“Let us in!—Let us in!” roared these last. “'T is a trap to cheat us o' Sudbury. Mile End, forsooth!—Nay, we 'll parley within the Tower.”
“Tell them there is no room in the Tower for so great a multitude,” said Richard, “wherefore I choose Mile End.—Tell them”—He paused and turned to a page who came in, “Well, didst give the message?”
“Yea, sire; the Archbishop is even now gone down to the water-gate.”
“Tell them,” Richard took up the word anew, “the Tower is theirs to search and to hold after I shall go forth of it to-day. They may enter if they will. But I will not parley with them only at Mile End.”
All this Stephen cried out of window, and presently there began to be a fraying away on the edges of the mob, as a cloud frays.
“Let us go and make ready,” said Richard; his eyes were very bright, he held his head high.
But when he had kissed his mother, and dried her tears, and had bade saddle the horses,—and his half-brothers, Kent and Sir John Holland, were fidgeting, pale, for that he would have them ride with him,—suddenly came into the hall Simon Sudbury, with yellow sweat beading on his brow.
“How now!” cried the King; “methought thou wert scaped by the river?”
“The watch on the hill hath keen eyes, sire. We put forth, but they raised a cry. Was naught for 't but to turn back.”
“But thou must begone!—I say thou must!” Richard exclaimed, stamping his foot. “Christ!—I 've said they may come in and search!” Then he went and caught Simon by the shoulders, and his lip quivered:—