share?--did his hand
grasp the seething iron? Verily, verily, thou didst wrong to name to me
Alfred my brother! I shall see his sightless and gore-dropping sockets
in the face of Godwin, this day, at my board."

The King rose in great disorder; and, after pacing the room some moments,
disregardful of the silent and scared looks of his Churchmen, waved his
hand, in sign to them to depart. All took the hint at once save Alred;
but he, lingering the last, approached the King with dignity in his step
and compassion in his eyes.

"Banish from thy breast, O King and son, thoughts unmeet, and of doubtful
charity! All that man could know of Godwin's innocence or guilt--the
suspicion of the vulgar--the acquittal of his peers--was known to thee
before thou didst seek his aid for thy throne, and didst take his child
for thy wife. Too late is it now to suspect; leave thy doubts to the
solemn day, which draws nigh to the old man, thy wife's father!"

"Ha!" said the king, seeming not to heed, or wilfully to misunderstand
the prelate, "Ha! leave him to God;--I will!"

He turned away impatiently; and the prelate reluctantly departed.

CHAPTER IV.

Tostig chafed mightily at the King's message; and, on Harold's attempt to
pacify him, grew so violent that nothing short of the cold stern command
of his father, who carried with him that weight of authority never known
but to those in whom wrath is still and passion noiseless, imposed sullen
peace on his son's rugged nature. But the taunts heaped by Tostig upon
Harold disquieted the old Earl, and his brow was yet sad with prophetic
care when he entered the royal apartments. He had been introduced into
the King's presence but a moment before Hugoline led the way to the
chamber of repast, and the greeting between King and Earl had been brief
and formal.

Under the canopy of state were placed but two chairs, for the King and
the Queen's father; and the four sons, Harold, Tostig, Leofwine, and
Gurth, stood behind. Such was the primitive custom of ancient Teutonic
kings; and the feudal Norman monarchs only enforced, though with more
pomp and more rigour, the ceremonial of the forest patriarchs--youth to
wait on age, and the ministers of the realm on those whom their policy
had made chiefs in council and war.

The Earl's mind, already embittered by the scene with his sons, was
chafed yet more by the King's unloving coldness; for it is natural to
man, however worldly, to feel