hat they have
brought."

"Why, then," he answered, laughing, "it is I who must tell you of
them. There was once a fair little playmate of mine in Offa's
house, his youngest daughter Etheldrida. Since you left England she
has grown up, and now--Well, you will not need telling the rest,
maybe?"

He reddened and laughed, as if well content, and plain to me it was
that if Ethelbert meant to wed that playmate of whom he spoke he
was happy; for in this case certainly policy and inclination went
hand in hand.

"Then both yourself and East Anglia will be happy, King Ethelbert,"
said I, smiling in turn. "That is what you would tell me."

"That is it. This princess has the fairness of her wondrous mother,
and promise of the wisdom of her father; and I have known her for
long years. Three weeks ago I sent with all solemnity to ask her
hand, and I need not tell you how I waited for the answer. It came
on the day before you landed, and now when your people have gone we
shall ride to Fernlea, and--well, I suppose there will be a
wedding."

If Ethelbert when that day came looked as he looked at this moment,
there would in all truth be a handsome bridegroom. I thought that
the princess was to be envied, for more worth than that were the
words of every man of his land in his favour, whether as the
atheling of East Anglia or her king. And it was much for me that
here this open-hearted king was telling me his hopes as if I were
an old friend. Maybe that was because to his subjects he did not
care to speak thus, or could not, by reason of old habit. He was
wise beyond his years, being, as I think, about two years younger
than myself. And as to this match, of course it was plain that Offa
in furthering it was in nowise unwilling to link the land to the
east of Mercia to himself in so peaceful a bond as he had linked
Wessex in the year when I left home. It did come into my mind that
thus in time the descendants of that mighty king would be likely to
rule from the Humber to the Channel, but that was a dim thought of
years to come. There was Ecgbert to be counted on.

And at that I wondered whether this were, as it almost seemed a
good chance, a fitting time for me to remind the king of him. He
himself had told me carefully that in aught I said of his doings I
must be cautious; and now I could not tell what Ethelbert might not
think right to make known to Offa, and so to Quendritha.

Ethelbert went on telling me of the coming journe