“No, Sire,” said Leoni sadly. “I pray that he may be alive and well.”
“May be alive! What do you mean, man?”
“That it was his and our duty, Sire, to save you from King Henry’s anger. You were his prisoner, and at all costs had to be saved.”
“Yes, yes; I had to escape. I have a dream-like memory of something of the kind, though it is all confused.”
“Yes, Sire; from your wound.”
“Hah!” cried the King. “But what is that to do with young Denis? Was he cut down too?”
“No, Sire; quite uninjured when we saw him last.”
“When you saw him last? Then where is he now?”
“A prisoner at the castle, Sire. The brave lad volunteered to take your place while we endeavoured to save our King.”
“To take my place! Do you mean to say, then, that he personated me?”