from eu the party travelled back to rouen where there were feastings and entertainments in honour of harold. nothing could be more courteous than the duke's manner to his guest. he professed an almost fraternal affection for him, and handsome lodgings were assigned in the town to his thanes. a solemn court was held, at which harold was knighted by william himself with much state and ceremonial, according to the rites of chivalry, which had then been but recently introduced, and had not as yet extended into england. there were great hunting parties in the forest, and to all outward appearance the friendship between william and harold was of the warmest and most sincere nature. harold himself was really gratified at the pains that william took to show the esteem in which he held him, and his thanes were all well satisfied with the attentions bestowed upon them by the norman barons.

beorn and wulf had nothing to do save to make friends with young normans of their own age, to visit their castles and to join in the hunting parties. the duke lost no opportunity of showing the sincerity of the feelings of gratitude he had expressed to them for bringing him the news of harold's presence in his dominions, and they were always specially invited to all court ceremonials, enjoying themselves exceedingly. wulf occasionally expressed his surprise to his companion that no word was said as to their return to england, but beorn's answer always silenced him.

"the earl himself seems well satisfied, wulf. why should you be more anxious for him than he is for himself?"

once indeed he replied, "harold is of so open and generous nature, beorn, that he would be the last person to suspect another of dishonourable motives. moreover, it is not because he is apparently well content here that we must judge him to be without uneasiness. whatever he felt it would be impolitic to show it, and we see but little of him now save when in company of the normans. he cannot but know that his presence is required in england."

it was a matter of satisfaction to wulf that walter fitz-urse was not at the court, he having a few weeks before returned to england, where he was again in the suite of the norman bishop of london. he himself had become firm friends with guy de burg, and often rode over with him to his father's residence, where they hunted in the forest together or rode out with falcons on their wrists, agnes de burg often accompanying them on her pony.

three weeks after their arrival at rouen the bretons broke out in insurrection, and the duke invited harold to accompany him on an expedition to subdue them, courteously saying that he should obtain great advantage from the military experience of his guest.

harold accepted the invitation, and with his thanes set out with the duke. against the disciplined forces of normandy the breton peasants had no chance whatever in the open field, but their wild and broken country, well-nigh covered with forest, afforded them an opportunity for the display of their own method of fighting by sudden surprises and attacks, and they defended their rough but formidable intrenchments with desperate valour. harold's experience gained in his warfare with the welsh was of much utility, and the duke committed to his hands the formal command of the troops engaged, averring that he himself knew comparatively little of warfare such as this.

harold conducted the operations with equal vigour and prudence. stronghold after stronghold was attacked and captured, a small portion of the force only being engaged in active operations, whilst the rest were posted so as to repel the attempts of the bretons to aid the besieged. by his advice clemency was always shown to the garrisons when the fortresses were stormed, and they were permitted to return unharmed to their people, bearing the news that the duke bore no ill-will towards them, and was ready to show mercy to all who laid down their arms. wulf and beorn were permitted to share in the assaults, and with the saxon thanes followed harold, as he led the way on foot up to the intrenchments at one point, while the duke with a party of his barons attacked at another. more than once the english banner was carried into the heart of the breton fortress before the normans had fought their way in, and on each of these occasions the duke warmly expressed his admiration for the courage of his english allies. at last there remained but one formidable stronghold to be captured, and so strong was this by nature, and so desperately defended, that for some time the efforts of the besiegers were fruitless.

one evening guy de burg had been with wulf in his tent. beorn was out spending the evening with some of his norman friends. when guy rose to go wulf said that he would walk with him to his father's tent, which was situated some little distance away. as there had been strict regulations that none were to move about without arms, he buckled on his sword and put on his helmet before starting. osgod, who was lying outside the tent, rose when they issued out and followed them at a short distance. they went along at the rear of the tents, when wulf suddenly said:

"it seems to me that i hear sounds in the forest, guy."

"de launey's men are posted behind us," guy said carelessly; "there is no fear of an attack."

