the little duke-第25章

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So　Richard　crept　down　in　the　dark；　slid　back　the　bolt；　and　called；　〃Prince；　Prince；　I　am　sorry　I　was　angry。　　Come　out；　and　let　us　try　to　be　friends。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Lothaire。

〃Come　out　of　the　cold　and　dark。　　Here　am　I。　　I　will　show　you　the　way。　Where　is　your　hand？　　Oh；　how　cold　it　is。　　Let　me　lead　you　down　to　the　hall　fire。〃

Lothaire　was　subdued　by　fright；　cold；　and　darkness；　and　quietly　allowed　Richard　to　lead　him　down。　　Round　the　fire；　at　the　lower　end　of　the　hall；　snored　half…a…dozen　men…at…arms；　at　the　upper　hearth　there　was　only　Hardigras；　who　raised　his　head　as　the　boys　came　in。　Richard's　whisper　and　soft　pat　quieted　him　instantly；　and　the　two　little　Princes　sat　on　the　hearth　together；　Lothaire　surprised；　but　sullen。　　Richard　stirred　the　embers；　so　as　to　bring　out　more　heat；　then　spoke：　　〃Prince；　will　you　let　us　be　friends？〃

〃I　must；　if　I　am　in　your　power。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　be　my　guest　and　comrade。〃

〃Well；　I　will；　I　can't　help　it。〃

Richard　thought　his　advances　might　have　been　more　graciously　met；　and；　having　little　encouragement　to　say　more；　took　Lothaire　to　bed；　as　soon　as　he　was　warm。



CHAPTER　XI



As　the　Baron　had　said；　there　was　more　peace　now　that　Lothaire　had　learnt　to　know　that　he　must　submit；　and　that　no　one　cared　for　his　threats　of　his　father's　or　his　mother's　vengeance。　　He　was　very　sulky　and　disagreeable；　and　severely　tried　Richard's　forbearance；　but　there　were　no　fresh　outbursts；　and；　on　the　whole；　from　one　week　to　another；　there　might　be　said　to　be　an　improvement。　　He　could　not　always　hold　aloof　from　one　so　good…natured　and　good…humoured　as　the　little　Duke；　and　the　fact　of　being　kept　in　order　could　not　but　have　some　beneficial　effect　on　him；　after　such　spoiling　as　his　had　been　at　home。

Indeed；　Osmond　was　once　heard　to　say；　it　was　a　pity　the　boy　was　not　to　be　a　hostage　for　life；　to　which　Sir　Eric　replied；　〃So　long　as　we　have　not　the　training　of　him。〃

Little　Carloman；　meanwhile；　recovered　from　his　fears　of　all　the　inmates　of　the　Castle　excepting　Hardigras；　at　whose　approach　he　always　shrank　and　trembled。

He　renewed　his　friendship　with　Osmond；　no　longer　started　at　the　entrance　of　Sir　Eric；　laughed　at　Alberic's　merry　ways；　and　liked　to　sit　on　Fru　Astrida's　lap；　and　hear　her　sing；　though　he　understood　not　one　word；　but　his　especial　love　was　still　for　his　first　friend；　Duke　Richard。　　Hand…in…hand　they　went　about　together；　Richard　sometimes　lifting　him　up　the　steep　steps；　and；　out　of　consideration　for　him；　refraining　from　rough　play；　and　Richard　led　him　to　join　with　him　in　those　lessons　that　Father　Lucas　gave　the　children　of　the　Castle；　every　Friday　and　Sunday　evening　in　the　Chapel。　　The　good　Priest　stood　on　the　Altar　steps；　with　the　children　in　a　half　circle　round　himthe　son　and　daughter　of　the　armourer；　the　huntsman's　little　son；　the　young　Baron　de　Montemar；　the　Duke　of　Normandy；　and　the　Prince　of　France；　all　were　equal　thereand　together　they　learnt；　as　he　explained　to　them　the　things　most　needful　to　believe；　and　thus　Carloman　left　off　wondering　why　Richard　thought　it　right　to　be　good　to　his　enemies；　and　though　at　first　he　had　known　less　than　even　the　little　leather…coated　huntsman；　he　seemed　to　take　the　holy　lessons　in　faster　than　any　of　themyes；　and　act　on　them；　too。　　His　feeble　health　seemed　to　make　him　enter　into　their　comfort　and　meaning　more　than　even　Richard；　and　Alberic　and　Father　Lucas　soon　told　Fru　Astrida　that　it　was　a　saintly…minded　child。

Indeed；　Carloman　was　more　disposed　to　thoughtfulness；　because　he　was　incapable　of　joining　in　the　sports　of　the　other　boys。　　A　race　round　the　court　was　beyond　his　strength；　the　fresh　wind　on　the　battlements　made　him　shiver　and　cower；　and　loud　shouting　play　was　dreadful　to　him。　　In　old　times；　he　used　to　cry　when　Lothaire　told　him　he　must　have　his　hair　cut；　and　be　a　priest；　now；　he　only　said　quietly；　he　should　like　it　very　much；　if　he　could　be　good　enough。

Fru　Astrida　sighed　and　shook　her　head；　and　feared　the　poor　child　would　never　grow　up　to　be　anything　on　this　earth。　　Great　as　had　been　the　difference　at　first　between　him　and　Richard；　it　was　now　far　greater。　　Richard　was　an　unusually　strong　boy　for　ten　years　old；　upright　and　broad…chested；　and　growing　very　fast；　while　Carloman　seemed　to　dwindle；　stooped　forward　from　weakness；　had　thin　pinched　features；　and　sallow　cheeks；　looking　like　a　plant　kept　in　the　dark。

