第 39 页

were two cowled monks, and I believe that it was one of them who spoke. I

looked round at the faces of the other men standing near, but they all

seemed honest countrymen or town folk. I should have followed the monks to

see where they went, but at that moment there was a rush among the crowd to

see some mummers who had just commenced their antics, and I was swept along

by it; and though I have been searching ever since, and have so stared up

into the cowls of monks, that I have been cursed as an insolent boy many

times, I have not seen our man."

"Thanks, Ulf. It is something to have learned that he is here. As to his

disguise, he may by this time have changed it. Still, I will be on my

guard, and will take care that no cowled monk approaches too closely to the

king. Take your place here at the gate and watch all who come in and out,

and if you see aught suspicious send in a soldier, whom I will place by

your side, to fetch me out."

One of the men was accordingly placed with the boy with orders to come to

Wulf, whether at the table or in the king's room, the moment Ulf told him

to do so. When the others went into the banquet Wulf posted two men just

outside the door, and placed the other three back against the wall nearest

to the king's chair. Here, standing against the arras, they were concealed

from the sight of the guests by the crowd of servitors passing to and fro.

"Stand with your hands on your daggers," Wulf said to them, "and watch

every man who approaches the king, no matter of what degree he may appear.

Be ready to spring forward in an instant if you see his hand go to his

dagger."

The bishop and king sat next to each other in the centre of the table on

the dais; on either side were the king's thanes, abbots and other

dignitaries of the church, and the nobles of the country. Wulf and Beorn

had begged to be excused from supping, and permission had been readily

granted by the king, as he knew that the bishop would be glad at having two

extra seats at his disposal; and they also, standing back by the wall,

closely scrutinized the movements of the attendants. It was a relief to

them when supper was over and the bishop and his principal guests retired

to a private room. The five soldiers were then told that they would not be

required until morning.

Wulf went out to the gate, and learnt from Ulf that he had seen no one

enter whom he took for Fitz-Urse.

"He may have gone in by some other entrance, my lord," he said, "for there

are three or four ways into the palace."

"We shall be on watch inside, Ulf. You need stay no longer. Be here in the

morning at seven."

After the king and queen had retired to bed and the palace was quiet Wulf,

Beorn, and Osgod stole from their room, and noiselessly passed along the

corridors until they came to the king's apartment, and then lay down across

the door. They were to keep watch in turns, Osgod being told to keep the

first watch and to rouse Wulf at midnight. This he did, and Wulf lay for

some time listening intently. The corridor was faintly lit by two lamps,

one at either end. Wulf had chosen the middle watch, because he thought

that if any attempt was made it would be soon after midnight, as the

assassins would wish to have many hours of darkness in which to make their

escape. He knew that Beorn was a sound sleeper, and could scarcely be

trusted to keep awake from midnight until four o'clock, and that it were

best he himself watched during that time.

Half an hour passed, and then he heard a very slight noise. A moment later

four figures appeared at the end of the corridor. He dared not wake his

companions, for they might speak or move, but he grasped his sword-hilt,

having drawn the blade in readiness when Osgod woke him. The men advanced

stealthily, and as they approached he saw they had drawn swords in their

hands. They paused a few paces away, and in a whisper one said:

"Here are three fellows asleep; what shall we do with them?"

"Draw your daggers and stab them to the heart," another replied. "Each take

one, and do not bungle over it. As you strike I will open the door and rush

in. Now!"

Wulf had gathered his legs under him in readiness to spring to his feet as

soon as he saw the figures, and as they swiftly advanced he leapt up with a

shout and crossed swords with the man nearest to him.

"Cut him down! Kill him! It is too late to draw back now!" one of the men

cried. The others, who had recoiled a moment when Wulf sprang up, rushed at

him just as he cut down the man he had first engaged.

"Cut them down and fly!" the one who had before given orders exclaimed,

lunging furiously at Wulf.

"Easier said than done, Walter Fitz-Urse!" Wulf exclaimed, as he parried a

blow and dealt one in return. It lighted on his opponent's shoulder, but

the blade shivered in his hand, for it had fallen upon mail armour

concealed under the Norman's garment.

"It is my turn now!" Fitz-Urse exclaimed, and raised his sword to strike a

sweeping blow at Wulf's head, but before it could fall the latter leapt

forward and caught the uplifted wrist, the impetus of the spring throwing

his opponent backwards, while Wulf fell heavily upon him, and for a moment

they rolled over and over. But Wulf was by far the most powerful, and

speedily got the upper hand. He had not noticed that his opponent, while

holding his sword in his right hand, had his dagger already drawn in his

left. The sword had flown from Fitz-Urse's hand as he fell, and Wulf,

believing him to be powerless, glanced round to see how the fray went with

the others, when the Norman stabbed him deeply in the side. Before he could

repeat the blow Wulf snatched his own dagger from his girdle and buried it

in the assassin's throat Then he raised himself on his left hand. It was

but a matter of seconds since the fight had commenced, but it was already

over. Osgod had slain one man, Beorn was following a flying opponent down

the corridor, and Harold, sword in hand, had just rushed from his chamber.

Wulf saw no more, but fell over insensible by the side of his adversary.

"What is all this?" Harold shouted as he turned to Osgod, the only figure

standing, raising his sword as he spoke, for in the dim light he did not

recognize him.

"It means, my lord, that there has been an attempt on your life. I am

Osgod, Wulf's man. I fear my brave young master is killed!" and he dropped

on his knees by Wulf's side. By this time doors were opening all along the

corridor, and the king's thanes and other guests, awakened by Wulf's shout

and the clashing of swords, were pouring out, armed with the first weapon

they could snatch up.

"Bring lights!" Harold shouted. "My life has been attempted, and I fear

that the brave Thane of Steyning is killed."

