s of enemies and of letting go of vengeance. Are these
things nought, or are they indeed those by which you guide
yourselves, as Neot says?"

He was silent, gazing fixedly on me; and all the Witan were
speechless, listening.

"These men are enemies maybe, but they at least have done nought.
Shall you avenge yourself on them for the wrongdoing of others?"

Then the king's face changed, and he looked past me, and in his
eyes grew and shone a wondrous light, and slowly he lifted up his
hand, and cried, in a great voice that seemed full of joy:

"Hear this, O ye Danes and foes of the Cross. For the love of
Christ, and in His name, I bid you go in peace!"

And then, as they stared at him in wonder and awe at his look and
words, Alfred said to me:

"Unbind them, my brother, and let them go--nay, see them safely to
some strong house; for the poor folk may slay them in their blind
anger, even as would I have done."

Then no man hindered me--for it seemed as if a great fear, as of
the might of the holy name, had fallen on all--and I went and cut
the bonds of the captives. And as I did so, Osmund said in a low
voice to me:

"First daughter and then father. We owe our lives to you."

"Nay," I answered, "but to the Christians' faith."

Then I hurried them out before news of what was on hand could get
among the townsfolk, and we went quickly to my lodgings; for that
was a strong house enough, and could be barred in such wise that
even if any tried to attack the place in the flight that would
begin directly, it would take too long to break the doors down to
be safe with the host at hand.

Then came Heregar, armed and mounted, with a single man behind him,
and he called for me.

"Ride out with me, King Ranald, for we must count these Danes, and
see that we are not overrating their number. After that we will
join the king, who goes to Glastonbury."

So I bade farewell to Osmund and to Thora, who said nought, but
looked very wistfully, as if she would say words of thanks but
could not; and at that I went quickly, for it seemed hard to leave
her, in some way that was not clear to me, amid all the turmoil of
the place.

But when we were on the road, Heregar said to me:

"It is in my mind that Osmund, your friend, will fare ill among
these Danes. They will hear how he rode back, and will hold that by
his means the king escaped."

"What can be done?"

"The man is one of a thousand, as it seems to me. Let us bid him