“I must wait my opportunity,” I said bitterly, as I turned away, after seeing one of the guards go by beneath my window, when there was a faint, rustling noise, which made me turn in time to see something dark at the window, whose feet rested for a moment lightly on the window-sill before it sprang into the room, and darted behind one of the curtains.
I was so much startled that I half-drew my sword as I gazed at the curtain, which was barely visible, the only light being that which came from the lamps in the next room, and a trifle from the window as the lanthorns, carried by the guard in the court, moved here and there.
“No, no, sahib,” came in a faint whisper, which relieved me, for at that moment I had been ready to fancy it was some curious wild beast.
“Dost!” I whispered back, as I crept softly to the curtain.
“Yes, sahib. But look! Did the men see me come in?”
I peered out of the window, and saw that the guard were marching slowly to and fro, with their lanthorns swinging.
“No; they have seen nothing,” I whispered; and then I passed through into the next room, crossed it, and made sure that Salaman was not coming.
“It is all safe,” I said, as I returned. “How did you manage to get up?”
“It was impossible, sahib,” he said, hardly above his breath. “I could not get near for the guard.”
“Then how did you manage?” I said.