y, then, with a sort of stifled laugh, as if he
wanted to get away to enjoy a good jest, and left Ragnar staring
speechless at him as he crossed the high place and went through the
private door.

Then the earl turned to me, "By Loki, fellow countryman, there is
somewhat wrong here. What does he mean by feigning to think the whole
affair a jest? It won't be much of a jest if Griffin and I slay one
another tomorrow, as we mean to do, because of what was not done, and
what was said about it."

"It has seemed to me, jarl," I said plainly, "that all this is more like
a jest between the king and Griffin."

"Call it a jest, as that is loyal, at least. But I think that you are
right. If Goldberga had been carried off--Come, we shall be saying too
much in these walls."

I had only been told to wait while the king and earl spoke together, and
so I opened the door and followed him out. The horse was yet there
waiting for him, and it was plain that the king had not meant him to stay.

"Bid the grooms lead the horse after us, and we will go to your captain.
Then you shall take me to one of my friends, for you will know where
their houses are."

But at that moment a man from the palace ran after us, bringing an order
from the king that I was to go back to him. So Ragnar bade me farewell.

"Come to me tonight at the gatehouse," he said. "I will speak to the
captain to let you off duty."

"Say nothing to him, jarl, for it is needless. I am only with him for a
time, and am my own master. I have no turn on watch tonight, and so am
free."

So I went back, and found the king in the hall again, and he was still
smiling. If he had looked me straight in the face, I suppose that he
might have seen that I was not a man to whom he was used, but he did
not. He seemed not to wish to do so.

"So, good fellow," he said, "you have heard a pleasant jest of our young
kinsman's contriving, but I will that you say nothing of it. It is a
pity to take a good guardroom story from you, however, without some
recompense, and therefore--"

With that he put a little bag into my hand, and it was heavy. I said
nothing, but bowed in the English way, and he went on, "You understand;
no word is to be said of what you have heard unless I bid you repeat it.
That I may have to do, lest it is said that Griffin the thane is
'nidring' [9] by any of his enemies. You know all the
story--how the earl and he planned a sham attack on the princess's
party, that Ra