ooked round--"who so near to the throne
when I am no more, as Harold, the joy of the ceorls, and the pride of the
thegns?--he whose tongue never falters in the Witan, and whose arm never
yet hath known defeat in the field?"

Githa's heart swelled, and her cheek grew flushed.

"But what I fear the most," resumed the Earl, "is, not the enemy without,
but the jealousy within. By the side of Harold stands Tostig, rapacious
to grasp, but impotent to hold--able to ruin, strengthless to save."

"Nay, Godwin, my lord, thou wrongest our handsome son."

"Wife, wife," said the Earl, stamping his foot, "hear me and obey me; for
my words on earth may be few, and while thou gainsayest me the blood
mounts to my brain, and my eyes see through a cloud."

"Forgive me, sweet lord," said Githa, humbly.

"Mickle and sore it repents me that in their youth I spared not the time
from my worldly ambition to watch over the hearts of my sons; and thou
wert too proud of the surface without, to look well to the workings
within, and what was once soft to the touch is now hard to the hammer.
In the battle of life the arrows we neglect to pick up, Fate, our foe,
will store in her quiver; we have armed her ourselves with the
shafts--the more need to beware with the shield. Wherefore, if thou
survivest me, and if, as I forebode, dissension break out between Harold
and Tostig, I charge thee by memory of our love, and reverence for my
grave, to deem wise and just all that Harold deems just and wise. For
when Godwin is in the dust, his House lives alone in Harold. Heed me
now, and heed ever. And so, while the day yet lasts, I will go forth
into the marts and the guilds, and talk with the burgesses, and smile on
their wives, and be, to the last, Godwin the smooth and the strong."

So saying; the old Earl arose, and walked forth with a firm step; and his
old hound sprang up, pricked its ears, and followed him; the blinded
falcon turned its head towards the clapping door, but did not stir from
the dossel.

Then Githa again leant her cheek on her hand, and again rocked herself to
and fro, gazing into the red flame of the fire,--red and fitful through
the blue smoke,--and thought over her lord's words. It might be the
third part of an hour after Godwin had left the house, when the door
opened, and Githa, expecting the return of her sons, looked up eagerly,
but it was Hilda, who stooped her head under the vault of the door; and
behind Hilda came tw