The good-hearted Lord Abbat of Crowland baptized the child, and sundry of his monks, and the good prior of Spalding among them, were bidden to the feast. “Elfric, my trusty sword-bearer,” said the Lord of Brunn when the feast was over, “Elfric, I say, methinks I have given proof, that a man may love and fight, and be a husband and a soldier, at one and the same time, and that if we are to put off thy espousal day with maid Mildred until this war be over, thou wilt run a chance of never being married at all!” “Good, my Lord,” said Elfric, “This is what I have been thinking for more than these nine months past.” “Then beshrew me,” said the Lord of Brunn, “thou and Mildred shall be made one before the world be a moon older!” The Lord of Brunn meant what he said; but Heaven ordered it otherwise. CHAPTER XX. THE NORMAN DUKE TRIES AGAIN. William of Normandie sate in his gorgeous hall in the royal citadel of Winchester: the proud crown of England was on his head, and the jewelled sceptre in his hand, and knights, lords, and prelates stood in his presence to do his every bidding, and to tell him that he was the greatest of conquerors and sovereign princes; yet a cloud was on his broad brow, and his face was sad and thoughtful. “I am no king of England,” said he, “so long as this Hereward the Saxon holds out against me or lives! This sceptre is a child’s plaything unless I can drive the Saxons out of the Camp of Refuge!” “The robbers and outlaws shall be driven out,” said Hugo of Grantmesnil. “Hugo,” said the duke, “it is five years since thou first toldest me that, and the camp seems stronger now than ever it was.” “If it were not for the drowning waters, and the sinking bogs, and all the abominations of those fens and forests, which are fit only for Saxon hogs to wallow in, the deed were easy to do,” said Peter of Blainville. “Be it easy or be it hard,” quoth Duke William, “the deed must be done, or we must all prepare to go back into Normandie, and give up all that we have gotten! It bots us little to have bought off the greedy Dane; for Philip of France, whom some do call my suzerain lord, is one that will prefer conquest to money; and Philip is not only threatening my dominions in Normandie, but is also leaguing with mine enemies in this island; he is corresponding with the King of the Scots, and with Edgar Etheling the Saxon, and guest and brother-in-law to the Scottish king; and if this rebellion in the Fen-country be not soon suppressed, we may soon count upon seeing a French army on the coast, and a Scottish army marching through the north; and then the wild men will rush from the mountains of Wales and invade us in the west, as they have done aforetime; and thereupon will ensue a universal rising of the Saxon people, who are nowhere half subdued. By the splendour! while these things last I am no king!”