hing that he had not
seen, as he was so sick at the time. I said that I remembered Mord well,
and would seek him some time in the day.

And as I said this I was thinking that I must find out from Mord whether
he knew and had told more than I could of who Havelok was and whence he
came to us. It seemed to me that the earl had heard some tale or other,
and unless it was from him I could not think from whence.

Now the earl said, "This business has ended better than I could have
hoped, and I think that Alsi will not hear of it. Griffin can well
account for a slipped shoulder by any sort of fall that he likes to own
to, and Alsi would be hardly pleased to hear that he had run the risk of
setting all Norfolk against him for nothing after all."

"There is no doubt that he meant you to know that he does not consider
the quarrel done with," I said. "You have an enemy there."

"Nothing new, that," answered Ragnar, laughing. "He thinks that I stand
in his way with the princess. I suppose it is common talk that if he
wedded her Alsi would still hold the East Anglian kingdom, making him
ealdorman, if only I were out of the way. But were I to wed the lady,
then it is certain that she would take the crown at once. I do not mean
to do so, for then it is likely that three people would be unhappy for
the rest of their days. But that would be less wretched for her than to
wed Griffin."

"This is no pleasant strait for the poor lady," said Havelok grimly. "Do
none ask what she herself can wish?"

"That is the trouble," said the earl, "for she is in Alsi's hand, and
there is some old promise and oath sworn between him and Ethelwald her
father that holds him back. Else had she been wedded to Griffin before now."

Then we came to the widow's house, and Havelok left his arms there, and
we went on to the marketplace. As we crossed the bridge we saw that
there was something going forward, for there was a gathering in the wide
space, and a shouting and cheering now and then, and even Berthun
himself was there looking on and seeming to be highly entertained.

"Here is a crowd that I will not face just now, in my arms," said the
earl; "for this hole in my shield looks bad, not having been there when
I went out. Farewell for the time, therefore, and think of what I said
about your coming to Norwich with me."

He turned away therefore, and Havelok looked after him for a moment. The
shield hung at his back, plain to be seen.

"It is a hole