the examination was resumed. At the
command of Duke Charles he produced the written instructions which he
had received for the direction of his journey.

"Did you follow these instructions literally, soldier?" said the Duke.

"No; if it please your Grace," replied Quentin. "They directed me, as
you may be pleased to observe, to cross the Maes near Namur; whereas
I kept the left bank, as being both the nigher and the safer road to
Liege."

"And wherefore that alteration?" said the Duke.

"Because I began to suspect the fidelity of my guide," answered Quentin.

"Now mark the questions I have next to ask thee," said the Duke. "Reply
truly to them, and fear nothing from the resentment of any one. But if
you palter or double in your answers I will have thee hung alive in an
iron chain from the steeple of the market house, where thou shalt wish
for death for many an hour ere he come to relieve you!"

There was a deep silence ensued. At length, having given the youth time,
as he thought, to consider the circumstances in which he was placed, the
Duke demanded to know of Durward who his guide was, by whom supplied,
and wherefore he had been led to entertain suspicion of him. To the
first of these questions Quentin Durward answered by naming Hayraddin
Maugrabin, the Bohemian; to the second, that the guide had been
recommended by Tristan l'Hermite; and in reply to the third point he
mentioned what had happened in the Franciscan convent near Namur, how
the Bohemian had been expelled from the holy house, and how, jealous of
his behaviour, he had dogged him to a rendezvous with one of William
de la Marck's lanzknechts, where he overheard them arrange a plan for
surprising the ladies who were under his protection.

"Now, hark," said the Duke, "and once more remember thy life depends
on thy veracity, did these villains mention their having this King's--I
mean this very King Louis of France's authority for their scheme of
surprising the escort and carrying away the ladies?"

"If such infamous fellows had said," replied Quentin, "I know not how I
should have believed them, having the word of the King himself to place
in opposition to theirs."

Louis, who had listened hitherto with most earnest attention, could not
help drawing his breath deeply when he heard Durward's answer, in the
manner of one from whose bosom a heavy weight has been at once removed.
The Duke again looked disconcerted and moody, and, returning to the
charge,