Spake he now and said: "Christopher, this is now a happy day!"
Said the King: "David, whither away hence, and what is thine heartset upon?"
"On the renewal of our youth," said David, "and the abiding with thee.By my will no further will I go than this thine house. How sayest thou?"
"As thou dost," said Christopher, "that this is indeed a happy day;drink out of my cup now, to our abiding together, and the end of sunderingtill the last cometh."
So they drank together, they two, and were happy amidst the folk ofthe hall; and at last the King stood up and spake aloud, and did all to witthat this was his friend and fellow of the old days; and he told of his doughty deeds, whereof he had heard many a tale, and treasured them inhis heart while they were apart, and he bade men honour him, all such aswould be his friends. And all men rejoiced at the coming of this doughtyman and the friend of the King.
So there abode David, holden in all honour, and in great love of ChildChristopher and Goldilind; and when his father died, his earldom did theKing give to David his friend, who never sundered from him again, butwas with him in peace and in war, in joy and in sorrow.