than I,
and as I dashed forward our hands met across the table, with his
underneath upon the stone. But I gripped him by the wrist, and though he
struggled, he was but a weak old man, and in a few seconds I had it
twisted from his grasp. In a few seconds--but before they were past the
diamond was well in my hand--the door burst open, and in rushed six
sturdy serving-men with staves and bludgeons.

Elzevir had given a little groan when he saw me force the window, but
followed me into the room and was now at my side. 'Thieves! thieves!
thieves!' screamed the merchant, falling back exhausted in his chair and
pointing to us, and then the knaves fell on too quick for us to make for
the window. Two set on me and four on Elzevir; and one man, even a giant,
cannot fight with four--above all when they carry staves.

Never had I seen Master Block overborne or worsted by any odds; and
Fortune was kind to me, at least in this, that she let me not see the
issue then, for a staff caught me so round a knock on the head as made
the diamond drop out of my hand, and laid me swooning on the floor.

CHAPTER 17

AT YMEGUEN

As if a thief should steal a tainted vest,
Some dead man's spoil, and sicken of his pest--_Hood_

'Tis bitterer to me than wormwood the memory of what followed, and I
shall tell the story in the fewest words I may. We were cast into prison,
and lay there for months in a stone cell with little light, and only foul
straw to lie on. At first we were cut and bruised from that tussle and
cudgelling in Aldobrand's house, and it was long before we were recovered
of our wounds, for we had nothing but bread and water to live on, and
that so bad as barely to hold body and soul together. Afterwards the
heavy fetters that were put about our ankles set up sores and galled us
so that we scarce could move for pain. And if the iron galled my flesh,
my spirit chafed ten times more within those damp and dismal walls; yet
all that time Elzevir never breathed a word of reproach, though it was my
wilfulness had led us into so terrible a strait.

At last came our jailer, one morning, and said that we must be brought up
that day before the _Geregt_, which is their Court of Assize, to be tried
for our crime. So we were marched off to the court-house, in spite of
sores and heavy irons, and were glad enough to see the daylight once
more, and drink the open air, even though it should be to our death that
we were walking; for the j