Even while his lips admitted a trouble, his
manner put it aside. "You are right that it concerns the King, my elf.
Sometimes the work he assigns me is neither easy nor pleasant to accomplish.
Yet without any blame to him, most warlike maiden, for--"
But she would not be prevented from saying stern things of her royal guardian,
so at last he let her finish the subject, and stood pressing her hands upon
his breast, his eyes resting dreamily on her face.
When she had finished, he said slowly, "Sweeting, because my mind is laboring
under so many burdens that my wits are even duller than they are wont, will
you not have the patience to answer one question that is not clear to me? Do
you think it troublesome to tell me why it was that you said, that day in the
garden--Now shake off that look, dearest; never will we speak of it again if
it is not to your wish! Tell me what you meant by saying that you came into
Canute's camp because you had too much faith in Rothgar, if you despise
him--since you despise him so?"
Her eyes met his wonderingly. "By no means could I have said that, lord. When
I left home, I knew not that Rothgar lived. The one in whom I had too much
faith was the King. Because I was young and little experienced, I thought him
a god; and when I came to his camp and found him a man, I thought only to
escape from him.
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