river, mounted their horses, fled with coward speed, and were out of
reach of a Norman's vengeance."

"But they shall not be so long!" cried Richard, starting forward; for
to his childish fancy this dreadful history was more like one of Dame
Astrida's legends than a reality, and at the moment his thought was
only of the blackness of the treason. "Oh, that I were a man to
chastise them! One day they shall feel--"

He broke off short, for he remembered how his father had forbidden
his denunciations of vengeance, but his words were eagerly caught up
by the Barons, who, as Duke William had said, were far from
possessing any temper of forgiveness, thought revenge a duty, and
were only glad to see a warlike spirit in their new Prince.

"Ha! say you so, my young Lord?" exclaimed old Count Bernard, rising.
"Yes, and I see a sparkle in your eye that tells me you will one day
avenge him nobly!"

Richard drew up his head, and his heart throbbed high as Sir Eric
made answer, "Ay, truly, that will he! You might search Normandy
through, yea, and Norway likewise, ere you would find a temper more
bold and free. Trust my word, Count Bernard, our young Duke will be
famed as widely as ever were his forefathers!"

"I believe it well!" said Bernard. "He hath the port of his
grandfather, Duke Rollo, and much, too, of his noble father! How say
you, Lord Richard, will you be a valiant leader of the Norman race
against our foes?"