eat the Lord's Prayer in Latin--he had
not the least notion of its meaning--in which Richard had been carefully
instructed by Father Lucas. He began to explain it, but before many
words had passed his lips, little Carloman was asleep.

The Duke crept softly away to beg to be allowed to go to Lothaire; he
entered the room, already dark, with a pine torch in his hand, that so
flickered in the wind, that he could at first see nothing, but presently
beheld a dark lump on the floor.

"Prince Lothaire," he said, "here is--"

Lothaire cut him short. "Get away," he said. "If it is your turn now,
it will be mine by and by. I wish my mother had kept her word, and put
your eyes out."

Richard's temper did not serve for such a reply. "It is a foul shame of
you to speak so, when I only came out of kindness to you--so I shall
leave you here all night, and not ask Sir Eric to let you out."

And he swung back the heavy door with a resounding clang. But his heart
smote him when he told his beads, and remembered what he had said to
Carloman. He knew he could not sleep in his warm bed when Lothaire was
in that cold gusty room. To be sure, Sir Eric said it would do him good,
but Sir Eric little knew how tender the French Princes were.

So Richard crept down in the dark, slid back the bolt, and called,
"Prince, Prince, I am sorry I was angry. Come out, and let us try to be
friends."

"What do you mean?" said Lothaire.

"Come out of the cold and dark. Here am I. I will show you the way.
Where is your hand? Oh, how cold it is. Let me lead you down to the
hall fire."

Lothaire was subdued by fright, cold, and darkness, and quietly allowed
Richard to lead him down. Round the fire, at the lower end of the hall,
snored half-a-dozen men-at-arms; at the upper hearth there was only
Hardigras, who raised his head as the boys came in. Richard's whisper
and soft pat quieted him instantly, and the two little Princes sat on the
hearth together, Lothaire surprised, but sullen. Richard stirred the
embers, so as to bring out more heat, then spoke: "Prince, will you let
us be friends?"

"I must, if I am in your power."

"I wish you would be my guest and comrade."

"Well, I will; I can't help it."

Richard thought his advances might have been more graciously met, and,
having little encouragement to say more, took Lothaire to bed, as soon as
he was warm.

CHAPTER XI

As the Baron had said, there was more peace now th