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Updated: June 13, 2025
All seemed to have found their tongues again, and were telling how the matter had seemed to them without waiting to know whether they were listened to. "No hurry," said Sighard; "the king cannot keep up that pace, and anywise will have to wait the pack-horse train somewhere. Let us see all well first." Maybe we waited for half an hour after that, for the ladies were sorely frightened.
Then it was to be seen who should win the honour of first spear to touch that dun hide. Gymbert was already waiting his time, wheeling his horse round to find an opening among the hounds, and Sighard cried to him to let us have a chance, laughing. Whereon he reined his horse back somewhat, and we paid no more heed to him. One has no time to mind aught behind one when the boar is at bay.
The other two stayed and watched Sighard silently. Now the old thane had his blade fast in the timber and lifted. The square of floor rose slowly at that corner, and one of the Mercians set his hand to it. Another lift, and the whole was coming up, for the boards had been fastened together with cross pieces underneath, doorwise.
So we bound him and set him, still senseless, in the empty chamber of Sighard, making fast the door with the broken dagger so that, even if presently the man worked his bonds loose, he could not get to Quendritha to say that he had failed. Then I made Erling don a buff coat of Sighard's, good enough to turn most blows. He might need it if this went on.
I tell you that we shall find the far end of that passage closed in one way or another if we haste not." "My daughter!" said Sighard, groaning; "she is in the queen's bower." "So also is Etheldrida the princess," said Witred. "She is of her court, as one may say, and will be safe. No harm can come to her." "I fear for her," said Sighard, still hesitating.
Presently they were all gathered there, and when they saw, there grew a sort of panic among them. "Let us hence while there is time," said one, voicing the fears of the rest; "we are all dead men else. This is what the earthquake betokened." "It is the part of Anglian thanes to die with their king," said Sighard angrily. "An there were a king left us to die with "
"It is no dream, but the truth," he said hoarsely. "Answer me, is it true?" Now I saw the wrath growing in his face. And I heard Witred stammer, for the fear of the great king was on him; and I knew not what Sighard might not say in his wrath, for already Selred had his hand on him to stay him.
"It is good enough; otherwise I might have put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I have ever heard." "The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be running away from hearsay," I said. "Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across the border, I take it," Erling answered.
And so at first we spoke of the day's hunting, and, of course, Sighard had his say on the matter of Gymbert's carelessness. Seeing that neither he nor the king had any doubt that carelessness it was, and naught else, I did not think it worth while to say anything of my own suspicions. I do not think that they could have believed that any harm was meant me had I told of the arrow.
Offa, when he took the realm, had at least proved that he had no mind to enrich himself with lesser spoils. So Sighard sold his right of succession, and all else that was his own in East Anglia, and thereafter bought a place for himself near us; and there he lives now, well loved by all and honoured.
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