Havelok The Dane, Charles Whistler [interesting books to read TXT] 📗

the old way. It is likely that the Welsh name would make him think that he was from beyond the marches to the west, and that was just as well.

Then Havelok said, "Let us go back to the widow's house and sleep. My head aches sorely, and it is full of things that are confused, so that I do not know rightly who I am or where. Maybe it will pass with rest."

We turned hack, and then I told him what I meant to do; and that pleased him, for we should see one another often.

"We are in luck, brother, so far," he said, "having lit on what we needed so soon; but I would that these dreams would pass."

"It is the poor food of many days gone by," I said. "Berthun will cure that for you very shortly."

"It is likely enough," he answered more gaily.

"Little want is in that house, but honest Berthun does not know what a trencherman he has hired. But I would that we had somewhat to take back to our good old dame tonight."

But she was more than satisfied with our news; and when she saw that Havelok was silent, she made some curious draught of herbs for him, which he swallowed, protesting, and after that he slept peacefully.

I went out to the marketplace and found a man whom I knew--one of those who carried our fish at times; and him I sent, with promise of two silver pennies presently, to Arngeir for my arms, telling him that all was well.

CHAPTER IX. CURAN THE PORTER.

There is no need for me to say how my arms came to me from Grimsby, and how I went to Eglaf as I had promised. I will only say that the life was pleasant enough, if idle, as a housecarl, and that I saw Havelok every day at one time or another, which was all that I could wish.

But as I had to wait a day or two while the messenger went and the arms came from home, I saw Havelok meet the steward on the next day: and a quaint meeting enough it was, for Berthun hardly knew how he should behave to this man, whom he had made up his mind was a wandering prince.

There was the crowd who waited for the call for porters, as ever; hut the steward would have none of them, until he saw his new man towering over the rest, and then he half made a motion to unbonnet, which he checked and turned into a beckoning wave of the hand, whereon the idlers made their rush for him, and Havelok walked through and over them, more or less, as they would not make way for him. But so good-naturedly was this done, that even those whom he lifted from his path and dropped on one side laughed when they saw who had cleared a way for himself, and stood gaping to see what came next.

"Ho--why, yes--Curan--that was the name certainly. I have been looking for you, as we said," stammered the steward.

"Here am I, therefore," answered Havelok, "and where is the load?"

"Truth to tell, I have bought but this at present," said the steward, pointing to a small basket of green stuff on the stall at which he stood.

"Well, I suppose there is more to come," Havelok said, taking it up; "it will be a beginning."

"I will not ask you to carry more than that," Berthun began.

"Why, man, this is foolishness. If you have a porter, make him carry all he can, else he will not earn his keep."

"As you will," answered the steward, shrugging his shoulders as one who cannot account for some folk's whims, and going on to the next booth.

Now, I suppose that the idlers looked to see Havelok walk away with this light load gladly, as any one of them would have done, and that then their turn would have come; but this was not what they expected. Maybe they would have liked to see the strong man sweep up all the palace marketing and carry it, as a show, but it might interfere with their own gains. So there was a murmur or two among them, and this grew when Havelok took the next burden in like manner.

"Ho, master cook," cried a ragged man at last, "this is not the custom, and it is not fair that one man should do all the work, and all for one wage."

Berthun took no notice of this; and so the cry was repeated, and that by more than one. And at last he turned round and answered.

"Go to, ye knaves," he said with a red face and angrily; "if I find a man who will save me the trouble of your wrangles every day, shall I not do as I please?"

Then there was a tumult of voices, and some of them seemed sad, as if a last hope was gone, and that Havelok heard.

"There is somewhat in this," he said to the cook. "What pay have you given to each man who carries for you?"

"A yesterday's loaf each," answered Berthun, wondering plainly that Havelok paid any heed to the noise.

"Well, then, let us go on, and we will think of somewhat," Havelok said; and then he turned to the people, who were silent at once.

"I am a newcomer, and a hungry one," he said, smiling quietly, "and I have a mind to earn my loaf well. Hinder me not for today, and hereafter I will take my chance with the rest, if need is."

