Books: The Little Duke

C >> Charlotte M. Yonge >> The Little Duke

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"And it was!" said Abbot Martin.

Then the good Abbot told them the history, part of which was already
known to some of them. About five or six years before, Duke William
had been hunting in the forest of Jumieges, when he had suddenly come
on the ruins of the Abbey, which had been wasted thirty or forty
years previously by the Sea-King, Hasting. Two old monks, of the
original brotherhood, still survived, and came forth to greet the
Duke, and offer him their hospitality.

"Ay!" said Bernard, "well do I remember their bread; we asked if it
was made of fir-bark, like that of our brethren of Norway."

William, then an eager, thoughtless young man, turned with disgust
from this wretched fare, and throwing the old men some gold, galloped
on to enjoy his hunting. In the course of the sport, he was left
alone, and encountered a wild boar, which threw him down, trampled on
him, and left him stretched senseless on the ground, severely
injured. His companions coming up, carried him, as the nearest place
of shelter, to the ruins of Jumieges, where the two old monks gladly
received him in the remaining portion of their house. As soon as he
recovered his senses, he earnestly asked their pardon for his pride,
and the scorn he had shown to the poverty and patient suffering which
he should have reverenced.

William had always been a man who chose the good and refused the
evil, but this accident, and the long illness that followed it, made
him far more thoughtful and serious than he had ever been before; he
made preparing for death and eternity his first object, and thought
less of his worldly affairs, his wars, and his ducal state. He
rebuilt the old Abbey, endowed it richly, and sent for Martin himself
from France, to become the Abbot; he delighted in nothing so much as
praying there, conversing with the Abbot, and hearing him read holy
books; and he felt his temporal affairs, and the state and splendour
of his rank, so great a temptation, that he had one day come to the
Abbot, and entreated to be allowed to lay them aside, and become a
brother of the order. But Martin had refused to receive his vows.
He had told him that he had no right to neglect or forsake the duties
of the station which God had appointed him; that it would be a sin to
leave the post which had been given him to defend; and that the way
marked out for him to serve God was by doing justice among his
people, and using his power to defend the right. Not till he had
done his allotted work, and his son was old enough to take his place
as ruler of the Normans, might he cease from his active duties, quit
the turmoil of the world, and seek the repose of the cloister. It
was in this hope of peaceful retirement, that William had delighted
to treasure up the humble garments that he hoped one day to wear in
peace and holiness.

"And oh! my noble Duke!" exclaimed Abbot Martin, bursting into tears,
as he finished his narration, "the Lord hath been very gracious unto
thee! He has taken thee home to thy rest, long before thou didst
dare to hope for it."

Slowly, and with subdued feelings, the Norman Barons left the
chamber; Richard, whom they seemed to have almost forgotten, wandered
to the stairs, to find his way to the room where he had slept last
night. He had not made many steps before he heard Osmond's voice
say, "Here, my Lord;" he looked up, saw a white cap at a doorway a
little above him, he bounded up and flew into Dame Astrida's
outstretched arms.

How glad he was to sit in her lap, and lay his wearied head on her
bosom, while, with a worn-out voice, he exclaimed, "Oh, Fru Astrida!
I am very, very tired of being Duke of Normandy!"

CHAPTER IV

Richard of Normandy was very anxious to know more of the little boy
whom he had seen among his vassals.

"Ah! the young Baron de Montemar," said Sir Eric. "I knew his father
well, and a brave man he was, though not of northern blood. He was
warden of the marches of the Epte, and was killed by your father's
side in the inroad of the Viscount du Cotentin, {10} at the time when
you were born, Lord Richard."

"But where does he live? Shall I not see him again?"

"Montemar is on the bank of the Epte, in the domain that the French
wrongfully claim from us. He lives there with his mother, and if he
be not yet returned, you shall see him presently. Osmond, go you and
seek out the lodgings of the young Montemar, and tell him the Duke
would see him."

Richard had never had a playfellow of his own age, and his eagerness
to see Alberic de Montemar was great. He watched from the window,
and at length beheld Osmond entering the court with a boy of ten
years old by his side, and an old grey-headed Squire, with a golden
chain to mark him as a Seneschal or Steward of the Castle, walking
behind.

