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father's horse。
CHAPTER III
HUBERT COMES TO LONDON
When the lady Blanche was out of sight； followed by the women who had
sheltered with us in the cave； William and I went to a stream we knew
of not far away and drank our fill。 Then we walked to the three whom I
had shot with my big bow； hoping to regain the arrows； for I had none
left。 This； however； could not be done though all the men were dead；
for one of the shafts； the last； was broken； and the other two were so
fixed in flesh and bone that only a surgeon's saw would loose them。
So we left them where they were； and before the men were buried many
came to marvel at the sight； thinking it a wonderful thing that I
should have killed these three with three arrows； and that any bow
which arm might bend could have driven the last of them through an
iron shield and a breastplate behind it。
This armour； I should tell； William took for himself； since it was of
his size。 Also on the morrow； returning to the Castle Hill； I stripped
the knight whom I had slain with the sword； Wave…Flame； of his
splendid Milan mail； whereof the /plastron/； or breast…plate； was
inlaid with gold； having over it a /camail/ of chain to cover the
joints； through which my good sword had shorn into his neck。 The
cognizance on his shield strangely enough was three barbed arrows； but
what was the name of the knight who bore it I never learned。 This
mail； which must have cost a great sum； the Bailiff of Hastings
granted me to keep； since I had slain its wearer and borne myself well
in the fight。 Moreover； I took the three arrows for my own cognizance；
though in truth I had no right to any； being in those days but a
trader。 （Little did I know then how well this mail was to serve me in
the after years。）
By now night was coming on； and as we could see from the cave mouth
that the part of Hastings which lies towards the village of St。
Leonards seemed to have escaped the fire； thitherward we went by the
beach to avoid the heat and falling timbers in the burning town。 On
our way we met others and from them heard all that had befallen。 It
would seem that the French loss in life was heavier than our own；
since many of them were cut off when they tried to fly to their ships；
and some of these could not be floated from the beach or were rammed
and sunk with all aboard by the English vessels。 But the damage done
to Hastings was as much as could scarcely be made good in a
generation； for the most of it was burnt or burning。 Also many； like
my own mother； had perished in the fire； being sick or aged or in
childbed； or for this reason and that forgotten and unable to move。
Indeed on the beach were hundreds of folk in despair； nor was it only
the women and children who wept that evening。
For my part； with William I went beyond the burning to the house of a
certain old priest who was my confessor； and the friend of my father
before me； and there we found food and slept； he returning thanks to
God for my escape and offering me consolation for the loss of my
mother and goods。
I rested but ill that night； as those do who are over…weary。 Moreover；
this had been my first taste of battle； and again and again I saw
those men falling before my sword and arrows。 Very proud was I to have
slain them； wicked ravishers as they were； and very glad that from my
boyhood I had practised myself with sword and bow till I could fence
with any； and was perhaps the most skilled marksman in Hastings；
having won the silver arrow at the butts at the last meeting； and from
archers of all ages。 Yet the sight of their deaths haunted me who
remembered how well their fate might have been my own； had they got in
the first shot or blow。
Where had they gone to； I wondered？ To the priest's Heaven or Hell？
Were they now telling their sins to some hard…faced angel while he
checked the count from his book； reminding them of many that they had
forgotten？ Or were they fast asleep for ever and ever as a shrewd
thinker whom I knew had told me secretly he was sure would be the fate
of all of us； whatever the priests might teach and believe。 And where
was my mother whom I had loved and who loved me well； although
outwardly she was so stern a woman； my mother whom I had seen burned
alive； singing as she burned？ Oh！ it was a vile world； and it seemed
strange that God should cause men and women to be born that they might
come to such cruel ends。 Yet who were we to question His decrees of
which we knew neither the beginning nor the finish？
Anyway； I was glad I was not dead； for now that all was over I
trembled and felt afraid； which I had never done during the fighting；
even when my hour seemed very near。
Lastly there was this high…born lady； Blanche Aleys； with whom fortune
had thrown me so strangely that day。 Those blue eyes of hers had
pierced my heart like darts； and do what I would I might not rid my
mind of the thought of her； or my ears of the sound of her soft voice；
while her kisses seemed still to burn upon my lips。 It wrung me to
think that perhaps I should never see her again； or that if I did I
might not speak with her； being so far beneath her in condition； and
having already earned the wrath of her father； and； as I guessed； the
jealousy of that scented cousin of hers whom they said the King loved
like a brother。
What had my mother told me？ To leave this place and go to London；
there to find my uncle； John Grimmer； goldsmith and merchant； who was
my godfather； and to ask him to take me into his business。 I
remembered this uncle of mine； for some seven or eight years before；
when I was a growing lad； because there was a plague in London he had
come down to Hastings to visit us。 He only stayed a week； however；
because he said that the sea air tied up his stomach and that he would
rather risk the plague with a good stomach than leave it behind him
with a bad onethough I think it was his business he thought of； not
his stomach。
He was a strange old man； not unlike my mother； but with a nose more
hooked； small dark eyes； and a bald head on which he set a cap of
velvet。 Even in the heat of summer he was always cold and wore a
frayed fur robe； complaining much if he came into a draught of air。
Indeed he looked like a Jew； though a good Christian enough； and
laughed about it； because he said that this appearance of his served
him well in his trade； since Jews were always feared； and it was held
to be impossible to overreach them。
For the rest I only recalled that he examined me as to my book
learning which did not satisfy him； and went about valuing all our
goods and fishing…boats； showing my mother how we were being cheated
and might earn more than we did。 When he departed he gave me a gold
piece and said that Life was nothing but vanity； and that I must pray
for his soul when he was dead as he was sure it would need such help；
also that I ought to put the gold piece out to interest。 This I did by
buying with it a certain fierce mastiff dog I coveted that had been
brought on a ship from Norway； which dog bit some great man in our
town； who hauled my mother before the bailiff a