essed, Richard often
deserved.

As to the boys, his constant companions, Richard was on very friendly
terms with Carlo-man, a gentle, timid, weakly child. Richard looked down
upon him; but he was kind, as a generous-tempered boy could not fail to
be, to one younger and weaker than himself. He was so much kinder than
Lothaire, that Carloman was fast growing very fond of him, and looked up
to his strength and courage as something noble and marvellous.

It was very different with Lothaire, the person from whom, above all
others, Richard would have most expected to meet with affection, as his
father's god-son, a relationship which in those times was thought almost
as near as kindred by blood. Lothaire had been brought up by an
indulgent mother, and by courtiers who never ceased flattering him, as
the heir to the crown, and he had learnt to think that to give way to his
naturally imperious and violent disposition was the way to prove his
power and assert his rank. He had always had his own way, and nothing
had ever been done to check his faults; somewhat weakly health had made
him fretful and timid; and a latent consciousness of this fearfulness
made him all the more cruel, sometimes because he was frightened,
sometimes because he fancied it manly.

He treated his little brother in a way which in these times boys would
call bullying; and, as no one ever dared to oppose the King's eldest son,
it was pretty much the same with every one else, except now and then some
dumb creature, and then all Lothaire's cruelty was shown. When his horse
kicked, and ended by throwing him, he stood by, and caused it to be
beaten till the poor creature's back streamed with blood; when his dog
bit his hand in trying to seize the meat with which he was teazing it, he
insisted on having it killed, and it was worse still when a falcon pecked
one of his fingers. It really hurt him a good deal, and, in a furious
rage, he caused two nails to be heated red hot in the fire, intending to
have them thrust into the poor bird's eyes.

"I will not have it done!" exclaimed Richard, expecting to be obeyed as
he was at home; but Lothaire only laughed scornfully, saying, "Do you
think you are master here, Sir pirate?"

"I will not have it done!" repeated Richard. "Shame on you, shame on
you, for thinking of such an unkingly deed."

"Shame on me! Do you know to whom you speak, master savage?" cried
Lothaire, red with passion.

"I know who is the sav