"There is no time for talk, my son," said this doctor, interrupting Sir Valentine. "Remember those in France. And let Anthony do as I said."
"Thou hast heard, Anthony," said the knight, compliantly, after a moment's reflection. "Lead out the horses—"
"Three, Sir Valentine," put in Hal, to whom time was beginning to appear extremely precious, "as Anthony is to go with us. I shall leave my two for thy use."
"And take money, Anthony," went on Sir Valentine, while the priest continued to open the way to the secret closet.
"I have money, sir," said Hal.
"But Anthony shall take some,—the half of what is in the chest, Anthony. The rest will serve me to France, an this plan indeed be not madness."
"You have sure ways of going to France, I doubt not," said Hal to Sir Valentine.
"Ay," said the knight, with a smiling side glance at the busy priest, "we have made that voyage when ports were e'en closer watched than now. And hear this, Anthony, before you go,—Anthony will show thee, Harry, how to make for France on thine own account, if indeed thou dost ride free of these messengers. And he will tell thee where in Paris I am to be found. When we meet there,—the saints intercede that we may!—I shall have a way of thanking thee, perchance. Go, Anthony!"
The servant left the room, with a glumness belonging rather to a general habit of surly disapproval than to any particular objection to the task before him.
"This house and land," Sir Valentine went on, "will be confiscate, of course, and myself outlawed. But thou see'st how this estate hath fallen, Harry. I keep here but two servants besides Anthony, where once I kept twenty. But in all these years I have built up some means of living, across the narrow seas; and thou shalt not want in France. Harry!"