"The mother of my friend, my brother, Elfric, is my mother also," said he.
Then he was conducted to his chamber, where the bath was provided for
him, and unguents for anointing himself, after which, accepting the loan
of a change of clothing more suitable than his travelling apparel, he
received the visit of Ella, who came to conduct him to the banquet.
All this while his followers had been received according to their
several degrees; and a board was spread, of necessity, in a barn, for
the due feasting of the soldiers of Edwy and the vassals of Aescendune;
while the officers and the chief tenants of the family met at the royal
table in the great hall once before introduced to our readers.
It boots not to repeat an oft-told tale, to describe the banquet in all
its prodigal luxury, to tell how light the casks in the cellars of
Aescendune seemed afterwards, how empty the larder; suffice it to say
that in due course the banquet was ended, the toasts were drunk, and,
with an occasional interlude in the gleeman's song and the harper's wild
music, the conversation was at its height. Wine and wassail unloosed
men's tongues.
Redwald sat near the king, who had introduced him to Ella as a dear
friend both to him and his son--"a very Mentor," he said, "who, since
the unhappy quarrel into which my counsellors forced me--yes, forced
me--with Dunstan, has done more to keep Elfric and me straight in our
morals than at one time I should have thought possible for any man to do.
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