"Pray my brother," said the King, "to kill me. I am dying by inches
here."
"The duke does not desire your death, sire--yet," sneered Detchard;
"when he does behold your path to heaven!"
The King answered:
"So be it! And now, if your orders allow it, pray leave me."
"May you dream of paradise!" said the ruffian.
The light disappeared. I heard the bolts of the door run home. And then
I heard the sobs of the King. He was alone, as he thought. Who dares
mock at him?
I did not venture to speak to him. The risk of some exclamation escaping
him in surprise was too great. I dared do nothing that night; and my
task now was to get myself away in safety, and to carry off the carcass
of the dead man. To leave him there would tell too much. Casting loose
the boat, I got in. The wind was blowing a gale now, and there was
little danger of oars being heard. I rowed swiftly round to where my
friends waited. I had just reached the spot, when a loud whistle sounded
over the moat behind me.
"Hullo, Max!" I heard shouted.
I hailed Sapt in a low tone. The rope came down. I tied it round the
corpse, and then went up it myself.
"Whistle you too," I whispered, "for our men, and haul in the line. No
talk now."
They hauled up the body. Just as it reached the road, three men on
horseback swept round from the front of the Castle.
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