one o’clock
Yet he was resolved to see the queen before he went . This interview presented no great difficulties , since her Majesty was in the habit of coming to the constable 's room to take his advice or to consult with him . The hardest task was to contrive afterwards a free and unnoticed escape for Mr. Rassendyll . To meet this necessity , the constable issued orders that the company of guards which garrisoned the castle should parade at one o'clock in the park , and that the servants should all , after their dinner , be granted permission to watch the manoeuvres . By this means he counted on drawing off any curious eyes and allowing Rudolf to reach the forest unobserved . They appointed a rendezvous in a handy and sheltered spot ; the one thing which they were compelled to trust to fortune was Rudolf 's success in evading chance encounters while he waited . Mr. Rassendyll himself was confident of his ability to conceal his presence , or , if need were , so to hide his face that no strange tale of the king being seen wandering , alone and beardless , should reach the ears of the castle or the town .