There was bustling to and fro of her and her maids; decking of the hall in the best hangings; strewing of fresh rushes, to the dislodgement of Martin; setting out of square tables, and stoops and mugs thereon; cooking of victuals, broaching of casks; and above all, for Hereward’s self, heating of much water, and setting out, in the inner chamber, of the great bath-tub and bath-sheet, which was the special delight of a hero fresh from the war. And by midday the streets of St. Omer rang with clank and tramp and trumpet-blare, and in marched Hereward and all his men, and swung round through the gateway into the court, where Torfrida stood to welcome them, as fair as day, a silver stirrup-cup in her hand. And while the men were taking off their harness and dressing their horses, she and Hereward went in together, and either took such joy of the other, that a year’s parting was forgot in a minute’s meeting. “Now,” cried she, in a tone half of triumph, half of tenderness, “look there!” “A cradle? And a baby?” “Your baby.” “Is it a boy?” asked Hereward, who saw in his mind’s eye a thing which would grow and broaden at his knee year by year, and learn from him to ride, to shoot, to fight. “Happy for him if he does not learn worse from me,” thought Hereward, with a sudden movement of humility and contrition, which was surely marked in heaven; for Torfrida marked it on earth. But she mistook its meaning. “Do not be vexed. It is a girl.” “Never mind!” as if it was a calamity over which he was bound to comfort the mother. “If she is half as beautiful as you look at this moment, what splintering of lances there will be about her! How jolly, to see the lads hewing at each other, while our daughter sits in the pavilion, as Queen of Love!” Torfrida laughed. “You think of nothing but fighting, bear of the North Seas.” “Every one to his trade. Well, yes, I am glad that it is a girl.” “I thought you seemed vexed. Why did you cross yourself?” “Because I thought to myself, how unfit I was to bring up a boy to be such a knight as--as you would have him; how likely I was, ere all was over, to make him as great a ruffian as myself.” “Hereward! Hereward!” and she threw her arms round his neck for the tenth time. “Blessed be you for those words! Those are the fears which never come true, for they bring down from heaven the grace of God, to guard the humble and contrite heart from that which it fears.” “Ah, Torfrida, I wish I were as good as you!” “Now--my joy and my life, my hero and my scald--I have great news for you, as well as a little baby. News from England.” “You, and a baby over and above, are worth all England to me.” “But listen: Edward the king is dead!” “Then there is one fool less on earth; and one saint more, I suppose, in heaven.” “And Harold Godwinsson is king in his stead. And he has married your niece Aldytha, and sworn friendship with her brothers.” “I expected no less. Well, every dog has his day.”