“But thy urgent tongue and tenderness doth armour thee for conquest!”

“Aye, ’tis love’s armour; but thy tears make me strong to enter strife with men.  I know ’tis love drives thee, and when that love is for me, I can win all battles.”

“Thou must haste before dawn, or thou wilt be taken; for we do not know whether the young man still lives; and Lord Cedric will kill thee if he can.”

“There is no doubt but what he lives.  His Grace’s physicians have no doubt healed the burden of his pain long ago.  But do not thou think of him, think only of this sweet night and—­dream of our meeting again.  And if his lordship keeps thee prisoner, tell Janet thou art fast wed and she will help thee to our rendezvous to-morrow.  Pray, Sweet, that the day may be short, for now I see only cycles of time until the set of morrow’s sun.”

Dawn broke into a new day.  Sunshine bathed old Earth in golden splendour.  The day grew warm, as higher and higher leapt Phoebus, until he rested high and hot upon Zenith’s bosom, causing all mankind to pant by his excess.

Slowly Katherine raised her lazy eyelids until the shining blue beneath lay in quivering uncertainty.  She smiled up at Janet, saying, sleepily,—­

“I’ve a notion not to arise to-day.  ’Twill be long and wearisome, and hot.  What is the use?  There is nothing in the world to get up for!”

“Indeed there is a very great deal to get up for.  ’Tis a glorious day.  The gardens are aglow with beauty and the air is fine, though warm.”

“I know, Janet, and ’tis thy desire that I arise, but the castle seems most empty.  Their Graces have departed and—­”

“Nay, not so.  There has been a great change in the Duke, and the physicians will not allow his leaving his couch.”

“Ah, I’m sorry!  What time did this change take place?” said Katherine with a feeling of subtleness that for once she had tricked Janet and knew of great things that had happened in the deep night, when her faithful nurse thought her in dreamland.

“Her Grace says there was a great change in him yesterday, that she noticed it as he ate his dinner.”

“And was there no change in the night?” said Katherine sagely.

“Speak out, Lambkin, that ’tis on thy mind—­if thou dost mean, was he disturbed when the castle was aroused?—­why, no, he was not.”

“But how didst thou know there was an arousal?”

“I did play the simpering bride’s maid, and stood for witness to thine espousal.”

“Ah! ah! ah!  Janet, I can keep no secret from thee!” Quickly she sprang to the floor.  Her foot struck her lover’s sword.  She stooped and raised it, and there flashed forth from the jewel encrusted handle the noble armourial bearings, charged upon a gold escutcheon, of Lord Cedric’s house.  Wonderingly, she examined it and swept her brow with the back of her slender hand.  Slowly she spoke, and in a voice vibrant with portent, her eyes now wide open.