, I was wanted.

Ragnar went in, saying to me that he would find me out again presently;
and I saw him walk across the great hall to the hearth, and stand there
while Berthun went to the king's presence to tell him of the new
arrival. Then I stood for a minute to look at the horse, for the grooms
had had no orders to take him away; and mindful of Eglaf's word to me, I
was going to tell them to do so, and to see it done, when Berthun came
hurriedly and called me.

"Master Housecarl," he said rather breathlessly, "by the king's order
you are to come within the hall and guard the doorway."

I shouldered my spear and followed him, and as we were out of hearing of
the grooms I said that the captain had ordered me to take the horse to
the stables.

"I will see to that," he said. "Now you are to bide at the door while
the king speaks with Earl Ragnar, for there will be none else present.
Let no one pass in without the king's leave."

We passed through the great door as he said that, and he closed it after
him. Ragnar was yet standing near the high seat, and turned as he heard
the sound, and smiled when he saw me. Berthun went quickly away through
a side entrance, and the hail was empty save for us two. The midday meal
was over an hour since, and the long tables had been cleared away, so
that the place seemed desolate to me, as I had only seen it before when
I sat with the other men at the cross tables for meals. It was not so
good a hall as was Jarl Sigurd's in Denmark, for it was not rich with
carving and colour as was his, and the arms on the wall were few, and
the hangings might have been brighter and better in a king's place.

"Our king does not seem to keep much state," Ragnar said, looking round
as I was looking, and we both laughed.

Then the door on the high place opened, and the king came in, soberly
dressed, and with a smile on his face which seemed to me to have been
made on purpose for this greeting, for he mostly looked sour enough. Nor
did it seem that his eyes had any pleasure in them.

"Welcome, kinsman," he said, seeming hearty enough, however; "I had
looked for you before this. What news from our good town of Norwich?"

He held out his hand to Ragnar, who took it frankly, and his strong grip
twisted the king's set smile into a grin of pain for a moment.

"All was well there three weeks ago when I left there to go to London.
Now, I have ridden on to say that the Lady Goldberga is not far hence,
so t