Thereat the folk began to laugh also, for it was plain that none had any chance at all if he chose to put forth his strength; but an old man said loudly, "Let the good youth alone now, and he shall talk with us when he has done his errand and fed that great bulk of his. He has an honest face, and will be fair to all."

That seemed to please the crowd; and after that they said no more, but followed and watched the gathering up of Havelok's mighty burden. And presently there was more than he could manage; and he spoke to Berthun, who checked himself in a half bow as he answered.

Then Havelok looked over the faces before him, and beckoned to two men who seemed weakly and could not press forward, and to them he gave the lighter wares, and so left the market with his master, as one must call the steward.

"What told I you?" said the old man, as they came back from the great gate. "Never saw I one with a face like that who harmed any man, either in word or deed."

Now when Havelok had set down his load in the kitchen, he straightened himself and said to Berthun, who was, as one may say, waiting his pleasure.

"This is today's task; but it is in my mind that I would stay up here and work."

"What would you do?"

"There are men yonder who will miss the carrying if I am market porter always. But here are things I can earn my keep at, and help the other servants with at the same time. Water drawing there is, and carrying of logs for the fire, and cleaving them also, and many other things that will be but hardening my muscles, while they are over heavy to be pleasant for other folk."

"Well," answered Berthun, "that is all I could wish, and welcome to some here will you be. Let it be so."

"Now, I do not think that you would make a gain by my work this morning?"

"Truly not, if any one is wronged by my doing so," the puzzled steward said.

Then Havelok asked how many men would have been needed to carry up the goods that he had brought, and Berthun said that he was wont to send one at least from each stall, and more if the burden was heavy.

"Then today four poor knaves must go dinnerless by reason of my strength, and that does not please me altogether," said Havelok gravely. "Give these two their loaves; and then, I pray you, give me the other four, and let me go back to the market."

And then he added, with a smile, "I think that I can order matters there so that things will be more fair, and that you will have less trouble with that unmannerly scramble." "If you can do that, you are even as your name calls you. Take them and welcome, Curan, and then come here and do what work you will," Berthun said in haste.

"Tasks you must set me, or I shall grow idle. That is the failing of over-big men," Havelok said; and he took the loaves and left the palace with the two market men at his heels.

I saw him come back, and at once the crowd of idlers made for him, but in a respectful way enough. I knew, however, how easily these folks took to throwing mud and stones in their own quarrels, and I was a little anxious, for to interfere with the ways of the market is a high offence among them.

But Havelok knew naught of that, and went his way with his loaves to the bridge end, and there sat on the rail and looked at the men before him. And /lo!/ back to my mind came old days in Denmark, and how I once saw Gunnar the king sitting in open court to do justice, and then I knew for certain that I was looking on his son. And when Havelok spoke it was in the voice of Gunnar that I had long forgotten, but which came back to me clear and plain, as if it were yesterday that I had heard it. Never does a boy forget his first sight of the king.

"Friends," said Havelok, "if I do two men's work I get two men's pay, or else I might want to know the reason why. But I am only one man, all the same, and it seems right to me that none should be the loser. Wherefore I have a mind to share my pay fairly."

There was a sort of shout at that and Havelok set his four loaves in a row on the rail beside him. But then some of the rougher men went to make a rush at them, and he took the foremost two and shook them, so that others laughed and bade the rest beware.

"So that is just where the trouble comes in," said Havelok coolly; "the strong get the first chance, as I did this morning, by reason of there being none to see fair play."

"Bide in the market, master, and we will make you judge among us," cried a small man from the edge of the crowd.

"Fair and softly," Havelok answered. "I am not going to bide here longer than I can help. Come hither, grandfer," and he beckoned to the old man who had bidden them wait his return, "tell me the names of the men who have been longest without any work."

The old man pointed out three, and then Havelok stopped him.

"One of these loaves is my own wage," he said; "but you three shall have the others, and that will be the easiest day's work you ever did. But think not that I am going to do the