And I, being
light hearted, having made up my mind, and being young enough not to
look trouble in the face too long, asked him if he had none of the roe
deer left over?
Whereat he started, and looked terrified at me. Then I laughed, and said
that Grendel had told me what was in the pot, and the man, seeing that I
was not angry, began to grin also, wondering. Then the meaning of the
whole business seemed to come to him, and he sat down and began to
laugh, looking at me from under his brows now and then, lest I should be
wroth with him for the freedom. But I laughed also, and so in the end we
two sat and laughed till the tears came, opposite one another, and that
was a thing that I had never thought to do again. At last I stopped, and
then he made haste to compose himself.
"Master," he said, "forgive me. But if you were Grendel, as I think now,
there is a great fear off my mind."
"I was Grendel, Dudda," said I; "but you must have a sorely evil
conscience to be so easily frighted."
"Nay, master; but from week to week I see none, least of all at
midnight, and mail-clad men never at all. I think I am the only man who
fears not this marsh and what may haunt it."
"That you may never boast again," said I; "for scared you were, and that
badly!"
"It is between you and me, master," said he, with much cunning in his
look; "as I pray the matter of what was in the cauldron may be also--"
"Well, as for that," I answered, "I ate it, and was glad of it, so I
will not inquire how it came there.
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