FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77  
78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   >>   >|  
I know well, for the last struggle in which Christ or Mahomet must go down. Rosamund is right. On her brow shines the crescent diadem of the house of Ayoub, and at her heart hangs the black cross of the Christian and round her struggle creeds and nations. What, Wulf, does the man sleep already?" "Like a dog, for he seems outworn with travel." "Like a dog with one eye open, perhaps. I do not wish that he should give us the slip during the night, as I want more talk with him and other things, of which I have spoken to Godwin." "No fear of that, uncle. I have locked the stable door, and a sainted palmer will scarcely leave us the present of such a mule." "Not he, if I know his tribe," answered Sir Andrew. "Now let us sup and afterwards take counsel together, for we shall need it before all is done." An hour before the dawn next morning Godwin and Wulf were up, and with them certain trusted men who had been warned that their services would be needed. Presently Wulf, bearing a lantern in his hand, came to where his brother stood by the fire in the hall. "Where have you been?" Godwin asked. "To wake the palmer?" "No. To place a man to watch the road to Steeple Hill, and another at the Creek path; also to feed his mule, which is a very fine beast--too good for a palmer. Doubtless he will be stirring soon, as he said that he must be up early." Godwin nodded, and they sat together on the bench beside the fire, for the weather was bitter, and dozed till the dawn began to break. Then Wulf rose and shook himself, saying: "He will not think it uncourteous if we rouse him now," and walking to the far end of the hall, he drew a curtain and called out, "Awake, holy Nicholas! awake! It is time for you to say your prayers, and breakfast will soon be cooking." But no Nicholas answered. "Of a truth," grumbled Wulf, as he came back for his lantern, "that palmer sleeps as though Saladin had already cut his throat." Then having lit it, he returned to the guest place. "Godwin," he called presently, "come here. The man has gone!" "Gone?" said Godwin as he ran to the curtain. "Gone where?" "Back to his friend Saladin, I think," answered Wulf. "Look, that is how he went." And he pointed to the shutter of the sleeping-place, that stood wide open, and to an oaken stool beneath, by means of which the sainted Nicholas had climbed up to and through the narrow window slit. "He must be without, grooming the mule whi
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77  
78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Godwin

 

palmer

 

Nicholas

 
answered
 
sainted
 

Saladin

 
lantern
 

curtain

 

called

 

struggle


weather
 

bitter

 

shutter

 

sleeping

 

Doubtless

 
stirring
 

grooming

 

nodded

 

beneath

 
pointed

climbed

 
window
 

narrow

 

presently

 

prayers

 

breakfast

 

cooking

 
returned
 

throat

 

sleeps


grumbled

 

walking

 

uncourteous

 

friend

 

warned

 

travel

 

outworn

 

things

 

spoken

 

nations


Rosamund

 

Mahomet

 

Christ

 

shines

 

crescent

 

Christian

 
creeds
 

diadem

 

locked

 

stable