The National tribune., 1889-01-31
THE BOY DUKE.
Continued from LIST page.)

the son OF L0DgSWoIu, ne S0all De nauleO
away to prison straight, and if it suits you
to command his death, my Lord, he dies!"
Mot so, Alan" said Richard, laughing
gaily. This is the day that shall behold
the knighting of your son-the day when
every prisoner must go free, and every mans
offense must go UNPUBLISHED throughout all
Brittany! Such was your promise, Duke"
otis true, my Lord, said Alan, slowly.
Therefore," added Richard" let the
Frenchman 60 to-day in safety; but let him
turn his back at once to Nantes, and get him.
self beyond the borders of your realm before
the midnight hour; for if he fingers longer,
l myself will make him prisoner, and bear
him hence to Normandy, to answer for his
part IN these designs against me-"
=" You hear" said Alan, sternly, to the
Frenchman. Get you gone, with your at
tendants while you may, and thank my
young Lord that you are graclously permit
ted to escape! But you are too merciful,
my Lord" he added, discontentedly.
Though he was bound for that day by the
pledge of amnesty to all offenders, which he
could not think of breaking, yet he felt so
bitterly toward De Charities for having
placed him even momentarily in the posi-
ton of faithless friend and vassal-or at
least of friend and vassal who was tempted
to be faithless-that he would have been
well pleased had Richard asserted his own
unquestionable right, and taken vengeance
on the agent of his foe. But the Boy Duke
answered:
I SEE NOTHING TO BE GAINED,
Alan, if l should exercise the power of O
Norman Duke against the mere emissary
and instrument of others-for this man is
nothing more. Nay, let him 90. And look
you, Sieur De Charities, tell the Trickster
Theobald that when / hold his life and lib
erty at my disposal, | will not be so easy
and tell him also that l trust in God no part
nor portion of Normandy will ever fall to
him; and if he wants my person, let him
take me when he can. But | think that
same possession, ere he gains it, will cost
him even more than his right hand! Now
go-and see you give the Count Of Blois his
answer
3" will; and I thank you for my life,
Duke Richard" replied the Frenchman,
humbly.
He turned away, in haste to seek his at
tendants and depart; and Alan beckoned to
Enguerrand the page-who, with his COM
panion, had turned back, surprised to find
that Richard was not following his guidance
and grufiy ordered him to conduct the
Sieur De Charities.
" viii lead you to the chapel now, my
Lord" he said; though the bell has ceased
ringing so long that / doubt we shall hear
but the end of the mathis Our holy Aide
brand viii hardly allow the service to wait
for me-yet | blame him not for that" said
Alan, with grim good-humOr; since guest
so seldom expected can scarcely ask in rea-
son that the feast shall wait his comingn
r1 M
upon his feeling of reverence for religion
in all the solemnities Of which he had been
most devoutly bred-to hear the Duke of
Brittany allude to sacred things in such a
testing tone and careless manner; though
Alan held himself to be a good Christian
and q stanch upholder of the true faith.
He was type of the bold medieval Baron
the same in kind, though his title might be
Duke or Count or King-who kept his power,
as very likely he had gained it, by the might
of his sword; who ruled his vassals with an
iron hand, and made himself terror to his
foes; who kept open hall and free board for
all who came in friendship, but turned his
castle into a military fortress at moments
notice; who destroyed his enemies wherever
he could find them, and fought with equal
ferocity in his own battles or in the service of
his overload; and who at a little later period
went crusading for the Cross with undimn-
represented mainly by wrath against the inf
del Saracens. Who said prayer to his patron
saint whenever heAyanted the saints assistance
or protection, confessed his sins occasionally,
paid his penance, or shirked it as he could and
was duly shriven; and went on accumuating
a new store of sins for future absolution.
Who usually died in his armor, aud was buried,
perhaps, in a church of his own building Duke
Alan had his rugged virtues, and there were
many like him; but it must not be forgotten
that there were also many like the noble Rich
ard and the brave and godly Gareth.
As Alan had predicted the matin service was
nearly ended before they reached the chapel,
where all the household were in their places,
| kneeling each in order according to his rank
Gareth, and the Count of Rennes, with other
noble Lords, occupied the foremost places on
| one side, while on the other side were ranged
| the ladies of the house, with their noble maids
| of honor, and the females of lower rank behind
them, as was the custom; and the space at the
front was left vacant for the Lord of the castle
| aud his honored guest the Boy Duke.
! There were no seats, for people stood or
knelt in church in those days. Sometimes the
oldest or the noblest of the ladies had richly
carved and velvet-cushioned pFieIieu but
! there were none of these elaborate praying
| chairs at Nantes. Lord, lady,
DAMosEL AND PAGE, BLUE-BLooDED SQUIRE
| AND Low-BORN sERYIToR,
| they all knelt down alike upon the stone floor
! of the chapel; and Richard of Normandy, bow
| ing low his bright young head with all its
weight of earthly honors, dropped on his knees
| beside the Breton DIXIE his vassal and de-
voutly murmured his responses to the closing
prayers, pronounced in Latin by the "holy
clerk"
As soon as the service was concluded and the
assemblage dismissed with the usual benedic-
ton, Richard spoke to Gareth, who stood re-
| spectfully awaiting his notice, and inquired:
is it your wish to be knighted here, Sir
Gareth or in the castle hall?"
| Gareth colored with surprise and pleasure, as
he heard himself addressed by the style of a
Knight, which had not yet been formally con-
| ferred upon him.
MY Lord" he said, the chapel should be
| my choice, were it not that my father intends
my knighting to be witnessed by all his Lords ;
and therefore it must needs take place in the
great hall"
"Ah," said Richard, 81 know the Lords are
many that pay their homage to the Duke OF
Brittany the chapel, in truth, would scarce
afford them standing room. But how can they
all be called together in so short timer"
Gareth smiled.
My Lord" said he, "as soon as we had
news that you were on the way to visit u.s. our
messengers were speedily sent out to bear the
tidings to our vassals far and near; and every
Breton Lord was notified that he must be in