Havelok the Dane: A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln, Charles W. Whistler [most read books of all time TXT] 📗

him for this brother of mine. Certainly by this time Hodulf knew that Grim had come to England in safety, for the name of the new town must have come to his ears: and if Grim, then the boy he had given to him.

The man who spoke to me went away soon, and Havelok strolled back to me.

"I would that the cook, or whoever he is, would come," he said. "I grow weary of this crowd that seems to have naught to do but stare at a stranger."

"What shall we ask, when he does come? and supposing that there is a place for but one of us?" I said.

"Why, then, the one it fits best will take it, and the other must seek some other chance. That is all."

"As you will, brother," I answered, "but I would rather that we should be together."

"And I also. But after all, both will be in Lincoln, and we must take what comes. It is but for a little while, and we shall not like to burden that good old dame by being too hard to please. We want somewhat to do until we can go home, not for a day longer, and I care not what it is."

"That is right," I said; "and the sooner I see one of our folk coming over this bridge with a full basket of fish, the better I shall like it. But it may be a long day before that. Now, I have been thinking that it were not well that you should say that you are the son of Grim."

I did not quite know how he would take this, for he was proud of my father as I. But that very pride made it easy.

"Maybe not," he said thoughtfully, "for it seems unworthy of his sons that we have to ask for service from any man. But I do not think that he could blame us, as things are. Nevertheless, folk shall not talk."

"Men know me," said I, "but that cannot be helped."

He laughed gaily at that.

"Why, here we speak as if one man in a hundred knew you. And after all it may be that we shall get a place that none need be ashamed of. Look, here comes a mighty fine lord from the gateway."

It was Berthun the steward, for whom we were waiting, and I knew him well by sight. Often had he bought our fish, but I did not think that he would remember me by name, if he had ever heard it. He was a portly and well-favoured man, not old, and as he came down the street to the marketplace at the hill foot he laughed and talked with one and another of the townsfolk, whether high or low, in very pleasant wise.

Presently he stopped at a stall, and priced some meat; and when he had bought it he looked round and called for some men to carry it for him; and at that the idlers made a rush for him, tripping over one another in haste to be first, while he laughed at them.

He chose two or three, and sent them up the hill to the palace with their burdens, and then went to another booth and bought.

"This is work at which I should make a good hand," said Havelok, laughing at the scrambling men who ran forward when the steward again called for porters. "Well paid also the job must be, to judge of their eagerness."

The three men who had been chosen took their burden and went away, and the steward came near us, to a bakery that was close to the bridge end.

"I have a mind to do porter for once," Havelok said. "Then I can at least earn somewhat to take back to the dame tonight."

"If you do so," I answered, "I will wait here for you. But you will have to fight for the place."

Now the steward bought all that he needed, and that was bread for the whole palace for the day, and again he called for porters. Whereon Havelok got up from the bridge rail and went towards him in no great hurry, so that the idlers were in a crowd before him.

"Ho! friends," cried Havelok, "let the good cook see all of us and make his choice. He can only take one at a time."

"One, forsooth," said a man from the crowd; "why, there is a load for four men there."

"Well, then, let him pick four little ones, and give these little ones a chance of being seen."

Now I do not think that he would have troubled with the matter any more; but whether the men knew that this was the last load that the steward had to send home, or whether they quarrelled, I cannot say, but in their eagerness to raise the two great baskets they fell to struggling over them, and the steward tried to quiet the turmoil by a free use of his staff, and there was a danger that the bread should be scattered.

"Here will be waste of what there is none too much of just now," said Havelok; and with that he went to the aid of the steward, picking up and setting aside the men before him, and then brushing the struggling rivals into a ruefully wondering heap from about the baskets, so that he and the steward faced each other, while there fell a silence on the little crowd that had gathered. Even the men who had been put aside stayed their abuse as they saw what manner of man had come to the rescue of the baskets, and Havelok and the cook began to laugh.

"Fe, fi, fo, fum!" said Berthun; "here is surely a Cornish giant among us! Now I thank you, good Blunderbore, or whatever your name is, for brushing off these flies."

"The folk in this place are unmannerly," said Havelok; "hut if you want the bread carried up the hill I will do it for you."

Berthun looked him up and down in a puzzled sort of way once or twice ere he answered, "Well, as that is your own proposal, pick your helpers and do so; I would not have asked such a thing of you myself."

"There is not much help needed," said Havelok. "I think this may be managed if I get a fair hold."

