nroad　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　youalmost　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；