LITMIR.BIZ

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and in that case, though they might have to leave the college, their lives would be safe; he snatched up the lantern and held it aloft.

      “See you anything here?”

      They stared round the bare walls with eager, straining eyes; one came to the table and turned over the volumes there.

      “Seneca!” he flung them down with disappointment; the priest advanced and gazed about him; Dirk stood silent and scornful, Theirry was bold to defy them all.

      “I see no holy thing,” said the monk. “Neither Virgin, nor saint, nor prie-Dieu, nor holy water.” Dirk’s eyes flashed fiercely.

      “Here is my breviary;” he pointed to it on the table.

      One of the students cried —

      “Where is the key? To the inner chamber!”

      There were three or four of them about the door; Dirk, turning to see them striving with the handle, went ghastly pale and could not speak, but Theirry broke out into great wrath. “The room is disused. No affair of mine or Dirk. We know nothing of it.”

      “Will you swear?” asked the priest.

      “Certes — I will swear.”

      But the student struggling with the door cried out —

      “Dirk Renswoude asked for this room for his studies! I do know it, and he had the key.” Dirk gave a great start.

      “Nay, nay,” he said hurriedly, “I have no key.”

      “Search, my sons,” said the priest.

      Their blood was up; some ten or twelve had crowded into the chamber; they hurled the books off the shelf, scattered the garments out of the coffer, pulled the quilt off the bed and turned up the mattress.

      Finding nothing they turned on Dirk.

      “He has the key about him!”

      All eyes were fixed now on the youth, who stood a little in front of Theirry, he continuing to hold the lamp scornfully aloft to aid them in their search.

      The light rested on Dirk’s shoulders, causing the bright silk to glitter, and flickered in his short waving hair; there was no trace of colour in his face, his brows were raised and gathered into a hard frown.

      “Have you the key of that chamber?” demanded the priest.

      Dirk tried to speak, but could not find his voice; he moved his head stiffly in denial. “But answer,” insisted the monk.

      “What should it avail me if I swore?” The words seemed wrenched from him. “Would ye believe me?” His eyes were bright with hate of all of them.

      “Swear on this.” The monk proffered the crucifix.

      Dirk did not touch it.

      “I have no key,” he said.

      “There is your answer,” flashed Theirry, and set the lamp on the table.

      The foremost student laughed.

      “Search him,” he cried. “His garments — belike he has the key in his breast.”

      Again Dirk gave a great start; the table was between him and his enemies, it was the only protection he had; Theirry, knowing that he must have the key upon him, saw the end and was prepared to fight it finely.

      “What are ye going to do now?” he challenged.

      For answer one of them leant across the table and seized Dirk by the arm, swinging him easily into the centre of the room, another caught his mantle.

      A yell of “Search him!” rose from the others.

      Dirk bent his head in a curious manner, snatched the key from inside his shirt and flung it on the floor; instantly they let go of him to pick it up, and he staggered back beside Theirry. “Do not let them touch me,” he said. “Do not let them touch me.”

      “Art a coward?” answered Theirry angrily. “Now we are utterly lost. . . . ”

      He thrust Dirk away as if he would abandon him; but that youth caught hold of him in desperation.

      “Do not leave me — they will tear me to pieces.” The students were rushing through the unlocked door shouting for lights; the priest caught up the lamp and followed them; the two were left in darkness.

      “Ye are a fool,” said Theirry. “With some cunning the key might have been saved . . . ”

      A horrid shout arose from those in the inner room as they discovered the remains of the incantations . . .

      Theirry sprang to the window, Dirk after him. “Theirry, gentle Theirry, take me also — can see I am helpless! A— ah! I am small and pitiful, Theirry!”

      Theirry had one leg over the window-sill.

      “Come, then, in the fiend’s name,” he answered. A hoarse shout told them the students had found the little image of Joris; those still on the stair-way saw them at the window. “The warlocks escape!”

      Theirry helped Dirk on to the window-ledge; the night air blew hot on their faces and they felt warm rain falling on them; there was no light anywhere.

      The students were yelling in a thick fury as they discovered the unholy unguents and implements. They turned suddenly and dashed to the window. Theirry swung himself by his hands, then let go.

      With a shock that jarred every nerve in his body he landed on the balcony of the room beneath. “Jump!” he called up to Dirk, who still crouched on the window-sill.

      “Ah, soul of mine! Ah, I cannot!” Dirk stared through the darkness in a wild endeavour to discern Theirry.

      “I am holding out my arms! Jump!”

      The students had knocked over the lamp and it had checked them for the moment; but Dirk, looking back, saw the room flaring with fresh lights and seething figures pushing up to the window.

      He closed his eyes and leapt in the darkness; the distance was not great; Theirry half caught him; he half staggered against the balcony.

      A torch was thrust out of the window above them; frenzied faces looked down.

      Theirry pushed Dirk roughly through the window before them, which opened on to the library, and followed.

      “Now — for our lives,” he said.

      They ran down the dark length of the chamber and gained the stairs; the students, having guessed their design, were after them — they could hear the clatter of feet on the upper landing. How many stairs, how many before they reach the hall!

      Dirk tripped and fell, Theirry dragged him up; a breathless youth overtook them; Theirry, panting, turned and struck him backwards sprawling. So they reached the hall, fled along it and out into the dark garden.

      A minute after, the pursuers bearing lights, and half delirious with wrath and terror, surged out of the college doors.

      Theirry caught Dirk’s arm and they ran; across the thick grass, crashing through the bushes, trampling down the roses, blindly through the dark till the shouts and the lights grew fainter behind them and they could feel the trunks of trees impeding them and so knew that they must have reached the forest.

      Then Theirry let go of Dirk, who sank down by his side and lay sobbing in the grass.

      Chapter 8

      The Castle

       Table of Contents

      Theirry spoke angrily through the dark.

      “Little fool, we are safe enough. They think the Devil has carried us off. Be silent.” Dirk gasped from where he lay.

      “Am

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