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Updated: June 2, 2025
They did so. He looked mournfully yet sternly on the youth, who himself trembled all over with emotion. "Alfgar," he said, "do I indeed see my son?" "You do, my father." "Follow me; nay, you are wounded lean on my arm." Alfgar's thigh had, it will be remembered, been pierced by an arrow, but the wound was not deep, and with his father's assistance he could proceed. He knew where Anlaf led.
Now after the mass was ended, we came forth from the church, and Alfgar, with Ethelgiva, walked down the path to the Lychgate, when Alfgar's eyes fell upon the stranger, whereupon, to our astonishment, he started, then stepped forward, fell on his knees, and cried, with a choked voice, "Father, your blessing!"
The solemn pealing of the bell for the mass at the hour of daybreak fell upon Alfgar's ears, and he turned almost mechanically to the cathedral, yet with vague desire to communicate all his griefs and troubles to a higher power than that of man, and to seek aid from a diviner source.
They embarked, and Alfgar steered, by the other's direction, straight down the stream, while he rowed for full an hour with remarkable strength and dexterity, so that they drew near the coast, and the cold air from the sea blew in Alfgar's face. Here the gleeman ceased rowing, and spoke to him in a low tone. "Do you see those dark figures ahead?" "I do."
Ah, I am choked!" Alfgar's sword had pierced his lungs, and a gush of blood rushing to the mouth stopped the breath of Higbald for ever. "I have brought the foe upon you. We are tracked," said Alfgar. "Edric and the Danes are in alliance." "But they have not taken this place yet; neither shall they, by God's help! Ha! was that lightning? Nay, it is winter."
All Alfgar's desire and hope O how joyful a hope! was to see from the hill the bearings of Clifton, and to descend, with all the speed in his power, towards it. He might arrive before they had retired to rest. So he ran eagerly forward. The moon was bright, and the snow reflected so much light that locomotion was easy.
Meanwhile Edmund had again laid his foe prostrate in the dust, but did not interfere; such was his chivalrous spirit in what he considered an equal combat, although he cast anxious looks behind, where two or three other riders were rapidly approaching. At last victory inclined to Alfgar's side.
"Do you recognise the weapon?" "I do; it was Alfgar's." "How do you recognise it?" "It was richly carved about the handle. The letter E is stamped upon it, with a crown." "Whence did the prisoner obtain it?" "The king gave it him." "Did you see it on the night of the murder?" "I did." "Under what circumstances?"
The boys were fleet of foot, and would probably have distanced their pursuers, but an arrow from some ambush on their left hand pierced Alfgar's thigh, wounding an important muscle, and he could run no farther. "Leave me, leave me, Bertric," he cried; "you are in more danger than I." Poor Bertric would not leave his friend.
For my part, when I returned to the priory, I mused for a long time on the dark paths through which our Lord has conducted us to this happy day. I thought of the period of Alfgar's conversion and baptism, of St. Brice's night, for which England has paid so heavy a penance, now, we trust, happily over.
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