"not if they are vigilant," wulf agreed. "but the bretons have for some time abstained from night surprises, and de launey's men may be keeping a poor watch."

suddenly there was a loud cry, followed immediately by the breton war-shout, and by a confusion of shouts, cries, and the sound of the clashing of arms.

the lads drew their swords and ran towards the scene of conflict, when, from some bushes a short distance from them, a number of wild figures sprung out. it was a party of the enemy who had made their way through de launey's sleeping men unobserved, and who now, knowing that further concealment was useless, were rushing forward towards the tents. wulf's first impulse was to turn back, but young de burg, shouting his father's battle-cry, ran forward, and without hesitation wulf followed him. a moment later they were engaged with the bretons.

"back to back, guy!" wulf exclaimed, as he ran his sword through the first man who attacked him.

he had scarcely spoken when osgod ran up and joined them, and wielding the heavy axe he carried as if it had been a featherweight, struck down several of the bretons who ventured within its swing.

wulf defended himself as firmly, but had to shift his ground continually to avoid the blows of the heavy spiked clubs with which his assailants were armed. presently he heard his name shouted, and an instant later a crash, as guy de burg was struck down.

"stand over him, osgod!" he shouted, and with a bound was beside his companion, cutting down a breton who was about to thrust his spear into him. at the same moment a club descended on his helmet, bringing him for a moment to his knee. he sprang up again, osgod striking his opponent to the ground before he could repeat his blow.

for two or three minutes the fight went on. wulf received more than one stab from the breton knives, as two or three of them often rushed in upon him at once, but each time when he was hard pressed osgod's axe freed him from his assailants, for so terrible were the blows dealt by the tall saxon that the bretons shrank from assailing him, and thus left him free at times to render assistance to wulf. but the combat was too unequal to last long. a pike-thrust disabled wulf for a moment, and as his arm fell a blow from a club stretched him beside guy. osgod had also received several wounds, but furious at his master's fall he still defended himself with such vigour that the bretons again fell back. they were on the point of attacking him anew, when there was a shout, and william and harold, bareheaded as they had leapt from the table, and followed by a score or two of norman barons and soldiers, fell upon the bretons. the latter with cries of alarm at once fled.

by this time the norman trumpets were everywhere sounding, and the troops hastening out to repel the attack, which a few minutes later ceased as suddenly as it began, the bretons flying into the forest, where pursuit by the heavily-armed normans was hopeless. returning to the tents, the duke and harold paused where osgod, who had sunk to the ground as soon as the breton attack had ceased, was sitting by the side of his master.

"whom have we here?" the duke asked. "whoever they are we owe our safety to them, harold, for had it not been for the resistance they made, the bretons would have been among our tents before we had time to catch up our arms. bring a torch here!" he shouted; and two or three soldiers came running up from the tents with lights.

"methinks it is one of my men," harold said, and repeated the duke's question in saxon.

"i am osgod, my lord, the servant of wulf of steyning, who with his friend, guy de burg, lies here beside me, i fear done to death."

"i trust not, indeed," harold said, stooping over the bodies.

at this moment the men came up with the lights. "by the rood," william exclaimed, "but they fought stoutly, whoever they are. the ground round them is covered with the bodies of these breton rascals. there must be at least a score of them, while so far as i can see there are but three of our men. who are they, harold?"

"one is guy, son of the baron de burg," harold replied. "another is young wulf, and this stout fellow is his man."

"right gallantly have they done," the duke exclaimed, "and i trust that their lives are not spent. let someone summon de burg here quickly. carry his son to his tent, and bid my leech attend at once to his wounds and to those of these brave saxons."

"i will carry wulf to his tent myself," harold said, raising the lad and carrying him off, while four soldiers followed bearing osgod. they were laid down together in wulf's tent. as the young thane's helmet was removed, he opened his eyes and looked round in bewilderment as he saw, by the light of the torches, harold and several others standing beside him.

"what has happened?" he asked faintly.

"the best thing that has happened is that you have come to yourself and are able to speak, wulf," harold said. "but do not try to talk, lad, until the leech comes and examines your wounds. you have done us all a rare service to-night, for thanks to the carelessness of de launey's men, most of whom have paid for their error with their lives, we should all have been taken by surprise had it not been for the brave stand you made. now we will take off your garments and see where you are wounded. they seem to be soaked everywhere with blood."

"i received three or four gashes with their knives," wulf said feebly, "and i think a spear wound. how are the others?"

"i know not about guy," harold said, "but your man is able to speak, and has not, i hope, received mortal injuries."

