"
"It must be heard now; and perhaps when you have heard it, you will
comprehend why they do not come."
"But they will come?"
"Elfric, there was, two generations back, a man who had two sons; he was
a noble thane of high descent, his eldest son was worthy of his father,
high souled, impetuous, brave, fiery, and in short, all a warrior's son
should be: the younger son had the heart of a monk, and was learned in
all pious tricks; he stole the father's heart from his elder brother."
Elfric began to listen at this point.
"At last, misjudgment and unkindness drove the elder brother from home,
and he sought food and shelter from men who had the souls of conquerors.
With them he lived, for his father disinherited him; he had no father,
he had no country."
Elfric began to draw his breath quickly.
"At length war arose between those who had sheltered and protected him,
and the people who should have been his own people; say what side was
the exile to be found on?"
"He should have fought with his own people."
"His own people were those who had really adopted him when his father
and family disowned him, and with them he fought for victory; but the
fates were unpropitious, the people with whom his father and brother
fought were successful; the son was taken prisoner, and adjudged to die
a traitor's death, his own father and brother consenting."
Elfric began to comprehend all.
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