"
For a little the king stared straight before him. Then he said, "Bring
the rascal bailiff before me."
With haste the unhappy officer was brought.
"Wretch!" broke out the king. "Go find me the prisoner that thou hast
let escape thee. If thou find him not, thy life shall answer for it."
In great fear the bailiff retired from the royal presence, and the king
went on as if to himself: "Mayhap he knew what hath chanced. Mayhap he
knoweth now the whereabouts of the young lord."
As the bailiff reentered Newark he met again the courtier by the gate.
"What news, worthy bailiff?" he asked.
"Why, this," answered the bailiff, in despair. "The prisoner must be
found or my life is forfeit. And I know not where to look."
The courtier kept silence for a few moments. "The prisoner must not be
found," he thought, "or mayhap the young lord, Josceline De Aldithely,
will be undone; and for the friendship I do bear his father, this may
not be. But neither must the worthy bailiff die." Then he spoke.
"Worthy bailiff," he said, "what is done cannot be undone. The prisoner
is gone, no man knoweth whither.
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