"Cowards!" flashed Joan, "I will go myself. The cripples, the halt, and the blind shall follow me. Thora of Bornheim and these maidens there, they shall follow me to the rescue of their Prince. Do you, brave men of Plassenburg, cower behind the walls while the Muscovite overwhelms all and the true Prince is slain!"
And at this her voice broke and she sobbed out, "Cowards! cowards! cowards! God preserve me from cowardly men!"
For at such times and in such a cause no woman is just. For which high Heaven be thanked!
Boris looked at Jorian. Jorian looked at Boris.
"No, madam," said Boris gravely; "your servants are no cowards. It is true that we were commanded by our master to keep his Palace Guard within the city walls, and these must stay. But we two are in some sense still Envoys Extraordinary, and not strictly of the Prince's Palace Guard. As Envoys, therefore, charged with a free commission in the interests of peace, we can without wrongdoing accompany you whither you will. Eh, Jorian?"
"Aye," quoth Jorian; "we are at her Highness's service till ten o' the clock."
"And why till ten?" asked Joan, turning to go out.
"Oh," returned Jorian, "there is guard-changing and other matters to see to. But there is time for a wealth of fighting before ten. Lead on, madam. We follow your Highness!"