Havelok the Dane Part 26

There was not one there who did not know Havelok, whom they called Curan; and though all thought these doings strange, there was a hum of a.s.sent, for the oath said naught of the station in life of the bridegroom. Good King Ethelwald had been too trustful.

"That is well," said Alsi, with a grave face. "All here will bear witness that this was not done without counsel taken. Now, let the bridegroom sit in his place here to my right."

He waved his hand, and Havelok sat down on the bench that faced Goldberga; and now he looked long at her with a look that seemed to be questioning. Alsi was going to his seat in the cross bench, where the parents of the couple are wont to sit at a wedding while the vows are made, but he seemed to bethink himself. It is my belief that he said what he did in order to shame both Havelok and Goldberga.

"Why, it is not seemly that the bridegroom should sit alone without one to be by him. Where are your friends, Curan?"

At that Alsi met with more than he bargained for. At once Berthun came forward, and forth came I, and without a word we sat one on each side of him. There were others who would have come also, for I saw even Eglaf take a step towards the high place, had we not done so.

Alsi's face became black at that, for here was not the friendless churl he was scoffing at. But he tried to smile, as if pleased.

"Why, this is well," he said. "Good it is to see a master helping his man, and a soldier ready to back a comrade of a sort. Now we have witnesses. Let us go on with the wedding."

Now the golden loving cup that was used at the feasts had been filled and set at a little side table that stood there, and it was to be the bride cup that should be drunk between the twain when all was settled. So Alsi took this cup and held it, while he sat in the place of the father of the bride. Now, I knew nothing of what should he done, but Berthun did so, and well he took my brother's part, having undertaken for him thus.

"It is the custom," said Alsi, "that the bridegroom should state what he sets forth of the dowry to the bride."

Whereat Berthun, without hesitation, spoke hastily to Havelok, and told him to let him answer, meaning, as I have not the least doubt, to promise all that he had saved in long years of service. But Havelok smiled a little, and set his hand to his neck, and I remembered one thing that he had -- a ring which had always hung on a cord under his jerkin since he came to Grimsby, and which my father had bidden him keep ever.

"This give I," he said, setting it on the floor at his feet, "and with it all that I am, and all that I shall hereafter be, and all that shall be mine at any time."

Alsi looked at the ring as it flashed before him, and his face changed. No such jewel had he in all his treasures, for it was of dwarf work in gold, set with a deep crimson stone that was like the setting sun for brightness. I do not know whence these stones came, unless it were from the East. Eleyn the queen, his mother, was thence, and I know now that the ring was hers. But I think that when Alsi saw this he half repented of the match, though he had gone too far now to draw back. So he bowed, and said that it was well, as he would have said had there been nothing forthcoming.

Then Berthun, in his turn, asked for the bridegroom that the dowry of the bride should be stated for all to hear.

"The wealth left my niece by her father," said Alsi. "The matter of the kingdom is for the Witan of the East Anglians to settle."

Then came from out the king's chamber two men bearing bags of gold, and that was set before the princess. It was a n.o.ble dowry, and honest was the king in this matter at least.

Now were the vows to be said and the bride cup to be drunk, and that was the hardest part of all to Havelok.

Slowly he rose as the king held it out to him, and he took it from his hand and stood before Goldberga; and she, too, rose and faced him, and for a moment they stood thus, surely the most handsome couple that had ever been.

Then Havelok said, looking in the clear eyes of the princess, "This have I sworn, that I will wed no unwilling bride. It is but for you to say one word, and the cup falls, and all is ended."

Alsi started at that, and I thought he was going to speak, but he held his peace. Still as a rock was Havelok while he waited for the answer, and the folk in the hall were as still as he. They began to see that all was not right as the king would have it thought.

Once the princess looked at Alsi, and that with pride in her face, and then she looked long and steadfastly at Havelok, and one by one his fingers loosened themselves on the golden stem of the cup, that she might know him ready for her word.

Then she put forth her hand and closed it round his strong fingers, that he must hold it fast by her doing, and that was all that was needed. It was more than words could have told. And she smiled as she did it.

