Osmond　here　hastily　interfered；　and　desired　permission　to　tell　the　whole　story。　　The　hawk　was　a　valuable　bird；　and　Louis's　face　darkened　when　he　heard　what　Lothaire　had　purposed；　for　the　Prince　had；　in　telling　his　own　story；　made　it　appear　that　Richard　had　been　the　aggressor　by　insisting　on　letting　the　falcon　fly。　　Osmond　finished　by　pointing　to　the　mark　on　Richard's　cheek；　so　evidently　a　burn；　as　to　be　proof　that　hot　iron　had　played　a　part　in　the　matter。　　The　King　looked　at　one　of　his　own　Squires　and　asked　his　account；　and　he　with　some　hesitation　could　not　but　reply　that　it　was　as　the　young　Sieur　de　Centeville　had　said。　　Thereupon　Louis　angrily　reproved　his　own　people　for　having　assisted　the　Prince　in　trying　to　injure　the　hawk；　called　for　the　chief　falconer；　rated　him　for　not　better　attending　to　his　birds；　and　went　forth　with　him　to　see　if　the　hawk　could　yet　be　recaptured；　leaving　the　two　boys　neither　punished　nor　pardoned。
  〃So　you　have　escaped　for　this　once；〃　said　Gerberge；　coldly；　to　Richard；　〃you　had　better　beware　another　time。　　Come　with　me；　my　poor　darling　Lothaire。〃　　She　led　her　son　away　to　her　own　apartments；　and　the　French　Squires　began　to　grumble　to　each　other　complaints　of　the　impossibility　of　pleasing　their　Lords；　since；　if　they　contradicted　Prince　Lothaire；　he　was　so　spiteful　that　he　was　sure　to　set　the　Queen　against　them；　and　that　was　far　worse　in　the　end　than　the　King's　displeasure。　　Osmond；　in　the　meantime；　took　Richard　to　re…commence　bathing　his　face；　and　presently　Carloman　ran　out　to　pity　him；　wonder　at　him　for　not　crying；　and　say　he　was　glad　the　poor　hawk　had　escaped。
  The　cheek　continued　inflamed　and　painful　for　some　time；　and　there　was　a　deep　scar　long　after　the　pain　had　ceased；　but　Richard　thought　little　of　it　after　the　first；　and　would　have　scorned　to　bear　ill…will　to　Lothaire　for　the　injury。
  Lothaire　left　off　taunting　Richard　with　his　Norman　accent；　and　calling　him　a　young　Sea…king。　　He　had　felt　his　strength；　and　was　afraid　of　him；　but　he　did　not　like　him　the　betterhe　never　played　with　him　willinglyscowled；　and　looked　dark　and　jealous；　if　his　father；　or　if　any　of　the　great　nobles　took　the　least　notice　of　the　little　Duke；　and　whenever　he　was　out　of　hearing；　talked　against　him　with　all　his　natural　spitefulness。
  Richard　liked　Lothaire　quite　as　little；　contemning　almost　equally　his　cowardly　ways　and　his　imperious　disposition。　　Since　he　had　been　Duke；　Richard　had　been　somewhat　inclined　to　grow　imperious　himself；　though　always　kept　under　restraint　by　Fru　Astrida's　good　training；　and　Count　Bernard's　authority；　and　his　whole　generous　nature　would　have　revolted　against　treating　Alberic；　or　indeed　his　meanest　vassal；　as　Lothaire　used　the　unfortunate　children　who　were　his　playfellows。　Perhaps　this　made　him　look　on　with　great　horror　at　the　tyranny　which　Lothaire　exercised；　at　any　rate　he　learnt　to　abhor　it　more；　and　to　make　many　resolutions　against　ordering　people　about　uncivilly　when　once　he　should　be　in　Normandy　again。　　He　often　interfered　to　protect　the　poor　boys；　and　generally　with　success；　for　the　Prince　was　afraid　of　provoking　such　another　shake　as　Richard　had　once　given　him；　and　though　he　generally　repaid　himself　on　his　victim　in　the　end；　he　yielded　for　the　time。
