" I hear it— I hear it ! " said Father Aldrovand, who had been
listening for some time. " All praise to St. Benedict !— Our Lady
of the Garde Doloureuse has been gracious to her servants as ever !
—It is the tramp of horse— it is the clash of armour— the chivalry
of the Marches are coming to our relief— Kyrie Eleison ! "

" I hear something too," said Flammock, — " something like the
hollow sound of the great sea, when it burst into my neighbour
Klinkerman's warehouse, and rolled his pots and pans against each
other. But it were an evil mistake, father, to take foes for friends
— we were best rouse the people."

" Tush ! " said the priest, " talk to me of pots and kettles ?—
Was I squire of the body to Count Stephen Mauleverer for twenty
years, and do I not know the tramp of a war-horse, or the clash of
a mail-coat ? — But call the men to the walls at any rate, and have me
the best drawn up inthe base-court — we may help them by a sally."

" That will not be rashly undertaken with my consent," mur-
mured the Fleming ; " but to the wall if you will, and in good
time. But keep your Normans and English silent. Sir Priest, else
their unruly and noisy joy will awaken the Welsh camp, and pre-
pare them for their unwelcome visitors."

The monk laid his finger on his lip in sign of intelligence, and
they parted in opposite directions, each to rouse the defenders of
the castle, who were soon heard drawing from all quarters to their
posts upon the walls, with hearts in a very different mood from that
in which they had descended from them. The utmost caution
being used to prevent noise, the manning of the walls was accom-
plished in silence, and the garrison awaited in breathless expecta-
tion the success of the forces who were rapidly advancing to their
relief.
