information of the
whereabouts of King Richard. Blondel in his songs artfully introduced
allusions to the captive monarch and to the mourning of all Christendom
at the imprisonment of its champion. These allusions were always well
received, and he found that the great bulk of the nobles of the empire
were indignant and ashamed at the conduct of the emperor in imprisoning
his illustrious rival. The secret of his prison place, however, appeared
to have been so well kept that no information whatever was obtainable.

"We must carry out our original plan," he said at length, "and journey
into the Tyrol. In one of the fortresses there he is most likely to be
confined."

Leaving the capital they wandered up into the mountains for weeks,
visiting one castle after another. It was no easy matter in all cases to
get so near to these prisons as to give a hope that their voice might be
heard within, or an answer received without. More than once cross-bow
bolts were shot at them from the walls when they did not obey the
sentinel's challenge and move further away. Generally, however, it was in
the day time that they sang. Wandering carelessly up, they would sit down
within earshot of the castle, open their wallets, and take out
provisions from their store, and then, having eaten and drunk, Blondel
would produce his lute and sing, as if for his own pleasure. It needed,
however, four visits to each castle before they could be sure that the
captive was not there; for the song had to be sung on each side.
Sometimes they would cheat themselves with the thought that they heard an
answering voice; but it was not until the end of the fourth week, when
singing outside the castle of Diernstein, that a full rich voice, when
Blondel ceased, sang out the second stanza of the poem. With difficulty
Blondel and Cuthbert restrained themselves from an extravagant exhibition
of joy. They knew, however, that men on the prison wall were watching
them as they sat singing, and Blondel, with a final strain taken from a
ballad of a knight who, having discovered the hiding place of his
ladylove, prepared to free her from her oppressors, shouldered his lute,
and they started on their homeward journey.

There was no delay now. At times they sang indeed at castles; but only
when their store was exhausted, for upon these occasions Blondel would
be presented with a handsome goblet or other solid token of the owner's
approval, and the sale of this at the next city