Nobody came near the maidens but Ursel, and she
described one continued orgie that made Christina shudder again with
fear and disgust. Those below revelled without interval, except for
sleep; and they took their sleep just where they happened to sink
down, then returned again to the liquor. The old baroness repaired
to the kitchen when the revelry went beyond even her bearing; but all
the time the wine held out, the swine in the court were, as Ursel
averred, better company than the men in the hall. Yet there might
have been worse even than this; for old Ursel whispered that at the
bottom of the stairs there was a trap-door. Did the maiden know what
it covered? It was an oubliette. There was once a Strasburg
armourer who had refused ransom, and talked of appealing to the
Kaiser. He trod on that door and--Ursel pointed downwards. "But
since that time," she said, "my young lord has never brought home a
prisoner."
No wonder that all this time Christina cowered at the discordant
sounds below, trembled, and prayed while she waited on her poor young
charge, who tossed and moaned in fever and suffering.
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