goodness to the poor folk, and of their love to her; and presently,when she grew more sure of the kindness and seeming wisdom of thepriest, she told him all her dream, adding no thoughts of her own, asshe mistrusted them.
Then said David, "There seems naught but good in this, and it is nothard to unravel. I think that all shall come to pass even as it was toldyou."
"I feared the heathen ways of the place, and thought that it might besome snare of the old gods," said Goldberga.
But David told her that they could have no power on her, and asked herif the king knew of the vision, that being one thing of which he was notsure; and when he found that he did not, the whole affair seemed morestrange than before.
But now the princess asked him, "Plain were the words that I heard, hutwhat meant the light as of a sunbeam that came from the mouth of the manof the vision?"
"That surely means that in word and in heart and in all else the manshall be kingly altogether, so that there shall be no mistaking thesame; and it may also mean that you shall know the man at once when yousee him."
At that Goldberga grew pale and red by turns, so that David, quick toread the thoughts of those who came to him for help, asked if she hadseen anyone who she thought must be meant, not at all knowing that shemust needs say that this was Curan.
Not at all willingly did she tell him this; but she did so, adding atlast that Alsi had threatened to wed her to this man.
Now it was plain to David that all was pulling the same way, for surelyAlsi wrought, unknowing, for the fulfilling of the dream; and all seemedto prove that Havelok was the son of the Danish king, and that he wouldwin back his kingdom. Then he found out that the princess had noknowledge that the king had spoken to Havelok, but it did not seem to beneedful that he should tell her that he had done so. That would be toldby Alsi himself if he meant, as seemed certain, to carry out his threat.So he thought awhile, and at last he saw what he might do without sayinganything to bend the choice of the princess in any way.
"It will soon be plain in what way the dream shall be fulfilled," hesaid; "and this is certain, that you shall be wedded to none but theright man, else had it not been sent. Have no fear, therefore, even asit was bidden you."
Then the princess said that the only thing which troubled her was thefear lest Alsi should yet force her to wed this one who was so like himshe had seen in her dream.
"That," said the priest, "is doubtless the most strange part of thewhole matter, yet I think that even thus there need be no fear. I willtell you now that I know this one who is called Curan well, and I, andall who know him, love him. Truly he is not a Christian, but he is nohater of the faith, and that is much in these days. Nor is he a churl,but rather one of the most noble of men. It is certain that, whateverAlsi might wish, he would not wed you against your will. He has but toknow your thoughts in order to help you in any way. But I must also tellyou this, that he is a Dane, who fled from his land when he was a child;and it is thought that he is the son of the Danish king, who was slainat the time when Mord, your servant, fled also. He came to England inthe same ship as did Mord, who can tell you more of him. It is certainthat there is a secret about his birth, and the one who knows thatsecret is not far off. If need is, we can learn it, for there was a settime for its telling, and maybe this is it. Now, if it is true that heis the son of the Danish king, it does seem as if your dream might bebidding you to have no fear of what seems doubtful in the matter, thoughI cannot tell, and do not like to say so for certain. His name is notCuran, but Havelok."
Then Goldberga said, "I have heard of that flight and of the wreck fromMord often. He was wont to tell me of the child, and of the lady who wasdrowned, and he said that he thought him the king's son."
After that she was greatly cheered, for the worst of the trouble seemedto be over and gone. It was in her mind now that Alsi knew who Havelokwas, and that he tried her, for she was not one to think ill of any.
So she let the priest go, with many thanks, saying, "Now I know thatwhatever happens is the will of Heaven, and must be for the best. I amready for whatever shall befall."
Now I do not know what had seemed good to Alsi, for he had changed hismind concerning David's visit to Goldberga, and had suddenly givenorders that if he came he was to be put in ward at once. So Mord met theold man as he left the chamber, and told him that he must fly; and afterthat Withelm took him away in the dusk, for none hindered his going, andwent to the widow's with him, hearing all that had been said; and thatwhich they thought was even as Goldberga had said, that all must needsbe for the best. In a day or two all would he plain, for Arngeir wouldhave come. So Withelm sent forth the old man to his own place with agood store of food, going with him for some miles, and promising himhelp for coming days until the dearth was ended.
