Chapter X

by Charlotte M. Yonge

　　After nearly a year's captivity, the King engaged to pay a ransom,and, until the terms could be arranged, his two sons were to beplaced as hostages in the hands of the Normans, whilst he returned tohis own domains. The Princes were to be sent to Bayeux; whitherRichard had returned, under the charge of the Centevilles, and wasnow allowed to ride and walk abroad freely, provided he wasaccompanied by a guard.

　　"I shall rejoice to have Carloman, and make him happy," said Richard;"but I wish Lothaire were not coming."

　　"Perhaps," said good Father Lucas, "he comes that you may have afirst trial in your father's last lesson, and Abbot Martin's, andreturn good for evil."

　　The Duke's cheek flushed, and he made no answer.

　　He and Alberic betook themselves to the watch-tower, and, by and by,saw a cavalcade approaching, with a curtained vehicle in the midst,slung between two horses. "That cannot be the Princes," saidAlberic; "that must surely be some sick lady."

　　"I only hope it is not the Queen," exclaimed Richard, in dismay."But no; Lothaire is such a coward, no doubt he was afraid to ride,and she would not trust her darling without shutting him up like ademoiselle. But come down, Alberic; I will say nothing unkind ofLothaire, if I can help it."

　　Richard met the Princes in the court, his sunny hair uncovered, andbowing with such becoming courtesy, that Fru Astrida pressed herson's arm, and bade him say if their little Duke was not the fairestand noblest child in Christendom.

　　With black looks, Lothaire stepped from the litter, took no heed ofthe little Duke, but, roughly calling his attendant, Charlot, tofollow him, he marched into the hall, vouchsafing neither word norlook to any as he passed, threw himself into the highest seat, andordered Charlot to bring him some wine.

　　Meanwhile, Richard, looking into the litter, saw Carloman crouchingin a corner, sobbing with fright.

　　"Carlomando not cry. Come out! It is I--your ownRichard! Will you not let me welcome you?"

　　Carloman looked, caught at the outstretched hand, and clung to hisneck.

　　"Oh, Richard, send us back! Do not let the savage Danes kill us!"

　　"No one will hurt you. There are no Danes here. You are my guest,my friend, my brother. Look up! here is my own Fru Astrida."

　　"But my mother said the Northmen would kill us for keeping youcaptive. She wept and raved, and the cruel men dragged us away byforce. Oh, let us go back!"

　　"I cannot do that," said Richard; "for you are the King of Denmark'scaptives, not mine; but I will love you, and you shall have all thatis mine, if you will only not cry, dear Carloman. Oh, Fru Astrida,what shall I do? You comfort him--" as the poor boy clung sobbing tohim.

　　Fru Astrida advanced to take his hand, speaking in a soothing voice,but he shrank and started with a fresh cry of terror--her tallfigure, high cap, and wrinkled face, were to him witch-like, and asshe knew no French, he understood not her kind words. However, helet Richard lead him into the hall, where Lothaire sat moodily in thechair, with one leg tucked under him, and his finger in his mouth.

　　"I say, Sir Duke," said he, "is there nothing to be had in this oldden of yours? Not a drop of Bordeaux?"

　　Richard tried to repress his anger at this very uncivil way ofspeaking, and answered, that he thought there was none, but there wasplenty of Norman cider.

　　"As if I would taste your mean peasant drinks! I bade them bring mysupper--why does it not come?"

　　"Because you are not master here," trembled on Richard's lips, but heforced it back, and answered that it would soon be ready, andCarloman looked imploringly at his brother, and said, "Do not makethem angry, Lothaire."

　　"What, crying still, foolish child?" said Lothaire. "Do you not knowthat if they dare to cross us, my father will treat them as theydeserve? Bring supper, I say, and let me have a pasty of ortolans."

　　"There are none--they are not in season," said Richard.

　　"Do you mean to give me nothing I like? I tell you it shall be theworse for you."

　　"There is a pullet roasting," began Richard.

　　"I tell you, I do not care for pullets--I will have ortolans."

　　"If I do not take order with that boy, my name is not Eric," mutteredthe Baron.

　　"What must he not have made our poor child suffer!" returned FruAstrida, "but the little one moves my heart. How small and weakly heis, but it is worth anything to see our little Duke so tender tohim."

　　"He is too brave not to be gentle," said Osmond; and, indeed, thehigh-spirited, impetuous boy was as soft and kind as a maiden, withthat feeble, timid child. He coaxed him to eat, consoled him, and,instead of laughing at his fears, kept between him and the greatbloodhound Hardigras, and drove it off when it came too near.

　　"Take that dog away," said Lothaire, imperiously. No one moved toobey him, and the dog, in seeking for scraps, again came towards him.

　　"Take it away," he repeated, and struck it with his foot. The doggrowled, and Richard started up in indignation.

　　"Prince Lothaire," he said, "I care not what else you do, but my dogsand my people you shall not maltreat."

　　"I tell you I am Prince! I do what I will! Ha! who laughs there?"cried the passionate boy, stamping on the floor.

　　"It is not so easy for French Princes to scourge free-born Normanshere," said the rough voice of Walter the huntsman: "there is areckoning for the stripe my Lord Duke bore for me."

