re is a strange affair with a vengeance. Neither head
nor tail can I make of it. But if all we think is right, this is the
marriage for the son of Gunnar."

"Son of Gunnar, or son of Grim," said Withelm, "princess or not, happy
is the maiden who gains Havelok for a husband. Maybe her woman's wit has
told her so. She will have many suitors whom she knows to be seeking her
throne only, and to him she gives it as a gift unsought."

"That is all beyond me," I said; "but he would fill a throne well. But
his own modesty in the matter of his worthiness is likely to stand in
the way. Why should we not tell him all that we know? Then he will feel
that he is doing no wrong."

"Because we are not sure, and because it is not for us to choose the
time. I have sent for Arngeir this morning, as we said would be well
last night. If the princess is unwilling, there are many things that may
be said; and if not, there must be many days before the wedding; and,
ere the day, Havelok may feel that he is her equal in birth at least, if
we are not wrong. But since I have waited here, Mord has told me the
dream that has troubled the princess, that I may tell the priest, so
that he can think it over. She has dreamed that she is to wed a man who
shall be king both in Denmark and England, and she saw the man,
moreover. Strangely like Havelok's dream is that. Now what else made her
turn faint but that this vision was like Havelok? And does not that make
it possible that she wishes to wed him? Therefore I am going to tell the
priest the story of Havelok, so far as I know it."

"Well thought of. Tell him this also, for now I may surely tell you what
you have not yet heard thereof."

So I told him how Grim and I had taken Havelok from Hodulf, and then he
was the more certain that we had saved the son of our king.

Now we thought that we had got to the bottom of the whole matter of the
wedding. Of course the dream had all to do with the fainting, but
nothing to do with the supposed wish. But we did not know that.

"Speak not of Gunnar by name, however," I said; "he was a terror to
Christian folk. The priest is likely to hinder the marriage with all his
might else."

Withelm flushed as he had when he first spoke of the priest to me.

"I think not, brother; for he knows Havelok well, and loves him."

"So," said I shortly, "he hopes to make him a Christian, doubtless."

"I think that he will do so, if he has a Christian wife to help."

"That