atural
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 Normandy--perhaps 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 Rou