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could lift his arm, Walter found himself so angry because he would not be allowed to rest that new strength flowed through him. There was a grinding pain in his left shoulder and a sharp agony in his knee, but that only made him angrier, and he struck and struck again at those who denied him rest and freedom. |
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When Walter woke, he felt the softness of a real bed under him. This left him very puzzled, and he considered the matter before he opened his eyes. He had not slept in a real bed since he had joined Richard, a natural result of being one of the earl's less important adherents. Then he must be a prisoner, Walter thought. But before he realized how unlikely it was that a prisoner should be provided with such luxury, he groaned and opened his eyes. |
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"Did the earl escape?" Walter asked of the face hanging over him. And then he recognized the face and cried, "Dai! What do you do here?" |
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"Attend you, my lord. Yes, of course the earl escaped. Escaped? Was he in danger of being taken?" |
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By this time it had occurred to Walter that Dai had not followed him into captivity. Indeed, Dai could not have known Walter had been captured, because the master-at-arms had been sent with Walter's troop into the town of Monmouth. Walter had not wanted to deprive the men of whatever chance of loot was available. |
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Now he tried to sit up and groaned again, every bone and muscle crying out with pain. Walter could not remember aching so excruciatingly since his early years as a squire, when his big body, combined with great swiftness, had made him overconfident and boastfula condition his master had cured by using him as a fencing partner. |
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Dai then lent a hand, and Walter found himself sitting upright, the sharper pangs of discomfort subsiding to a dull overall malaise. Walter stated dazedly around, still not certain where he was. Dai began to look concerned. |
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"Are you hurt, lord?" he asked. |
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Walter gaped at him. There was no part of him that did not hurtexcept his head. Then he understood what Dai meant. "No, but I feel as if I had been soundly beaten from neck to toe." He glanced round the chamber again. "Where am I?" |
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"In Abergavenny keep," Dai replied, looking more wor- |
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