Now we were used to seeing him carry such loads as would try the strength of even Raven and myself, who could lift a load for three men; but when he took the two great baskets of bread and swung them into place on either arm, a smothered shout went round the crowd, and more than once I heard the old Welsh name that the marsh folk had given him spoken.

"Let us be going," said Havelok to the steward on that. "One would think that none of these had ever hefted a fair load in his life, to listen to them."

So he nodded to me across the heads of the crowd, and followed Berthun, and the idlers followed him for a little. The guard turned these back at the gate, and Havelok went through, and I could see him no more.

Presently the crowd drifted back to their places, and I heard them talking. Havelok and his strength was likely to be a nine days' wonder in Lincoln, and I was glad that I had asked him not to say whence he was.

"He is some thane's son who is disguised," said one.

"Maybe he is under a vow," said another; and then one chimed in with a story of some prince of Arthur's time, by name Gareth, who hid his state at his mother's command.

"As for me," said the baker, "I think that he is a fisher, as he looks -- at least, that is, as his clothes make him."

So even he had his doubts, and I will say that I understood well enough now why my father never brought him here before.

Havelok was long in coming back, as I thought, and I seemed to be wasting time here, and so I bethought me of the other man to whom the old dame had said we might go -- namely, the captain of the gate. I should see Havelok if I stood there.

The captain was talking with some of his men as I came up, and of course it was of Havelok that they spoke; and seeing that I wore the same dress as he, they asked me if I knew who he was.

"He is a fisher from the coast," I answered. "I have heard him called Curan."

"Welsh then," the captain answered, somewhat disappointed, as it seemed. "If he had been a Mercian, or even a Saxon, I would have had him here, but a fisher has had no training in arms after all."

"Some of us have," said I.

The captain looked me up and down, and then walked round me, saying nothing until we were face to face again.

"That, I take it, is a hint that you might like to be a housecarl of the king's," he said. "Are you a Lindseyman?"

"I am the son of Grim of Grimsby," I said.

"Why, then, I suppose you would not think of it, seeing that my place is not empty; but if you will dress in that way you must not wonder if I took you for a likely man for a housecarl. We know Grim well by repute. Come in and tell me about the famine, and this new town of yours that one hears of."

Now I could not see Havelok as yet, and so I went into the stone-arched Roman guardroom, and Eglaf the captain fetched out a pot of wine and some meat, and made me very welcome while we talked. And presently I thought that I might do worse than be a housecarl for a time, if Eglaf would have me. I should be armed at least, and with comrades to help if Havelok needed me; though all the while I thought myself foolish for thinking that any harm could come to him who was so strong. Nevertheless, what my father had laid on us all was to be heeded, and I was to be his helper in arms. So presently I told Eglaf that the housecarl's life seemed an easy one, and that it would be pleasant to go armed for a while, if he would have me for a short time, seeing that the famine had left us naught to do.

"Well, there is plenty to eat and drink," he said, "and good lodging in the great hall or here, as one's post may be, and a silver penny every day; but no fighting to be done, seeing that Alsi will sooner pay a foe to go away than let us see to the matter. Doing naught is mighty hard work at times."

Then he asked if I had arms, and I said that I would send for them at once, and that settled the matter. If I chose to come with my own arms I should be welcome.

"I am glad to get you," he said, "for there will be a crowd in the place ere long, for the Witan is to meet, and the thanes will come with their men, and there will be fine doings, so that we need another strong arm or two that we may keep the peace,"

He took a long pull at the wine pot, and then went on, "Moreover, the princess's Danes are sure to want to fight some of the English folk for sport."

"What! is she here?"

"Not yet. They say that she is coming when the Witan meets, because the Witan wants to see her, not because Alsi does. But he dare not go against them, and so it must be."

Now Goldberga, the princess, was, as I have said, Alsi's ward, and was at this time just eighteen, so that it would be time for her to take the kingdom that was hers by right. It was common talk, however, that Alsi by no means liked the thought of giving the wide lands of East Anglia up to her, and that he would not do so if he could anywise help it. Maybe the Witan thought so also, and would see fair play. Ethelwald and his wife Orwenna had been well loved both here and in Norfolk, and it was said that Goldberga their daughter grew wondrous fair and queenly.

I had learned one thing though, and that was that we should have Ethelwald's Danes here shortly, and that I did not like; but after all, what did these few men of an old household know of the past days in Denmark? There had been no going backwards and forwards between the two countries since the king died ten years ago. Nevertheless I was glad that I had