well above the tallest there, gentle
or simple. His great bulk had not yet hid his fair proportions, though
in girth and weight he outstripped the rest. On a strong neck like a
broad column his full round head rested, and frank and straight his
wide-open eyes gazed forth on men, masterful and proud.

Here was a man that hid not his passion or his feeling--one that could
hide naught. Afterwards the very force of mastery and passion left their
impress on William's face, but when I first saw him there, in the full
glory of a man's honour and strength, I gave him my boyhood's worship,
for that I knew he was a king of men.

He was busy with his archers, and minded not our approach.

"Blind dolt!" he cried. "Such a flight would harm none! See here!" He
drew the great wooden bow he carried right back to the breast, and the
arrow sped sharp and clean from the twanging cord, and hit the mark
plain in the middle with a mighty force. "Now--hard and straight!" he
said, as the archer essayed his shot again. Then seeing us approach,
"Vicomte, good morrow."

"My lord duke," said mine uncle, "with pain I disturb thee; but thou
wilt agree that our matter would not wait."

"Then tell it quickly," said William.

"My lord of Bee sends forth my nephew with this letter," said the
Vicomte.

"Then let him ope and read it."

With a great awe I read Lanfranc's sage words to the duke. Careless and
moody he stood when I began with his high titles, but he let me read.
But he awoke as he heard of the Sarrasin, and hot anger filled his face.
I read on steady and slow till I came to the name of Maugher, and at
that there was a very storm in his eyes.

"Give me the letter!" said he; and he snatched it, gazed an instant on
it, and ground it the next moment into the sod with his iron heel.

He raged up and down in a passion, heedless of us and of his archers.
Then he recovered himself.

"And the monks are shut in by the Moors?" he said to me.

"My lord duke," I said, "they and all thy loyal people of Guernsey are
near starving, and this vile Moor calls himself lord and master of the
Norman seas."

"Does he?" said William. "Tell me more of Maugher."

"He speeds on the treachery. His devils are seen in the Sarrasin's
castle. He hath twice sought my life on my way to thee. I have seen by
our abbot's grace treacherous letters of his to King Henry, that your
highness wots of. And yesterday I saw him at Coutances in disguise."

"At Coutances