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Squire's grip was on the man's throat and his body was pinned
motionless against the wall。
〃Simon！ Simon！〃 cried Nigel loudly。
The mantle was moved from the hole。
〃Have you a cord？ Or your belts linked together may serve。〃
One of the peasants had a rope； and Nigel soon felt it dangling
against his hand。 He listened and there was no sound in the
passage。 For an instant he released his captive's throat。 A
torrent of prayers and entreaties came forth。 The man was shaking
like a leaf in the wind。 Nigel pressed the point of his dagger
against his face and dared him to open his lips。 Then he slipped
the rope beneath his arms and tied it。
〃Pull him up！〃 he whispered； and for an instant the gray glimmer
above him was obscured。
〃We have him； fair sir；〃 said Simon。
〃Then drop me the rope and hold it fast。〃
A moment later Nigel stood among the group of men who had gathered
round their captive。 It was too dark to see him； and they dare
not strike flint and steel。
Simon passed his hand roughly over him and felt a fat clean…shaven
face； and a cloth gabardine which hung to the ankles。 〃Who are
you？〃 he whispered。 〃 peak the truth and speak it low； if you
would ever speak again。〃
The man's teeth chattered in his head with cold and fright。 〃I
speak no English；〃 he murmured。
〃French； then；〃 said Nigel。
〃I am a holy priest of God。 You court the ban of holy Church when
you lay hands upon me。 I pray you let me go upon my way； for
there are those whom I would shrive and housel。 If they should
die in sin； their damnation is upon you。〃
〃How are you called then？〃
〃I am Dom Peter de Cervolles。〃
〃De Cervolles； the arch…priest； he who heated the brazier when
they burned out my eyes；〃 cried old Andreas。 〃Of all the devils
in hell there is none fouler than this one。 Friends； friends； if
I have done aught for you this night； I ask but one reward； that
ye let me have my will of this man。〃
But Nigel pushed the old man back。 〃There is no time for this；〃
he said。 〃Now hark you； priest … if priest indeed you be … your
gown and tonsure will not save you if you play us false； for we
are here of a set purpose and we will go forward with it； come
what may。 Answer me and answer me truly or it will be an ill
night for you。 In what part of the Castle does this tunnel
enter？〃
〃In the lower cellar。〃
〃What is at the end？〃
〃An oaken door。〃
〃Is it barred？〃
〃Yes； it is barred。〃
〃How would you have entered？〃
〃I would have given the password。〃
〃Who then would have opened？〃
〃There is a guard within。〃
〃And beyond him？〃
〃Beyond him are the prison cells and the jailers。〃
〃Who else would be afoot？〃
〃No one save a guard at the gate and another on the battlement。〃
〃What then is the password？〃
The man was silent。
〃The password； fellow！〃
The cold points of two daggers pricked his throat； but still he
would not speak。
〃Where is the blind man？〃 asked Nigel。 〃Here； Andreas； you can
have him and do what you will with him。〃
〃Nay； nay；〃 the priest whimpered。 〃Keep him off me。 Save me from
blind Andreas！ I will tell you everything。〃
〃The password then； this instant？〃
〃It is ‘Benedicite！'〃
〃We have the password； Simon；〃 cried Nigel。 〃Come then； let us on
to the farther end。 These peasants will guard the priest； and
they will remain here lest we wish to send a message。〃
〃Nay； fair sir； it is in my mind that we can do better；〃 said
Simon。 〃Let us take the priest with us； so that he who is within
may know his voice。〃
〃It is well thought of；〃 said Nigel； 〃and first let us pray
together； for indeed this night may well be our last。〃
He and the three men…at…arms knelt in the rain and sent up their
simple orisons； Simon still clutching tight to his prisoner's
wrist。
The priest fumbled in his breast and drew something forth。 〃It is
the heart of the blessed confessor Saint Enogat；〃 said he。 〃It
may be that it will ease and assoil your souls if you would wish
to handle it。〃
The four Englishmen passed the flat silver case from hand to hand；
each pressing his lips devoutly upon it。 Then they rose to their
feet。 Nigel was the first to lower himself down the hole； then
Simon； then the priest； who was instantly seized by the other two。
The men…at…arms followed them。 They had scarcely moved away from
the hole when Nigel stopped。
〃Surely some one else came after us；〃 said he。
They listened； but no whisper or rustle came from behind them。
For a minute they paused and then resumed their journey through
the dark。 It seemed a long； long way； though in truth it was but
