roofs and towers like the lovely city of God, and over all the sky was
of a golden colour with lines of pearl across it. It comforted me a
little that I should come to Master Richard so.

Even at that hour there were many awake. There was one great fellow by
the ferry, that was looking across towards the palace; and I think it
must have been he who had taken Master Richard over for love of saint
Giles and saint Denis, but I did not know that part of the tale at that
time, and I never saw him again.

In the court and passages, too, that we went along there were persons
going to and fro. One told me afterwards that never had he seen such a
movement at that hour since the night that the King's mother died. They
were all waiting for tidings of the lad, and they eyed me very narrowly,
and I heard my name run before me as I went.

At the last we came to a great door, and we were let through, and I was
in the King's bed-chamber.

It was a quiet room, and I will describe it to you now, although I saw
little of it at that time.

* * * * *

In the centre, with its head against the wall, stood a tall bed, with a
canopy over it, and four posts of twisted wood, carved very cunningly
with little shields that bore the instruments of our Saviour's passion.
On the tapestry beneath the canopy, above the pillow, were the arms of
the King, wrought in blue and red and gold. The hangings on the walls
were all of a dark blue, wrought with devices of all kinds, and they