the little duke-第20节

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ng〃

〃Peace；　peace；　my　Lord；〃　said　the　Baron。　　〃Bernard　has　more　in　that　wary　head　of　his　than　your　young　wits；　or　my　old　ones；　can　unwind。　What　he　is　doing　I　may　not　guess；　but　I　gage　my　life　his　heart　is　right。〃

Richard　was　silent；　remembering　he　had　been　once　unjust；　but　he　grieved　heartily　when　he　thought　of　the　French　in　Rollo's　tower；　and　it　was　further　reported　that　the　King　was　about　to　share　Normandy　among　his　French　vassals。　　A　fresh　outcry　broke　out　in　the　little　garrison　of　Senlis；　but　Sir　Eric　still　persisted　in　his　trust　in　his　friend　Bernard；　even　when　he　heard　that　Centeville　was　marked　out　as　the　prey　of　the　fat　French　Count　who　had　served　for　a　hostage　at　Rouen。

〃What　say　you　now；　my　Lord？〃　said　he；　after　a　conference　with　a　messenger　at　the　gate。　　〃The　Black　Raven　has　spread　its　wings。　　Fifty　keels　are　in　the　Seine；　and　Harald　Blue…tooth's　Long　Serpent　at　the　head　of　them。〃

〃The　King　of　Denmark！　Come　to　my　aid！〃

〃Ay；　that　he　is！　　Come　at　Bernard's　secret　call；　to　right　you；　and　put　you　on　your　father's　seat。　　Now　call　honest　Harcourt　a　traitor；　because　he　gave　not　up　your　fair　dukedom　to　the　flame　and　sword！〃

〃No　traitor　to　me；〃　said　Richard；　pausing。　　〃No；　verily；　but　what　more　would　you　say？〃

〃I　think；　when　I　come　to　my　dukedom；　I　will　not　be　so　politic；〃　said　Richard。　　〃I　will　be　an　open　friend　or　an　open　foe。〃

〃The　boy　grows　too　sharp　for　us；〃　said　Sir　Eric；　smiling；　〃but　it　was　spoken　like　his　father。〃

〃He　grows　more　like　his　blessed　father　each　day；〃　said　Fru　Astrida。

〃But　the　Danes；　father；　the　Danes！〃　said　Osmond。　　〃Blows　will　be　passing　now。　　I　may　join　the　host　and　win　my　spurs？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　returned　the　Baron；　〃so　my　Lord　here　gives　you　leave：　　would　that　I　could　leave　him　and　go　with　you。　　It　would　do　my　very　spirit　good　but　to　set　foot　in　a　Northern　keel　once　more。〃

〃I　would　fain　see　what　these　men　of　the　North　are；〃　said　Osmond。

〃Oh！　they　are　only　Danes；　not　Norsemen；　and　there　are　no　Vikings；　such　as　once　were　when　Ragnar　laid　waste〃

〃Son；　son；　what　talk　is　this　for　the　child's　ears？〃　broke　in　Fru　Astrida；　〃are　these　words　for　a　Christian　Baron？〃

〃Your　pardon；　mother；〃　said　the　grey　warrior；　in　all　humility；　〃but　my　blood　thrills　to　hear　of　a　Northern　fleet　at　hand；　and　to　think　of　Osmond　drawing　sword　under　a　Sea…King。〃

The　next　morning；　Osmond's　steed　was　led　to　the　door；　and　such　men…　at…arms　as　could　be　spared　from　the　garrison　of　Senlis　were　drawn　up　in　readiness　to　accompany　him。　　The　boys　stood　on　the　steps；　wishing　they　were　old　enough　to　be　warriors；　and　wondering　what　had　become　of　him；　until　at　length　the　sound　of　an　opening　door　startled　them；　and　there；　in　the　low　archway　of　the　smithy；　the　red　furnace　glowing　behind　him；　stood　Osmond；　clad　in　bright　steel；　the　links　of　his　hauberk　reflecting　the　light；　and　on　his　helmet　a　pair　of　golden　wings；　while　the　same　device　adorned　his　long　pointed　kite…shaped　shield。

