“You are too late, Sir John!” cried the young man, forcing a laugh. “The bird has flown.” “Flown! not out of the window, I presume; though I see not how she can otherwise have escaped,” rejoined Gage. “She cannot have passed through the corridor, or we must have met her. Where can she be?” “Nay, I can give you no information, Sir John,” rejoined Osbert. “On my arrival here a few moments ago, I found the room vacant, that is all I know.” “She appears to have taken her old attendant with her,” said Gage. “However, we shall easily discover her hiding-place. She cannot have quitted the palace.” “Stay! is there no closet in the room?” said Father Alfonso, peering round. “Ha! here is one—but it is empty,” he added, on opening it. “We must seek her elsewhere,” observed Gage. “I shall not be sorry if she has got away altogether,” he added in a low tone to Osbert, as they quitted the room, followed by Father Alfonso. “But what will her Majesty say to it?” “Rather, what will the King say,” rejoined Osbert. “He will be furious.” “It may be his contrivance,” remarked Gage. “I suspect you know more about the matter than you choose to tell, and could find the damsel if you thought proper.” All search for the fugitives proved fruitless. The secret staircase was not detected. When Constance’s disappearance was reported to the Queen, her Majesty was greatly irritated, and her suspicions fell upon the King. Philip was equally angry, and equally at fault, attributing Constance’s evasion to the Queen’s agency, and believing that her Majesty had had recourse to this stratagem to baffle his designs. Not until after midnight, and when all was still within the palace, did Osbert Clinton venture into the garden. Fortunately the night was dark and cloudy. On hearing his footsteps, Constance and her attendant came from out the alley in which they were hidden, and followed him noiselessly along various grassy paths to a gate opening upon the park. In a few moments more the party had reached the banks of the Thames, when Osbert gave a signal. Immediately the plash of oars was heard on the other side of the river, and a wherry, rowed by two men, could be descried through the gloom, pulling towards them. Constance and her old attendant were quickly placed within the boat by Osbert, and this was no sooner accomplished, than the boatman, without a moment’s delay, pushed off, and dashed swiftly down the stream. Osbert listened till the sound of the oars could no longer be heard, and then returned with a light heart to the palace, entering it as secretly as he had come forth.