"don't trouble yourself about me, master wulf," osgod put in. "i have got a few pricks with the knaves' knives, and a spear-thrust or two, but as i was able to keep on my feet until the earl arrived with help, i think the wounds are of no great consequence."

"if aught happens to me," wulf said to harold, "i pray you to see to him, my lord, and to take him as one of your own men. had it not been for him the bretons would have made short work of us."

he could barely utter the words, and again became insensible from loss of blood.

when he recovered the leech was kneeling beside him, pouring oil into his wounds and applying bandages.

"do not try to talk," he said quietly, as wulf opened his eyes. "lie quite still, the least movement might cause your wounds to break out afresh. they are serious, but i think not of a mortal nature."

"guy?" wulf whispered.

"he is in a more perilous condition than you are, but it is possible that he too may live. as for your man here, i have as yet but glanced at his wounds; but though cut sorely, i have no fear for his life. now drink this potion, and then go off to sleep if you can."

wulf drank off the contents of the goblet placed to his lips, and in a few minutes was fast asleep. when he woke it was broad daylight, and beorn was sitting by his side. the latter put his finger to his lips.

"you are not to talk, wulf. the leech gave me the strictest orders when he was here a short time since, and said that you seemed to be doing well. osgod he says will surely recover, and be none the worse for the letting out of some of his blood. the bretons were too hasty with their strokes, and although he has a dozen wounds none of them are serious. guy de burg is alive, but as yet the leech can say nothing. it has been a bad business. it seems that de launey's men were most of them killed whilst they were asleep. the bodies of the sentries were found at their posts, but whether they were asleep, or whether, as is thought more likely, their foes stole up and killed them before they had time to utter a cry, we know not. the bretons attacked at two or three other points, but nowhere with such success, though many normans have fallen. everyone says that the party which passed through de launey's men would have reached the tents and probably killed most of those in them had they not stopped while some of their number attacked you and guy de burg. the duke and harold have both said that your bravery saved us from a great disaster. i would that i had been with you, but the tent i was in was the farthest along the line, and the bretons were in full flight before we came upon the scene."

presently the baron de burg came to the side of the pallet on which wulf was lying. "i cannot say that i owe you the life of my son," he said, laying his hand gently upon wulf's, "for i know not as yet whether he will live, but he was sensible when we brought him to my tent, and he told me that you had stood over him and defended him from the bretons until you too fell. he was sensible all the time, though unable to move."

"it was osgod who did most of the fighting, my lord," wulf said.

"he did much, wulf, and it will be my pleasure to reward him, but the duke, who is full of admiration at the slaughter done by three alone, has caused the bodies to be examined. twelve of them were killed with axe wounds, nine by sword wounds. guy tells me that he knows that only two fell to his sword, therefore you must have slain seven. truly a feat that any man might be proud of, to say nothing of a lad of your age. guy is anxious to have you with him, and the leech said that if you keep quiet to-day, and none of your wounds break out afresh, it will do you no harm to be carried to my tent."

accordingly the next day wulf was carried across to lord de burg's, and his pallet set down by the side of guy's. the latter was a little better, and the leech had faint hopes of his recovery. his right arm had been broken by a blow with a club, and so badly fractured that it had already been taken off near the shoulder. his most dangerous wound was a pike-thrust on the left side, which had penetrated his lungs. he smiled faintly as wulf was placed by his side. wulf tried to smile back again, but he was too much shocked at the change in his friend's appearance. his cheeks had fallen in, and his face was deadly pale. his lips were almost colourless, and his eyes seemed unnaturally large. wulf made an effort to speak cheerfully.

"we did not expect to come to this so soon, guy," he said. "we have often talked about fighting, but we never thought that our first serious fight would end like this."

"you have nothing to regret," baron de burg said. "you have both done your duty nobly, and one of gentle blood can wish for no better end than to die doing his duty against great odds. god grant that you may both be spared, but if it be otherwise, death could not come to you more gloriously than in giving your lives to save your lords from surprise."

wulf's recovery was comparatively rapid. he was greatly pleased when, a week after his removal, osgod was brought into the tent by harold. he was still pale and feeble, but was able to walk, and assured his young lord that he should soon be ready for another fight with the bretons.

