"
"Can you mind that he took me also?"
I shook my head, and longed for Withelm. Surely I would send for him, or
for Arngeir, if this went on. Arngeir for choice, for I could tell him
what I thought; and that would only puzzle Withelm, who knew less than I.
"We will ask Arngeir some day," I said; "he can remember."
"I suppose he did take me," mused Havelok; "and I suppose that I want
more sleep or more food or somewhat. Now we will go and tell the old
dame of my luck, for she has lost her lodger."
Then he told me of his fortune with the steward.
"Half afraid of me he seems, for he will have me do just what I will.
That will be no hard place therefore."
But I thought that if I knew anything of Havelok my brother, he would be
likely to make it hard by doing every one's work for him, and that
Berthun saw this; or else that, as I had thought last night, the shrewd
courtier saw the prince behind the fisher's garb.
So we parted presently at the gate of the palace wall, and I went back
to the widow to wait for my arms, while he went to his master. And I may
as well tell the end of Havelok's lawmaking.
Berthun went down to the market next day, and came back with a wonder to
be told. And it was to Havelok that he went first to tell it, as he was
drawing bucket after bucket of water from the deep old Roman well in the
courtyard to fill the great tub which he considered a fair load to carry
at once.
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