anity, saw him great as Godwin in council, and prosperous
as Harold in the field. Nor, half Norman as he was, did the young man
seem insensible of the manly and elevated patriotism of his brother's
hinted lessons, though he felt they implied reproof. He came to the
Earl, whose arm was round his mother, and said with a frank heartiness
not usual to a nature somewhat frivolous and irresolute:

"Harold, thy tongue could kindle stones into men, and warm those men into
Saxons. Thy Wolnoth shall not hang his head with shame when he comes
back to our merrie land with shaven locks and spurs of gold. For if thou
doubtest his race from his look, thou shalt put thy right hand on his
heart, and feel England beat there in every pulse."

"Brave words, and well spoken," cried the Earl, and he placed his hand on
the boy's head as in benison.

Till then, Haco had stood apart, conversing with the infant Thyra, whom
his dark, mournful face awed and yet touched, for she nestled close to
him, and put her little hand in his; but now, inspired no less than his
cousin by Harold's noble speech, he came proudly forward by Wolnoth's
side, and said:

"I, too, am English, and I have the name of Englishman to redeem."

Ere Harold could reply, Githa exclaimed:

"Leave there thy right hand on my child's head, and say, simply: 'By my
troth and my plight, if the Duke detain Wolnoth, son of Githa, against
just plea, and King's assent to his return, I, Harold, will, failing
letter and nuncius, cross the seas, to restore the child to the mother.'"
[107] Harold hesitated.

A sharp cry of reproach that went to his heart broke from Githa's lips.

"Ah! cold and self-heeding, wilt thou send him to bear a peril from which
thou shrinkest thyself?"

"By my troth and my plight, then," said the Earl, "if, fair time elapsed,
peace in England, without plea of justice, and against my king's fiat,
Duke William of Normandy detain the hostages;--thy son and this dear boy,
more sacred and more dear to me for his father's woes,--I will cross the
seas, to restore the child to the mother, the fatherless to his
fatherland. So help me, all-seeing One, Amen and Amen!"

CHAPTER IV.

We have seen, in an earlier part of this record, that Harold possessed,
amongst his numerous and more stately possessions, a house, not far from
the old Roman dwelling-place of Hilda. And in this residence he now
(save when with the King) made his chief abode. He gave as the r