nce. He would not even admit
Carloman, though Richard, hearing his voice, begged to see him; and when
a proposal was sent from the Queen, that a skilful old nurse should visit
and prescribe for the patient, he refused with all his might, and when he
had shut the door, walked up and down, muttering, "Ay, ay, the witch!
coming to finish what she has begun!"

All that day and the next, Richard continued very ill, and Osmond waited
on him very assiduously, never closing his eyes for a moment, but
constantly telling his beads whenever the boy did not require his
attendance. At last Richard fell asleep, slept long and soundly for some
hours, and waked much better. Osmond was in a transport of joy: "Thanks
to Heaven, they shall fail for this time and they shall never have
another chance! May Heaven be with us still!" Richard was too weak and
weary to ask what he meant, and for the next few days Osmond watched him
with the utmost care. As for food, now that Richard could eat again,
Osmond would not hear of his touching what was sent for him from the
royal table, but always went down himself to procure food in the kitchen,
where he said he had a friend among the cooks, who would, he thought,
scarcely poison him intentionally. When Richard was able to cross the
room, he insisted on his always fastening the door with his dagger, and
never opening to any summons but his own, not even Prince Carloman's.
Richard wondered, but he was obliged to obey; and he knew enough of the
perils around him to perceive the reasonableness of Osmond's caution.

Thus several days had passed, the King had returned, and Richard was so
much recovered, that he had become very anxious to be allowed to go down
stairs again, instead of remaining shut up there; but still Osmond would
not consent, though Richard had done nothing all day but walk round the
room, to show how strong he was.

"Now, my Lord, guard the door--take care," said Osmond; "you have no loss
to-day, for the King has brought home Herluin of Montreuil, whom you
would be almost as loth to meet as the Fleming. And tell your beads
while I am gone, that the Saints may bring us out of our peril."

Osmond was absent nearly half an hour, and, when he returned, brought on
his shoulders a huge bundle of straw. "What is this for?" exclaimed
Richard. "I wanted my supper, and you have brought straw!"

"Here is your supper," said Osmond, throwing down the straw, and
producing a bag with some