urely in the cells!"

Then for a moment they thought Grendel had indeed come, such power has
verse like this in the mouth of a good reader, and they started up, one
and all.

And the reader saw who it was, and that there was no hiding the book
from him, so they stood agape and terrified, for by this time the good
man had managed to look mighty stern.

"Good Father," said I, seeing that someone must needs speak, "I am but a
fighting man, and the brothers were considering my weakness."

"H'm," said the sub-prior, seeming in great wrath. "Is there no fighting
to be read from Holy Writ that you must take these pagan vanities from
where you ought not? Go to! Yet, by reason of your care for the bishop's
thane, your penance shall be light now and not heavy hereafter. Brother
Guthlac shall read aloud in refectory today the story of David and
Goliath, and you brother," pointing to one, "that of Ahab at Ramoth, and
you, of Joshua at Jericho," and so he went on till each had a chapter of
war assigned him, and I thought it an easy penance.

"But," he added, "and until all these are read, your meals shall be
untasted before you."

Then the brothers looked at one another, for it was certain that all
this reading would last till the meal must be left for vespers.

Then the sub-prior bade the reader take back the book and go to his own
cell, and beckoning me, we passed out and left the brothers in much
dismay, not knowing what should befall them from the abbot when he heard.

So I ventured to tell the sub-prior how this came about, and he smiled,
saying that he should not tell Tatwine the Abbot, for the brothers were
seldom in much fault, and that maybe it was laudable to search even
pagan books for the manners of fiends, seeing that forewarned was
forearmed.

Then he said that surely he wished (but this I need tell none else) that
he had been there in my place to hear Guthlac read it. Also that he was
minded to make the old rhyme more Christian-like, if he could, writing
parts of it afresh. And this he has done since, so that any man may read
it; but it is not so good as the old one [ix].

Now we came to the bishop's chamber, and he went in, calling me after
him in a minute or so. I could hear Ealhstan's voice and that of another
as I waited outside.

The other was Eanulf the Ealdorman, and as I entered he rose up and
faced me.

"So, Heregar," he said, "you are bishop's man now, and out of my power.
I am glad of it," an