And at that a light came on Havelok's face, and he smiled gravely back at her, and he said in a low voice that shook a little, "May the G.o.ds so treat me as I treat you, my princess. Can it be that you will trust me thus?"

She answered in no words, but I saw her hand tighten over his, and her eyes never left his face.

Then Havelok raised his other hand, and took that of Goldberga, which was on the cup, and faced to the people.

"Thus do I pledge her who shall be henceforward my wife through good and ill; and may Odin, Freya, and Niord be witnesses of my oath of faith to her in all that the word may mean."

So he drank, and I stole a glance at the king. Never saw I a man so amazed, for to him the Danish names of the Asir had come as some sort of a shock, seeing that he had deemed this man, with the name of Curan, a Briton. And he looked at Berthun with a look that seemed to say more than was likely to be pleasant by-and-by. But the steward paid no heed to him.

Now Havelok had made his vow, and he gave the cup to the princess; and she, too, turned a little toward the people, but still she looked on Havelok.

"Faith shall answer to faith," she said in a clear voice. "Here do I take this man for my husband, in the sight of G.o.d, and with you all as witnesses, and I pray that the blessing of Him may be on us both."

So she drank also, and Havelok stopped and raised the wondrous ring from where it had been unheeded on the floor, and took the band of Goldberga, and set it on her finger, and kissed the hand ere he let it go.

But Goldberga lifted her face toward him, and he bent and kissed her forehead, and so they were wedded.

I have heard men scoff at the thought of love at first sight, but never can any one of us do so who saw this wedding.

CHAPTER XVII. HOW THE BRIDE WENT HOME.

Now the folk cheered, and loudest of all honest Eglaf and his warriors. I wondered what should come next, for neither feast nor bride ale was prepared, and Berthun was looking puzzled. Then I saw that the only face in all the wide hall which was not bright was that of Alsi, and his brow was black as a thunder cloud, while his fingers were white with the force with which he clutched and twisted the end of his jewelled belt. Plainly he was in a royal rage that none had scoffed at this wedding, but that all had taken it as a matter that was right altogether.

But he had one more evil thing in his mind that must be seen through; and he came forward, smoothing his face, as best he might, to the fixed smile that I had seen when he spoke with Ragnar, and learned that his first plot had miscarried.

"Now, friends," he said, "all this has been so hasty that we have prepared no feast. Even now, it seems that the horses stand at the door to take bride and bridegroom hence, and doubtless there waits somewhere the feast that has been bespoken without my knowledge. Well, strange are the ways of lovers, and we will pardon them. I have therefore only to bid them farewell."

With that he turned to Havelok, and held out his hand, as in all good fellows.h.i.+p, but Havelok would not see it.

"Fare as it shall be meted to you by the Asir, King Alsi," he said, "for at least Loki loves craft."

Then he turned to me, and asked hurriedly where we should go if we must leave thus.

"To Grimsby," I said. "That is home."

Alsi spoke to the princess now, and maybe it was as well that he did not offer so much as his hand. Wise was he in his way.

"Farewell, niece," he said; "all this shall come shortly before the Witan of Ethelwald's folk."

"Farewell, uncle," she answered calmly. "That is a matter which I will see to myself. You have carried out your oath to the letter, so far, and now it remains that you should leave the government of the realm to me."

With that she put her hand on Havelok's arm.

"Come, husband; we have heard that the horses wait. Let us be gone."

And then in a quick whisper she added, as if nigh overdone, "Take me hence quickly, for I may not bear more."

They wasted no more words; and through a lane of folk, who blessed them, those two went to the great door down the long hall, and I followed, and Berthun and the nurse came after me. One flung the door open; and on the steps, all unaware of what had happened, lounged Mord, waiting, and up and down on the green the grooms led the horses of the princess -- six in all. On two were packed her goods, and the third had a pack saddle that waited for the bags that held her dowry. The other three were for herself and Mord and the nurse. There was not one for Havelok.

"This is hasty, my princess," Mord said. "Whither are we bound?"

"For Grimsby, Mord," I answered quickly. "Are there no more horses to be had?"

"Never a one, unless we steal from the king," he answered.

The people were crowding out now that they might see the start, and I saw Berthun speak to a man among them who was a stranger to me. And from him he turned directly with a glad face.