Dalyngridge, his drunken cup-mate" (here they laughed at me)
"and said, 'Peer out, old fox, for God is on the Duke of Normandy's
side."'

'"So did I. It was a black fog. Robert could have landed ten thousand
men, and we none the wiser. Does he tell how we were out all day riding
the Marsh, and how I near perished in a quicksand, and coughed like a
sick ewe for ten days after?" cried De Aquila.

'"No," said Hugh. "But here is the prayer of Gilbert himself to his
master Fulke."

'"Ah," said De Aquila. "Well I knew it was Fulke. What is the price of
my blood?"

'"Gilbert prayeth that when our Lord of Pevensey is stripped of his
lands on this evidence which Gilbert hath, with fear and pains,
collected----"

'"Fear and pains is a true word," said De Aquila, and sucked in his
cheeks. "But how excellent a weapon is a pen! I must learn it."

'"He prays that Fulke will advance him from his present service to that
honour in the Church which Fulke promised him. And lest Fulke should
forget, he has written below, 'To be Sacristan of Battle'."

'At this De Aquila whistled. "A man who can plot against one lord can
plot against another. When I am stripped of my lands Fulke will whip off
my Gilbert's foolish head. None the less Battle needs a new Sacristan.
They tell me the Abbot Henry keeps no sort of rule there."

'"Let the Abbot wait," said Hugh. "It is our heads and our lands that
are in danger. This parchment is the second part of the tale. The first
has gone to Fulke, and so to the King, who will hold us traitors."

"Assuredly," said De Aquila. "Fulke's man took the first part that
evening when Gilbert fed him, and our King is so beset by his brother
and his Barons (small blame, too!) that he is mad with mistrust. Fulke
has his ear, and pours poison into it. Presently the King gives him my
land and yours. This is old," and he leaned back and yawned.

'"And thou wilt surrender Pevensey without word or blow?" said Hugh. "We
Saxons will fight your King then. I will go warn my nephew at
Dallington. Give me a horse!"

'"Give thee a toy and a rattle," said De Aquila. "Put back the
parchment, and rake over the ashes. If Fulke is given my Pevensey, which
is England's gate, what will he do with it? He is Norman at heart, and
his heart is in Normandy, where he can kill peasants at his pleasure. He
will open England's gate to our sleepy Robert, as Odo and Mortain tried
to do, and then there will be another landing and another S