At Agincourt

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER XVI -- THE ESCAPE

  Maitre Leroux came in shortly after Jules Varoy had left. He had not,until the man told him, heard of the events of the night before, and Guyhad to tell him all about it before anything else was said.

  "It was a lucky escape, Master Aylmer, if one can call luck what is due tothought and quickness. Is there anything I can do for you?"

  "This black hue that I gave my hair has been of good service to mehitherto, but as it is a youth with black hair that they are now lookingfor, I would fain change its hue again."

  "What dye did you use?"

  "It was bought for me at a perfumer's in the Rue Cabot. As you see, it isfading now, and the ducking last night has greatly assisted to wash itout. The shopman said that it was used by court ladies and would last fora long time, but I have already had to renew it four or five times. Iwould now colour my hair a red or a reddish-brown; if I cannot do that Imust crop it quite short. It matters nothing in this disguise whether itis altogether out of the fashion or not. What think you?"

  "Doubtless you could get dyes of any shade at the perfumer's you speak of,for he supplies most of the court ladies with dyes and perfumes; and Ishould say that reddish-brown dye would suit you well, since that differsa good deal from your hair's original colour and still more from what itis at present. I will ask one of Lepelletiere's daughters to fetch it foryou. It would be better than cutting it short, though that might not gobadly with your present disguise, but should you need to adopt any otherit would look strange, since in our days there is scarce anyone but wearshis hair down to his shoulders. In the meantime I would have you wash yourhair several times with a ley of potash, but not too strong, or it willdamage it. I warrant me that will take out the dye altogether; but be surethat you wash it well in pure water afterwards, so as to get rid of thepotash, for that might greatly affect the new dye. I will send a boy upwith some potash to you at once, so that you may be ready to apply the dyeas soon as you get it."

  Late in the afternoon Guy sallied out in the disguise in which he hadarrived. His hair was a tawny brown. He had left his basket behind him,and carried a heavy cudgel in his hand. He sauntered quietly along,stopping often to stare at the goods on the stalls, and at nobles who rodepast followed generally by two or three esquires. No one would doubt thathe was a young countryman freshly arrived in Paris.

  He had sent a message to the count by Jules Varoy that he would pass alongthe street in the disguise of a young peasant as the clock struck seven,and that if he saw no White Hoods about he would look up at the casement,return a minute or two afterwards, and then try if the door wasunfastened. If so he would come in, while if it were fastened he shouldconsider that it was judged unsafe for him to enter. He caught sight ofKatarina's face at the window as he glanced up. There was a patrol of theWhite Hoods in sight, but it was far down the street, and after going afew yards past the house he crossed the road, and as he returned he pushedat the door. It yielded at once, and with a glance round to see that noone was watching he entered quickly and closed it behind him.

  "The Madonna be thanked that you are safe!" Katarina, now in her girl'sdress, exclaimed as she seized his hand. "Oh, Monsieur Guy, how I havesuffered! It was not until two o'clock that my father returned and told usthat you were safe; I should never have forgiven myself if harm had cometo you from your noble effort to save me. I heard their shouts as they ranin pursuit of you, and scarce thought it possible that you could escapewhen there was so many of their patrols about in the street. I cried allnight at the thought that you should have thrown away your life to try tosave mine, for I knew well enough what would have happened had that evilbutcher dragged me to his quarter. After my father had been out early andbrought back the news that you had leapt into the Seine we had some littlehope, for Dame Margaret declared that she knew that you could swim well.We had no one we could send out, for the old woman is too stupid, and myfather now strictly forbids me to stir outside the door. So here we allsat worn with anxiety until my father returned from the booth with thenews. He could not come back earlier, and he had no one to send, for theblack man must keep outside amusing the people as long as my father isthere."

  All this was poured out so rapidly that it was said by the time theyreached the door upstairs. Dame Margaret silently held out her hands toGuy as he entered, and Agnes kissed him with sisterly affection, whileCharlie danced round and round him with boisterous delight.

  "I hardly knew how much you were to me and how much I depended upon you,Guy," Dame Margaret said presently, "until I feared that I had lost you.When, as I thought must be the case from what Katarina said, I believedyou were killed or a prisoner in the hands of those terrible people, itseemed to me that we were quite left alone, although there still remainedthe four men. Neither Agnes nor I closed our eyes all night Charlie sooncried himself to sleep, Katarina sat up with us till nigh morning, and wehad hard work to console her in any way, so deep was her grief at thethought that it was owing to her that you had run this peril. All night wecould hear the count walking up and down in the room above. He had pointedout the peril that might arise to us all if you had fallen into the handsof the butchers, but at the time we could not dwell on that, though therewere doubtless grounds for his fears."

