The Door in the Wall

The fog holds for some days. The action is at a standstill: The Welsh army can’t breach the castle’s outer wall, and the defenders can’t see how strong the forces arrayed against them are. Robin works on his harp. He uses a lathe to file down the tuning pegs, which can go from being too snug for the holes to too loose to hold a string in tune. It’s painstaking work, but he enjoys the challenge.

Sir Peter leads a group that repels an enemy attempt to climb the walls. Mostly, they wait while their food and water supplies dwindle. Adam frets that they must get word to allies, but no one can be spared. Robin volunteers: Once he is outside the castle, he’ll seem like a guileless shepherd. He can travel north to alert John at his mother’s house, and John can send for reinforcements.

Robin dons rough clothing to look the part. He sleeps fitfully, prays at dawn with Brother Luke, and sets off on his crutches. D’Ath wants to follow, but Robin commands him to stay. With Luke’s help, he sneaks out a small gate in the north wall of the town and works his way down a ravine to the river, sometimes sliding or grasping onto tree branches. At the water, he ties his crutches onto his back and plunges in.

The water is ice-cold, and he must swim hard to warm up. He reaches the far bank, unties his crutches, and—teeth chattering—hoists himself up onto land. A few paces down the bank, he finds the path upward and follows it through the swirling fog to a field that he crosses quickly, making good speed on his crutches.

An enemy sentry halts him. He sees that the boy must be a “simple” shepherd who fell into the river. He tries to guide Robin to his camp, where a fire might warm him, but Robin plays oblivious, claims his cottage is nearby, thanks the guard, and hurries away.

He crosses woods and drops down into a small valley, where he crosses a shallow stream. The fog lifts, and he fears arrows, but none come. He rests a while before continuing through the woods again. The trees thin near the village where John lives. Robin guesses at the cottage and heads for it just as John steps outside. Robin calls to John, who runs to him, gives him a big hug, and carries the exhausted boy indoors.

Robin explains about the siege, and John leaves at once to get help. John’s mother helps Robin out of his wet clothes, sets him next to the fire, and feeds him a hearty meal. He sleeps for hours, waking only when the door opens. It’s John, who reports that he notified Hugh Fitzhugh, who sends a “large force of foot soldiers and a company of lancers” (99). They will attack at John and Robin’s signal, so they must sneak back into Lindsay.

After a quick meal, John puts his harp on Robin’s back, ties the crutches to his side, and lifts Robin onto his back. They trot back toward Lindsay along a different path, crossing the river at a ford and keeping away from buildings until they near the town. They observe a single enemy sentry patrolling the wall; when he’s well past, John plays a coded tune on his harp. From a window atop the wall, someone answers with a bagpipe. A chair descends on a rope, and Robin is lifted through a window. After another pass of the sentry, the chair descends once again, and John rides it up.

They’re in the upper room of a shoemaker’s house. They hurry downstairs.

Robin and John sneak through the cemetery to the church, where they wake the sacristan and explain the plan. The sacristan leads them to the bell tower. Robin, having long practiced on stairways within the castle, climbs the entire tall staircase. As they reach the top, the bells sound out the curfew, and all three must hold their ears. They climb to the roof of the tower, where Robin, his body spent from the climb, lies down to recuperate. He then joins John and looks out across the town. It’s quiet; cook fires and the occasional glint of armor are all they can see beneath a rising moon.

John plans to sound the signal an hour after curfew. To count off part of the remaining time, he plays two songs that together take half an hour to complete. At the appointed moment, John goes downstairs to the bells. Robin, at the top, hears the sudden alarm: “Bong! BONGGG! BONGGG! BONGGG! BONG! BONGGG!!!!” (106)

Robin sees troops moving through the darkness toward the town. A sudden rain of arrows slices through sentries and wall guards. Sir Hugh’s forces quickly retake the town. John cries, “We’ve won!” He hurries downstairs, and again the bells ring out. Flares rise from castle and town. People come out of their houses, toss their hats into the air, and embrace. Enemy prisoners are marched from the town.

John carries Robin on his shoulders. They go to the castle, where Alan-at-Gate orders the drawbridge lowered. Inside, the castle residents greet them. Sir Peter helps Robin down, puts his hand on the lad’s head, and says, “I do hail thee Conqueror and true son of thy noble father” (110). Lady Constance hugs him, and the others fuss over him. D’Ath, wriggling happily, presses against the boy. Sir Peter grants John a land holding, sheep, and perpetual hunting rights.

Robin retires to his room, where Brother Luke congratulates him and helps him out of his dirty clothes. He bathes the boy, who’s asleep before he finishes.

Winter closes in. Robin ceases swimming and takes on other exercise. His bowmanship improves; he finishes the harp, begins work on a viol, and learns to perform a Christmas carol. Rumors fly that troops are returning from the Scottish wars. Robin hopes his father will appear, and he often climbs to the top of the keep looking for distant riders.

Atop the tower on Christmas Eve, Robin and Adam Bowyer see a company of knights and soldiers coming up the road, led by the king himself. Riding at his side is Robin’s father. The queen and her retinue are among them, and Robin sees his mother. He hurries down to the great hall and announces the arrival. He and Sir Peter find an upstairs window and watch the procession. Waving banners, the procession rides into the castle.

Sir Peter places Robin on his back, and they hurry down to greet the newcomers. Robin’s mother embraces him and won’t let go until his father tugs at her arm for his own chance. He gazes at Robin and says, proudly, “You are grown” (117).

That evening, a great celebration is held in the gaily decorated hall. The king thanks Robin for his heroism and gifts him a jeweled collar. Everyone applauds loudly. Robin plays on the harp and sings a Christmas carol. The listeners roar their approval, and some shout, “Sir Robin! Sir Robin!” (119)

Robin asks his father whether he minds his disability. Sir John replies that Robin’s courage, craftsmanship, and singing shine so brightly that his legs can’t be seen. Robin’s mother announces that the queen is well and has given her leave to return home with Robin, where Brother Luke will continue to tutor the boy.

After midnight prayers, everyone returns to the great hall for a feast. Near dawn, Robin wakes as Luke carries him up to his room. Momentarily confused, Robin asks where he is. Luke replies, "Thou’rt here, Sir Robin […] Safe with all thy loved ones. ‘Tis the Feast of Christmas, and thou hast found the door in thy wall” (129).