Thus it came about that a tall French knight who had set his eyes on her, outclimbed his fellows upon the slope of the hill, for they were weary and gathering to re-form, and catching her round the middle, strove to drag her away.  I fell on him and we fought.  He had fine armour and a shield while I had none, but I held the long sword while he only wielded a battle-axe.  I knew that if he could get in a blow with that battle-axe, I was sped, since the bull’s hide of my jerkin would never stand against it.  Therefore it was my business to keep out of his reach.  This, being young and active, for the most part I made shift to do, especially as he could not move very quickly in his mail.  The end of it was that I cut him on the arm through a joint in his harness, whereon he rushed at me, swearing French oaths.

I leapt on one side and as he passed, smote with all my strength.  The blow fell between neck and shoulder, from behind as it were, and such was the temper of that sword named Wave-Flame that it shore through his mail deep into the flesh beneath, to the backbone as I believe.  At least he went down in a heap—­I remember the rattle of his armour as he fell, and there lay still.  Then we fled on down the steep path, I holding the bloody sword with one hand and Lady Blanche with the other, while she thanked me with her eyes.

At length we were in the town again, running up my own street.  On either side of us the houses burned, and behind us came another body of the French.  The reek got into our eyes and we stumbled over dead or fainting people.

Looking to the left I caught sight of the elm tree of which I have spoken, that grew in front of our door, and saw that the house behind it was burning.  Yes, and I saw more, for at the attic window, which was open, the flames making an arch round her, sat my mother.  Moreover, she was singing for I heard her voice and the wild words she sang, though this was a strange thing for a woman to do in the hour of such a death.  Further, she saw and knew me, for she waved her hands to me, then pointed towards the sea, why, I did not guess at the time.  I stopped, purposing to try to rescue her though the front of the house was flaming, and the attempt must have ended in my death.  But at that moment the roof fell in, causing the fire to spout upwards and outwards.  This was the last that I saw of my mother, though afterwards we found her body and gave it burial with those of many other victims.

There was no time to stay, for the conquering French were pouring up the street behind us, shooting as they came and murdering any laggards whom they could catch.  On we went up the steep slope of the Minnes Rock.  I would have fled on into the open country, but the lady Blanche had no strength left.  Twice she sank to the ground, stricken with terror and weariness, and each time prayed me not to leave her; nor indeed did I wish to do so.  The end of it was that William Bull and I between us half carried her with much toil to the cave of which I had spoken to my mother.  The task was heavy and slow, since always we must scramble over sheer ground.  What is more, a party of the French, seeing our plight, followed us.  Perhaps some of them guessed who the lady was, for there were many spies in Hastings who might have told them, and desired to capture and hold her to ransom.