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Updated: June 12, 2025
Now, out of very spite to Torfrida's counsel, because it was Torfrida's, and he had promised to obey it, he took up the quarrel. "If I am a fool and a churl, thou art a greater fool, to provoke thine own death; and a greater " "Spare your breath," said the big man, "and let me try Hereward, as I have many another."
But Hereward was deaf to their arguments. He had said as little to them as he could about Alftruda, for very shame; but he was utterly besotted on her. For her sake, he had determined to run his head blindly into the very snare of which he had warned others. And he had seared so he fancied his conscience. It was Torfrida's fault now, not his.
To have lived that she might make that man a perfect knight, and just when her work seemed done, to see him lose himself! And she wept till she could weep no more. Then she washed away her tears in that well. Had it been in Greece of old, that well would have become a sacred well thenceforth, and Torfrida's tears have changed into forget-me-nots, and fringed its marge with azure evermore.
"Let him tell your grandfather who he is, or remain suspected." The boy went away sadly. Early the next morning he burst into Torfrida's room as she was dressing her hair. "How now? Are these manners for the heir of Flanders?" "He has told all!" "He has!" and she started and dropt her comb. "Pick up that comb, girl. You need not go away. I have no secrets with young gentlemen."
But go we must, or be forever shamed. Now, true wife, are you ready? Dare you leave home and kin and friends, once and for all, to go, you know not whither, with one who may be a gory corpse by this day week?" "I dare," said she. So they went down to Calais by night, with Torfrida's mother, and all their jewels, and all they had in the world.
Give it her!" said he, hanging down his head like a rated cur. "Ascelin of Lincoln, once Ascelin of Ghent, there was a time when you would have done what would you not? for one glance of Torfrida's eyes. Stay. Do not deceive yourself, fair sir, Torfrida means to ask no favor of you, or of living man. But she commands you.
"Charitable to the poor, kind and agreeable to her attendants, courteous to strangers, and only severe to herself," Gunhilda had lingered on in a world of war and crime; and had gone, it may be, to meet Torfrida beyond the grave, and there finish their doubtful argument. The Countess was served with food in Torfrida's chamber. Hereward and his wife refused to sit, and waited on her standing.
Torfrida's mother began whimpering, and praying to six or seven saints at once. But nobody marked her, possibly not even the saints; being preoccupied with Torfrida. "I hear, fair maid, for that you are that I will do you the justice to confess, that you are old enough to be married this four years since." Torfrida stood like a stone, frightened out of her wits, plentiful as they were.
"What are the fools doing down here, wandering into the very jaws of the wolf? How will they land here? They were to have gone straight to the Lincolnshire coast. God grant this mistake be not the first of dozens!" Hereward went into Torfrida's bower. "This is an evil business. The Danes are here, where they have no business, instead of being off Scheldtmouth, as I entreated them.
"Yes! I am Hereward," he almost shouted; "the Berserker, the brain-hewer, the land-thief, the sea-thief, the feeder of wolf and raven, Aoi! Ere my beard was grown, I was a match for giants. How much more now, that I am a man whom ladies love? Many a champion has quailed before my very glance. How much more, now that I wear Torfrida's gift? Aoi!"
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