“Shall I despatch this knave, my liege?” cried Suffolk, pointing with his sword to Fenwolf.
“By no means,” said the king; “something may be learnt from him. Hark thee, thou felon hound; if thou indeed servest the fiend, thou seest he deserts thee, as he does all who put faith in him.”
“I see it,” replied Fenwolf, who, finding resistance vain, had folded his hands doggedly upon his breast.
“Then confess thy evil practices,” said the king.
“Give me my life, and I will,” replied Fenwolf. And as he uttered the words, he caught sight of the dark figure of Herne, stationed at the side of the oak, with its right arm raised menacingly.
“What seest thou?” cried Henry, remarking his fixed gaze towards the tree, and glancing in that direction.
Fenwolf made no reply.
Henry went up to the tree, and walked round it, but he could see nothing.
“I will scour the forest to-morrow,” he muttered, “and hang every knave I find within it who cannot give a good account of himself.”
“Ho! ho! ho!” laughed a voice, which seemed to proceed from the branches of the tree. Henry looked up, but no one was visible.