at Lothaire had learnt
to know that he must submit, and that no one cared for his threats of his
father's or his mother's vengeance. He was very sulky and disagreeable,
and severely tried Richard's forbearance; but there were no fresh
outbursts, and, on the whole, from one week to another, there might be
said to be an improvement. He could not always hold aloof from one so
good-natured and good-humoured as the little Duke; and the fact of being
kept in order could not but have some beneficial effect on him, after
such spoiling as his had been at home.

Indeed, Osmond was once heard to say, it was a pity the boy was not to be
a hostage for life; to which Sir Eric replied, "So long as we have not
the training of him."

Little Carloman, meanwhile, recovered from his fears of all the inmates
of the Castle excepting Hardigras, at whose approach he always shrank and
trembled.

He renewed his friendship with Osmond, no longer started at the entrance
of Sir Eric, laughed at Alberic's merry ways, and liked to sit on Fru
Astrida's lap, and hear her sing, though he understood not one word; but
his especial love was still for his first friend, Duke Richard.
Hand-in-hand they went about together, Richard sometimes lifting him up
the steep steps, and, out of consideration for him, refraining from rough
play; and Richard led him to join with him in those lessons that Father
Lucas gave the children of the Castle, every Friday and Sunday evening in
the Chapel. The good Priest stood on the Altar steps, with the children
in a half circle round him--the son and daughter of the armourer, the
huntsman's little son, the young Baron de Montemar, the Duke of Normandy,
and the Prince of France, all were equal there--and together they learnt,
as he explained to them the things most needful to believe; and thus
Carloman left off wondering why Richard thought it right to be good to
his enemies; and though at first he had known less than even the little
leather-coated huntsman, he seemed to take the holy lessons in faster
than any of them--yes, and act on them, too. His feeble health seemed to
make him enter into their comfort and meaning more than even Richard; and
Alberic and Father Lucas soon told Fru Astrida that it was a
saintly-minded child.

Indeed, Carloman was more disposed to thoughtfulness, because he was
incapable of joining in the sports of the other boys. A race round the
court was beyond his strength, the fresh wind on the ba