"there will be no more fighting," harold said. "yesterday their chiefs came in to make their submission and ask for mercy, and on this being granted their fortress has surrendered this morning. they will pay a heavy fine in cattle, and their two strongest fortresses are to be garrisoned by norman troops. a considerable slice of their territory is to be taken from them. in a week i hope we shall all be on our way back to rouen."

guy was mending very slowly. even yet the leech could not say with certainty that his life would be saved, and warned his father that in any case he would for a very long time be an invalid. in another week the camp was broken up. wulf declared that he was well enough to sit a horse, but the leech insisted that he should be carried on a litter.

"in another fortnight," he said, "you may be able to ride, but it would not be safe to attempt to do so now. you are going on as well as could be wished, and it would be madness to risk everything by haste."

accordingly he and guy were transported in litters to the baron's residence, where wulf steadily recovered his health and strength. osgod, who had received a heavy purse of gold from the baron, had at the end of that time entirely recovered; guy still lay pale and feeble on his couch.

"i scarcely wish to live," he said one day to his father. "i can never be a warrior now. what have i got to live for?"

"you have much to live for, guy," his father said, "even if you never bestride a war-horse. you have made a name for yourself for bravery, and will always be held in respect. it is not as if you had been from your birth weak and feeble. you will in time, i hope, come to be lord of our estates and to look after our people, and be beloved by them; and, if you cannot yourself lead them in the field, you can see that they go well equipped, and do honour to your banner. there are other things besides fighting to live for."

"i would that you had had another son, father, and that wulf had been my brother. i should not so much have minded then that i could not myself carry the banner of de burg into the field."

"had he been one of ourselves, guy, that might have come about," his father said, "for if i have no other son i have a daughter. but this young saxon has his own estates in his own country. he would not settle down here as a norman baron, and i would not lose agnes nor be willing that she should go from us to dwell in a foreign land. but no one can say what the future will bring about. the duke has promised one of his daughters to harold, and should the marriage come off it will bind the two peoples more closely together. besides, you know, edward of england has promised to duke william that he should succeed him."

"i was speaking to wulf about that one day, father, and he said that edward had no power to make the gift, for that the people of england chose their king themselves, and that edward's promise would go for nothing with them. it is not with them as it is with us, where a prince can name his successor."

"that may be saxon opinion, guy, but it is not norman, and assuredly it is not the duke's; and friendly as are the relations between him and harold, it is clear that until this question is settled no permanent friendship can be looked for between the two nations."

wulf was sorry when the time came that he could no longer linger at baron de burg's chateau. the earl had more than once sent over to say that his presence was looked for at court as soon as he was sufficiently recovered to attend there, but he stayed on until he felt so thoroughly strong and well that he could not make his health any longer an excuse. on leaving, de burg and his wife both pressed him to come over whenever he could spare time.

"you know, wulf," the former said, "how warm is the affection guy has for you, and he will look very eagerly for your visits. just at present he has very few pleasures in life, and chief among them will be your comings. we are all dull here, lad, and agnes will miss you sorely."

"i will ride over whenever i can. i should be ungrateful indeed did i not do so, after the great kindness you and lady de burg have shown me; but even putting this aside i will come every day if i can, if only for half an hour's talk with guy."

"i am glad to see you back again, wulf," earl harold said as the lad entered his room. "you look strong and well again, and might, methinks, have come to us before now."

"i could have done so, doubtless, my lord, but it pained me to leave guy, who is still on his couch, and will, i fear, never be strong and well again."

"we heard but a poor account of him from the duke's leech," harold said. "it is a sad thing; for one, who as a lad has shown such bravery, would have turned out a gallant knight. i should have let you linger there for some time yet, but the duke has frequently asked after you, and i thought it were best that you came over; though, in truth, there will be little for you to do here, and you will be able to ride and see your friend when you will."

"are we likely to go back to england soon, my lord?"

"i trust it will not be long. i have spoken of it more than once to the duke, but he chides me for being weary of his company; which indeed i am not, for no man could have treated another better than he has done me. still," he said, walking up and down the room, "i am impatient to be off, but i am no more free to choose my time here that i was at beaurain. it is a velvet glove that is placed on my shoulder, but there is an iron hand in it, i know right well."

