the little duke-第14节

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e　laboured　to　teach　you。〃

So　Richard　told　the　beads　of　his　rosaryblack　polished　wood；　with　amber　at　certain　spaceshe　repeated　a　prayer　with　every　bead；　and　Osmond　did　the　same；　then　the　little　Duke　put　himself　into　a　narrow　crib　of　richly　carved　walnut；　while　Osmond；　having　stuck　his　dagger　so　as　to　form　an　additional　bolt　to　secure　the　door；　and　examined　the　hangings　that　no　secret　entrance　might　be　concealed　behind　them；　gathered　a　heap　of　rushes　together；　and　lay　down　on　them；　wrapped　in　his　mantle；　across　the　doorway。　　The　Duke　was　soon　asleep；　but　the　Squire　lay　long　awake；　musing　on　the　possible　dangers　that　surrounded　his　charge；　and　on　the　best　way　of　guarding　against　them。



CHAPTER　VII



Osmond　de　Centeville　was　soon　convinced　that　no　immediate　peril　threatened　his　young　Duke　at　the　Court　of　Laon。　　Louis　seemed　to　intend　to　fulfil　his　oaths　to　the　Normans　by　allowing　the　child　to　be　the　companion　of　his　own　sons；　and　to　be　treated　in　every　respect　as　became　his　rank。　　Richard　had　his　proper　place　at　table；　and　all　due　attendance；　he　learnt；　rode；　and　played　with　the　Princes；　and　there　was　nothing　to　complain　of；　excepting　the　coldness　and　inattention　with　which　the　King　and　Queen　treated　him；　by　no　means　fulfilling　the　promise　of　being　as　parents　to　their　orphan　ward。　　Gerberge；　who　had　from　the　first　dreaded　his　superior　strength　and　his　roughness　with　her　puny　boys；　and　who　had　been　by　no　means　won　by　his　manners　at　their　first　meeting；　was　especially　distant　and　severe　with　him；　hardly　ever　speaking　to　him　except　with　some　rebuke；　which；　it　must　be　confessed；　Richard　often　deserved。

As　to　the　boys；　his　constant　companions；　Richard　was　on　very　friendly　terms　with　Carlo…man；　a　gentle；　timid；　weakly　child。　　Richard　looked　down　upon　him；　but　he　was　kind；　as　a　generous…tempered　boy　could　not　fail　to　be；　to　one　younger　and　weaker　than　himself。　　He　was　so　much　kinder　than　Lothaire；　that　Carloman　was　fast　growing　very　fond　of　him；　and　looked　up　to　his　strength　and　courage　as　something　noble　and　marvellous。

It　was　very　different　with　Lothaire；　the　person　from　whom；　above　all　others；　Richard　would　have　most　expected　to　meet　with　affection；　as　his　father's　god…son；　a　relationship　which　in　those　times　was　thought　almost　as　near　as　kindred　by　blood。　　Lothaire　had　been　brought　up　by　an　indulgent　mother；　and　by　courtiers　who　never　ceased　flattering　him；　as　the　heir　to　the　crown；　and　he　had　learnt　to　think　that　to　give　way　to　his　naturally　imperious　and　violent　disposition　was　the　way　to　prove　his　power　and　assert　his　rank。　　He　had　always　had　his　own　way；　and　nothing　had　ever　been　done　to　check　his　faults；　somewhat　weakly　health　had　made　him　fretful　and　timid；　and　a　latent　consciousness　of　this　fearfulness　made　him　all　the　more　cruel；　sometimes　because　he　was　frightened；　sometimes　because　he　fancied　it　manly。

He　treated　his　little　brother　in　a　way　which　in　these　times　boys　would　call　bullying；　and；　as　no　one　ever　dared　to　oppose　the　King's　eldest　son；　it　was　pretty　much　the　same　with　every　one　else；　except　now　and　then　some　dumb　creature；　and　then　all　Lothaire's　cruelty　was　shown。　　When　his　horse　kicked；　and　ended　by　throwing　him；　he　stood　by；　and　caused　it　to　be　beaten　till　the　poor　creature's　back　streamed　with　blood；　when　his　dog　bit　his　hand　in　trying　to　seize　the　meat　with　which　he　was　teazing　it；　he　insisted　on　having　it　killed；　and　it　was　worse　still　when　a　falcon　pecked　one　of　his　fingers。　　It　really　hurt　him　a　good　deal；　and；　in　a　furious　rage；　he　caused　two　nails　to　be　heated　red　hot　in　the　fire；　intending　to　have　them　thrust　into　the　poor　bird's　eyes。

