The rencontre had continued for several minutes, without either party
receiving a wound, when of a sudden voices were heard beneath the
portico which formed the entrance of the terrace, mingled with the steps
of men advancing hastily. "We are interrupted," said Leicester to his
antagonist; "follow me."
At the same time a voice from the portico said, "The jackanape is
right--they are tilting here."
Leicester, meanwhile, drew off Tressilian into a sort of recess behind
one of the fountains, which served to conceal them, while six of
the yeomen of the Queen's guard passed along the middle walk of the
Pleasance, and they could hear one say to the rest, "We shall never find
them to-night among all these squirting funnels, squirrel cages, and
rabbit-holes; but if we light not on them before we reach the farther
end, we will return, and mount a guard at the entrance, and so secure
them till morning."
"A proper matter," said another, "the drawing of swords so near the
Queen's presence, ay, and in her very palace as 'twere! Hang it, they
must be some poor drunken game-cocks fallen to sparring--'twere pity
almost we should find them--the penalty is chopping off a hand, is it
not?--'twere hard to lose hand for handling a bit of steel, that comes
so natural to one's gripe."
"Thou art a brawler thyself, George," said another; "but take heed, for
the law stands as thou sayest."
"Ay," said the first, "an the act be not mildly construed; for thou
knowest 'tis not the Queen's palace, but my Lord of Leicester's."
"Why, for that matter, the penalty may be as severe," said another "for
an our gracious Mistress be Queen, as she is, God save her, my Lord of
Leicester is as good as King."
"Hush, thou knave!" said a third; "how knowest thou who may be within
hearing?"
They passed on, making a kind of careless search, but seemingly more
intent on their own conversation than bent on discovering the persons
who had created the nocturnal disturbance.
They had no sooner passed forward along the terrace, than Leicester,
making a sign to Tressilian to follow him, glided away in an opposite
direction, and escaped through the portico undiscovered. He conducted
Tressilian to Mervyn's Tower, in which he was now again lodged; and
then, ere parting with him, said these words, "If thou hast courage to
continue and bring to an end what is thus broken off, be near me when
the court goes forth to-morrow; we shall find a time, and I will give
you a signal when it is fitting."