This also proved to be open and
by it they entered the room where the steward kept his books and slept.
Upon the table a lamp was burning, that which they had seen through the
casement. Its light showed them a strange sight. An iron-bound box that
was chained to the wall had been broken open and its contents rifled,
for papers were strewn here and there, and on them lay an empty leathern
money-bag. The furniture also was overturned as though in some struggle,
while among it, one in the corner of the room and one beneath the marble
table, which was too heavy to be moved, lay two figures, those of a man
and a woman.
"Murderers have been here," said Cyril with a groan.
Marcus snatched the lamp from the table and held it to the face of the
man in the corner.
"It is Stephanus," he said, "Stephanus bound and gagged, but living,
and the other is the slave woman. Hold the lamp while I loose them,"
and drawing his short sword, he cut away the bonds, first of the one and
then of the other. "Speak, man, speak!" he said, as Stephanus struggled
to his feet. "What has chanced here?"
For some moments the old steward stared at him with round, frightened
eyes. Then he gasped:
"Oh! my lord, I thought you dead.
Pages:
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560