. It is but to renew the old
accusation, to say Godwin's sudden death was God's proof of his crime,
and even Edward himself would forgive the Duke for thy bloody death. But
grant the best; grant that the more lenient doom were but the prison;
grant that Edward and the English invaded Normandy to enforce thy
freedom; knowest thou what William hath ere now done with hostages? He
hath put them in the van of his army, and seared out their eyes in the
sight of both hosts. Deemest thou he would be more gentle to us and to
thee? Such are thy dangers. Be bold and frank,--and thou canst not
escape them; be wary and wise, promise and feign,--and they are baffled:
cover thy lion heart with the fox's hide until thou art free from the
toils."

"Leave me, leave me," said Harold, hastily. "Yet, hold. Thou didst seem
to understand me when I hinted of--in a word, what is the object William
would gain from me?"

Haco looked around; again went to the door--again opened and closed
it--approached, and whispered, "The crown of England!"

The Earl bounded as if shot to the heart; then, again he cried: "Leave
me. I must be alone--alone now. Go! go!"

CHAPTER VI.

Only in solitude could that strong man give way to his emotions; and at
first they rushed forth so confused and stormy, so hurtling one the
other, that hours elapsed before he could serenely face the terrible
crisis of his position.

The great historian of Italy has said, that whenever the simple and
truthful German came amongst the plotting and artful Italians and
experienced their duplicity and craft, he straightway became more false
and subtle than the Italians themselves: to his own countrymen, indeed,
he continued to retain his characteristic sincerity and good faith; but,
once duped and tricked by the southern schemers, as if with a fierce
scorn, he rejected troth with the truthless; he exulted in mastering them
in their own wily statesmanship; and if reproached for insincerity,
retorted with naive wonder, "Ye Italians, and complain of insincerity!
How otherwise can one deal with you--how be safe amongst you?"

Somewhat of this revolution of all the natural elements of his character
took place in Harold's mind that stormy and solitary night. In the
transport of his indignation, he resolved not doltishly to be thus
outwitted to his ruin. The perfidious host had deprived himself of that
privilege of Truth,--the large and heavenly security of man;--it was b