ida's great preparations. No sooner had she seen the haunch placed
upon a spit, which a little boy was to turn before the fire, than she
turned to dress something else, namely, the young Prince Richard himself,
whom she led off to one of the upper rooms, and there he had full time to
talk, while she, great lady though she was, herself combed smooth his
long flowing curls, and fastened his short scarlet cloth tunic, which
just reached to his knee, leaving his neck, arms, and legs bare. He
begged hard to be allowed to wear a short, beautifully ornamented dagger
at his belt, but this Fru Astrida would not allow.

"You will have enough to do with steel and dagger before your life is at
an end," said she, "without seeking to begin over soon."

"To be sure I shall," answered Richard. "I will be called Richard of the
Sharp Axe, or the Bold Spirit, I promise you, Fru Astrida. We are as
brave in these days as the Sigurds and Ragnars you sing of! I only wish
there were serpents and dragons to slay here in Normandy."

"Never fear but you will find even too many of them," said Dame Astrida;
"there be dragons of wrong here and everywhere, quite as venomous as any
in my Sagas."

"I fear them not," said Richard, but half understanding her, "if you
would only let me have the dagger! But, hark! hark!" he darted to the
window. "They come, they come! There is the banner of Normandy."

Away ran the happy child, and never rested till he stood at the bottom of
the long, steep, stone stair, leading to the embattled porch. Thither
came the Baron de Centeville, and his son, to receive their Prince.
Richard looked up at Osmond, saying, "Let me hold his stirrup," and then
sprang up and shouted for joy, as under the arched gateway there came a
tall black horse, bearing the stately form of the Duke of Normandy. His
purple robe was fastened round him by a rich belt, sustaining the mighty
weapon, from which he was called "William of the long Sword," his legs
and feet were cased in linked steel chain-work, his gilded spurs were on
his heels, and his short brown hair was covered by his ducal cap of
purple, turned up with fur, and a feather fastened in by a jewelled
clasp. His brow was grave and thoughtful, and there was something both
of dignity and sorrow in his face, at the first moment of looking at it,
recalling the recollection that he had early lost his young wife, the
Duchess Emma, and that he was beset by many cares and toils; but