gets, and stripped him of two hundred marks of gold, do yet
demand of him a large sum besides, ere they will suffer him
to depart from their hands. Wherefore the reverend father
in God prays you, as his dear friends, to rescue him, either
by paying down the ransom at which they hold him, or by
force of arms, at your best discretion."

"The foul fiend quell the Prior!" said Front-de-Bœuf.
"When did thy master hear of a Norman baron unbuckling
his purse to relieve a churchman? And how can we do aught
by valor to free him, that are cooped up here by ten times our
number, and expect an assault every moment?"

"And that was what I was about to tell you," said the
monk, "had your hastiness allowed me time. It is of verity
that they assemble a camp and raise a bank against the walls
of this castle."

"To the battlements!" cried De Bracy, "and let us mark
what these knaves do without;" and so saying, he opened a
latticed window which led to a projecting balcony, and imme-
diately called from thence to those in the apartment--"St.
Denis, but the old monk has brought true tidings! They
bring forward mantelets ¹ and pavisses, ² and the archers muster
on the skirts of the wood like a dark cloud before a hail-
storm."

Reginald Front-de-Bœuf also looked out upon the field, and
immediately snatched his bugle; and after winding a long and
loud blast, commanded his men to their posts on the walls.

" De Bracy, look to the eastern side, where the walls are
lowest--Noble Bois-Guilbert, thy trade hath well taught thee
how to attack and defend, look thou to the western side--I
myself will take post at the barbican! ³ Our numbers are few,
but courage may supply that defect, since we have only to do
with rascal clowns."

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