Part 10 (1/2)
The mayor of the palace withdrew. Through the door, left open by him, and without stepping out of the apartment, the page called out to several of his companions who stood in waiting in the contiguous hall.
Loysik, on his part, seeing that, without taking any more notice of him than of an insane man, the Queen was returning to her bedchamber, ran towards Brunhild, and holding before her a parchment scroll that he drew from his robe, said to her in a firm and collected voice:
”I am not crazy. This charter signed by the late King Clotaire will prove to you that I am the superior of the monastery of Charolles, where your chamberlain and his soldiers are, at this hour, retained prisoners by my orders.”
”Loysik!” exclaimed one of the young pages who entered the apartment in response to the call of their companion. ”Brother Loysik here?”
”What! This monk!” cried Brunhild stupefied. ”Is he Loysik, the abbot of the monastery of Charolles?”
”Yes, glorious Queen. He is the venerable abbot.”
”How come you to know him?”
”He was pointed out to me at the last slave market. The worthy abbot was buying slaves to set them free. I saw him again this morning crossing one of the courtyards of the palace in the company of Samuel and two young girls.”
For a moment Brunhild remained thoughtful, and then ordering the other pages out of the chamber with a wafture of her hand she addressed the one who had first come in.
”Go to Pog and tell him to get himself and his a.s.sistants ready in the cave. Let him light his fires and wait for further orders.”
The page grew pale and bowed, but before leaving the chamber he cast a look of pity upon the old man. Left alone with Loysik, the Queen paced the room for a minute in silence and with agitated steps, and then turning abruptly upon the hermit laborer said to him in a short, sharp voice:
”So you are Loysik?”
”I am Loysik, the abbot and superior of the monastery of Charolles.”
”How did you penetrate into this room?”
”This morning I met near the castle a slave merchant named Samuel; I had recently bought several slaves from him; he informed me that he was coming here; knowing that it was difficult to obtain access to the palace, I asked Samuel to allow me to accompany him; at first he hesitated; two gold pieces put an end to his hesitation.”
”And as the gateman had received orders to admit Samuel and his slaves, you pa.s.sed along with his merchandise! And did you remain in the room below while the Jew was showing me the two slave girls?”
Loysik nodded his head in the affirmative.
”And after Samuel left the palace?”
”The Jew having informed me that this room was reached from below by the spiral staircase, I came up a short time ago and concealed myself behind the curtain; I was a witness of your conversation with one of your women. I heard everything.”
Brunhild looked at the monk with a questioning and threatening mien:
”And so you overheard everything that was said between us?”
”Yes; I listened and heard everything.”
”Old man--do you know who Pog and his a.s.sistants are?”
”The executioner and his men.”
”How old are you?”
”The age of a man about to die.”
”You expect death?”