a few hundred yards before they came to a door with a glimmer of
yellow light around it； which barred their passage。 Nigel struck
upon it with his hand。
There was the rasping of a bolt and then a loud voice 〃Is that
you； priest？〃
〃Yes； it is I；〃 said the prisoner in a quavering voice。 〃Open；
Arnold！〃
The voice was enough。 There was no question of passwords。 The
door swung inward； and in an instant the janitor was cut down by
Nigel and Simon。 So sudden and so fierce was the attack that save
for the thud of his body no sound was heard。 A flood of light
burst outward into the passage； and the Englishmen stood with
blinking eyes in its glare。
In front of them lay a stone…flagged corridor； across which lay
the dead body of the janitor。 It had doors on either side of it；
and another grated door at the farther end。 A strange hubbub； a
kind of low droning and whining filled the air。 The four men were
standing listening； full of wonder as to what this might mean；
when a sharp cry came from behind them。 The priest lay in a
shapeless heap upon the ground； and the blood was rushing from his
gaping throat。 Down the passage； a black shadow in the yellow
light； there fled a crouching man； who clattered with a stick as
he went。
〃It is Andreas；〃 cried West…country Will。 〃He has slain him。〃
〃Then it was he that I heard behind us；〃 said Nigel。 〃Doubtless
he was at our very heels in the darkness。 I fear that the
priest's cry has been heard。〃
〃Nay；〃 said Simon； 〃there are so many cries that one more may well
pass。 Let us take this lamp from the wall and see what sort of
devil's den we have around us。〃
They opened the door upon the right； and so horrible a smell
issued from it that they were driven back from it。 The lamp which
Simon held forward showed a monkeylike creature mowing and
grimacing in the corner； man or woman none could tell； but driven
crazy by loneliness and horror。 In the other cell was a
graybearded man fettered to the wall； looking blankly before him；
a body without a soul； yet with life still in him； for his dull
eyes turned slowly in their direction。 But it was from behind the
central door at the end of the passage that the chorus of sad
cries came which filled the air。
〃Simon；〃 said Nigel； 〃before we go farther we will take this outer
door from its hinges。 With it we will block this passage so that
at the worst we may hold our ground here until help comes。 Do you
back to the camp as fast as your feet can bear you。 The peasants
will draw you upward through the hole。 Give my greetings to Sir
Robert and tell him that the castle is taken without fail if he
comes this way with fifty men。 Say that we have made a lodgment
within the walls。 And tell him also； Simon； that I would counsel
him to make a stir before the gateway so that the guard may be
held there whilst we make good our footing behind them。 Go； good
Simon； and lose not a moment！〃
But the man…at…arms shook his head。 〃It is I who have brought you
here； fair sir； and here I bide through fair and foul。 But you
speak wisely and well； for Sir Robert should indeed be told what
is going forward now that we have gone so far。 Harding； do you go
with all speed and bear the gentle Nigel's message。〃
Reluctantly the man…at…arms sped upon his errand。 They could hear
the racing of his feet and the low jingle of his harness until
they died away in the tunnel。 Then the three companions
approached the door at the end。 It was their intention to wait
where they were until help should come； but suddenly amid the
babel of cries within there broke forth an English voice； shouting
in torment。
〃My God！〃 it cried； 〃I pray you； comrades； for a cup of water； as
you hope for Christ's mercy！〃
A shout of laughter and the thud of a heavy blow followed the
appeal。
All the hot blood rushed to Nigel's head at the sound； buzzing in
his ears and throbbing in his temples。 There are times when the
fiery heart of a man must overbear the cold brain of a soldier。
With one bound he was at the door； with another he was through it；
the men…at…arms at his heels。 So strange was the scene before
them that for an instant all three stood motionless with horror
and surprise。
It was a great vaulted chamber； brightly lit by many torches。 At
the farther end roared a great fire。 In front of it three naked
men were chained to posts in such a way that flinch as they might
they could never get beyond the range of its scorching heat。 Yet
they were so far from it that no actual burn would be inflicted if
they coul