  "Great grounds, madame. That is what I most feared when I was flying fromthem, and I was resolved that I would not be taken alive, for had I notgained the bridge I was determined to force them to kill me rather than becaptured. It was fortunate, indeed, that I came along when I did,Katarina, for had I not heard what Simon said I should have passed onwithout giving a thought to the matter. There are too many evil deeds donein Paris to risk one's life to rescue a prisoner from the hands of apatrol of the White Hoods."

  "As for me, I did not realize it until it was all over," Katarina said. "Ifelt too frightened even to think clearly. It was not until the shouts ofyour pursuers had died away that I could realize what you had saved mefrom, and the thought made me so faint and weak that I was forced to sitdown on a door-step for a time before I could make my way home. As to myfather, he turned as pale as death when I came in and told him what hadhappened."

  Shortly afterwards the count, who had been engaged with a person ofconsequence, came down. He thanked Guy in the warmest terms for theservice he had rendered his daughter.

  "Never was a woman in greater peril," he said, "and assuredly St. Anthony,my patron saint, must have sent you to her rescue. She is all that I haveleft now, and it is chiefly for her sake that I have continued to amassmoney, though I say not that my own fancy for meddling in such intriguesmay not take some part in the matter. After this I am resolved of onething, namely, that she shall take no further part in the business. Forthe last year I had often told myself that the time had come when I mustfind another to act as my messenger and agent. It was difficult, however,to find one I could absolutely trust, and I have put the matter off. Ishall do so no longer; and indeed there is now the less occasion for it,since, as I have just learned, fresh negotiations have been opened forpeace. That it will be a lasting one I have no hope, but the Orleanistsare advancing in such force that Burgundy may well feel that the issue ofa battle at present may go against him. But even though it last but ashort time, there will come so many of the Orleanist nobles here withdoubtless strong retinues that Paris will be overawed, and we shall havean end of these riots here. I shall, therefore, have no need to trouble asto what is going on at the markets. As to other matters I can keep myselfwell informed. I have done services to knights and nobles of one party aswell as the other, and shall be able to learn what is being done in bothcamps. The important point at present is, Lady Margaret, that there islike to be a truce, at any rate for a time. As soon as this is made andthe Duke of Aquitaine has gained power to act you may be sure that theleaders of the White Hoods will be punished, and there will be no moreclosing of gates and examination of those who pass in and out. Therefore,madame, you will then be able to do what is now well-nigh impossible,namely, quit the town. At p
resent the orders are more stringent than ever,none are allowed to leave save with orders signed by John de Troyes, whocalls himself keeper of the palace, Caboche, or other leaders and evenpeasants who come in with market goods must henceforth produce paperssigned by the syndics of their villages saying they are the inhabitants ofhis commune, and therefore quiet and peaceable men going about theirbusiness of supplying the city with meat or vegetables, as the case maybe. These papers must also be shown on going out again. Until a changetakes place, then, there is no hope of your making your way out throughthe gates with your children; but as soon as the truce is concluded andthe Orleanists come in you will be able to pass out without trouble."

  It was not, indeed, for another month that the truce was settled, althoughthe terms were virtually agreed upon at Pontois, where the Dukes of Berriand Burgundy met the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon and the other Orleanistnobles, and the conditions were considered at a council to which thedelegates of the University and the municipality of Paris were admitted.The conduct of the insurgents of Paris was now repudiated by the Duke ofBurgundy, and the severest, censure passed upon them, in the conditions ofthe treaty. The greatest alarm was excited in the market quarter, and thiswas increased when, immediately afterwards, the Dukes of Bar and Bavariawere liberated. On the 12th of August and on the 4th of September the restof the prisoners still left alive were also set free. The bells of thechurches rang a joyful peal. De Jacqueville, John de Troyes, Caboche, andmany of the leaders of the butchers at once fled from Paris.

  Most of the knights who had been agents for the insurgents in the mocktrials also left Paris, and shortly afterwards the duke himself, findinghow strongly the tide had set against him, and fearing that he himselfmight shortly be seized and thrown into prison, went out from Paris underthe pretence of hunting, and fled. During this time Guy had remained withthe four men-at-arms. As soon as the power of the butchers diminished andthe guards were removed from the gates, and all who pleased could enter orleave, Dame Margaret prepared for flight. Along with the Burgundianknights and nobles who returned after the truce was proclaimed came CountCharles d'Estournel, and several of those who had fled with him. Guy metthe former riding through the street on the day after his return to Paris.Not caring to accost him there, he followed him and saw him dismount athis former lodging. As soon as he had entered Guy went up to the door.

