earl of Harold. You underrate one, who needs but an object, to excel,
in arms and in council, my father Godwin himself.--That object a
brother's wrongs would create from a brother's love, and three hundred
ships would sail up the Seine to demand your captive, manned by
warriors as hardy as those who wrested Neustria from King Charles."

"Granted," said De Graville. "But William, who could cut off the
hands and feet of his own subjects for an idle jest on his birth,
could as easily put out the eyes of a captive foe. And of what worth
are the ablest brain, and the stoutest arm, when the man is dependent
on another for very sight!"

Harold involuntarily shuddered, but recovering himself on the instant,
he replied, with a smile:

"Thou makest thy Duke a butcher more fell than his ancestor
Rolfganger. But thou saidst he needed but to be satisfied on certain
points. What are they?"

"Ah, that thou must divine, or he unfold. But see, William himself
approaches you."

And here the Duke, who had been till then in the rear, spurred up with
courteous excuses to Harold for his long defection from his side; and,
as they resumed their way, talked with all his former frankness and
gaiety.

"By the way, dear brother in arms," said he, "I have provided thee
this evening with comrades more welcome, I fear, than myself--Haco and
Wolnoth. That last is a youth whom I love dearly: the first is