The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-12-20
THE BOY DUKE.


You mistake, Du Mar. His uncle knows
how to bend his viii to that of a rightfui mas
ter; and his unele's nephew must learn to do
the same"
Il shall never learn it of you. Count Guy de
Meulan! You are not my rightful master "
shouted Guy.
His hot, young blood was up, and he seemed
afraid of nothing. With blazing eyes, he added:
The Duke of Normandy is my Lord as well
as yours, and if you dare lay another lash on
me, viii appeal to him .
The Lord of Meulan seemed, for a moment,
so astounded by his nephew's bOldness and so
furious with anger, that he could not speak.
BOthon of Bayeux and Iyo de Belesme looked
at each other with serious faces, and Two nodded
to himself, deci5ively.
Count Guy, the boy is right he said.
"This is no fit punishment to be inflicted on a
high-born youth He may be ssucy and rebel
lious, but he is not slave"
And BothOn added:
You are showing little wisdom, Guy, in
using him like this. You never can break the
spirit of such a boy"
We will seel" said the Count Of Meulan,
grimly, recovering his voice; and turning to
the three hunt5men, with an air of stern COM
mand: Take that young braggart out yOnder
by the wall, said he, and chastise him a sec
ond time. Lay it to him we'll, and do not cease
till you have made him promise to 60 back TO
MeuiaH without resistance !"
As the Count gave this order young Guy
turned, with 2 desperate impulse and darted
toward the door; but before be reached 10 the
huntsmen had their hands upon him. Hestrug-
gled msdly, and all at once, lifting his voice 20
its highest pitch, he gave utterance to . shout
that made the tower ring;
"HA Rot HA ROi LADE, MON PRINCE!
Help, Rollo. Help, RoIloi To the rescue, my
LordD"
Well known was this wild cry TO every Nor
man ear, and powerful to move the Norman
heart. 1t was the " C'qReay de Ia R0"-the
cry for justice in the name Of RollO.
For centuries after RoilO's death this form
of words remained in use, and is not yet for
gotten in brave old Normandy. "Ha 70! Ha
RO!H-a contraction Of Hufe, R0iO was
the shout, or "elamor" with which RollO's war
ri0rs had been won't to call upon their mighty
chief when hard pressed in battle; and now,
IN Richards time, this cry had come TO have
the double Specification of an appeal to the liv-
ing Lord, the heir of RollO's power, and of
solemn invocation to the memory of the Sea-
King. Probably, in that superstitiOus age, it
had the.efect of an actual prayer, or summons,
calling on the spirit of ROlO to return aud
help the helpless For, though the Norman
Danes were Christianized, their new religion
was naturally ingrafted with many lingering
traces of belief in the old Danish gods of bat
earth, forever lighting in Valhalls, the war
riOrs paradise.
1t was an age of warfare, and no departed
saint was more reyered than was the memory
of hero, who. after winning many victories,
persisted with honor on the field Of battle
Died with his harness on-the broadswords leap
ing,
The wild fight surging fast; .
SOre-wOunded, weaker with each stroke, vet keep
His stort front to tt,a Lost -
The CIamear de Ha Ro had grown to be some
thing more than battlecry, however. 1t was
now the formal utterance of appeal to the
Duke from any manner of oppression, and was
sacredly regarded as the privilege and right of
every Norman subject. however humble. who
found himself about to be defeated in Just
cause. But woe to one who raised that cry, If
it proved that justice was opposed to him, in-
stead of being in his favor for, i'll that case,
he had insulted the Lord of Normandy by call
ing on him to assist an eyil.doer.
The cry had still another meaning; that of
q solemn call on all true liegemen of the Duke
to iuterpose and protect the injured one, till
he could bring his case before his Lord in per-
son; to defend, even to the death, should it be
needful, the cause of right and justice, on their
Lords behalf and no true Norman could with
hold his aid when this appeal was uttered in
his hearing.