Now all England was open to Cnut, and Eirik the jarl fell on Norwich and drove Ulfkytel back on us, and from him we heard of this trouble.

On the eve of St. George’s day, Ethelred sent for me to his chamber, for he would speak with me.  I found him sitting in a great chair before the fire, wrapped in furs, though the day was warm and sunny, and he was very feeble, so that his thin hands had little strength in them.  The queen, Emma, was with him, looking young and handsome as ever, and in the light of a narrow window sat Eadward the Atheling, the sunshine falling on his strange white hair and on the pages of a great book over which he pored.  He just lifted his pale eyes from his reading as I went in and saw who it was, and smiled pleasantly at me, and then turned to his book again.  I thought that the troubles of the time passed lightly on the proud lady and the boy, whose learning was all that she cared for.

“Come near, Redwald, my son,” the king said, in his voice that had grown so faint of late.  “I have a charge to lay on you.”

I went and knelt by him, and he put his hand on my shoulder, and the tears came to my eyes at the kindly touch, for it was the same as, and yet so unlike, that which had been a promise of friendship to me at the first time that I saw him.

“All things are slipping from me, Redwald,” the king said; “nor is there aught that I grieve to lay down when the day comes on which I must pass through the gate of death.  Crown and sceptre have been heavy burdens to me, for with them has been the weight of the sword also.  I have borne those ill, and used that cruelly.  I am the Unredy; but I have listened to ill counsels, having none of my own, nor wit to see what was best.”

He ceased for faintness, and my heart ached to hear him speak thus to me, his servant.  But Emma the queen turned half away from him, her face growing hard and scornful as she heard.  Then Eadward set his book down gently, and, looking sadly at his mother, came and stood over against me at the other side of the king, and took his wan hand and said: 

“There are laws which you have made, my father, which will live in the hearts of men alongside those that Eadgar made—­our best.  There will not be all blame to you in the days to come, when men see clearly how things have gone with you.”

Thereat Ethelred smiled faintly, and he answered: 

“I pray that it may be so.  But the good outweighs not the evil.  I may not count the one—­I must confess the other.”

He passed into thought, looking into the fire, and we were still beside him.  The queen moved away to the seat where Eadward had been sitting and took his place, staring out of the window with unseeing eyes.  And I was glad that she was no longer beside us.

Presently the king raised his head and turned it a little towards me.

“Redwald,” he said, “you were our companion in Normandy, and you are a trusted friend of ours.  It will not be long before the queen must fly to her brother—­the good duke—­again, and it is in my mind that her flight will be perilous.  When that time comes, let it be your place to see her safely thither, with the athelings, her sons.  It may be that Olaf will help you, but that you must see to as best you can.  And I have sent for Abbot Elfric to help you.”