Richard ran to the door to meet them, holding out his hand eagerly.
Alberic uncovered his bright dark hair, bowed low and gracefully, but
stood as if he did not exactly know what to do next. Richard grew
shy at the same moment, and the two boys stood looking at each other
somewhat awkwardly. It was easy to see that they were of different
races, so unlike were the blue eyes, flaxen hair, and fair face of
the young Duke, to the black flashing eyes and olive cheek of his
French vassal, who, though two years older, was scarcely above him in
height; and his slight figure, well-proportioned, active and agile as
it was, did not give the same promise of strength as the round limbs
and large-boned frame of Richard, which even now seemed likely to
rival the gigantic stature of his grandfather, Earl Rollo, the
Ganger.

For some minutes the little Duke and the young Baron stood surveying
each other without a word, and old Sir Eric did not improve matters
by saying, "Well, Lord Duke, here he is. Have you no better greeting
for him?"

"The children are shame-faced," said Fru Astrida, seeing how they
both coloured. "Is your Lady mother in good health, my young sir?"

Alberic blushed more deeply, bowed to the old northern lady, and
answered fast and low in French, "I cannot speak the Norman tongue."

Richard, glad to say something, interpreted Fru Astrida's speech, and
Alberic readily made courteous reply that his mother was well, and he
thanked the Dame de Centeville, a French title which sounded new to
Fru Astrida's ears. Then came the embarrassment again, and Fru
Astrida at last said, "Take him out, Lord Richard; take him to see
the horses in the stables, or the hounds, or what not."

Richard was not sorry to obey, so out they went into the court of
Rollo's tower, and in the open air the shyness went off. Richard
showed his own pony, and Alberic asked if he could leap into the
saddle without putting his foot in the stirrup. No, Richard could
not; indeed, even Osmond had never seen it done, for the feats of
French chivalry had scarcely yet spread into Normandy.

"Can you?" said Richard; "will you show us?"

"I know I can with my own pony," said Alberic, "for Bertrand will not
let me mount in any other way; but I will try with yours, if you
desire it, my Lord."

So the pony was led out. Alberic laid one hand on its mane, and
vaulted on its back in a moment. Both Osmond and Richard broke out
loudly into admiration. "Oh, this is nothing!" said Alberic.
"Bertrand says it is nothing. Before he grew old and stiff he could
spring into the saddle in this manner fully armed. I ought to do
this much better."

Richard begged to be shown how to perform the exploit, and Alberic
repeated it; then Richard wanted to try, but the pony's patience
would not endure any longer, and Alberic said he had learnt on a
block of wood, and practised on the great wolf-hound. They wandered
about a little longer in the court, and then climbed up the spiral
stone stairs to the battlements at the top of the tower, where they
looked at the house-tops of Rouen close beneath, and the river Seine,
broadening and glittering on one side in its course to the sea, and
on the other narrowing to a blue ribbon, winding through the green
expanse of fertile Normandy. They threw the pebbles and bits of
mortar down that they might hear them fall, and tried which could
stand nearest to the edge of the battlement without being giddy.
Richard was pleased to find that he could go the nearest, and began
to tell some of Fru Astrida's stories about the precipices of Norway,
among which when she was a young girl she used to climb about and
tend the cattle in the long light summer time. When the two boys
came down again into the hall to dinner, they felt as if they had
known each other all their lives. The dinner was laid out in full
state, and Richard had, as before, to sit in the great throne-like
chair with the old Count of Harcourt on one side, but, to his
comfort, Fru Astrida was on the other.

After the dinner, Alberic de Montemar rose to take his leave, as he
was to ride half way to his home that afternoon. Count Bernard, who
all dinner time had been watching him intently from under his shaggy
eye-brows, at this moment turned to Richard, whom he hardly ever
addressed, and said to him, "Hark ye, my Lord, what should you say to
have him yonder for a comrade?"

"To stay with me?" cried Richard, eagerly. "Oh, thanks, Sir Count;
and may he stay?"

"You are Lord here."

"Oh, Alberic!" cried Richard, jumping out of his chair of state, and
running up to him, "will you not stay with me, and be my brother and
comrade?"

Alberic looked down hesitating.

"Oh, say that you will! I will give you horses, and hawks, and
hounds, and I will love you--almost as well as Osmond. Oh, stay with
me, Alberic."

"I must obey you, my Lord," said Alberic, "but--"

"Come, young Frenchman, out with it," said Bernard,--"no buts! Speak
honestly, and at once, like a Norman, if you can."

