"stephen stood on the threshold with his staff in his hand."—Page 37.
When he had stood there a little while, the same Sergeant of the Guard, recollecting (now that the fire at the fruit-seller's was out) that he had never searched the house of the smith, came again with his four men, and told Stephen to stand aside and allow him to enter the house.
"For I must search it," he said, "or my orders will not be performed."
"Those whom you seek are not here," said Stephen.
"That I must see for myself," answered the Sergeant. "Come, smith, stand aside."
When the Princess heard the voices outside, she put her head round the door of the inner room, and cried in great alarm to Stephen:
"They must not come in, Stephen. At any cost they must not come in!"
"Do not be afraid, madame, they shall not come in," said he.
"I heard a voice in the house," exclaimed the Sergeant.
"It is nothing uncommon to hear in a house," said Stephen, and he grasped more firmly his great staff.