The nobles supped together, and then quietly left the palace. They were permitted to pass the sentinels on their assurance that they were bound for a frolic in the town.
Henry, in the mean time, was doing his best to make the Chamberlain believe him asleep, and when he was at length convinced of the fact, he left the room. In a moment the King's attendants had softly entered the room and barred the door against all intruders, had hurriedly dressed the King, and made all their preparations for departure. Fortunately, Souvré, one of the King's gentlemen, happened to remember a small postern-door at the end of a passage leading from the kitchen, which opened at the back of the castle on a faubourg of Cracow outside the walls. This door, which had been made for the use of the servants of the palace, had often been found useful by the cavaliers of Henry's court when they wished to go out and in unobserved. Souvré having found that no sentinel had been posted there, sent Miron, the King's physician, to reconnoitre, and see if they could get out by that way. He found the door ajar, and was joyfully returning to report, when suddenly the steward of the household, Alemanni, appeared from the kitchen, where he was evidently on the watch, and carefully looking about him—though without discovering Miron, who was sheltered by the staircase—gave orders for the postern to be locked and the key to be brought to him.
This was a terrible blow to all their hopes. The King was in despair and was about to return to bed, but Souvré encouraged him to persist, and rely upon him to get him out of the dilemma.
So they cautiously left the apartments of the King, and crept softly down the stairs until they came to the passage, where another flight of steps led down to the kitchen. Here they got a great fright from hearing the voice of the steward just at the foot of the stairs. He heard their steps, and called out, "Who goes there?"
"It is I, monsieur," said Souvré, boldly descending a few steps, while he made a sign to the others to go on toward the door.
"And what do you want?" asked the steward.
"The key of the postern-door," replied Souvré. "I have a private errand, now that the King my master can dispense with my services."
"What errand?" persisted the steward.
"The truth is," replied Souvré, haughtily, "I have an appointment in the faubourg. I pray you therefore, monsieur, give me the key of the little door without further parley."
This haughty manner impressed the steward, who knew that Souvré was high in his master's favor, and he somewhat reluctantly gave the key, and offered to accompany Souvré to open the door for him. He, however, only laughed at this, and bounding up the staircase long before the steward, who was old and infirm, could reach the top, he found the King and his companions concealing themselves as much as possible in the shadow of the walls, opened the door, through which they hurriedly passed, and locking it behind them, they made all possible speed toward the little ruined chapel, the place of rendezvous.