A Thane of Wessex, Page 2

  CHAPTER II. THE FIGHT WITH TWO.

  Now whither I went for the next two hours I cannot tell, for my mind washeedless of time or place or direction--only full of burning hate ofall men, and of Matelgar most of all. And though that has long passedaway from me, so that I may even think of him now as the pleasantcomrade in field and feast that he once was, I wonder not at all I thenfelt; for this treachery had come on me so unawares, and was so deep.

  Wherever it was I wandered it took me away from men, and at last, when Iroused myself to a knowledge again of the land round me, I was hard onthe borders of Sedgemoor Waste; and the sun was low down, and near setting.

  Perhaps I had not roused even then; but it came into my mind that I wasfollowed, and that for some time past I had heard, as in a dream, thenoise of footsteps not far behind me. Now, since I was in the glade of alittle wood, a snapping stick broke the dream, and I started and turned.

  Where I stood was in the shadow, but twenty paces from me a red, levelsunbeam came past the tree trunks, and made a bright patch of light onthe new growing grass beneath the half-clad branches. And, even as Iturned, into that patch of light came two of Matelgar's men, walkingswiftly, as if here at last they would overtake me. And, moreover, thatsunlight lit on drawn swords in their hands; so that in a moment I knewthat his hate followed me yet, and that for him the Moot had been toomerciful in not slaying me then and there, so that these were on thaterrand for him.

  Then all earth and sky grew red before my eyes, for here seemed to methe beginning of my revenge; and before these two knew that I hadturned, out of the dim shadow I leapt upon them, silent, with thatquarterstaff aloft. Dazzled they were with the sunlight, and thinkingleast of all of my turning thus swiftly, if at all. And I was as one ofthe Berserks of whom men spoke--caring not for death if only I mightslay one of those who had wrought me wrong.

  Into the face of that one to the left flew the iron-shod end of theheavy staff and he fell; and as the other gave back a pace, I whirled itround to strike his head. He raised his sword to guard the blow, andthat fell in shivers as I smote it. Then a second blow laid him acrosshis comrade, senseless.

  Then I stood over them and rejoiced; and part of my anger and shameseemed to pass into the lust of revenge begun well. I knew the men astwo of Matelgar's housecarles, and that made it the sweeter to see themlie thus helpless before me.

  I knew not if they were dead yet, but I would make sure. So I leaned mystaff against a tree, and drew the sharp seax from my belt.

  Then came into my mind the words of my father, who would ever tell methat he is basest who would slay an unarmed foe, or smite a fallen man;and hastily I put back the seax again, lest I should be tempted tobecome base as men had said I was; for I hold treachery to be of thesame nature as that of which my father warned me.

  I took back my staff and leant on it, thinking, and looking at thosemen. They were the first I had ever met in earnest, and this was thefirst proof of the skill in arms my father had spent long years ingiving me. So there crept over me a pride that I had met two andovercome them--and I unarmed, as we count it, against mail-clad men.Then I thought that Herewulf, my father, would be proud of me could hesee this.

  And then, instantly, the shame of what had led to this swallowed up allmy pride; and with that thought of my father's loved and honoured name,my hard heart was broken, and I leant my head against a tree, and weptbitterly.

  One of the men stirred, and I sprang round hurriedly. It was the secondman, whose sword I had broken. He had been but stunned, and now sat upas one barely awake, and unaware of what had happened. I might not slayhim now, but quick as I could I took off my own broad leather belt andpinioned him from behind. He was yet too dazed to resist. And then Itook his dagger from him, and bound his feet with his own belt, dragginghim away from his comrade, and setting him against a tree. There he sat,blinking at me, but becoming more himself quickly.

  Then I looked at the other man. He was dead, for the end of thequarterstaff had driven in his forehead, so madly had I struck at himwith all my weight.

  And now, seeing that I was cooler and might think more clearly, itseemed to me that it would be bitter to Matelgar that out of his wish todestroy me should come help to myself. I needed arms, and now I had butto take them from his own armoury, as it were. Well armed were all hishousecarles, and this one I had slain was their captain, and his byrnieof linked mail was of the best Sussex steel, and his helm was crestedwith a golden boar, with linked mail tippet hanging to protect the neck.And his sword--but as my eyes fell on that my heart gave a great leapof joy--for it was my own! Mine, too, was the baldric from which ithung, and mine was the seax that balanced it, close to the right hand inthe belt.

  As I saw that I began to know more of the plans of Matelgar--for itmust be that my hall and all my goods had fallen into his hands, andthis was the reward his head man had asked and been given.

  And now I minded that this man had been one of those who gave evidenceof my lonely rides and secret meetings. So he had been bought thus, formy sword was a good one, and the hilt curiously wrought in ivory andsilver.

  Then I made no more delay, but stripped the man of his armour, and alsoof the stout leathern jerkin he wore beneath it, for I was clad in therags of feasting garb, as I have said, and hated them even as I threwthem aside. The man was of my own height and build, as it chanced, andhis gear fitted me well. So I took his hide shoes also, casting away myfrayed velvet foot coverings into the underwood.

  Now once more I stood clad in the arms of a free man and how good it wasto feel again the well known and loved weight of mail, and helm, andsword tugging at me I cannot say. But this I know, that, like the strongman of old our old priest told me of, as I shook myself, my strength andmanhood came back to me.

