"
The armourer and Ulf told their story in the morning, and Beorn took
Osgod's place by Wulf's bedside, while he too was questioned by the king.
The latter then went to Wulf's chamber.
"What say the leeches this morning, Beorn?
"They are somewhat more hopeful, my lord. They say that his heart beats
more strongly than it did last night, Osgod says that he has not moved or
opened his eyes, but they say that this is not a bad sign, and that it may
be anxiety has brought on an exhaustion, for his breathing is more like
that of one who sleeps than of a man wounded to death."
"His face has grieviously changed since yesterday," the king said sadly,
looking down upon Wulf. "I would give my right hand rather than that he
should die. You have of a surety saved my life among you, Beorn, you and
his stout man-at-arms and the worthy armourer and that shrewd apprentice of
his for had they entered my chamber and taken me unawares they would have
slain me without doubt"
"I have done the best I could since I learnt from the armourer the
suspicion that Wulf entertained, but the whole thing is Wulf's doing. Had I
heard that Walter Fitz-Urse was back in London I should have given the
matter no further thought than that it was one Norman the more. It was, as
he told me, some words that Baron de Burg said when he saw him over in
Normandy the other day that first set him thinking. Then, he could not
understand why Fitz-Urse should return to London at this time, when Normans
are not overwelcome there, and this caused him to have some sort of
suspicion as to his reasons for undertaking such a journey, and determined
him to set a watch on the fellow's movements.
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