"
"I will not pretend not to know what you mean, Erpwald," answered
my father. "But this, as it seems to me, is a matter that concerns
me most of all."
"If it concerns not Woden's priest, whom shall it concern?"
answered Erpwald. "It is true, then, that you have left the Asir to
follow the way of the thralls, led aside by that Welshman you have
with you?"
"It is true enough that I am a Christian," said my father steadily.
"As for leaving the Asir, that is not to be said of one whose line
goes back to Woden, his forefather. But I cannot worship him any
longer. Forefather of mine he may be, but not a god."
"Ho! that is all I needed to hear. Now, I will not mince matters
with you, Aldred. Either you give up this foolishness, or I am here
to make you do so."
Now, my father looked round at the men and saw that all the
house-carles and one or two from the village were in the courtyard,
fifteen of them altogether, besides himself and Owen. They were all
Christian men, and they stood in a sort of line behind him across
the closed gate with their faces set, listening.
"Don't suppose that there is any help coming to you from the
village," said the hard voice from outside. "There is a guard over
every house."
"Erpwald," said my father, "it is a new thing that any man should
be forced to quit his faith here in Sussex.
Pages:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47