〃I　will　not　have　it　done！〃　exclaimed　Richard；　expecting　to　be　obeyed　as　he　was　at　home；　but　Lothaire　only　laughed　scornfully；　saying；　〃Do　you　think　you　are　master　here；　Sir　pirate？〃

〃I　will　not　have　it　done！〃　repeated　Richard。　　〃Shame　on　you；　shame　on　you；　for　thinking　of　such　an　unkingly　deed。〃

〃Shame　on　me！　Do　you　know　to　whom　you　speak；　master　savage？〃　cried　Lothaire；　red　with　passion。

〃I　know　who　is　the　savage　now！〃　said　Richard。　　〃Hold！〃　to　the　servant　who　was　bringing　the　red…hot　irons　in　a　pair　of　tongs。

〃Hold？〃　exclaimed　Lothaire。　　〃No　one　commands　here　but　I　and　my　father。　　Go　on　Charlotwhere　is　the　bird？　　Keep　her　fast；　Giles。〃

〃Osmond。　　You　I　can　command〃

〃Come　away；　my　Lord；〃　said　Osmond；　interrupting　Richard's　order；　before　it　was　issued。　〃We　have　no　right　to　interfere　here；　and　cannot　hinder　it。　　Come　away　from　such　a　foul　sight。〃

〃Shame　on　you　too；　Osmond；　to　let　such　a　deed　be　done　without　hindering　it！〃　exclaimed　Richard；　breaking　from　him；　and　rushing　on　the　man　who　carried　the　hot　irons。　　The　French　servants　were　not　very　willing　to　exert　their　strength　against　the　Duke　of　Normandy；　and　Richard's　onset；　taking　the　man　by　surprise；　made　him　drop　the　tongs。　Lothaire；　both　afraid　and　enraged；　caught　them　up　as　a　weapon　of　defence；　and；　hardly　knowing　what　he　did；　struck　full　at　Richard's　face　with　the　hot　iron。　　Happily　it　missed　his　eye；　and　the　heat　had　a　little　abated；　but；　as　it　touched　his　cheek；　it　burnt　him　sufficiently　to　cause　considerable　pain。　　With　a　cry　of　passion；　he　flew　at　Lothaire；　shook　him　with　all　his　might；　and　ended　by　throwing　him　at　his　length　on　the　pavement。　　But　this　was　the　last　of　Richard's　exploits；　for　he　was　at　the　same　moment　captured　by　his　Squire；　and　borne　off；　struggling　and　kicking　as　if　Osmond　had　been　his　greatest　foe；　but　the　young　Norman's　arms　were　like　iron　round　him；　and　he　gave　over　his　resistance　sooner；　because　at　that　moment　a　whirring　flapping　sound　was　heard；　and　the　poor　hawk　rose　high；　higher；　over　their　heads　in　ever　lessening　circles；　far　away　from　her　enemies。　　The　servant　who　held　her；　had　relaxed　his　grasp　in　the　consternation　caused　by　Lothaire's　fall；　and　she　was　mounting　up　and　up；　spying；　it　might　be；　her　way　to　her　native　rocks　in　Iceland；　with　the　yellow　eyes　which　Richard　had　saved。

〃Safe！　safe！〃　cried　Richard；　joyfully；　ceasing　his　struggles。　　〃Oh；　how　glad　I　am！　　That　young　villain　should　never　have　hurt　her。　　Put　me　down；　Osmond；　what　are　you　doing　with　me？〃

〃Saving　you　from　yourno；　I　cannot　call　it　folly；I　would　hardly　have　had　you　stand　still　to　see　suchbut　let　me　see　your　face。〃

