beckoning tohim. He told her his own thoughts of Havelok, being glad to have a readyhearer.
At once Withelm was able to tell Mord that the old priest who was hisfriend was in Lincoln at this time by good chance, and that he wouldsurely come to the princess at need. But when they came to talk of whenand how, it did not seem all so easy; and Mord went to the nurse to tellher all.
Then they had to speak to Berthun about it, and he was kindly andwilling to help; but he said that none might come to speak with theprincess without leave from the king. No doubt he would grant it easily,if asked by Goldberga herself.
"I will go and tell her," said the old lady. "Keep your man here till Ireturn."
Now she brought this good news to the princess, and one need not say howshe rejoiced. And now a thought had come to her, and she was eager tosend a message to Alsi.
"Surely," she thought, "he does but threaten me with the kitchen knave,that he may make me change my will. And, therefore, if I say that I amready to obey him, he will be pleased; and then time is gained at theleast, and it is not possible that he will choose so badly for me afterall."
So when the nurse asked her what she would do about getting the priestto her presence, she said, "Go and tell my uncle first that I am willingto obey him in the matter of which we spoke this morning."
"So that was what has troubled you after all, and not the dream? Ithought it should not have made all these tear marks," said the nursequickly. "Now, why did you not tell me? I dare give Alsi a talking to ifhe needs it."
"Nay, nurse, but it was the dream. My uncle and I did but disagree onsomewhat, and maybe I was wrong. By-and-by I will tell you."
"Tell me now, and then I shall know better how to ask for what you need."
But Goldberga could not bring herself to say what Alsi had threatened,and now felt sure that she would hear no more of that. So she told thenurse that she had vowed only to marry a king, and that Alsi had beenangry, saying that kings were not so easily found. Also, that he was theman who had to find her a husband.
"That is the best sense that this king ever spoke," said the nurse."Many a long year might you wait if you had your way thus. You are wisein sending that message. Well, after that I will ask him to let you seethe priest, saying, if he is cross-grained, that a talk with him willmake your mind even better fitted to obey. Many things like that I cansay. We shall have him here presently."
Now, all that seemed very good to both of them, and the nurse went herway. And when she came to Alsi, she gave the message plainly.
"That will save a great deal of trouble," said the king. "Tell her thatI am glad to hear it. She says this of her own accord, and not at youradvice?"
"She told me before I had heard a word of what the trouble was betweenyou. It was no word of mine."
"I am glad of it. But I will say that I am somewhat surprised."
And that was true, for this message seemed to Alsi to be nothing more orless than that Goldberga would marry his man. When he thought for amoment, however, he saw that it could not be thus; and also, it wasplain to him what the poor girl had in her mind. And now he chuckled tothink what a weapon he had against her. Nor would he be slow to use it.
Then the nurse said that he need have no surprise, for Goldberga wasever gentle and willing to be led, though sometimes the pride of herrace came uppermost for a time. And then she asked if a certain priestof the faith might come and speak with her.
Now, Alsi knew that only one could be meant--namely, the hermit whobided at Cabourn. He had heard of him often, and would not suffer him tobe hurt, for his sister Orwenna had protected him. The heathen Englishminded him not at all by this time, for he was the best leech in theland, and so useful to them. So Alsi said pleasantly that he was quitewilling that the priest should come, deeming that he was at Cabourn, andthat it would be a day or two before he would be brought.
So he called the housecarl from outside the door, and when he came hesaid, "Pass the word that when one who calls himself David comes andasks for the princess, he is to be admitted to her."
So that was made easy, and the nurse thanked him and withdrew; and whenhe was alone, Alsi grinned evilly and rubbed his hands.
"Now is East Anglia mine in truth," he said; and with that he bade thehousecarl fetch Curan, the cook's porter, to him. And then he sent oneto Ragnar with such a message that he rode out that night and away toNorwich.
CHAPTER XV. THE FORTUNE OF CURAN THE PORTER.
While the nurse told Withelm to fetch the priest when Alsi was in thehall that evening, the housecarl came for Havelok; and much wondering,he followed the man to the king, and presently stood before him and saluted.
"Where did you get that salute?" said Alsi sharply, seeing at once thatit was not English; and, indeed, it was that of Gunnar's courtmen.
"I cannot tell," answered my brother. "It seems to be there when needed."
"Well, it is not that used here. Get the housecarls to teach you bettermanners."
Then Havelok bowed a little, in token that he would do so; and when Alsispoke to him next it was in Welsh.
"You are a marshman, as I hear?"
Now Havelok had learned fairly well from the poor folk who loved him,but carelessly, so that when he answered Alsi frowned at his way ofspeaking.
"I am from the marsh," he said simply.
"We had better get back to English!" the king said; "you people forgetyour own tongue. Now, are you married?"
Thereat Havelok laughed lightly.
"That I am not," he answered.
"Well, then, if I find you a fair wife, you would be willing, doubtless?"
"That I should not," answered Havelok bluntly, and w
ondering what thiscrafty-looking king was driving at. "What could I do with a wife? For Ihave neither house nor goods, nor where to take her, nor withal to keepher; else had I not been the cook's knave."
"It would seem that you carry all your fortune on your back, therefore,"said Alsi, looking at Havelok's gay attire with somewhat of a sneer.
"That may well be, King Alsi, for even these clothes are not my own.Berthun gave them me, and I think that they come from yourself."
Alsi grinned, for Eglaf's saying of him was not so far wrong; but he hadmore serious business on hand than to talk of these things with a churl.
"Now, if I bid you, it is your part to obey. I have a wife for you, andher you shall wed."
"There are two words to that, King Alsi. Neither will I wed against mywill, nor will I wed one who is unwilling."
"As to that first," said the king, for he began to be angered withHavelok's boldness, "if a man will not do my bidding, I have dungeonswhere he can have time to think things over, and men who can keep himthere, be he never so mighty; and if a man will not see with my eyeswhen I bid him, blinded shall he be."
This he said somewhat hurriedly, for a dark flush came on the face ofthe man before him, and he thought that he must try some other plan thanforce with him.
"And as for that other point, I did not so much as hint that the bridewas likely to be unwilling. I will say that she is willing, rather."
Now that troubled Havelok, for it seemed that all was arranged already,and the thought of the dungeon was