d that the goat had spoken
to him. On that same day Red William our King, the Conqueror's son, died
of a secret arrow while he hunted in a forest. "This is a cross matter,"
said De Aquila, "to meet on the threshold of a journey. If Red William be
dead I may have to fight for my lands. Wait a little."

'My Lady being dead, I cared nothing for signs and omens, nor Hugh either.
We took that wine-ship to go to Bordeaux; but the wind failed while we
were yet in sight of Pevensey; a thick mist hid us, and we drifted with
the tide along the cliffs to the west. Our company was, for the most part,
merchants returning to France, and we were laden with wool and there were
three couple of tall hunting-dogs chained to the rail. Their master was a
knight of Artois. His name I never learned, but his shield bore gold
pieces on a red ground, and he limped much as I do, from a wound which he
had got in his youth at Mantes siege. He served the Duke of Burgundy
against the Moors in Spain, and was returning to that war with his dogs.
He sang us strange Moorish songs that first night, and half persuaded us
to go with him. I was on pilgrimage to forget--which is what no pilgrimage
brings. I think I would have gone, but....

'Look you how the life and fortune of man changes! Towards morning a Dane
ship, rowing silently, struck against us in the mist, and while we rolled
hither and yon Hugh, leaning over the rail, fell outboard. I leaped after
him, and we two tumbled aboard the Dane, and were caught and bound ere we
could rise. Our own ship was swallowed up in the mist. I judge the Knight
of the Gold Pieces muzzled his dogs with his cloak, lest they should give
tongue and betray the merchants, for I heard their baying suddenly stop.

'We lay bound among the benches till morning, when the Danes dragged us to
the high deck by the steering-place, and their captain--Witta, he was
called--turned us over with his foot. Bracelets of gold from elbow to
armpit he wore, and his red hair was long as a woman's, and came down in
plaited locks on his shoulder. He was stout, with bowed legs and long
arms. He spoiled us of all we had, but when he laid hand on Hugh's sword
and saw the runes on the blade hastily he thrust it back. Yet his
covetousness overcame him and he tried again and again, and the third time
the Sword sang loud and angrily, so that the rowers leaned on their oars
to listen. Here they all spoke together, screaming like gulls, and a
Yellow Ma