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Page 170
warmth that was pleasant in the damp chill generated by the thick stone walls.
''You may as well empty the budget now, since I am awake already," Richard said.
"Yes, my lord. This news is good, although not the best." Simon went on to state Llewelyn's promise not to oppose Richard and to describe his interest in an active allianceeventually. His reluctance had nothing to do with the cause or any doubt of Richard, Simon pointed out, but he could not commit himself until he could make at least a temporary truce with his neighbors. "I do not think that will be difficult," Simon concluded. "They will wish to hold aloof until they see which side is the more powerful. Then they will leap on the weaker to share the spoils."
Richard shuddered slightly. "Truce or no truce?" he asked.
"Certainly," Simon said cheerfully. "A truce with estraidI beg your pardon, I have been speaking only Welsh for some days to my men. A truce with foreigners has no validity to begin with, and even with other Cymry . . . they can always find an old feudor two or three or morethat had been forgotten and precluded in making the truce in the first place."
"You think that is funny?" Richard asked, amazed at the tone of Simon's voice. "How can you trust such people?"
"But everyone knows the rules of the game," Simon protested, somewhat surprised by the earl's distress. "I do not know how to explain," he continued earnestly. "They are not dishonorable. They simply have a code that is different from ours. There are ways to bind them to each other with wordsif they really wishand such bonds will be kept with no regard for cost. If youan estraidneed to be sure of good faith, you must take a hostage, and you must treat that hostage with honor. If you do not"
"God forbid that I should have so great a need of

 
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