  "What do you want?" one of the count's valets said.

  "I want to see your master, fellow," Guy said sharply, "and I will pullyour ears for your insolence if you accost me in that style."

  The valet stared at him open-mouthed, then thinking that this peasantmight be deputed by the terrible butchers to see his lord, he inquired ina changed tone what message he should give to the count.

  "Say to him that the man of the street fray wants to see him."

  A minute later the young count himself ran downstairs and warmly embracedGuy, to the astonishment of the valet.

  "My dear friend," he exclaimed, "I am indeed delighted to see you! Twicehave you saved my life, for assuredly had we not got through the Port St.Denis that day not one of us would ever have left Paris alive, and we areall under the deepest obligation to you. But even after our skirmish atthe gate we scarcely realized the danger that we had escaped, for webelieved that even had the Parisians been insolent enough to demand ourarrest for stopping them when engaged in attacking the houses of peaceablecitizens, the duke would treat their demand with the scorn that itdeserved. However, when next day we heard that some of the officers of hishousehold had headed them when they forced their way into the Duke ofAquitaine's hotel, and carried off the Duke of Bar and others from beforehis eyes, and that the duke in all things assisted them, we knew that hewould not have hesitated to deliver us up to the villains.

  "We held a council as to what we should do. We could not affirm that hehad failed, as our lord, in giving us protection, for he had not done so,seeing that we had taken the matter in our own hands. Had he actuallyconsented to hand us over to the Parisians, we should have issued adeclaration laying the matter before all the great vassals of Burgundy anddenouncing him as a false lord. There are many who would have been veryglad to have taken up the matter, for his truckling to these knaves hasgreatly displeased all save the men who are mere creatures of his.However, as we had no proof that he was willing to surrender us to thefury of the mob of Paris, we could do nothing, and the crafty fox calledupon my father the next day and expressed his satisfaction that we had allridden away, though at the same time saying that there was no reasonwhatever for our having done so, as he should of course have refused togive any satisfaction to the mob of Paris, and he caused several lettersto the same effect to be sent to my friends who escaped with me.

  "My father was very short with him, and told him that as it seemed theParisians were the masters of the city, and that he had no power torestrain them, however monstrous their doings, he thought that we had allacted very wisely in going. He himself left Paris the next day, andseveral other nobles, relations or friends to some of us, took theearliest opportunity also of leaving for their estates. Now that the powerof the butchers has been broken and that their leaders have fled, I cameback again, chiefly to find out what had become of you, and whether youand your charges have passed through these evil times unharmed."

  "We have all been in hiding, and save for an adventure or two have passedthe time quietly. Now that the gates are open we are going to make ourescape, for you see everything points to the probability that theOrleanists will very shortly be supreme here, and after the defeat SirEustace gave Sir Clugnet de Brabant they might be glad still to retain ourlady as hostage, though methinks they would treat her more honourably thanthe Duke of Burgundy has done."

  "Possibly they might, but I would not count upon it, for indeed whereverthey have taken a town they have treated those who fell into their handsmost barbarously. 'Tis true that they have some excuse for it in thetreatment of so many knights and ladies here. Indeed it seems to me thatFrance has been seized with madness, and that Heaven's vengeance will fallupon her for the evil things that are being done. And now, can we aid youin any way? The duke was extremely civil when I saw him on my arrival hereyesterday. He said that I and my friends were wrong in not having trustedin him to protect us from the demands of the butchers. I told him franklythat as he had in other matters been so overborne by them, and had beenunable to save noble knights and ladies from being murdered by them underthe pretence of a trial that all men knew was a mockery, it was just aswell that we had taken the matter into our own hands without adding it tohis other burdens; and that I and my friends felt that we had no reason toregret the step we had taken, and we knew that our feelings were shared bymany other nobles and knights in Burgundy.

  "He looked darkly at me, but at the present pass he did not care to sayanything that would give offence, not only to me, but to my friends, whowith their connections are too powerful to be alienated at a time when hemay need every lance. I could not, however, well ask from him a freeconduct for your people without naming them, but I might get such a passfrom his chancellor, and if your former host, Maitre Leroux, be stillalive, he might doubtless get you one from the municipality. As anadditional protection I myself shall certainly ride with you. It is forthat that I have returned to Paris. I shall simply say to the chancellorthat I am riding to Arras on my own business, and that though in mostplaces I should be known to Burgundians, yet that it would be as well thatI should have a pass lest I be met by any rude body of citizens or otherswho might not know me, and I shall request him to make it out for mepersonally and for all persons travelling in my train. So that, as far asFlanders at any rate, there should be no difficulty. I only propose thatyou should also get a document from the city in case of anything befallingus on the way.

