After ordering more wine, the host was dismissed, and the heavy bar, which served in place of a lock, drawn athwart the door of the chamber. "Now," exclaimed De Warrenne, "your intelligence ?" "Is as favorable as you could wish: the men who compose the garrison are chiefly Normans, and remember with regret the time when they served under Robert, in his rebellion against the Conqueror. The party which I command guard the eastern gate: at the approach of the rightful monarch, it will be flung wide open to welcome him!" "And the city be won without a blow!" exclaimed Mortimer, with more animation than he had hitherto displayed. Turning to his companion, he added: "Is not this intelligence worth waiting for ?" "And the queen ?" demanded her rejected suitor, with a smile of scorn. "Cannot escape!" continued Fitz-Harris; "it is but five days since she gave birth to her son, who has already received the name of William from the primate, in memory of his grandfather. Both mother and child must fall into the hands of Robert!" This was joyful intelligence to the vindictive Earl of Surrey, who could i brook the success of Henry. It was finally arranged that the two pretended merchants should depart from Winchester that very hour, Fitz-Harris undertaking to open the city gates for their egress. "And your horses?" he said. "Remain with our followers within bow-shot of the walls : we did not think it prudent to bring them with us!" Caleb Gotlib was immediately summoned, and informed of the intended departure of his guests: news which he heard with regret, for it was not often that such customers crossed the threshold of his humble hostel. Throwing three or four broad pieces of gold upon the table, De Warrenne bade him remember that his safety depended upon his silence; adding, that if he prated of their visit, he would find the means of hanging him from the gable of his own house, and that within five days. "Never fear!" replied the rapacious host, pocketing the gold. "I have not lived all these years without learning that a still tongue maketh a wise head! If any question me concerning you, I know as little as the dumb beggar who plies his calling at the porch of the cathedral, aud lives upon the alms of the charitable and faithful!" 66 "So shalt thou prosper in thy calling," observed Mortimer ; 'our affairs will frequently call us to Winchester, and our custom may prove worthy the consideration of a richer man than even Caleb Gotlib." Drawing their cloaks around them, and concealing their features as much as possible with their hoods-a kind of head-dress much affected by the traders and better sort of citizens at thetime-the three conspirators left the house, their host attending them to the door, which he carefully fastened after them. When Caleb Gotlib sought his bed, he found Dame Alice to all appearance sound asleep. As soon as her curiosity was thoroughly satisfied, she had crept from her hiding-place, and hastened to the recess by the side of the kitchen fire, which served herself and husband for their sleeping-room: in a few minutes he was snoring beside her. As Fitz-Harris had promised, his authority was sufficient to open the gates and give egress to Mortimer and De Warrenne, who soon found themselves at the stronghold of one of the confederate Normans, where they had left their horses and retainers. Scarcely had the sun risen on their path when they mounted, no longer in the guise of humble traders, but clad in steel, and escorted by about fifty men-at-arms-fellows who, like their leaders, regretted the days when they were permitted to plunder the oppressed Saxons with impunity. For some time the two nobles rode together in silence. Warrenne was the first to speak, for his companion, who was naturally of a taciturn disposition, seemed chewing the cud of his own reflections. "We shall not be the first to welcome Robert to his kingdom," he said. "Others may have preceded us in the race of loyalty, but few will have done his cause better service. The information we bring is worth an army." "Perhaps !" observed Mortimer, doubtfully. "Perhaps!" repeated his friend, scornfully. "But thou hast ever some word to damp the ardor of the best concocted enterprise. Henry is in London, gathering his forces. Long ere he can arrive to succor Winchester, the city will be ours." "Perhaps!" once more iterated his companion. “In the name of St. Martin," impatiently exclaimed De Warrenne, "what can prevent it? Do you doubt Fitz-Harris?" "No!" "Or think that the city can resist? " "Neither one nor the other," replied Mortimer. "It is Robert himself that I mistrust: he has the chivalrous feelings of the founder of his race. Rely upon it," he continued, "if once he hears that Matilda-who is his god-daughter as well as his sister-in-law-is in childbed, not an arquebuss, with his permission, will be bent against the walls!" "And do you really believe him capable of such folly?" demanded De Warrenne. "I do!" “Then he must be kept in ignorance of the event till Winchester is ours," replied his friend. "Matilda once in his hands, the courage of the Saxon serfs will cool, and Henry's forces melt from him like snow upon the mountain's peak, when kissed by the summer's sun!" It was finally arranged between the two conspirators that Robert the Unready should only be informed of half the intelligence they had gleaned in the city-namely, the treason of FitzHarris, and the readiness of the garrison to open the gates on his approach. CHAPTER X. But Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, HARDINGE'S CHRONICLES OF NORMANDY. It was in the second year of her marriage that Matilda Atheling gave birth to her first child; but the happiness of the young mother was doomed to be clouded by the storm which threatened not only the stability of her husband's throne, but the existence of those comparatively mild laws which Henry had promulgated and sworn to observe both on his marriage and coronation. The news of Robert's landing in England plunged her in terror and dismay-she trembled for Henry, herself, and still more for the infant heir to whom she had just given birth. Fortunately for Matilda, the primate, Anselm, was in the city, and his presence in some degree reassured her. That austere prelate was favorable to Henry Beauclerc, because he found him more pliant to his views respecting the celibacy of the clergy and the right of appointing the bishops than William Rufus had been, or than Robert, in the event of his success, was likely to prove. In those times, during any great contest, we find that party ge nerally successful who contrived to enlist the clergy on his side. Matilda was seated in her chamber, in the ancient palace at Winchester, performing a mother's holiest cffice for her newborn babe, when one of her women informed her that the archbishop demanded an interview on matters touching her safety and that of the city. Drawing her veil modestly over her bosom, the queen gave orders that he should instantly be admitted. "Your blessing, holy father—your blessing!" she exclaimed, as the archbishop entered the chamber, "for the infant who cau not ask it, and the unhappy mother who has so much need of it!" “The Virgin Mother and the blessed saints protect thee, noble lady!" replied Anselm, at the same time signing the cross in the air with his outstretched hand. "Has any news arrived from London from your royal husband ?” "Alas, no!" replied the queen. "Henry, trusting to the loyalty and faith of the commanders of his fleet, had made no preparation to oppose his brother's landing-the traitors," she added, "have betrayed him!" "The captains of his ships," gravely replied the prelate, “are not the only traitors-there are others, even in this city!" "In Winchester!" exclaimed Matilda, turning very pale; "in the city of my ancestors-where they lived and reigned and granted laws which made their names a blessing!" "Even so !" replied Anselm; "but the treason lies not at the door of the Saxon, lady—you must seek it amongst the Norman followers of your husband!" Making a sign to one of the attendants, the woman drew aside the heavy hangings of tapestry which fell over the door of the chamber, and gave admission to Dame Alice, who had sought the primate at the church, and revealed to him the conversation she had overheard the preceding night at the hostel between the conspirators. It was by his command that she had followed him to the palace. 66 "And know you," demanded the queen, “ the names of these two merchants whom you say for five days were your husband's guests?" "I do!" replied the hostess. "Name them!" "De Warrenne and Mortimer. I heard them address each other more than once. I could swear to their names," she added, impressively; "I know them to be Normans!" "A Saxon, lady!" said the woman proudly; "you may trust me-for you are the descendant of the good King Alfred—and |