"Wolnoth is almost wholly Norman," said the bishop, smiling; "Wolnoth is
bound par-amours, to a certain fair Norman dame; and, I trow well,
prefers her charms here to the thought of his return. But Haco, as thou
knowest, is sullen and watchful."

"So much the better companion for Harold now," said De Graville.

"I am fated ever to plot and to scheme!" said the Duke, groaning, as if
he had been the simplest of men; "but, nathless, I love the stout Earl,
and I mean all for his own good,--that is, compatibly with my rights and
claims to the heritage of Edward my cousin."

"Of course," said the bishop.

CHAPTER IV.

The snares now spread for Harold were in pursuance of the policy thus
resolved on. The camp soon afterwards broke up, and the troops took
their way to Bayeux. William, without greatly altering his manner
towards the Earl, evaded markedly (or as markedly replied not to)
Harold's plain declarations, that his presence was required in England,
and that he could no longer defer his departure; while, under pretence of
being busied with affairs, he absented himself much from the Earl's
company, or refrained from seeing him alone, and suffered Mallet de
Graville, and Odo the bishop, to supply his place with Harold. The
Earl's suspicions now became thoroughly aroused, and these were fed both
by the hints, kindly meant, of De Graville, and the less covert discourse
of the prelate: while Mallet let drop, as in gossiping illustration of
William's fierce and vindictive nature, many anecdotes of that cruelty
which really stained the Norman's character, Odo, more bluntly, appeared
to take it for granted that Harold's sojourn in the land would be long.

"You will have time," said he, one day, as they rode together, "to assist
me, I trust, in learning the language of our forefathers. Danish is still
spoken much at Bayeux, the sole place in Neustria [198] where the old
tongue and customs still linger; and it would serve my pastoral ministry
to receive your lessons; in a year or so I might hope so to profit by
them as to discourse freely with the less Frankish part of my flock."

"Surely, Lord Bishop, you jest," said Harold, seriously; "you know well
that within a week, at farthest, I must sail back for England with my
young kinsmen."

The prelate laughed.

"I advise you, dear count and son, to be cautious how you speak so
plainly to William. I perceive that you have already ruffled him by such
indiscreet rem