But receiving. no reply, he did not renew
the inquiry
Entering a door in the covered way at the head of the flight of steps
communicating with the Norman Tower, they descended them in
silence. Just as they reached the foot of this long staircase, the earl
chanced to cast back his eyes, and,to his inexpressible astonishment,
perceived on the landing at the head of the steps, and just before the
piece of ordnance commanding the ascent, the figure of Herne the
Hunter.
Before he could utter an exclamation, the figure retreated through the
adjoining archway. Telling the officer what he had seen, Surrey would
fain have gone in quest of the fiendish spy; but the other would not
permit him; and affecting to treat the matter as a mere creation of
fancy, he hurried the earl to his chamber in the Curfew Tower.
The next day, Surrey was removed betimes to the Round Tower, and
the cause of the transfer was soon explained by the discharge of
ordnance, the braying of trumpets and the rolling of drums, announcing
the arrival of the king. From the mystery observed towards him, Surrey
was led to the conclusion that the Fair Geraldine accompanied the
royal party; but he in vain sought to satisfy himself of the truth of the
surmise by examining, through the deep embrasure of his window, the
cavalcade that soon afterwards entered the upper quadrangle.
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