his companion?"

"In their beds, at the palace, I should suppose."

"Nay, be not so perfidious; they are here, lady, and probably within
hearing; they must come forth, or I must order the guard to search the
house, which I should regret."

"By whose authority?"

"By that of the king, whose signet is on my hand."

"They are not here; they left half-an-hour ago."

"Pardon me, madam, if I observe that we have watched the house for an hour.

"Had not this scene better terminate?" he added, with icy coldness.

At this moment a favourite dog, which Edwy had often petted, and which
had entered with the guard, found him out behind the curtain, and in its
vociferous joy betrayed the whole secret.

Confusion or smiles sat on every face save that of the imperturbable
Dunstan.

"Your dog, madam, is more truthful than its mistress," he said, bluntly
yet quietly; and then, advancing to the recess, he drew aside the
curtain and gazed upon the discovered couple.

"Will you kindly return to the palace with me?"

"How dare you, insolent monk, intrude upon the pleasures of your future
king?"

"I dare by the orders of the present king, your royal uncle, who has
committed the whole matter into my hands; and, Prince Edwy, in the
discharge of my duty 'dare' is a superfluous word. Will you, as I said
before, both follow me, if you are sufficiently masters of yourselves to
do so?"

The import of all this was seen at a glance, but there was no course but
submission, and Edwy well knew how utterly indefensible his conduct was;
so, with crestfallen gait, he and Elfric followed their captor to the
river, where was another large boat by the side of their own. They
entered it, and returned to the palace stairs much more sober than on
previous occasions.

CHAPTER VII. "THE KING IS DEAD!--LONG LIVE THE KING!"

The unhappy Elfric passed the night in a most unenviable frame of mind.
He felt distinctly how utterly he was in the power of Dunstan, and that
he could only expect to return home in disgrace; yet there was no real
repentance in all this: he had sinned and suffered, but although he
dreaded punishment he no longer hated sin.

He scarcely slept at all, and early in the morning he rose to seek an
interview with Edwy, when he found that he was a prisoner. One of the
hus-carles posted at his door forbade all communication.

Early in the morning the bell sounded for the early service, still he
was not released, and later h