She turned and watched him as he talked. He was
dressed as he had been dressed last night, but with a small cloak thrown
over his shoulders; he gesticulated freely and easily, pointing out this
and that; now and again his eyes met hers, and there was nothing but a
grave merriment in them.... Only once or twice his voice softened, as he
spoke of those great ones that had shown Catholics how both to die and
live.
"And now," he said, "with your permission I will go and speak to the
guard, and see if we may have entrance."
* * * * *
It was almost with terror that she saw him go--a solitary man, with a
price on his head, straight up to those whose business it was to catch
him--armed men, as she could see--she could even see the quilted jacks
they wore--who, it may be, had talked of him in the guard-room only last
night. But his air was so assured and so magnificent that even she began
to understand how complete such a disguise might be; and she watched him
speaking with the officer with a touch even of his own humour in her
heart. Indeed, there was some truth in the charge of Jesuitry, after
all!
Then the figure turned and beckoned, and they went forward.
II
A certain horror, in spite of herself and her company, fell on her as
she passed beneath the solid stone vaulting, passed along beneath the
towering wall, turned up from the water-gate, and came out into the wide
court round which the Lieutenant's lodgings, the little church, and the
enormous White Tower itself are grouped.
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