saidDeBracy；``thiscomesofrevilingsaintsandangels，andorderingimagesofholythingsandholymentobeflungdownontheheadsoftheserascailleyeomen。’’
　　``Goto——thouartafool，’’saidtheTemplar；
　　``thysuperstitionisuponalevelwithFront-de-Buf’swantoffaith；neitherofyoucanrenderareasonforyourbelieforunbelief。’’
　　``Benedicite，SirTemplar，’’repliedDeBracy，``prayyoutokeepbetterrulewithyourtonguewhenIamthethemeofit。BytheMotherofHeaven，IamabetterChristianmanthanthouandthyfellowship；forthe_bruit_goethshrewdlyout，thatthemostholyOrderoftheTempleofZionnursethnotafewhereticswithinitsbosom，andthatSirBriandeBois-Guilbertisofthenumber。’’
　　``Carenotthouforsuchreports，’’saidtheTemplar；
　　``butletusthinkofmakinggoodthecastle——
　　Howfoughtthesevillainyeomenonthyside?’’
　　``Likefiendsincarnate，’’saidDeBracy。``Theyswannedcloseuptothewalls，headed，asIthink，bytheknavewhowontheprizeatthearchery，forIknewhishornandbaldric。AndthisisoldFitzurse’sboastedpolicy，encouragingthesemalapertknavestorebelagainstus！HadInotbeenarmedinproof，thevillainhadmarkedmedownseventimeswithaslittleremorseasifIhadbeenabuckinseason。Hetoldeveryrivetonmyarmourwithacloth-yardshaft，thatrappedagainstmyribswithaslittlecompunctionasifmyboneshadbeenofiron——ButthatIworeashirtofSpanishmailundermyplate-coat，Ihadbeenfairlysped。’’
　　``Butyoumaintainedyourpost?’’saidtheTemplar。
　　``Welosttheoutworkonourpart。’’
　　``Thatisashrewdloss，’’saidDeBracy；``theknaveswillfindcovertheretoassaultthecastlemoreclosely，andmay，ifnotwellwatched，gainsomeunguardedcornerofatower，orsomeforgottenwindow，andsobreakinuponus。Ournumbersaretoofewforthedefenceofeverypoint，andthemencomplainthattheycannowhereshowthemselves，buttheyarethemarkforasmanyarrowsasaparish-buttonaholydayeven。Front-de-Bufisdyingtoo，soweshallreceivenomoreaidfromhisbull’sheadandbrutalstrength。Howthinkyou，SirBrian，werewenotbettermakeavirtueofnecessity，andcompoundwiththeroguesbydeliveringupourprisoners?’’
　　``How?’’exclaimedtheTemplar；``deliverupourprisoners，andstandanobjectalikeofridiculeandexecration，asthedoughtywarriorswhodaredbyanight-attacktopossessthemselvesofthepersonsofapartyofdefencelesstravellers，yetcouldnotmakegoodastrongcastleagainstavagabondtroopofoutlaws，ledbyswineherds，jesters，andtheveryrefuseofmankind?——Shameonthycounsel，MauricedeBracy！——Theruinsofthiscastleshallburybothmybodyandmyshame，ereIconsenttosuchbaseanddishonourablecomposition。’’
　　``Letustothewalls，then，’’saidDeBracy，carelessly；
　　``thatmanneverbreathed，beheTurkorTemplar，whoheldlifeatlighterratethanIdo。
　　ButItrustthereisnodishonourinwishingIhadheresometwoscoresofmygallanttroopofFreeCompanions?——Oh，mybravelances！ifyeknewbuthowhardyourcaptainwerethisdaybested，howsoonshouldIseemybannerattheheadofyourclumpofspears！Andhowshortwhilewouldtheserabblevillainsstandtoendureyourencounter！’’
　　``Wishforwhomthouwilt，’’saidtheTemplar，``butletusmakewhatdefencewecanwiththesoldierswhoremain——TheyarechieflyFront-de-Buf’sfollowers，hatedbytheEnglishforathousandactsofinsolenceandoppression。’’
　　``Thebetter，’’saidDeBracy；``theruggedslaveswilldefendthemselvestothelastdropoftheirblood，eretheyencountertherevengeofthepeasantswithout。Letusupandbedoing，then，BriandeBois-Guilbert；and，liveordie，thoushaltseeMauricedeBracybearhimselfthisdayasagentlemanofbloodandlineage。’’