  Carloman；　whom　Richard　often　saved　from　his　brother's　unkindness；　clung　closer　and　closer　to　him；　went　with　him　everywhere；　tried　to　do　all　he　did；　grew　very　fond　of　Osmond；　and　liked　nothing　better　than　to　sit　by　Richard　in　some　wide　window…seat；　in　the　evening；　after　supper；　and　listen　to　Richard's　version　of　some　of　Fru　Astrida's　favourite　tales；　or　hear　the　never…ending　history　of　sports　at　Centeville；　or　at　Rollo's　Tower；　or　settle　what　great　things　they　would　both　do　when　they　were　grown　up；　and　Richard　was　ruling　Normandyperhaps　go　to　the　Holy　Land　together；　and　slaughter　an　unheard…of　host　of　giants　and　dragons　on　the　way。　　In　the　meantime；　however；　poor　Carloman　gave　small　promise　of　being　able　to　perform　great　exploits；　for　he　was　very　small　for　his　age　and　often　ailing；　soon　tired；　and　never　able　to　bear　much　rough　play。　　Richard；　who　had　never　had　any　reason　to　learn　to　forbear；　did　not　at　first　understand　this；　and　made　Carloman　cry　several　times　with　his　roughness　and　violence；　but　this　always　vexed　him　so　much　that　he　grew　careful　to　avoid　such　things　for　the　future；　and　gradually　learnt　to　treat　his　poor　little　weakly　friend　with　a　gentleness　and　patience　at　which　Osmond　used　to　marvel；　and　which　he　would　hardly　have　been　taught　in　his　prosperity　at　home。
  Between　Carloman　and　Osmond　he　was　thus　tolerably　happy　at　Laon；　but　he　missed　his　own　dear　friends；　and　the　loving　greetings　of　his　vassals；　and　longed　earnestly　to　be　at　Rouen；　asking　Osmond　almost　every　night　when　they　should　go　back；　to　which　Osmond　could　only　answer　that　he　must　pray　that　Heaven　would　be　pleased　to　bring　them　home　safely。
  Osmond；　in　the　meantime；　kept　a　vigilant　watch　for　anything　that　might　seem　to　threaten　danger　to　his　Lord；　but　at　present　there　was　no　token　of　any　evil　being　intended；　the　only　point　in　which　Louis　did　not　seem　to　be　fulfilling　his　promises　to　the　Normans　was；　that　no　preparations　were　made　for　attacking　the　Count　of　Flanders。
  At　Easter　the　court　was　visited　by　Hugh　the　White；　the　great　Count　of　Paris；　the　most　powerful　man　in　France；　and　who　was　only　prevented　by　his　own　loyalty　and　forbearance；　from　taking　the　crown　from　the　feeble　and　degenerate　race　of　Charlemagne。　　He　had　been　a　firm　friend　of　William　Longsword；　and　Osmond　remarked　how；　on　his　arrival；　the　King　took　care　to　bring　Richard　forward；　talk　of　him　affectionately；　and　caress　him　almost　as　much　as　he　had　done　at　Rouen。　　The　Count　himself　was　really　kind　and　affectionate　to　the　little　Duke；　he　kept　him　by　his　side；　and　seemed　to　like　to　stroke　down　his　long　flaxen　hair；　looking　in　his　face　with　a　grave　mournful　expression；　as　if　seeking　for　a　likeness　to　his　father。　　He　soon　asked　about　the　scar　which　the　burn　had　left；　and　the　King　was　obliged　to　answer　hastily；　it　was　an　accident；　a　disaster　that　had　chanced　in　a　boyish　quarrel。　