from his pledge; and to implore him at least to suffer Gurth to be his
substitute to the Norman court. "Listen dispassionately," said Gurth;
"rely upon it that Edward has reasons for his fears, more rational
than those he has given to us. He knows William from his youth
upward, and hath loved him too well to hint doubts of his good faith
without just foundation. Are there no reasons why danger from William
should be special against thyself? While the Normans abounded in the
court, there were rumours that the Duke had some designs on England,
which Edward's preference seemed to sanction: such designs now, in the
altered state of England, were absurd--too frantic, for a prince of
William's reputed wisdom to entertain. Yet he may not unnaturally
seek to regain the former Norman influence in these realms. He knows
that in you he receives the most powerful man in England; that your
detention alone would convulse the country from one end of it to the
other; and enable him, perhaps, to extort from Edward some measures
dishonourable to us all. But against me he can harbour no ill design
--my detention would avail him nothing. And, in truth, if Harold be
safe in England, Gurth must be safe in Rouen? Thy presence here at
the head of our armies guarantees me from wrong. But reverse the
case, and with Gurth in England, is Harold safe in Rouen? I, but a
simple soldier, and homely lord, with slight influence over Edward, no
command in the country, and little practised of speech in the stormy
Witan,--I am just so great that William dare not harm me, but not so
great that he should even wish to harm me."

"He detains our kinsmen, why not thee!" said Harold.

"Because with our kinsmen he has at least the pretext that they were
pledged as hostages: because I go simply as guest and envoy. No, to
me danger cannot come. Be ruled, dear Harold."