is to-day), was
weakly held, so he rode back determined to starve Rouen into
submission.

[Footnote 12: "As herteiches montent et al mur quernele." (Wace, R. de
R., 4057.)]

But the council of his knights refused the plan, so he was obliged to
veil his anger by asking the Normans for permission to pray at the
Shrine of St. Ouen and bury his noble kinsman beyond the walls of
their town. Safe conduct was immediately granted, and all the leaders
except Arnoul of Flanders passed in procession to the abbey. There,
after gifts of gold and precious carpets to the abbot, Otto proposed
that Arnoul should be given up, but returned before the answer to
these treacherous negotiations had been given. The night that followed
was full of terrors and alarms. Suspecting that he would be betrayed,
Arnoul took all his Flemish host as soon as darkness fell, and
lumbered heavily out of the camp of the allies, his cumbrous waggons
creaking noisily beneath the weight of the camp-furniture. Both French
and Germans heard the sound and started to their feet imagining a
night-attack from Rouen. Panic seized the camp at once. Men cut the
cords of the rich tents, and scattered their spoil about the ground,
rushing half clad in all directions and shouting for their arms; a
fire broke out at headquarters; the camp-followers seized their
opportunity, dashed upon Otto's tent and plundered it of armour and of
all its royal ornaments; the rest fled hastily all ways at once not
seeing where they went, and in an unknown country.

[Illustration: FIGURE FROM THE BORDER OF THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY]

Meanwhile the rising clamour roused the sentinels of Rouen, and all
the garrison made ready for attack, hurried to their posts, and waited
steadfastly under arms until the dawn. As the light shone from the
east they saw the rout and disorder of their enemies' camp, and loud
jeers and laughter rose along the walls, and echo still in the rough
verses of Dudo their historian. The Flemish had the advantage of an
early start, and got clear away. The French had followed fast upon
their heels, but the Germans had plunged in unwieldy panic into the
labyrinth of the woods and fens. The Normans spread out at once and
caught them. At the Place de la Rougemare they slaughtered so many
that the fields were dyed red with their blood. At Bihorel more were
massacred. In Maupertuis, or Maromme, hundreds were butchered. Then
the peasants took up the bloody task. With sharpened scyt