Only
by this sacrifice can England be saved, but even so I could not have made
it; but I know her so well that I feel she would carry out her threat
without hesitation." Then he went out of the house, but instead of
returning to the town took his way to the lonely path by the river, and
there for hours paced up and down. At last his mind was made up, the
sacrifice must be accepted. As she had said, their happiness must not stand
in the way of that of all England. He walked with a firm step back to
Oxford, and went straight to the house where Edwin and Morcar had taken up
their quarters.
"Tell Earl Edwin that Harold would speak with him," he said to the retainer
at the door. The man returned in a minute, and led the way to the room
where Edwin and his brother were standing awaiting him. They had had
several interviews since they arrived at Oxford, and supposed that he had
come to arrange some detail as to the assembly on the following day.
"Edwin," Harold said abruptly, "methinks that for the good of our country
it would be well that our houses should be united. Why should the sons of
Leofric and Godwin regard each other as rivals? We are earls of the English
people, and we cannot deny that the unfriendly feeling between us has
brought trouble on the country. Why should there not be an end of this?"
Greatly surprised at this frank address, Edwin and Morcar both hastened to
say that for their part they had no quarrel whatever with any of the house
of Godwin, save with Tostig.
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