Windsor Castle
Page 42
V.
How Mabel escaped from the Cave with Sir Thomas Wyat.
The next day Mabel was set at liberty by her gaoler, and the hours flewby without the opportunity of escape, for which she sighed, occurring toher. As night drew on, she became more anxious, and at last expressed awish to retire to her cell. When about to fasten the door, Fenwolf foundthat the lock had got strained, and the bolts would not move, and he wastherefore obliged to content himself with placing a bench against it, onwhich he took a seat.
About an hour after Mabel's retirement, old Tristram offered to relieveguard with Fenwolf, but this the other positively declined, and leaningagainst the door, disposed himself to slumber. Tristram then threwhimself on the floor, and in a short time all seemed buried in repose.
By-and-by, however, when Fenwolf's heavy breathing gave token of thesoundness of his sleep, Tristram raised himself upon his elbow, andgazed round. The lamp placed upon the table imperfectly illumined thecavern, for the fire which had been lighted to cook the evening mealhad gone out completely. Getting up cautiously, and drawing hishunting-knife, the old man crept towards Fenwolf, apparently with theintent of stabbing him, but he suddenly changed his resolution, anddropped his arm.
At that moment, as if preternaturally warned, Fenwolf opened his eyes,and seeing the old forester standing by, sprang upon him, and seized himby the throat.
"Ah traitor!" he exclaimed; "what are you about to do?"
"I am no traitor," replied the old man. "I heard a noise in the passageleading to Wyat's cell, and was about to rouse you, when you awakened ofyour own accord, probably disturbed by the noise."
"It may be," replied Fenwolf, satisfied with the excuse, andrelinquishing his grasp. "I fancied I heard something in my dreams. Butcome with me to Wyat's cell. I will not leave you here."
And snatching up the lamp, he hurried with Tristram into the passage.They were scarcely gone, when the door of the cell was opened by Mabel,who had overheard what had passed; and so hurriedly did she issueforth that she over-turned the bench, which fell to the ground witha considerable clatter. She had only just time to replace it, and toconceal herself in an adjoining passage, when Fenwolf rushed back intothe cavern.
"It was a false alarm," he cried. "I saw Sir Thomas Wyat in his cellthrough the loop-hole, and I have brought the key away with me. But I amsure I heard a noise here."
"It must have been mere fancy," said Tristram. "All is as we left it."
"It seems so, certes," replied Fenwolf doubtfully. "But I will makesure."
While he placed his ear to the door, Mabel gave a signal to Tristramthat she was safe. Persuaded that he heard some sound in the chamber,Fenwolf nodded to Tristram that all was right, and resumed his seat.
In less than ten minutes he was again asleep. Mabel then emerged fromher concealment, and cautiously approached Tristram, who feigned, also,to slumber. As she approached him, he rose noiselessly to his feet.
"The plan has succeeded," he said in a low tone. "It was I who spoiledthe lock. But come with me. I will lead you out of the cavern."
"Not without Sir Thomas Wyat," she replied; "I will not leave him here."
"You will only expose yourself to risk, and fail to deliver him,"rejoined Tristram. "Fenwolf has the key of his cell. Nay, if you aredetermined upon it, I will not hinder you. But you must find your ownway out, for I shall not assist Sir Thomas Wyat."
Motioning him to silence, Mabel crept slowly, and on the points of herfeet, towards Fenwolf.
The key was in his girdle. Leaning over him, she suddenly anddexterously plucked it forth.
At the very moment she possessed herself of it, Fenwolf stirred, and shedived down, and concealed herself beneath the table. Fenwolf, who hadbeen only slightly disturbed, looked up, and seeing Tristram in hisformer position, which he had resumed when Mabel commenced her task,again disposed himself to slumber.
Waiting till she was assured of the soundness of his repose, Mabel creptfrom under the table, signed to Tristram to remain where he was, andglided with swift and noiseless footsteps down the passage leading tothe cell.
In a moment, she was at the door--the key was in the lock--and she stoodbefore Sir Thomas Wyat.
A few words sufficed to explain to the astonished knight how she camethere, and comprehending that not a moment was to be lost, he followedher forth.
In the passage, they held a brief consultation together in a low tone,as to the best means of escape, for they deemed it useless to apply toTristram. The outlet with which Sir Thomas Wyat was acquainted layon the other side of the cavern; nor did he know how to discover theparticular passage leading to it.
As to Mabel, she could offer no information, but she knew that thestable lay in an adjoining passage.
Recollecting, from former experience, how well the steeds were trained,Sir Thomas Wyat eagerly caught at the suggestion, and Mabel led himfarther down the passage, and striking off through an opening on theleft, brought him, after a few turns, to a large chamber, in which twoor three black horses were kept.
Loosening one of them, Wyat placed a bridle on his neck, sprang upon hisback, and took up Mabel beside him. He then struck his heels against thesides of the animal, who needed no further incitement to dash along thepassage, and in a few seconds brought them into the cavern.
The trampling of the horse wakened Fenwolf, who started to his feet,and ran after them, shouting furiously. But he was too late. Goadedby Wyat's dagger, the steed dashed furiously on, and plunging with itsdouble burden into the pool at the bottom of the cavern, disappeared.