If I failed in help at need it should
not be my fault. It had been long growing in my mind who Havelok must
be, though I said nothing of what I thought, because my father had
bidden me be silent long ago, and I thought that I knew why.
We were to start early in the morning, so that we should get to the city
betimes in the evening; and there was one thing that troubled the good
sisters more than it did us. They would have had us go in all our
finery, such as we were wont to wear on holidays and at feastings; but
none of that was left. It had gone in buying corn, while there was any
left to buy, along with every silver penny that we had. So we must go in
the plain fisher gear, that is made for use and not for show, frayed and
stained, and a trifle tarry, but good enough. It would not do to go in
our war gear into a peaceful city; and so we took but the seax that
every Englishman wears, and the short travelling spear that all
wayfarers use. Hardly was it likely that even the most hungry outlaw of
the wild woldland would care to fall on us; for by this time such as we
seemed had spent their all in food for themselves and their families,
and all the money in Lindsey seemed to have gone away to places where
there was yet somewhat to buy.
Busy were those kind sisters of ours that night in making ready the last
meal that we should need to take from them.
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