"Then," said I, "he will surely remember you, for he never forgets
one whom he has had reason to notice."

Whereat the jarl laughed a little to himself; but I had no time to
ask why, for now we were come to the great door; and when my father
would have let the king go in first Eadmund laughed at him, and
took his arm and drew him in with him, so that there was a little
delay, and we drew close.

Very bright and welcome looked the great oaken hall as we came in
from the dark, rainy night. A great fire burnt on its stone hearth
in the centre, and the long tables were already set above and below
it. The bright arms and shields on the walls shone below the heads
of deer and wolf and boar, and the gust of wind that came in with
us flew round the wall, making a sort of ripple of changing colour
run along the bright woven stuffs that covered them to more than a
man's height from the floor. No one in all East Anglia had so well
dight a hall as had Elfric, the rich Thane of Reedham.

Well used was I to all this, but never seemed it more homelike to
me than when I came in fresh from the the cold, gray sea.

And now there stood on the high place to welcome us those whose
presence made the place yet more beautiful to me--my mother, and
Eadgyth my sister, and beside them were Bishop Humbert, our own
bishop, and many thanes of the court, and some of the bishop's
clergy. Such a gathering my father, and, indeed, all of us, loved,
for all were well known to us.

Now I went to greet these dear ones and friends, and there was