CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
THE FRIEND IN NEED.
They must have gone a mile at full gallop before the King cried "Halt!"
As the beat of their horses' hoofs ceased he sat with raised hand as ifcommanding silence, listening; but the heavy breathing of the foursteeds was the only sound that broke the silence of the glorious night.
"Forward slowly now," said the King quietly. "The danger is past forthe moment, and we shall have good warning if they come on again, for itis not likely that they have thrown out a second detachment to take usif we escaped the first. Now, just one word--who is hurt? Denis, mybrave lad, how is it with you?"
"You took too much care of me, my lord. I am only hot."
"Well done!" cried the King. "And you, Saint Simon?"
"A bit battered with blows, sir," replied the young man; "and I expectwhen the day dawns I can show some rags."
"No wounds?" cried the King.
"Not a scratch, sir."
"But what of you, sir?" cried Denis eagerly, "I am afraid you must havesuffered badly."
"I have," said the King shortly. "I feel as if my beauty is spoiled bya blow one ruffian struck at my face. But he was the one who suffered,"he added, with a low hiss suggestive of satisfaction. "But no moreselfishness. Though I have left him to the last, it is not that I donot want to thank our gallant English preserver, who has given us thebest of proofs that he is ready to welcome strangers to his shores. Idon't know by what means you knew, sir, of our peril, or why you shouldthink it worth your while to play the brave knight, and fight againstsuch odds to rescue us from the spoilers, and perhaps from death. Praygive me your name, sir, that we three strangers may bury it deeply inour hearts as one of the most gallant islanders we shall ever meet."
"My name, your Majesty?" said the stranger quietly.
"What!" cried the King. "You know who I am?"
"As well as your Majesty knows his faithful servant," came now infamiliar tones.
"Master Leoni!" cried all three, in a breath, the King's voice soundingloudest of all.
"Yes, Sire," said the owner of the name quietly, as if there were nosuch thing as excitement left in his composition, and instead of being afighting man he was the most peaceable of souls. "Your Majesty, in thefullness of your confidence, thought you would not need your follower'sservices, but I feared that you would, and hence I came. You see, youdid."
"But how--and mounted! How came you here? You bade us farewell atFontainebleau a week ago."
"Yes, Sire; a week gave me plenty of time, as you travelled slowly, toget to the port two days earlier than you. I have been well before youall the time."
"Then that paper!" cried Denis excitedly. "It was you who placed thatbeneath the King's trencher at the inn?"
"I did, Master Denis," said Leoni quietly, "and I think the warning wasneeded. It would have been safer if his Majesty had taken it to heart,though I feared in his reckless bravery he would laugh at my warning,and so I kept watch and came on in advance."
"Then you knew that the road was haunted by folk like these?" said theKing.
"Yes, Sire; I found that in a forest not far from here they have agathering place, and are always on the look-out for rich travellers onthe way to London. They have spies at the port and at the principaltowns to give them warning, and I wonder that you escaped so far withoutthe loss of your horses."
"Humph!" ejaculated the King sourly. "We should have lost them but forthe brave action of young Denis here; but look you, Master Leoni," hecontinued sternly, "I gave you my commands to keep watch and ward overmy goods and chattels at my palace of Fontainebleau until my return."
"Your Majesty did," said Leoni humbly.
"And disobedience to my commands is treason, sir, and the punishment ofthat is death."
"Yes, Sire; but your royal life is the greatest of your possessions, andI felt that might be in danger. You gave me a free hand to do what wasbest in your service, and even if I have offended I deemed it my duty tosave my sovereign's life even at the cost of my own. Your Majesty, Ihave no further defence to make."
"Hah!" said the King. "He has disarmed me, boys, and I as his masteralmost feel that I cannot order him to execution for such a crime asthis. What say you, Denis, lad?"
"I say, sir," said the boy, laughing softly, "that this is England, sir,and that you are not King, but my Lord the Comte de la Seine, who has nopower to inflict such a punishment as this."
"Hah!" said the King, chuckling. "And you, silent Wisehead Saint Simon,what is your judgement?"
"Oh, sir, I think Denis is quite right; but I should like to add onething."
"Hah!" cried the King. "This fight has made you find your tongue, mylad. Now then, let's have what you think about Master Leoni's offence."
"I think, sir, that we had better get on a little faster, for I don'twant another fight to-night."
"Neither do I," said the King, laughing softly, "for I am sore all over,and I should be miserable if it were not for the thought that thisruffian gang must have suffered far more than we. Why, Master Leoni,the point of your sword I could well believe must have been everywhereat once."
"A trick of fence, sir, merely a trick of fence," said Leoni quietly."Your lordship knows how for years I have studied every Italian trick,and it comes easy and useful at a time like this."
"My faith, yes!" said the King, drawing a deep breath. "There, MasterLeoni, I must forgive you this time; but don't offend again. Now then,before we drop into a canter, I believe you know the English roads byheart: can you act as our guide to-night?"
"I have studied them a little, sir, and been along here three timesbefore."
"Then you can take us to a place of safety?"
"Yes, sir, I can; and you will pardon me when I tell you that four daysago I sent forward a trusty messenger to an old town some ten miles fromhere where there is a fine old manor-house, the home of a studiousEnglish nobleman of whom I asked for hospitality for the noble Comte dela Seine should he by any possibility on his journey to the EnglishCourt appeal to him on his way. I and Sir John Carrbroke have oftencorresponded upon matters of scientific lore, and you will be madewelcome as my patron, you may be sure."
"Hah!" cried the King. "There seems to be no end to you, Leoni. Youknow everything, and are always ready at a pinch. Well, I must let youserve me this time, but to-morrow morning, mind, I shall be sore andstiff, and savage as a Compiegne wild boar, so you had better keepbeyond the reach of my tusks when I order you back to France."
"I take your warning, sir," said Master Leoni, rising in his stirrupsand placing his hand to his ear.
"Hah!" cried the King. "Are they coming on again?"
"No, sir; all is quiet, but we have many good English miles to ride, andit would be wise to keep our horses at a steady pace to get well beyondthe outlaws' grasp, for you do not want to reach my old friend's manorand rouse his people up with a following of outlaws at our heels."
"There, I give up," said the King, "and I must give you your due, Leoni.You are the wisest man I know, and I am afraid that you possess a veryungrateful master. Forward, gentlemen, and let's get there, for I ambeginning to grow boar-like and to long to stretch my sore and wearylimbs in a good bed, if I can, or merely on a heap of straw. Here,Leoni, I suppose you have not brought any of that healing salve withwhich you have treated me more than once when I came to misfortune inthe hunt?"
"By rights, sir, I am a _chirurgien_, or leech," said Leoni gravely."On my travels a few simples and my little case are things I never leavebehind."
These were almost the last words spoken during the ten-mile ride, thelatter part being intensely silent, until Leoni drew rein upon the slopeof a wooded hill and pointed across a little valley, where a silverstreamlet flashed before their eyes, to the gables of a long low Englishmanor-house whose diamond-shaped casements glittered like the facets ofso many gems in a setting of ivy, full in the light of the uncloudedmoon.