He turned and whispered to his father.
'I will back thee, lad. Do as thou wilt,' returned the marquis,
gravely nodding his head.
'Ushers of the hall,' cried lord Herbert, 'close and lock both its
doors. Lock also the door to the minstrels' gallery, and, with my
lord's leave, that to my lord's stair. My lord Charles, go thou
prithee, and with chalk draw me a pentacle upon the threshold of
each of the four; and do thou, sir Toby Mathews, make the holy sign
thereabove upon the lintel and the doorposts. For the door to the
pitched court, however, leave that until I am gone forth and it is
closed behind me, and then do thereunto the same as to the others,
after which let all sit in silence. Move not, neither speak, for any
sound of fear or smell of horror. For the gift that is in him from
his mother, Thomas Rees shall accompany me. Go to the door, and wait
until I come.'
Having thus spoken he raised the bat towards his face, and,
approaching his lips, seemed once more to be talking to it in
whispers.
Pages:
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296