ile, and
wander homeless in foreign lands, than to remain in his father's court,
and be treated in so unjust and ignominious a manner, by one who was
bound by the strongest possible obligations to be his best and truest
friend. Matilda could not induce him to change this determination; and,
accordingly, taking with him a few of the most desperate and dissolute
of his companions, he went northward, crossed the frontier, and sought
refuge in Flanders. Flanders, it will be recollected, was Matilda's
native land. Her brother was the Earl of Flanders at this time. The earl
received young Robert very cordially, both for his sister's sake, and
also, probably, in some degree, as a means of petty hostility against
King William, his powerful neighbor, whose glory and good fortune he
envied.

Robert had not the means or the resources necessary for renewing an open
war with his father, but his disposition to do this was as strong as
ever, and he began immediately to open secret communications and
correspondence with all the nobles and barons in Normandy whom he
thought disposed to espouse his cause. He succeeded in inducing them to
make secret contributions of funds to supply his pecuniary wants, of
course promising to repay them with ample grants and rewards so soon as
he should obtain his rights. He maintained similar communications, too,
with Matilda, though she kept them very profoundly secret from her
husband.

Robert had other friends besides those whom he found thus furtively in
Normandy. The King of France himself was much pleased at the breaking
out of this terrible feud in the family of his neighbor, who, from being
his dependent and vassal, had become, by his conquest of England, his
great competitor and rival in the estimation of mankind. Philip was
disposed to rejoice at any occurrences which tended to tarnish William's
glory, or which threatened a division and diminution of his power. He
directed his agents, therefore, both in Normandy and in Flanders, to
encourage and promote the dissension by every means in their power. He
took great care not to commit himself by any open and positive promises
of aid, and yet still he contrived, by a thousand indirect means, to
encourage Robert to expect it. Thus the mischief was widened and
extended, while yet nothing effectual was done toward organizing an
insurrection. In fact, Robert had neither the means nor the mental
capacity necessary for maturing and carrying into effect