He can creep on his stomach without moving a leaf, and trust me the eyes of these French men-at-arms will look in vain for a glimpse of him." "You understand, Cnut, all that I want to know is whether the other conspirators in this matter visit his tent, or whether he goes to theirs." "I understand," Cnut said.

"That is the first point to be arrived at." Three days later Cnut brought news that each night after dark a party of five men met in the tent that was watched; that one of the five always came out when all had assembled, and took his station before the entrance of the tent, so as to be sure that no eavesdropper was near.
Cuthbert smiled.
"It is a case of locking the door after the horse has gone." "What is to be done now ?" Cnut asked.
"I will talk with the earl before I tell you, Cnut.

This matter is too serious for me to take a step without consulting Sir Walter." That night there was a long talk between the earl and his page as to the best course to be pursued.

It was clear that their old enemy was the leading person in the plot, and that the only plan to baffle it with any fair chances of success was to keep a constant eye upon his movements, and also to have three or four of the sturdiest men of the band told off to watch, without being perceived, each time that the princess was in her palace.
The Earl of Evesham left the arrangements entirely in the hands of his page, of whose good sense and sagacity he had a very high opinion.
His own first impulse had been to go before the king and denounce the Count of Brabant.

But the ill-will between them was already well known; for not only was there the original dispute at the banquet, but when the two armies had joined at Sicily, King Richard, who had heard from the earl of the attempt at the assassination of Cuthbert, had laid a complaint before King Philip of the conduct of his subject.
Sir de Jacquelin Barras, however, had denied that he had any finger in the matter.
"He had," he said, "discharged his page after the encounter with Cuthbert, and knew nothing further whatever of his movements." Although it was morally certain that the page could not have purchased the services of the men who assisted him, from his own purse, or gain them by any means of persuasion, but that they were either the followers of the Count of Brabant, or ruffians hired with his money, as no proof could be obtained the matter was allowed to drop.
The earl felt, however, that an accusation against the count by him of an intention to commit a high crime, and this merely on the evidence of his page, would appear like an attempt to injure the fame of his rival.
Feeling, therefore, that nothing could be done save to watch, he left the matter entirely in the hands of his page, telling him that he could take as many men-at-arms or archers as he might choose and use them in his name.
Cnut entered warmly into Cuthbert's plans; and finally it was arranged between them that six of the archers should nightly keep watch opposite the various entrances of the bishop's palace and of the two monasteries joining.