Indeed, she was so slow that a
smaller vessel that left Tetney haven on the next day reached the same
port that we were bound for on the night that we came to our old home.
And that we learned soon after she had come.
Into Sigurd's haven we sailed on the morning tide, and strange it seemed
to me to see the well-known place unchanged as we neared it. My father's
house was there, and Arngeir's, and the great hall of the jarl towered
over all, as I remembered it. Men were building a ship in the long shed
where ours had been built, and where the queen had hidden; and the
fishing boats lay on the hard as on the day when Havelok had come to us.
The little grove was yet behind our house, and it seemed strange when I
remembered that the old stones of its altar were far beyond the seas. I
wondered if Thor yet stood under his great ash tree; and then I saw one
change, for that tree was gone, and in its place stood a watchtower,
stone built, and broad and high, for haven beacon.
On the high fore deck stood Havelok, and his arm was round Goldberga as
we ran in, but they were silent. The land held overmuch of coming wonder
for them to put into words, as I think.
Presently the boats came off to us in the old way, and here and there I
seemed to know the faces of the men, but I was not sure. It was but the
remembrance of the old Danish cast of face, maybe.
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