It was on the morning that the young knight was carrying up the last splicing of rope but one that he missed Lady Anna from her accustomed place beside the youth's knee. Hastily knotting and securing the rope around a rung of the iron ladder he hurried back along the passageway. Pausing beside the youth's room he again looked through the window. The boy was still alone, and pacing back and forth across the room in that which seemed to be a paroxysm of grief and anger, clenching his blue-veined hands, throwing pillows madly about the floor, and soliloquizing with a bitter and impassioned vehemence. Experiencing an indescribable sort of fascination, Sir Richard stopped to listen.
[CHAPTER XVI]
OF THE RETURN OF LORD DOUGLAS, AND THE COUNCIL OF JACKDAWS
Ah! Woe is me—woe, woe is me!" the youth was crying bitterly. "To think that I must forget my home, my generous father, my brothers, and my dear, kind sister. That I must deny even my good and gentle mother who bore me into the world and suckled me at her bosom! And here am I giving her sorrow of my death when I am living! Woe—woe! Better—far, far better that my final act should be the rescuing of one truth out of this tissue of black and damning lies! Aye—" he gasped, glaring with eyes wide distended around the room—"an the means were but at hand, I could do it even now! But how I tremble when I but think of it.... My hand.... See how it doth shake—palsied with horror of the grisly phantom! Even now," he whispered hoarsely, "I can see them bringing in the winding sheet. Nay—nay, I dare not! Fear, that doth withhold my craven arm, doth set his grinning skull at every exit and bid me stay."
Then, throwing himself at full length upon the floor, the youth resigned himself to a fit of tempestuous weeping.
Overwhelmed by a feeling of deepest sympathy for the suffering boy, and oblivious to all things else—his own safety, the safety of de Claverlok—Sir Richard strode back along the passageway, unbarred the secret door leading into the youth's apartments, and impetuously gave himself admittance therein.
In another moment the young knight was beside him, and, stooping, touched him lightly upon the shoulder.
"Ah! Lady Anna, ... that you should see me thus," murmured the youth without lifting his head from his arms. "They said to me that you were suffering of an indisposition and would not visit here to-day. Can you, ... will you grant me pardon?" he added, sighing deeply.
"Fear not," said Sir Richard gently. "I am come to succor thee, good youth."