"is there no possibility of escaping, my lord?"

harold looked keenly at the boy. "no, wulf, treated as i am as a guest i cannot fly without incurring the reproach of the basest ingratitude, nor even if i wished it could i escape. under the excuse of doing me honour, there are norman soldiers at the gate, and a norman sentry stands at my door. i must go through with it now, and if need be promise all that william asks. this time there is nowhere to send you to fetch aid for me. you have heard, i suppose, that william has promised me his daughter in marriage?"

"yes, my lord, i have heard it. is the marriage to take place soon?"

harold smiled. "the duke will not wish it to take place until he sees that he can secure my services by the marriage. if that time should never come i shall probably hear no more of it. engagements have been broken off before now many a time, and absolution for a broken promise of that kind is not hard to obtain. you must attend the court this evening, wulf."

wulf bowed and withdrew, and in the evening attended the court in the suite of harold. as soon as the duke's eye fell upon him he called him up.

"messieurs," he said to the barons present, "this lad is wulf, thane of steyning, and a follower of earl harold. he it was who, with the young guy de burg, and aided only by a saxon man-at-arms, withstood the first rush of the bretons, and so gained time by which i myself and my barons were able to prepare ourselves to resist the attack. had it not been for them we should all have been taken by surprise, and maybe slain. the saxon and the two lads, wulf and de burg, all fell wounded well-nigh to death, but not before twenty-one bretons lay dead around them. this was indeed a feat of arms that any of you, valiant knights and barons as you are, might have been proud to perform.

"already i had promised him any boon that in reason he may ask for having borne to me the news that earl harold, my honoured guest and brother-in-arms, had been cast on our shores, and i promise him now, that should at any time it happen that i have any power or influence in england, his estates shall remain to him and to his heirs free from all service or dues, even though he has withstood me in arms;—nay, more, that they shall be largely added to. should such issue never arise, and aught occur to render him desirous of crossing the seas hither, i promise him a baron's feu as a token of my gratitude for the great service he rendered me; and i am well assured that, whether to a king of england or to a duke of normandy, he will prove himself a true and faithful follower. i call on you all here to witness this promise that i have made, and should there be need, to recall it to my memory."

the normans above all things admired valour, and when wulf, after kneeling and kissing the duke's hand, retired shamefacedly to a corner of the room, where he was joined by beorn, one after another came up to him and said a few words of approbation.

"you have done well, young sir," fitz-osberne, one of the duke's most trusted councillors said to him. "the duke is not given to overpraise, and assuredly no one of your age has ever won such commendation from his lips. after making so fair a commencement, it will be your own fault indeed if you do not make a great name for yourself in the future. there is not one of us who was in the duke's camp that evening but feels that he owes you much for the few minutes' delay that saved us from being taken altogether by surprise. you are young, and may think but little of the promise the duke has given you this evening, but the day may come when you will find it stand you in good stead."

harold said nearly the same thing to wulf when he saw him the next morning.

"but there is no chance of the duke ever having power in england, my lord," wulf said.

"i trust not, wulf, but there is no doubt that his whole mind is bent upon obtaining the throne of england. he has spoken to me openly about it, and has more than hinted to me that i, if married to his daughter, would still, as earl of wessex, be the foremost man in the land next to its sovereign should he ever gain the kingdom."

"and what said you, my lord, if i may be so bold as to ask?"

"i said but little, lad. i am a prisoner, and i am well assured that i shall never return to england until william thinks that he can depend upon me. it is needful that i should return, and that quickly, for i hear that there is fresh trouble in wales, and i have received an urgent message from the king to hasten to his side. it is hard to see what it is best to do."

four days later a grand ceremony was announced to take place, but few knew what its nature was to be. that it was something beyond the ordinary was certain by the number of barons and knights that were bidden to attend. a dais was erected in the courtyard of the palace, and on this a table covered with a cloth was placed.

