but, keeping to
the foot of this mountain, make along as far as we can to the west. We
must cling to the hills for many days' march before we venture again to
try to cross the plains. If possible, we will keep on this way until we
reach the confines of the country of the Swiss, who will assuredly give
us hospitality, and who will care little for any threats of these German
barons, should they hear that we have reached their asylum."

By nightfall they had already traveled many leagues, and making a fire
in the wood, Cuthbert asked Cnut for an account of what had taken place
on the previous day.

"We ran for life, Sir Cuthbert, and had not noticed that you had been
drawn into the fray. Had we done so, we would have remained, and sold
our lives with yours; but hoping that you had passed unnoticed in the
crowd, and that you would find some means to rejoin us we kept upon our
way. After running down three streets we passed a place where a
courtyard with stables ranged round it was open. There were none about,
and we entered, and taking refuge in a loft hid ourselves beneath some
provender. There we remained all night, and then borrowing some apparel
which some of the stablemen had hung upon the walls, we issued into the
town. As we neared the great square we saw some men employed in erecting
a platform in the midst, and a suspicion that all might not be right,
and that you might have fallen into the hands of these German dogs,
beset our minds. After much consultation we determined to see what the
affair meant, and making our way on to the walls which, indeed, were
entirely deserted, we took refuge in that turret where you saw us.
Seeing the crowd gather, and being still more convinced that some
misfortune was about to occur, I again went back to the stables, where I
had noticed a long rope used by the carters for fastening their loads to
the wagons. With this I returned, for it was clear that if we had to
mingle in this business it would be necessary to have a mode of escape.
Of the rest you are aware. We saw the knights coming out of the castle,
with that portly baron, their lord, at their head. We saw the block and
the headsman upon the platform, and were scarcely surprised when you
were led out, a prisoner, from the gates. We judged that what did happen
would ensue. Seeing that the confusion wrought by a sudden attack from
men perched up aloft as we were, commanding the courtyard, and being
each of us able to hit a sil