But I will try to find a way to remove you before--before the
Italians have time to do their work. I will see my Lord d'Hymbercourt,
and if the duke has not gone a-hunting, we will induce His Grace to
order your removal to a place of safety."
"But if the duke is gone, cannot you get the order when he returns?" I
asked.
"That will be too late, I fear," he answered, laughing, and with these
comforting remarks he left me.
After two or three hours--the time seemed days--I heard a key enter the
lock of my cell door. If the hand inserting the key was that of an
Italian, I might look for death. To my great joy the man was my
Burgundian captain.
"The duke had gone a-hunting," he said, "and I could not find my Lord
d'Hymbercourt; but Her Highness, the princess, asked me to remove you,
and I am willing to risk my neck for her sweet sake. I am to place you
in one of the tower rooms, out of the reach of our Italian cut-throats."
"Will my young friend be with me?" I asked eagerly.
"Yes," responded the captain.
Again I met Max with a man-at-arms in the passageway outside my cell
door, and we all went up the steps together. We were hurried through
dark passages to a spiral stairway, which we climbed till my knees
ached. But we were going up instead of down, and I was overjoyed to have
the aching leave my heart for my knees.
The room in which the Burgundian left us was large and clean. There were
two beds of sweet straw upon the floor, and to my unspeakable joy there
was a bar on the door whereby it could be locked from within.
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