When he had done there was silence again for a full minute. Master
Richard could hear the breathing of one in the gallery without.

Then the King rose up without speaking, but looking intently upon the
young man, and still without speaking, went out from the room, and my
lord went after him.

When Master Richard had stood a little while waiting, and there was no
sound (for the door into the King's parlour was now shut again), he
turned to the other door to go out; for he had delivered his message,
and there was no more to be said.

The man that kept the door, and whose breathing Master Richard had heard
just now, barred the way, and asked him his business.

"My business is done," said Master Richard, "I must go home again."

"And the King?" asked the fellow.

"The King and my lord are gone back into the parlour."

There was no cause to keep Master Richard any longer, so the fellow let
him past, and he went down the gallery and the stairs towards the court
that opened upon the hall.

But before he reached the door, there was a great tumult overhead, and a
noise of men moving and crying, and Master Richard stayed to listen. (I
had almost said that it had been better if he had not stayed, but made
his way out quickly and escaped perhaps; but it is not so, as I now