The Star-Chamber: An Historical Romance, Volume 1Ainsworth, William Harrison
History
The Star-Chamber: An Historical Romance, Volume 1
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Great Britain -- History -- James I, 1603-1625 -- Fiction
"No," Sir Giles replied, "I will not lose sight of him. He shall not
have a chance of escape. Marked you not, Lupo, how the rash fool
committed himself with Buckingham? And think you the proud Marquis would
hold me blameless, if, by accident, he should get off scot-free, after
such an outrage? But see! the room is well-nigh cleared. Only a few
loiterers remain. The time is come."
And he was about to order the attack, when the disturbance outside
reached his ears, and checked him for a moment. Sir Giles was
considering what could be the cause of the tumult, and hesitating
whether to go forth and support Sir Francis, in case he stood in need of
assistance, when the discomfited myrmidons rushed into the room. A few
words sufficed to explain what had occurred, and indeed the bloody
visages of some of the men showed how roughly they had been handled.
Though greatly exasperated, Sir Giles was determined not to be baulked
of his prey; and fearing Jocelyn might escape in the confusion, which an
attack upon the 'prentices would occasion, he gave the word for his
instant seizure, and rushed towards him, as before related. How he was
baffled has already been told. His wrath knew no bounds when the young
man disappeared. He hurled himself furiously against the door, but it
resisted all his efforts to burst it open. Suddenly the bolt was
withdrawn, and Clement Lanyere and his men stood before him.
"Have you secured him?" Sir Giles demanded, trying to descry the
fugitive among them. "Death and fiends! you have not let him escape?"
"No one has passed us, except Madame Bonaventure," the promoter replied.
"She was wholly unattended, and came in this direction. We were
stationed within yon anti-chamber, which appears to be the sole means of
communication with this passage, and we ought therefore to have
intercepted the young man when he came forth."
"You were not wont to be thus short-sighted, Lanyere. There must be some
other mode of exit, which you have failed to discover," Sir Giles cried
furiously. "Ha! here it is!" he exclaimed, dashing aside a piece of
tapestry that seemed merely hung against the wall, but in reality
concealed a short flight of steps. "Purblind dolts that you are, not to
find this out. You shall answer for your negligence hereafter, if we
take him not."
And, accompanied by the troop, he hurried down the steps, which brought
him to a lower room, communicating on one hand with a small court, and,
on the other, with the kitchen and offices attached to the tavern.
Directing Lanyere to search the latter, Sir Giles rushed into the court,
and uttered a shout of savage joy on perceiving Jocelyn, sword in hand,
scaling a wall which separated the court from the bowling-green.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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