k of steel or the glint
of armour had bidden the poor folk fly in terror, so that one rode
through silent and deserted villages, and past farms where nought
but the dogs told of life about the place. And that was what I had
seen over all England since Swein of Denmark landed, so long ago.
Men will hardly believe it now. Relf could hardly believe us as we
told him. Yet today, were I to ride into an East Saxon village
shouting "The Danes!" there are men who would cast down tools and
all else that they were busied with, and clutch at the weapons that
rust on the wall before thought could come to them. For the terror
of these years cannot pass from England yet while any man is alive
who knew it.

Now there was another pleasure for me, and that was to watch Uldra
growing brighter and happier day by day. It was wonderful to me to
see this, and with me she was ever frank and open, never wearying
of speaking of our former journey and its troubles, for we could
smile at them now. And Relf grew very fond of her in those few
days, as one might see. Nor do I know how anyone could help doing
so. Even the rough housecarles would watch for a chance of doing
some little service for her.

And yet, as I have said, Uldra was not the fairest maiden that I
had seen. Men are apt to think that the fairest must ever be the
best, and a man learns that it is not so only by degrees, maybe.
And when I looked on Uldra's face it began to seem to me the best
that could be, and ever to me it would seem that I knew it well.
For some look of hers that should be new to me was not new--I had
expected it in some way, and should have wondered not to see it
cross her face. And so in gesture and in word also. So that she
seemed already well known to me, and why this was I could not say,
and at times it troubled me as puzzling things will. But, all the
same, I loved to find myself so puzzled.

Thus, by the time we came over the great spur of the Downs that
ends in Beachy Head, and looked over all Pevensea level to the
Penhurst woods and hills beyond, I and Uldra were very good
friends, and Relf was pleased that it should be so, and rode
between us in high content.

It was midday when we passed the last hill of the Downs where the
mighty giant lies like a shadow on the grass by Wilmington; then we
saw the gray castle where Wulfnoth bided, away to our right; and
then along the steep ridge inland and down to Boreham, where I must
tell the maiden of the gre