st bring me of that
water to drink, for this morning men have forgotten the mead of the
reapers!"

Then Elfric arose, and Thiodolf sat in his chair, and leaned back his
head; but Elfric looked at him for a moment as one scared, and then ran
his ways down the hall, which now was growing noisy with the hurry and
bustle of the quenchers of the fire, to whom had divers others joined
themselves.

There then from a bucket which was still for a moment he filled a wooden
bowl, which he caught up from the base of one of the hall-pillars, and
hastened up the Hall again; and there was no man nigh the dais, and
Thiodolf yet sat in his chair, and the hall was dim with the rolling
smoke, and Elfric saw not well what the War-duke was doing. So he
hastened on, and when he was close to Thiodolf he trod in something wet,
and his heart sank for he knew that it was blood; his foot slipped
therewith and as he put out his hand to save himself the more part of the
water was spilled, and mingled with the blood. But he went up to
Thiodolf and said to him, "Drink, War-duke! here hath come a mouthful of
water."

But Thiodolf moved not for his word, and Elfric touched him, and he moved
none the more.

Then Elfric's heart failed him and he laid his hand on the War-duke's
hand, and looked closely into his face; and the hand was cold and the
face ashen-pale; and Elfric laid his hand on his side, and he felt the
short-sword of the Roman leader thrust deep therein, besides his many
other hurts.

So Elfric knew that he was dead, and he cast the bowl to the earth, and
lifted up his hands and wailed out aloud, like a woman who hath come
suddenly on her dead child, and cried out in a great voice:

"Hither, hither, O men in this hall, for the War-duke of the Markmen is
dead! O ye people, Hearken! Thiodolf the Mighty, the Wolfing is dead!"

And he was a young man, and weak with the binding and the waiting for
death, and he bowed himself adown and crouched on the ground and wept
aloud.

But even as he cried that cry, the sunlight outside the Man's-door was
darkened, and the Hall-Sun came over the threshold in her ancient gold-
embroidered raiment, holding in her hand her namesake the wondrous Lamp;
and the spears and the war-gear of warriors gleamed behind her; but the
men tarried on the threshold till she turned about and beckoned to them,
and then they poured in through the Man's-door, their war-gear rent and
they all befouled and disarrayed