  "I see not indeed what can befall us; but it is always well in such timesas these, when such strange things occur, to provide for all emergencies.I may tell you that Louis de Lactre and Reginald Poupart have arrived withme in
Paris bent on the same errand, and anxious like myself to testifytheir gratitude to you; so that we shall be a strong body, and could ifnecessary ride through France without any pass at all, since one or otherof us is sure to find a friend in every town which we may traverse."

  "Truly, I am thankful indeed to you and to your friends, Count. I own thatit has been a sore trouble to me as to how we should be able, however wemight disguise ourselves, to travel through the country in these disturbedtimes, without papers of any kind, when bodies of armed men are moving toand fro in all directions, and travellers, whoever they may be, arequestioned at every place on the road where they stop."

  "Do not speak of thanks, Guy; I twice owe you my life, and assuredly 'tislittle enough to furnish you in return with an escort to Artois. Now, tellme all that you have been doing since we left."

  Guy gave a short account of all that had happened.

  "It has been fortunate for us both," the Count Charles said when he hadfinished, "that this astrologer should have made your acquaintance; it washis warning that enabled you to save us as well as your lady. I have heardseveral times of him as one who had wondrous powers of reading the stars,but now I see that it is not only the stars that assist him."

  "I can assure you that he himself believes thoroughly in the stars, Count;he says that by them he can read the danger that is threatening any personwhose horoscope he has cast. I had not heard much of such things inEngland, but I cannot doubt that he has great skill in them. To myknowledge he has saved several lives thereby."

  "He certainly saved ours, Guy, and should he like to join your party andride with us he will be heartily welcomed."

  "I will return at once," Guy said, "and give my lady the good news. I willnot ask you to go with me now, for if the count--for he is really anobleman though an exile--decides to stay here he would not care toattract the attention of his neighbours by the coming of a noble to hishouse in daylight. Though I cannot without his permission take you there,I will return here this evening at eight o'clock, if you will be at homeat that hour."

  "I will be here, and De Lactre and Poupart will be here to meet you. Iwill go now direct to the chancellor and obtain the pass both in theirnames and mine, then we shall be ready to start whenever your lady isprepared. We have all brought some spare horses, so that you will have notrouble on that score. Your men-at-arms will, of course, ride with ours.We have brought eight horses, knowing the number of your company; if yourItalian and his daughter go with us Lady Agnes and Charles can ride behindsome of us."

  Dame Margaret, Agnes, and Charlie were delighted indeed when they heardfrom Guy of his meeting with the young Count d'Estournel, and of thelatter's offer to escort them to Artois.

  "The saints be praised!" his lady said. "I have spoken little about it,Guy, but I have dreaded this journey far more than any of the dangershere. In times so disturbed I have perceived that we should runinnumerable risks, and eager as I am to return to my lord I have doubtedwhether, with Agnes with me, I should be right in adventuring on such ajourney. Now there can be no risk in it, saving only that of falling inwith any of the bands of robbers who, as they say, infest the country, andeven these would scarce venture to attack so strong a party. We shall beready to start to-morrow, if Count d'Estournel is prepared to go so soon.We will be veiled as we ride out. It is most unlikely that anyone willrecognize us, but 'tis as well for his sake that there should be no riskwhatever of this being known. The count is out and will not return untilsix, therefore it will be best that you should go at once and warn theothers that we start to-morrow."

  The pleasure of Long Tom and his companions at the news was scarcely lessthan had been that of Dame Margaret, and they started at once to recovertheir steel caps and armour from the place where they had been hidden,saying that it would take them all night to clean them up and make themfit for service. Then Guy went in to Maitre Lepelletiere and saw thesilversmith, who was also sincerely glad at the news he gave him.

  "I was but yesterday arranging for a house where I could open my shopagain until my own was rebuilt," he said, "for there is an end now of allfear of disturbances, at any rate for the present, and I was heartilygreeted by many old friends, who thought that I was dead. I will go downwith Lepelletiere this afternoon to the offices of the municipality andask for a pass for madame--what shall I call her?"

  "Call her Picard: it matters not what surname she takes."

