“Oh, I don’t know; and I didn’t want to know, for anyone who meddled with the King’s secrets might come in for the loss of his head, and I didn’t want to lose mine. I came back as fast as I could. There, you can have a look through into the dark passage if you like. Kneel down and lift up the hangings. There, what can you see?” continued the lad, as Denis obeyed, finding the abundant folds give way easily, so that he could peer right beyond.
“Nothing at all; it is quite dark.”
“Come away,” said Carrbroke quickly. “That’s right,” he continued, and then quickly taking Denis’s place he quite disappeared.
“Am I to follow?” said Denis wonderingly; but he had hardly finished speaking before Carrbroke reappeared, laughing.
“Only shutting the door,” he said. “Has anyone seen us?”
“No,” said Denis, after a glance in both directions.
“That’s right,” said Carrbroke. “I say, though, it is interesting, isn’t it? But now I’ve told you I can’t help wondering why I did. But there, you won’t go and tell King Hal that I told you his secrets, will you?”
“Not very likely, is it?” said Denis, smiling, but troubled the while by an uncomfortable sensation which made him feel as if he regretted his knowledge, though at the same time he knew that he had acquired information that might be of extreme value if their masquerading were discovered, perhaps mean the saving of his King.
His musings were suddenly broken off by the voice of companion.
“There,” he said, “let’s go out of doors in the sunshine. I feel as if I had got dark passage on the brain.”