Valery, and that he and
his companions have been villainously ill-treated by Conrad, Count
of Ponthieu, who has seized them and cast them into dungeons in his
fortress of Beaurain, Harold and his companions being fettered like
malefactors."
The duke was astounded at the news. No greater piece of good fortune
could have befallen him, for he had it in his power to lay his great
rival under an obligation to him, to show himself a generous prince,
and at the same time to obtain substantial benefits. He rose at
once to his feet.
"By the Host," he exclaimed, "but this is foul treatment indeed of
the noble earl, and brings disgrace alike upon the Count of Ponthieu
and upon me, his liege lord. This wrong shall be remedied, and
speedily. You shall see that I waste no moment in rescuing your
lord from this unmannerly count." He struck his hand on the table,
and an attendant entered, "Pray the knights Fitz-Osberne and Warren
to come hither at once. And how is it, boys," he went on, as the
attendant hurried away, "that you were enabled to bear this message
to me?"
"While Harold and his thanes were cast into prison," Wulf said, "the
count kept us to wait upon him; not for our services, but that he
might flout and ill-treat us. We obtained possession of a rope, and
let ourselves down at night from the battlements, and made our way
on foot as far as Forges, where the good prior, learning from us
that we had a message of importance to you, though nothing of its
import, sent us forward on palfreys, so that no time might be lost.
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