said the King. "Yes? Then we ride on at once till we are clear of this
town. We shall soon dry in the hot sunshine, and be better ready to
make a breakfast, for I feel as if I could touch no food. Follow,
gentlemen," he continued, and putting spurs to his charger he cantered
away along what seemed to be the main street, at the end of which a few
inquiries put them on their right road and direct for the open country,
where, once amongst green fields and hedgerows, they dismounted, to rest
their horses by a river-bank and let them drink and graze.
But for this the brave animals, which had suffered more than their
riders from the crossing, displayed no eagerness, and the travellers
advanced again, walking each with his bridle in his hand, enjoying the
glowing sunshine and the simple beauty of the country, and gradually
growing more light-hearted and ready for any fresh adventure that they
might encounter.
The road became more and more deserted, a village or two was passed, and
later on in the day they were attracted by the appearance of a
substantial farmhouse whose very aspect suggested that here was the spot
to put an end to certain qualms connected with the fact that they had
not partaken of food for a considerable length of time.
Here there was corn for their horses in a shady barn-like stable whose
loft shed a delicious odour of sweet hay, and in the house a clean white
scrubbed table with bowls of new milk, newly made bread, and freshly
fried ham, the whole forming a repast to which the party paid ample
justice, while it made the King declare that it was the most delicious
banquet he had ever enjoyed.
Then with the horses quite recovered, the journey was recommenced and
the travellers rode off, Denis turning in his saddle to wave his hand to
the farmer and his wife, just in time to catch sight of another party
riding up to the farm as if to take their places and enjoy a similar
meal.
Winchester at last, with the square tower of the fine old cathedral
standing up from amongst the trees, the river sparkling in the sunshine,
the wooded hills and verdant plains rising on all sides making Francis
draw rein to breathe his horse and half close his eyes as he gazed
around.
"Well," he said, "France is France, but my brother of England, if all
his country is like this, possesses a land that any king might envy; and
I shall tell him so if we meet, as of course we shall. But after all, I
don't like this task. I am a king, and it begins to look to me, boys,
as if I am going crawling up to the back door of this palace of his like
some lacquey. But there, I have said that I would do it. It is for
France, and I will. What do you say, Saint Simon?"
"Oh, sir, you mustn't turn back now."
"No: I must not turn back now, though we have been rather damped at the
start, eh?" he added, with a laugh. "But are you lads dry?"
They declared they were, and the conversation turned upon their
proceedings.
"This is evidently a fine city," said the King. "I have read enough to
know that it has been a home of kings, so we will sleep there to-night
and start afresh in good time to-morrow, though we shall not go to the
Palace for a bed. But there is sure to be some good travellers' inn."
And this proved to be the case as they rode through the city gate down
the High Street, to check their steeds by the Market Cross, the observed
of all observers, and they were many lurking about the place, for it had
been market day.
It was not the costume of the three horsemen, for they were purposely
very plainly clad, everything about them, however, looking good and
soldierly. It was their beautiful horses that took the attention of
most of the sturdy country-looking folks, and more than one keen-eyed
man approached them with no little freedom, scanning their mounts from
head to heel, one man giving the King a nod and stretching out his hand
to run it down his charger's leg.
The King looked furious, darted a fierce glance at the intruder, and
reined up his horse so suddenly that the fine beast reared and made the
man start back, his discomfiture being greeted by a roar of laughter on
the part of the uncouth people around.
"The insolence!" muttered the King to Denis. "These English islanders
are brutal in their ways. If they knew who I was! Here, let's ride
on."
His horse answered to the pressure of his knees and moved off upward
through the crowd, Saint Simon following his track, and Denis coming
last, having no little difficulty in closing up, for the increasing
crowd obstructed his way, the people's curiosity being aroused by the
strangers.
"These horses for sale?" said the man who had been rebuffed, pressing up
to the young esquire's knee.
"No," said the lad, in fairly good English. "Why?"
"Hallo!" said the man. "You are a Frenchman. Then you have brought
these over to sell. Look here, young man, I can help your master to
find a buyer in some great English lord. I deal in horses, and I'll
make it worth his while. Where are you going to stay?"
"I don't know," replied Denis. "Keep back, please. My horse doesn't
like crowding, and he may strike out."
"I'll take care," said the man. "I understand horses. Yes, this is a
nice animal you are riding too."
