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"No; it is hardly time for him to do so," Selred answered, smiling. "Look into his chamber softly, I pray you, Father Selred," Erling said in a strange voice. "It is upon me that all is not well." Now so urgent was the tone in which the Dane spoke that the priest went at once to the inner door and opened it very gently, and peered in. Then he started forward suddenly and threw the door wide.
There I found Father Selred, and together we waited for Sighard. Erling sat on the settle by the door, with his weapons laid handy to him, on guard. "All seems well, father," I said; "there is naught but friendliness here." "Well indeed," he answered. "It is good to hear the talk of priests and nobles alike; they know the worth of our young king."
And what I should have done next I can hardly say, for I was beginning to think of going and asking to see her; so that it was as well that as I stood in the deep porch I turned at the sound of hasty footsteps, and saw Selred coming to me from out of the building. He had passed through our lodging to the church as he had gone.
Then Selred answered, and presently I heard the great bars being drawn from their sockets in the door posts, and at last the door opened slowly toward us. A thane was there with his sword in his hand, staring at us. "Let me in, for I have a word to say," said Selred quietly. "Be silent, for one does not want to rouse the place." He passed in, and we closed the door.
Then we thought that we might be following the priest round the wood as he looked for us, and we dared not call. The watch on the ramparts was set already. Now the loneliness of the wood had made us bold, and we thought we had best go one each way, and so make sure that we should find Selred if he were here.
Say no more, master, for on my word our case is about the same; and if I must die, I had as soon do it in good company, and for reason, as be hunted like a rat through the hovels of yon townlet." Selred smiled and shook his head at Erling when we went back to him, but I could see that he thought no less of the Dane for standing by me.
In an hour I was due in the copse to meet Selred, and then men would be gathered in the palace yards in readiness for supper, so that we might have little trouble in being unseen there. Now, on the other hand, men from the forest and fields might be making their way palaceward for the same reason. "I would that we could find some place where we might hide the horses for a while," I said.
Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good, ruled the Eastsaxons the tearme of 38 yéeres. After whose decease one Beorne was made king of Eastangles, and reigned about 26 yéeres. Wil. Malm. Hunt.
Then Sighard went and began to search the walls for hidden doors hopelessly, for the timbers were a full foot thick. And so of a sudden some frenzy seemed to take him, for he set his hand on his sword, and would have waked the palace with the cry of treason, but that Selred stayed him. "Friend, friend," he said earnestly, "have a care wait!
"It came from the wondering why Offa let so mean a church stand, and from the horns, and from my speaking your name. Strange how things like that will weave themselves into the mind of a sleeping man to make a wonder." "It is a good dream," said Selred the priest, after a moment's thought. I doubt not that it was in your mind to give some gift to the church.
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