extremity, depending from a hole in the wall, indicated the means of
communication with the interior, and this George tugged at violently,
with the result that a loud bell immediately set up a furious clanging
somewhere in the interior of the building. After an interval of nearly
a minute this summons was replied to by a hooded friar who, having drawn
the slide of the grille, peered out through the opening and querulously
demanded to know who it was who raised such a clangour, and what was his
business, to which George, who was the only person visible from the
aperture of the grille, replied that he was a stranger who had urgent
business of a strictly private nature with the Father Superior.
Whereupon the slide of the grille was sharply closed, and the party
faintly heard the shuffling footsteps of the friar receding.

After an absence of nearly ten minutes the friar re-appeared at the
grille, with a demand to be informed of the stranger's name and the
precise nature of his business with the Holy Father, to which George
replied that it was useless for him to give his name, since it was quite
unknown to the Father Superior, and that his business was not only most
urgent but was for the Holy Father's ear alone, and that it was
imperative that he should be admitted without an instant's unnecessary
delay. A further and somewhat longer wait then ensued, and Basset was
strongly urging the desirability of an attempt to burst the wicket open
when the friar appeared for the third time and, shooting certain heavy
bolts on the inside of the wicket, flung it open. To push his way in
was for George the work of but a moment, when, to the dismay and
indignation of the gatekeeper, he was instantly followed by eleven
soldiers, armed to the teeth.

"The keys!" exclaimed George, to Basset. "Take his keys from him, lock
the gate, and station two men here as sentries, with orders to allow no
one to leave the building. That is well," as his orders were obeyed.
"Now, the rest of you, follow me. Lead the way, old man, to the
quarters of the Father Superior; I must see him forthwith. Are you the
keeper also of the keys which give access to the cells?" to the friar
who had admitted them.

"No," answered the cowering creature. "The gaoler carries those. But
what would you with them, thou man of violence? No one is permitted to
enter the cells without the permission of the Father Superior."

"Lead me to him, then," repeated George.