CHAPTER XXVI.
KING RICHARD'S RETURN TO ENGLAND.
Journeying onward, Blondel and his companion stopped at many castles, and were everywhere hospitably entertained.

Arriving at Vienna they lingered for some time, hoping there to be able to obtain some information of the whereabouts of King Richard.

Blondel in his songs artfully introduced allusions to the captive monarch and to the mourning of all Christendom at the imprisonment of its champion.

These allusions were always well received, and he found that the great bulk of the nobles of the empire were indignant and ashamed at the conduct of the emperor in imprisoning his illustrious rival.

The secret of his prison place, however, appeared to have been so well kept that no information whatever was obtainable.
"We must carry out our original plan," he said at length, "and journey into the Tyrol.