〃Your　wings！　our　wings！〃　cried　Richard；　〃the　bearing　of　Centeville！〃

〃May　they　fly　after　the　foe；　not　before　him；〃　said　Sir　Eric。　　〃Speed　thee　well；　my　sonlet　not　our　Danish　cousins　say　we　learn　Frank　graces　instead　of　Northern　blows。〃

With　such　farewells；　Osmond　quitted　Senlis；　while　the　two　boys　hastened　to　the　battlements　to　watch　him　as　long　as　he　remained　in　view。

The　highest　tower　became　their　principal　resort；　and　their　eyes　were　constantly　on　the　heath　where　he　had　disappeared；　but　days　passed；　and　they　grew　weary　of　the　watch；　and　betook　themselves　to　games　in　the　Castle　court。

One　day；　Alberic；　in　the　character　of　a　Dragon；　was　lying　on　his　back；　panting　hard　so　as　to　be　supposed　to　cast　out　volumes　of　flame　and　smoke　at　Richard；　the　Knight；　who　with　a　stick　for　a　lance；　and　a　wooden　sword；　was　waging　fierce　war；　when　suddenly　the　Dragon　paused；　sat　up；　and　pointed　towards　the　warder　on　the　tower。　　His　horn　was　at　his　lips；　and　in　another　moment；　the　blast　rang　out　through　the　Castle。

With　a　loud　shout；　both　boys　rushed　headlong　up　the　turret　stairs；　and　came　to　the　top　so　breathless；　that　they　could　not　even　ask　the　warder　what　he　saw。　　He　pointed；　and　the　keen…eyed　Alberic　exclaimed；　〃I　see！　　Look；　my　Lord；　a　speck　there　on　the　heath！〃

〃I　do　not　see！　where；　oh　where？〃

〃He　is　behind　the　hillock　now；　butoh；　there　again！　　How　fast　he　comes！〃

〃It　is　like　the　flight　of　a　bird；〃　said　Richard；　〃fast；　fast〃

〃If　only　it　be　not　flight　in　earnest；〃　said　Alberic；　a　little　anxiously；　looking　into　the　warder's　face；　for　he　was　a　borderer；　and　tales　of　terror　of　the　inroad　of　the　Vicomte　du　Contentin　were　rife　on　the　marches　of　the　Epte。

〃No；　young　Sir；〃　said　the　warder；　〃no　fear　of　that。　　I　know　how　men　ride　when　they　flee　from　the　battle。〃

〃No；　indeed；　there　is　no　discomfiture　in　the　pace　of　that　steed；〃　said　Sir　Eric；　who　had　by　this　time　joined　them。

〃I　see　him　clearer！　　I　see　the　horse；〃　cried　Richard；　dancing　with　eagerness；　so　that　Sir　Eric　caught　hold　of　him；　exclaiming；　〃You　will　be　over　the　battlements！　hold　still！　better　hear　of　a　battle　lost　than　that！〃

〃He　bears　somewhat　in　his　hand；〃　said　Alberic。

〃A　banner　or　pennon；〃　said　the　warder；　〃methinks　he　rides　like　the　young　Baron。〃

〃He　does！　　My　brave　boy！　　He　has　done　good　service；〃　exclaimed　Sir　Eric；　as　the　figure　became　more　developed。　　〃The　Danes　have　seen　how　we　train　our　young　men。〃

〃His　wings　bring　good　tidings；〃　said　Richard。　　〃Let　me　go；　Sir　Eric；　I　must　tell　Fru　Astrida。〃

The　drawbridge　was　lowered；　the　portcullis　raised；　and　as　all　the　dwellers　in　the　Castle　stood　gathered　in　the　court；　in　rode　the　warrior　with　the　winged　helm；　bearing　in　his　hand　a　drooping　banner；　lowering　it　as　he　entered；　it　unfolded；　and　displayed；　trailing　on　the　ground　at　the　feet　of　the　little　Duke　of　Normandy；　the　golden　lilies　of　France。

A　shout　of　amazement　arose；　and　all　gathered　round　him；　asking　hurried　questions。　　〃A　great　victorythe　King　a　prisonerMontreuil　slain！〃

Richard　would　not　be　denied　holding　his　hand；　and　leading　him　to　the　hall；　and　there；　sitting　around　him；　they　heard　his　tidings。　　His　father's　first　question　was；　what　he　thought　of　their　kinsmen；　the　Danes？

