LITMIR.BIZ

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all night we shall be beyond the territory of this vile count. I hope before long we shall strike on some road leading in the right direction, for if we get among the woods again we shall be able to make no progress. But any road we may come upon going at all in the right direction is likely to lead to Rouen.”

      “How far is it, do you think?”

      “I have a very vague idea. The prior had a map of Normandy, and on this he pointed out to me how the duchy had grown since William came as a boy to be its duke. I can remember the general position of the town, but not more than that. I should think from the Somme to Rouen must be over seventy miles and less than a hundred, but more closely than that I cannot guess.”

      They came upon no road before morning, but as the country was open they made good progress, and when they lay down in a thicket as the day was breaking they calculated that they must be nearly thirty miles south of the Somme.

      “I feel that I want sleep,” Beorn said, “but still more that I want food. If it is another sixty miles to Rouen I know not how we are going to travel the distance fasting”

      “No, we must get some food to morrow or rather to day, Beorn. We have nothing of any value to offer for it. They searched us too closely for anything to escape them. We dare not go into any town or village until we are quite sure that we are beyond the count’s territories, but we might enter some solitary hut and pray for a piece of bread for charity, or we can walk all day, by which time we shall surely be well beyond the Count of Ponthieu’s territory, and could boldly go into a town. If we are seized, we can demand to be sent to Rouen, saying we are bearers of an important message to Duke William, and even if they do not send us straight on, they would hardly keep us without food.”

      After sleeping for four or five hours they again started, and after walking some miles came upon a herdsman’s cottage The man was out, and his wife looked with surprise at the two lads, whose garments, though stained by sea water and travel, were evidently those of youths of a class above the common. Beorn addressed her in her own language, and told her that they were wayfarers who had lost their road and were grievously in need of food. She at once invited them to come in, and set before them some black bread and some cheese made from goats’ milk. They learned to their satisfaction that they had long passed the limits of Ponthieu, and that Rouen was distant about fifty miles.

      “The road from Amiens lies five miles to the east,” she said; “but it would be shorter for you to keep due south, for it inclines in that direction. You will strike it after seven miles’ walking, and after that you cannot miss your way.”

      After warmly thanking the woman for her hospitality the lads again started, feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed by their meal; but want of sleep told upon them, and when they got within sight of the road they again lay down, and slept until the sun was setting. Resuming their journey they followed the road, and before morning crossed over a range of hills, and presently arrived at a small hamlet close to which was a monastery. Towards this they directed their steps, and seating themselves on the ground near the door, waited until it was unbarred.

      “You are early wayfarers, my sons,” the monk who opened the gates said as they went up, “and you seem to have travelled far.”

      “That have we, father, and are sorely in need of food.”

      The hospitality of the monasteries was unbounded, and the monk at once led them into the kitchen, where bread, meat, and wine were placed before them.

      “Truly you were hungry,” the monk said smilingly as he watched their onslaught upon the joint.

      “We were well-nigh starving, father. For two days we have had nought to eat save a crust of bread we had brought with us, and some that a shepherd’s wife bestowed upon us out of charity, and we have walked from near Hesdin.”

      “I do not ask out of curiosity, my sons,” the monk said after a pause, “and you know it is not our custom to question wayfarers who come in to ask our hospitality; but it is strange to see two youths, who by their dress and manner seem to belong to a superior station, in so pitiable a state as you are, and wandering alone, as it would seem, penniless through the country. I ask not your confidence, but if you chose to give it maybe we might aid or advise you. Our prior is a kindly man and very gentle with the faults of others.”

      “We are Saxons, father. We were wrecked four days since near St. Valery, and are now bound on an errand of high importance to Duke William, to whom it is urgent we should arrive as soon as possible. We have run sore peril on the way, and have been stripped of our money and valuables.”

      “Is your mission of importance to the duke as well as to yourselves?” the monk asked gravely.

      “It is of great importance to him. I am sure that he would consider that any one who assisted us on our way had done him good service.”

      The monk look earnestly at them. “I will speak to the prior,” he said. He returned in a few minutes and bade them follow him.

      The prior was a tall, gentle old man. “I have heard your story from brother Gregory,” he said, “and I wished to see you that I might judge for myself whether so strange a tale, as that two shipwrecked boys should have important business with our duke, could be believed, before I did aught to help you forward. You look to me honest of purpose and of gentle blood, and not, I am sure, belonging to the class of wayfarer who will trump up any story for the purpose of gaining alms. Whether your errand with the duke is of the importance you deem it I cannot say, but if you give me your word that you consider it an urgent matter, I will aid you to proceed at once.”

      “We do indeed consider it most urgent, father, and we are sure that the duke will so regard it. We should not have walked well-nigh a hundred miles in two days and nights, and that almost without food, had we not deemed it so.”

      “Brother Gregory,” the prior said, “bid lay-brother Philip at once prepare three palfreys, and tell him he is to ride himself with these two Saxon youths to Rouen. The distance is thirty miles,” he went on as the monk left the room. “It is not yet six o’clock, and though our palfreys are not accustomed to travel at rapid speed, you will be there this afternoon in time to have audience with the duke.”

      The lads returned their warm thanks to the prior. “We would gladly tell you the purport of our mission,” Beorn said, “but we are only the bearers of news, and the duke might be displeased did he know that we had confided to any before it reached his own ear.”

      “I wish not to learn it, my son. It is sufficient for me that you have a mission to our duke, and that I am possibly furthering his interest by aiding you to reach him. But, in sooth, I am more moved by the desire to aid two stranger youths, whom the sea and man alike seem to have treated hardly. Is it long since you left England?”

      “We have well-nigh lost account of time, father, so much has taken place in a few days. ‘Tis but a week since we were sailing along the English coast with a large company in three ships, when a sudden tempest arose, carried away our sail, blew us off the shore, and then increasing in fury drove us before it until we were wrecked on the coast of Ponthieu, near St. Valery. Since then we have been prisoners, have escaped, and have journeyed here on foot.”

      “Truly a bad week’s work for you,” the prior said. “Were all your ships wrecked?”

      “No; our two consorts, being lighter and more easily rowed, regained the land when we were blown off it.”

      “Conrad of Ponthieu is an evil man,” the prior said. “Had you come ashore twenty miles farther south you would have been beyond his jurisdiction. I fear that all the seacoast people view the goods obtained from vessels cast ashore as a lawful prey, but your company would assuredly have received fair hospitality if cast on the shores of Normandy itself. But now methinks I hear the patter of the palfreys’ hoofs. Farewell, my sons, and may God who has protected you through these dangers give you his blessing.”

      The lads knelt before him as he placed his hands on their heads and gave them his benediction. As they rose brother Gregory entered to say that the horses were ready, and with renewed thanks to the prior

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