Britain ... - Blue-Lite

Scene II.] THE VARANGIAN. 309
Yes ;
MATILDA.
but would serve my royal mistress ever.
It was my fate to be a captive slave
To Tosti, brother of the late King Harold,
In his wild, pirate wanderings on the coast
Of Normandy. My brother and my sire,
Who bravely fought, the caitiff rover slew
When made his
prisoners. Have I not full cause
To hate the name of Saxon ? But your thoughts
Are absent from my tale.
JUDITH.
They
MATILDA.
are indeed.
Say, shall I to your presence bring this slave ?
For hither I can lead him unobserved,
If so it be your will. Northumberland
Is with his hounds to the New Forest gone :
How easy, on a swift steed, for this slave
To follow him ; and, in some bower concealed,
A steel-bow straining to the arrow's head
The fleet shaft on its bloody errand send,
As Waltheof, chasing the wild stag, shall pass
Unheedful by. Who then shall dare suspect
You ever did him wrong ?
JUDITH.
Why
what a head
For precious
mischief hast thou, to devise
With ease and quickness such a fearful deed !
In thy captivity,
for I did mark
Somewhat the tenour of thy hapless tale,
Thou must have learnt the soldier's blood-stained craft.
O, most assuredly ;
MATILDA.
I've witnessed scenes,