n that followed.

"How to the Earl's loss?" asked Vebba.

"Why, simple thegn," answered Godrith, "why, suppose that Edward had
refused to acknowledge the Atheling as his heir, suppose the Atheling had
remained in the German court, and our good King died suddenly,--who,
thinkest thou, could succeed to the English throne?"

"Marry, I have never thought of that at all," said the Kent man,
scratching his head.

"No, nor have the English generally; yet whom could we choose but
Harold?"

A sudden start from one of the listeners was checked by the warning
finger of the other; and the Kent man exclaimed:

"Body o' me! But we have never chosen king (save the Danes) out of the
line of Cerdic. These be new cranks, with a vengeance; we shall be
choosing German, or Saracen, or Norman next!"

"Out of the line of Cerdic! but that line is gone, root and branch, save
the Atheling, and he thou seest is more German than English. Again I say,
failing the Atheling, whom could we choose but Harold, brother-in-law to
the King: descended through Githa from the royalties of the Norse, the
head of all armies under the Herr-ban, the chief who has never fought
without victory, yet who has always preferred conciliation to
conquest--the first counsellor in the Witan--the first man in the
realm--who but Harold? answer me, staring Vebba?"

"I take in thy words slowly," said the Kent man, shaking his head, "and
after all, it matters little who is king, so he be a good one. Yes, I see
now that the Earl was a just and generous man when he made the King send
for the Atheling. Drink-hael! long life to them both!"

"Was-hael," answered Godrith, draining his hippocras to Vebba's more
potent ale. "Long life to them both! may Edward the Atheling reign, but
Harold the Earl rule! Ah, then, indeed, we may sleep without fear of
fierce Algar and still fiercer Gryffyth the Walloon--who now, it is true,
are stilled for the moment, thanks to Harold--but not more still than the
smooth waters in Gwyned, that lie just above the rush of a torrent."

"So little news hear I," said Vebba, "and in Kent so little are we
plagued with the troubles elsewhere, (for there Harold governs us, and
the hawks come not where the eagles hold eyrie!)--that I will thank thee
to tell me something about our old Earl for a year [144], Algar the
restless, and this Gryffyth the Welch King, so that I may seem a wise man
when I go back to my homestead."

"Why, thou knowest at lea