Wulf the Saxon: A Story of the Norman Conquest Read online

  CHAPTER V.

  ROUEN.

  For the next two days the lives of the two young Saxons were well-nighunbearable. At meals the count by turns abused and jeered at them,and his companions, following his example, lost no opportunity ofinsulting them in every way.

  "If this goes on, Wulf," Beorn said as they threw themselves downon the ground late that night, when the carousal was ended, "I shallsnatch the count's dagger from his belt and bury it in his heart,though they put me to death by torture afterwards."

  "I thought of doing so myself, Beorn, to-night, when he threw a cupof wine over me. But I said to myself my life is not my own, Harold'srescue depends on it. We are bound as his men to suffer in patiencewhatever may befall us. In another hour I shall try to make myescape. When it was your turn to wait this evening I stole away fora time, and went to the shed where they keep the war-engines andtook thence a coil of rope, which I have hidden in the courtyard.You know that we noticed last night where the sentries were placed,and decided where I might best drop from the wall unobserved.Fortunately the moat is dry at present, though they can turn waterinto it from the stream at will, so that once down I shall have nodifficulty in getting away. Now I want you to go to sleep directly,I shall not stir until you do so, then when you are questioned inthe morning you can say that I was by your side when you went tosleep, and that when you woke in the morning the place was vacant.You can say that I told you during the day that I could not sufferthese insults much longer, and that you suppose that after you hadgone to sleep I must have got up and either killed myself or insome way made my escape."

  Beorn lay quiet for a time and then Wulf said suddenly, "I havechanged my mind, Beorn; we will go together. I feel it is likelythat in his wrath at my escape the count may slay you, and thus theobject with which you remained behind would come to nothing, thereforeit is best that you go with me."

  "I was thinking so myself, Wulf, though I would not say it; but intruth I think the risks we may run in making our way to Rouen aresmall compared to those of staying here."

  "We must lose no time, Beorn. The castle is quiet now, and we mustbe many miles away from here before morning, for you may be surethe count's horsemen will scour the country far and wide in pursuitof us."

  They had that morning, before the count was up and their serviceswere required, wandered about the fortress, apparently paying noattention to anything, but really closely observing the approachesto the walls and the general features of the country outside. Theynow stole out, keeping in the shadow of the building, until theyreached the staircase leading up to the battlements, close to thepoint Wulf had fixed upon for making their descent. This had beenchosen chiefly because no sentry was placed on that part of thewall, the watch generally being careless, as Normandy was at presentat peace with its neighbours. When they reached the top of the stepsthey listened for a short time, but everything was silent. Thenthey stepped out on to the narrow pathway along the battlements,fastened one end of the rope round a piece of stonework and let theother end drop down into the fosse.

  "Shall we both go down together, the rope is strong enough?" Beornasked.

  "It is strong enough, but we had better go separately, Beorn; weare neither of us accustomed to climb ropes, and if the upper onewere to slip down too fast he might knock the other off the rope.It makes no matter who goes first. I will if you like, only mindif you hear a footstep approaching let yourself down at once whetherI am off the rope or not. Be sure and twist your legs tightly roundit, or it will run through your fingers."

  Taking hold of the rope he at once swung himself over, and withoutmuch difficulty reached the bottom in safety. He had scarcely doneso when Beorn came down beside him with a rush.

  "What made you come down like that, you narrowly missed coming onmy head?"

  "I believe I have cut my fingers to the bone," Beorn groaned; "Ifeel as if I were holding a bar of hot iron. You had scarcely startedbefore I heard voices; they were evidently those of men going theirrounds, so I caught hold of the rope and swung myself off, butbefore I got my legs fairly round the rope I began to slip, andthough I gripped it as hard as I could I could not stop myself, butslid down like lightning."

  "Hush!" Wulf whispered, "they are coming along above." The voicescame nearer until they sounded directly overhead Wulf knew that itwas very unlikely they would notice the rope in the dark, but hefelt much relieved as he heard them pass on. He waited until theycould no longer be heard.

  "Now, Beorn, we can safely be off."

  It was muddy at the bottom of the fosse, but not so deep as theythought it would be, and they scrambled up the opposite side andthen struck across the country south. Presently they came upon aroad, which they followed, until after three hours' walking theyreached the Authie river, at a spot where the bank was broken down.