  But now, whereas I had been haled from my feasting a careless boy, andhad stood before my judges as an angry man, as I look back, I see thatfrom that arming I rose up a grim and desperate warrior with wrongs toright, and the will and strength to right them.

  So I stood for a little, and the savage thoughts that went through mymind I may not write. Then I turned to my captive and looked at him,though I thought nothing concerning him. But what he saw written in myface as it glowered on him from under the helmet bade him cry aloud tome to spare him.

  And at that I laughed. It was so good to feel that this enemy of minefeared me. At that laugh--and it sounded not like my own, even tomyself--the man writhed, and besought me again for mercy. But I had nomind to kill him, and a thought crossed me.

  "Matelgar bade you slay me," I said, "that I know. Tell me why he hassought my life and I will spare you."

  "Master," said the man hastily, "I knew not whom I was to slay. Matelgarbade me follow Gurth yonder, and smite whom he smote."

  "It would have mattered not--you would have slain me as well as anyother."

  "Nay, master," the man said earnestly, "that would I not."

  "You lie," I answered curtly enough; "like master like man. Tell me whatI bade you."

  "Truly I lie not, Heregar," cried he, "for I love my mistress over wellto harm you."

  Now at that mention of Alswythe the blood rushed into my face, for I hadheld her false with the rest, and this seemed to say otherwise, unlessthe plot had been hidden from such as this man. But I would fain learnmore of that, for the sake of the hope of a love I had thought true.

  "What is your mistress to me?" I asked. "Ye are all alike."

  I think the man could see well at what I aimed, for he spoke of the LadyAlswythe more freely than he would have dared at other times, nor wouldI have let him name her lightly.

  "Our mistress has gone sadly since the day you were taken, master; evenasking me to tell her, if I could, where you were kept, thinking me oneof those who guarded you, mayhap. But I knew not till today what hadchanced to you. Men may know well from such tokens what is amiss."

  Hearing that, my heart lightened within me, for I saw that the man spoketruth. However, I would not speak more o
f this to such as he, and I badehim cease his prating, and answer plainly my first question, laying myhand on my seax as if to draw it.

  "Gurth could have told you; master," he cried, "but he is dead. Matelgarheld no counsel with me. I can but tell you what the talk is among themen."

  "Tell it."

  "Because Matelgar had taken charge, as he said, of your lands while youwere away, and knowing well that in your taking he had had some hand,men say it is to get possession thereof; and the women say that, whileyou were near, the Lady Alswythe would marry no other, so that he hadhad you removed."

  The first I had guessed by the token of the sword that I had regained.That last was sweet to hear.

  "Go on," I said. "How came Matelgar to have power to hold my lands?"

  "There came one from the king, after you were taken, giving him paperswith a great seal thereon, and these he read aloud in your hall, showingthe king's own hand at the end. So men bowed thereto, and all your menhe drove out if they would not serve him, and few remained. The resthave taken service elsewhere if they were free."

  So Matelgar was in possession, and now would be confirmed in the same.What mattered that to an outlaw? But I could have borne anything betterthan to think of him sitting in my place as reward for his treachery.This was evidence of weakness, however, in his case, that he should havetried to have me slain.

  Now I had learnt all I needed, and more, in the one thing next my heart,than I hoped, if that were true--for still I could not but doubt thefaith of all. Only one thing more I would ask, and that was if Matelgarbided in his own or my hall. The man told me that he kept in his own place.

  "Now," said I, "I had a mind to leave you bound here for the wolves, butyou shall take a message to your master."

  On that the man swore to do my bidding, or, if I would, to follow me.

  "Save your oaths," I said. "I have heard a many today, and I hold themas nothing. Take these cast rags of mine, and bear them back to yourmaster. Give them to him, and then say to him whatsoever you will--either that you have slain me and these are the tokens, but that Gurthwas by me slain, and you must leave him and his arms here because of thewolves which you feared; or else you can tell him the truth, as it hashappened, and see what he does to you. I mind how he hung up a thrall ofhis by the thumbs once for two days. He will surely take good care ofone of two who were beaten by an unarmed man. But I think the lie willcome easiest to your master's man."

  Thus spoke I bitterly, and cut the belt which bound the man's arms,thinking all the while that he would never go back at all if he werewise. But he said he would go back and tell the lie, and I laughed at him.

  It was dusk now, and though I feared not the man, I would play with himyet a little longer in my bitterness. So I bade him keep still, and stirnot till I gave him leave. His feet were yet bound, and he would need anedge-tool to loose that binding. Telling him, then, that I would not runthe chance of his falling on me from behind, I took his dagger and theseax they had given me, and stuck them in the ground a full hundredyards away, and then bade him, when I was out of sight, crawl thither asbest he might and so loose himself.

  The poor wretch was too glad to be spared to do aught but repeat that hewould do my errand faithfully, and thank me; and, but for the sort ofmadness that was still on me, I must have been ashamed to torture himso. I am sorry now as I think of it, and many a man who has welldeserved punishment have I let go since that day, fearing lest that oldcruelty should be on me again, perhaps.

  Then I turned and walked away, and even as I passed the weapons, I heardthe low howl of a wolf from the swamp to my right. Far off it was, butat that sound the man cast himself on hands and knees and began to crawlin all haste to free himself.

  Then I laughed again, and plunging deeper into the wood, lost sight of him.