"Comes Hereward in peace or in war?"
"In war!" said Hereward.
Then that true and trusty old man, who sealed his patriotism, if not with
his blood,--for the very Normans had not the heart to take that,--still
with long and bitter sorrows, lifted up his head, and said, like a valiant
Dane, as his name bespoke him: "Against the traitor and the adulterer--"
"I am neither," roared Hereward.
"Thou wouldst be, if thou couldst. Whoso looketh upon a woman to--"
"Preach me no sermons, man! Let me in to seek my wife."
"Over my body," said Ulfketyl, and laid himself down across the threshold.
Hereward recoiled. If he had dared to step over that sacred body, there
was not a blood-stained ruffian in his crew who dared to follow him.
"Rise, rise! for God's sake, Lord Abbot," said he. "Whatever I am, I need
not that you should disgrace me thus. Only let me see her,--reason with
her."
"She has vowed herself to God, and is none of thine hence forth."
"It is against the canons. A wrong and a robbery."
Ulfketyl rose, grand as ever.
"Hereward Leofricsson, our joy and our glory once. Hearken to the old man
who will soon go whither thine Uncle Brand is gone, and be free of
Frenchmen, and of all this wicked world. When the walls of Crowland dare
not shelter the wronged woman, fleeing from man's treason to God's
faithfulness, then let the roofs of Crowland burn till the flame reaches
heaven, for a sign that the children of God are as false as the children
of this world, and break their faith like any belted knight.
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