〃It　is　nothing。　　I　don't　care　now　the　hawk　is　safe；〃　said　Richard；　though　he　could　hardly　keep　his　lips　in　order；　and　was　obliged　to　wink　very　hard　with　his　eyes　to　keep　the　tears　out；　now　that　he　had　leisure　to　feel　the　smarting；　but　it　would　have　been　far　beneath　a　Northman　to　complain；　and　he　stood　bearing　it　gallantly；　and　pinching　his　fingers　tightly　together；　while　Osmond　knelt　down　to　examine　the　hurt。　　〃'Tis　not　much；〃　said　he；　talking　to　himself；　〃half　bruise；　half　burnI　wish　my　grandmother　was　herehowever；　it　can't　last　long！　　'Tis　right；　you　bear　it　like　a　little　Berserkar；　and　it　is　no　bad　thing　that　you　should　have　a　scar　to　show；　that　they　may　not　be　able　to　say　you　did　ALL　the　damage。〃

〃Will　it　always　leave　a　mark？〃　said　Richard。　　〃I　am　afraid　they　will　call　me　Richard　of　the　scarred　cheek；　when　we　get　back　to　Normandy。〃

〃Never　mind；　if　they　doit　will　not　be　a　mark　to　be　ashamed　of；　even　if　it　does　last；　which　I　do　not　believe　it　will。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　am　so　glad　the　gallant　falcon　is　out　of　his　reach！〃　replied　Richard；　in　a　somewhat　quivering　voice。

〃Does　it　smart　much？　　Well；　come　and　bathe　it　with　cold　wateror　shall　I　take　you　to　one　of　the　Queen's　women？〃

〃Nothe　water；〃　said　Richard；　and　to　the　fountain　in　the　court　they　went；　but　Osmond　had　only　just　begun　to　splash　the　cheek　with　the　half…frozen　water；　with　a　sort　of　rough　kindness；　afraid　at　once　of　teaching　the　Duke　to　be　effeminate；　and　of　not　being　as　tender　to　him　as　Dame　Astrida　would　have　wished；　when　a　messenger　came　in　haste　from　the　King；　commanding　the　presence　of　the　Duke　of　Normandy　and　his　Squire。

Lothaire　was　standing　between　his　father　and　mother　on　their　throne…　like　seat；　leaning　against　the　Queen；　who　had　her　arm　round　him；　his　face　was　red　and　glazed　with　tears；　and　he　still　shook　with　subsiding　sobs。　　It　was　evident　he　was　just　recovering　from　a　passionate　crying　fit。

〃How　is　this？〃　began　the　King；　as　Richard　entered。　　〃What　means　this　conduct；　my　Lord　of　Normandy？　　Know　you　what　you　have　done　in　striking　the　heir　of　France？　　I　might　imprison　you　this　instant　in　a　dungeon　where　you　would　never　see　the　light　of　day。〃

〃Then　Bernard　de　Harcourt　would　come　and　set　me　free；〃　fearlessly　answered　Richard。

〃Do　you　bandy　words　with　me；　child？　Ask　Prince　Lothaire's　pardon　instantly；　or　you　shall　rue　it。〃

〃I　have　done　nothing　to　ask　his　pardon　for。　　It　would　have　been　cruel　and　cowardly　in　me　to　let　him　put　out　the　poor　hawk's　eyes；〃　said　Richard；　with　a　Northman's　stern　contempt　for　pain；　disdaining　to　mention　his　own　burnt　cheek；　which　indeed　the　King　might　have　seen　plainly　enough。

〃Hawk's　eyes！〃　repeated　the　King。　　〃Speak　the　truth；　Sir　Duke；　do　not　add　slander　to　your　other　faults。〃

〃I　have　spoken　the　truthI　always　speak　it！〃　cried　Richard。　〃Whoever　says　otherwise　lies　in　his　throat。〃

Osmond　here　hastily　interfered；　and　desired　permission　to　tell　the　whole　story。　　The　hawk　was　a　valuable　bird；　and　Louis's　face　darkened　when　he　heard　what　Lothaire　had