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"Wherefore from your posts? Why have you left the barbican, Eviot? And you other fellow, did I not charge you to look to the mangonels?" "We have something to tell you, Sir John Ramorny," answered Eviot. "We will not fight in this quarrel." "How my own squires control me?" exclaimed Ramorny. "We were your squires and pages, my lord, while you were master of the Duke of Rothsay's household.
Eviot retired, and presently returned with Bonthron, whom he had rescued from the penance, to him no unpleasing infliction, of a second calabash of wine, the brute having gorged the first without much apparent alteration in his demeanour. "Eviot," said the Prince, "let not that beast come nigh me.
"I would do anything in my slight power," said Eviot, "to save my master from a draught which may be his death, and your Grace from the sense that you had occasioned it. But here is one who will perform the feat of goodwill, and thank your Highness to boot." "Whom have we here?" said the Prince, "a butcher, and I think fresh from his office. Do butchers ply their craft on Fastern's Eve?
And now, Sir John of Ramorny, sleep sleep and forget this evil omened conversation, in which the fever of disease and of wine has rather, I trust, held colloquy than your own proper thoughts. Light to the door, Eviot." A call from Eviot summoned the attendants of the Prince, who had been sleeping on the staircase and hall, exhausted by the revels of the evening.
But Eviot, Ramorny's page, heard and knew well the character of the intruders who knocked so boldly, and thought it better, considering his master's condition, to make no answer at all, in hopes that the revel would pass on, than to attempt to deprecate their proceedings, which he knew would be to no purpose.
"All this I conceive," said Eviot; "but how these precautions can be reconciled with the execution of the sentence of hanging is what my dull brain cannot comprehend." "Ah! good youth, thy valiancie hath spoiled a fair wit. Hadst thou studied with me, thou shouldst have learned things more difficult than this. But here is my trick.
"Eviot," said Ramorny, raising his mutilated arm, "had not that glove been empty, thou hadst not lived to utter two words of this insolence." "It is as it is," answered Evict, "and we do but our duty. I have followed you long, my lord, but here I draw bridle." "Farewell, then, and a curse light on all of you!" exclaimed the incensed baron. "Let my horse be brought forth!"
"You hear?" said Eviot to Ramorny, who stood sullen and undecided. "Will you give orders to render the castle, or must I?" "No, villain!" interrupted the knight, "to the last I will command you. Open the gates, drop the bridge, and render the castle to the Douglas." "Now, that's what may be called a gallant exertion of free will," said Dwining.
"No other saw him, my lord," said Eviot, "though I offered my services." "Conduct us to the Duke's apartment, and bring the prisoners with us. Also should there be a female in the castle, if she hath not been murdered or spirited away the companion of the glee maiden who brought the first alarm." "She is here, my lord," said Eviot, bringing Catharine forward.
He laughed bitterly when he read the Prince's billet. "Eviot," he said, "man a stout boat with six trusty men trusty men, mark me lose not a moment, and bid Dwining instantly come hither. "Heaven smiles on us, my trusty friend," he said to the mediciner. "I was but beating my brains how to get access to this fickle boy, and here he sends to invite me." "Hem!
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