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Would he not forget Alftruda, and King William, and all the world, and go up with her into Sherwood, and then north to Scotland and Gospatrick, and be a man once more? No. He would go with her to the Baltic or the Mediterranean. Constantinople and the Varangers would be the place and the men. Ay, there to escape out of that charmed ring into a new life! No.
She shall have her own choice for once, poor child." And Hereward found himself worked up to a great height of paternal solicitude for Alftruda, and righteous indignation against Ascelin. He did not confess to himself that he disliked much, in his selfish vanity, the notion of Alftruda's marrying any one at all. He did not want to marry her himself, of course not.
Among all the ladies of Gilbert's household, however kind they were inclined to be to him, he took a fancy but to one, and that was to a little girl of eight years old. Alftruda was her name.
That night Alftruda heard him by her side in the still hours, weeping silently to himself. She caressed him: but he gave no heed to her. "I believe," said she bitterly at last, "that you love Torfrida still better than you do me." And Hereward answered, like Mahomet in like case, "That do I, by heaven. She believed in me when no one else in the world did."
Alftruda did not answer; but went on, "He told me, in his lofty Scots' fashion, that I was free to do what I list. That he had long since seen that I cared not for him; and that he would find many a fairer lady in his own land." "There he lied. So you did not care for him? He is a noble knight." "What is that to me? Women's hearts are not to be bought and sold with their bodies, as I was sold.
She wandered on and into the wild-wood, and sat down by a spring. She looked in it her only mirror at her wan, coarse face, with wild black elf-locks hanging round it, and wondered whether Alftruda, in her luxury and prosperity, was still so very beautiful.
Of Alftruda? Not so. But of that pale ghost, with great black hollow eyes, who sat in Crowland, with thin bare feet, and sackcloth on her tender limbs, watching, praying, longing, loving, uncomplaining. That ghost had been for many a month the background of all his thoughts and dreams.
The savages were howling round like curs about a bull; and when Hereward appeared above with the women, there was a loud yell of rage and envy. He should not have the women to himself, they would share the plunder equally, was shouted in half a dozen barbarous dialects. "Have you left any valuables in the chamber?" whispered he to Alftruda. "Yes, jewels, robes. Let them have all, only save me!"
And the vain, hard Alftruda answered angrily; and there was many a fierce quarrel between them after that. With his love of drinking, his love of boasting came back.
They had struggled on through weal and woe without her, for many a year. Let them do so without her still. That Alftruda had once loved Hereward she knew well. Why should she not? The wonder was to her that every woman did not love him.
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