I
am glad night is coming on, for I feel strange in this country I know
nothing of, and in the dark one place is like another."
"I would much rather walk along this road in the dark," Ulf laughed, "than
along some of the streets of London, where one may step any moment into a
deep hole or stumble into a heap of refuse."
"At any rate, in the dark no one can see we are strangers, Ulf, and though
I should not think there would be robbers on the road so near to York,
these Danes are rough folk, and I want to meet none of them. One man, or
even two, I in no ways fear, but when it comes to half a dozen even the
best sword-player may wish himself out of it."
They met, however, but one or two men on the road, and beyond exchanging
the usual salutation nothing was said; but Ulred was well pleased when
about seven o'clock they entered the streets of York.
They had already learned that the royal marriage had taken place on the
previous day, and that the king was expected to remain in York two days
longer before journeying south. There was a banquet being held at the
archbishop's palace, where the king was lodged, and on arriving there they
found that it would at present be impossible to get at Wulf, as supper had
just been served. A small bribe, however, was sufficient to induce one of
the bishop's servants to take the message to Osgod, who would be stationed
near his master's chair, that his father was at the entrance and prayed him
to come out to him as soon as possible.
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