Denis made no answer, but pressed forward. There was some shouting, but
the crowd gave way and he rode up close just as the King drew rein by a
gateway and then passed into a great inn-yard, where a couple of
hostlers hurried to meet them, and a buxom-looking landlady in widow's
coif came smiling to the door of the comfortable-looking inn.
"Hah!" said the King, dismounting. "This looks like France. Here we
can rest and dine. Denis, my boy, talk to the dame there, and tell her
to get us quickly a dinner of the best."
Denis turned, meeting the pleasant-faced landlady's eye as he dismounted
and threw his rein to one of the stablemen, noting, as he walked to
where the landlady stood waiting, that the man who had accosted them was
following into the inn-yard with three or four others of the same stamp;
and the sight of the fellow made the lad hesitate as he thought of the
possibility of the fellow's insolence raising the King's ire. But he
had his task to fulfil, and the next moment the landlady was receiving
him with bows and smiles, ready to show him into a comfortable
old-fashioned room, and make his task easy by suggesting instead of
taking orders, the only one he found it necessary to give being the
simple one:
"Everything, and of the best; but quickly, for we have ridden far."
This was in French, but to the lad's great delight the hostess spoke his
tongue, with a good accent, easily and well.
"Anyone would think you were French," he said, with a courtly bow.
"Oh no," she said, "I am English. I was in Rouen many years at school,
and we have French travellers here sometimes. But let me show you the
chambers for your lord and your young friend. He is a lord?" she said,
with a pleasant smile.
"He is what you English would call a lord," replied Denis. "The Comte
de la Seine."
"Ah," said the hostess, with a smile of satisfaction at the quality of
her guests, as she led the way to the best chambers of the fine old inn,
Denis selecting two, one within the other, which were exactly such as he
felt the King would like--that is to say, a fine old bedroom with a
double-bedded ante-chamber, which he immediately determined should be
for himself and Saint Simon.
Within an hour, partly refreshed, the King and his two followers entered
the room where their dinner was spread, unbuckled and laid by their
swords, and took their places at the well-furnished table, as a couple
of fresh-looking serving-maids, under the guidance of the hostess,
brought in the soup and plates, the mistress seeing to the helping and
then retiring, leaving the guests to their repast.
"Hah!" exclaimed the King. "My appetite is grand. What soup! Why, we
might be in France. No, it is better, thicker and stronger. But what's
this? The insolence of these Englanders! Here, Denis, boy, read it
aloud." And he tossed a folded paper, one end of which was sticking out
from beneath his soup bowl, across to the young esquire.
The lad's eyes flashed, as he read in a crabbed, clear hand the words:
"_Imminent undique pericula_."
"What's that, Leoni? Bah! He isn't here," cried the King, letting his
spoon fall back into the bowl. "I thought it was the account. Latin.
Read it again."
Denis obeyed, while the King's left hand began to play with his dagger,
as he darted a suspicious look at the closed door, and then at the side
dresser upon which he had thrown his sword.
"What do you make of that, Saint Simon?" he said, in a low, deep voice.
"Sir, I do not know Latin as I should," was the reply.
"Shame on you!" growled the King. "You, Denis, you were last at school.
What do you make it to be?"
"In plain homely language, sir: Beware of danger."
"Yes, imminent danger," cried the King. "Poison! And I have eaten
nearly half my soup!"
"No, no, sir," cried Denis. "I'll vouch for this. A woman with a
motherly face like that could be trusted, I will vow."
"I don't know," said the King. "You are only a boy. Now I have grown
old enough to think that it requires a very clever man to know exactly
what there is behind a woman's pleasant smiling face. This one looks
plump and comfortable and honest; but there's no knowing. Now, if we
had Leoni here he'd fix her with that quiet eye of his, and search her
through and through with the other. He'd know. And I am beginning to
find out that I have done a very stupid thing in not bringing his
Ugliness with us. By my sword, I wish we had brought him! I wished it
last night too, over and over again, when I felt so--ah, hum--when I
couldn't sleep for the creaking and groaning of that wretched vessel."
As he pulled himself up short he looked searchingly from one to the
other of the two young men, giving each a suspicious glance, suspecting
as he did that he would find a mocking smile upon their lips; but he was
pleasantly disappointed, for Saint Simon looked stolidly stupid, and
Denis eager and expectant of the next words he should let fall.
