"God has sent you!" he exclaimed, below his breath, lest anyone might
hear beyond themselves. "Come with me, and I will show you what will
do your heart good! Ay, and it will gladden your eyes."
Herman wondered what his meaning was, but he told him why he was here
in the garden, and how anxious he was to get away because of that
struggle in the cell.
"You really did all that?" exclaimed Heinrich, and, precious though
the moments were, he danced right out in the moonlight for the joy of
the thing. In the extremity of his jubilation his eyes were full of
tears, and Herman looked on in wonder, and part, too, in dread, lest
the poor, simple fellow had gone from imbecility to madness.
"Give me the key," Heinrich implored. "The day may come when I may
use it and set some poor prisoner free." He put forth his hand for
it, and Herman, having no need for it, gave it to him.
"But she is there, I feel assured, Heinrich, in that horrible place,"
said Herman anxiously. "And now I am helpless. I dare not go back
for her."
"You need not!" Heinrich broke in on his words impulsively. "You
need not. Go on your knees and thank God! Say what I heard Mistress
Margaret say, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul!' Say it, for she is not
there, in that accursed house. She was, but she is not now. She is
safe. I got her away from the tormentors. Listen to me."
Heinrich dropped his voice to a whisper, and had put his arm about
Herman's neck, to speak in his ear.
"I have her in safe keeping, hidden where none of those Familiars can
find her," he said exultingly.
"Do you mean it?" whispered Herman, trembling at what he heard. "Is
she not in that house yonder?"
"No. She was there. She was to be taken to the torture chamber, but
I took her away, and I have her now in safe keeping, thank God!
Listen again. She mourned, in spite of her gladness at being free,
because she had lost a bracelet which you gave her on her betrothal
day. I have come to find it. I am going to the cell from whence I
brought her to look for it, and when I have found it I will take you
to her."
Herman was elate with gladness, and his lips were quietly muttering
his grateful thanks for God's deliverance of his darling.
"There is no need to seek for it, Heinrich. I have found the
bracelet. It was that which made me confident that she had been
taken to the Holy House. See, it is here!"
Holding back one of the drooping branches, Herman held it where the
gold gleamed in the moonlight, and the jewels in it glanced in their
many-coloured splendour.
"That is it, Heinrich. Will you take it and me to her?"
"I will!" the simple one exclaimed. "Let me carry it. She will then
know that I redeemed my promise." He took the bracelet from Herman's
hand, and kissed it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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