the little duke-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Nearly　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　passed　in　this　manner　when　the　servants　came　to　set　the　table　for　supper；　and　Richard；　in　spite　of　his　indignant　looks；　was　forced　to　stand　aside。　　He　wondered　that　all　this　time　he　had　not　seen　the　two　Princes；　thinking　how　strange　he　should　have　thought　it；　to　let　his　own　dear　father　be　in　the　house　so　long　without　coming　to　welcome　him。　　At　last；　just　as　the　supper　had　been　served　up；　a　side　door　opened；　and　the　Seneschal　called；　〃Place　for　the　high　and　mighty　Princes；　my　Lord　Lothaire　and　my　Lord　Carloman！〃　and　in　walked　two　boys；　one　about　the　same　age　as　Richard；　the　other　rather　less　than　a　year　younger。　　They　were　both　thin；　pale；　sharp…featured　children；　and　Richard　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　with　great　satisfaction　at　being　so　much　taller　than　Lothaire。

They　came　up　ceremoniously　to　their　father　and　kissed　his　hand；　while　he　kissed　their　foreheads；　and　then　said　to　them；　〃There　is　a　new　play…fellow　for　you。〃

〃Is　that　the　little　Northman？〃　said　Carloman；　turning　to　stare　at　Richard　with　a　look　of　curiosity；　while　Richard　in　his　turn　felt　considerably　affronted　that　a　boy　so　much　less　than　himself　should　call　him　little。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃your　father　has　brought　him　home　with　him。〃

Carloman　stepped　forward；　shyly　holding　out　his　hand　to　the　stranger；　but　his　brother　pushed　him　rudely　aside。　　〃I　am　the　eldest；　it　is　my　business　to　be　first。　　So；　young　Northman；　you　are　come　here　for　us　to　play　with。〃

Richard　was　too　much　amazed　at　being　spoken　to　in　this　imperious　way　to　make　any　answer。　　He　was　completely　taken　by　surprise；　and　only　opened　his　great　blue　eyes　to　their　utmost　extent。

〃Ha！　why　don't　you　answer？　　Don't　you　hear？　　Can　you　speak　only　your　own　heathen　tongue？〃　continued　Lothaire。

〃The　Norman　is　no　heathen　tongue！〃　said　Richard；　at　once　breaking　silence　in　a　loud　voice。　　〃We　are　as　good　Christians　as　you　areay；　and　better　too。〃

〃Hush！　hush！　my　Lord！〃　said　Osmond。

〃What　now；　Sir　Duke；〃　again　interfered　the　King；　in　an　angry　tone；　〃are　you　brawling　already？　　Time；　indeed；　I　should　take　you　from　your　own　savage　court。　　Sir　Squire；　look　to　it；　that　you　keep　your　charge　in　better　rule；　or　I　shall　send　him　instantly　to　bed；　supperless。〃

〃My　Lord；　my　Lord；〃　whispered　Osmond；　〃see　you　not　that　you　are　bringing　discredit　on　all　of　us？〃

〃I　would　be　courteous　enough；　if　they　would　be　courteous　to　me；〃　returned　Richard；　gazing　with　eyes　full　of　defiance　at　Lothaire；　who；　returning　an　angry　look；　had　nevertheless　shrunk　back　to　his　mother。　She　meanwhile　was　saying；　〃So　strong；　so　rough；　the　young　savage　is；　he　will　surely　harm　our　poor　boys！〃

〃Never　fear；〃　said　Louis；　〃he　shall　be　watched。　　And；〃　he　added　in　a　lower　tone；　〃for　the　present；　at　least；　we　must　keep　up　appearances。　Hubert　of　Senlis；　and　Hugh　of　Paris；　have　their　eyes　on　us；　and　were　the　boy　to　be　missed；　the　grim　old　Harcourt　would　have　all　the　pirates　of　his　land　on　us　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye。　　We　have　him；　and　there　we　must　rest　content　for　the　present。　　Now　to　supper。〃

