They all feared that imperial eye of hers and fled to obey its glances.

Bowing, he turned, and hastened to do her bidding, fearing to admit that he had not seen the guest leave, because to do so would be to confess that he had been absent from his post, which was indeed the truth.
She knew he would come back shortly, and thus he did, entering somewhat breathed by his haste.
"My lady," he said, "I went quickly to the street, and indeed to the corner of it, but Sir John was not within sight." "Fool, you were not swift enough!" she said angrily.

"Wait, you must go to his lodgings with a note.

The matter is of importance." She went to a table--'twas close to the divan, so close that if she had thrust forth her foot she could have touched what lay beneath it--and wrote hastily a few lines.

They were to request That which was stiffening within three feet of her to return to her as quickly as possible that she might make inquiries of an important nature which she had forgotten at his departure.
"Take this to Sir John's lodgings," she said.