ern library; books were few, and yet very expensive, so
that perhaps there was no fuller collection in any layman's house in the
kingdom. There were Alfred's translations into Anglo-Saxon, the
"_Chronicle of Orosius_," or the history of the World; the "_History of
the Venerable Bede_," both in his original Latin and in English;
Boethius on the "_Consolations of Philosophy_;" narratives from ancient
mythology; extracts from the works of St. Augustine and St. Gregory; and
the Apologues or Fables from Aesop.[viii]

"Oh, put those stupid books aside," exclaimed the prince; "this is your
first day in town, and I mean to take a holiday; that surly old Dunstan
should have left word to that effect last night."

"Will he not be here soon?"

"Yes, he is coming this morning, the old bear, to superintend my
progress, and I wish him joy thereof."

"What has he given you to do?" inquired Elfric.

"Why, a wretched exercise to write out. There, you see it before you;
isn't it a nuisance?"

"It is not very hard, is it?"

"Don't you think it hard? See whether you can do it!"

Elfric smiled, and wrote out the simple Latin with ease, for he had been
well instructed by Father Cuthbert at Aescendune.

He had scarcely finished when a firm step was heard upon the stairs.

"Hush," said Edwy; "here comes Dunstan. Be sure you look solemn enough,"
and he composed his own countenance into an expression of preternatural
gravity.

The door opened, and an ecclesiastic in the prime of life entered the
room, one whose mien impressed the beholder with an indefinable awe.

He was dressed in the Benedictine habit, just then becoming common in
England, and his features were those of a man formed by nature to
command, while they reconciled the beholder to the admission of the fact
by the sad yet sweet smile which frequently played on the shapely
countenance. He was now in the thirtieth year of his age, having been
born in the first year of King Athelstane, and had been abbot of
Glastonbury for several years, although his services as counsellor to
King Edred had led him to spend much of his time in town, and he had
therefore accepted the general direction of the education of the heir to
the throne. Such was Dunstan.

He seemed but little welcome to Edwy, and the benediction with which he
greeted his pupil was but coldly received.

Not appearing to notice this, he mildly said, "You must introduce your
young companion to me, my prince. Am I not