“I’ll do it,” answered the Colonel slowly.
“And I’ll remember it,” said the Earl. “To-morrow, at six o’clock, I set out.”
The two men shook hands on their bargain and left the room, shutting the door after them.
I crept forth from behind the screen, my heart thumping on my ribs. Thus far it had been all fear and trembling with me; but now this was chang’d to a kind of panting joy. ’Twas not that I had spied the prison keys hanging near the fireplace, nor that behind the screen lay a heap of the Colonel’s riding boots, whereof a pair, ready spurr’d, fitted me choicely well; but that my ears tingled with news that turn’d my escape to a matter of public welfare: and also that the way to escape lay plann’d in my head.
Shod in the Colonel’s boots, I advanc’d again to the table. With sealing-wax and the Governor’s seal, that lay handy, I clos’d up the King’s letter, and sticking it in my breast, caught down the bunch of keys and made for the door.
The hall was void. I snatch’d down a cloak and heavy broad-brimm’d hat from one of the pegs, and donning them, slipp’d back the bolts of the heavy door. It opened without noise. Then, with a last hitch of the cloak, to bring it well about me, I stepp’d forth into the night, shutting the door quietly on my heels.
My feet were on the pavement of the inner ward. Above, one star only broke the blackness of the night. Across the court was a sentry tramping. As I walk’d boldly up, he stopped short by the gate between the wards and regarded me.
Now was my danger. I knew not the right key for the wicket: and if I fumbled, the fellow would detect me for certain. I chose one and drew nearer; the fellow look’d, saluted, stepp’d to the wicket, and open’d it himself.
“Good night, Colonel!”
I did not trust myself to answer: but passed rapidly through to the outer ward. Here, to my joy, in the arch’d passage of the barbican gate, was the carriage waiting, the porter standing beside the door; and here also, to my dismay, was a torch alight, and under it half a dozen soldiers chatting. A whisper pass’d on my approach—