commonly used, that he
would be ready to enter into negotiation concerning the partition of
spoil, and the arrangement of measures for their mutual defence, either
the next day, or as soon after as they would. Meantime he trusted that
the Scottish gentleman would honour his feast by remaining all night at
Schonwaldt.

The young Scot returned his thanks, but said his motions must be
determined by those of Pavillon, to whom he was directed particularly
to attach himself, but that, unquestionably, he would attend him on his
next return to the quarters of the valiant William de la Marck.

"If you depend on my motions," said Pavillon, hastily and aloud, "you
are likely to quit Schonwaldt without an instant's delay--and, if you do
not come back to Schonwaldt, save in my company, you are not likely to
see it again in a hurry."

This last part of the sentence the honest citizen muttered to himself,
afraid of the consequences of giving audible vent 'to feelings which,
nevertheless, he was unable altogether to suppress.

"Keep close about me, my brisk Kurschner [a worker in fur] lads." he
said to his bodyguard, "and we will get as fast as we can out of this
den of thieves."

Most of the better classes of the Liegeois seemed to entertain similar
opinions with the Syndic, and there had been scarce so much joy amongst
them at the obtaining possession of Schonwaldt as now seemed to arise
from the prospect of getting safe out of it. They were suffered to leave
the castle without opposition of any kind, and glad was Quentin when he
turned his back on those formidable walls.

For the first time since they had entered that dreadful hall, Quentin
ventured to ask the young Countess how she did.

"Well, well," she answered, in feverish haste, "excellently well--do
not stop to ask a question, let us not lose an instant in words.--Let us
fly--let us fly!"

She endeavoured to mend her pace as she spoke, but with so little
success that she must have fallen from exhaustion had not Durward
supported her. With the tenderness of a mother, when she conveys her
infant out of danger, the young Scot raised his precious charge in his
arms, and while she encircled his neck with one arm, lost to every other
thought save the desire of escaping, he would not have wished one of the
risks of the night unencountered, since such had been the conclusion.

The honest Burgomaster was, in his turn, supported and dragged forward
by his faithful counsello