“So, so,” said the steward grimly, upon seeing me open my eyes. “King William is spared the mourning for a valiant servant.”
“And the devil has lost his own—as yet,” added Sampson Dare with a grin.
I closed my eyes for awhile and lay silent; for the sunlight without dazzled me, and I was conscious, moreover, of a feeling of intense weakness, by which I imagined that I must have lost a quantity of blood—which was, indeed, the case.
When the man beside me had completed his task, even to replacing my arm within its former sling, all of which, to his credit be it said, he accomplished with no undue harshness, he thrust a flask of spirits in my hand and bade me curtly, “Drink.”
In this, indeed, I was the more ready to obey him, since not only was I afflicted with an intolerable thirst, but also the events of the past few hours recurred swiftly to my memory, and I was minded to uphold my dignity and conceal the weakness that I really felt in the presence of the men before me. Deeply, therefore, I quaffed of the cognac which the flask contained, drinking in with it an increased vitality and such returning strength that presently I was enabled to stagger to my feet.
“That is better,” said the steward, nodding approvingly, as I was fain to lean for a moment or two longer against the wall to recover from the sudden faintness which the effort had entailed; “for the day wears on apace, and ’tis time we should be moving.”
“Whither?” I gasped hoarsely, glancing from his face to that of Sampson Dare.
“Ah, you will see time enough,” the latter made answer. “A pleasant journey to you, with good company!” and he grinned broadly.
“Come, come, we waste time,” said the steward impatiently, at the same time beckoning to Martin to bring my horse nearer. “Can you mount?” he added, turning abruptly to me.
At that I rallied all my strength, and disregarding his proffered arm, I stepped—somewhat unsteadily, I will admit—through the open doorway to the sorrel’s side, who turned his head at my appearance and whinnied softly in gentle recognition. But the sight of the animal was as if I had found an old friend, and it was with a renewal of hope that with Sampson Dare’s assistance I climbed heavily into the saddle. Yet if some wild scheme of escaping had for a moment crossed my mind it was speedily doomed to be disappointed; for, with the steward leading the sorrel by the bridle and with the other men forming in a little cluster around me, I was forced to admit to myself, however reluctantly, that any idea of regaining my liberty was for the present at least impracticable.