like this, and you'll open for me."

"For heaven's sake, be careful," she murmured, catching at his hand.

He nodded reassuringly, and crossing his leg over the windowsill, sat
there for a moment listening. The storm was as fierce as ever, and the
street was deserted. He let himself down on to the pavement, his face
again wrapped up. She watched his tall figure stride quickly along
till a turn of the road hid it. Then, having closed the window and the
shutters again, she sat down to keep her watch, praying for him, for me,
and for her dear mistress the queen. For she knew that perilous work
was afoot that night, and did not know whom it might threaten or whom
destroy.

From the moment that Mr. Rassendyll thus left my house at midnight on
his search for Rupert of Hentzau, every hour and almost every moment
brought its incident in the swiftly moving drama which decided the
issues of our fortune. What we were doing has been told; by now Rupert
himself was on his way back to the city, and the queen was meditating,
in her restless vigil, on the resolve that in a few hours was to bring
her also to Strelsau. Even in the dead of night both sides were active.
For, plan cautiously and skillfully as he might, Rudolf fought with an
antagonist who lost no chances, and who had found an apt and useful tool
in that same Bauer, a rascal, and a cunning rascal, if ever one were
bred in the world. From the beginning even to the end our error lay in
taking too little count of this fellow, and dear was the price we paid.

Both to my wife and to Rudolf himself the street had seemed empty of
every living being when she watched and he set out. Yet everything had
been seen, from his first arrival to the moment when she closed the
window after him. At either end of my house there runs out a projection,
formed by the bay windows of the principal drawing-room and of the
dining room respectively. These projecting walls form shadows, and in
the shade of one of them--of which I do not know, nor is it of moment--a
man watched all that passed; had he been anywhere else, Rudolf must have
seen him. If we had not been too engrossed in playing our own hands,
it would doubtless have struck us as probable that Rupert would direct
Rischenheim and Bauer to keep an eye on my house during his absence;
for it was there that any of us who found our way to the city would
naturally resort in the first instance. As a fact, he had not omitted
this precaution. The ni