CHAPTERII
THELADYBLANCHE
SoIwent,withasoreheart,forIrememberedthatwhenmyfatherandbrothersweredrowned,althoughIwasthenbutalittleone,mymotherhadforeseenit,andIfearedmuchlestitmightbethusinherowncasealso。Ilovedmymother。Shewasasternwoman,itwastrue,withlittlesoftnessabouther,whichIthinkcamewithherblood,butshehadahighheart,andoh！herlastwordswerenoble。YetthroughitallIwaspleased,asanyyoungmanwouldhavebeen,withthegiftofthewonderfulswordwhichoncehadbeenthatofThorgrimmer,thesea—
rover,whosebloodraninmybodyagainstwhichitlay,andIhopedthatthisdayImighthavechancetouseitworthilyasThorgrimmerdidinforgottenbattles。Havingimagination,Iwonderedalsowhethertheswordknewthatafteritslongsleepithadcomeforthagaintodrinkthebloodoffoes。
AlsoIwaspleasedwithanotherthing,namely,thatmymotherhadtoldmethatIshouldlivemylifeandnotdiethatdaybythehandofFrenchmen;andthatinmylifeIshouldfindlove,ofwhichtotelltruthalreadyIknewalittleofahumblesort,forIwasacomelyyouth,andwomendidnotrunawayfromme,oriftheydid,soontheystopped。Iwantedtolivemylife,Iwantedtoseegreatadventuresandtowingreatlove。Theonlypartofthebusinesswhichwasnottomytastewasthatcommandofmymother\'s,thatIshouldgotoLondontositinagoldsmith\'sshop。Still,IhadheardthattherewasmuchtobeseeninLondon,andatleastitwouldbedifferentfromHastings。