friend of the ealdorman since he came here, being often at his
house. It was not so long before I met him there, though my pride,
which would not let me risk another rebuff, kept me away for some
days. I had an uneasy feeling that I should fare no better, and I
could find good reason enough to justify the thought in some ways,
as any one may see from what had happened before.

Maybe that was a token that my first feelings were cooling off, and
I do not think that there is much wonder if they were. It would
have been strange, and not altogether complimentary to the fair
damsel if, after the deed at the feast and the vow that I had to
make, I had not thought myself desperately in love with her at
last, after a good many years of friendship. But now there had
befallen the long days of peril and anxiety which had set her in
the background altogether, and I had had time to come to more sober
thoughts, as it were. Men have said that I aged more in that short
time than in the next ten years of my life, and it is likely.
Nevertheless, it needed but a word or two of kindness to bring me
to Elfrida's feet once for all, and but a little more coldness to
send me from her altogether.

So at last I went to her home to find out how I should fare,
thinking less of the matter than last time, and there she sat in
the hall, chatting merrily with Erpwald. That pleasantness stopped
when I came in, and after the first needful greetings Elfrida froze
again, and Erpwald fell silent, as if I was by no means welcome. I
could see that I was the third who spoils company. However, the
ealdorman came in directly, and I talked to him, and as we paid no
heed to those two they took up their talk once more, and presently
their words waxed low. Whereon the ealdorman glanced at them with a