Listen, dost thou not hear the
trumpets?--that blast tells of their return together."
"Wilt thou grant me a chamber, that I may don meet apparel for the
presence?"
"It is my duty; but of thy grace--tell me whom I entertain."
"The Lord of Aescendune, and patron of your branch house there."
The chamberlain bowed low, and turned to lead his guest within the
precincts. The rowers cried "largesse," and the young noble threw
them a handful of coin.
Soon Etienne was alone in a comfortable cell, and was attiring his
person, a duty a Norman seldom neglected; nor did he despise the
luxury of a bath, to the scorn of the un-laving natives. The Norman
was the gentleman of the period, alike in etiquette, attire, and
food.
And likewise, some of the most beautiful of the animal creation are
the fiercest carnivora.
The abbot had put off his riding attire; he had clothed his feet in
dainty slippers instead of sandals, and had thrown a soft robe
around his monastic garb--contrasting strongly with the stern
attire prescribed by St. Benedict, and he was about to descend to
the hall, when the chamberlain in person told him of the arrival of
Etienne.
"Bid him share our poor meal; we will hear no bad news till we have
broken our fast; they sit ill on an empty stomach.
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