Sir Rudolph leaned over the battlements, and said:  “It is too late, varlet.  I condescended to challenge you before, and you refused.  You cannot now claim what you then feared to accept.  The sun on the dial approaches noon, and unless you surrender yourself before it reaches the mark, I will keep my word, and the traitress, your mother, shall swing from that beam.”

Making a sign to two men-at-arms, these brought forward Dame Editha and so placed her on the battlements that she could be seen from below.  Dame Editha was still a very fair woman, although nigh forty years had rolled over her head.  No sign of fear appeared upon her face, and in a firm voice she cried to her son: 

“Cuthbert, I beg—­nay, I order you to retire.  If this unknightly lord venture to carry out his foul threats against me, let him do so.  England will ring with the dastardly deed, and he will never dare show his face again where Englishmen congregate.  Let him do his worst.  I am prepared to die.”

A murmur rose from the knights and men-at-arms standing round Sir Rudolph.  Several of his companions had from the first, wild and reckless as they were, protested against Sir Rudolph’s course, and it was only upon his solemn assurance that he intended but to frighten Sir Cuthbert into surrender, and had no intention of carrying his threats against the lady into effect, that they had consented to take part in the transaction.  Even now, at the fearless words of the Saxon lady several of them hesitated, and Sir Hubert of Gloucester stepped forward to Sir Rudolph.

“Sir knight,” he said, “you know that I am your true comrade and the faithful servant of Prince John.  Yet in faith would I not that my name should be mixed up in so foul a deed.  I repent me that I have for a moment consented to it.  But the shame shall not hang upon the escutcheon of Hubert of Gloucester that he stood still when such foul means were tried.  I pray you, by our long friendship, and for the sake of your own honor as a knight, to desist from this endeavor.  If this lady be guilty, as she well may be of aiding her son in his assaults upon the soldiers of Prince John, then let her be tried, and doubtless the court will confiscate her estates.  But let her son be told that her life is in no danger, and that he is free to go, being assured that harm will not come to her.”

“And if I refuse to consent to allow my enemy, who is now almost within my hand, to escape,” Sir Rudolph said, “what then?”

“Then,” said the knight, “I and my following will at once leave your walls, and will clear ourselves to the brave young knight yonder of all hand in this foul business.”

A murmur of agreement from several of those standing round showed that their sentiments were in accordance with those of Sir Hubert.

“I refuse,” said Rudolph passionately.  “Go, if you will.  I am master of my actions, and of this castle.”

Without a word, Sir Hubert and two others of the knights present turned, and briefly ordering their men-at-arms to follow them, descended the staircase to the courtyard below.  Their horses were brought out, the men fell into rank, and the gates of the castle were thrown open.