hand upon his brother's shoulder, saying:

"I can be silent no more; it was ever thus: that which is in my
mind must out of it. I have words to say to you."

"Speak on, Wulf," said Godwin.

Wulf sat himself down again upon his stool, and for a while
stared hard at nothing, for he did not seem to find it easy to
begin this talk. Now Godwin could read his brother's mind like a
book, but Wulf could not always read Godwin's, although, being
twins who had been together from birth, their hearts were for the
most part open to each other without the need of words.

"It is of our cousin Rosamund, is it not?" asked Godwin
presently.

"Ay. Who else?"

"And you would tell me that you love her, and that now you are a
knight--almost--and hard on five-and twenty years of age, you
would ask her to become your affianced wife?"

"Yes, Godwin; it came into my heart when she rode the grey horse
into the water, there upon the pier, and I thought that I should
never see her any more. I tell you it came into my heart that
life was not worth living nor death worth dying without her."

"Then, Wulf," answered Godwin slowly, "what more is there to say?
Ask on, and prosper. Why not? We have some lands, if not many,