The Midnight Queen [102]
leave you, as I have a few
words to say to the person who is with me."
So saying the count walked away, and Hubert followed him with a
most curious look.
"Now," cried Sir Norman, eagerly, "what news?"
"Good!" said the boy. "Leoline is safe!"
"And where?"
"Not far from here. Didn't he tell you?"
"The count ? No - yes; he said she was at his house."
"Exactly. That is where she is," said Hubert, looking much
relieved. "And, at present, perfectly safe."
"And did you see her?"
"Of course; and heard her too. She was dreadfully anxious to
come with me; but that was out of the question."
"And how is she to be got away?"
"That I do not clearly see. We will have to bring a ladder, and
there will be so much danger, and so little chance of success,
that, to me it seems an almost hopeless task. Where did you meet
Count L'Estrange?"
"Here; and he told me that he bad abducted her, and held her a
prisoner in his own house."
"He owned that did he? I wonder you were not fit to kill him?"
"So I was, at first, but he talked the matter over somehow."
And hereupon Sir Norman briefly and quickly rehearsed the
substance of their conversation. Hubert listened to it
attentively, and laughed as he concluded.
"Well, I do not see that you can do otherwise, Sir Norman, and I
think it would be wise to obey the count for to-night, at least.
Then to-morrow - if things do not go on well, we can take the law
in our own hands."
"Can we?" said Sir Norman, doubtfully, "I do wish you would tell
me who this infernal count is, Hubert, for I am certain you
know."
"Not until to-morrow - you shall know him then."
"To-morrow! to-morrow!" exclaimed Sir Norman, disconsolately.
"Everything is postponed until to-morrow! Oh, here comes the
count back again. Are we going to start now, I wonder?"
"Is your friend to accompany us on our expedition?" inquired the
count, standing before them. " It shall be quite as you say, Mr.
Kingsley."
"My friend can do as he pleases. What do you say, Hubert?"
"I should like to go, of all things, if neither of you have any
objections."
"Come on, then," said the count, "we will find horses in
readiness a short distance from this."
The three started together, and walked on in silence through
several streets, until they reached a retired inn, where the
count's recent companion stood, with the horses. Count
L'Estrange whispered a few words to him, upon which he bowed and
retired; and in an instant they were all in the saddle, and
galloping away.
The journey was rather a silent one, and what conversation there
was, was principally sustained by the count. Hubert's usual flow
of pertinent chat seemed to have forsaken him, and Sir Norman had
so many other things to think of - Leoline, Ormiston, Miranda,
and the mysterious count himself - that he felt in no mood for
talking. Soon, they left the city behind them; the succeeding
two miles were quickly passed over, and the "Golden Crown," all
dark and forsaken, now hove in sight. As they reached this, and
cantered up the road leading to the ruin, Sir Norman drew rein,
and said:
"I think our best plan would be, to dismount, and lead our horses
the rest of the way, and not incur any unnecessary danger by
making a noise. We can fasten them to these trees, where they
will be at hand when we come out."
"Wait one moment," said the count, lifting his finger with a
listening look. "Listen to that!"
It was a regular tramp of horses' hoofs, sounding in the silence
like a charge of cavalry. While they looked, a troop of horsemen
came galloping up, and came to a halt when they saw the count.
No words can depict the look of amazement Sir Norman's face wore;
but Hubert betrayed not the least surprise. The count glanced at
his companions with a significant smile, and riding
words to say to the person who is with me."
So saying the count walked away, and Hubert followed him with a
most curious look.
"Now," cried Sir Norman, eagerly, "what news?"
"Good!" said the boy. "Leoline is safe!"
"And where?"
"Not far from here. Didn't he tell you?"
"The count ? No - yes; he said she was at his house."
"Exactly. That is where she is," said Hubert, looking much
relieved. "And, at present, perfectly safe."
"And did you see her?"
"Of course; and heard her too. She was dreadfully anxious to
come with me; but that was out of the question."
"And how is she to be got away?"
"That I do not clearly see. We will have to bring a ladder, and
there will be so much danger, and so little chance of success,
that, to me it seems an almost hopeless task. Where did you meet
Count L'Estrange?"
"Here; and he told me that he bad abducted her, and held her a
prisoner in his own house."
"He owned that did he? I wonder you were not fit to kill him?"
"So I was, at first, but he talked the matter over somehow."
And hereupon Sir Norman briefly and quickly rehearsed the
substance of their conversation. Hubert listened to it
attentively, and laughed as he concluded.
"Well, I do not see that you can do otherwise, Sir Norman, and I
think it would be wise to obey the count for to-night, at least.
Then to-morrow - if things do not go on well, we can take the law
in our own hands."
"Can we?" said Sir Norman, doubtfully, "I do wish you would tell
me who this infernal count is, Hubert, for I am certain you
know."
"Not until to-morrow - you shall know him then."
"To-morrow! to-morrow!" exclaimed Sir Norman, disconsolately.
"Everything is postponed until to-morrow! Oh, here comes the
count back again. Are we going to start now, I wonder?"
"Is your friend to accompany us on our expedition?" inquired the
count, standing before them. " It shall be quite as you say, Mr.
Kingsley."
"My friend can do as he pleases. What do you say, Hubert?"
"I should like to go, of all things, if neither of you have any
objections."
"Come on, then," said the count, "we will find horses in
readiness a short distance from this."
The three started together, and walked on in silence through
several streets, until they reached a retired inn, where the
count's recent companion stood, with the horses. Count
L'Estrange whispered a few words to him, upon which he bowed and
retired; and in an instant they were all in the saddle, and
galloping away.
The journey was rather a silent one, and what conversation there
was, was principally sustained by the count. Hubert's usual flow
of pertinent chat seemed to have forsaken him, and Sir Norman had
so many other things to think of - Leoline, Ormiston, Miranda,
and the mysterious count himself - that he felt in no mood for
talking. Soon, they left the city behind them; the succeeding
two miles were quickly passed over, and the "Golden Crown," all
dark and forsaken, now hove in sight. As they reached this, and
cantered up the road leading to the ruin, Sir Norman drew rein,
and said:
"I think our best plan would be, to dismount, and lead our horses
the rest of the way, and not incur any unnecessary danger by
making a noise. We can fasten them to these trees, where they
will be at hand when we come out."
"Wait one moment," said the count, lifting his finger with a
listening look. "Listen to that!"
It was a regular tramp of horses' hoofs, sounding in the silence
like a charge of cavalry. While they looked, a troop of horsemen
came galloping up, and came to a halt when they saw the count.
No words can depict the look of amazement Sir Norman's face wore;
but Hubert betrayed not the least surprise. The count glanced at
his companions with a significant smile, and riding