"
They started the next morning, early; and at noon arrived at a strong
house, lying in the heart of the hills.
"It were best that you should see him first, Sir Oswald, and explain
the matter to him. After that, I will meet him with you."
Great was the astonishment of Sir Edmund, when Oswald was ushered into
the little room in which he was confined. It was some ten feet square,
furnished with a pallet, chair, and small table. The window was very
strongly barred, and Oswald observed, with pain, that his ten months'
imprisonment had told very heavily upon Mortimer.
"Why, Oswald! Ah! I see I should say Sir Oswald. What brings you here?
Some good news, I trust. Has my ransom been collected?"
"It has been collected, Sir Edmund," Oswald said, as they shook hands,
"but the king, who refused altogether to pay your ransom, as he did
Lord Grey's, has forbidden the money, raised partly by your tenants and
partly by the tenants of your nephew, to be handed over. 'Tis clear
that he views you as an enemy; and has, indeed, ventured to declare his
belief that your capture by Glendower was a thing arranged,
beforehand."
"He lies!" Sir Edmund exclaimed angrily. "We fought stoutly and, had it
not been for the treachery of the Welsh bowmen, should have won the
day.
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