The brethren came from their cells, looked at the black smoke
wreaths, and sighed, and went their ways into the chapel for the
matins, and the little bell rang. Then Gerda came from her cell and
saw us, for she, too, was early wakeful here in the quiet.
"Why are you looking so troubled? she asked us, as we bade her good
morrow. Her eyes went from one to the other in some dismay, for I
dare say we showed that the night had been unquiet for us.
"There seems to be some trouble on the mainland," I answered.
"There are beacon fires yonder, but the brothers think little of
them. They are not unusual here from all accounts."
"By no means," said Dalfin. "And they may mean little. At the most,
we may be kept waiting here for a day or two longer while my father
gathers men and goes to see what is amiss. Now I have a mind to ask
the hermits to call the fishers and let me cross and help, if so be
there is fighting on hand.
"You would come also, would you not?" he asked, looking at us two.
"Hardly," Bertric answered, before I could do so in the same word.
"Why not?"
"It is not to be supposed that we could leave our charge," he
answered.
"Forgive me; I forgot," said Dalfin at once.
But even that word had made Gerda pale with the thought that she
might be left alone, with the fear of our not returning for her.
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