And when I looked at her, I saw that she had been sorely troubled, and
this was the cause, for she said:
"I knew that you, my Heregar, would not fight against your own land, and
so they would surely slay you."
So will a woman see the truth of things often more clearly than a man.
For that the vikings might call on me to fight my Saxon kin had, till
last night, never crossed my mind, yet after Charnmouth fight it was
like enough.
Then she asked what brought me here, and I told her that, seeing the
burning of Watchet, I had a mind to join the levy, if I could, and so
fight both for country and for her. That was true enough as my thoughts
ran now--and surely I was not wrong in leaving out the story of the
errand with the war arrow, for that would have told her of her father's
lust for my destruction.
Then she wept lest I should fall, but being brave and thoughtful for my
honour, and for my winning back name and lands, bade me do so if I
could, cheering me with many fond and noble words, so that I wondered
that such a man as I could have won the love of such a woman as she.
Now the time was all too short for me to tarry long: but before I went,
Alswythe would bring me out food and drink that I might go well
strengthened and provided.
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