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Then Beltane stooped, and catching that little hand kissed it, and thereafter hasted blithely on his way. Swift of foot went he and with eyes a-dance, nor paused in his long stride until he was come to a certain high wall wherein was set the small, green door, whereon he knocked three times.
Now it befell upon a drowsy afternoon, that, waking from slumber within the garden, Beltane found himself alone. So he arose and walked amid the flowers thinking of many things, but of the Duchess Helen most of all.
Slowly these halting steps advanced, feet that stumbled oft; near they came and nearer, until Beltane perceived a tall figure whose armour gleamed dully and whose shoulders were bowed like one that is feeble or very weary. "Yolande!" said a voice, a hoarse voice but very tender, "Yolande, beloved!"
The fetters of thy dungeon yet gleam upon thy wrists, Beltane. But truly I do think within thy prison was forged the sword shall avenge our woes and free Pentavalon at last." "Think you indeed, thou wise Benedict, that we by grief and sorrow do rise to find our nobler selves?" "Aye verily! 'Tis but by sorrow and suffering our strength or weakness groweth manifest, Beltane."
And lo! from the city a glad and mighty shout went up, the while above the square and frowning keep a great standard arose and flapping out upon the soft air, discovered a red lion on a white field. "Aha, Beltane!" quoth Sir Benedict, "yon is a rare-sweet sight behold thy father's Lion banner that hath not felt the breeze this many a year "
Then stood the blind man with head out-thrust and awful arm upraised, before which Black Roger shrank and shrank to cower in the deeper shadow. Of a sudden the blind man turned and coming beside Beltane, grasped him by the mantle. "Lord," he questioned, "who is he that trembleth before the maimed and blind? who is he that croucheth yonder?"
Thou should'st be henceforth my lord, my knight-at-arms to lead my powers 'gainst Duke Ivo, teaching Mortain to cringe no more to a usurper to free Pentavalon from her sorrows ah, see you not, Beltane?" "Helen!" he murmured, "O Helen, poor am I a beggar "
Then Sir Benedict sounded his horn, and sword in hand leapt over the barricade, and behind him Beltane with Roger and Ulf and Walkyn and their serried pikemen, while Sir Brian and Sir Hacon limped in their rear. "The breach!" cried Sir Benedict, "seize we now the breach!" "The breach! The breach!" roared a hundred voices.
Art thou in very truth this famous rogue whose desperate deeds do live on every tongue, who hath waked Duke Ivo from his long-time security, insomuch that he doth yearn him for that yellow head o' thine art thou Beltane the Outlaw and Rebel?" "'Tis so men do call me, messire."
Let every fire within the camp be quenched and the ground well cooled with water, that by the feel of it none may know how long we have removed see you to this, Ulf." Now when the mighty three were gone about the business, their fifteen lusty fellows at their heels, Beltane turned and pointed westward, and lo! the sun was set.
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