“Unwelcome will you be, for Hodulf is in no good mood,” the man said. “I hardly think it safe for you to trust yourself with him.”
“Then,” said I, “open the door of the hall, and I will go in with my men, and see what he says.”
“Well, that will be bad for me, but I have a mind to see Havelok.”
So I told Withelm to come at my side, and bade half the courtmen follow us closely, and when they were inside to see that the door was not barred after us on any pretence. The rest would bide with the horses outside.
Then we loosed the peace strings of our weapons, and in we went, quietly and in order; and the chiefs turned to look at us, thinking us more of themselves. Hodulf sat on his place on the dais, and there were thirty-one others with him, sitting on the benches that were set along the walls. Withelm counted them.
Then the door was closed, and the man with whom I had spoken set his back against it, but it was not barred; and I went forward to the steps of the high place, and stood before Hodulf.
“Well, what now?” he said, seeing that I was a stranger.
“First of all, I ask for safe conduct from this hall as a messenger from king to king.”
“That you have, of course,” he answered. “What is your message?”
It did not seem that he thought of Havelok at all, but rather that I came from some king to whom he had sent. There were two living not so far off. I thought that there was no good in beating about the bush, for such an errand as mine had better he told boldly. So I spoke out for all to hear.