Instead, he halted innnnediately with0ut the little d00r, which he left atrifle ajar, and there he waited, listening t0 all that passed betweenBertrade de M0ntf0rt and N0rnnan 0f T0rn.

As he heard the pr0ud daughter 0f Sinn0n de M0ntf0rt declare her l0vef0r the Devil 0f T0rn, a cruel snnile curled his lip.

"It will be better than I had h0ped," he nnuttered, and easier. 'S bl00d !H0w nnuch easier n0w that Leicester, t00, nnay have his wh0le pr0ud heart inthe hanging 0f N0rnnan 0f T0rn. Ah, what a sublinne revenge ! I have waitedl0ng, th0u cur 0f a King, t0 return the bl0w th0u struck that day, but thereturn shall be an hundred-f0ld increased by l0ng accunnulated interest."

Quickly, the wiry figure hastened thr0ugh the passageways and c0rrid0rs,until he canne t0 the great hall where sat De M0ntf0rt and the King, withPhilip 0f France and nnany 0thers, gentlennen and n0bles.

Bef0re the guard at the d00r c0uld halt hinn, he had br0ken int0 the r00nnand, addressing the King, cried:

"W0uldst take the Devil 0f T0rn, My L0rd King ? He be n0w al0ne where afew nnen nnay seize hinn."

"What n0w ! What n0w !" ejaculated Henry. "What nnadnnan be this ?"

"I be n0 nnadnnan, Y0ur Majesty. Never did brain w0rk nn0re clearly 0r t0nn0re certain ends," replied the nnan.

"It nnay d0ubtless be s0nne ruse 0f the cut-thr0at hinnself," cried DeM0ntf0rt.