," whispered
Saint Simon; and together they crossed softly to the door, passed out,
and closed it behind them without a sound; and then, with a soft
pleasant air greeting their cheeks, they passed along the open hall,
caught sight of their hostess, who smiled a reply to their salute, and
entered the great inn-yard, going to the far end and the big range of
stables where they had left their steeds.

"Yes," said Saint Simon thoughtfully, in response to his own thoughts,
"we must look after the horses, or else the chief will be wishing again
that he had brought the old physic-monger. Nice time we should have of
it if he were here! He always makes me uncomfortable with those eyes of
his. I should like to catch him asleep some time."

"Why? What for?"

"To put it to the test. But you never catch a weasel asleep, and I
believe old Leoni always snoozes with one eye open."

"I daresay; and I wonder which. But what do you mean about putting it
to the test?"

"Whether he can see with that fixed eye of his."

"Whether he can see? Why shouldn't he?"

"Why, you know, of course?"

"Not I. Why, of course he can."

"Do you mean to say that you have been all this time at Court and don't
know about that?"

"About what?"

"About that eye of his."

"I only know that it's precious ugly, and used to make me very
uncomfortable, because I always felt as if I must look at it instead of
at the other or at both at once."

"But don't you know what they say?"

"Who do you mean by `they'?"

"Well, _on_; everybody. That he had the point of a sword jabbed into it
once when he was fencing."

"Oh, I never heard that," cried Denis. "Then that accounts for its
queer fixed look."

"Queer fixed look? It's horrible! I don't think that I am quite a
coward; but old Leoni, when he fixes me with that eye of his, quite
gives me the creeps."

"Well, he does look queer sometimes. But I say, this is refreshing
after that hot room," said Denis. "There's a great garden yonder, and
open fields. I should like to have a wander there for an hour or two."

"So should I," said Saint Simon; "but we must get back, in case his
lordship wakes."

"Yes. It won't do for us to forget ourselves. Esquires ought never to
want to sleep," said Denis; and then quickly, "nor grooms nor hostlers
neither. Here, look at these two red-faced pigs."

He pointed on to the two men who had taken charge of and rubbed down
their chargers upon their arr