234 LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. [XII. 



The Saxon says, "Thy brother, Harold, sends his salu- 

 tation, and offers thee the third part of his kingdom, if thou 

 wilt be reconciled and submit to him." 



The Earl replies, at the suggestion of the Norse King, 

 " What will my brother the King give to Harald Hardrada 

 for his trouble ? " 



" He will give him," says the Knight, " seven feet of 

 English ground, or as much more as he may be taller than 

 other men.''' 



" Then," says the Earl, " let the English King, my brother, 

 make ready for battle, for it never shall be said that Earl 

 Toste broke faith with his friends when they came with him 

 to fight west here in England." 



When the knights rode off, King Harald Hardrada asked 

 the Earl, " Who was the man who spoke so well ? " 



The Earl replied, " That knight was Harold of England." 



The stern Norwegian King regrets that his enemy had 

 escaped from his hands, owing to his ignorance of this fact ; 

 but even in his first burst of disappointment, the noble 

 Norse nature speaks in generous admiration of his foe, say- 

 ing to the people about him, " That was but a little man, 

 yet he sat firmly in his stirrups." 



The fierce, but unequal combat is soon at an end, and 

 when tardy succour arrives from the ships, Harald Hardrada 

 is lying on his face, with the deadly arrow in his throat, 

 never to see Nidaros again. Seven feet of English earth, 

 and no more, has the strong arm and fiery spirit conquered. 

 But enough of these gallant fellows ; I must carry you off 

 to a much pleasanter scene of action. After a very agree- 

 able dinner with Mr. K , who has been most kind to us, 



we adjourned to the ball. The room was large and well 

 lighted — plenty of pretty faces adorned it ; — the floor was 

 smooth, and the scrape of the fiddles had a festive accent 



so extremely inspiriting, that I besought Mr. K to 



present me to one of the fair personages whose tiny feet 

 were already tapping the floor with impatience at their own 

 inactivity. 



