himself on his knees, burying his face in the hand that Brakespeare resigned to him for awhile,-"but do my bidding heedfully. Should evil befall us here, commend me to Sir John Hawkwood; and tell him that, being in sore perplexity, I acted, according to my poor judgment, as beseemed his honour and mine own; and that well I trust he will never rest till each drop of our blood be avenged. Now stand thou apart: thou goest forth with me anon when I place the guard."

Then Ralph turned to the castellan; who stood by, forgetting his own grievous anxieties, in genuine admiration of the marvellous coolness with which the other met and mastered the situation that had well-nigh paralyzed his own energies.

"Fair lord"-he said-" if I have not spoken of bidding your own retainers fight in your defence, it is not that I mistrust their faith or courage. But for the most part they are somewhat aged and warworn; so, in the front of such as we must mell with to-night, they would be as straw before flame: moreover, weapons and harness could hardly be conveyed to them without giving the alarm; and if half-armed, they must needs be slaughtered like sheep in the shambles. And now it is full time we went about our several tasks; and yours-as well I wot-is far heavier than mine. It beseems not one of my years to give counsel to your wisdom; yet one word I must needs say. For the Holy Virgin's sake, do nothing rashly. All is not lost when I am down; and, when ye least expect it, rescue may be near: there is hope so long as one plank holds fast betwixt you and these ravishers. But, if they be come to the last door, and, looking from the watch-tower ye can discern no sign of help, then, by my mother's honour, sooner would I strike my dagger into the bosom of each noble demoiselleay, or cast her with mine own hands from the battlements-than see them fall alive into Gian Malatesta's power."

Each syllable struck on the father's heart like a knell; but his first weakness was past, and he answered steadfastly enough, grasping the esquire's hand in both his own.

"Well hast thou spoken, and wisely. Woe is me, that I can aid thee no more than if I were a bed-ridden beldame; yet, if I may no longer sway estoc, I can still wield miséricorde, and it shall do my children the last good office. Would to God, there had been a son born to mine house like unto thee. Wilt thou not tell me the name of him who this night proffers his life more readily for strangers, and cnemics to boot, than many would do for their nearest of kin ?"

"Ralph Brakespeare"-was the careless answer. "It is of no great repute as yet, and mayhap never will be: but, for such work as we have to do to-night, it may serve as well as a better. And now, my

lord, I crave your leave to depart. When I knock thrice on the door at the stairhead, let Réné, I pray you, descend: he shall fasten the last pieces of my heavy armour, ere I send him forth. So, for the present, I bid you farewell; and may the saints send us good deliverance !"

With another cordial hand-pressure, they parted; and Ralph, attended by Lanyon, went forth on his round of duty. Several times during his progress he could not help glancing curiously at certain faces; with a hope of some signs of friendly intelligence, whereby he might have guessed that such an one would fain have warned him of the plot. But none such could he discover; only one man gave him a gruff "good-night:" this was a burly Northumbrian-Miles Swinburne by name-who was posted at the barbican. But Ralph thought within himself that, even if this were not another traitor, he could help but little, and forebore questioning him. Passing through the courtyard on his return-it was now almost dark-he encountered Gian Malatesta.

"I will pray you to take my place at supper to-night"-Brakespeare said-" for I am strangely heavy and ill at ease, and have more mind for sleep than meat or drink; also, to go the rounds heedfully an hour before midnight, waking me only if there be cause for alarm. I will to my pallet now, which is laid in the presence-chamber."

All Ralph's rare self-command was needed, to enable him to listen patiently to the Italian's courteous condolences, and smooth assurances that all duty should be exactly performed; but he went his way without betraying himself.

By seven of the clock all who were not on guard were set down to a board plenteously spread, studded all over with tall brocs of wine, that needed only to be plenished from a cask standing hard by. Though almost every man there knew that black deeds were to be wrought that night, never an one ate or drank with appetite less keen, and the mirth soon waxed furious. Hearing this, Brakespeare delayed no longer to give the appointed signal.

The Lord of Hacquemont came down instantly, followed by his esquire, the latter bearing lantern, flint, and steel; and silently the two aided Brakespeare to don the last pieces of his armour. cautious whisper Réné received his last instructions-he was to tarry

In a

at the outer postern till the rescue arrived: then, putting on the disguise aforementioned, the old man stole down the turret stair, and passed into the courtyard unobserved. For several minutes the other two listened; holding their breath till they knew of a certainty that Réné and Lanyon must be safe within the stable, when, in mute thanksgiving, their eyes met.

Then Brakespeare-fully accoutred but for his helmet-knelt reverently before the castellan. In the dim light of the mortier they made a very striking group: such pictures have been painted of the Eve of Knighthood, when the neophyte takes leave of his sire before his first vigil in arms.

"Fair lord”—the Englishman said-" whether we shall meet again, lieth in God's hand. Lo! here I crave of you your blessing; and, if mine hand hath unwittingly done to death aforetime any dear friend or kinsman of yours, whether we live or die, let there be no enmity betwixt us henceforth for ever."