  "Madame Picard, her daughter and son, and her cousin Jean Bouvray ofParis, to journey to St. Omer. It does not seem to me that the pass islikely to be of any use to you; at the same time it is as well to befortified with it. Now that the tyranny of the market-men is over theywill be glad to give us the pass without question."

  On the Italian's return that afternoon Dame Margaret herself told him ofthe offer the Count d'Estournel had made. He sat silent for a minute ortwo and then said: "I will talk it over with Katarina; but at present itdoes not seem to me that I can accept it. I am a restless spirit, andthere is a fascination in this work; but I will see you presently."

  An hour later he came down with Katarina.

  "We have agreed to stay, Lady Margaret," he said gravely, "I cannot bringmyself to go. It is true that I might continue my work in London, but as astranger it would be long before I found clients, while here my reputationis established. Two of the knights I enabled to escape have alreadyreturned. One called upon me last night and was full of gratitude,declaring, and rightly, that he should have been, like so many of hisfriends, murdered in prison had I not warned him. I have eight requestsalready for interviews from friends of these knights, and as, for a timeat any rate, their faction is likely to be triumphant here, I shall havemy hands full of business. This is a pleasant life. I love the exercise ofmy art, to watch how the predictions of the stars come true, to fit thingstogether, and to take my share, though an unseen one, in the politics andevents of the day. I have even received an intimation that the queenherself is anxious to consult the stars, and it may be that I shall becomea great power here. I would fain that my daughter should go under yourprotection, though I own that I should miss her sorely. However, sherefuses to leave me, and against my better judgment my heart has pleadedfor her, and I have decided that she shall remain. She will, however, takeno further part in my business, but will be solely my companion andsolace. I trust that with such protection as I shall now receive there isno chance of even the Church meddling with me, but should I see dangerapproaching I will send or bring her to you at once."

  "I shall be glad to see her whenever she comes, and shall receive her as adaughter. We owe our lives to your shelter and kindness, and we alreadylove her."

  "The shelter and the kindness have already been far more than repaid bythe inestimable service your esquire rendered us," the Italian said. "Ihave since blamed myself bitterly that I neglected to consult the starsconcerning her. I have since done so, and found that a most terribledanger threatened her on that day; and had I known it, I would have kepther indoors and would on no account have permitted her to go out. However,I shall not be so careless of her safety in future. I see that, at anyrate for some time, her future is unclouded. She herself will bitterlyregret your absence, and has already been weeping sorely at the thought ofyour leaving. Save myself she has never had a friend, poor child, and youand your daughter have become very dear to her."

  Dame Margaret had no preparations to make, for in their flight from thesilversmith's each had carried a bundle of clothes. Guy brought Countd'Estournel round in the evening, and the arrangements were thencompleted. It was thought better that they should not mount at the house,as this would be certain to attract considerable observation and remark,but that Count Charles should come round at seven in the morning andescort them to his lodging. There the horses would be in readiness, andthey would mount and ride off. Guy then went round to the Rue des Fossesand warned the men of the hour at which they were to assemble at thecount's. He found them all hard at work burnishing up their armour.

  "We sha
ll make but a poor show, Master Guy, do what we will," Tom said;"and I doubt whether this gear will ever recover its brightness, so deeplyhas the rust eaten into it. Still, we can pass muster on a journey; andthe swords have suffered but little, having been safe in their scabbards.I never thought that I should be so pleased to put on a steel cap again,and I only wish I had my bow slung across my shoulder."

  "It will be something for you to look forward to, Tom, and I doubt notthat you will find among the spare ones at Villeroy one as good as yourown, and that with practice you will soon be able to shoot as truly withit."

  Tom shook his head doubtfully. "I hope so, but I doubt whether I shall besuited again till I get home, and Master John the bowyer makes onespecially suitable for me, and six inches longer than ordinary. Still, Idoubt not that, if it be needed, I shall be able to make shift with one ofthose at Villeroy."

  The evening before the departure of Dame Margaret and her children, MaitreLeroux and his wife, with a man bearing a large parcel, had called uponDame Margaret at the house of the astrologer, whose address Guy had given,the provost that day.

  "We could not let you leave, Lady Margaret," his wife said, "withoutcoming to wish you God speed. Our troubles, like yours, are over for thepresent, and I trust that the butchers will never become masters of Parisagain, whatever may happen."

