lliam
had done to raise so high in renown and civilisation, in martial fame and
commercial prosperity, that petty duchy, which he had placed on a level
with the kingdoms of the Teuton and the Frank. Lastly, the Normans were
the special darlings of the Roman Church. William had obtained the
dispensation to his own marriage with Matilda; and might not the Norman
influence, duly conciliated, back the prayer which Harold trusted one day
to address to the pontiff, and secure to him the hallowed blessing,
without which ambition lost its charm, and even a throne its splendour?

All these considerations, therefore, urged the Earl to persist in his
original purpose: but a warning voice in his heart, more powerful than
all, sided with the prayer of Githa, and the arguments of Gurth. In this
state of irresolution, Gurth said seasonably:

"Bethink thee, Harold, if menaced but with peril to thyself, thou wouldst
have a brave man's right to resist us; but it was of 'great evil to
England' that Edward spoke, and thy reflection must tell thee, that in
this crisis of our country, danger to thee is evil to England--evil to
England thou hast no right to incur."

"Dear mother, and generous Gurth," said Harold, then joining the two in
one embrace, "ye have well nigh conquered. Give me but two days to
ponder well, and be assured that I will not decide from the rash
promptings of an ill-considered judgment."

Farther than this they could not then move the Earl; but Gurth was
pleased shortly afterwards to see him depart to Edith, whose fears, from
whatever source they sprang, would, he was certain, come in aid of his
own pleadings.

But as the Earl rode alone towards the once stately home of the perished
Roman, and entered at twilight the darkening forest-land, his thoughts
were less on Edith than on the Vala, with whom his ambition had more and
more connected his soul. Perplexed by his doubts, and left dim in the
waning lights of human reason, never more involuntarily did he fly to
some guide to interpret the future, and decide his path.

As if fate itself responded to the cry of his heart, he suddenly came in
sight of Hilda herself, gathering leaves from elm and ash amidst the
woodland.

He sprang from his horse and approached her.

"Hilda," said he, in a low but firm voice, "thou hast often told me that
the dead can advise the living. Raise thou the Scin-laeca of the hero of
old--raise the Ghost, which mine eye, or my fancy, be