Then the great cat sprang on my knee, and clung to me with its strong claws as I would set it down to follow him. And as it stayed me, the old dame spoke to me, and there was nought to fear in either her face or voice. "Ask me somewhat, Redwald." I wondered, but I dared not refuse. So I said: "How shall fare King Olaf?" "For him a kingdom, and more than a kingdom. For him fame, and better than fame. For him a name that shall never die." "That is a wondrous weird," I said. "Tell me now of Eadmund Atheling;" for some strange power that the old woman had seemed to draw me to ask of her what I would most know. "For Eadmund of Wessex? For him the shadow of Edric Streone over all his brave life." "What then of Cnut, the Dane King?" "Honour and peace, and the goodwill of all men." "Not mine," I said. "Yours also, Redwald--for England's sake and his own." But I could not believe her at that time. Now the angry voice of Wulfnoth called me from outside the place, and the dame said "Go," smiling at me and holding out her hand. "No more can I tell you, Redwald. But I have this to say of you, that you have pleased me in asking nought concerning yourself." "I would know nought beforehand," I said, speaking old thoughts of my own plainly. "It is enough to hope ever for good that may not come, and to live with one's life unclouded by fear of the evil that must needs be." The dame smiled again, very sadly, as it seemed to me. "It is well said. Now I will tell you this, that over your life is the shadow of no greater evil than what every man must meet. Farewell." So she spoke her last words to me, and sat down by the fire again. And it is in my thoughts that she wept, but I know not. Outside stood the earl, staring over the Senlac valley eastward. "This were a good place for a battle, after all," he said, as to himself. Then he heard me and turned. "Well, what more has the old witch told you?" he said, trying to speak carelessly, though one might see that he longed to hear more. As we went towards the horses, I told him, therefore, of what had been said of Eadmund and Cnut. And as he heard he grew thoughtful. "Now," he said, slowly and half to himself, "if the shadow of that villain Streone is on Eadmund as on me, I will not strike for myself--as yet; and Cnut shall win other men's praise before I give him mine or go to him unsought." "Eadmund needs a friend, lord earl," I said, mindful of Olaf's errand, yet hardly daring to say more seeing that he had failed. "If there were no Ethelred--" said the earl, and stopped. He said no more then until we were nearly within hearing of Relf. Then he turned and faced me, taking my hand and staying me.