The　old　Baron　said　that　hardy；　healthy　habits　would　restore　the　puny　children；　and　Lothaire　improved　in　health；　and　therewith　in　temper；　but　his　little　brother　had　not　strength　enough　to　bear　the　seasoning。　He　pined　and　drooped　more　each　day；　and　as　the　autumn　came　on；　and　the　wind　was　chilly；　he　grew　worse；　and　was　scarcely　ever　off　the　lap　of　the　kind　Lady　Astrida。　　It　was　not　a　settled　sickness；　but　he　grew　weaker；　and　wasted　away。　　They　made　up　a　little　couch　for　him　by　the　fire；　with　the　high　settle　between　it　and　the　door；　to　keep　off　the　draughts；　and　there　he　used　patiently　to　lie；　hour　after　hour；　speaking　feebly；　or　smiling　and　seeming　pleased；　when　any　one　of　those　he　loved　approached。　　He　liked　Father　Lucas　to　come　and　say　prayers　with　him；　and　he　never　failed　to　have　a　glad　look；　when　his　dear　little　Duke　came　to　talk　to　him；　in　his　cheerful　voice；　about　his　rides　and　his　hunting　and　hawking　adventures。　　Richard's　sick　guest　took　up　much　of　his　thoughts；　and　he　never　willingly　spent　many　hours　at　a　distance　from　him；　softening　his　step　and　lowering　his　voice；　as　he　entered　the　hall；　lest　Carloman　should　be　asleep。

〃Richard；　is　it　you？〃　said　the　little　boy；　as　the　young　figure　came　round　the　settle　in　the　darkening　twilight。

〃Yes。　　How　do　you　feel　now；　Carloman；　are　you　better？〃

〃No　better；　thanks；　dear　Richard；〃　and　the　little　wasted　fingers　were　put　into　his。

〃Has　the　pain　come　again？〃

〃No；　I　have　been　lying　still；　musing；　Richard；　I　shall　never　be　better。〃

〃Oh；　do　not　say　so！　　You　will；　indeed　you　will；　when　spring　comes。〃

〃I　feel　as　if　I　should　die；〃　said　the　little　boy；　〃I　think　I　shall。　But　do　not　grieve；　Richard。　　I　do　not　feel　much　afraid。　　You　said　it　was　happier　there　than　here；　and　I　know　it　now。〃

〃Where　my　blessed　father　is；〃　said　Richard；　thoughtfully。　　〃But　oh；　Carloman；　you　are　so　young　to　die！〃

〃I　do　not　want　to　live。　　This　is　a　fighting；　hard　world；　full　of　cruel　people；　and　it　is　peace　there。　　You　are　strong　and　brave；　and　will　make　them　better；　but　I　am　weak　and　fearfulI　could　only　sigh　and　grieve。〃

〃Oh；　Carloman！　　Carloman！　　I　cannot　spare　you。　　I　love　you　like　my　own　brother。　　You　must　not　dieyou　must　live　to　see　your　father　and　mother　again！〃

〃Commend　me　to　them；〃　said　Carloman。　　〃I　am　going　to　my　Father　in　heaven。　　I　am　glad　I　am　here；　Richard；　I　never　was　so　happy　before。　I　should　have　been　afraid　indeed　to　die；　if　Father　Lucas　had　not　taught　me　how　my　sins　are　pardoned。　　Now；　I　think　the　Saints　and　Angels　are　waiting　for　me。〃

He　spoke　feebly；　and　his　last　words　faltered　into　sleep。　　He　slept　on；　and　when　supper　was　brought；　and　the　lamps　were　lighted；　Fru　Astrida　thought　the　little　face　looked　unusually　pale　and　waxen；　but　he　did　not　awake。　　At　night；　they　carried　him　to　his　bed；　and　he　was　roused　into　a　half　conscious　state；　moaning　at　being　disturbed。　　Fru　Astrida　would　not　leave　him；　and　Father　Lucas　shared　her　watch。

At　midnight；　all　were　wakened　by　the　slow　notes；　falling　one　by　one　on　the　ear；　of　the　solemn　passing…bell；　calling　them　to　waken；　that　their　prayers　might　speed　a　soul　on　its　way。　　Richard　and　Lothaire　were　soon　at　the　bedside。　　Carloman　lay　still　asleep；　his　hands　folded　on　his　breast；　but　his　breath　came　in　long　gasps。　　Father　Lucas　was　praying　over　him；　and　candles　were　placed　on　each　side　of　the　bed。　　All　was　still；　the　boys　not　daring　to　speak　or　move。　　There　came　a　longer　breaththen　they　heard　no　more。　　He　was；　indeed；　gone　to　a　happier　homea　truer　royalty　than　ever　had　been　his　on　earth。

Then　the　boys'　grief　burst　out。　　Lothaire　screamed　for　his　mother；　and　sobbed　out　that　he　should　die　toohe　must　go　home。　　Richard　stood　by　the　bed；　large　silent　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks；　and　his　chest　heaving　with　suppressed　sobs。

Fru　Astrida　led　them　from　the　room；　back　to　their　beds。　　Lothaire　soon　cried　himself　t