“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 noble 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.