All was still on the other side. The duke's room remained inscrutable
behind its shutters. The light burnt steadily in Madame de Mauban's
window. Then I heard the faintest, faintest sound: it came from behind
the door which led to the drawbridge on the other side of the moat. It
but just reached my ear, yet I could not be mistaken as to what it was.
It was made by a key being turned very carefully and slowly. Who was
turning it? And of what room was it the key? There leapt before my eyes
the picture of young Rupert, with the key in one hand, his sword in the
other, and an evil smile on his face. But I did not know what door it
was, nor on which of his favourite pursuits young Rupert was spending
the hours of that night.
I was soon to be enlightened, for the next moment--before my friends
could be near the chateau door--before Johann the keeper would have
thought to nerve himself for his task--there was a sudden crash from
the room with the lighted window. It sounded as though someone had flung
down a lamp; and the window went dark and black. At the same instant a
cry rang out, shrill in the night: "Help, help! Michael, help!" and was
followed by a shriek of utter terror.
I was tingling in every nerve. I stood on the topmost step, clinging to
the threshold of the gate with my right hand and holding my sword in my
left.
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