is was the King of all England.

"No," I answered; "though, indeed, he is the only king we know
aught of. This is Eadmund of East Anglia."

"You know him well, as one may see by his way with you," said the
jarl.

"Surely, for he is my father's close friend. They were comrades
together in King Offa's court until the old king laid down his
crown and gave the kingdom into Eadmund's hands; and they are the
same to each other now as ever. He is my godfather; and I was in
his court till I was eighteen. Moreover, I am one of his armour
bearers yet when need is."

So I spoke plainly enough, for I think that I had, and ever shall
have, reason to be proud of our nearness to the king, of whom no
man had but good to say since he, almost as a boy, came to the
throne.

"So then it seems that fate has brought me to court," said the
Dane.

"Yes, in a way," I told him; "for the king will ever bide with us
when he would visit this side of his kingdom."

"I think that I have seen this king before," said Lodbrok
presently; "for he is a man the like of whom one sees not twice."

"Then," said I, "he will surely remember you, for he never forgets
one whom he has had reason to notice."

Whereat the jarl laughed a little to himself; but I had no time to
ask why, for now we were come to the great door; and when my father
would have let the king go in first Eadmund laughed at him, and
took his arm and drew him in with him, so that there was a little
delay, and we drew close.

Very bright and welcome looked the great oaken hall as we came in
from the dark, rainy night. A great fire burnt on its stone hearth
in the centre, and the long tables were already set above and below
it. The bright arms and shields on the walls shone below the heads
of deer and wolf and boar, and the gust of wind that came in with
us flew round the wall, making a sort of ripple of changing colour
run along the bright woven stuffs that covered them to more than a
man's height from the floor. No one in all East Anglia had so well
dight a hall as had Elfric, the rich Thane of Reedham.

Well used was I to all this, but never seemed it more homelike to
me than when I came in fresh from the the cold, gray sea.

And now there stood on the high place to welcome us those whose
presence made the place yet more beautiful to me--my mother, and
Eadgyth my sister, and beside them were Bishop Humbert, our own
bishop, and many thanes of the court, and some of the bishop's