ad gone
far ahead: "Helloa, Bernard! Do not walk so fast; you forget that at my
age one's legs are not as nimble as yours." Thus, preceded by the
gateman and followed at a distance in the dark by the rest of the
fugitives, Bonaik arrived at the outer court of the monastery. Bernard
stopped and seemed to listen.

"What's the matter?" asked the goldsmith. "Why do you halt?"

"Do you not see the flare of torches lighting the top of the wall of the
inside court? Do you not hear voices?"

"March, man! March! I have other business in hand than to stop to look
at torches, or listen to noises. I must obey our holy abbess and deliver
Ricarik's message as soon as possible. I have not a second to lose.
Quick, let's hurry."

"But something out of the usual order is going on in the monastery!"

"It is for that very reason that the intendant sent me off with so much
haste on this message.... Hurry up! Time presses!"

"Oh, that is something else, old Bonaik," answered Bernard, quickening
his steps. The gateman hurried on, arrived in a minute at the outside
enclosure, and opened the gate. Immediately the old man whistled.
Greatly surprised at this, the gateman asked him: "What are you
whistling for? The door is open. Go out, if you are in such a hurry. But
I hear steps. They seem to be running this way. Who are these people?"
and he raised his lantern in order to obtain a better view. "There are
two women; who may they be?"

Bonaik cut short the gateman's observations with the peremptory order to
the fugitives: "Take the key out of the lock and close it after you.
That will keep the gateman locked in." Hardly had the old man pronounced
these words when Amael, the apprentices, Rosen-Aer and Septimine rushed
through the opening. One of the apprentices pushed Bernard roughly back
into the court, took out the key, pulled the door after him and locked
it on the outside. Bonaik took up the lantern and cried: "Helloa, there!
The boat! Come here for us to embark!"

"Come this way!" answered several voices. "This way! The boat is tied to
the large willow tree."

"Master Bonaik," said one of the apprentices in great trepidation, "we
are pursued. The porter is calling for help. Look at the glimmer of
approaching torches! They seem to be in the garden that we have just
left."

"There is now nothing to fear, my lads, the gate is studded with iron
and locked from without. Before they can have time to break it down, we
shall have embarke