"Well," said the King, "we haven't got him here, and we must think for
ourselves; but that must be right. The soup is too good for that," and
he began to partake again. "Here, Denis, lad, on second thoughts it
must mean that we are being recognised. The islanders know who I am,
and that pleasant-faced woman wishes to give us warning. Saint Simon,
my lad, fetch our sword and hang it by the belt upon the corner of the
chair. Do the same by your own. I am not going to leave this soup, and
if we are to fight for what is evidently intended for an excellent
dinner, why, fight we will."
Saint Simon obeyed, and then at a sign from the King re-took his place
and went on eating with such appetite as he could command.
"Shall I stand on guard by the door, sir, till you have dined?" said
Denis.
"No, boy. Eat your soup and what else comes. We shall all three fight
the better for a meal."
CHAPTER NINE.
THE SCENT OF DANGER.
It was hard to imagine that there was danger in the air, for in that
comfortably furnished panelled room everything was suggestive of plenty
and peace, and, noticing as he went on with his meal how impressed his
two followers seemed to be, the King paused, spoon in hand, and cried
with a laugh:
"Come, boys, where are your appetites? Are we to be scared with a scrap
of paper, a Latin exercise, perhaps, written by our hostess's son?"
As he spoke there was a faint rasping sound as of wood passing over
wood, making Denis turn sharply and put out his hand towards his sword,
for it seemed to him that there was a tremulous motion in one of the
panels of the wall behind where the King was seated.
"What's that?" cried the latter sharply, as with a bound the lad sprang
past him to stand between him and the side of the room.
For answer Denis drew his sword and pointed to the panel.
"Well? Why don't you speak?"
"There is a door there, sir, and I saw it move."
"There is no door here," cried Saint Simon, as he felt about the panel,
which was perfectly rigid; and just then the hostess entered, followed
by the maids bearing fresh dishes, to look wonderingly from one to the
other.
"Ah, mistress!" cried the King. "Is there a door there? Does one of
those panels open?"
"Oh yes, my lord," she replied. "It is a hatch to pass dishes through
into a smaller dining chamber." And she smilingly stepped to the wall,
turned a carved rose at one corner of the panel, and pressed it
sidewise, showing a square opening through which a similarly furnished
room could be seen.
"Send away those women," said the King sternly.
The hostess started, spoke to the two girls, who stepped back with the
dishes, and she closed the door after them.
"One of my followers saw that panel move," said the King sternly.
"There is some one there."
"Oh no, my lord," she cried, "The room is empty. Look."
"But the panel moved," cried Denis, "and I heard a sound."
"Impossible, sir," said the woman.
"Then what does this mean?" said the King, taking up the scrap of paper.
The woman took it, looked at it blankly, and passed it back.
"I don't know," she said. "It is a foreign tongue."
"Humph!" ejaculated the King. "This is strange, madam. That paper lay
beneath my plate, and some one must have been watching us at our meal."
"No, my lord," said the woman; "it is impossible. Nobody could have
been there. If anyone has dared--" She said no more, but angrily thrust
the panel back into its place and turned the oaken rose, which gave a
snap as of a bolt shooting into its socket, and then, raising her hand
to the diagonal corner, she turned a fellow ornament in the oaken
carving, to produce another sound as of a second bolt being shot.
"There," she cried, "it is quite fast now. One minute, and I will
return."
She hurried out of the room, and the next minute they heard the sounds
of knuckles rapping the panel on the other side and directly after the
loud closing and locking of a door.
A few moments later, as the party stood there waiting, the woman was
back at their side, to lay a large key upon the table, looking flushed
and angry.
"I am very sorry, my lord and gentlemen," she cried, "and angry too"--a
fact which was plainly enough marked in her countenance. "But this is a
public inn, and some insolent idler, moved by curiosity, has dared to
watch. I never imagined anyone would venture; and now I beg you will
resume your meal."
"But there is the paper," said the King.
"Yes, yes," she said, "the paper. I do not understand."
"Ah, well," said the King, "we will not spoil our dinner; but I do not
like to have hungry dogs watching while I make my meal. Sit down,
gentlemen, and let us finish."
Setting the example, he recommenced, but thrust the half-finished bowl
away with an impatient "Bah! The soup is cold. Here, hostess! Call
those women back. And I want some wine. What have you in the house?"
