This eBook was produced by Tapio Riikonen
and David Widger
Some days after the tragical event with which the last chapter closed,the ships of the Saxons were assembled in the wide waters of Conway;and on the small fore-deck of the stateliest vessel, stood Harold,bareheaded, before Aldyth, the widowed Queen. For the faithful bardhad fallen by the side of his lord; . . . the dark promise wasunfulfilled, and the mangled clay of the jealous Gryffyth slept alonein the narrow bed. A chair of state, with dossel and canopy, was setfor the daughter of Algar, and behind stood maidens of Wales, selectedin haste for her attendants.
But Aldyth had not seated herself; and, side by side with her deadlord's great victor, thus she spoke:
"Woe worth the day and the hour when Aldyth left the hall of herfathers and the land of her birth! Her robe of a queen has been rentand torn over an aching heart, and the air she has breathed has reekedas with blood. I go forth, widowed, and homeless, and lonely; but myfeet shall press the soil of my sires, and my lips draw the breathwhich came sweet and pure to my childhood. And thou, O Harold,standest beside me, like the shape of my own youth, and the dreams ofold come back at the sound of thy voice. Fare thee well, noble heartand true Saxon. Thou hast twice saved the child of thy foe—firstfrom shame, then from famine. Thou wouldst have saved my dread lordfrom open force, and dark murder; but the saints were wroth, the bloodof my kinsfolk, shed by his hand, called for vengeance, and theshrines he had pillaged and burned murmured doom from their desolatealtars. Peace be with the dead, and peace with the living! I shallgo back to my father and brethren; and if the fame and life of childand sister be dear to them, their swords will never more leave theirsheaths against Harold. So thy hand, and God guard thee!"
Harold raised to his lips the hand which the Queen extended to him;and to Aldyth now seemed restored the rare beauty of her youth; aspride and sorrow gave her the charm of emotion, which love and dutyhad failed to bestow.
"Life and health to thee, noble lady," said the Earl. "Tell thykindred from me, that for thy sake, and thy grandsire's, I would fainbe their brother and friend; were they but united with me, all Englandwere now safe against every foe, and each peril. Thy daughter alreadyawaits thee in the halls of Morcar; and when time has scarred thewounds of the past, may thy joys re-bloom in the face of thy child.Farewell, noble Aldyth!"
He dropped the hand he had held till then, turned slowly to the sideof the vessel, and re-entered his boat. As he was rowed back toshore, the horn gave the signal for raising anchor, and the ship,righting itself, moved majestically through the midst of the fleet.But Aldyth still stood erect, and her eyes followed the boat that boreaway the secret love of her youth.
As Harold reached the shore, Tostig and the Norman, who had beenconversing amicably together on the beach, advanced towards the Earl.
"Brother," said Tostig, smiling, "it were easy for thee to console thefair widow, and bring to our House all the force of East Anglia andMercia." Harold's face slightly changed, but he made no answer.
"A marvellous fair dame," said the Norman, "notwithstanding her cheekbe somewhat pinched, and the hue sun-burnt. And I wonder not that thepoor cat-king kept her so close to his side."
"Sir Norm