"True words, Lord Bishop, and all told." "It is what I expected," said Ealhstan, "these two thanes told me it was like to be thus." "Surely," answered the thane. "What else?" The bishop looked at him and asked him his name. "Wislac, the Thane of Gatehampton by the Thames, am I," he said. "A stranger here, having come on my own affairs to Bridgwater, and so joining in the fight. Also, Osric's thanes having trouble enough on hand, I rode with this letter." "Thanks therefor," said the bishop. "I see that you fought also in a place where blows were thick." "Aye, in the first fight," said Wislac. "As for the second, being with Osric, I never saw that." "Did you stay on the hill where men rallied?" "That did I, as any man would when the saints came to stay us. Otherwise I had surely halted at Bridgwater, or this side thereof," answered the strange thane, with a smile that was bitter enough. Now the bishop had not heard that tale of the saint on a white horse; but he was quick enough, and glanced aside at me. Whereupon Wislac the Thane looked also, and straightway his mouth opened, and he stared at me. Then, being nowise afraid of the bishop, or, as it seemed, of saints, he said aloud, seemingly to himself: "Never saw I bishop before. Still, I knew that they were blessed with visions; but that live saints should sit below their seat, I dreamt not!" and so he went on staring at me. So the bishop, for all his trouble, could but smile, and asked him if he saw a vision. "Surely," he said, "this is the saint who stayed us on yonder hill." "Nay, that is Heregar the Thane, messenger of Osric." "Then," said Wislac, "let me tell you, Heregar the Thane, that one of the saints, and I think a valiant one, is mightily like you. Whereby you are the more fortunate." Now for all the mistake I could not find a word to say, and was fain to thank him for the good word on my looks. Yet he went on looking at me now and then in a puzzled sort of way. And the bishop seemed to enjoy his wonderment, but was in no mind to enlighten him. Presently the bishop bade Wislac sit down, and then he took up Osric's ring that I had given him, and also another which lay beside it on the table--silver also, with some device on it, like that I had worn. "See, thanes," he said, "have you three a mind to stay with me for a while and be my council in this matter? For I am here without a fighting man of my own to speak with." Now this was what I would most wish, and I said so, eagerly and with thanks. And Wislac said that he was surely in good company, and having nought to call him home would gladly stay also. Then said the bishop, "Stranger you are, friend Wislac, and therefore wear this ring of Osric's, that men may pay heed to you as his friend and mine; and do you, Heregar, wear this of mine that men may know you for bishop's man, and so respect your word."