The boy started.

“Without peace in which to gain their friendship so that they will hear us willingly, our cause is lost.  It is not because I am a craven that I bear to be the guest of the man who sought my life, who turns his face from me when I sit at his board, who allows his servants to insult me.  Sometimes I think it would be easier to bear the martyrdom of the blessed saints!” He made a sudden fierce movement in his chair, as though the fire in his veins had leaped out and burnt his flesh.

Then, for the first time, Alwin understood.  He bent before him, rebuked and humbled.

“Lord, I see that I have done wrong.  I ask you to pardon it.  Say what you would have me do.”

“Put my commands ahead of your desires, as I put King Olaf’s wish before my pride, and as he sets the will of God before his will.”

“I promise I will not fail you again, lord.”

“See that you do not,” Leif answered, with a touch of sternness.

CHAPTER XVI

A COURTIER OF THE KING

A better burden
No man bears on the way
Than much good sense;
That is thought better than riches
In a strange place: 
Such is the recourse of the indigent. 

          Ha’vama’l

The next afternoon when Helga came out to water the linen, she found Alwin waiting for her, on the pretext of hunting in the long grass for a lost arrow-head.

He greeted her gayly:  “I will offer you three chances to guess my news.”

She paused, with her twig broom raised and dripping, and scanned him eagerly.  “Is it anything about the ship that came yesterday?  I heard among the women that it is the war-vessel of Eric’s kinsman, Thorkel Farserk, just come back from ravaging the Irish coast.  Is his wife going to make a feast to welcome him?”

“I will not deny that you have proved a good guesser.  And, by Dunstan! he deserves to be received well.  Never saw I such a sight as that landing!  There were more slaves than there were men in the crew.  Not a man but had a bloody bandage on his head or his body, and the arms and legs of some were lacking.  Two of the crew were not there at all, and their sweethearts had come down to the shore to meet them; and when they found that they had been slain, they tore their hair and tried to kill themselves with knives.”

“That was foolish of them,” said Helga, calmly.  “Better was it that their lovers should die in good repute than live in the shame of cowardice.  But tell me the news.  Has it happened, as I supposed, that there is going to be a feast, and Leif is asked to it?”

“Messengers came this morning from Farserk’s wife.  But you dare not guess the rest.”

“I dare throw this pan of water over you if you do not tell me instantly.”

“It would not matter much if you did.  I am to have new clothes,—­of black velvet with bands of ermine.  But hearken now:  Leif has accepted the invitation!  Even Valbrand thinks this a great wonder.  At this moment Sigurd is selecting the chief’s richest dress, and Rolf is getting out the most costly of the gifts that were brought from Norway.”