se into the king's own hand," and so stepped past him, holding
out the letters to Ethelwulf.

And at that the atheling laughed outright, which was strange to me in
the king's presence, saying, "Not so far wrong, standard bearer, if not
very polite;" and so stepped back to his place, still laughing.

But Ethelwulf did not notice this, having taken the letters eagerly from
me, and broken open the first that came.

Now when he had read the first few lines, he looked up, and reading from
the letter, which doubtless told him the names of the bearers--
"Heregar I know," he said; "which is Wulfhere?"

Then Wulfhere bowed, and the king asked for Wislac and Aldhelm, and then
for each of the men in turn. And when each had answered, he looked hard
at us, still holding the letter open, but saying nothing, and then fell
to reading again. So we must stand still till all those letters were read.

Presently he took one, and reading the outside, gave it to the atheling,
saying it was to him, and went on reading. That the atheling took, and
as he read, looked at us, and it seemed particularly at me, though I
thought nothing of that.

At last the king finished, and turned to a tall, noble-looking warrior
who stood very near the dais, bidding him treat us with all honour, and
see to our lodging near him while we were at court. Shortly, he said, he
would speak to us of all we could tell him.

Then he held out his ungloved hand to us, which the atheling made a
smiling sign for me to kiss, and that we all did, and then he looked
pleasantly at us, and went his way from the hall, followed by his close
attendants, with the queen and the atheling.

So soon as the king was gone, the talk began all over the hall, and most
of all they crowded round us to learn what we could tell them; but that
tall thane, whose name was Ceorle, came and took us away, telling the
rest jestingly that they should have the second telling of the news, but
that the king must have the first. And so he took us to guest chambers
in his own house, and there left us in charge of his steward, treating
us four thanes with all honour, and our men, as became their standing,
among his own best men.

At least, this last was but for a short time, for the lay brethren came
to me, looking oddly at me, and saying that they were in a strait; for,
being lay brethren first, and warriors after, they knew not how to join
in the talk and idle jests of the servants and housecarles. Mo