I pledge you my honour that you will have no reason to regret having
taken my advice."
"Well, what do you say, gentlemen?" Count Walter asked. "As Master Aylmer
says, it will at worst be but a carouse, which I hope he will share with
us."
"That I would right gladly do," Guy replied, "but I have the safety of my
lady and her children to look after, for she too, as well as our four men-
at-arms, have incurred the enmity of these butchers. I have sent the men
out of the town, and a place of safety has been prepared for her and the
children. I shall see them safely bestowed there at nightfall."
"Since you have thought such preparations necessary we will at any rate
act on the information that you have given us, and will promise not to
blame you unduly should it turn out that the affair you speak of does not
come off. Let us lose no time, gentlemen; let us each go to two of our
friends and take no denial from them to our invitation to dine with us at
Sevres. Let us say nothing to them about bringing their men-at-arms and
grooms with them. We can ourselves muster some thirty fighting men, and
that should be enough with our own swords to bring these knaves to reason
if they keep their gates shut against us."
"As my arrangements are all made," Guy said, "and I have an hour to spare,
I shall walk down towards the gate and see what comes of it."
The four gentlemen at once mounted and rode off,--after giving directions
to their grooms to order their men-at-arms to mount at once and to wait
for them at a spot a quarter of a mile from the gate,--and Guy strolled
off in the same direction.
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