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If you are so dreadfully bad, you are in a pretty numerous company; and I don't think the shavelings believe their own tales about fire and torment hereafter. They are merry enough, considering." In short, poor Elfric's short-lived penitence was given to the winds. Edwy went alone to be shriven on the morrow. On Easter Day they both received the Holy Communion in the royal chapel.
The queen and her two maidens and the three nuns, Elfric the abbot and his chaplain, Eadward and Alfred the athelings, and Alfred's tutor who was a churchman of Elfric's own monastery and myself. Then there were the servants, ten in all, who rode each leading a lightly-laden pack horse.
He followed until he heard many voices, and saw a strange light reflected on the tree tops, as if from beneath, when amidst the din of voices he recognised Elfric's tones. "Wouldst thou save thy brother, then proceed," his guardian angel seemed to whisper.
A pert answer rose to Elfric's lips, but he dared not give utterance to it; the speaker was too great in his wrath to be defied with impunity. "Farewell," said Dunstan, "would that I could say the word with brighter hopes; but should you ever repent of your sin, as I trust you may, it will gladden me to hear of it.
Oh, how sweetly his words fell upon Elfric's ears, "Carry him home to his father." A litter was speedily made; one of the thralls jumped into a willow tree which overhung the stream, and cut down some of the stoutest boughs.
"He would not keep him back," he said, "if he desired to leave home," but as he uttered the words he felt his heart very heavy, for Aescendune would lose half its brightness in losing Elfric. But Elfric's choice was already made, and he only succeeded in repressing his delight with great difficulty, in deference to the serious aspect and words of his revered sire.
But Thiodolf moved not for his word, and Elfric touched him, and he moved none the more. Then Elfric's heart failed him and he laid his hand on the War-duke's hand, and looked closely into his face; and the hand was cold and the face ashen-pale; and Elfric laid his hand on his side, and he felt the short-sword of the Roman leader thrust deep therein, besides his many other hurts.
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.
To Elfric, his behaviour was always reserved, yet he seemed even more ready to lend him a helping hand downward than did the prince. So time passed on; weeks became months; and Christmas with all its hallowed associations had passed; it had been Elfric's first Christmas away from home, and he was sad at heart, in spite of the boisterous merriment of his companions.
After I had learned well, as he said, the jarl tempered the axe head, heating and cooling it many times, until it would take an edge that would shear through iron without turning. And he also wrought runes on it, hammering gold wire into clefts that he made. "What say they?" I asked. "Thus they read," he answered: "Life for life. For Wulfric, Elfric's son, Lodbrok the seafarer, made me!"
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