d ask other backing than
leal service and just cause. If Edward be the saint men call him, he
will loose me on the hell-wolf, without other cry than his own
conscience."

The Duke turned inquiringly to Rolf; who, thus appealed to, said:

"Siward urges my uncle to espouse the cause of Malcolm of Cumbria against
the bloody tyrant Macbeth; and but for the disputes with the traitor
Godwin, the King had long since turned his arms to Scotland."

"Call not traitors, young man," said the Earl, in high disdain, "those
who, with all their faults and crimes, have placed thy kinsman on the
throne of Canute."

"Hush, Rolf," said the Duke, observing the fierce young Norman about to
reply hastily. "But methought, though my knowledge of English troubles
is but scant, that Siward was the sworn foe to Godwin?"

"Foe to him in his power, friend to him in his wrongs," answered Siward.
"And if England needs defenders when I and Godwin are in our shrouds,
there is but one man worthy of the days of old, and his name is Harold,
the outlaw."

William's face changed remarkably, despite all his dissimulation; and,
with a slight inclination of his head, he strode on moody and irritated.

"This Harold! this Harold!" he muttered to himself, "all brave men speak
to me of this Harold! Even my Norman knights name him with reluctant
reverence, and even his foes do him honour;--verily his shadow is cast
from exile over all the land."

Thus murmuring, he passed the throng with less than his wonted affable
grace, and pushing back the officers who wished to precede him, entered,
without ceremony, Edward's private chamber.

The King was alone, but talking loudly to himself, gesticulating
vehemently, and altogether so changed from his ordinary placid apathy of
mien, that William drew back in alarm and awe. Often had he heard
indirectly, that of late years Edward was said to see visions, and be
rapt from himself into the world of spirit and shadow; and such, he now
doubted not, was the strange paroxysm of which he was made the witness.
Edward's eyes were fixed on him, but evidently without recognising his
presence; the King's hands were outstretched, and he cried aloud in a
voice of sharp anguish:

"Sanguelac, Sanguelac!--the Lake of Blood!--the waves spread,
the waves redden! Mother of mercy--where is the ark?--where the
Ararat?--Fly--fly--this way--this--" and he caught convulsive hold of
William's arm. "No! there the corpses are piled--hig