touched my ear, and let drive. The shaft, pointed with tempered steel,
struck the shield full in the centre, and by Heaven, pierced it, aye,
and the mail behind, aye, and the flesh it covered, so that he, too, got
his death.

"A great shot, Master," said William, "that no other bow in Hastings
could have sped."

"Not so ill," I answered, "but it is my last. Now we must fight as we
can with sword and axe until we be sped."

William nodded, and the women in the cave began to wail while I unstrung
my bow and set it in its case, from habit I think, seeing that I never
hoped to look upon it again.

Just then from the French ships in the harbour there came a great
blaring of trumpets giving some alarm, and the Frenchmen of a sudden,
ceasing from their attack, turned and ran towards the shore. I stepped
out of the cave with William and looked. There on the sea, drawing near
from the east before a good wind, I saw ships, and saw, too, that from
their masts flew the pennons of England, for the golden leopards gleamed
in the sun.

"It is our fleet, William," I said, "come to talk with these French."

"Then I would that it had come sooner," answered William. "Still, better
now than not at all."