that should be necessary, for a hasty
flight.

Quentin then betook himself to his own chamber, armed himself with
unusual care, and belted on his sword with the feeling at once of
approaching danger, and of stern determination to dare it to the
uttermost.

These generous feelings gave him a loftiness of step, and a dignity of
manner, which the Ladies of Croye had not yet observed in him, though
they had been highly pleased and interested by the grace, yet naivete,
of his general behaviour and conversation, and the mixture of shrewd
intelligence which naturally belonged to him, with the simplicity
arising from his secluded education and distant country. He let them
understand that it would be necessary that they should prepare for their
journey this morning rather earlier than usual, and, accordingly, they
left the convent immediately after a morning repast, for which, as well
as the other hospitalities of the House, the ladies made acknowledgment
by a donation to the altar, befitting rather their rank than their
appearance. But this excited no suspicion, as they were supposed to be
Englishwomen, and the attribute of superior wealth attached at that time
to the insular character as strongly as in our own day.

The Prior blessed them as they mounted to depart, and congratulated
Quentin on the absence of his heathen guide.

"For," said the venerable man, "better stumble in the path than be
upheld by the arm of a thief or robber."

Quentin was not quite of his opinion, for, dangerous as he knew the
Bohemian to be, he thought he could use his services, and, at the same
time, baffle his treasonable purpose, now that he saw clearly to what
it tended. But his anxiety upon this subject was soon at an end, for
the little cavalcade was not an hundred yards from the monastery and the
village before Maugrabin joined it, riding as usual on his little active
and wild looking jennet. Their road led them along the side of the
same brook where Quentin had overheard the mysterious conference the
preceding evening, and Hayraddin had not long rejoined them, ere they
passed under the very willow tree which had afforded Durward the means
of concealment, when he became an unsuspected hearer of what then passed
betwixt that false guide and the lanzknecht.

The recollections which the spot brought back stirred Quentin to enter
abruptly into conversation with his guide, whom hitherto he had scarce
spoken to.

"Where hast thou found night