And so, with the evening tide
of the next day, we sailed in the same ship that had been hired for Griffin.
But first Havelok spent a long hour on my father's mound alone, thinking
of all that he owed to him who rested there. And to him came Goldberga
softly, presently, lest he should be lonely in that place. And there she
spoke to him of her own faith, saying that already he owed much to it.
For he was making his vows to the Asir for success.
"Shall you pray yet again to the Asir, my husband?" she asked.
"Why should I? I have vowed my vows, and there is an end. If they heed
them, all is well; and if not, the Norns hinder."
"There is One whom the Norns hinder not at all," she said gently, and so
told him how that her prayers would go up every day.
Fain was she that he also prayed in that wise to her God, that naught
might be apart in their minds.
Then he said, "I have heard this from David and Withelm also, and it is
good. Teach me to vow to your God, sweet wife, and I will do so; and you
shall teach me to pray as you pray."
So it came to pass that Havelok in the after days was more than ready to
help the Christian teachers when they came to him; for that was how the
vow that he made ran, that he would do so if he was king, and had the power.
Now there is nothing to tell of our voyage, for one could not wish for a
better passage, if the ship was slow.
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