22 Harold Harrung. [Juxy, 
men under the guidance of so unfortunate a chief. But many days 
ery by, and still no change was observable in the demeanour of the 
ero. 
At length there came an aged man over the hills from the south, the 
father of Ulla. He had learned at last, in his distant halls, the tidings 
of Harold’s unexpected return ; and never did more welcome tidings 
reach the old man’s ear; for the giant Gruthioff, a formerly rejected 
suitor of the lovely Ulla, presuming on her lover’s lengthened absence 
and supposed death, had threatened to destroy her father’s hall, and 
seize her person, unless she instantly consented to requite his passion. 
The hoary Sweno told his tale to the silent Harold, and urged him to 
hasten and deliver his love from the violence of a detested rival. In the 
eagerness of his recital, he neglected to remark the cold and gloomy 
air of the young hero ; but, when all was told, he looked in vain for the 
glance of anger and resolved revenge which become a lover, when he 
hears that any one has dared to offer insult to his mistress. The old 
man’s blood boiled high, and he broke out into bitter reproaches,— 
«* What !” he exclaimed, “ has the bold Harold no reply to my request ? 
Has his heart grown cold, or his arm weak? Is his love too little, or his 
fear too much, that he dares not brave the wrath of Gruthioff? Thanks, 
generous warrior! high-souled lover, thanks! The despised Sweno will 
return to his halls—will lift alone his feeble arm, in defence of his 
wronged child. Weak though it be, it will be stronger than that of a 
traitor to his friend ahd love. But how—oh! how will my poor Ulla 
endure to hear that he, whom she had mourned as dead, so fondly and 
so long, lives to desert, to prove unworthy of her !” 
The unhappy warrior could restrain himself no longer. In uncon- 
trollable emotion, he cast himself at the old man’s .feet.—“ Father !” he 
cried, “‘ you have conquered. Harold cannot bear the name of coward. 
He cannot suffer her he so fondly loves to deem her affections are be- 
stowed on an undeserving caitiff. Father, I will summon all my band ; 
I will away this night, and rescue her, or die. Yet, oh! if you should 
live to curse the hour when Harold came to aid your child, remember 
by what powers you enforced his coming, and hate him not, though he 
bring desolation on thy house, and rouse the ire of a far more fearful 
enemy than Gruthioff.” 
The old man smiled through his tears, at the disastrous anticipations 
of the chief. Once delivered from the dread of Gruthioff, he saw not 
how calamity could reach him. Yet the cloud of settled grief still rested 
on the soul of Harold, as he summoned his devoted followers to prepare 
for an immediate expedition. In delight, that their brave chief had at 
length awakened from his slothful lethargy, all were soon prepared ; 
and the little band set forward at a rapid pace toward the abode of 
Sweno, which lay some score of miles toward the south. The morning 
was dawning when they reached it ; yet they came almost too late. The 
troops of Gruthioff had surrounded the castle on all sides, and were on 
the point of breaking in; they had already fired the adjacent buildings. 
Like the lightning, Harold and his band dashed from the eminence on 
which they stood. The gigantic Gruthioff called his followers to draw 
off from the attack, and form themselves into a compact body to repel 
the coming enemy. They thus afforded the new defenders of the castle 
an opportunity of entering it; but Harold, fired by the sight of his 
audacious rival, thought only of an immediate conflict. He marshalled 
