"Quickly and quietly, man! If
there are to be other visitors, we will play the spy. But
softly, softly; here is the boy!"
We stood aside against the wall, scarcely daring to breathe; and
the child, guiding himself by the handrail, passed us in the dark
without suspicion, and pattered on down the staircase. We
remained as we were until we heard him cross the threshold, and
then we crept up; not to the uppermost landing, where the light,
when the door was opened, must betray us, but to that immediately
below it. There we took our stand in the angle of the stairs and
waited, the King, between amusement at the absurdity of our
position and anxiety lest we should betray ourselves, going off
now and again into stifled laughter, from which he vainly strove
to restrain himself by pinching me.
I was not in so gay a mood myself, however, the responsibility of
his safety lying heavy upon me; while the possibility that the
adventure might prove no less tragical in the sequel than it now
appeared comical, did not fail to present itself to my eyes in
the darkest colours.
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