"
"But, you see, the knights would not submit to ride in the mire."
"Then you must make them. What else have they horses for, while honester
men than they trudge on foot?"
"Make them?" said Waltheof, with a shrug and a smile. "They are all free
gentlemen, like ourselves."
"And, like ourselves, will come to utter ruin, because every one of them
must needs go his own way."
"I am glad," said Waltheof, as they rode along, "that you called this my
earldom. I hold it to be mine of course, in right of my father; but the
landsfolks, you know, gave it to your nephew Morcar."
"I care not to whom it is given. I care for the man who is on it, to raise
these landsfolk and make them fight. You are here: therefore you are
earl."
"Yes, the powers that be are ordained by God."
"You must not strain that text too far, Lord Earl; for the only power that
is, whom I see in England--worse luck for it!--is William the Mamzer."
"So I have often thought."
"You have? As I feared!" (To himself:) "The pike will have you next,
gudgeon!"
"He has with him the Holy Father at Rome, and therefore the blessed
Apostle St. Peter of course. And is a man right, in the sight of Heaven,
who resists them? I only say it. But where a man looks to the salvation of
his own soul, he must needs think thereof seriously, at least.
Pages:
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385