DeBracybowedlowandinsilence，andwasabouttowithdraw，whentheyeomenburstatonceintoashoutofexecrationandderision。Theproudknightinstantlystopped，turnedback，foldedhisarms，drewuphisformtoitsfullheight，andexclaimed，``Peace，yeyelpingcurs！whoopenuponacrywhichyefollowednotwhenthestagwasatbay——DeBracyscornsyourcensureashewoulddisdainyourapplause。Toyourbrakesandcaves，yeoutlawedthieves！andbesilentwhenaughtknightlyornobleisbutspokenwithinaleagueofyourfox-earths。’’
Thisill-timeddefiancemighthaveprocuredforDeBracyavolleyofarrows，butforthehastyandimperativeinterferenceoftheoutlawChief。Meanwhiletheknightcaughtahorsebytherein，forseveralwhichhadbeentakeninthestablesofFront-de-Bufstoodaccoutredaround，andwereavaluablepartofthebooty。Hethrewhimselfuponthesaddle，andgallopedoffthroughthewood。
Whenthebustleoccasionedbythisincidentwassomewhatcomposed，thechiefOutlawtookfromhisnecktherichhornandbaldricwhichhehadrecentlygainedatthestrifeofarcherynearAshby。
``Nobleknight。’’hesaidtohimoftheFetterlock，``ifyoudisdainnottogracebyyouracceptanceabuglewhichanEnglishyeomanhasonceworn，thisIwillprayyoutokeepasamemorialofyourgallantbearing——andifyehaveaughttodo，and，ashappenethofttoagallantknight，yechancetobehardbestedinanyforestbetweenTrentandTees，windthreemots*uponthehornthus，_Wa-sa-hoa！_
*Thenotesuponthebuglewereancientlycalledmots，and*aredistinguishedintheoldtreatisesonhunting，notbymusical*characters，butbywrittenwords。
anditmaywellchanceyeshallfindhelpersandrescue。’’
Hethengavebreathtothebugle，andwindedonceandagainthecallwhichbedescribed，untiltheknighthadcaughtthenotes。
``Gramercyforthegift，boldyeoman，’’saidtheKnight；``andbetterhelpthanthineandthyrangerswouldIneverseek，wereitatmyutmostneed。’’
Andtheninhisturnhewindedthecalltillallthegreenwoodrang。
``Wellblownandclearly，’’saidtheyeoman；
``beshrewmeanthouknowestnotasmuchofwoodcraftasofwar！——thouhastbeenastrikerofdeerinthyday，Iwarrant——Comrades，markthesethreemots——itisthecalloftheKnightoftheFetterlock；
andhewhohearsit，andhastensnottoservehimathisneed，Iwillhavehimscourgedoutofourbandwithhisownbowstring。’’
``Longliveourleader！’’shoutedtheyeomen，``andlonglivetheBlackKnightoftheFetterlock！——
Mayhesoonuseourservice，toprovehowreadilyitwillbepaid。’’
Locksleynowproceededtothedistributionofthespoil，whichheperformedwiththemostlaudableimpartiality。Atenthpartofthewholewassetapartforthechurch，andforpioususes；aportionwasnextallottedtoasortofpublictreasury；
apartwasassignedtothewidowsandchildrenofthosewhohadfallen，ortobeexpendedinmassesforthesoulsofsuchashadleftnosurvivingfamily。
Therestwasdividedamongsttheoutlaws，accordingtotheirrankandmerit，andthejudgmentoftheChief，onallsuchdoubtfulquestionsasoccurred，wasdeliveredwithgreatshrewdness，andreceivedwithabsolutesubmission。TheBlackKnightwasnotalittlesurprisedtofindthatmen，inastatesolawless，wereneverthelessamongthemselvessoregularlyandequitablygoverned，andallthatheobservedaddedtohisopinionofthejusticeandjudgmentoftheirleader。
Wheneachhadtakenhisownproportionofthebooty，andwhilethetreasurer，accompaniedbyfourtallyeomen，wastransportingthatbelongingtothestatetosomeplaceofconcealmentorofsecurity，theportiondevotedtothechurchstillremainedunappropriated。
``Iwould，’’saidtheleader，``wecouldheartidingsofourjoyouschaplain——hewasneverwonttobeabsentwhenmeatwastobeblessed，orspoiltobeparted；anditishisdutytotakecareofthesethetithesofoursuccessfulenterprise。Itmaybetheofficehashelpedtocoversomeofhiscanonicalirregularities。Also，Ihaveaholybrotherofhisaprisoneratnogreatdistance，andIwouldfainhavetheFriartohelpmetodealwithhiminduesort——Igreatlymisdoubtthesafetyofthebluffpriest。’’
``Iwererightsorryforthat，’’saidtheKnightoftheFetterlock，``forIstandindebtedtohimforthejoyoushospitalityofamerrynightinhiscell。
Letustotheruinsofthecastle；itmaybeweshalltherelearnsometidingsofhim。’’
Whiletheythusspoke，aloudshoutamongtheyeomenannouncedthearrivalofhimforwhomtheyfeared，astheylearnedfromthestentorianvoiceoftheFriarhimself，longbeforetheysawhisburlyperson。
``Makeroom，mymerry-men！’’heexclaimed；
``roomforyourgodlyfatherandhisprisoner——
Crywelcomeoncemore——Icome，nobleleader，likeaneaglewithmypreyinmyclutch。’’——Andmakinghiswaythroughthering，amidstthelaughterofallaround，heappearedinmajestictriumph，hishugepartisaninonehand，andintheotherahalter，oneendofwhichwasfastenedtotheneckoftheunfortunateIsaacofYork，who，bentdownbysorrowandterror，wasdraggedonbythevictoriouspriest，whoshoutedaloud，``WhereisAllan-a-Dale，tochroniclemeinaballad，orifitwerebutalay?——BySaintHermangild，thejinglingcrowderiseveroutofthewaywherethereisanaptthemeforexaltingvalour！’’
``CurtalPriest，’’saidtheCaptain，``thouhastbeenatawetmassthismorning，asearlyasitis。
InthenameofSaintNicholas，whomhastthougothere?’’