This rough speech seemed to restore the little Baron's self-
possession, and he looked up bright and bold at the rugged face of
the old Dane, while he said, "I had rather not stay here."

"Ha! not do service to your Lord?"

"I would serve him with all my heart, but I do not want to stay here.
I love the Castle of Montemar better, and my mother has no one but
me."

"Brave and true, Sir Frenchman," said the old Count, laying his great
hand on Alberic's head, and looking better pleased than Richard
thought his grim features could have appeared. Then turning to
Bertrand, Alberic's Seneschal, he said, "Bear the Count de Harcourt's
greetings to the noble Dame de Montemar, and say to her that her son
is of a free bold spirit, and if she would have him bred up with my
Lord Duke, as his comrade and brother in arms, he will find a ready
welcome."

"So, Alberic, you will come back, perhaps?" said Richard.

"That must be as my mother pleases," answered Alberic bluntly, and
with all due civilities he and his Seneschal departed.

Four or five times a day did Richard ask Osmond and Fru Astrida if
they thought Alberic would return, and it was a great satisfaction to
him to find that every one agreed that it would be very foolish in
the Dame de Montemar to refuse so good an offer, only Fru Astrida
could not quite believe she would part with her son. Still no Baron
de Montemar arrived, and the little Duke was beginning to think less
about his hopes, when one evening, as he was returning from a ride
with Sir Eric and Osmond, he saw four horsemen coming towards them,
and a little boy in front.

"It is Alberic himself, I am sure of it!" he exclaimed, and so it
proved; and while the Seneschal delivered his Lady's message to Sir
Eric, Richard rode up and greeted the welcome guest.

"Oh, I am very glad your mother has sent you!"

"She said she was not fit to bring up a young warrior of the
marches," said Alberic.

"Were you very sorry to come?"

"I dare say I shall not mind it soon; and Bertrand is to come and
fetch me home to visit her every three months, if you will let me go,
my Lord."

Richard was extremely delighted, and thought he could never do enough
to make Rouen pleasant to Alberic, who after the first day or two
cheered up, missed his mother less, managed to talk something between
French and Norman to Sir Eric and Fru Astrida, and became a very
animated companion and friend. 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. I will do your bidding, as you are
the Duke, but I cannot like it."

"Never mind my being Duke, but play as we used to do."

"Then let us play as I did with Bertrand's sons at Montemar. I was
their Baron, as you are my Duke, but my mother said there would be no
sport unless we forgot all that at play."

"Then so we will. Come, begin again, Alberic, and you shall have the
first turn."

However, Alberic was quite as courteous and respectful to the Duke
when they were not at play, as the difference of their rank required;
indeed, he had learnt much more of grace and courtliness of demeanour
from his mother, a Provencal lady, than was yet to be found among the
Normans. The Chaplain of Montemar had begun to teach him to read and
write, and he liked learning much better than Richard, who would not
have gone on with Father Lucas's lessons at all, if Abbot Martin of
Jumieges had not put him in mind that it had been his father's
especial desire.

What Richard most disliked was, however, the being obliged to sit in
council. The Count of Harcourt did in truth govern the dukedom, but
nothing could be done without the Duke's consent, and once a week at
least, there was held in the great hall of Rollo's tower, what was
called a Parlement, or "a talkation," where Count Bernard, the
Archbishop, the Baron de Centeville, the Abbot of Jumieges, and such
other Bishops, Nobles, or Abbots, as might chance to be at Rouen,
consulted on the affairs of Normandy; and there the little Duke
always was forced to be present, sitting up in his chair of state,
and hearing rather than listening to, questions about the repairing
and guarding of Castles, the asking of loans from the vassals, the
appeals from the Barons of the Exchequer, who were then Nobles sent
through the duchy to administer justice, and the discussions about
the proceedings of his neighbours, King Louis of France, Count
Foulques of Anjou, and Count Herluin of Montreuil, and how far the
friendship of Hugh of Paris, and Alan of Brittany might be trusted.

Very tired of all this did Richard grow, especially when he found
that the Normans had made up their minds not to attempt a war against
the wicked Count of Flanders. He sighed most wearily, yawned again
and again, and moved restlessly about in his chair; but whenever
Count Bernard saw him doing so, he received so severe a look and sign
that he grew perfectly to dread the eye of the fierce old Dane.
Bernard never spoke to him to praise him, or to enter into any of his
pursuits; he only treated him with the grave distant respect due to
him as a Prince, or else now and then spoke a few stern words to him
of reproof for this restlessness, or for some other childish folly.