　　``Tothewalls！’’answeredtheTemplar；andtheybothascendedthebattlementstodoallthatskillcoulddictate，andmanhoodaccomplish，indefenceoftheplace。Theyreadilyagreedthatthepointofgreatestdangerwasthatoppositetotheoutworkofwhichtheassailantshadpossessedthemselves。Thecastle，indeed，wasdividedfromthatbarbicanbythemoat，anditwasimpossiblethatthebesiegerscouldassailthepostern-door，withwhichtheoutworkcorresponded，withoutsurmountingthatobstacle；butitwastheopinionbothoftheTemplarandDeBracy，thatthebesiegers，ifgovernedbythesamepolicytheirleaderhadalreadydisplayed，wouldendeavour，byaformidableassault，todrawthechiefpartofthedefenders’
　　observationtothispoint，andtakemeasurestoavailthemselvesofeverynegligencewhichmighttakeplaceinthedefenceelsewhere。Toguardagainstsuchanevil，theirnumbersonlypermittedtheknightstoplacesentinelsfromspacetospacealongthewallsincommunicationwitheachother，whomightgivethealarmwheneverdangerwasthreatened。
　　Meanwhile，theyagreedthatDeBracyshouldcommandthedefenceatthepostern，andtheTemplarshouldkeepwithhimascoreofmenorthereaboutsasabodyofreserve，readytohastentoanyotherpointwhichmightbesuddenlythreatened。
　　Thelossofthebarbicanhadalsothisunfortunateeffect，that，notwithstandingthesuperiorheightofthecastlewalls，thebesiegedcouldnotseefromthem，withthesameprecisionasbefore，theoperationsoftheenemy；forsomestragglingunderwoodapproachedsonearthesallyportoftheoutwork，thattheassailantsmightintroduceintoitwhateverforcetheythoughtproper，notonlyundercover，butevenwithouttheknowledgeofthedefenders。Utterlyuncertain，therefore，uponwhatpointthestormwastoburst，DeBracyandhiscompanionwereunderthenecessityofprovidingagainsteverypossiblecontingency，andtheirfollowers，howeverbrave，experiencedtheanxiousdejectionofmindincidenttomenenclosedbyenemies，whopossessedthepowerofchoosingtheirtimeandmodeofattack。
　　Meanwhile，thelordofthebeleagueredandendangeredcastlelayuponabedofbodilypainandmentalagony。Hehadnottheusualresourceofbigotsinthatsuperstitiousperiod，mostofwhomwerewonttoatoneforthecrimestheywereguiltyofbyliberalitytothechurch，stupefyingbythismeanstheirterrorsbytheideaofatonementandforgiveness；andalthoughtherefugewhichsuccessthuspurchased，wasnomoreliketothepeaceofmindwhichfollowsonsincererepentance，thantheturbidstupefactionprocuredbyopiumresembleshealthyandnaturalslumbers，itwasstillastateofmindpreferabletotheagoniesofawakenedremorse。ButamongthevicesofFront-de-Buf，ahardandgripingman，avaricewaspredominant；
　　andhepreferredsettingchurchandchurchmenatdefiance，topurchasingfromthempardonandabsolutionatthepriceoftreasureandofmanors。NordidtheTemplar，aninfidelofanotherstamp，justlycharacterisehisassociate，whenhesaidFront-de-Bufcouldassignnocauseforhisunbeliefandcontemptfortheestablishedfaith；
　　fortheBaronwouldhaveallegedthattheChurchsoldherwarestoodear，thatthespiritualfreedomwhichsheputuptosalewasonlytobeboughtlikethatofthechiefcaptainofJerusalem，``withagreatsum，’’andFront-de-Bufpreferreddenyingthevirtueofthemedicine，topayingtheexpenseofthephysician。
　　Butthemomenthadnowarrivedwhenearthandallhistreasureswereglidingfrombeforehiseyes，andwhenthesavageBaron’sheart，thoughhardasanethermillstone，becameappalledashegazedforwardintothewastedarknessoffuturity。Thefeverofhisbodyaidedtheimpatienceandagonyofhismind，andhisdeath-bedexhibitedamixtureofthenewlyawakenedfeelingsofhorror，combatingwiththefixedandinveterateobstinacyofhisdisposition；——
