they cried; and one--he who knew me
at Cannington after the first fight--added:

"Aye, Thane, you made us strong again on the hill the other day--
blaming us rightly. Praise us now if that may be."

Then I cast about for what to say, not being a great hand at speaking,
though maybe, when real occasion is, the words have come fast enough.
Howbeit, this was in coolness. But I knew that they were worthy of
praise, so I said:

"Well have ye done, every man of you, even as I knew ye would when once
ye turned to bay. And if the Danes come again, as I think they will not
speedily, fight as ye fought at Stert, and there will be victory again."

Then they cheered and shouted again, louder than before; and I made to
leap down, but they would not suffer me.

Then said I: "Let me go, for I have an errand."

Whereupon the men who held the shield, and could hear me amid the
slackening uproar, asked where I would go, and being dazed by the noise
and tumult, like an owl in daylight, I must needs answer, without
thinking; "To the great nunnery."

And the end of that foolishness was that they bore me thither, for it
was not far, with a great crowd of all sorts following and shouting. And
there must I stand with all that tail after me while they beat on the
gates in such sort that the poor nuns must have thought the Danes at
their doorstep.

But I held up my hand for silence, not thinking it would come; but as it
were by nature longing for it. And instantly all the crowd was hushed,
and that surprised me, though when I told Wulfhere thereof he said it
was no wonder.

Seeing which I begged them all to go away and not scare the holy women,
who were used to quiet in the place. And then I remembered the honour
the honest warriors had meant this for, and thanked them, bidding them
make allowances for my being put out at first.

Then took they off their helms and shouted thrice; and then fled
rapidly, for the gates opened behind me, and there was the abbess
herself, with her cheeks red, and her eyes burning bright in anger, as I
thought, while behind her peeped all her nuns at the crowded street, and
at myself standing shamefaced on the steps, doffing my helm as I saw her.

But instead of being angry, she held out both her hands, and spoke
kindly, saying; "Never has our quiet place heard such clamour before;
but we women will not be behind the men in welcoming Heregar;" and so
she bade the nuns come forward, laying her hands on my