"I pardon him, at your gracious request," quoth the knight, with a
grand air, and waving his hands; "say on."

"You will proceed with a Welch monk--whom, though not of the faction
of Gryffyth, all Welchmen respect--to the mouth of a frightful pass,
skirting the river; the monk will bear aloft the holy rood in signal
of peace. Arrived at that pass, you will doubtless be stopped. The
monk here will be spokesman; and ask safe-conduct to Gryffyth to
deliver my message; he will also bear certain tokens, which will no
doubt win the way for you."

"Arrived before Gryffyth, the monk will accost him; mark and heed well
his gestures, since thou wilt know not the Welch tongue he employs.
And when he raises the rood, thou,--in the mean while, having artfully
approached close to Gryffyth,--wilt whisper in Saxon, which he well
understands, and pressing the ring I now give thee into his hand,
'Obey, by this pledge; thou knowest Harold is true, and thy head is
sold by thine own people.' If he asks more thou knowest nought."

"So far, this is as should be from chief to chief," said the Norman,
touched, "and thus had Fitzosborne done to his foe. I thank thee for
this mission, and the more that thou hast not asked me to note the
strength of the bulwark, and number the men that may keep it."

Again Harold smiled. "Praise me not for this, noble Norman--we plain
Saxons have not your refinements. If ye are led to the summit, which
I think ye will not be, the monk at least will have eyes to see, and
tongue to relate. But to thee I confide this much;--I know already,
that Gryffyth's strongholds are not his walls and his towers, but the