　　afearfulstateofmind，onlytobeequalledinthosetremendousregions，wheretherearecomplaintswithouthope，remorsewithoutrepentance，adreadfulsenseofpresentagony，andapresentimentthatitcannotceaseorbediminished！
　　``Wherebethesedog-priestsnow，’’growledtheBaron，``whosetsuchpriceontheirghostlymummery?——
　　wherebeallthoseunshodCarmelites，forwhomoldFront-de-BuffoundedtheconventofStAnne，robbinghisheirofmanyafairroodofmeadow，andmanyafatfieldandclose——wherebethegreedyhoundsnow?——Swilling，Iwarrantme，attheale，orplayingtheirjugglingtricksatthebedsideofsomemiserlychurl——Me，theheiroftheirfounder——me，whomtheirfoundationbindsthemtoprayfor——me——ungratefulvillainsastheyare！——theysuffertodielikethehouselessdogonyondercommon，unshrivenandtinhouseled！——TelltheTemplartocomehither——heisapriest，andmaydosomething——Butno！——aswellconfessmyselftothedevilastoBriandeBois-Guilbert，whorecksneitherofheavennorofhell——Ihaveheardoldmentalkofprayer——prayerbytheirownvoice——Suchneednottocourtortobribethefalsepriest——ButI——Idarenot！’’
　　``LivesReginaldFront-de-Buf，’’saidabrokenandshrillvoiceclosebyhisbedside，``tosaythereisthatwhichhedaresnot！’’
　　TheevilconscienceandtheshakennervesofFront-de-Bufheard，inthisstrangeinterruptiontohissoliloquy，thevoiceofoneofthosedemons，who，asthesuperstitionofthetimesbelieved，besetthebedsofdyingmentodistracttheirthoughts，andturnthemfromthemeditationswhichconcernedtheireternalwelfare。Heshudderedanddrewhimselftogether；but，instantlysummoninguphiswontedresolution，heexclaimed，``Whoisthere?——whatartthou，thatdaresttoechomywordsinatonelikethatofthenight-raven?——
　　ComebeforemycouchthatImayseethee。’’
　　``Iamthineevilangel，ReginaldFront-de-Buf，’’
　　repliedthevoice。
　　``Letmebeholdtheetheninthybodilyshape，ifthoubestindeedafiend，’’repliedthedyingknight；``thinknotthatIwillblenchfromthee——
　　Bytheeternaldungeon，couldIbutgrapplewiththesehorrorsthathoverroundme，asIhavedonewithmortaldangers，heavenorhellshouldneversaythatIshrunkfromtheconflict！’’
　　``Thinkonthysins，ReginaldFront-de-Buf，’’
　　saidthealmostunearthlyvoice，``onrebellion，onrapine，onmurder！——WhostirredupthelicentiousJohntowaragainsthisgrey-headedfather——againsthisgenerousbrother?’’
　　``Bethoufiend，priest，ordevil，’’repliedFront-de-Buf，``thouliestinthythroat！——NotIstirredJohntorebellion——notIalone——therewerefiftyknightsandbarons，theflowerofthemidlandcounties——bettermenneverlaidlanceinrest——AndmustIanswerforthefaultdonebyfifty?——Falsefiend，Idefythee！Depart，andhauntmycouchnomore——letmedieinpeaceifthoubemortal——
　　ifthoubeademon，thytimeisnotyetcome。’’
　　``Inpeacethoushalt=not=die，’’repeatedthevoice；``evenindeathshaltthouthinkonthymurders——onthegroanswhichthiscastlehasechoed——
　　onthebloodthatisengrainedinitsfloors！’’
　　``Thoucanstnotshakemebythypettymalice，’’
　　answeredFront-de-Buf，withaghastlyandconstrainedlaugh。``TheinfidelJew——itwasmeritwithheaventodealwithhimasIdid，elsewhereforearemencanonizedwhodiptheirhandsinthebloodofSaracens?——TheSaxonporkers，whomI
　　haveslain，theywerethefoesofmycountry，andofmylineage，andofmyliegelord——Ho！ho！
　　thouseestthereisnocreviceinmycoatofplate——
　　Artthoufled?——artthousilenced?’’
　　``No，foulparricide！’’repliedthevoice；``thinkofthyfather！——thinkofhisdeath！——thinkofhisbanquet-roomfloodedwithhisgore，andthatpouredforthbythehandofason！’’