The Prince went down the stairway, but, suspecting that the servant
had lied, looked behind and saw him going back again with all speed.
He walked about the courtyard in front of the door to see whether the
servant would return. A quarter of an hour later he perceived him come
down again and look all about to see who was in the courtyard.
Forthwith the Prince was convinced that the Lord des Cheriots was in the
lady's chamber, but through fear of himself durst not come down, and he
therefore again walked about for a long-while.
At last, observing that the lady's room had a casement which was not at
all high up, and which looked upon a little garden, he remembered the
proverb which says, "When the door fails the window avails," and he
thereupon called a servant of his own, and said to him--
"Go into the garden there behind, and, if you see a gentleman come down
from the window, draw your sword as soon as he reaches the ground, clash
it against the wall, and cry out, 'Slay! slay!' Be careful, however,
that you do not touch him."
The servant went whither his master had sent him, and the Prince walked
about until three hours after midnight.
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