Yet it seems to me now that surely they had to do with his schemes that
had so come to nought.
Then the old man blessed me, telling me again that I should surely
prosper unless that I failed by my own fault, and that it seemed to him
that there was yet work for me to do that should set me again in my
place, and maybe higher.
So talking with him, Wulfhere called me, and I must needs say farewell
to Turkil and his father, and they bade us return, when the time came,
by this way back to our own place. And Turkil wept, and would fain have
gone with us, but I promised to see him again, and waved hand to him
before the broad meadows of the mark were passed, and the woods hid the
village from us.
Then did Alswythe, in her kindness, fall into a like mistake as that I
had made with the boy; for she turned to me, smiling, and said that she
would surely take him into her service at Stert, and see to his training
hereafter, but then remembered that she had no longer home, and her
smile faded into tears.
My heart ached for her, knowing I could give her no comfort. After that
we rode in silence, and quickly, for the track was good.
Now there is little to tell of that ride till we reached the hilltop
that Wulfhere knew, and where we could look down on the land we were to
cross, and fancy we could see Glastonbury far away.
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