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he should return. Not long after noon, I knew the battle went ill, and I gathered together my lord's possessions. His jewels and the gold I hid upon my person. I have them here." |
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He began to fumble at his tunic with his left hand, but Joanna waved at him to desist and continue. |
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"Then," Tostig went on, "between one hour and two hours later, men began to flee into the camp. One told me that Lord Salisbury was dead and that Dammartin was surrounded and sure to die or be made prisoner. I asked for my own lord, but the man did not know of him." |
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"Salisbury is not dead," Joanna informed them. "He was taken prisoner, mostly unhurt. I have had a letter from him. Wait, now," she said as Tostig swallowed painfully and took a deep breath. "In my own need I have overlooked yours." She snapped a finger at a maid, ordering, ''Bring wine, anddo you wish to eat? No? Bring wine." |
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But Tostig did not wait for the wine. The bitter memories filled him. Despite his illness and pain, he needed to spew them out. "When I heard that," he continued, "I went to where I could see, and to my sorrow I saw it was the truth. I" his voice shook with remembered fear and grief. "But I could not see my lord although I went from place to place. Then, when Dammartin fell and was taken with his men, the whole battle was broken and all who remained fled away, the French pursuing. I could do no more than hide myself, but I lay where I could watch." |
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A maid brought a small table to Tostig's left. Another placed a goblet of wine on it. A second pair served Sir Roger. |
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"The French came after that and took their own dead and wounded and those wounded of ours who would be worth a ransom. Then others began to creep toward the fieldyou know what they are. One came near to me, and I killed him with my knife in my left hand and cast off my clothes, which would mark me as an English soldier, and put on his rags. Then I ran down to the battlefield with the others. I was quicker than they because I looked only at the men in |
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