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Elfric could not help exclaiming, forgetting the place and the occasion in his pride in his king and his friend. He would have been one of the four boys who bore the royal train, but it had not seemed advisable on such a day to offend Dunstan too seriously.
"We have a great chest half full of gold at Pevensea out of which you may take a double handful whenever you need it. Cnut has the gold of three kingdoms and says you may do the same out of his hoards. Head breaking brought you the first, and hardship the second. Take one as you would the other, man. It is your due." And Elfric added that the king's gift was surely out of goodness of heart.
He had quite made up his mind to persevere in this course: it could do no good to tell father or mother how grievously Elfric had fallen, and how nearly he had been the involuntary instrument of his brother's death. "God can change his heart," said Alfred to himself, "and bring him home like the prodigal son about whom Father Cuthbert talks so often."
Upon the morning after the arrival of Elfric in London, Edwy, the young prince, and his new companion, sat in a room on the upper floor of the palace, which had but two floors, and would have been considered in these days very deficient in architectural beauty.
"We have had a good fight or two together, and may have more, and to more profit, as I hope, in the days to come." We halted at the monastery and prayed for shelter there for the night, or at least what was left of it, and while Elfric spoke with the superior of the nuns who were there, I took leave thus of Olaf and of my spearmen. And these prayed me to return soon and lead them again.
"Ask them to come to me," he said "father, mother, Alfred, Edgitha! where are they?" But minute after minute passed by, and no one came near; there was no light in the room, and it was soon very dark. Elfric became very uncomfortable; it was not the kind of reception he had promised himself.
Then he had to recount his adventures that night, after supper, to an admiring audience, who listened enraptured to his account of the holiness of Dunstan and the cruelty of his foes. But it will easily be imagined that he made no allusion to his rencontre with Elfric; and Oswy, instructed by his young master, was equally silent.
Easter tide was over, and Ascension drew near, but the sweet month of May had done little to restore health to poor Elfric. He had scarcely ever had a day free from pain. His eye was brighter than ever, but his attenuated face told a sad tale of the decay of the vital power.
He could not drive the thought of Elfric from his mind; he slept, but again in wild dreams his brother seemed to appear; once he seemed to oppose Elfric's passage over a plank which crossed a roaring torrent; then he seemed as if he were falling, falling, amidst rushing waters, when he awoke. "I can sleep no longer. I will look out at the night," he said.
And now they thought they might venture to summon the lady Edith; and Alfred broke the intelligence to her, for she knew not the events of the night. "Mother," he said; "we have news of Elfric, both bad and good, to tell you." "He lives then," she said; "he lives!" "Yes, lives, and is near; but he was wounded badly in the battle."
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