  "This must be a ford, we had best try to wade across. Anyhow therecannot be very many yards to swim, and we can both manage that."

  They found that the bottom was pebbly, and that even in the middlethe water was not much above their waists.

  "That is something done, at any rate," Beorn said. "Now which wayshall we go? This road we are on seems to lead south and we cannotdo better than follow it, the stars give us light enough, now thatour eyes are accustomed to the darkness."

  "Yes, we can keep this road, which is no doubt that by which wetravelled before, as far as the village which I heard them callNoyelle, then we shall have to strike off to the left, for thatplace was not far from Abbeville, and shall have to follow the Sommeup some distance, unless we can find means of crossing it."

  "I should think we had better leave the road before we get to thevillage, so as to be well away from it. If any peasant were goingto work early and caught sight of us he would be sure to mentionit to any horseman who might come along searching for us. I noticedthat there were several woods on our right as we rode along."

  "That would be the safest way, no doubt," Wulf agreed. "Fortunatelywe can do without food for to-morrow"--for both had managed to getsome supper after they had finished in the hall,--"and having madeup my mind to escape to-night I hid away a large piece of breadunder my smock. We can manage very well on that."

  Accordingly after an hour's walking they left the road and bore tothe south-west. But little of the land was cultivated, and theywere fortunate in not coming upon any woodland until light beganto break in the sky. Then they made their way to the nearest wood,went in for some distance and then threw themselves down, and in afew minutes were fast asleep. Accustomed to judge time by theposition of the sun, they saw when they awoke that it was alreadypast noon, and after eating a few mouthfuls of bread they continuedtheir journey. For the most part their course lay among woods, andthey did not venture across an open piece of country until after acareful examination to see that no one was in sight.

  Shortly after starting they caught sight of a village in the distance,which they afterwards learned was St. Riguier, but with theseexceptions saw no human habitation. Late in the afternoon they camedown on the bank of the Somme. This was thickly covered with longreeds and rushes, and among these they sat down and ate the restof their bread, confident that however vigilant the search theywould not be traced.

  "This is a very different matter to the last crossing," Beorn said."This is a wide river, and I fear that I could not swim across it."

  "Nor should I like to try. But fortunately there is no occasion forus to trust to swimming; for we can pull up or break off a numberof these great rushes and make them into two bunches; these willgive us ample support for our passage."

  "So they will, Wulf; I should never have thought of that."

  Two large bundles were soon made, the reeds being tied together bya tough climber that wreathed itself everywhere among them, and assoon as it was quite dark they went down to the water's edge, andfound to their satisfaction that the reeds possessed ample buoyancyfor their purpose. Wading in they started swimming, resting theirchests on the reeds and striking out with their legs, a
nd in a fewminutes were on the southern bank of the river.

  "Now we must make to the east of south," Wulf said. "I should sayif we walk steadily all night we shall be beyond the territory ofthis vile count. I hope before long we shall strike on some roadleading in the right direction, for if we get among the woods againwe shall be able to make no progress. But any road we may come upongoing at all in the right direction is likely to lead to Rouen."

  "How far is it, do you think?"

  "I have a very vague idea. The prior had a map of Normandy, and onthis he pointed out to me how the duchy had grown since Williamcame as a boy to be its duke. I can remember the general positionof the town, but not more than that. I should think from the Sommeto Rouen must be over seventy miles and less than a hundred, butmore closely than that I cannot guess."

  They came upon no road before morning, but as the country was openthey made good progress, and when they lay down in a thicket as theday was breaking they calculated that they must be nearly thirtymiles south of the Somme.

  "I feel that I want sleep," Beorn said, "but still more that I wantfood. If it is another sixty miles to Rouen I know not how we aregoing to travel the distance fasting."

  "No, we must get some food to morrow or rather to day, Beorn. Wehave nothing of any value to offer for it. They searched us tooclosely for anything to escape them. We dare not go into any townor village until we are quite sure that we are beyond the count'sterritories, but we might enter some solitary hut and pray for apiece of bread for charity, or we can walk all day, by which timewe shall surely be well beyond the Count of Ponthieu's territory,and could boldly go into a town. If we are seized, we can demandto be sent to Rouen, saying we are bearers of an important messageto Duke William, and even if they do not send us straight on, theywould hardly keep us without food."

