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Then he sent her back by the one semblance of a path which ran through the forest, and himself rode on to his hunters. All doorways, Before going forward, Should be looked to; For difficult it is to know Where foes may sit Within a dwelling. Ha'vama'l. "Once more, Lord Sebert, be exhorted to turn back," old Morcard spurred forward to offer a last remonstrance as city gates yawned before them.
"I do not believe that a tree-toad can change color more easily," he observed to the old cniht who rode at his side. "That Englishmen are not stout fighters, no man can say, but the love of it is not in their breasts; while with Northmen " "With Northmen," Morcard added, "to fight is to eat." Another faint smile touched Sebert's mouth as he glanced over his shoulder at the red-cloaked boy.
But he is not worth enduring from; there is not enough good in him to outweigh the evil." Old Morcard said thoughtfully: "The tree of Cerdic has borne many nuts with prickly rinds in former times, but there has been wont to be good meat inside. Since Ethelred, I have been in fear that the tree is dying at the root."
He was a stout white-bearded old cniht with an obstinate old face that looked something like a ruddy apple in a snow-bank. Flushing, the young noble ceased examining his sword-edge to meet the eyes bent upon him. "I hope you do not think I stand in need of a rebuke for lukewarmness, Morcard," he said gravely.
That they should take it upon them to decide how much of my order is necessary " He let a pause finish for him, and suddenly he turned with a flourish of gay defiance: "I will tell you how I am going to spend my morning, Morcard. I am going to ride over every acre that is under my hand and see how much I can spare for loan-land.
The only sound that disturbed it was a growing rustle in the bush around them, which was explained when the old cniht Morcard and some two-score armed henchmen and yeoman-soldiers, singly and in groups, filtered quietly through the shadows and placed themselves at their chief's back. But though the King's brows had met for an instant in a lowering arch, some second thought controlled him.
Beckoning to Morcard, he began to consult him concerning the most effective arrangement of the sentinels; and there was a muffled clatter of weapons as men went to and fro with hasty steps. At a word from the steward, the women went softly from the room and up the winding stairs to their quarters, the rustling of their dresses coming back with ghostly stealthiness.
"I think this is the difference, to tell it shortly," she said at last; "while it sometimes happens that Canute is driven by necessity or evil counsels to act deceitfully toward others, he is always honest in his own mind; while your Edmund, I think he lies to himself also." Morcard gave out a dry chuckle.
"That is something that had clean fallen out of my mind to tell you, Lord Sebert," Morcard spoke up hastily.
At last the time arrived when it looked as though these visions were to be the only glimpses of food vouchsafed to them. "Bread for one more meal; and the last ale-cask has been broached," the steward answered in a very faint voice when Morcard put the nightly question.
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