daring to
look at the woman he loved; for if he looked at her, England, her
greatness and her needs, all melted away, and he saw nothing but a
beaming vision of a quiet, beloved home, free from the storms of the
great world outside.

But Edith too was unselfish, pure and good; so she put all thought of
personal happiness away, and putting her hand on his shoulder, said,
"Never, O Harold, did I feel so proud of thee, for Edith could not love
thee as she doth, and will till the grave clasp her, if thou didst not
love England more than Edith." So these two separated.

His whole energy was given to his king and his country. He had no great
love for the monks; but he sought out the good and noble ones, put power
into their hands, and gave them his support in ruling wisely and well.
The Abbey of Waltham had fallen into almost complete decay; he chose two
humbly born men, renowned for the purity and benevolence of their lives,
and gave to them the charge of selecting a new brotherhood there, which
he largely endowed.

At last Edward passed quietly away, and with one accord Harold, the
beloved, was chosen king and crowned.

Over the sea dwelt William, duke of the Normans, With no careless ear
did he hear that Edward was dead Edward dead! Edward! Why, Edward, in a
moment of friendship, had promised the English throne to him--had even,
William asserted, left it him in will; therefore his rage was great when
he heard that Harold was not only proclaimed and crowned king, but was
ready to defend his claim by battle sooner than yield. William was a man
of power and iron will; he forced his reluctant Normans to listen to his
complaint, equipped an army, and sailed for Britain. On came the queer
little ships of war, nearer and nearer to England's white, free cliffs,
and cast anchor in Pevensey Bay.

William, eager and impatient, sprang from his ship; but his foot
slipping, he fell, to rise again with both his hands full of earth,
which he showed to his scared soldiers in triumph, crying:

"So do I grasp the earth of a new country."

Meanwhile Harold had gathered his forces, and they were assembled on
Senlac Hill, an advantageous position. He himself was in the center, his
brave brother Gurth at his right hand.

A general charge of the Norman foot opened the battle, which raged the
whole day, victory now leaning to the English and now to the Normans.
There was a cry that the duke was killed. "I live!" he shouted, "and by
God's