  After sleeping for four or five hours they again started, and afterwalking some miles came upon a herdsman's cottage The man was out,and his wife looked with surprise at the two lads, whose garments,though stained by sea water and travel, were evidently those ofyouths of a class above the common. Beorn addressed her in her ownlanguage, and told her that they were wayfarers who had lost theirroad and were grievously in need of food. She at once invited themto come in, and set before them some black bread and some cheesemade from goats' milk. They learned to their satisfaction that theyhad long passed the limits of Ponthieu, and that Rouen was distantabout fifty miles.

  "The road from Amiens lies five miles to the east," she said; "butit would be shorter for you to keep due south, for it inclines inthat direction. You will strike it after seven miles' walking, andafter that you cannot miss your way."

  After warmly thanking the woman for her hospitality the lads againstarted, feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed by their meal;but want of sleep told upon them, and when they got within sightof the road they again lay down, and slept until the sun was setting.Resuming their journey they followed the road, and before morningcrossed over a range of hills, and presently arrived at a smallhamlet close to which was a monastery. Towards this they directedtheir steps, and seating themselves on the ground near the door,waited until it was unbarred.

  "You are early wayfarers, my sons," the monk who opened the gatessaid as they went up, "and you seem to have travelled far."

  "That have we, father, and are sorely in need of food."

  The hospitality of the monasteries was unbounded, and the monk atonce led them into the kitchen, where bread, meat, and wine wereplaced before them.

  "Truly you were hungry," the monk said smilingly as he watched theironslaught upon the joint.

  "We were well-nigh starving, father. For two days we have had noughtto eat save a crust of bread we had brought with us, and some thata shepherd's wife bestowed upon us out of charity, and we havewalked from near Hesdin."

  "I do not ask out of curiosity, my sons," the monk said after apause, "and you know it is not our custom to question wayfarers whocome in to ask our hospitality; but it is strange to see two youths,who by their dress and manner seem to belong to a superior station,in so pitiable a state as you are, and wandering alone, as it wouldseem, penniless through the country. I ask not your confidence, butif you chose to give it maybe we might aid or advise you. Our prioris a kindly man and very gentle with the faults of others."

  "We are Saxons, father. We were wrecked four days since near St.Valery, and are now bound on an errand of high importance to DukeWilliam, to whom it is urgent we should arrive as soon as possible.We have run sore peril on the way, and have been stripped of ourmoney and valuables."

  "Is your mission of importance to the duke as well as to yourselves?"the monk asked gravely.

  "It is of great importance to him. I am sure that he would considerthat any one who assisted us on our way had done him good service."

  The monk look earnestly at them. "I will speak to the prior," hesaid. He returned in a few minutes and bade them follow him.

  The prior was a tall, gentle old man. "I have heard your story frombrother Gregory," he said, "and I wished to see you that I mightjudge for myself whether so strange a tale, as that two shipwreckedboys should have important business with our duke, could be believed,before I did aught to help you forward. You look to me honest ofpurpose and of gentle blood, and not, I am sure, belonging to theclass of wayfarer who will trump up any story for the purpose ofgaining alms. Whether your errand with the duke is of the importanceyou deem it I cannot say, but if you give me your word that youconsider it an urgent matter, I will aid you to proceed at once."

  "We do indeed consider it most urgent, father, and we are sure thatthe duke will so regard it. We should not have walked well-nigh ahundred miles in two days and nights, and that almost without food,had we not deemed it so."

  "Brother Gregory," the prior said, "bid lay-brother Philip at onceprepare three palfreys, and tell him he is to ride himself withthese two Saxon youths to Rouen. The distance is thirty miles," hewent on as the monk left the room. "It is not yet six o'clock, andthough our palfreys are not accustomed to travel at rapid speed,you will be there this afternoon in time to have audience with theduke."

  The lads returned their warm thanks to the prior. "We would gladlytell you the purport of our mission," Beorn said, "but we are onlythe bearers of news, and the duke might be displeased did he knowthat we had confided to any before it reached his own ear."

  "I wish not to learn it, my son. It is sufficient for me that youhave a mission to our duke, and that I am possibly furthering hisinterest by aiding you to reach him. But, in sooth, I am more movedby the desire to aid two stranger youths, whom the sea and man alikeseem to have treated hardly. Is it long since you left England?"

