There they
abide in darkness, and no skill, or cunning, or bravery can avail them
so that they may escape." The old man paused.
Presently Hugo asked, "And where lieth this castle from here?"
"It lieth to the southwest, less than a score of miles away."
Hugo said nothing, and, after a short silence, Paulinus began again:
"If thou shouldest journey hence a little south of west, then wouldest
thou come to Clipstone Palace, which lieth not far from Mansfield,
where I was born. Here the king doth sometimes frequent, and from
thence he goeth to hunt in the forest. But better men than he have
frequented it when his father, King Henry, and his brother, King
Richard, did sojourn there. Thinkest thou to journey that way?"
"Nay," replied Hugo. "Methinks our way lieth not toward Clipstone."
"Mayhap it were better to journey by Newark, where be the dungeons I
have told thee of; and so, when thou hast viewed that castle, journey
on southward to Nottingham, where the king hath another castle which
oft holdeth many prisoners. He keepeth there certain children, the
hostages he demandeth of their fathers.
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