w; but that might not be. And I knew not then
why he thus spoke, unless he had known and loved my father.

So I stood before those two judges and looked them in the face; and then
one moved uneasily in his seat to their left, and my eyes were drawn to
him. It was Matelgar, and, as I saw him, I smiled for I thought him a
friend at least; but he looked not at me. Then from him I turned to seek
the face of some other whom I might know. And I saw thanes, friends of
my father, whom I had not cared to seek; and of these some frowned on
me, but some looked pityingly, as I thought, though it was but for a
moment that my eyes might leave the faces of those two judges before me.

Now, were it not that when I go over what followed my heart still rises
up again in a wrath and mad bitterness that I fain would feel no more, I
would tell all of that trial, if trial one could call it, where there
was none to speak for the accused, and every word was against him.

And in that trial I myself took little part by word or motion, standing
there and listening as though the words spoken of me concerned another,
as indeed, they might well have done.

But first Eanulf spoke to me, bending his brows as he did so, and
frowning on me.

"Heregar, son of Herewulf the Thane, you are accused by honourable men
of speaking evil of our Lord the King, Ethelwulf. What answer have you
to make to this charge? And, moreover, you are further charged with
conspiring against him--can you answer to that charge?"

Then I was about to make loud and angry denial of these accusations, but
that old guard of mine, who yet held my shoulder, gripped it tightly,
and I remembered his words, so that in a flash it came to me that an
innocent man need but deny frankly, as one who has no fear, and I looked
Eanulf in the face and answered him.

"Neither of these charges are true, noble Eanulf; nor know I why they
are brought against me, or by whom. Let them speak--there are those
here who will answer for my loyalty."

Now, as I spoke thus quietly, Eanulf's brows relaxed, and I saw, too,
that the bishop looked more kindly on me. Eanulf spoke again.

"Know you not by whom these charges are brought?"

"Truly, I know not, Lord Eanulf," I answered, "for no man may say these
things of me, save he lies."

"Have you enemies?" he asked.

"None known to me," I told him truthfully, for I had, as my father,
lived at peace with all.

"Then is the testimony of those against yo