  "We have well-nigh lost account of time, father, so much has takenplace in a few days. 'Tis but a week since we were sailing alongthe English coast with a large company in three ships, when a suddentempest arose, carried away our sail, blew us off the shore, andthen increasing in fury drove us before it until we were wreckedon the coast of Ponthieu, near St. Valery. Since then we have beenprisoners, have escaped, and have journeyed here on foot."

  "Truly a bad week's work for you," the prior said. "Were all yourships wrecked?"

  "No; our two consorts, being lighter and more easily rowed, regainedthe land when we were blown off it."

  "Conrad of Ponthieu is an evil man," the prior said. "Had you comeashore twenty miles farther south you would have been beyond hisjurisdiction. I fear that all the seacoast people view the goodsobtained from vessels cast ashore as a lawful prey, but your companywould assuredly have received fair hospitality if cast on the shoresof Normandy itself. But now methinks I hear the patter of thepalfreys' hoofs. Farewell, my sons, and may God who has protectedyou through these dangers give you his blessing."

  The lads knelt before him as he placed his hands on their heads andgave them his benediction. As they rose brother Gregory entered tosay that the horses were ready, and with renewed thanks to the priorthey followed him to the courtyard, mounted,
and rode off with thelay-brother, glad indeed to find their journey on foot thus abridged.Impatient as they were to reach Rouen, the gentle pace at which thepalfreys ambled along fretted them very much. Brother Philip keptup a constant string of talk on the monastery, its estates, thekindness of the prior, the strictness of the subprior, and othermatters of great interest to himself, but of none to the boys, whosethoughts were with Harold, chained and in prison. The palfreys,however, made very fair progress, and it was but three o'clock whenthey rode into the streets of Rouen, whose size and grandeur wouldat any other time have impressed them much, for it was an incomparablyfiner city than London.

  "That is the duke's palace," brother Philip said, as they approacheda stately building. "I will put up the horses at the convent at thefarther corner of this square, and will then go with you to thepalace, as I have orders to tell any officer who may make a difficultyabout you entering, that I am bid by the prior of Forges to saythat you are here on urgent business with the duke, and to praythat you may have immediate audience with him."

  In those days great men were easy accessible, and one of the ushers,on receiving the message from the prior, at once led the boys toan apartment in which the duke was sitting. He looked up in somesurprise on seeing the two lads standing bareheaded at the door,while the usher repeated the message he had received.

  "Advance," he said. "What is this business of which the prior ofForges has sent me word?"

  The two boys advanced and knelt before the duke. He was a man ofabout the same age as Harold, with dark hair and complexion, lesstall than the earl, but of a powerful figure, and a stern, resoluteface. The boys had discussed among themselves which should be thespeaker. Wulf had desired that Beorn, being the elder, should deliverthe message, but Beorn insisted that as Wulf himself had receivedit from Harold, it was he who should be the one to deliver it tothe duke.

  "My Lord Duke," Wulf said, "we are Saxons, pages of Earl Harold,and we bring you by his orders the news that the vessel in whichhe was sailing along his coast had been blown off by a tempest andcast on the shore of Ponthieu, near St. Valery, and that he andhis companions have been villainously ill-treated by Conrad, Countof Ponthieu, who has seized them and cast them into dungeons in hisfortress of Beaurain, Harold and his companions being fettered likemalefactors."

  The duke was astounded at the news. No greater piece of good fortunecould have befallen him, for he had it in his power to lay his greatrival under an obligation to him, to show himself a generous prince,and at the same time to obtain substantial benefits. He rose atonce to his feet.

  "By the Host," he exclaimed, "but this is foul treatment indeed ofthe noble earl, and brings disgrace alike upon the Count of Ponthieuand upon me, his liege lord. This wrong shall be remedied, andspeedily. You shall see that I waste no moment in rescuing yourlord from this unmannerly count." He struck his hand on the table,and an attendant entered, "Pray the knights Fitz-Osberne and Warrento come hither at once. And how is it, boys," he went on, as theattendant hurried away, "that you were enabled to bear this messageto me?"

