'"Oh! La! La!" Rahere rolled up his eyes like a girl. "That ever England should be taken by the strong hand!"
'Seeing that Red William and Henry after him had each in just that fashion snatched England from Robert of Normandy, we others knew not where to look; but De Aquila saved us quickly.
'"Promise kept or promise broken," he said, "Harold came near enough to breaking us Normans at Senlac."
'"Was it so close a fight, then?" said Henry.
'"A hair would have turned it either way," De Aquila answered. "His house-carles stood like rocks against rain. Where wast thou, Hugh, in it?"
'"Among Godwin's folk beneath the Golden Dragon till your front gave back, and we broke our ranks to follow," said Hugh.
'"But I bade you stand! I bade you stand! I knew it was all a deceit!" Harold had waked, and leaned forward as one crying from the grave.
'"Ah, now we see how the traitor himself was betrayed!" said William of Exeter, and looked for a smile from the King.
'"I made thee Bishop to preach at _my_ bidding," said Henry; and turning to Harold, "Tell us here how thy people fought us?" said he. "Their sons serve me now against my Brother Robert!"
'The old man shook his head cunningly. "Na--Na--Na," he cried. "I know better. Every time I tell my tale men stone me. But, Thanes, I will tell you a greater thing. Listen!" He told us how many paces it was from some Saxon Saint's shrine to another shrine, and how many more back to the Abbey of the Battle.
'"Ay," said he. "I have trodden it too often to be out even ten paces. I move very swiftly. Harold of Norway knows that, and so does Tostig my brother. They lie at ease at Stamford Bridge, and from Stamford Bridge to the Battle Abbey it is----" he muttered over many numbers and forgot us.
'"Ay," said De Aquila, all in a muse. "That man broke Harold of Norway at Stamford Bridge, and came near to breaking us at Santlache--all within one month."
'"But how did he come alive from Santlache fight?" asked the King. "Ask him! Hast thou heard it, Rahere?"
'"Never. He says he has been stoned too often for telling the tale. But he can count you off Saxon and Norman shrines till daylight," said Rahere, and the old man nodded proudly.
'"My faith," said Henry after a while, "I think even my Father the Great Duke would pity if he could see him."