For I had never known the fierce joy of victory, and the rest from the long tale of defeat was good to me.

Yet I set myself to learn all that I could of the splendid weapon craft of the Norman warriors, for I thought that I should yet need in England all I could learn.

And the new life and scenes pleased me well, for I was young enough to let the cares of our poor land slip from my mind for a while.
So the long winter wore away, and at last the season came when we might look for the first ships of the year, and with them news from England.

Then Eadmund would go to the haven at the mouth of the great river Seine that runs to Rouen, so that he should be at hand to hear the first tidings that came.

Glad enough was I to go with him, and we took up our quarters in a great house that belonged to the duke at the town they call "The Haven," and there waited, ever watching the long gray sea line for a coming sail.
But none came until the first week in March, when the wind blew steadily from the northeast, and the sky was clear and bright with promise of open weather.