"Some of the best vintages of France, my lord," said the woman eagerly,
and drawing a deep breath of relief in the feeling that the trouble was
at an end, though there was a twitching now and then at the corners of
her eyes suggesting that she was not quite at ease.
The fresh dishes were placed upon the table as soon as the soup was
removed, and soon after the hostess herself bore in a couple of
rush-covered flasks of wine.
"Burgundy--Malvoisey," she said, indicating each in turn.
"The Burgundy," said the King, and as the glasses were filled, and they
were once more quite alone, he made as if to tear up the paper, but
altering his mind folded it quickly, and thrust it in the pouch he
carried at his belt.
"Come, gentlemen," he said: "that scrap of paper shall not spoil a
pleasant meal. It is a mere molehill in our path. Here's success to
our expedition.--Hah! better vine than my own."
A few minutes later the hostess returned, and smiled once more upon
finding that her guests were hard at work evidently in the full
enjoyment of their meal.
"Ah, madam!" cried the King, raising his glass and drinking again. "You
keep good wine. I would not have wished for better; but tell me, what
other guests have you in the house?"
"None, my lord," said the woman frankly. "There have been some of the
country people at the market, but they have gone. There was an ordinary
traveller too, earlier in the day. He came from somewhere in the south,
I believe, but he has gone. You are the only guests I have, and I
humbly hope that the meats are to your liking."
"Excellent, madam, excellent," said the King, looking at her fixedly.
"Then we are quite alone?"
The woman met his eye without wincing, and bowed gravely.
"Yes, my lord; quite alone."
"Then we will have no one here while we stay, madam. I like to be
undisturbed. Understand me, please. I take the whole place, and you
can charge me what you please."
The woman made a grave courtesy, and retired to see to the next course
she had prepared, wiping her brow as soon as she was outside.
"Some great French noble," she muttered, "travelling to London, to the
Court perhaps. I wonder who he is. Yes," she said to herself
excitedly, "and I wonder too who dared to enter that next room. It must
have been that evil-looking traveller, that starveling. I believe he
was a thief. It could not have been--Oh no, I know them all by sight."
CHAPTER TEN.
HOW LEONI LOST HIS EYE.
The meal was ended, and the King in the best of tempers, in that
condition of mind which a good digestion produces, and ready to be
friends with all the world.
"It is absurd," he said, "to let a scrap of paper which may mean
nothing, and the curiosity of some country idiot who wanted to get a
peep at me, interfere with our enjoying a comfortable rest in this
excellent inn, and then going on fresh and well in the morning."
"Then you mean to stay here to-night, sir?" said Denis anxiously.
"Of course, boy."
Saint Simon shook his head as if in dissent, and the King glared at him.
"Did you hear me, sir?" he cried. "I said I mean to stay here
to-night."
Saint Simon drew back respectfully, and the King, apparently mollified,
continued:
"An excellent dinner. I suppose it was having such a bad night, and
tossing about. It has made me feel quite drowsy." And as he spoke he
settled himself down in a big chair and closed his eyes, while those of
the two young men met in a wondering glance, and had they dared, as they
thought of the night they too had spent, they would have burst into a
roar of laughter.
But they contented themselves with just raising their brows, and then
sat there for a time silent and thoughtful. They could not converse for
fear of disturbing their lord and master, who now began to breathe
rather heavily. And then a curious thing happened to each: Saint Simon
began to think of the frightfully wearying night he had passed, and in
an instant the wind was whistling and shrieking through the rigging, the
sea rising with a heavy splash against the vessel's bows, to now and
then deluge the deck, and the shivering horses in turn were straining
their muzzles towards him in the darkness as if appealing to be relieved
from their miserable state.
With Denis it was on this wise. He sat back in his chair watching the
King for a few minutes, before fixing his eyes upon the wall just to his
left. Then he too as if in a moment was down in the dark cabin with the
dim lamp swinging to and fro, and the King sleeping heavily and giving
forth that deep breathing sound, while a panel seemed to have formed
itself in the bulkhead of the ship, where it began gliding sideways till
there was room for a hand to appear, holding a tiny scrap of paper.
This was passed through very slowly, to be followed by wrist, elbow, and
then the whole of an arm so long that it stretched out like a
spear-shaft, and the fingers reached the King's plate and thrust the
paper underneath.