Used as Richard was to be petted and made much of by the whole house
of Centeville, he resented this considerably in secret, disliked and
feared the old Count, and more than once told Alberic de Montemar,
that as soon as he was fourteen, when he would be declared of age, he
should send Count Bernard to take care of his own Castle of Harcourt,
instead of letting him sit gloomy and grim in the Castle hall in the
evening, spoiling all their sport.

Winter had set in, and Osmond used daily to take the little Duke and
Alberic to the nearest sheet of ice, for the Normans still prided
themselves on excelling in skating, though they had long since left
the frost-bound streams and lakes of Norway.

One day, as they were returning from the ice, they were surprised,
even before they entered the Castle court, by hearing the trampling
of horses' feet, and a sound of voices.

"What may this mean?" said Osmond. "There must surely be a great
arrival of the vassals. The Duke of Brittany, perhaps."

"Oh," said Richard, piteously, "we have had one council already this
week. I hope another is not coming!"

"It must import something extraordinary," proceeded Osmond. "It is a
mischance that the Count of Harcourt is not at Rouen just now."

Richard thought this no mischance at all, and just then, Alberic, who
had run on a little before, came back exclaiming, "They are French.
It is the Frank tongue, not the Norman, that they speak."

"So please you, my Lord," said Osmond, stopping short, "we go not
rashly into the midst of them. I would I knew what were best to do."

Osmond rubbed his forehead and stood considering, while the two boys
looked at him anxiously. In a few seconds, before he had come to any
conclusion, there came forth from the gate a Norman Squire,
accompanied by two strangers.

"My Lord Duke," said he to Richard, in French, "Sir Eric has sent me
to bring you tidings that the King of France has arrived to receive
your homage."

"The King!" exclaimed Osmond.

"Ay!" proceeded the Norman, in his own tongue, "Louis himself, and
with a train looking bent on mischief. I wish it may portend good to
my Lord here. You see I am accompanied. I believe from my heart
that Louis meant to prevent you from receiving a warning, and taking
the boy out of his clutches."

"Ha! what?" said Richard, anxiously. "Why is the King come? What
must I do?"

"Go on now, since there is no help for it," said Osmond.

"Greet the king as becomes you, bend the knee, and pay him homage."

Richard repeated over to himself the form of homage that he might be
perfect in it, and walked on into the court; Alberic, Osmond, and the
rest falling back as he entered. The court was crowded with horses
and men, and it was only by calling out loudly, "The Duke, the Duke,"
that Osmond could get space enough made for them to pass. In a few
moments Richard had mounted the steps and stood in the great hall.

In the chair of state, at the upper end of the room, sat a small
spare man, of about eight or nine-and-twenty, pale, and of a light
complexion, with a rich dress of blue and gold. Sir Eric and several
other persons stood respectfully round him, and he was conversing
with the Archbishop, who, as well as Sir Eric, cast several anxious
glances at the little Duke as he advanced up the hall. He came up to
the King, put his knee to the ground, and was just beginning, "Louis,
King of France, I--" when he found himself suddenly lifted from the
ground in the King's arms, and kissed on both cheeks. Then setting
him on his knee, the King exclaimed, "And is this the son of my brave
and noble friend, Duke William? Ah! I should have known it from his
likeness. Let me embrace you again, dear child, for your father's
sake."

Richard was rather overwhelmed, but he thought the King very kind,
especially when Louis began to admire his height and free-spirited
bearing, and to lament that his own sons, Lothaire and Carloman, were
so much smaller and more backward. He caressed Richard again and
again, praised every word he said--Fru Astrida was nothing to him;
and Richard began to say to himself how strange and unkind it was of
Bernard de Harcourt to like to find fault with him, when, on the
contrary, he deserved all this praise from the King himself.

CHAPTER V

Duke Richard of Normandy slept in the room which had been his
father's; Alberic de Montemar, as his page, slept at his feet, and
Osmond de Centeville had a bed on the floor, across the door, where
he lay with his sword close at hand, as his young Lord's guard and
protector.

