"Give me the letter," I
said; and I know that my self-control failed, and eagerness was
plain in my voice. Plain it was, and Hermann took alarm. He
started back, clapping his hand to the breast of his laced coat.
The gesture betrayed where the letter was; I was past prudence; I
sprang on him and wrenched his hand away, catching him by the
throat with my other hand. Diving into his pocket, I got the
letter. Then I suddenly loosed hold of him, for his eyes were
starting out of his head. I took out a couple of gold pieces and
gave them to him.
"It's urgent, you fool," said I. "Hold your tongue about it." And
without waiting to study his amazed red face, I turned and ran
towards the stable. In five minutes I was on a fresh horse, in
six I was clear of the castle, heading back fast as I could go
for the hunting-lodge. Even now Hermann remembers the grip I gave
him--though doubtless he has long spent the pieces of gold.
When I reached the end of this second journey, I came in for the
obsequies of Boris. James was just patting the ground under the
tree with a mattock when I rode up; Sapt was standing by, smoking
his pipe. The boots of both were stained and sticky with mud.
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