"Keep thy wit for
the king's ear," he said. "The lady Suelva hath spoken her decision.
We dally no longer." He bent down and lifted the squire's body over
his back. Then he turned to the eunuch. "Take thou the old mute's
corpse. I have kept his carcass these seven days; to serve as a
pattern. So carry it down."
The black's eyes dilated again, and he shrank back. "I dare not touch
it. He was my friend."
"Bah. Then take thou my load," and in exchange the captain slung the
corpse across his own shoulders. As he crossed the room, the loose
head showed upside-down over his back, bobbing and flabbily wagging
its grin-split face.
The lady stared at it rigidly. She seized the jester's arm. "And is
his face to be a counterpart of that one?"
"Aye--every feature exactly."
The captain threw open the trap-door and went down the ladder. The
eunuch, staggering a little under the squire's weight, followed him
and disappeared from view. Suelva ran forward a few steps as if to
call them back; then she stopped short, hand at breast.
"'Tis too late," said the jester bitterly, and shut down the
trap-door.
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