The alarm spread fast, and the palace so lately hushed and silent was now

in an uproar, while the bishop with many other ecclesiastics, with

servants, retainers, and men-at-arms, mingled with the thanes.

"Keep all back!" Harold cried. "Let none approach these bodies until we

have examined them."

Torches were soon brought. Harold seized one, and bent over Wulf's body.

"Is he dead?"

"His heart beats, but feebly, my lord," Osgod replied.

"Where is he hurt?"

"There is a great patch of blood here on his right side just over the hip.

I see no other sign of a wound."

"We will carry him into my chamber," the king said. "But no; I forgot, the

queen is there. We will take him into the room opposite; it matters not

whose it is. Now, Osgod, aid me to lift him gently. Bishop, I pray you send

for the leeches most skilled in the treatment of sword wounds in the city."

Then he and Osgod carried Wulf into the chamber opposite his own, and laid

him on a pallet.

"Now see to the staunching of the flow of blood till the leeches arrive. I

must inquire into this matter. Who knows aught about it?" he asked as he

went out into the corridor.

"I do, my lord king," Beorn replied as he pushed his way through the

throng. "It was a plot to take your life. Wulf, his man Osgod, and myself

had no certain knowledge of it, but we had cause for suspicion, and

therefore lay outside your door. We were to take it in turns to watch.

Wulf was on guard, and as I awoke at his shout I saw him cut down that

villain who lies there with a cleft skull There were three others. I fell

upon one, Osgod took another, while Wulf engaged the man who seemed to be

the leader. Wulf's sword broke, but he closed with his opponent and they

fell together. Osgod ran his man through, and my opponent fled. I could not

catch him until he reached the door, but as that was closed he could fly no

farther, and I slew him there."

"Who and what are these men, good Beorn?"

"They are, I believe, Normans; but I know naught for certain beyond the

fact that the leader, he with whom Wulf was engaged, is Walter Fitz-Urse,

who was a page of the Bishop William of London, and was well known at the

court."

Exclamations of fury and indignation broke from those around, with the

cries of "Death to the Normans!"

Harold raised his hand. "Silence, my friends. Let us be fair and just as it

becomes Englishmen. There are villains of all nations, and it is not

because four caitiffs have thought to do a good service to their duke by

getting rid of me that we should blame men who will abhor this crime as

much as we can do. First let us see if Beorn is right as to this man. Hold

a torch to his face. It is Fitz-Urse truly. He was of knightly blood, but

has died in a most unknightly business. Wulf's dagger is still in his

throat. Let us see if we know anything of the others."

"I think that you will find them all strangers, my lord," Beorn said. "I

believe they came from beyond the sea to do this deed."

The man whom Wulf had first slain was evidently by his dress a person of

some rank; the other was of inferior station, as was also, as it was found,

the man Beorn had killed.

"Now, my lord bishop," the king said calmly, "we have a right next to ask

you how these men came to be in your palace. Know you aught of them?"

"I know nothing of them," the bishop replied. "So far as I am aware I have

never seen any of their faces before, and assuredly they were not here with

my cognizance. I will at once question all my people shrewdly, and woe be

to him who has admitted strangers here unknown to me at the time when you

were beneath my roof."

"And have this house searched from basement to roof, bishop. It may be that

there are others in hiding."

"With your permission, my lord," said Beorn, "I will at once take your men,

of whom we have posted six under your window, and will call up some more

and search the town. It is likely that there are others without with horses

held in readiness for these assassins to escape."

"Do so, Beorn. It will be well if we can catch some at least, so that we

can get to the bottom of this matter."

The bishop at once ordered his armed retainers to accompany Beorn, and then

proceeded to interrogate his officials and the domestics, and to see that

the latter made a complete search of the palace. All denied any knowledge

of strangers having entered, and the search revealed nothing but four

monks' gowns and hoods found wrapped up in a bundle in a small room

downstairs. Further questions had been then put. Some of the domestics

remembered that four monks had entered the palace late in the evening, and

one of the under chamberlains said that he had seen them, and they had told

him that they had just arrived from Flanders, and craved permission to

sleep in the palace for the night, as they were going on to Peterborough in

the morning. He had told them that this was impossible, as he could give no

permission without the leave of the bishop, who was at present with the

king and could not be disturbed, and that, moreover, every room in the

palace was occupied. He had given them the address of a citizen, who would

he was sure take them in. They had thanked him, and said that they would go

there, but doubtless instead of doing so they had slipped aside, and had

hidden themselves in the room where their gowns were found. It was one used

only for the storage of garments for poor travellers who came along, and no

one was likely to enter it on such an evening.

This discovery was a great relief to the bishop and all within the palace,

as it showed that they were not there with the connivance of any of the

prelate's people. Before the matter was fully unravelled Beorn returned.

They had in a quiet spot a short distance from the palace come upon two men

with six horses. Before they could run up and seize them the two men had

leapt up into the saddles and galloped furiously away. Unfortunately the

other four horses had followed, and immediate pursuit was therefore

impossible. The housecarls had run to the spot where their horses were

stabled and had gone off in pursuit, but Beorn feared that the men would

have far too great a start to be overtaken. One of the officers had ridden

with the housecarls, and Beorn had told him to keep by the river-bank, as

the men would assuredly make for a ship that was lying somewhere down the

river, though whether at a distance of two miles or of twenty he knew not.

Long before Beorn's return Wulf's wound had been examined. Unguents had

been poured into it and bandages applied. The surgeons were of opinion that

it was a very grave one, but that at present they could not say how the

matter would terminate.

"Your story will keep till the morning, Beorn," the king said. "It is still

five hours to daylight, and we may as well retire to rest, unless, indeed,

you know that there are others engaged in the affair in London or elsewhere