At this moment the door opened gently, and Robert Hilyard stood at the aperture.

He was clad in the dress of a friar, but the raised cowl showed his features to the lady of Longueville, to whom alone he was visible; and those bold features were literally haggard with agitation and alarm.

He lifted his finger to his lips, and motioning the lady to follow him, closed the door.
The dame of Longueville rose, and praying her visitors to excuse her absence for a few moments, she left Hastings and Sibyll to themselves.
"Lady," said Hilyard, in a hollow whisper, as soon as the dame appeared in the low hall, communicating on the one hand with the room just left, on the other with the street, "I fear all will be detected.

Hush! Adam and the iron coffer that contains the precious papers have been conducted to Edward's presence.

A terrible explosion, possibly connected with the contrivance, caused such confusion among the guards that Hugh escaped to scare me with his news.