your honour's aunt and her
ladyship's, she has heard of all these terrible doings, and came to
Lancaster to be with My Lady. _Ma foi_, I know not if she be just the
person one would have chosen, for she has scolded a great deal, and is
as agitated--as agitated as a young rabbit. But, after all, she loves
the poor young lady with all her heart, and I think she has roused her
a little. His honour knows," said the man, flushing to the roots of
his hair, whilst he shifted nervously from one foot to another, "that
My Lady has been much upset about the poor captain. After his honour
went, she would sit, staring out of the window there, just where the
street turns up to the castle, and neither ate nor slept, nor talked
to speak of. Of course, as I told the old Demoiselle, I knew it was
because My Lady had taken it to heart about the signal that she
made--thinking to save him--and which only brought the gabelous on
him, that his honour's infernal brother (God forgive me, and have
mercy on his soul) had set to watch. And My Lady liked to see me
coming and going, for she sent me every day to the prison; she did not
once go herself."

Sir Adrian drew a long breath. With the most delicate intuition of his
master's thoughts, Rene avoided even a glance at him while he
continued in as natural a tone as he could assume:

"But the day after the old miss came, she, My Lady, told me to find
out if he would see her. He said no; but that the only kindness any
one could do him now would be to bring him Mademoiselle Madeleine, and
let him speak to her once more. And My Lady, when she heard this, she
started off that day with the old one to fetch Mademoiselle herself at
Pulwick. And she left me behind, your honour, for I had a little plan
there."

Rene faltered and a crestfallen look crept upon his face.

Sir Adrian remembered how before his departure for London his servant
had cheerily assured him that Mr. the Captain would be safe out of the
country long before he returned, "faith of him, Rene, who had already
been in two prisons, and knew their ways, and how to contrive an
escape, as his honour well knew." A sad smile parted his lips.

"And so you failed, Renny," he said.

"Ah, your honour, those satanic English turnkeys! With a Frenchman,
the job had been done; but it is a bad thing to be in prison in
England. His honour can vouch I have some brains. I had made plans--a
hundred plans, but there was ever something that did not work.