  "While Harold and his thanes were cast into prison," Wulf said, "thecount kept us to wait upon him; not for our services, but that hemight flout and ill-treat us. We obtained possession of a rope, andlet ourselves down at night from the battlements, and made our wayon foot as far as Forges, where the good prior, learning from usthat we had a message of importance to you, though nothing of itsimport, sent us forward on palfreys, so that no time might be lost."

  "When did you leave Beaurain?"

  "It will be three days come midnight," Wulf said.

  "And how did you live by the way?"

  "We took a piece of bread with us, and once obtained food at ashepherd's hut, and this morning we were well entertained at theconvent of Forges."

  "You have proved yourselves good and trusty messengers," the dukesaid. "Would I were always as well served. As you are the earl'spages you are of course of gentle blood?"

  "We are both his wards, my lord, and shall be thanes when we comeof age."

  "And how is it that you, young sir, who seem to be younger thanyour companion, are the spokesman?"

  "It happened thus," Wulf said modestly. "Some fishermen came upjust after we had gained the shore with the loss of many of ourcompany. I marked that one of them started on seeing Earl Harold,and whispered to a companion, and feeling sure that he had recognizedmy lord, I told the earl of it as we walked towards St. Valery. Hethen charged me if he was taken prisoner by the count to endeavourto bear the news to you, and to give the same orders to my comradeBeorn, saying it was likely that we might not be so strictly watchedas the men of the company, and might therefore succeed in slippingaway, as indeed turned out to be the case. I was desirous that Beornshould tell you the tale, being older and more accustomed to thespeech of the court than I was, but he held that the message, beingfirst given to me, it was I who should deliver it."

  "He judged rightly," the duke said, "and deserves credit for thusstanding aside."

  At this moment two knights entered. "Fitz-Osberne, Warren," theduke said, "a foul wrong has been done by Conrad of Ponthieu toEarl Harold of Wessex, the foremost of Englishmen next to the kinghimself, who has, with a company of his thanes, been cast ashorenear St. Valery. Instead of receiving honourable treatment, as washis due, he has been most foully seized, chained, and with hisfriends thrown into prison by the count, who has sent no intimationof what has taken place to me, his lord, and had it not been forthese two brave and faithful youths, who effected their escape overthe battlements of Beaurain in order to bring me the news, the earlmight have lingered in shameful captivity. I pray you take horseat once, with twenty chosen spears, and ride at the top of yourspeed to Beaurain. There express in fitting terms to Conrad myindignation at his foul treatment of one who should have beenreceived as a most honoured guest. Say that the earl and his companymust at once be released, and be accorded the treatment due notonly to themselves, but to them as my guests, and bid the countmount with them and ride to my fortress of Eu, to which I myselfwill at once journey to receive them. Tell Conrad that I will accountto him for any fair ransom he may claim, and if he demur to obeymy orders warn him that the whole force of Normandy shall at oncebe set on foot against him. After having been for two years myprisoner, methinks he will not care to run the risk of again beingshut up within my walls."

  "We will use all haste," Fitz-Osberne said. "Conrad's conduct is adisgrace to every Norman noble, for all Europe will cry shame whenthe news of the earl's treatment gets abroad. That Conrad shouldhold him to ransom is only in accordance with his strict rights,but that he should imprison and chain him is, by the saints, almostbeyond belief."

  As soon as the knights had left, the duke sent for his chamberlain,and ordered him to conduct Beorn and Wulf to an apartment and tosee that they were at once furnished with garments befitting youngnobles, together with a purse of money for their immediate wants.Then taking a long and heavy gold chain from his neck he placed iton the table, and with a blow with his dagger cut it in sunder, andhanded half to each of the lads.

  "Take this," he said, "in token of my thanks for having brought methis news, and remember, that if at any time you should have a boonto ask that it is within my power to grant, I swear to you upon myducal honour that it shall be yours. Never have I received morejoyful news than that the great Earl of Wessex will shortly be myguest."

  The lads bowed deeply, and then followed the chamberlain from theapartment.

  "Well, what think you of it, Beorn?" Wulf said, when they foundthemselves alone in a handsome chamber.

  "So far as rescuing Harold from the power of the Count of Ponthieuwe have surely succeeded even beyond our hopes. As to the rest, Iknow not. As you were speaking I marked the satisfaction and joyon the duke's face, and I said to myself that it was greater thanneed have been caused by the thought that Earl Harold was to be hisguest."