Now into the palace none might come after the feast was set; and allthis time I was on guard, for there were double posts round the place,by reason of Alsi's fear of the attackers of the princess, as was said.So it happened that neither of us saw Havelok until next morning; andnow I have to tell how we saw him, and what happened with the firstsunlight, when men were thinking of breaking their fast.
We of the housecarls took that first meal of the day in the great hall--so many of us, that is, who were not on duty; and when we had nighfinished, Alsi would come in and seat himself on the high place, whereEglaf and half a dozen other thanes sat also at times when there was nospecial state to be kept.
I was early this morning, having just taken my spell of watching at thegate, and being, therefore, free for the rest of the day, and I washungry with the sweet air of the July weather and the freshness thatcomes with sunrise. So I was not altogether pleased to see that therewas seemingly some new affair of state on hand, while the breakfast wasnot yet set out by reason of preparations that were going on where theking's chair was wont to stand. There was Berthun, looking puzzled andby no means pleased, and his men were busy setting out benches on thehigh place, of a sort that were not those that were wont to be there, inthree sides of a square, the open side facing the hall. One bench madeeach side, and all three were carved from back rail to clawed feetwondrously. Old they seemed also. Then, too, instead of the sweet sedgesthat strewed the high place, men had spread a cloth of bright huesunderfoot there, and the sedges had been swept among the rushes of thelower places. All this was so strange that I went forward, and when Ihad a chance I asked the steward what was on hand.
"If you know not, master housecarl, no more do I. 'Justice to be done,'says the king, and so I suppose that you have some notable prisoner inward--maybe the leader of those villains who scared our fair princess."
"But we had taken no man, and I will say that we had wondered that wehad not been sent out to hunt those people, instead of biding to see ifthey came to trouble us here."
"Why, then," said Berthun, "some thane must be bringing a captiveshortly. But why Alsi orders these benches, it passes me to make out.They are those that have been used for the weddings of his kin since thedays of Hengist. Last time was when Orwenna, his sister, weddedEthelwald of Norfolk. Maybe he thinks that they need airing."
He laughed and went on directing his men; but knowing what I knew, Iwondered what it all might mean, for there was one wedding that I couldnot help thinking of.
Presently the hall began to fill as men came in, and every one hadsomewhat to say, and all marvelled at this that was going on. ThenBerthun came and beckoned to me, for I must fetch Eglaf the captain atonce, as the king had need of him, in haste. Then Eglaf hurried to thehall; and after a word or two with Alsi, the horns were blown outsidethe hall door to call every man of the guard to the place. And when theycame, we were all set round the wall as if guarding all that were in it.But there were none but the folk of the palace to guard, and they werewondering as were we; and when that was done, and the click and rattleof arms as we moved to our places was ended, there was a silence on all--the silence of men who wait for somewhat to happen.
Now Berthun went to the door on the high pla
ce, as he was wont when allwas ready for the king's presence, and the hush deepened, none knowingwhat they expected to see.
Forth came Berthun backward, as was the custom, and he turned aside tolet the king pass him. His face was red and angry, as I thought, butamazed also. I was standing next to Eglaf, and he was at the foot of thedais, at the end of his line of men, so that I could see all plainly.
Then came Alsi, leading the princess, and after Goldberga came hernurse. No other ladies were with her; and now I noticed that there wasnot one thane on the high place, which was strange, and the first timethat such a thing had been since I came here. I looked down the hall,and none were present. Now I looked at Alsi; and on his pale face was asmile that might have been as of one who will be glad, though he doesnot feel so. But the eyes of the princess were bright with tears, andhardly did she look from the floor. Hers was a