〃Rude　comrades；　father；　I　must　own；〃　said　Osmond；　smiling；　and　shaking　his　head。　　〃I　could　not　pledge　them　in　a　skull…gobletset　in　gold　though　it　were。〃

〃None　the　worse　warriors；〃　said　Sir　Eric。　　〃Ay；　ay；　and　you　were　dainty；　and　brooked　not　the　hearty　old　fashion　of　tearing　the　whole　sheep　to　pieces。　　You　must　needs　cut　your　portion　with　the　fine　French　knife　at　your　girdle。〃

Osmond　could　not　see　that　a　man　was　braver　for　being　a　savage；　but　he　held　his　peace；　and　Richard　impatiently　begged　to　hear　how　the　battle　had　gone；　and　where　it　had　been　fought。

〃On　the　bank　of　the　Dive；〃　said　Osmond。　　〃Ah；　father；　you　might　well　call　old　Harcourt　waryhis　name　might　better　have　been　Fox…heart　than　Bear…heart！　　He　had　sent　to　the　Franks　a　message　of　distress；　that　the　Danes　were　on　him　in　full　force；　and　to　pray　them　to　come　to　his　aid。〃

〃I　trust　there　was　no　treachery。　　No　foul　dealing　shall　be　wrought　in　my　name；〃　exclaimed　Richard；　with　such　dignity　of　tone　and　manner；　as　made　all　feel　he　was　indeed　their　Duke；　and　forget　his　tender　years。

〃No；　or　should　I　tell　the　tale　with　joy　like　this？〃　said　Osmond。　〃Bernard's　view　was　to　bring　the　Kings　together；　and　let　Louis　see　you　had　friends　to　maintain　your　right。　　He　sought　but　to　avoid　bloodshed。〃

〃And　how　chanced　it？〃

〃The　Danes　were　encamped　on　the　Dive；　and　so　soon　as　the　French　came　in　sight；　Blue…tooth　sent　a　messenger　to　Louis；　to　summon　him　to　quit　Neustria；　and　leave　it　to　you；　its　lawful　owner。　　Thereupon；　Louis；　hoping　to　win　him　over　with　wily　words；　invited　him　to　hold　a　personal　conference。〃

〃Where　were　you；　Osmond？〃

〃Where　I　had　scarce　patience　to　be。　　Bernard　had　gathered　all　of　us　honest　Normans　together；　and　arranged　us　beneath　that　standard　of　the　King；　as　if　to　repel　his　Danish　inroad。　　Oh；　he　was；　in　all　seeming；　hand…and…glove　with　Louis；　guiding　him　by　his　counsel；　and；　verily；　seeming　his　friend　and　best　adviser！　　But　in　one　thing　he　could　not　prevail。　　That　ungrateful　recreant；　Herluin　of　Montreuil；　came　with　the　King；　hoping；　it　seems；　to　get　his　share　of　our　spoils；　and　when　Bernard　advised　the　King　to　send　him　home；　since　no　true　Norman　could　bear　the　sight　of　him；　the　hot…headed　Franks　vowed　no　Norman　should　hinder　them　from　bringing　whom　they　chose。　　So　a　tent　was　set　up　by　the　riverside；　wherein　the　two　Kings；　with　Bernard；　Alan　of　Brittany；　and　Count　Hugh；　held　their　meeting。　　We　all　stood　without；　and　the　two　hosts　began　to　mingle　together；　we　Normans　making　acquaintance　with　the　Danes。　　There　was　a　red…haired；　wild…looking　fellow；　who　told　me　he　had　been　with　Anlaff　in　England；　and　spoke　much　of　the　doings　of　Hako　in　Norway；　when；　suddenly；　he　pointed　to　a　Knight　who　was　near；　speaking　to　a　Cotentinois；　and　asked　me　his　name。　　My　blood　boiled　as　I　answered；　for　it　was　Montreuil　himself！　　'The　cause　of　your　Duke's　death！'　said　the　Dane。　　'Ha；　ye　Normans　are　fallen　sons　of　Odin；　to　see　him　yet　live！'〃

〃You　said；　I　trust；　my　son；　that　we　follow　not　the　laws　of　Odin？〃　said　Fru　Astrida。

〃I　had　no　space　for　a　word；　grandmother；　the　Danes　took　the　vengeance