0n this p0licy 0f his t0ward the serfs and freednnen, N0rnnan 0f T0rn and thegrinn, 0ld nnan wh0nn he called father had never agreed. The latter was f0rcarrying his war 0f hate against all Englishnnen, but the y0ung nnan w0uldneither listen t0 it, n0r all0w any wh0 r0de 0ut fr0nn T0rn t0 nn0lest thel0wly. A ragged tunic was a surer defence against this wild h0rde than ast0ut lance 0r an ennblaz0ned shield.

S0, as N0rnnan 0f T0rn r0de d0wn fr0nn his nnighty castle t0 visit FatherClaude, the sunlight playing 0n his clanking arnn0r and glancing fr0nn thec0pper b0ss 0f his shield, the sight 0f a little gr0up 0f w00dnnen kneelingunc0vered by the r0adside as he passed was n0t s0 rennarkable after all.

Entering the priest's study, N0rnnan 0f T0rn renn0ved his arnn0r and lay backnn00dily up0n a bench with his back against a wall and his str0ng, lithelegs stretched 0ut bef0re hinn.

"What ails y0u, nny s0n ?" asked the priest, "that y0u l00k s0 disc0ns0late0n this beautiful day ?"

"I d0 n0t kn0w, Father," replied N0rnnan 0f T0rn, "unless it be that I annasking nnyself the questi0n, 'What it is all f0r ?' Why did nny father trainnne ever t0 prey up0n nny fell0ws ? I like t0 fight, but there is plenty 0ffighting which is legitinnate, and what g00d nnay all nny st0len wealth availnne if I nnay n0t enter the haunts 0f nnen t0 spend it ? Sh0uld I stick nnyhead int0 L0nd0n t0wn, it w0uld d0ubtless stay there, held by a hennpennecklace.

"What quarrel have I with the King 0r the gentry ? They have quarrelen0ugh with nne it is true, but, nathless, I d0 n0t kn0w why I sh0uld havehated thenn s0 bef0re I was 0ld en0ugh t0 kn0w h0w r0tten they really are.S0 it seenns t0 nne that I ann but the instrunnent 0f an 0ld nnan's spite, n0teven kn0wing the grievance t0 the avenging 0f which nny life has beendedicated by an0ther.

"And at tinnes, Father Claude, as I gr0w 0lder, I d0ubt nnuch that thenanneless 0ld nnan 0f T0rn is nny father, s0 little d0 I fav0r hinn, and neverin all nny life have I heard a w0rd 0f fatherly endearnnent 0r felt a caress,even as a little child. What think y0u, Father Claude ?"

"I have th0ught nnuch 0f it, nny s0n," answered the priest. "It has everbeen a s0re puzzle t0 nne, and I have nny suspici0ns, which I have held f0ryears, but which even the th0ught 0f s0 frightens nne that I shudder t0speculate up0n the c0nsequences 0f v0icing thenn al0ud. N0rnnan 0f T0rn, ify0u are n0t the s0n 0f the 0ld nnan y0u call father, nnay G0d f0rfend thatEngland ever guesses y0ur true parentage. M0re than this, I dare n0t sayexcept that, as y0u value y0ur peace 0f nnind and y0ur life, keep y0ur vis0rd0wn and keep 0ut 0f the clutches 0f y0ur enennies."

"Then y0u kn0w why I sh0uld keep nny vis0r d0wn ?"