Then it gradually shrank back and grew shorter and shorter till it had
all passed through the panel, which next closed of itself with a soft
dull roar. Then Denis's eyes opened and he sat up with a start,
realising the fact that he had been fast asleep and that the closing of
the panel was only the King's deep snore.
"Having no sleep last night," the lad said to himself. "Enough to make
anyone drowsy; that and the long ride. Why, Saint Simon's worse than I
was. Nice pair of guards we make! Suppose instead of an arm a spear
were thrust through that panel, an enemy might reach his heart."
Making an effort to shake off his lethargy, the boy stepped to where
Saint Simon lay back sleeping soundly, and then, buckling on his sword
the while, he bent over him, took his sword-belt from where it hung over
a corner of the chair back, and thrust the cold hilt into the heavy
sleeper's hand.
"Quiet, my boy," muttered Saint Simon, "and keep your nasty cold wet
muzzle out of my hand. We shall get there some time," he added
murmuringly, "and you are all right. I am not going away."
"Pst! Pst! Saint Simon! Rouse up, man! Don't go to sleep."
"Is it nearly morning, skipper?" grumbled the sleeper.
"No, and it isn't night," whispered Denis, with his lips close to the
other's ear. "Quiet, or you'll wake the King."
"The King--the King! Vive le roi!" muttered Saint Simon.
"Stupid!" whispered Denis, laying one hand lightly over Saint Simon's
lips and shaking him softly with the other. "Wake up. You're asleep."
"I kiss your Majesty's hand," babbled the sleeper softly.--"Eh? Asleep?
Nonsense! Who's asleep?"
Then coming suddenly to himself, his hand closed tightly upon the hilt
of his sword, and dashing away the fingers upon his lips he sprang
fiercely to his feet, gazing wonderingly at his companion.
"Pst! The King!" whispered Denis.
"Eh? The King?" said Saint Simon, lowering his voice and glancing at
the slumbering monarch. "I say, I haven't been asleep, have I?"
"Sound as a dormouse in December."
"Oh, horrible! Suppose he had woke up. But he would have found you on
the watch."
"He wouldn't," said Denis, laughing silently, "for I went off as sound
as you; and no wonder after such a night. What with that and the
dinner, and this hot room, a weasel couldn't have kept awake. Here,
let's go outside into the open air. I want to see if the horses have
been well fed."
"Yes, of course. We ought to have thought of that before," whispered
Saint Simon; and together they crossed softly to the door, passed out,
and closed it behind them without a sound; and then, with a soft
pleasant air greeting their cheeks, they passed along the open hall,
caught sight of their hostess, who smiled a reply to their salute, and
entered the great inn-yard, going to the far end and the big range of
stables where they had left their steeds.
"Yes," said Saint Simon thoughtfully, in response to his own thoughts,
"we must look after the horses, or else the chief will be wishing again
that he had brought the old physic-monger. Nice time we should have of
it if he were here! He always makes me uncomfortable with those eyes of
his. I should like to catch him asleep some time."
"Why? What for?"
"To put it to the test. But you never catch a weasel asleep, and I
believe old Leoni always snoozes with one eye open."
"I daresay; and I wonder which. But what do you mean about putting it
to the test?"
"Whether he can see with that fixed eye of his."
"Whether he can see? Why shouldn't he?"
"Why, you know, of course?"
"Not I. Why, of course he can."
"Do you mean to say that you have been all this time at Court and don't
know about that?"
"About what?"
"About that eye of his."
"I only know that it's precious ugly, and used to make me very
uncomfortable, because I always felt as if I must look at it instead of
at the other or at both at once."
"But don't you know what they say?"
"Who do you mean by `they'?"
"Well, _on_; everybody. That he had the point of a sword jabbed into it
once when he was fencing."
"Oh, I never heard that," cried Denis. "Then that accounts for its
queer fixed look."
"Queer fixed look? It's horrible! I don't think that I am quite a
coward; but old Leoni, when he fixes me with that eye of his, quite
gives me the creeps."
"Well, he does look queer sometimes. But I say, this is refreshing
after that hot room," said Denis. "There's a great garden yonder, and
open fields. I should like to have a wander there for an hour or two."
"So should I," said Saint Simon; "but we must get back, in case his
lordship wakes."