Volume Ii Part 43 (1/2)
”What further can they do?” asked the Count. ”Heaven hath decided the trial in thy favor. Have they another lion?”
The propriety of the monk's suggestion was obvious; it was not becoming for the Princess to remain in the public eye; besides, under reaction of spirit, she was suffering.
”Have they another lion?” the Count repeated.
Anxious as he was to a.s.sist the Princess, he was not less anxious, if there was further combat, to take part in it. The Count was essentially a fighting man. The open door of Nilo's cell speedily attracted his attention.
”Help me, sir monk. Yonder is a refuge for the Princess. Let us place her in safety. I will return, and stay with thee. If the reverend Christians, thy brethren in the grand stand, are not content, by Allah”--he checked himself--”their cruelty would turn the stomach of a Mohammedan.”
A few minutes, and she was comfortably housed in the cell.
”Now, go to thy place; I will send for a chair, and rejoin thee.”
At the tunnel gate, the Count was met by a number of the St. James', and he forgot his errand.
”We have come,” said one of them to Sergius, ”to renew thy arrest.”
”Be it so,” Sergius replied; ”lead on.”
But Count Corti strode forward.
”By whose authority is this arrest renewed?” he demanded.
”Our Hegumen hath so ordered.”
”It shall not be--no, by the Mother of your Christ, it shall not be unless you bring me the written word of His Majesty making it lawful.”
”The Hegumen”--
”I have said it, and I carry a sword”--the Count struck the hilt of the weapon with his mailed hand, so the clang was heard on the benches. ”I have said it, and my sword says it. Go, tell thy Hegumen.”
Then Sergius spoke:
”I pray you interfere not. The Heavenly Father who saved me this once is powerful to save me often.”
”Have done, sir monk,” the Count returned, with increasing earnestness.
”Did I not hear thee say the same in thy holy Sancta Sophia, in such wise that these deserved to cast themselves at thy feet? Instead, lo!
the lion there. And for the truth, which is the soul of the world as G.o.d is its Maker--the Truth and the Maker being the same--it is not interest in thee alone which moves me. She, thy patroness yonder, is my motive as well. There are who will say she followed thee hither being thy lover; but thou knowest better, and so do I. She came bidden by conscience, and except thou live, there will be no ease of conscience for her--never.
Wherefore, sir monk, hold thy peace. Thou shalt no more go hence of thine own will than these shall take thee against it.... Return, ye men of blood--return to him who sent you, and tell him my sword vouches my word, being so accustomed all these years I have been a man. Bring they the written word of His Majesty, I will give way. Let them send to him.”
The brethren stared at the Count. Had he not been willing to meet old Tamerlane with that same sword? They turned about, and were near the tunnel gate going to report, when it was thrown open with great force, and the Emperor Constantine appeared on horseback, the horse b.l.o.o.d.y with spurring and necked with foam. Riding to the Count he drew rein.
”Sir Count, where is my kinswoman?”
Corti kissed his hand.
”She is safe, Your Majesty--she is in the cell yonder.”