"Here is a crowd that I will not face just now, in my arms," said the
earl; "for this hole in my shield looks bad, not having been there when
I went out. Farewell for the time, therefore, and think of what I said
about your coming to Norwich with me."
He turned away therefore, and Havelok looked after him for a moment. The
shield hung at his back, plain to be seen.
"It is a hole, for certain," he said; "but there is no need to show it
in that wise."
So he strode after him.
"By your leave, earl, I will arrange your cloak across the shield, and
then you can get it to your armourer without notice."
"That is well thought of," answered Ragnar, as Havelok did as he had
said. "I do not forget that I think that I owe you my life, though I
have said nothing as yet."
"How is that?"
"Griffin would have flown on me as he did on you, certainly; and it is
in my mind that you foresaw it, which I did not. I could not have stayed
him."
"Well I did," answered my brother; "else had either I or you a hole in
us like the one that is well covered now. But I feared what came to pass."
Ragnar held out his hand, and Havelok took it, and so they parted
without more words; but I knew that these two were friends from that
time forward, whatever happened.
There were some sports of some sort on hand, when we came to see what
all the noise was; and Berthun, seeing us, called Havelok to him.
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