f the Swiss, who will assuredly give
us hospitality, and who will care little for any threats of these German
barons, should they hear that we have reached their asylum."

By nightfall they had already travelled many leagues, and making a fire
in the wood, Cuthbert asked Cnut for an account of what had taken place
on the previous day.

"We ran for life, Sir Cuthbert, and had not noticed that you had been
drawn into the fray. Had we done so, we would have remained, and sold our
lives with yours; but hoping that you had passed unnoticed in the crowd,
and that you would find some means to rejoin us, we kept upon our way.
After running down three streets, we passed a place where a courtyard
with stables ranged round it was open. There were none about, and we
entered, and, taking refuge in a loft, hid ourselves beneath some
provender. There we remained all night, and then borrowing some apparel
which some of the stablemen had hung up on the walls, we issued into the
town. As we neared the great square we saw some men employed in erecting
a platform in the midst, and a suspicion that all might not be right, and
that you might have fallen into the hands of these German dogs, beset our
minds. After much consultation we determined to see what the affair
meant, and making our way on to the walls, which, indeed, were entirely
deserted, we took refuge in that turret where you saw us. Seeing the
crowd gather, and being still more convinced that some misfortune was
about to occur, I again went back to the stables, where I had noticed a
long rope used by the carters for fastening their loads to the waggons.
With this I returned, for it was clear that if we had to mingle in this
business it would be necessary to have a mode of escape. Of the rest you
are aware. We saw the knights coming out of the castle, with that portly
baron, their lord, at their head. We saw the block and the headsman upon
the platform, and were scarcely surprised when you were led out, a
prisoner, from the gates. We judged that what did happen would ensue.
Seeing that the confusion wrought by a sudden attack from men perched up
aloft as we were, commanding the courtyard, and being each of us able to
hit a silver mark at the distance of 100 yards, would be great indeed, we
judged that you might be able to slip away unobserved, and were sure that
your quick wit would seize any opportunity which might offer. Had you not
been able to join us, we should have remained i