"
"I can hardly forget that, with this pretty ring upon my ankle. But after
my experience of how he has kept faith with me, what can I expect for
Waltheof the wittol, save that which I have foretold many a time?"
"As for you, dear sire, the king has been misinformed concerning you. I
have sent messengers to reason with him again and again; but as long as
Taillebois, Warrenne, and Robert Malet had his ear, of what use were my
poor words?"
"And what said they?"
"That there would be no peace in England if you were loose."
"They lied. I am no boy, like Waltheof. I know when the game is played
out. And it is played out now. The Frenchman is master, and I know it
well. Were I loose to-morrow, and as great a fool as Waltheof, what could
I do, with, it may be, some forty knights and a hundred men-at-arms,
against all William's armies? But how goes on this fool's rebellion? If I
had been loose I might have helped to crush it in the bud."
"And you would have done that against Waltheof?"
"Why not against him? He is but bringing more misery on England. Tell that
to William. Tell him that if he sets me free, I will be the first to
attack Waltheof, or whom he will. There are no English left to fight
against," said he, bitterly, "for Waltheof is none now."
"He shall know your words when he returns to England.
Pages:
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632