His
father, brothers, and Grey Dick clustered round Hugh and lifted him. The
fox-faced priest, Nicholas, whispered quick words into the ears of Acour
and his knights. Acour nodded and took a step toward Eve, who just then
fell swooning and was grasped by Grey Dick with his left hand, for in
his right he still held the axe.
"No, no," hissed Nicholas, dragging Sir Edmund back, "life is more than
any woman." Then some one overset the tapers, so that the place was
plunged in gloom, and through it none saw Acour and his train creep out
by the chancel door and hurry to their horses, which waited saddled in
the inner yard.
The frightened congregation fled from the nave with white faces, each
seeking his own place, or any other that was far from Blythburgh Manor.
For did not their dead master's guilt cling to them, and would they not
also be held guilty of the murder of the King's officer, and swing for
it from the gallows? So it came about that when at last lights were
brought Hugh's people found themselves alone.
"The Frenchmen have fled!" cried Grey Dick. "Follow me, men," and with
most of them he ran out and began to search the manor, till at length
they found a woman who told them that thirty minutes gone Acour and all
his following had ridden through the back gates and vanished at full
gallop into the darkness of the woods.
With these tidings, Dick returned to the chapel.
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