The other
nobles were men of about the same age as De Burg, and although the
latter's page from time to time carried round wine the goblets were
rarely emptied.
Certain topics were touched upon only to be dropped at once, and
Wulf saw that subjects upon which there was any disagreement among
them were carefully avoided.
When the boys returned to their tent Wulf said, "Their talk reminds
me of the evenings I spent with the prior, his almoner, and two or
three other monks, rather than of those at the houses of Saxon
thanes."
Beorn nodded. "I am not so much against our customs of feasting and
merriment as you are, Wulf, and should not care to spend my evenings
often in listening to such grave talk, but truly these Norman barons
and knights are far more courteous in their speech than our own
thanes, and seem to care but little for the wine cup. I admit that
such men must be far wiser advisers for a king than are our Saxons,
saving of course Harold and his brothers."
"The Normans are not all so abstemious as my father and those you
saw with him," Guy laughed. "Listen. You can hear songs and loud
laughter from many of the tents, ay, and might hear quarrels too
did you listen long enough. But those you saw were all men high in
the confidence of the duke. They have fought together under his
banner in many a field, and are all powerful barons. They are content
to hold their own, and have nothing to gain at the expense of others.
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