< previous page page_308 next page >

Page 308
biguous and frightening a statement to stand alone. Geoffrey went on then to describe the news from Wales. There he stopped again; however that gave the impression that his next move would be to join the army at Chester and march against the Welsha most false impression. By tomorrow or the next day, there would be no army at Chester. Suddenly a weight of bitterness overcame him. It was true that he had not wanted to fight another war in Wales, but this ending to the project was even less to be desired. It was the kingall the king. If any man other than John had been on the throneGeoffrey was racked alternately by hate and pity until he could no longer act as a silent vessel for the emotions.
"You might think," he wrote, "that such news would bring us to arms on the moment, but it did not. I do not know even now, nor will I ever know, whether some knowledge of what was to come was already in the king's mind or whether it was an accident of spite, but John, after sending some of the men off, turned about and, instead of riding to Chester, came to Nottingham. I was much puzzled, having forgotten that the Welsh hostages were held at Nottingham, but I was soon reminded. Before he even sat down to meat, which was ready prepared, the king ordered the hanging of those who were given to us to secure the good behavior of the Welsh princes."
Geoffrey closed his eyes and bowed his head, swallowing and swallowing again. Among those hostages had been little boys and girls, five, six, and seven years of age. He dropped the quill and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to blot out the image of the terrified children, trying to blot out the image of his father, with tears streaming down his face, pleading on his knees for the lives of the littlest. Geoffrey shuddered. The king had wept also, but he had answeredreasonablythat if they preserved the lives of the little ones, only babes would be given as hostage in the future and they would be worthless because it would be known that no punishment would be wreaked upon them. The reason was good, but what had reason to do with the

 
< previous page page_308 next page >