  "Maitre Lepelletiere," said the silversmith, "is going to organize thewhole of his craft, the workmen and apprentices, into an armed body, andthe master of the smiths will do the same. I shall endeavour to prevailupon all the traders of my own guild and others to raise such a body amongtheir servitors; and while we have no wish whatever to interfere in thepolitical affairs of state, we shall at least see that the market peopleof Paris shall not become our masters again. Master Aylmer, I have broughthither for you a slight token of my regard and gratitude for the manner inwhich you saved not only our property but our lives. Within this packageare two suits of armour and arms. One is a serviceable one suitable toyour present condition of an esquire; the other is a knightly suit, whichI hope you will wear in remembrance of us as soon as you obtain thathonour, which I cannot but feel assured will not be far distant. Had youbeen obliged to leave Paris in disguise I should have made an endeavour tosend them to you in England by way of Flanders; but as you will issue outin good company, and without examination or question asked, you can wearthe one suit and have the other carried for you."

  Guy thanked the silversmith most heartily, for, having lost his armour atthe burning of the house, he had felt some uneasiness at the thought ofthe figure that he would cut riding in the train of the three Burgundianknights. But at the same time his own purse had been exhausted in thepurchase of the disguises for himself and the men-at-arms, and that of hismistress greatly reduced by the expenses of the keep of the men, and hehad determined not to draw upon her resources for the purchase of armour.His thanks were repeated when, on the package being opened, the beauty ofthe knightly armour was seen. It was indeed a suit of which any knightmight be proud. It was less ornate in its inlaying and chasing than someof the suits worn by nobles, but it was of the finest steel and best make,with every part and accessory complete, and of the highest workmanship andfinish.

  "It is a princely gift, sir," Guy said as he examined it, "and altogetherbeyond my poor deserts."

  "That is not what I think, Master Aylmer. You have shown all through thisbusiness a coolness and courage altogether beyond your years, and whichwould have done honour to an experienced knight. My store of silver-warethat was saved by your exertions, to say nothing of our lives, was worthvery many times the value of this armour, and I am sure that your ladywill agree with me that this gift of ours has been well and honourablyearned."

  "I do indeed, Maitre Leroux," Dame Margaret said warmly; "and assure youthat I am as pleased as Guy himself at the noble gift you have made him. Imyself have said but little to him as to the service that he has renderedhere, leaving that until we reach our castle in safety, when Sir Eustace,on hearing from me the story of our doings, will better speak in both ournames than I can do."

  In the morning Dame Margaret and her children set out for the lodging ofD'Estournel, escorted by the count and Guy, followed by a porter carryingthe latter's second suit of armour and the valises of Dame Margaret. Guyhimself had charge of a casket which the Count de Montepone had thatmorning handed to Dame Margaret.

  "These are gems of value," he said, "In the course of my business I moreoften receive gifts of jewels than of money. The latter, as I receive it,I hand to a firm here having dealings with a banker of Bruges, who holdsit at my disposal. The gems I have hitherto kept; but as it is possiblethat we may, when we leave Paris, have to travel in disguise, I would fainthat they were safely bestowed. I pray you, therefore, to take them withyou to your castle in England, and to hold them for us until we come."

  Dame Margaret willingly took charge of the casket, which was of steel,strongly bound, and some nine inches square.

  "Its weight is not so great as you would think by its appearance," theItalian said, "for it is of the finest steel, and the gems have been takenfrom their settings. It will, therefore, I hope, be no great inconvenienceto you."

  At parting, Katarina, who was greatly affected, had given Guy a small box.

  "Do not open it until you reach Villeroy," she said; "it is a littleremembrance of the girl you saved from deadly peril, and who will neverforget what she owes to you."

  On reaching the count's lodgings they found the other two knights inreadiness. Dame Margaret's four men-at-arms were holding the horses.

  "I am glad to see you all again," she said as she came up. "This is a farbetter ending than our fortunes seemed likely to have at one time, and Ithank you all for your faithful service."

  "I am only sorry, my lady, that we have had no opportunity of doing aughtsince we were cooped up," Tom replied; "nothing would have pleased usbetter than to have had the chance again of striking a stout blow in yourdefence."

  "We may as well mount at once, if it is your pleasure, Dame Margaret,"Count d'Estournel said, "for the other men-at-arms are waiting for usoutside the gates."

  The packages were at once fastened on the two pack-horses that were toaccompany them; all then mounted. The three knights with Dame Margaretrode first, then Guy rode with Agnes by his side, and the four men-at-armscame next, Charlie riding before Jules Varoy, who was the lightest of themen-at-arms, while two of the count's servants brought up the rear,leading the sumpter horses.