wed him in silence,
wondering what the exciting tidings could be which had produced so
sudden and powerful an effect.

William went into the castle hall, and walked to and fro a long time,
thoughtful, and evidently agitated. His attendants waited in silence,
afraid to speak to him. Rumors began at length to circulate among them
in respect to the nature of the intelligence which had been received. At
length a great officer of state, named Fitzosborne, arrived at the
castle. As he passed through the court-yard and gates, the attendants
and the people, knowing that he possessed in a great degree the
confidence of his sovereign, asked him what the tidings were that had
made such an impression. "I know nothing certain about it," said he,
"but I will soon learn." So saying, he advanced toward William, and
accosted him by saying, "Why should you conceal from us your news? It is
reported in the city that the King of England is dead, and that Harold
has violated his oaths to you, and has seized the kingdom. Is that
true?"

William acknowledged that that was the intelligence by which he had been
so vexed and chagrined. Fitzosborne urged the duke not to allow such
events to depress or dispirit him. "As for the death of Edward," said
he, "that is an event past and sure, and can not be recalled; but
Harold's usurpation and treachery admits of a very easy remedy. You
have the right to the throne, and you have the soldiers necessary to
enforce that right. Undertake the enterprise boldly. You will be sure to
succeed."

William revolved the subject in his mind for a few days, during which
the exasperation and anger which the first receipt of the intelligence
had produced upon him was succeeded by calm but indignant deliberation,
in respect to the course which he should pursue. He concluded to call a
great council of state, and to lay the case before them--not for the
purpose of obtaining their advice, but to call their attention to the
crisis in a formal and solemn manner, and to prepare them to act in
concert in the subsequent measures to be pursued. The result of the
deliberations of this council, guided, doubtless, by William's own
designs, was, that the first step should be to send an embassy to Harold
to demand of him the fulfillment of his promises.

The messenger was accordingly dispatched. He proceeded to London, and
laid before Harold the communication with which he had been intrusted.
This communication recounted the thre