"i don't like this business," wulf said to beorn, as with the other saxons they took their place near the dais. "there is something very mysterious about it, and i believe that at last we are going to see what william's full intentions are."

a religious ceremony was first held, and then the duke rose to his feet and addressed the barons. he first recalled to them the promise that edward of england had made to him, and then went on: "the saints have worked in my favour," he said, "by sending here as my guest my well-beloved brother-in-arms, the great earl of wessex. between us there is the closest friendship, and to cement and make even closer the bonds between us, he has become betrothed to my daughter, and through the lands i shall bestow upon her he will become a baron of normandy. relying upon his affection and friendship, i have called you here together to hear him swear in public that which he has already told me privately—that he will be my faithful feudatory, and will in all ways aid me to gain my lawful rights."

harold changed colour. the matter had come upon him as a surprise. doubtless he had in a vague way when discussing his future relations as son-in-law to the duke, expressed his warm friendship and a general willingness to be of service to him, but to be called upon to take an oath publicly was a different matter. most of those present had taken oaths of allegiance to william and had broken them again and again, and william himself had not less frequently broken his feudal oaths to his suzerain, the king of france. but harold was a man with a deep sense of religion, and did not esteem as lightly as these norman barons an oath thus sworn; but he felt that he had fallen into a trap, and that resistance would but consign him to a prison, if not a grave.

he at once understood how hollow had been the pretended friendship of his host; but he was in william's power, and unless as a friend the duke would never permit so formidable a rival to quit his shores. as he hesitated he saw a movement on the part of the norman knights near the dais, and understood that they had been previously informed of william's intentions, and were there to enforce them. their brows were bent on him angrily as he hesitated, and more than one hand went to the hilt of the wearer's sword. there was no drawing back, and placing his hand on the table he swore the oath william had dictated. when he concluded william snatched the cloth from the table, and below it were seen a number of bones and sacred relics that had been brought from the cathedral.

enlightened as harold was, he was not altogether free from the superstitions of the age. for a moment he shuddered slightly and grew paler than before, then he drew himself up to his full height, and looked calmly into the exulting face of william.

"i call you all to witness," the duke said in a loud voice, "that harold, earl of wessex, has taken a solemn oath upon the holy relics to be my faithful feudatory."

the shout that answered him was by no means universal, for there were many among the norman nobles who were shocked at the base trick that the duke had played upon a guest for whom he had professed the warmest friendship. the saxon thanes could scarce contain their expressions of indignation, but harold as he sat down among them made a gesture commanding silence.

"we sail for england to-morrow night," he said in low tones. "the duke told me so as we came hither. the two ships will be in readiness for us to embark in the morning. i did not understand then the price i was to pay. restrain yourselves now; when we are free men we can talk this over."

an hour later they returned to the palace, where there was a brief and formal interview between harold and the duke. both dissembled their real feelings. the duke said that he regretted that the king of england's wishes forced his guest to start so suddenly, and that he much regretted his departure. harold thanked him for the hospitality he had shown him, but neither made any allusion whatever to the scene that had taken place in the courtyard. wulf rode over to say good-bye to guy and his father. the latter was walking up and down the hall with a gloomy face.

"i blush for what has taken place to-day, wulf," he said. "tell the earl that had we known what was going to occur there are few indeed who would have attended at the ceremony, and that i for one shall hold him in no way dishonoured if he breaks the vow that has thus been dishonourably extorted from him. it was a trick and a base one, and i would tell duke william so to his face. what will men think of norman faith when guests are thus tricked to their disadvantage?"

for an hour wulf remained talking with the baron and his family.

"i hope to see you again, wulf," de burg said, as the lad rose to take leave. "guy regards you as a brother, and though assuredly no saxon will set foot on norman soil after to-day's doings, we may yet meet again."

"i shall come over to england to see you, wulf, if you come not here," guy said. "i begin to think that i shall get over this, although i may never be really strong again. we shall often think and talk of you, agnes and i; and i should like, of all things, to come and stay in your saxon home."

"no one would be so welcome, guy. if we are never to be brothers-in-arms as we once talked of, we shall surely be brothers in heart, whether absent or present."

a few more words and wulf took leave of them all and rode back to rouen. in the morning the duke accompanied harold to the river bank and there took a courteous farewell of him. it is not probable that he thought for a moment that harold would observe the oath, but he saw that its breach would be almost as useful to him as its fulfilment, for it would enable him to denounce his rival as a perjured and faithless man, and to represent any expedition against england as being a sort of crusade to punish one who had broken the most solemn vows made on the holy relics. harold himself preserved his usual calmness of demeanour, and stood talking quietly to the duke while the latter's presents of hawks and hounds were taken on board the ship, and the saxons, silent and sullen, had passed over the gangway. then an apparently affectionate embrace was exchanged between the two rivals. harold crossed on to the ship, the great sails were hoisted, and the two vessels proceeded down the river.