ung squire
walked across to the window and gazed out at the moonlit
landscape, his mind absorbed by the thought of the lady tiphaine,
and of the strange words that she had spoken as to what was going
forward at castle twynham. leaning his elbows upon the
stonework, he was deeply plunged in reverie, when in a moment his
thoughts were brought back to villefranche and to the scene
before him.
the window at which he stood was in the second floor of that
portion of the castle which was nearest to the keep. in front
lay the broad moat, with the moon lying upon its surface, now
clear and round, now drawn lengthwise as the breeze stirred the
waters. beyond, the plain sloped down to a thick wood, while
further to the left a second wood shut out the view. between the
two an open glade stretched, silvered in the moonshine, with the
river curving across the lower end of it.
as he gazed, he saw of a sudden a man steal forth from the wood
into the open clearing. he walked with his head sunk, his
shoulders curved, and his knees bent, as one who strives hard to
remain unseen. ten paces from the fringe of trees he glanced
around, and waving his hand he crouched down, and was lost to
sight among a belt of furze-bushes. after him there came a
second man, and after him a third, a fourth, and a fifth stealing
across the narrow open space and darting into the shelter of the
brushwood. nine-and-seventy alleyne counted of these dark
figures flitting across the line of the moonlight. many bore
huge burdens upon their backs, though what it was that they
carried he could not tell at the distance. out of the one wood
and into the other they passed, all with the same crouching,
furtive gait, until the black bristle of trees had swallowed up
the last of them.
for a moment alleyne stood in the window, still staring down at
the silent forest, uncertain as to what he should think of these
midnight walkers. then he bethought him that there was one
beside him who was fitter to judge on such a matter. his fingers
had scarce rested upon aylward's shoulder ere the bowman was on
his feet, with his hand outstretched to his sword.
"qui va?" he cried. "hola! mon petit. by my hilt! i thought
there had been a camisade. what then, mon gar.?"
"come hither by the window, aylward," said alleyne. "i have seen
four-score men pass from yonder shaw across the glade, and nigh
every man of them had a great burden on his back. what think you
of it?"
"i think nothing of it, mon camarade! there are as many
masterless folk in this country as there are rabbits on cowdray
down, and there are many who show their faces by night but would
dance in a hempen collar if they stirred forth in the day. on all
the french marches are droves of outcasts, reivers, spoilers, and
draw-latches, of whom i judge that these are some, though i
marvel that they should dare to come so nigh to the castle of the
seneschal. all seems very quiet now," he added, peering out of
the window.
"they are in the further wood," said alleyne.
"and there they may bide. back to rest, mon petit; for, by my
hilt! each day now will bring its own work. yet it would be well
to shoot the bolt in yonder door when one is in strange quarters.
so!" he threw himself down upon his pallet and in an instant was
fast asleep.
it might have been about three o'clock in the morning when
alleyne was aroused from a troubled sleep by a low cry or
exclamation. he listened, but, as he heard no more, he set it
down as the challenge of the guard upon the walls, and dropped
off to sleep once more. a few minutes later he was disturbed by
a gentle creaking of his own door, as though some one were
pushing cautiously against it, and immediately afterwards he
heard the soft thud of cautious footsteps upon the stair which
led to the room above, followed by a confused noise and a muffled
groan. alleyne sat up on his couch with all his nerves in a
tingle, uncertain whether these sounds might come from a simple
cause--some sick archer and visiting leech perhaps--or whether
they might have a more sinister meaning, but what danger could
threaten them here in this strong castle, under the care of
famous warriors, with high walls and a broad moat around them?
who was there that could injure them? he had well-nigh persuaded
himself that his fears were a foolish fancy, when his eyes fell
upon that which sent the blood cold to his heart and left him
gasping, with hands clutching at the counterpane.
right in front of him was the broad window of the chamber, with
the moon shining brightly through it. for an instant something
had obscured the light, and now a head was bobbing up and down
outside, the face looking in at him, and swinging slowly from one
side of the window to the other. even in that dim light there
could be no mistak
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