awaited the summons of the king. Across the upper end of the room was a
raised dais, and in the centre of this was a wide chair capable of
holding three persons. The back and sides were high and richly carved.
A table supported by four carved and gilded legs stood before it. Two
persons were seated in the chair.

One was a man of three or four and twenty, the other was his junior by
some two years. Both wore light crowns of gold somewhat different in
their fashion. Before the younger was a parchment, an inkhorn, and
pens. King Ethelred was a man of a pleasant face, but marked by care
and by long vigils and rigorous fastings. Alfred was a singularly
handsome young prince, with an earnest and intellectual face. Both had
their faces shaven smooth. Ethelred wore his hair parted in the middle,
and falling low on each side of the face, but Alfred's was closely cut.
On the table near the younger brother stood a silver harp.

Edmund looked with great curiosity and interest on the young prince,
who was famous throughout England for his great learning, his wisdom,
and sweetness of temper. Although the youngest of the king's brothers,
he had always been regarded as the future King of England, and had his
father survived until he reached the age of manhood, he would probably
have succeeded directly to the throne. The law of primogeniture was by
no means strictly observed among the Saxons, a younger brother of
marked ability or of distinguished prowess in war being often chosen by
a father to succeed him in place of his elder brothers.

Alfred had been his father's favourite son. He had when a child been
consecrated by the pope as future King of England; and his two journeys
to Rome, and his residence at the court of the Frankish king had, with
his own great learning and study, given him a high prestige and
reputation among his people as one learned in the ways of the world.
Although but a prince, his authority in the kingdom nearly equalled
that of his brother, and it was he rather than Ethelred whom men
regarded as the prop and stay of the Saxons in the perils which were
now threatening them.

One after another, persons advanced to the table and laid their
complaints before the king; in cases of dispute both parties were
present and were often accompanied by witnesses. Ethelred and Alfred
listened attentively to all that was said on both sides, and then gave
their judgment. An hour passed, and then seeing that no one else
app