“Even as I expected, my lord; a year and a day hence expect me again.”
“We will trust no more to a single hand,” said one of the conspirators, when they met again after the barber’s repentance; “this time we will all share.”
“I propose,” said one of the rebel lords, “an ambush on the road to Naples. Every year, on the day after Christmas, the king journeys thither; the bye-path near to the city gates is the nearest road, peradventure he will go that way.”
When the Christmas night was over, the king prepared to journey to Naples; a great company of nobles, knights, and men-at-arms, went with him. Not far from the city, he came to the place where the highway and bye-path diverged.
“My lord,” said an old noble, “the day is far spent, the sun sinks fast in the horizon; will not my lord turn by the bye-path, as it is far shorter than the high-road?”
“Nay,” said the king, “it’s a year and a day since the merchant’s first maxim saved my life; now will I test the second admonition, ‘never leave a highway for a bye-path,’ but go part of ye by that path, and prepare for me in the city; I and the rest will pursue the highway.”
Onward rode the knights and the soldiers by the bye-path, and hastened towards the city; as they neared the ambush, the traitors sprang upon them, for they thought the king was among them. Every man slew his opponent, and there remained not one of the king’s company, to bear the tidings to the king, but a youth, a little page whom the conspirators did not remark during the attack.
At the city gates, the king found the merchant who had sold him his maxims.
“Halt, O king!” said he, “the second maxim has been proved.”