At the sound of my footsteps she woke up and saw me.
"Strange," she said, "I slept at my prayers who did so little last
night, as has become a habit with me when you are out a-fishing, for
which God forgive me, and dreamed that there was some trouble forward.
Scold me not, Hubert, for when the sea has taken the father and two
sons, it is scarcely wonderful that I should be fearful for the last of
my blood. Help me to rise, Hubert, for this water seems to gather in my
limbs and makes them heavy. One day, the leech says, it will get to the
heart and then all will be over."
I obeyed, first kissing her on the brow, and when she was seated in her
armed chair by the table, I said,
"You dream too well, Mother. There is trouble. Hark! St. Clement's
bells are talking of it. The French come to visit Hastings. I know for I
sailed through their fleet just after dawn."
"Is it so?" she asked quietly. "I feared worse. I feared lest the dream
meant that you had gone to join your brothers in the deep. Well, the
French are not here yet, as thank God you are.
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