CHAPTER X
UNDER WHICH KING?
The rose garden seemed to be as quiet as a church-yard. No sound was
heard save the faint soughing of the evening wind among the rose
bushes, no sight resembling humanity visible save the face of Pan
looking down mockingly upon the crimson blossoms that girdled him.
Yet in a few seconds it became plain that the god Pan was not the
only occupant of the garden. Through quiet alleyways, cloaked and
cowled figures came stealing, six in number--men with pilgrims'
cloaks about their shoulders, and pilgrims' hoods upon their
heads--men who carried cockleshells upon the sleeves of their
gabardines--all converging through the dark walks of the garden to
a common centre, and that centre the grassy space before the king's
watch tower. The six figures huddled together at the base of the
image of Pan. One of them who seemed to be their leader, a man of
giant form, spoke, and the voice was the voice of Thibaut
d'Aussigny.
"Are we all here?" he asked.
The nearest pilgrim to him answered with the voice of Ren? de
Montigny.
"Aye, and ready to gather the royal rose of this garden.
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