used it all in his master's service. The
impression he produced on the followers of his forefathers was
profound, but he traversed every corner of the forest, and not an
outlying hamlet or village church escaped his ministrations, so
that shortly his fame was spread through all the country side.

______________________________________________________________

We must now pay a brief visit to Walderne.

The first few months after the departure of Hubert brought little
change in the dull routine of daily life there. Drogo speedily
returned after the departure of his rival, and his whole energies
were spent in making himself acceptable to his uncle, Sir Nicholas.
He attended him in the hunt. He assisted him in the management of
the estate. He looked after the men-at-arms, the servants, and the
general retinue of a medieval castle. The days had passed indeed
when war and violence were the natural occupation of a baron, and
when the men-at-arms were never left idle long together, but they
were almost within memory of living men and might return again. So
the defences of the castle were never neglected, and the arts of
warfare ceased not to be objects of daily study in the Middle Ages.

The Lady Sybil never trusted Drogo thoroughly. She had strong
predispositions against him: and quite accepted Hubert's version of
the quarrel at Kenilworth which, under Drogo's manipulation,
assumed a much more innocent aspect than the one in which it was
presented to our readers.

Sir Nicholas was at last won over to believe that the youth was not
so bad after all, the more so as Drogo disavowed all further
designs or claims upon the inheritance of Walderne, now that the
proper heir was so happily discovered. Harengod would content him,
and when the clouds had blown over, he trusted that there would
always be peace between Harengod and Walderne.

So the months of summer sped by. News arrived of Hubert's visit to
Fievrault, and of the dread portents described in a former chapter,
whereat was much marvel. Nought was said of the prophecy, for
Hubert did not wish to put such forebodings in the minds of his
relations. He had rather they should look hopefully to his return.
Poor Hubert!

Then they heard, a month later, of his departure from Marseilles.
The news was brought by a pilgrim who had just returned from the
Holy Land, and met Hubert and his party about to embark, purposing
to sail to Acre, in a vessel called the Fleur de Lys,