"
He laughed gaily at that.
"Why, here we speak as if one man in a hundred knew you. And after all
it may be that we shall get a place that none need be ashamed of. Look,
here comes a mighty fine lord from the gateway."
It was Berthun the steward, for whom we were waiting, and I knew him
well by sight. Often had he bought our fish, but I did not think that he
would remember me by name, if he had ever heard it. He was a portly and
well-favoured man, not old, and as he came down the street to the
marketplace at the hill foot he laughed and talked with one and another
of the townsfolk, whether high or low, in very pleasant wise.
Presently he stopped at a stall, and priced some meat; and when he had
bought it he looked round and called for some men to carry it for him;
and at that the idlers made a rush for him, tripping over one another in
haste to be first, while he laughed at them.
He chose two or three, and sent them up the hill to the palace with
their burdens, and then went to another booth and bought.
"This is work at which I should make a good hand," said Havelok,
laughing at the scrambling men who ran forward when the steward again
called for porters. "Well paid also the job must be, to judge of their
eagerness."
The three men who had been chosen took their burden and went away, and
the steward came near us, to a bakery that was close to the bridge end.
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