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！’’