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alone,’ he said.
    The arrogance of these priests, thought Rufus, cocking an eye at Ranulf. They understood each other well and it wasnot always necessary to speak their thoughts. Ranulf raised his eyebrows in a manner which suggested he agreed.
    â€˜You need feel no shyness in the presence of my good friend here,’ said Rufus.
    Ranulf smiled insolently at the Archbishop.
    â€˜What I have to say to you, my lord . . .’
    â€˜Can be said in the presence of Ranulf. Pray proceed.’
    â€˜There is disquiet in the country because you, my lord, have not kept the promises you made to the people when the taxes were collected to pay the Duke of Normandy.’
    â€˜Promises!’ said Rufus. ‘What should they care for promises when their King now holds Normandy? My brother Robert is going to find it somewhat difficult to regain the Duchy.’
    â€˜They only wish, my lord, that those promises which were made to them should be kept.’
    Dreary old Anselm! His place was in a monastery. They should never have brought him from Bec to try to play politics. Rufus for all his flippant manner was well aware of the conflicts which could arise between the Church and the State. It was like a measure they danced, each jostling for the better position. The Church in England would have to learn it could not usurp the power of the King. For all his religious feeling, the Conqueror had never allowed that. He had respected Lanfranc; he had listened to Lanfranc and kept on good terms with him; all the same there had never been any doubt who was the ruler of England. Nor should there be now. William II’s rule should be as absolute as that of William I.
    â€˜Tell me the true reason for your coming here,’ said Rufus.
    â€˜You know, my lord, the conditions of my accepting the See of Canterbury.’
    â€˜Ha! Here we have a monk of a little Norman monastery making terms with a king.’
    â€˜An Archbishop of Canterbury, my lord. And as such I ask that the lands of the See which were taken when Lanfranc died be restored.’
    â€˜You would be a rich man, Anselm.’
    â€˜I have no wish for riches. But there is much I would do for the poor – spiritually and temporally.’
    â€˜Churchmen, I am of the opinion, enjoy rich living as much as do their kings and masters.’
    Anselm ignored the gibe which certainly could not apply to him.
    â€˜I asked that in all matters spiritual you should take my counsel.’
    â€˜There is little in which I would seek your counsel, then, for I am not a spiritual man. I like well the pleasures of the flesh and I need no man’s counsel to tell me how to obtain them.’
    Ranulf ostentatiously suppressed his laughter.
    â€˜There is the matter of my pallium.’
    â€˜Ah,’ said Rufus. ‘Did you know, Ranulf, that an archbishop cannot perform his duties without his vestments? Now a king is by no means so handicapped. I can go about my business garbed as I will and do it none the worse.’
    â€˜Without my pallium I cannot consecrate a bishop nor yet hold a council.’
    â€˜We have a surfeit of bishops,’ growled Rufus.
    Anselm said: ‘It is necessary that I go to Rome to receive my pallium from the Pope.’
    â€˜From the man who calls himself Pope,’ said Rufus, narrowing his eyes.
    â€˜From Urban II.’
    â€˜Ah, the man whom
you
call Pope.’
    â€˜He is widely recognized as Pope.’
    â€˜He is not so in England and you are in England now, my Archbishop.’
    Anselm was embarrassed. There were two popes at this time. One was Urban II who represented the reforming party, and Clement III who was supported by the imperialists. As Abbot of Bec, Anselm had sworn allegiance to Urban, but the King of England had done no such thing.
    â€˜If I am to carry out my duties I must go to Rome and collect my pallium, and if I am to succeed in office the lands of my See must be returned to