The Little Duke: Richard the Fearless

shops of Rouen, and the stout burghers shouting with all the power of their lungs, "Long live Duke Richard! Long live King Louis! Death to the F

th of the fields, the Castles towering above the woods, the Convents looking like great farms, the many villages round the rude Churches, and the numerous population who came out to gaze

at with him, and sitting close to Louis, and talking eagerly about fal

and forced him to lead the way, while others, with their swords and battle-axes, cut down and cleared away the tangled branches and briars that nearly choked the path. All the time, every one was sharply on the look-out for robbers, and the weapons were all held read

nd entertained him so well, that he did not think much more of his offended dignity.-When they set off on their journey again, the Baron and several of his followers came with them to show the only safe way across the morass, and a very slippery, treacherous, quaking road it was, where the horses' feet left pools of water wherever they trod. The King and the Baron rode together, and the other French Nobles closed round them; Richard was left quite in the background, and though the French men-at-arms took care not to lose sight

ace. He sent three, because it was not safe for one, even fully armed, to ride alone, for fear of the attacks of the followers of a certain marauding Baron, who was at deadly feud with him, and made all that border a most perilous region. Richa

Wherever there was anything of more prosperous appearance, such as a few cornfields, vineyards on the slopes of the hills, fat cattle, and peasantry looking healthy and secure, there was sure to be seen a range of long low stone buildings, surmounted with crosses, with a short square Church tower rising in the midst, and interspersed with gnarled hoary old apple-trees, or with gardens of pot-herbs spreading before them to the meadows. If, instead of two o

de first into the court with his Nobles, and before Richard could follow him through the narrow arched gateway, he had dismounted, entered the Castle, and was out of sight. Osmond held the Duke's st

an, with grey hair and a golden chain, "this is the Duke

the dais or raised part of the floor, where the King and Queen stood together talking. The Queen looked round, as Richard was announced, and he saw her face, which was sallow, and with a sharp sour expression

is," sai

en; "but what makes that norther

e meantime, Osmond tried in a whisper to induce his

aid Richard. "She looks cr

and air expressed a good deal of what he said,

erce and unruly as the rest. Come, and perform your co

e in pride and defiance, and he suffered for it afterwards; but no more passed now, for the Queen only saw in his behaviour that of an unmannerly young Northman: and though she disliked and despised him, she did not care enough abou

uld 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 Carl

d his hand, while he kissed their foreheads, and the

rd with a look of curiosity, while Richard in his turn felt considerabl

"your father has brou

his brother pushed him rudely aside. "I am the eldest; it is my business

ous way to make any answer. He was completely taken by surpri

u hear? Can you speak only your own

at once breaking silence in a loud voice. "We are

! my Lord!"

dy? Time, indeed, I should take you from your own savage court. Sir Squire, look to it, th

mond, "see you not that you are

ll of defiance at Lothaire, who, returning an angry look, had nevertheless shrunk back to his mother.

es. 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 t

shes, as if he was afraid of him; and presently, when there was a good deal of talking going on, so th

ard, with equal gravity, "onl

hen Carloman, with the same sole

the eve of St. Bonif

artinmas, and Lothaire w

ited on Richard, Carloman returned

s Osmond de

tall

re taller tha

othaire, or you wi

it is

ot hear said. Do not make him cross, or he will make my mother displeased with you.

free Duke," said Richard. "But

, n

Lothair

ince Lothaire. No; it

ed Richard-"why

because he

ric quite knocked me down with a great snowball the other

make sno

e I do! Do

he snow is

ight 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 listene

used to at Rouen; but it amazed him exceedingly when he first went into it: he s

ch cannot stand before a Norman lance, if they cannot sleep withou

on a great feast-day. They treat us just as if we were the holy saints; and here are fresh rushes

l 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 fanc

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 wo

faces at him, nor call him a

is to be courteous to ladies-never mind whether fair and young, or old and foul of favour.

as a mother," exclaimed Richard. "Do you

see by his deed

er than the Count de Harcourt; but now I think that the Count is best

or you will never have a

Alberic. I cannot bear that Lothaire. He is proud, and unknig

speaking so loud. You ar

does not like to touch snow, and he cannot even slide on the ice, a

little," s

rdly at his age, now was I,

s and pray that we may be brought safe back to Rouen; and that you may not forget

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