Louis；　in　fact；　was　uneasy；　and　appeared　to　be　watching　the　Count　of　Paris　the　whole　time　of　his　visit；　so　as　to　prevent　him　from　having　any　conversation　in　private　with　the　other　great　vassals　assembled　at　the　court。　　Hugh　did　not　seem　to　perceive　this；　and　acted　as　if　he　was　entirely　at　his　ease；　but　at　the　same　time　he　watched　his　opportunity。　　One　evening；　after　supper；　he　came　up　to　the　window　where　Richard　and　Carloman　were；　as　usual；　deep　in　story　telling；　he　sat　down　on　the　stone　seat；　and　taking　Richard　on　his　knee；　he　asked　if　he　had　any　greetings　for　the　Count　de　Harcourt。
  How　Richard's　face　lighted　up！　　〃Oh；　Sir；〃　he　cried；　〃are　you　going　to　Normandy？〃
  〃Not　yet；　my　boy；　but　it　may　be　that　I　may　have　to　meet　old　Harcourt　at　the　Elm　of　Gisors。〃
  〃Oh；　if　I　was　but　going　with　you。〃
  〃I　wish　I　could　take　you；　but　it　would　scarcely　do　for　me　to　steal　the　heir　of　Normandy。　　What　shall　I　tell　him？〃
  〃Tell　him；〃　whispered　Richard；　edging　himself　close　to　the　Count；　and　trying　to　reach　his　ear；　〃tell　him　that　I　am　sorry；　now；　that　I　was　sullen　when　he　reproved　me。　　I　know　he　was　right。　　And；　sir；　if　he　brings　with　him　a　certain　huntsman　with　a　long　hooked　nose；　whose　name　is　Walter；　｛12｝　tell　him　I　am　sorry　I　used　to　order　him　about　so　unkindly。　　And　tell　him　to　bear　my　greetings　to　Fru　Astrida　and　Sir　Eric；　and　to　Alberic。〃
  〃Shall　I　tell　him　how　you　have　marked　your　face？〃
  〃No；〃　said　Richard；　〃he　would　think　me　a　baby　to　care　about　such　a　thing　as　that！〃
  The　Count　asked　how　it　happened；　and　Richard　told　the　story；　for　he　felt　as　if　he　could　tell　the　kind　Count　anythingit　was　almost　like　that　last　evening　that　he　had　sat　on　his　father's　knee。　　Hugh　ended　by　putting　his　arm　round　him；　and　saying；　〃Well；　my　little　Duke；　I　am　as　glad　as　you　are　the　gallant　bird　is　safeit　will　be　a　tale　for　my　own　little　Hugh　and　Eumacette　｛13｝　at　homeand　you　must　one　day　be　friends　with　them　as　your　father　has　been　with　me。　　And　now；　do　you　think　your　Squire　could　come　to　my　chamber　late　this　evening　when　the　household　is　at　rest？〃
  Richard　undertook　that　Osmond　should　do　so；　and　the　Count；　setting　him　down　again；　returned　to　the　dais。　　Osmond；　before　going　to　the　Count　that　evening；　ordered　Sybald　to　come　and　guard　the　Duke's　door。　It　was　a　long　conference；　for　Hugh　had　come　to　Laon　chiefly　for　the　purpose　of　seeing　how　it　went　with　his　friend's　son；　and　was　anxious　to　know　what　Osmond　thought　of　the　matter。　　They　agreed　that　at　present　there　did　not　seem　to　be　any　evil　intended；　and　that　it　rather　appeared　as　if　Louis　wished　only　to　keep　him　as　a　hostage　for　the　tranquillity　of　the　borders　of　Normandy；　but　Hugh　advised　that　Osmond　should　maintain　a　careful　watch；　and　send　intelligence　to　him　on　the　first　token　of　mischief。
  The　next　morning　the　Count　of　Paris　quitted　Laon；　and　everything　went　on　in　the　usual　course　till　the　feast　of　Whitsuntide；　when　there　was　always　a　great　display　of　splendour　at　the　French　court。　　The　crown　vassals　generally　came　to　pay　their　duty　and　go　with　the　King　to　Church；　and　there　was　a　state　banquet；　at　which　the　King　and　Queen　wore　their　crowns；　and　every　one　sat　in　great　magnificence　according　to　the