　　"Hush, hush, Walter," began Richard; but Lothaire had caught up afootstool, and was aiming it at the huntsman, when his arm wascaught.

　　Osmond, who knew him well enough to be prepared for such outbreaks,held him fast by both hands, in spite of his passionate screams andstruggles, which were like those of one frantic.

　　Sir Eric, meanwhile, thundered forth in his Norman patois, "I wouldhave you to know, young Sir, Prince though you be, you are ourprisoner, and shall taste of a dungeon, and bread and water, unlessyou behave yourself."

　　Either Lothaire did not hear, or did not believe, and fought morefuriously in Osmond's arms, but he had little chance with thestalwart young warrior, and, in spite of Richard's remonstrances, hewas carried from the hall, roaring and kicking, and locked up alonein an empty room.

　　"Let him alone for the present," said Sir Eric, putting the Dukeaside, "when he knows his master, we shall have peace."

　　Here Richard had to turn, to reassure Carloman, who had taken refugein a dark corner, and there shook like an aspen leaf, cryingbitterly, and starting with fright, when Richard touched him.

　　"Oh, do not put me in the dungeon. I cannot bear the dark."

　　Richard again tried to comfort him, but he did not seem to hear orheed. "Oh! they said you would beat and hurt us for what we did toyou! but, indeed, it was not I that burnt your cheek!"

　　"We would not hurt you for worlds, dear Carloman; Lothaire is not inthe dungeon--he is only shut up till he is good."

　　"It was Lothaire that did it," repeated Carloman, "and, indeed, youmust not be angry with me, for my mother was so cross with me for nothaving stopped Osmond when I met him with the bundle of straw, thatshe gave me a blow, that knocked me down. And were you really there,Richard?"

　　Richard told his story, and was glad to find Carloman could smile atit; and then Fru Astrida advised him to take his little friend tobed. Carloman would not lie down without still holding Richard'shand, and the little Duke spared no pains to set him at rest, knowingwhat it was to be a desolate captive far from home.

　　"I thought you would be good to me," said Carloman. "As to Lothaire,it serves him right, that you should use him as he used you."

　　"Oh, no, Carloman; if I had a brother I would never speak so of him."

　　"But Lothaire is so unkind."

　　"Ah! but we must be kind to those who are unkind to us."

　　The child rose on his elbow, and looked into Richard's face. "No oneever told me so before."

　　"Oh, Carloman, not Brother Hilary?"

　　"I never heed Brother Hilary--he is so lengthy, and wearisome;besides, no one is ever kind to those that hate them."

　　"My father was," said Richard.

　　"And they killed him!" said Carloman.

　　"Yes," said Richard, crossing himself, "but he is gone to be inpeace."

　　"I wonder if it is happier there, than here," said Carloman. "I amnot happy. But tell me why should we be good to those that hate us?"

　　"Because the holy Saints were--and look at the Crucifix, Carloman.That was for them that hated Him. And, don't you know what our PaterNoster says?"

　　Poor little Carloman could only repeat the Lord's Prayer in Latin--hehad not the least notion of its meaning--in which Richard had beencarefully instructed by Father Lucas. He began to explain it, butbefore many words had passed his lips, little Carloman was asleep.

　　The Duke crept softly away to beg to be allowed to go to Lothaire; heentered the room, already dark, with a pine torch in his hand, thatso flickered in the wind, that he could at first see nothing, butpresently beheld a dark lump on the floor.

　　"Prince Lothaire," he said, "here is--"

　　Lothaire cut him short. "Get away," he said. "If it is your turnnow, it will be mine by and by. I wish my mother had kept her word,and put your eyes out."

　　Richard's temper did not serve for such a reply. "It is a foul shameof you to speak so, when I only came out of kindness to you--so Ishall leave you here all night, and not ask Sir Eric to let you out."

　　And he swung back the heavy door with a resounding clang. But hisheart smote him when he told his beads, and remembered what he hadsaid to Carloman. He knew he could not sleep in his warm bed whenLothaire was in that cold gusty room. To be sure, Sir Eric said itwould do him good, but Sir Eric little knew how tender the FrenchPrinces were.

　　So Richard crept down in the dark, slid back the bolt, and called,"Prince, Prince, I am sorry I was angry. Come out, and let us try tobe friends."

　　"What do you mean?" said Lothaire.

　　"Come out of the cold and dark. Here am I. I will show you the way.Where is your hand? Oh, how cold it is. Let me lead you down to thehall fire."

　　Lothaire was subdued by fright, cold, and darkness, and quietlyallowed Richard to lead him down. Round the fire, at the lower endof the hall, snored half-a-dozen men-at-arms; at the upper hearththere was only Hardigras, who raised his head as the boys came in.Richard's whisper and soft pat quieted him instantly, and the twolittle Princes sat on the hearth together, Lothaire surprised, butsullen. Richard stirred the embers, so as to bring out more heat,then spoke: "Prince, will you let us be friends?"

　　"I must, if I am in your power."

　　"I wish you would be my guest and comrade."

　　"Well, I will; I can't help it."

　　Richard thought his advances might have been more graciously met,and, having little encouragement to say more, took Lothaire to bed,as soon as he was warm.