“I know not how to thank you for your goodwill to me.”

“Nay,” he said; “but my wife will blame me if you come not.  ‘Here,’ she will say, ’is the companion whom I needed, and a friend of our Redwald’s, moreover, and you have not brought her.’  I pray you, come with us.  Do you ask her, Redwald; I am rough, and you are courtly.”

Then I said: 

“Lady, this is all that Elfric would wish for you.  I cannot tell you of the great kindness that is waiting for you in the thane’s home.”

And for answer she turned away and began to weep, and Relf could bear that not at all, and he went to her and put his arm round her, as he would have done to Sexberga, and tried to reassure her.

“Why,” he said, “here is nought to weep about, maiden.  Maybe we are homely people, but I think that you may learn to be happier in freedom with us than here.  Nay, but weep not so bitterly, you shall be as our daughter to us if you will, for Redwald’s life’s sake.  Aye, you shall have Sexberga’s own chamber and all that—­”

But still Uldra wept, and I was unhappy to see her do so.  This could not be all for sudden relief from doubt as I had thought at first.

Then she took herself gently from the thane’s arm, and dried her eyes, and clasped her hands tightly before her, and said: 

“I cannot say how I thank you; but I must bide here.”

“This is a cold place,” said the thane.  “It is no home for you.”

“I think it will be so in the end,” she said very sadly.

And I tried hard to think of somewhat to say that might persuade her, but there was that meaning in her voice that seemed to stay whatever came to me.  I thought that she had made up her mind to take the veil, and there are few things that will turn a maiden from that when once she has chosen it.

Then said Relf: 

“Maybe I ask you too suddenly, lady.  Let us leave it till tomorrow, and I pray you think with all kindness of the matter, for I shall be sorely grieved if you will not come.”

And I said the same as well as I could, but though she promised to give her answer in the morning, it was plain to me that it would be even as she said now.

Then we took our leave of her, and found our way out of the place, somewhat down-hearted.  The door was bolted after us, though I do not know who did it, or whence the portress watched our going.  And it was dismal to hear the great bars jarring in their sockets.

“Poor maid,” said Relf.  “Why does she choose such a prison?”

“Those dismal nuns have talked her into it,” said I angrily.

“Maybe.  It is a way they have,” the thane said. “‘Come in here!’ said the rat in the trap to the rat outside, ’one is safe from the cat behind these bars.’”

So we walked on for a little, and then he said: 

“How did she hear of Sexberga?  I thought you had had no speech with her on the journey.”