I saw young Erpwald for the first time soon after the king had
spoken of him to me, and I liked the look of him well enough. He
was some few years older than I, square and strong, with a round
red face and light hair, pleasant in smile, if not over wise
looking. One would say that he might be a good friend, but one
could hardly think of him as willingly the enemy of any man. Some
one made me known to him as the son of Owen, as was usual, and as
such would I be known to him for a while; but for some time I saw
little of him, not caring to seek his company, as indeed there was
no reason for me to do so.
The next thing that I heard of him was that he had made a great
friend of the ealdorman since he came here, being often at his
house. It was not so long before I met him there, though my pride,
which would not let me risk another rebuff, kept me away for some
days. I had an uneasy feeling that I should fare no better, and I
could find good reason enough to justify the thought in some ways,
as any one may see from what had happened before.
Maybe that was a token that my first feelings were cooling off, and
I do not think that there is much wonder if they were. It would
have been strange, and not altogether complimentary to the fair
damsel if, after the deed at the feast and the vow that I had to
make, I had not thought myself desperately in love with her at
last, after a good many years of friendship.
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