Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/135

 of renown that flashed upon him as a sudden flame of strange light. But withal he thought in himself, and that all suddenly also: If the Sundering Flood is to be encompassed here is indeed the beginning of it, if this good Knight shall be my friend and shall learn me the craft of war, and thereby I become a man of might, to be desired and waged by them who have not either the craft or the courage to fight for themselves face to face with their foemen.

Wherefore now he turned to the Lawman and said: Master, it is enough; if the Mote of the neighbours will have me captain I may not nay-say it: and may my luck be enough to overcome my childish years; and if not, may I lie on the field and not come back again to hear the mothers and maids curse me for having cast away the lives of their sons and their dears.

Then spake the Lawman, after he had smiled on Osberne and laid his hand on the lad's shoulder: Men of the East Dale, ye be met together to see if ye can in any wise help our friends and neighbours of East Cheaping, and ye have told off certain men to go in arms for their avail, and will have a captain over them. Now it hath been said to me that he who seems likeliest for the said captain is the young man Osberne Wulfgrimson of Wethermel, and if this be so, let me hear your voices saying Yea. But even then there will be time for any man of you to name another, if it seem good to him, and that name will be also put to the Mote, and a dozen others