t was. It was just the best thing for me,
for it cured me of divers kinds of foolishnesses."

"That is what I would have heard you say," she said with a
light-hearted laugh enough, while her face cleared. "Now I can say
what I will. Do you know that you have kept your vow to the full
already?"

"Not at all. There are long years before you yet, as one may hope."

"Ay, Oswald, and through you those years seem bright to look
forward to. See, through you has come Erpwald, and now you have
kept his life for me at risk of your own. All my life long I shall
thank you for those two things. Surely your vow is fulfilled, for
this will be lifelong service. There is more that I would say to
you, but I cannot."

She turned away again, weeping for very happiness, as I think, that
could not be told, and I had no word to speak that was worth
uttering, though I must say somewhat.

"It will be good to think of you two together--"

"In the place you have given us," she broke in on me. "Love and a
home for all my life! What more could your vow have wrought than
that? Let me go, Oswald, or I shall weep. It was a good day that
sent you to be my champion."

Then she stepped swiftly to me and kissed me once, and fled, and I
do not mind saying that I was glad that she had gone. Too much
thanks for things that had been done more or less by chance, and as
they came to hand as it were, without any special thought for any
one, are apt to make one feel discomforted.

The wedding on the morrow I have no skill to tell of, but as every
one has seen such a thing, that hardly matters. I will only set
down that never had I seen such a bright one, or so good a company,
there being all the more guests present because many who came to
the levies stayed on to do honour to the ealdorman and his
daughter. Elfrida looked all that a bride should, as I thought, and
also as the queen said in my hearing, so that I think I cannot be
wrong. I gave her Gerent's great gold armlet, having caused it to
be wrought into such a circlet for her hair as any thane's wife
might be well pleased to wear.

As for Erpwald, he was dazed and speechless with it all, but none
heeded him, though indeed he made a gallant groom, for that is the
usual way as regards the bridegroom at such times. Which is perhaps
all the more comfortable for him.

Then was pleasant feasting, and after it some of us who had been
Erpwald's closer friends here rode a little way with those two
wed