At　supper；　Richard　sat　next　little　Carloman；　who　peeped　at　him　every　now　and　then　from　under　his　eyelashes；　as　if　he　was　afraid　of　him；　and　presently；　when　there　was　a　good　deal　of　talking　going　on；　so　that　his　voice　could　not　be　heard；　half　whispered；　in　a　very　grave　tone；　〃Do　you　like　salt　beef　or　fresh？〃

〃I　like　fresh；〃　answered　Richard；　with　equal　gravity；　〃only　we　eat　salt　all　the　winter。〃

There　was　another　silence；　and　then　Carloman；　with　the　same　solemnity；　asked；　〃How　old　are　you？〃

〃I　shall　be　nine　on　the　eve　of　St。　Boniface。　　How　old　are　you？〃

〃Eight。　　I　was　eight　at　Martinmas；　and　Lothaire　was　nine　three　days　since。〃

Another　silence；　then；　as　Osmond　waited　on　Richard；　Carloman　returned　to　the　charge；　〃Is　that　your　Squire？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　Osmond　de　Centeville。〃

〃How　tall　he　is！〃

〃We　Normans　are　taller　than　you　French。〃

〃Don't　say　so　to　Lothaire；　or　you　will　make　him　angry。〃

〃Why？　it　is　true。〃

〃Yes；　but〃　and　Carloman　sunk　his　voice〃there　are　some　things　which　Lothaire　will　not　hear　said。　　Do　not　make　him　cross；　or　he　will　make　my　mother　displeased　with　you。　　She　caused　Thierry　de　Lincourt　to　be　scourged；　because　his　ball　hit　Lothaire's　face。〃

〃She　cannot　scourge　meI　am　a　free　Duke；〃　said　Richard。　　〃But　why？　Did　he　do　it　on　purpose？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃And　was　Lothaire　hurt？〃

〃Hush！　you　must　say　Prince　Lothaire。　　No；　it　was　quite　a　soft　ball。〃

〃Why？〃　again　asked　Richard〃why　was　he　scourged？〃

〃I　told　you；　because　he　hit　Lothaire。〃

〃Well；　but　did　he　not　laugh；　and　say　it　was　nothing？　　Alberic　quite　knocked　me　down　with　a　great　snowball　the　other　day；　and　Sir　Eric　laughed；　and　said　I　must　stand　firmer。〃

〃Do　you　make　snowballs？〃

〃To　be　sure　I　do！　　Do　not　you？〃

〃Oh；　no！　the　snow　is　so　cold。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　but　a　little　boy；〃　said　Richard；　in　a　superior　manner。　Carloman　asked　how　it　was　done；　and　Richard　gave　an　animated　description　of　the　snowballing；　a　fortnight　ago；　at　Rouen；　when　Osmond　and　some　of　the　other　young　men　built　a　snow　fortress；　and　defended　it　against　Richard；　Alberic；　and　the　other　Squires。　Carloman　listened　with　delight；　and　declared　that　next　time　it　snowed；　they　would　have　a　snow　castle；　and　thus；　by　the　time　supper　was　over；　the　two　little　boys　were　very　good　friends。

Bedtime　came　not　long　after　supper。　　Richard's　was　a　smaller　room　than　he　had　been　used　to　at　Rouen；　but　it　amazed　him　exceedingly　when　he　first　went　into　it：　　he　stood　gazing　in　wonder；　because；　as　he　said；　〃It　was　as　if　he　had　been　in　a　church。〃

〃Yes；　truly！〃　said　Osmond。　　〃No　wonder　these　poor　creatures　of　French　cannot　stand　before　a　Norman　lance；　if　they　cannot　sleep　without　glass　to　their　windows。　　Well！　what　would　my　father　say　to　this？〃

〃And　see！　see；　Osmond！　they　have　put　hangings　up　all　round　the　walls；　just　like　our　Lady's　church　on　a　great　feast…day。　　They　treat　us　just　as　if　we　were　the　holy　saints；　and　here　are　fresh　rushes　strewn　about　the　floor；　too。　　This　must　be　a　mistakeit　must　be　an　oratory；　instead　of　my　chamber。〃

