d if they could only co-operate together on a
common understanding, they would be sure to have the power and the
honors of the English realm entirely at their disposal.

Harold listened to all these suggestions, and pretended to be interested
and pleased. He was, in reality, interested, but he was not pleased. He
wished to secure the kingdom for himself, not merely to obtain a share,
however large, of its power and its honors as the subject of another. He
was, however, too wary to evince his displeasure. On the contrary, he
assented to the plan, professed to enter into it with all his heart, and
expressed his readiness to commence, immediately, the necessary
preliminary measures for carrying it into execution. William was much
gratified with the successful result of his negotiation, and the two
chieftains rode home to William's palace in Normandy, banded together,
apparently, by very strong ties. In secret, however, Harold was
resolving to effect his departure from Normandy as soon as possible, and
to make immediate and most effectual measures for securing the kingdom
of England to himself, without any regard to the promises that he had
made to William.

Nor must it be supposed that William himself placed any positive
reliance on mere promises from Harold. He immediately began to form
plans for binding him to the performance of his stipulations, by the
modes then commonly employed for securing the fulfillment of covenants
made among princes. These methods were three--intermarriages, the giving
of hostages, and solemn oaths.

William proposed two marriages as means of strengthening the alliance
between himself and Harold. Harold was to give to William one of his
daughters, that William might marry her to one of his Norman chieftains.
This would be, of course, placing her in William's power, and making her
a hostage all but in name. Harold, however, consented. The second
marriage proposed was between William's daughter and Harold himself; but
as his daughter was a child of only seven years of age, it could only be
a betrothment that could take place at that time. Harold acceded to this
proposal too, and arrangements were made for having the faith of the
parties pledged to one another in the most solemn manner. A great
assembly of all the knights, nobles, and ladies of the court was
convened, and the ceremony of pledging the troth between the fierce
warrior and the gentle and wondering child was performed with as much
p