At least this one victim must not escape, and yet I had
sooner he should escape than any other member of the house. Poor boy!
the sins of the fathers are heavy upon the children, as these Christians
have it; but my oath, my oath taken before a dying father! no; he must die!"
So spake the avenger of blood, a man whose heart was evidently not all
of iron; yet from childhood had he striven to restrain every tender
impulse, and had bound himself to vengeance. Long years of peace in
England had come between him and the execution of his projects, and he
had prepared himself for the task he never lost sight of, by acquiring
all the accomplishments of a knight and warrior, and even of a man of
letters, at that court of Rouen, now rapidly becoming the focus of
European chivalry, where the fierce barbarian Northmen were becoming the
refined but ruthless Normans. Then, in England, he had wormed himself
into the confidence of the future king with singular astuteness, and at
length had found the occasion he had long sought, in a manner the most
unforeseen save as a possible contingency.
And now he turned from the battlements to his own chamber, but on the
way he paused, for he passed the door of the late thane's room, where
poor Elfric lay. He passed the sentinel and entered. The unhappy boy was
extended on the bed, in a raging fever; ever and anon he called
piteously upon his father, then he cried out that Dunstan was pursuing
him, driving him into the pit, then he cried--"Father, I did not
murder thee; not I, thy son! nay, I always loved thee in my heart.
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