Only Heaven heard the low solemn whisper that passed Philippe de Hacquemont's lips as he bent forward, laying both hands on the other's shoulders; but Ralph felt two big heavy tears, such as are wrung only from the agony of age, drip on his upturned brow. The next instant the castellan had turned abruptly away, as if afraid to trust himself longer, and Ralph was alone in the presence-chamber.

CHAPTER XXI.

AGAINST ODDS.

BRACING his bascinet carefully on, but keeping the vizor up, Brakespeare betook himself to his post of watch. Certain channels were so cunningly pierced in the great stone rose, which formed the centrepoint of the groined ceiling of the hall, that the minutest feature of the scene below-lighted as it was by several torches-was as easy to distinguish as the faintest sound.

Every man at the long board was fully armed after his own fashion, save that some had laid their headpieces aside; and the carouse went on, without stint or stay, with a discordant hubbub of talk, broken by bursts of coarse laughter; whilst each evil face grew eviller to look upon, as it waxed flushed and swollen with drink. The feast

was far into its second hour; and Ralph, grown weary of constant espial, only vouchsafed occasional glances below; when Gian Malatesta -sitting in the place of honour betwixt Martin Stackpole and Berchtold, the German-thought the ripe season had come. So, smiting on the table with a flagon to still the uproar, he spake somewhat as follows:

"Gentle my comrades all; well I deem that to none here present my words will seem strange; for none here but hath cause to quarrel with the fashion in which matters have been ruled of late, and desires to see them amended. Here are four years wasted, wherein we have been forced to live on the bare pittance of our pay; reaping none of those profits and privileges that men of our merit may fairly look for, when carrying on warfare in an alien country. Whether the knight we follow lacks the courage, or the wit, to lead his company aright, matters but little; I am aweary of his service; and so, I wot, are ye all. And is it not enough to endure his discipline, without brooking the insolence of his favourite, who lords it over us worse than his Did he not report Martin Stackpole here, for drawing dagger in pure sport on a rascally taverner; and honest Berchtold, for making rough love to a serving wench, till the knight chid sharplyay, and threatened with the bastonnade-gallants better born than he or his beggarly esquire? Yet do we deserve all this-yea, that the veriest drudge should laugh us to scorn-if we let slip the chance that Fortune hath given us to-night of making ourselves amends. Besides plate, jewels, and apparel, there is coin enow hoarded in this castle, I will be sworn, to make every man of us rich; for the wine, ye yourselves can speak; and are not the faces that looked forth on us this morning-to say naught of bower-women and handmaidens-fair enough to furnish forth an orgie? When we have wrought our pleasure here, we need but to set forth with our booty, and find safety in a short day's ride; within that distance, as I have certain knowledge, bides stout John Bacon, with a puissant armament. If they have a captain to their mind, what matters it under what King free-lances serve? For the hoards I spake of, fear not that we find them: if the baron himself be stubborn, some of his household will prove more manageable; for I have persuasions that would make the dumb to speak. Now, if any of you think that ye owe aught to the brain that hath planned all this gay pastime, grant me, I pray you, the first wooing of the pale girl who stood at the window alone. She is less buxom than her sisters, I trow; nathless, she suits my fancy."

The smooth, round periods tickled their ears, even as some new, delicate flavour might have tickled their palates; they shouted uproarious applause, as they swore, with grisly oaths, that he should have his will; and drank, with hideous jests, to the betrothal. And the listener above felt a hot tingling through the marrow of his bones; whilst the tough sinews and knotted muscles of his right arm, on which he leant, swelled out as though they would have burst the mail.

"Ten thousand thanks”—the Italian went on, bowing low in mock deference. "I am emboldened by your bounty to ask yet another grace. In dealing with Ralph Brakespeare, aim, I pray you, at disabling him; but spare his life, if it be possible. Lo! here I promise all my share of the coined money, to whoso shall deliver him alive into mine hands."

A derisive murmur ran round the table; and Stackpole said, gruffly

"Hath Sathanas turned saint, that Malatesta preaches mercy ?" The other laughed a little low laugh, as sweet as silver; whilst he sleeked his glossy moustache with his white fingers-he had drawn off his steel gloves when he sat down.

"Impute not such virtue to a sinner like me, camarado mio: I would not have him live; but I would see him die leisurely-after mine own fashion-and not till I have mocked my fill.”

The unearthly malignity of the words struck even the drunken ruffians who heard them with a kind of disgust; and there was a pause, while each looked rather blankly on his fellow.

And all the while, right over the bandit's head, there lowered down on him a face, feller and fiercer than his own-the face of the man he doomed.

The silence was broken by Berchtold's hoarse, bellowing tones.

"We might have known thee better, Johann. Hagel! an' that be all, we may suit thy fancy even here. If once I get within arm's length of the younker, I will bear him where thou wilt, with no more harm than a rough squeeze. See thou shrink not from thy bargain."

"See thou claim it"-Malatesta answered, gibingly. "Puissant is thy hug, my bear of Boppart; but never yet hast thou grappled with so tough a morsel of man's flesh. Now 'tis time we were at work. If I break our revel, my jovial mates, 'tis but that we may fall to later with a heartier good will. There are two must be dealt with, ere we come