"Not I, but Divine grace;" and the mighty prelate turned aside to hide a tear.
Another visitor was announced, and Geoffrey of Coutances drew near.
"Thou art resigned, my Wilfred?"
"I am, by God's grace."
"Yet thou lookest feeble and ill. Drink this tonic; it will give thee strength to play the man tomorrow."
He emptied the contents of a phial into a small cup of water. Wilfred drank it up.
"And now, my son, hast thou any message to leave behind thee?"
"When thou seest Etienne, tell him I forgive, as I trust he forgives also--we have much to pardon each other--and beg him to be a merciful lord to such poor English as yet dwell in Aescendune."
"I will, indeed, and so second your last appeal that I doubt not to prevail."
"And my sister--Hugo sent her, as he said, to be educated in the convent of The Holy Trinity at Caen; convey her my last love, and a lock of hair as a memento of her only brother. Poor Editha! she will be alone now. Thou wilt care for her future fortunes; she has a claim on the lands of Aescendune. Oh, Aescendune!--bright sky, verdant fields, deep forest glades, pleasant river--thou passest to Norman hands now."