"That's then agreed!" replied Rolf. "It is give and take between us. If your priests serve me well, they shall keep their lands. But I must recoup myself for the property that I leave to your abbots;" and addressing the King, who, wholly indifferent to the conversation that was taking place before him, remained silent, somber and sad: "Charles, you gave me Ghisèle and Neustria. That is not now enough. A King's daughter should be more richly dowered. My duchy of Northmandy borders on Brittany. I demand this province also, together with all its towns, abbeys and dependencies." "You want Brittany!" cried Charles the Simple, for the first time awaking from his gloomy apathy. "Oh, you want Brittany! I give it to you with all my heart! You can have it. Go and take possession of it. It will be a bright day to me, the day that I shall hear that you set foot in that country. I gladly make you a present of Armorica, with its cities, abbeys and dependencies! All you have to do is to take possession!" Not a little astonished at the King's eagerness to grant him so considerable a cession, the old pirate turned towards his men inquiringly. Gaëlo whispered to him: "Charles grants you the country of the Bretons because he knows that it is impregnable, being defended by a race of indomitable men." "There is nothing impregnable to you, my champions! You will take charge of the task." "Since six hundred years the Franks have been endeavoring to subjugate that land, and they have not yet succeeded in establishing themselves firmly in it. They have invaded it; they have vanquished its forces--but never yet have they subjugated it." "The Northmans will subjugate those who have resisted the Franks." "Armorica," replied Gaëlo, "will be the grave of your best soldiers." The old pirate shrugged his shoulders with incredulity and not a little impatience; he took two steps towards the King and said: "Well, then, Charles, that province also is mine--" "Yes--yes. It is yours--Duke of Northmandy and of Brittany--provided you can conquer it!" "Rolf," resumed Gaëlo in a low voice, "renounce your pretensions over Armorica--you will otherwise have reasons to regret your obstinacy." "Rolf wills what he wills!" answered the pirate haughtily. "From this day," replied Gaëlo resolutely, "you must no longer count me among your men--" The Northman chief was on the point of inquiring from the young warrior the reason for his sudden resolution when the Archbishop of Rouen addressed the pirate: "Rolf, Charles has invested you with the sovereignty of the Duchies of Northmandy and Brittany. You must now take the pledge of fealty and homage to Charles, King of the Franks, as your suzerain seigneur. It is the custom. Your investiture will not be complete until after this formality." "Very well; only waste no time about it. I am hungry, and I am anxious to join my wife--the royal little girl must be waiting for me."