〃No；　no；　my　Lord；　here　is　our　gear；　which　I　bade　Sybald　and　Henry　see　bestowed　in　our　chamber。　　Well；　these　Franks　are　come　to　a　pass；　indeed！　　My　grandmother　will　never　believe　what　we　shall　have　to　tell　her。　　Glass　windows　and　hangings　to　sleeping　chambers！　I　do　not　like　it　I　am　sure　we　shall　never　be　able　to　sleep；　closed　up　from　the　free　air　of　heaven　in　this　way：　　I　shall　be　always　waking；　and　fancying　I　am　in　the　chapel　at　home；　hearing　Father　Lucas　chanting　his　matins。　Besides；　my　father　would　blame　me　for　letting　you　be　made　as　tender　as　a　Frank。　　I'll　have　out　this　precious　window；　if　I　can。〃

Luxurious　as　the　young　Norman　thought　the　King；　the　glazing　of　Laon　was　not　permanent。　　It　consisted　of　casements；　which　could　be　put　up　or　removed　at　pleasure；　for；　as　the　court　possessed　only　one　set　of　glass　windows；　they　were　taken　down；　and　carried　from　place　to　place；　as　often　as　Louis　removed　from　Rheims　to　Soissons；　Laon；　or　any　other　of　his　royal　castles；　so　that　Osmond　did　not　find　much　difficulty　in　displacing　them；　and　letting　in　the　sharp；　cold；　wintry　breeze。　　The　next　thing　he　did　was　to　give　his　young　Lord　a　lecture　on　his　want　of　courtesy；　telling　him　that　〃no　wonder　the　Franks　thought　he　had　no　more　culture　than　a　Viking　（or　pirate）；　fresh　caught　from　Norway。　　A　fine　notion　he　was　giving　them　of　the　training　he　had　at　Centeville；　if　he　could　not　even　show　common　civility　to　the　Queena　lady！　　Was　that　the　way　Alberic　had　behaved　when　he　came　to　Rouen？〃

〃Fru　Astrida　did　not　make　sour　faces　at　him；　nor　call　him　a　young　savage；〃　replied　Richard。

〃No；　and　he　gave　her　no　reason　to　do　so；　he　knew　that　the　first　teaching　of　a　young　Knight　is　to　be　courteous　to　ladiesnever　mind　whether　fair　and　young；　or　old　and　foul　of　favour。　　Till　you　learn　and　note　that；　Lord　Richard；　you　will　never　be　worthy　of　your　golden　spurs。〃

〃And　the　King　told　me　she　would　treat　me　as　a　mother；〃　exclaimed　Richard。　　〃Do　you　think　the　King　speaks　the　truth；　Osmond？〃

〃That　we　shall　see　by　his　deeds；〃　said　Osmond。

〃He　was　very　kind　while　we　were　in　Normandy。　　I　loved　him　so　much　better　than　the　Count　de　Harcourt；　but　now　I　think　that　the　Count　is　best！　　I'll　tell　you；　Osmond；　I　will　never　call　him　grim　old　Bernard　again。〃

〃You　had　best　not；　sir；　for　you　will　never　have　a　more　true…hearted　vassal。〃

〃Well；　I　wish　we　were　back　in　Normandy；　with　Fru　Astrida　and　Alberic。　I　cannot　bear　that　Lothaire。　　He　is　proud；　and　unknightly；　and　cruel。　I　am　sure　he　is；　and　I　will　never　love　him。〃

〃Hush；　my　Lord！beware　of　speaking　so　loud。　　You　are　not　in　your　own　Castle。〃

〃And　Carloman　is　a　chicken…heart；〃　continued　Richard；　unheeding。　　〃He　does　not　like　to　touch　snow；　and　he　cannot　even　slide　on　the　ice；　and　he　is　afraid　to　go　near　that　great　dogthat　beautiful　wolf…hound。〃

〃He　is　very　little；〃　said　Osmond。

〃I　am　sure　I　was　not　as　cowardly　at　his　age；　now　was　I；　Osmond？　Don't　you　remember？〃

〃Come；　Lord　Richard；　I　cannot　let　you　wait　to　remember　everything；　tell　your　beads　and　pray　that　we　may　be　brought　safe　back　to　Rouen；　and　that　you　may　not　forget　all　the　good　that　Father　Lucas　and　holy　Abbot　Martin　have　laboured　to　teach　you。〃