The eunuch flung himself at her feet, and squirmed
and grovelled. "Save me, lady save me!" But she thrust him from her
with a sharp push of her foot.
The captain turned to the jester. "Take down thy burden," he
whispered. "Down to the torture room with him."
But the lady heard and came forward. "No," she said imperiously, "lay
him down upon the floor, and let me see what has been done with him."
The captain grumbled and swore under his heavy mustache. "Take him
away, fool. Do as I bid!"
But the lady stepped between. "Stop! Let me see him." Her voice rose
high and shaking; she was fast losing her stately calmness.
The captain sneered. "See him! And why? Have you not seen enough of
him this night?"
"No, no! he was but singing to me!"
"Yet I found you with him on the balcony."
"I swear it," she repeated, "he was but singing to me."
The captain heaved his shoulders with so great a shrug that the
ringlets of his coat of mail jangled and clinked. "I have my orders,"
he said, "which come from the king himself."
"The king?" She snapped her fingers.
Pages:
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230