Hubert made no answer, but motioned to the ruffians to come in. They came, with the red-hot irons in their hands. The prince ran to Hubert and clasped him about the knees.
“Oh, save me, Hubert! save me!” he cried, “If it must be done, do it yourself; but send these men away. I promise that I will be very still. I will not flinch when the iron burns me; I will not cry out. But do it yourself, kind Hubert.”
The child’s distress and terror were more than the tender-hearted Hubert could endure. He sent the ruffians away. “Give me the irons,” he said. “I will do it myself.” And they, to tell the truth, were glad enough to be off without doing the barbarous deed.
Hubert led Arthur to another part of the castle, into a room that was seldom visited. “I would not harm your eyes for all the treasure that your uncle owns,” he said. “But no one must know that I have saved you. The men must carry back false reports, and you must stay here in hiding. I have taken great risks in disobeying your uncle.”
When the ruffians went back to the king and said that his orders had been carried out, he was very much pleased. He felt sure now that the prince was out of the way and would give him no more trouble; and for a time all went well with him.
Ⅳ
At length Hubert was called away to fight in distant lands; and Arthur was left in the lonely castle, not daring to stir out or to show himself beyond the walls. One day a wicked talebearer who had been entertained and fed at Falaise Castle carried the news to the king that the prince was still alive and well.