"What you say hath interested me still more in my purposed venture, Sir Ambassador," he said quietly. "And if I find only peril and no aid in the Holy Land, I may come to Constantinople, where all is peace and order." "To Constantinople?" Mocenigo leaned forward, sweat beading out on his face. "But why Constantinople, young sir?" "Did not my father's galley sail for Constantinople from Tripoli?" "Ay, but if there was trace of him in the realms of the Augustus, the Grand Acolyth would have found it by this." Mocenigo settled back in his seat as he spoke, and smiled palely. "I must go everywhere," answered Hugh steadily. "I may leave no spot untouched in my quest. I have sworn it." "If my advice had weight with you, lordling, you would abandon your venture. 'Tis more promising of danger than glory." Hugh looked at him, but said nothing, and after the silence had grown embarrassing, Mocenigo turned to Edith, who stood quietly by her uncle's chair. "Perchance, you would care to hear of the life at my master's court--the centre of the world, it hath been called," he proposed. "With your leave, Messer Mocenigo, she must put off that pleasure to relieve the tedium of the voyage," interrupted Sir Godwin. "Dame Alicia hath need of her to settle many matters ere morning." The Italian bowed his assent. "Rest assured, lady, no step has been left untaken to secure your comfort," he said. Hugh felt the hot blood surge through his veins at the hint of devotion in Mocenigo's voice. But to his surprise Edith accepted it with queenly indifference. An hour before she would have blushed and known not what to do. Now, already, she had learned her first lesson in the higher school of life, had leaped at a single bound from the hoyden to the threshold of womanhood. "I must ride back to Chesby," he said, fighting down the heart-soreness that was growing within him. "Give you god-den, Messer Mocenigo. Sir Godwin, I shall come to bid you god-speed to-morrow, and you ride hence with Edith." "Do so, lad, do so," boomed Sir Godwin. "St. Edmund willing, I ride with our maid to Hastings port, where the dromon awaits her." Mocenigo gave Hugh a sinister look from the corner of his eye. "Forget not my advice, young sir," he said. "Toward Outremer lies danger. Here in England is all that man may desire." "I know my path," answered Hugh coldly. "I must journey it." He held back the curtain over the door to the living quarters of the Keep, so that Edith might pass out, then followed her. As the arras fell into place, Mocenigo leaned toward Sir Godwin, his fingers gripping tight hold of the arms of his chair. "A sturdy youth and a bold," he remarked with studied calm. "How is it he hath not yet set forth upon this quest he speaks of?"