old families still dwelt in the houses
that I had known, and then who had ours. Many such thoughts will crowd
into the mind of one who sees his old land again after many years, and
finds naught changed, to the eye at least.

Men have told me that, as we came into the hall presently, they thought
us the most goodly company that had ever crossed its threshold; and that
is likely, for at our head were Havelok and Goldberga. Raven was a
mighty warrior to look on as he came next, grave and silent, with
far-seeing grey eyes that were full of watching, as it were, from his
long seafaring, and yet had the seaman's ready smile in them. And
Withelm was the pattern of a well-made youth who has his strength yet to
gather, and already knows how to make the best use of that he has. There
were none but thought that he was the most handsome of the three sons of
Grim. And last came I, and I am big enough, at least, to stand at
Havelok's back; and for the rest, one remembers what Eglaf said of me.
But I do not think that any noticed us with those twain to look at,
unless they scanned our arms, which were more after the English sort
than the Danish, so far as mail and helms are concerned, and therefore
might seem strange.

The old hall was not changed at all; and handsome it seemed after
Alsi's, though it was not so large. There were more and better weapons
on the walls, and carved work was everywhere, so that in the swirl and
heat-flicker of the torches the beams, and door posts, and bench ends,
and the pillars of the high seat seemed alive with knotted dragons that
began, and ended, and writhed everywhere, wondrous to look on. Our
English have not the long winter nights, and cruel frosts, and deep snow
that make time for such work as this for the men of the household.

There fell a silence as we came in, and then Sigurd greeted us; and we
were set on the high seat, and feasted royally. On right and left of our
host sat Havelok and Goldberga, and the jarl's wife next to Havelok, and
Biorn the Brown, the sheriff, next to our princess. This was a newcomer
here since my days, but well we liked him.

There is nothing to tell of what happened at this feast, for Sigurd
asked no questions of us but the most common ones of sea, and wind, and
voyage, and never a word that would have been hard for Havelok to answer
in this company, where men of Hodulf's might well be present. Withelm
noticed this, and said that no doubt it was done purposely, a