" What skills it talking of it, father ? " replied Flammock ; " thou
art no soldier, and I have no time for words."

" Nay, take thy breath," said the monk,- tucking up the sleeves
of his frock ; " I will try to help thee the whilst — although. Our
Lady pity me, I know nothing of these strange devices, — not even
the names. But our rule commands us to labour ; there can be no
harm, therefore, in turning this winch — or in placing this steel-
headed piece of wood opposite to the cord, (suiting his action to his
words,) nor see I aught uncanonical in adjusting the lever thus, or
in touching the spring."

The large bolt whizzed through the air as he spoke, and was so
successfully aimed, that it struck down a Welsh chief of eminence,
to whom Gwenwyn himself was in the act of giving some important
charge.
"Well driven, trebuchet—\it\\ flown, quarrel.'" cried the monk,



3o THE BETROTHED.
unable to contain his delight, and giving, in his triumph, the true
technical names to the engine, and the javelin which it discharged.
