Then, after one look, he knew me at once, and ran to me, and took my
hand, and almost kissed me in his pleasure, for since I could handle an
oar he had known me, and had taught me how to do that, moreover.
Then he called for wine and food; and we sat down together and had a
long talk of the old days, and of how we had fared after he left, and of
all else that came uppermost. And sorely he grieved at my father's
death, and at the trouble that was on us. The famine had not been so
sore in the south, and pestilence had not been at all.
As for himself, he had been courtman, as we call the housecarls, at
first, and so had risen to be chamberlain to the king, and now to the
princess, and had been with her everywhere that Alsi had sent her since
her father died.
"It was a good day for me, and wise was Grim when he bade me go to
Ethelwald to seek service," he said; "yet I would that I had seen him
once more. I have never been to this place before, else I should have
sought him."
Now I was going to ask him about Havelok, but hardly knew how to begin.
He saved me the trouble however, by speaking first.
"Who were the lady and the boy we had on board when we came to England?"
he said. "I never heard, and maybe it was as well that I did not."
"My father never told me. But why do you think that it was well not to
know?"
"Because I am sure that Grim had good reason for not telling.
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