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Updated: May 7, 2025
Then the king went back to the building and called to Wulfnoth, who came up the ladder asking what was amiss, for he heard that Olaf's voice was urgent. "Here is a gale coming," the king said, "and we must be back with the ships." Wulfnoth came out into the open and looked round. "Aye; and tide will be high at the causeway. These spring tides run wildly at this time of year," he said.
"And was slain, doubtless, lest he should betray the secret," said Wulfnoth. And he put his hand out to take one of the bags from the place, feeling round the rotten canvas to get a fair grip of the mass of coin. Then he drew back his hand with a cry that came strangely from his stern lips, for it sounded like alarm, and he stepped back.
Wulfnoth stood with his back to the gate as we entered with the leading files. But when he heard the tramp and ring of warriors in their mail, he started and turned round sharply. I saw his face flush red, and I saw Olaf's smile, and Relf's face of wonder. And then the earl broke out angrily enough for his castle was, as it were, taken by Olaf. "What is the meaning of this?"
Then came Wulfnoth and spoke to Olaf, and said that he and his men would go beyond the village so as to take the outlaws from the rear. He would send a man to us who would show us all that was needed. After that we lay and waited, and as the sun rose and the light grew stronger, I thought that I had never seen a more beautiful place.
The duke now presented his nobles and principal officers to Harold, and then with his arm placed familiarly on his guest's shoulder led him into the hall, and placed him in the chair of state beside his own, other seats being placed for Wulfnoth and Hakon and for some of the principal Norman barons, while the rest mingled with the Saxon thanes in the body of the hall.
At last, when Olaf told him plainly of the needs of England and of her king, and of what he feared of the return of Cnut, Earl Wulfnoth answered: "Had you come to ask me to go a-viking with yourself, gladly would I have joined with or followed you. Godwine my son has yet some things to learn which a Norseman could teach him, and it would have been well.
I gave him one of the gold pieces that Earl Wulfnoth had taken from the treasure for me, and the man weighed it, wondering at its weight and fineness. Then he said that he was overpaid, and must give me money for the overweight, and asked that one should go back to his house with him and return with it. "There were men lurking in the porches and on the bridge," he said, "when I came down here.
But presently Godwine went away to Bosham, where the earl's ships were mostly laid up, to see to the housing of his vessels for the winter, and when I grew strong it was rather my place to go to Pevensea and wait on Wulfnoth, if I would see him. I think the earl came to Penhurst more often also, because he would dig for more treasure in all the old ruins in the town.
Now it were long to say how Wulfnoth the earl welcomed King Olaf, but it was after a kingly sort, for he was king in all but name in his earldom, shut off as it is from the rest of England by the deep forests.
Then the dame spoke in her slow, soft voice. "What banner saw you? Say that much, Redwald." "The banner that flies from Pevensea walls the banner that bears a fighting warrior for its sign." "Ha!" said Wulfnoth; "was it well or ill with that banner?"
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