Charlotte M. Yonge

“ Oh, are you not from Normandy? Osmond, Osmond! he comes from home!”
“My Lord! my own Lord!” exclaimed the pilgrim, and, kneeling on one knee at the foot of the steps, he kissed the hand which his young Duke held out to him—“This is joy unlooked for!”
“Walter!—Walter, the huntsman!” cried Richard. “Is it you? Oh, how is Fru Astrida, and all at home?”
“Well, my Lord, and wearying to know how it is with you—” began Walter—but a very different tone exclaimed from behind the pilgrim, “What is all this? Who is stopping my way? What! Richard would be King, and more, would he? More insolence!” ”

“ 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. ”

“ My own city in the hands of the foe! Bernard is a traitor then! None shall hinder me from so calling him. Why did we trust him?”
“Never fear, Lord Duke,” said Osmond. “When you come to the years of Knighthood, your own sword shall right you, in spite of all the false Danes, and falser Franks, in the land.”
“What! you too, son Osmond? I deemed you carried a cooler brain than to miscall one who was true to Rollo’s race before you or yon varlet were born!” said the old Baron.
“He has yielded my dukedom! It is mis-calling to say he is aught but a traitor!” cried Richard. ”

“ Richard hesitated a little, and then said, “Yes, father, but I could never have pardoned, had I been one of Ragnar’s sons.”
“It may be that you will be in their case, Richard,” said the Duke, “and should I fall, as it may well be I shall, in some of the contests that tear to pieces this unhappy Kingdom of France, then, remember what I say now. I charge you, on your duty to God and to your father, that you keep up no feud, no hatred, but rather that you should deem me best revenged, when you have with heart and hand, given the fullest proof of forgiveness to your enemy. ”

“ Carloman would not lie down without still holding Richard’s hand, and the little Duke spared no pains to set him at rest, knowing what 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.” ”

“ Dame Astrida was interrupted. A bugle note rang out at the castle gate; the dogs started to their feet, and uttered a sudden deafening bark; Osmond sprung up, exclaiming, “Hark!” and trying to silence the hounds; and Richard running to Sir Eric, cried, “Wake, wake, Sir Eric, my father is come! Oh, haste to open the gate, and admit him.”
“Peace, dogs!” said Sir Eric, slowly rising, as the blast of the horn was repeated. “Go, Osmond, with the porter, and see whether he who comes at such an hour be friend or foe. ”

“ How did Fru Astrida come up here? May I not go to the King and have those insolent Franks punished?”
“Listen to me, Lord Richard,” said Sir Eric: “that smooth-spoken King whose words so charmed you last night is an ungrateful deceiver. The Franks have always hated and feared the Normans, and not being able to conquer us fairly, they now take to foul means. Louis came hither from Flanders, he has brought this great troop of French to surprise us, claim you as a ward of the crown, and carry you away with him to some prison of his own.” ”

“ He gazed around; they were in a little wood; evening twilight was just coming on, and the birds sang sweetly.
“Free! free!—this is freedom!” cried Richard, leaping up in the delicious cool evening breeze; “the Queen and Lothaire, and that grim room, all far behind.”
“Not so far yet,” said Osmond; “you must not call yourself safe till the Epte is between us and them. Into the saddle, my Lord; we must ride for our lives.” ”

“ At a sign from the Count de Harcourt, Sir Eric led Richard forward, and put his hand into the King’s. Louis took him to the window, lifted him upon the sill, and stood there with his arm round him, upon which the shout, “Long live Richard, our little Duke!” arose again. Meantime, the two Centevilles looked in wonder at the old Harcourt, who shook his head and muttered in his own tongue, “I will do all I may, but our force is small, and the King has the best of it. We must not yet bring a war on ourselves.”
“Hark! he is going to speak,” said Osmond. ”

“ A priest, who had hitherto been kneeling near the head of the corpse, had risen, and stood tall and dark over him, and, looking up, he recognized the pale, grave countenance of Martin, Abbot of Jumièges, his father’s chief friend and councillor.
“Richard of Normandy, what sayest thou?” said he, sternly. “Yes, hang thy head, and reply not, rather than repeat those words. Dost thou come here to disturb the peace of the dead with clamours for vengeance? Dost thou vow strife and anger on that sword which was never drawn, save in the cause of the poor and distressed? ”

