Then came Alsi, leading the princess, and after Goldberga came her
nurse. No other ladies were with her; and now I noticed that there was
not one thane on the high place, which was strange, and the first time
that such a thing had been since I came here. I looked down the hall,
and none were present. Now I looked at Alsi; and on his pale face was a
smile that might have been as of one who will be glad, though he does
not feel so. But the eyes of the princess were bright with tears, and
hardly did she look from the floor. Hers was a face to make one sad to
see at that time, wondrously beautiful as it was.

Alsi led her by the hand, and set her on the bench that was to his left,
and signed to the nurse to sit beside her, which the old lady did,
bridling and looking with scorn at the king as she took her place. There
she sought the hand of the princess, and held it tightly, as in
comforting wise. Very rich garments had the nurse, but Goldberga was
dressed in some plain robe of white that shone when the light caught it.
Mostly I do not see these things, but now I wished that she always wore
that same.

As for Alsi, he had on his finest gear, even as at the great feast of
the Witan--crimson cloak, fur-lined, and dark-green hose,
gold-gartered across, and white and gold tunic. He had a little crown on
also, and that was the only thing kingly about him, to my mind.

Now he cast one look at Goldberga, which made her shrink into herself,
as it were, and turned with a smile to us all.

"Friends," he said, "this is short notice for a wedding, but all men
know that 'Happy is the wooing that is not long a-doing,' so no more
need be said of that. All men know also that when good Ethelwald died he