fully, "hath passed away less a life than a dream!
Yet of Sweyn, in our childhood, was Godwin most proud; who so lovely in
peace, and so terrible in wrath? My mother taught him the songs of the
Baltic, and Hilda led his steps through the woodland with tales of hero
and scald. Alone of our House, he had the gift of the Dane in the flow
of fierce song, and for him things lifeless had being. Stately tree,
from which all the birds of heaven sent their carol; where the falcon
took roost, whence the mavis flew forth in its glee,--how art thou
blasted and seared, bough and core!--smit by the lightning and consumed
by the worm!"

He paused, and, though none were by, he long shaded his brow with his
hand.

"Now," thought he, as he rose and slowly paced the chamber, "now to what
lives yet on earth--his son! Often hath my mother urged me in behalf of
these hostages; and often have I sent to reclaim them. Smooth and false
pretexts have met my own demand, and even the remonstrance of Edward
himself. But, surely, now that William hath permitted this Norman to
bring over the letter, he will assent to what it hath become a wrong and
an insult to refuse; and Haco will return to his father's land, and
Wolnoth to his mother's arms."

CHAPTER III.

Messire Mallet de Graville (as becomes a man bred up to arms, and
snatching sleep with quick grasp whenever that blessing be his to
command) no sooner laid his head on the pallet to which he had been
consigned, than his eyes closed, and his senses were deaf even to dreams.
But at the dead of the midnight he was wakened by sounds that might have
roused the Seven Sleepers--shouts, cries, and yells, the blast of horns,
the tramp of feet, and the more distant roar of hurrying multitudes. He
leaped from his bed, and the whole chamber was filled with a lurid
bloodred air. His first thought was that the fort was on fire. But
springing upon the settle along the wall, and looking through the
loophole of the tower, it seemed as if not the fort but the whole land
was one flame, and through the glowing atmosphere he beheld all the
ground, near and far, swarming with men. Hundreds were swimming the
rivulet, clambering up dyke mounds, rushing on the levelled spears of the
defenders, breaking through line and palisade, pouring into the
enclosures; some in half-armour of helm and corselet--others in linen
tunics--many almost naked. Loud sharp shrieks of "Alleluia!" [160]
blended with those o