but before I could
make up my mind to ask for Elfrida, who was not to be seen at
first, though I had counted on finding her at her wheel in the
great hall of the house, as was her wont in the afternoon, he had
wasted a long hour in hearing all that he could of my affairs, as
may be supposed. There had been some strange rumours flying about
since I was lost. I began to wish that I had brought Thorgils home
with me, for it was plain that I should have to go over all this
too often, and he cared not at all how many times he told the same
tale.

At last I was able to find a chance of asking how fared the lady
Elfrida, and at that the ealdorman laughed.

"What, has not all this put that foolishness out of your head?" he
said.

"No, it has not," I answered pretty shortly.

But all the same, the old thought that I had remembered her less
than I would have it known did flash across me for a moment.

"Well, I will send for her, and she will tell you for herself how
she fares."

He sent, and then in about half an hour she came, just as I was
thinking I would wait no longer. And if she had been stiff with me
in the orchard it was even more so now, and I did not seem to get
on with her at all. She said, indeed, that she was glad to see me
back, but in no way could I think that she looked more so than any
one else I had met.

So we talked a little, and then all of a sudden her father said:

"Ho!--Here comes that South Saxon again."

Then at once a blush crept slowly over her fair face, and she tried
not to look toward the great door in vain, though no one came in,
and presently she was gone with but a few words to me. I did not
like this at all, but the ealdorman laughed at her and then at me,
the more that he saw that I was put out.

"Never mind, Oswald," he said. "That vow of yours pledged you to no
more than duty to any fair lady."

"Maybe it is just as well that it did not," I answered, trying to
laugh also.

"Ay, that is right. You were bound to say somewhat, and you did it
well. But it has not pleased the girl, nevertheless."

"I did think, at least, she would have been more glad to see me."

"Trouble yourself not at all about the ways of damsels for the next
five years, or maybe ten, Oswald, my friend," said the ealdorman.
"So will you have an easier life, and maybe a longer one."

Discontented enough I went away, and that same discontent lasted
for a full half-hour. At the end of that time I found mysel