"I may not explain this to thee," was the answer. "Some day thou shalt understand it."
"Some day!" was Wulnoth's angry reply. "Why are all the good things promised thus? The future must be stored with them, and the now has never a one."
"The future has all golden store, Wulnoth, since so thou wilt have it. And now farewell."
"Not so fast," cried Wulnoth. "I have conquered thee, and thou art my man now."
"And truly so, and truly I shall serve thee even though thou mayst not know it. Yet beware of one thing—thou must watch me, for I may yet turn and smite thee. I tell thee, Wulnoth, that I am thy best friend and thy worst foe—weak am I and yet I am thy strength. Seek not to keep me now."
"Oh, go thy way! Thou art like all the rest, filled with riddles and dark sayings. Yet before thou dost go tell me one thing, and plainly, if it be in thee to speak to the point."
"Ask thy question," said the other. And Wulnoth went on—
"Whither must I turn to seek for Guthred son of Hardacnute, who was King of Lethra in his day—canst thou tell me that?"
"By Hungwar and by Hubba was he carried off," answered the other. "From them must you seek him. Seek the Danes, Wanderer, yet in seeking hold thy counsel, for Hungwar hath a long memory, and his face still beareth a scar of a wound made by a broken sword once in this very spot. And, moreover, the names of Cerdic, thrall of Berwulf, and of Wulnoth, the son of Cerdic, might be remembered. So keep thy counsel, and call thyself the Wanderer if thou come to the Danish sea-kings." And with that this strange man turned and hastened away, leaving Wulnoth seated there wondering, yet sore spent with his fight.