All had been asleep for some little time, when Osmond was startled by
a slight movement of the door, which could not be pushed open without
awakening him. In an instant he had grasped his sword, while he
pressed his shoulder to the door to keep it closed; but it was his
father's voice that answered him with a few whispered words in the
Norse tongue, "It is I, open." He made way instantly, and old Sir
Eric entered, treading cautiously with bare feet, and sat down on the
bed motioning him to do the same, so that they might be able to speak
lower. "Right, Osmond," he said. "It is well to be on the alert,
for peril enough is around him--The Frank means mischief! I know
from a sure hand that Arnulf of Flanders was in council with him just
before he came hither, with his false tongue, wiling and coaxing the
poor child!"

"Ungrateful traitor!" murmured Osmond. "Do you guess his purpose?"

"Yes, surely, to carry the boy off with him, and so he trusts
doubtless to cut off all the race of Rollo! I know his purpose is to
bear off the Duke, as a ward of the Crown forsooth. Did you not hear
him luring the child with his promises of friendship with the
Princes? I could not understand all his French words, but I saw it
plain enough."

"You will never allow it?"

"If he does, it must be across our dead bodies; but taken as we are
by surprise, our resistance will little avail. The Castle is full of
French, the hall and court swarm with them. Even if we could draw
our Normans together, we should not be more than a dozen men, and
what could we do but die? That we are ready for, if it may not be
otherwise, rather than let our charge be thus borne off without a
pledge for his safety, and without the knowledge of the states."

"The king could not have come at a worse time," said Osmond.

"No, just when Bernard the Dane is absent. If he only knew what has
befallen, he could raise the country, and come to the rescue."

"Could we not send some one to bear the tidings to-night?"

"I know not," said Sir Eric, musingly. "The French have taken the
keeping of the doors; indeed they are so thick through the Castle
that I can hardly reach one of our men, nor could I spare one hand
that may avail to guard the boy to-morrow."

"Sir Eric;" a bare little foot was heard on the floor, and Alberic de
Montemar stood before him. "I did not mean to listen, but I could
not help hearing you. I cannot fight for the Duke yet, but I could
carry a message."

"How would that be?" said Osmond, eagerly. "Once out of the Castle,
and in Rouen, he could easily find means of sending to the Count. He
might go either to the Convent of St. Ouen, or, which would be
better, to the trusty armourer, Thibault, who would soon find man and
horse to send after the Count."

"Ha! let me see," said Sir Eric. "It might be. But how is he to get
out?"

"I know a way," said Alberic. "I scrambled down that wide buttress
by the east wall last week, when our ball was caught in a branch of
the ivy, and the drawbridge is down."

"If Bernard knew, it would be off my mind, at least!" said Sir Eric.
"Well, my young Frenchman, you may do good service."

"Osmond," whispered Alberic, as he began hastily to dress himself,
"only ask one thing of Sir Eric--never to call me young Frenchman
again!"

Sir Eric smiled, saying, "Prove yourself Norman, my boy."

"Then," added Osmond, "if it were possible to get the Duke himself
out of the castle to-morrow morning. If I could take him forth by
the postern, and once bring him into the town, he would be safe. It
would be only to raise the burghers, or else to take refuge in the
Church of Our Lady till the Count came up, and then Louis would find
his prey out of his hands when he awoke and sought him."

"That might be," replied Sir Eric; "but I doubt your success. The
French are too eager to hold him fast, to let him slip out of their
hands. You will find every door guarded."

"Yes, but all the French have not seen the Duke, and the sight of a
squire and a little page going forth, will scarcely excite their
suspicion."

"Ay, if the Duke would bear himself like a little page; but that you
need not hope for. Besides, he is so taken with this King's
flatteries, that I doubt whether he would consent to leave him for
the sake of Count Bernard. Poor child, he is like to be soon taught
to know his true friends."

"I am ready," said Alberic, coming forward.

The Baron de Centeville repeated his instructions, and then undertook
to guard the door, while his son saw Alberic set off on his
expedition. Osmond went with him softly down the stairs, then
avoiding the hall, which was filled with French, they crept silently
to a narrow window, guarded by iron bars, placed at such short
intervals apart that only so small and slim a form as Alberic's could
have squeezed out between them. The distance to the ground was not
much more than twice his own height, and the wall was so covered with
ivy, that it was not a very dangerous feat for an active boy, so that
Alberic was soon safe on the ground, then looking up to wave his cap,
he ran on along the side of the moat, and was soon lost to Osmond's
sight in the darkness.

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