  "So I thought myself, Beorn. There can be no doubt that, as he said,he deemed it the best n
ews he had ever received, and I fear greatlythat Harold will but exchange one captivity for another. It willdoubtless be a more pleasant one, but methinks Harold will findhimself as much a prisoner, although treated as an honoured guestby William, as he was while lying in the dungeon of Conrad. It isa bad business, and I greatly fear indeed that Harold will long ruethe unfortunate scheme of hunting along the coast that has broughthim to this pass."

  In a short time an attendant arrived with ewers, water, and foursuits of handsome garments, belts embroidered with gold thread, anddaggers, together with two plumed caps and purses, each containingten gold pieces; he informed them that two horses had been providedfor their use, and that they were to take their meals with theduke's household, and to consider themselves in all respects as hisguests.

  "We look finer birds than we did when we rode in with brotherPhilip," Beorn laughed when they had attired themselves in theirnew garments. "The more sober of these suits are a good deal gayerthan those we wore at home even at court ceremonies."

  "King Edward objects to show," Wulf said, "and his own pages areso sober in their attire that the earl likes not that we shouldoutshine them, and we usually cut a poor figure beside those ofWilliam of London and the other Normans of his court."

  In a short time the chamberlain came in and informed them thatsupper was served, and conducted them to the hall, where he presentedthem to the duke's gentlemen and pages as William's guests, andwards and pages of the Earl of Wessex. The news of Harold's shipwreckand imprisonment travelled quickly, for orders had already beenissued for the court to prepare to start early the next morning toaccompany the duke to Eu, in order to receive with due honourWilliam's guest and friend, Harold of England; and while the mealwent on many questions were asked as to the shipwreck and prisonmentof the earl, and the liveliest indignation was expressed at theconduct of Conrad of Ponthieu.

  "Truly all Normans will be reckoned churls," one of the gentlemenexclaimed indignantly. "The fame of Harold's bravery, wisdom, andcourtesy to all men is known in every court in Europe, and that theduke's vassal should have dared to imprison and chain him willexcite universal indignation. Why, the rudest of our own Norseancestors would not have so foully treated one so noble whom fatehad cast into his hands. Had we been at war with England it wouldbe shameful, but being at peace there are no words that can fitlydescribe the outrage."

  When the meal was over, one of the duke's pages who was about thesame age as Beorn asked him what they were going to do with themselves.

  "If you have nothing better," he said, "will you ride with me tomy father's castle, it is but five miles away? My name is De Burg.I can promise you a hearty welcome. My father was one of the knightswho accompanied the duke when he paid his visit to England somefifteen years ago, and he liked the country much, and has ever sincespoken of the princely hospitality with which they were receivedby your king. He did not meet Earl Harold then."

  "No, the earl with his father and brothers was away in exile," Wulfsaid rather shortly, for that visit had been a most unpleasant oneto Englishmen. It had happened when the Norman influence wasaltogether in the ascendant. The king was filling the chief placesat court and in the church with Normans, had bestowed wide domainsupon them, and their castles were everywhere rising to dominate theland. Englishmen then regarded with hostility this visit of theyoung Norman duke with his great train of knights, and although atthe return of Godwin and his sons the greater portion of the intrudershad been driven out, their influence still remained at court, andit was even said that Edward had promised the duke that he shouldbe his successor.

  It was true that Englishmen laughed at the promise. The King ofEngland was chosen by the nation, and Edward had no shadow of rightto bequeath the throne even to one of his sons much less to a foreignprince, who, although related to himself by marriage, had no dropof English blood in his veins. Still, that the promise should everhave been made rankled in the minds of the English people, the moreso as the power of Normandy increased, and the ambition as well asthe valour of its duke became more and more manifest According toEnglish law the promise was but an empty breath, absolutely withouteffect or value. According to Norman law it constituted a powerfulclaim, and Duke William was assuredly not a man to let such a claimdrop unpressed.

  Wulf had heard all this again and again, and the prior of Bramberhad explained it to him in all its bearings, showing him that littleas Englishmen might think of the promise given by Edward so longago, it would be likely to bring grievous trouble on the land athis death. He might perhaps have said more in reference to William'svisit had not Beorn at once accepted the invitation to ride withyoung De Burg to his father's castle.