Then, being nowise afraid of the bishop, or, as it seemed, of
saints, he said aloud, seemingly to himself:
"Never saw I bishop before. Still, I knew that they were blessed with
visions; but that live saints should sit below their seat, I dreamt
not!" and so he went on staring at me.
So the bishop, for all his trouble, could but smile, and asked him if he
saw a vision.
"Surely," he said, "this is the saint who stayed us on yonder hill."
"Nay, that is Heregar the Thane, messenger of Osric."
"Then," said Wislac, "let me tell you, Heregar the Thane, that one of
the saints, and I think a valiant one, is mightily like you. Whereby you
are the more fortunate."
Now for all the mistake I could not find a word to say, and was fain to
thank him for the good word on my looks. Yet he went on looking at me
now and then in a puzzled sort of way. And the bishop seemed to enjoy
his wonderment, but was in no mind to enlighten him.
Presently the bishop bade Wislac sit down, and then he took up Osric's
ring that I had given him, and also another which lay beside it on the
table--silver also, with some device on it, like that I had worn.
"See, thanes," he said, "have you three a mind to stay with me for a
while and be my council in this matter? For I am here without a fighting
man of my own to speak with.
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