``Acaptivetomyswordandtomylance，nobleCaptain，’’repliedtheClerkofCopmanhurst；``tomybowandtomyhalberd，Ishouldrathersay；
andyetIhaveredeemedhimbymydivinityfromaworsecaptivity。Speak，Jew——haveInotransomedtheefromSathanas?——haveInottaughttheethy_credo_，thy_pater_，andthine_AveMaria_?——
DidInotspendthewholenightindrinkingtothee，andinexpoundingofmysteries?’’
``FortheloveofGod！’’ejaculatedthepoorJew，``willnoonetakemeoutofthekeepingofthismad——Imeanthisholyman?’’
``How’sthis，Jew?’’saidtheFriar，withamenacingaspect；``dostthourecant，Jew?——Bethinkthee，ifthoudostrelapseintothineinfidelity，thoughthouarenotsotenderasasucklingpig——
IwouldIhadonetobreakmyfastupon——thouartnottootoughtoberoasted！Beconformable，Isaac，andrepeatthewordsafterme。_AveMaria_！——’’
``Nay，wewillhavenoprofanation，madPriest，’’
saidLocksley；``letusratherhearwhereyoufoundthisprisonerofthine。’’
``BySaintDunstan，’’saidtheFriar，``IfoundhimwhereIsoughtforbetterware！Ididstepintothecellaragetoseewhatmightberescuedthere；
forthoughacupofburntwine，withspice，beanevening’sdroughtforanemperor，itwerewaste，methought，toletsomuchgoodliquorbemulledatonce；andIhadcaughtuponerunletofsack，andwascomingtocallmoreaidamongtheselazyknaves，whoareevertoseekwhenagooddeedistobedone，whenIwasavisedofastrongdoor——
Aha！thoughtI，hereisthechoicestjuiceofallinthissecretcrypt；andtheknavebutler，beingdisturbedinhisvocation，hathleftthekeyinthedoor——InthereforeIwent，andfoundjustnoughtbesidesacommodityofrustedchainsandthisdogofaJew，whopresentlyrenderedhimselfmyprisoner，rescueornorescue。Ididbutrefreshmyselfafterthefatigueoftheaction，withtheunbeliever，withonehummingcupofsack，andwasproceedingtoleadforthmycaptive，when，crashaftercrash，aswithwildthunder-dintandlevin-fire，downtoppledthemasonryofanoutertower，marrybeshrewtheirhandsthatbuiltitnotthefirmer！andblockedupthepassage。Theroarofonefallingtowerfollowedanother——Igaveupthoughtoflife；anddeemingitadishonourtooneofmyprofessiontopassoutofthisworldincompanywithaJew，I
heavedupmyhalberdtobeathisbrainsout；butItookpityonhisgreyhairs，andjudgeditbettertolaydownthepartisan，andtakeupmyspiritualweaponforhisconversion。Andtruly，bytheblessingofSaintDunstan，theseedhasbeensowningoodsoil；onlythat，withspeakingtohimofmysteriesthroughthewholenight，andbeinginamannerfasting，forthefewdroughtsofsackwhichIsharpenedmywitswithwerenotworthmarking，
myheadiswellnighdizzied，Itrow——ButIwascleanexhausted——GilbertandWibbaldknowinwhatstatetheyfoundme——quiteandcleanexhausted。’’
``Wecanbearwitness，’’saidGilbert；``forwhenwehadclearedawaytheruin，andbySaintDunstan’shelplighteduponthedungeonstair，wefoundtherunletofsackhalfempty，theJewhalfdead，andtheFriarmorethanhalf——exhausted，ashecallsit。’’
``Yebeknaves！yelie！’’retortedtheoffendedFriar；``itwasyouandyourgormandizingcompanionsthatdrankupthesack，andcalledityourmorningdraught——Iamapagan，anIkeptitnotfortheCaptain’sownthroat。Butwhatrecksit?
TheJewisconverted，andunderstandsallIhavetoldhim，verynearly，ifnotaltogether，aswellasmyself。’’
``Jew，’’saidtheCaptain，``isthistrue?hastthourenouncedthineunbelief?’’
``MayIsofindmercyinyoureyes，’’saidtheJew，``asIknownotonewordwhichthereverendprelatespaketomeallthisfearfulnight。Alas！I
wassodistraughtwithagony，andfear，andgrief，thathadourholyfatherAbrahamcometopreachtome，hehadfoundbutadeaflistener。’’
``Thouliest，Jew，andthouknowestthoudost。’’
saidtheFriar；``Iwillremindtheeofbutonewordofourconference——thoudidstpromisetogiveallthysubstancetoourholyOrder。’’
``SohelpmethePromise，fairsirs，’’saidIsaac，evenmorealarmedthanbefore，``asnosuchsoundsevercrossedmylips！Alas！Iamanagedbeggar’dman——Ifearmeachildless——haveruthonme，andletmego！’’