"Is it in Bremner's warehouse?" the printer asked, in some amazement.
"That is the very thing," cried Heinrich; but he stopped and stared
behind him, listening intently.
"Come after me. Oh, come quickly!" and he led the way, showing the
others where he went by flashing his lantern in such a manner that
they saw all that he did. "Now in here! quickly! and bend low.
Crawl in among the bales," he whispered. "Bear away to the left,
forester, and you will find a hiding-place among those planks. Then
when I say it, cover up the lantern. Don't let a chink of light come
through, or we may be lost."
The forester dropped on his hands and knees, and already Heinrich had
covered his own light under his cloak. Squeezing his great form in
between some heavy bales of cloth, Engel crawled along, while the
others followed him, all save Herman, who remained with Heinrich to
see what this threatening danger was.
"Art safely inside?" came Heinrich's whisper.
"Yes," was the answer. "Although 'tis a tight fit for so many," said
Engel, with an assumption of ease he did not feel. Better, he
thought, that they had taken the risk of the streets and gone to
Herman's house to take that underground passage to the river. The
same thought was in Herman's mind, but it was too late now. They
were in God's hands, and they must abide by the issue of this
venture, which might well mean life or death.
"A tight fit, didst say, forester?" Heinrich whispered. "I spent
many a night there and found it large enough; but, hush! Cover the
light. You are safe there, and only need patience."
Herman, watching with him, felt his heart almost freeze at what he
saw. Away through the door which Herman had already opened, he could
see a great chamber like this in which they were hiding, choked as
this one was, with stores. But what he centred his attention on was
a company of men, six of them in all, each carrying a lantern, and
finding their way among the merchandise, and at the same time
approaching this cellar in which Margaret and himself and the others
were hiding.
He went sick with dread when the men came through the doorway, where
they halted in a group.
"Is this the last?" asked one, and Herman not only knew the voice,
but saw the face of the speaker as the lanterns threw their light on
it.
It was Cochlaeus! The Captain of the City Guard was there, and a
third was one whom Herman knew, Bremner, the owner of the great
warehouses on the quay, and the wealthiest man in the city. The
others were ecclesiastics whom Herman had seen, either in the
streets, or taking part in the cathedral services.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account