"Who art thou?" said the Duke. "In this holy place thou art secure, be thy deed what it may. Speak!--who art thou?" "Dost thou not know me?" said the suppliant. "Promise mercy, ere thou dost hear my name." "I have seen that face under a helmet," said the Duke. "Thou art Arnulf of Flanders!" There was a deep silence. "And wherefore art thou here?" "I delayed to own the French King Hugh. He has taken my towns and ravaged my lands. Each Frenchman and each Norman vows to slay me, in revenge for your wrongs, Lord Duke. I have been driven hither and thither, in fear of my life, till I thought of the renown of Duke Richard, not merely the most fearless, but the most merciful of Princes. I sought to come hither, trusting that, when the holy Father Abbot beheld my bitter repentance, he would intercede for me with you, most noble Prince, for my safety and forgiveness. Oh, gallant Duke, forgive and spare!" "Rise up, Arnulf," said Richard. "Where the hand of the Lord hath stricken, it is not for man to exact his own reckoning. My father's death has been long forgiven, and what you may have planned against myself has, by the blessing of Heaven, been brought to nought. From Normans at least you are safe; and it shall be my work to ensure your pardon from my brother the King. Come into the refectory: you need refreshment. The Lord Abbot makes you welcome." {17} Tears of gratitude and true repentance choked Arnulf's speech, and he allowed himself to be raised from the ground, and was forced to accept the support of the Duke's arm. The venerable Abbot slowly rose, and held up his hand in an attitude of blessing: "The blessing of a merciful God be upon the sinner who turneth from his evil way; and ten thousand blessings of pardon and peace are already on the head of him who hath stretched out his hand to forgive and aid him who was once his most grievous foe!" Footnotes: {1} Richard's place of education was Bayeaux; for, as Duke William says in the rhymed Chronicle of Normandy,-- "Si a Roem le faz garder E norir, gaires longement Il ne saura parlier neiant Daneis, kar nul n l'i parole. Si voil qu'il seit a tele escole Qu l'en le sache endoctriner Que as Daneis sache parler. Ci ne sevent riens fors Romanz Mais a Baieux en a tanz Qui ne sevent si Daneis non." {2} Bernard was founder of the family of Harcourt of Nuneham. Ferrieres, the ancestor of that of Ferrars. {3} In the same Chronicle, William Longsword directs that,-- "Tant seit apris qu'il lise un bref Kar ceo ne li ert pas trop gref." {4} Hako of Norway was educated by Ethelstane of England. It was Foulques le Bon, the contemporary Count of Anjou, who, when derided by Louis IV. for serving in the choir of Tours, wrote the following retort: "The Count of Anjou to the King of France. Apprenez, Monseigneur, qu'un roi sans lettres est une ane couronne."