a steady seat on his horse; but, if all that I had heard of him was
true, his looks did not belie him. Men had much to say of him here, for,
being some far-off kin to Alsi's Welsh mother, he was always about the
court, and was hated. He had gone to Dover to fetch the princess before
we came here, but it happened that I had once or twice seen him at other
times when I was in Lincoln, so that I knew him now.

There was great feasting that night in the king's hall, as one may
suppose, and I sat with the housecarls at the cross tables beyond the
fire, and I could see the Lady Goldberga at Alsi's side. Tired she was
with her long journey, and she did not remain long at the table; but I
had never seen so wondrously beautiful a lady. Griffin sat next to her
on the king's right hand, for Ragnar was at the king's left, in the seat
of next honour; and I saw that the lady had no love for the Welsh thane.
But I also thought that I saw how he would give his all for a kindly
glance from her; and if, as Alsi had seemed to hint, Ragnar was a
favoured lover, I did not wonder that Griffin had been ready to do him a
bad turn. I had rather that the thane was my friend than my foe, for he
would be no open enemy.

I left the feast when the first change of guard went out, for I saw that
the ale cup was passing faster than we Danes think fitting, being less
given to it than the English. And when the guard was set I waited alone
in the guardroom of the old gate, for Eglaf was yet at the hall, and
would be there all night maybe. And presently Earl Ragnar came in and
sat down with me.

He was silent for a while, and I waited for him to speak, until he
looked up at me with a little laugh, and said, "I told you that I had to
fight Griffin tomorrow?"

"You did, earl. Is that matter settled otherwise?"

"Not at all," he answered. "I believe now that he was acting under
orders, but I have said things to him which he cannot pass over. I
called him 'nidring' to his face, and that I still mean; for though I
thought of cowardice at the time, he is none the less so if he has
plotted against the princess. So naught but the sword will end the feud."

He pondered for some moments, and then went on, "It is a bad business;
for if I slay Griffin, he is the king's favourite; and if he slays me,
the Norfolk thanes will have somewhat to say. And all is bad for the
Lady Goldberga, who needs all the friends that she has, for in either
case there will be troubl