“Come to my arms, my dear nephew,” said King John when Arthur was led before him. “Right glad I am to hold your hand again. You have played a lively game with your loving uncle, and your uncle will reward you as you deserve.” And with that he sent the prince to the castle of Falaise, to be kept there until further orders.
“I’ll tell you what, Hubert,” said he to his head officer, “that boy is the very bane of my life. I can do nothing, think of nothing, but that he is always in my way. Do you understand me, Hubert? You are his keeper.”
“Yes,” said Hubert, “and I’ll keep him so well that he shall never trouble you again.”
But Hubert was a gentle knight and had no intention of doing the boy any harm. He gave him the best room in the castle of Falaise and treated him as tenderly as though he were his own son. The prince, however, was very unhappy. He spent much of his time looking out of the narrow windows of his prison and wishing that he could once more see his dear old home in Brittany.
Ⅲ
The king had hoped that Hubert would find means to put Arthur to death, and when he learned that the lad was still alive he was more troubled than before. He called some of his friends together—men who were as wicked and worthless as himself—and asked their advice.
“What shall we do with that boy?” he asked.“He is the torment of my life. So long as he is alive there will be men to plot and plan to make him king. How shall we be