ell me, how came you hither?"

"She--that is, the person that warned me--let me down from the window
upon the head of the great gurgoyle, and from thence I scrambled down
by the vines on the wall, ran through the court without being seen by
the Squires and grooms, and found my way to the bridge, where happily I
met John Ingram, who brought me hither."

"She?" repeated Gaston, with a sly look in his black eyes.

"I have said too much," said Arthur, colouring deeply; "I pray you to
forget."

"Forget!" proceeded the Squire, "that is sooner said than done. We
shall rack our brains to guess what lady can--"

"Hush, Gaston," said Eustace, as his nephew looked at him imploringly,
"tempt not the boy. And you, Arthur, must return to the palace
immediately."

"Oh, uncle!" said the boy, "may I not stay with you this one night? It
is eight weary months since I have ever seen you, save by peering down
through the tall balusters of the Princess's balcony, when the Knights
were going to dinner in the hall, and I hoped you would keep me with
you at least one night. See how late and dark it is--the Castle gates
will be closed by this time."

"It does indeed rejoice my heart to have you beside me, fair nephew,"
said Eustace, "and yet I know not how to favour such an escape as this,
even for such a cause."

"I never broke out of bounds before," said Arthur, "and never will,
though Lord Harry and Lord Thomas Holland have more than once asked me
to join them."

"Then," said the Knight, "since it is, as you say, too late to rouse
the palace, I will take you back in my hand to-morrow morn, see the
master of the Damoiseaux, and pray him to excuse you for coming to see
me ere my departure."

"Yes, that will be all well," said Arthur; "I could, to be sure, find
the corner where Lord Harry has loosened the stones, and get in by the
pages' window, ere old Master Michael is awake in the morn; but I think
such doings are more like those of a fox than of a brave boy, and
though I should be well punished, I will walk in at the door, and hold
up my head boldly."

"Shall you be punished then?" said Gaston. "Is your old master of the
Damoiseaux very severe?"

"He has not been so hitherto with me," said Arthur: "he scolds me for
little, save what you too are displeased with, Master d'Aubricour,
because I cannot bring my mouth to speak your language in your own
fashion. It is Lord Harry that chiefly falls under his displeasure.
But pu