“ Richard did not much like all this embracing; but he was sure the King really meant him no ill, and he wondered at all the distrust the Centevilles had shown.
“Now, brave Normans,” said the King, “be ye ready speedily, for an onset on the traitor Fleming. The cause of my ward is my own cause. Soon shall the trumpet be sounded, the ban and arrière ban of the realm be called forth, and Arnulf, in the flames of his cities, and the blood of his vassals, shall learn to rue the day when his foot trod the Isle of Pecquigny! How many Normans can you bring to the muster, Sir Count?” ”

“ He placed the remainder of the provisions in his wallet, threw a thick purple cloth mantle over the Duke, and then desired him to lie down on the straw which he had brought in. “I shall hide you in it,” he said, “and carry you through the hall, as if I was going to feed my horse.”
“Oh, they will never guess!” cried Richard, laughing. “I will be quite still—I will make no noise—I will hold my breath.”
“Yes, mind you do not move hand or foot, or rustle the straw. It is no play—it is life or death,” said Osmond, as he disposed the straw round the little boy. “There, can you breathe?” ”

“ The men of the household sat ranged on benches on one side of the hall, the women on the other; a great red fire, together with an immense flickering lamp which hung from the ceiling, supplied the light; the windows were closed with wooden shutters, and the whole apartment had a cheerful appearance. Two or three large hounds were reposing in front of the hearth, and among them sat little Richard of Normandy, now smoothing down their broad silken ears; now tickling the large cushions of their feet with the end of one of Osmond’s feathers ”

“ A fine notion he was giving them of the training he had at Centeville, if he could not even show common civility to the Queen—a 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 ladies—never 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.” ”

“ He threw himself on a bench and covered his face with his mantle, while Rainulf de Ferrières proceeded: “You know how in an evil hour our good Duke appointed to meet this caitiff, Count of Flanders, in the Isle of Pecquigny, the Duke and Count each bringing twelve men with them, all unarmed. Duke Alan of Brittany was one on our side, Count Bernard here another, old Count Bothon and myself; we bore no weapon—would that we had—but not so the false Flemings. Ah me! I shall never forget Duke William’s lordly presence when he stepped ashore, and doffed his bonnet to the knave Arnulf.” ”

“ Presently, a strange sound of growling and snarling was heard close at hand: his pony swerved aside, and could not be made to advance; so Richard, dismounting, dashed through some briars, and there, on an open space, beneath a precipice of dark ivy-covered rock, that rose like a wall, he beheld a huge grey wolf and a large dog in mortal combat. It was as if they had fallen or rolled down the precipice together, not heeding it in their fury. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Thus they travelled until they reached the royal Castle of Laon, where the Fleur-de-Lys standard on the battlements announced the presence of Gerberge, Queen of France, and her two sons. The King rode 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 stirrup, and followed him up the steps which led to the Castle Hall. It was full of people, but no one made way, and Richard, holding his Squire’s hand, looked up in his face, inquiring and bewildered. ”

“ Put me down, Osmond, what are you doing with me?”
“Saving you from your—no, I cannot call it folly,—I would hardly have had you stand still to see such—but 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. ”

“ Now, remember, whatever happens, do not move. May Heaven protect us! Now, the Saints be with us!”
Richard, from the interior of the bundle heard Osmond set open the door; then he felt himself raised from the ground; Osmond was carrying him along down the stairs, the ends of the straw crushing and sweeping against the wall. The only way to the outer door was through the hall, and here was the danger. Richard heard voices, steps, loud singing and laughter, as if feasting was going on; then some one said, “Tending your horse, Sieur de Centeville?” ”

“ It was a fine summer evening, and Richard and Carloman were playing at ball on the steps of the Castle-gate, when a voice was heard from beneath, begging for alms from the noble Princes in the name of the blessed Virgin, and the two boys saw a pilgrim standing at the gate, wrapt in a long robe of serge, with a staff in his hand, surmounted by a Cross, a scrip at his girdle, and a broad shady hat, which he had taken off, as he stood, making low obeisances, and asking charity. ”

“ 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. ”

“ In one respect Alberic was a better playfellow for the Duke than Osmond de Centeville, for Osmond, playing as a grown up man, not for his own amusement, but the child’s, had left all the advantages of the game to Richard, who was growing not a little inclined to domineer. This Alberic did not like, unless, as he said, “it was to be always Lord and vassal, and then he did not care for the game,” and he played with so little animation that Richard grew vexed.
“I can’t help it,” said Alberic; “if you take all the best chances to yourself, ’tis no sport for me. ”