amazed, for to him the Danish names of the Asir had come as some sort of
a shock, seeing that he had deemed this man, with the name of Curan, a
Briton. And he looked at Berthun with a look that seemed to say more
than was likely to be pleasant by-and-by. But the steward paid no heed
to him.

Now Havelok had made his vow, and he gave the cup to the princess; and
she, too, turned a little toward the people, but still she looked on
Havelok.

"Faith shall answer to faith," she said in a clear voice. "Here do I
take this man for my husband, in the sight of God, and with you all as
witnesses, and I pray that the blessing of Him may be on us both."

So she drank also, and Havelok stopped and raised the wondrous ring from
where it had been unheeded on the floor, and took the band of Goldberga,
and set it on her finger, and kissed the hand ere he let it go.

But Goldberga lifted her face toward him, and he bent and kissed her
forehead, and so they were wedded.

I have heard men scoff at the thought of love at first sight, but never
can any one of us do so who saw this wedding.


CHAPTER XVII. HOW THE BRIDE WENT HOME.

Now the folk cheered, and loudest of all honest Eglaf and his warriors.
I wondered what should come next, for neither feast nor bride ale was
prepared, and Berthun was looking puzzled. Then I saw that the only face