Anlaf, sleepest thou?"

Now he sat up, and beheld, or thought he beheld, a figure of one
clothed in the attire of a minstrel, in the centre of the chamber.

"Art thou yet in the flesh like me?" he cried, repressing a shudder.

"Even so, a being of like mould, subject to pain and death."

"A prisoner, then; art doomed to die?"

"No prisoner, neither art thou, if thou willest to escape."

"Thou art the gleeman who insulted Sweyn."

"Nay, who told the brutal tyrant the truth."

"And what doest thou here?"

"I am come to deliver thee."

"But how?"

"Rise up, cast on your garments."

Hardly knowing what he did, Alfgar obeyed, and when he stood face to
face with the stranger, began to lose the uneasy impression that the
being who addressed him was otherwise than mortal; for he saw by the
light of the lamp that the gleeman bore all the attributes of a living
man.

"How came you here?"

"Because I know the secrets of the prison house--knew them before the
Danes had murdered the once happy dwellers in this garden of England,
which they have made a howling wilderness; hence I escaped the wrath
of the furious parricide, whom the saints destroy, with ease, and
laughed in security at their vain efforts to take me; but we must
waste no time; it yet wants five hours to daybreak; within those five
hours we must reach the opposite shore."

"But tell me, I cannot understand, why hast thou braved the wrath of
Sweyn? why hast thou cared for me?"

"All in good time, follow me now, I bid thee by the memory of
Aescendune."

"Aescendune! surely I dream."

"Yes, of Aescendune. I have heard that thou art thence. Now waste no
more time."

More and more mystified, for he had never to his knowledge seen the
speaker before, Alfgar gazed at the gleeman.

He appeared of noble air and mien, but was evidently but a young man;
he was somewhat above the average height, and looked as though he
could wield the sword as well as the harp. But how were they to
escape?

Alfgar was not left long in doubt. The stranger took up the lamp and
walked to the farthest recess of the dungeon, where, concealed amongst
the rude carvings with which the builders had ornamented the wall, was
a rose carved in stone. The gleeman pressed it sharply, and a hidden
door sprang open, revealing a winding staircase excavated in the solid
wall.

"Upwards it leads to the banqueting hall, and you can comprehend my
escape this evening," said he; "but our pa