She said it contained a message of importance, which
the constable was to convey to the king, and that it must be
intrusted to nobody except Colonel Sapt himself. I wonder, my
lord, that you didn't notice that the flag was hauled down."
"Tut, man, I wasn't staring at the keep. Give me the letter." For
I saw that the clue to this fresh puzzle must lie under the cover
of Sapt's letter. That letter I must myself carry to Sapt, and
without loss of time.
"Give you the letter, my lord? But, pardon me, you're not the
constable." He laughed a little.
"Why, no," said I, mustering a smile. "It's true that I'm not the
constable, but I'm going to the constable. I had the king's
orders to rejoin him as soon as I had seen the queen, and since
her Majesty isn't here, I shall return to the lodge directly a
fresh horse can be saddled for me. And the constable's at the
lodge. Come, the letter!"
"I can't give it you, my lord. Her Majesty's orders were
positive."
"Nonsense! If she had known I should come and not the constable,
she would have told me to carry it to him."
"I don't know about that, my lord: her orders were plain, and she
doesn't like being disobeyed."
The stableman had led the horse away, the footman had
disappeared, Hermann and I were alone.
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