After some days' journey the monk passed the frontier, and arrived at a vast space enclosed on one side by a noble river, and on all the others by forests and swamps, hedges and ditches.

In the middle of this space was a large dwelling, which was Morvan's.

Ditcar found it full of warriors, the king having, no doubt, some expedition on hand.

The monk announced himself as a messenger from the emperor of the Franks.

The style of announcement caused some confusion, at first, to the Briton, who, however, hasted to conceal his emotion under an air of good-will and joyousness, to impose upon his comrades.