He knew that without his help the weak, gentle king was unable to govern.
Then when Duke William came to demand the crown, and the English resisted him, as they were sure to do, there was no one save Harold to lead them to battle.
He knew that he was the one man whom England needed at that time. Already he had been absent too long.
Yet it was a terrible thing to make a promise which he did not intend to keep.
Morning found Harold with his mind not made up.
That day, William asked his guest to meet him in the great hall of the castle.
An unexpected sight met the Englishman as he entered. The hall was filled with knights and barons, all waiting in silence. Beneath the great stained-glass window was the duke in his state robes, seated upon a throne, with a bishop on either side of him. In front of the throne stood a chest covered with cloth of gold, and upon the cover lay an open Bible.
William was wearing his most grave and stony-hearted expression.
'Yesterday I told you that King Edward of England had left his crown to me,' he said. 'I ask you now, in presence of the barons and knights of my dukedom, to swear to support my just claim.'
Harold looked at the Duke with a dark and angry face. William was taking a dishonourable advantage of him.