But he did not get far. A dozen men were after him, and had
him fast, and no other cared to follow his example.
There was a stockade round the hall and its outbuildings which
stood to right and left of it. The guest house was to the right,
and the bower, which was Gerda's own place, stood on the left, both
handsome timber buildings, with high-pitched roofs and carved
gables and doorways. The hall itself was like them, but larger,
with low, wide eaves that made, as it were, a gallery all round,
raised a little from the ground. Daylight showed that every timber
that could be seen was carved most wonderfully, but one could not
heed that now in the torchlight.
A man stood on guard in the stockade gate, and Gorm the Steward
spoke to him, bidding him salute the queen who had returned. He
gave one look at Gerda, and tossed his leathern helm in the air,
and so fell in with us as we crossed the courtyard to the great
door. From the hall came the pleasant sounds of song and laughter
from the courtmen within.
Gorm knocked and the doors flew open. The shipmen had been expected
to return with him for supper. I saw the whole place as we stood
there for the moment in the broad light of the torches on the
walls.
We entered at the end of the hall, and right over against us was
the high seat, where sat Arnkel and half a dozen other men.
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