But it was hidden from his eyes. He had to "dree his
weird,"--to commit great sins, do great deeds, and die in his bed, mighty
and honored, having children to his heart's desire, and leaving the rest
of his substance to his babes. Heaven help him, and the like of him!
But he turned to young Arnulf.
"Give me your man, boy!"
Arnulf pouted. He wanted to keep his Viking for himself, and said so.
"He is to teach me to go 'leding,' as the Norsemen call it, like you."
Robert laughed. A hint at his piratical attempts pleased his vanity, all
the more because they had been signal failures.
"Lend him me, then, my pretty nephew, for a month or two, till he has
conquered these Friesland frogs for me; and then, if thou wilt go leding
with him--"
"I hope you may never come back," thought Robert to himself; but he did
not say it,
"Let the knight go," quoth Baldwin.
"Let me go with him, then."
"No, by all saints! I cannot have thee poked through with a Friesland
pike, or rotted with a Friesland ague."
Arnulf pouted still.
"Abbot, what hast thou been at with the boy? He thinks of naught but blood
and wounds, instead of books and prayers."
"He is gone mad after this--this knight."
"The Abbot," said Hereward, "knows by hearing of his ears that I bid him
bide at home, and try to govern lands in peace like his father and you,
Sir Marquis.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193