But now there had
befallen the long days of peril and anxiety which had set her in
the background altogether, and I had had time to come to more sober
thoughts, as it were. Men have said that I aged more in that short
time than in the next ten years of my life, and it is likely.
Nevertheless, it needed but a word or two of kindness to bring me
to Elfrida's feet once for all, and but a little more coldness to
send me from her altogether.
So at last I went to her home to find out how I should fare,
thinking less of the matter than last time, and there she sat in
the hall, chatting merrily with Erpwald. That pleasantness stopped
when I came in, and after the first needful greetings Elfrida froze
again, and Erpwald fell silent, as if I was by no means welcome. I
could see that I was the third who spoils company. However, the
ealdorman came in directly, and I talked to him, and as we paid no
heed to those two they took up their talk once more, and presently
their words waxed low. Whereon the ealdorman glanced at them with a
sly grin and wink to me, and I understood.
So I went away, for that was enough. Of course, I was very angry,
by reason of the scratch to my pride; for it does hurt to think
that one is not wanted, and for a while I brooded over it just as I
had done the other day.
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