old paladin, who was our chief,
thanked me, and spoke some honest words of praise for the way in
which his message had been set before the Witan and the king; and
gave me, moreover, a ring, set with a ruby from some far Eastern
land, as a kindly remembrance of himself; so I verily believe that
I did not manage so badly.

After that was a day or two more of feasting and hunting, and then
the embassy would return. I was sorry to part with Werbode, but I
bade him carry back messages to Ecgbert, and in them I told him
that I waited for the time when his message should best be spoken.
Werbode knew not what that meant, but did not trouble to ask. He
would give my message, and would also tell the atheling of the
coming marriage. I had no doubt that it would be understood well by
him to whom it was sent. At that time there were none of the Franks
who knew or cared who Ecgbert was, save Carl; and if by chance my
friend had spoken to any of these East Anglians of the Saxon leader
under whom he had warred for Carl, the name of Ecgbert would mean
naught to them. A Wessex atheling has no honour in East Anglia, and
I doubt whether it had ever been heard here.

On the day after the great ceremony I noticed that Erling went
about somewhat silently, and I thought that he very likely had a
wish to cross the sea with the Franks, and so make his way home by
land from the Rhine mouth. I asked him, therefore, if it was so,
saying that I would give him money enough for all needs.

"It is not that, master," he said; and when he called me master
(which I had forbidden him, for he was more of a comrade, and I
would not have him remember whence I took him), I knew that he was
in earnest--"not that, for I would not leave you; unless, indeed
this means that you would have me go?"

"No, comrade, that I would not. But you are downcast, and I thought
that you might have the longing for home on you. Well, what is it?"

"It is naught," he said.

But so plain it was that somewhat was amiss that I pressed him, and
at last he said that he would tell me if I would not be angry with
him. We were alone at the time, sitting on a great log in the
corner of the courtyard, waiting for supper.

"Saw you aught strange about the robe which this young king had on
yesterday, when you stood before him?" he asked first. "You were
close to him."

"I did not notice anything beyond that it was wonderfully wrought
with gold and colours. The queen made it, they te