France -- History -- Louis IX, 1226-1270 -- Juvenile fiction
Raymond stayed at the chateau with his mother. He much wished to join
the Count's party in the search for his brother, but Barran told him
that it was his duty to try to comfort and console the Countess until
Louis should be brought back, and, therefore, Raymond reluctantly
remained at Viteau. He loved his mother, and was always willing to do
anything that would please or benefit her, but, in this case, he thought
that she, being safe at home, did not need him nearly so much as his
poor brother, who probably was suffering in captivity, no one knew
where.
On the evening of the second day after the departure of the searching
party, Raymond came down into the grounds of the chateau. His mother was
asleep, and he came out for a little exercise.
Not far from the house he met the squire.
"Bernard," said Raymond, "I think it is a foolish thing for you and me
and all these men to be idling here. We might leave my mother with her
ladies, and a man or two, and go, the rest of us, to help scour the
woods to find dear Louis."
Just at this moment, and before Bernard could answer him, Raymond saw,
coming up from the lower part of the grounds, the Dominican monk,
Brother Anselmo.
"What does that man want, Bernard?" he exclaimed. "There have been two
priests here to-day, to console my mother in her affliction, and I do
not think another one is needed now, especially not this man, who does
not belong to our monastery and who keeps himself a stranger to me. My
mother is asleep, and should not be disturbed."
"If she is asleep," said the squire, "she shall not be disturbed."
He then walked back to the house, closely followed by Raymond, and stood
in the entrance door. In a few moments the monk appeared, and with a
slight motion of the head, but not a word, stepped forward to pass in.
But the squire stood stoutly before him, and stopped him.
"My lady, the Countess," he said, "is weary and sick at heart on account
of the loss of her young son. She is sleeping now and can not be
disturbed."
"If she is sick at heart," said Brother Anselmo, "that is the greater
reason why I should see her."
"It can not be," said Bernard. "She needs rest, and no one must disquiet
her."
"What right have you, Squire Bernard," said the monk, "to forbid my
entrance? Are you the master of this house?"
"No," said Raymond, stepping forward, "but I am, when my mother can not
act as its mistress, and I say that no one shall disturb her this night.
Two priests have been here to-day, and I know she expects no others."
"Boy," said Brother Anselmo, "stand aside! You should be chastised for
such presumptuous words; and as for you, Squire, I command you, in the
name of the Church, to let me pass."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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