o
be bound, listening nevertheless so eagerly for sounds from without
that Ralph marked his strained attention; Etienne was intent upon
his designed cruelty.

"Once more, wilt thou answer me?" he said.

"No," said his victim, quietly and firmly.

"Then thou must suffer. Thou shalt die as thy St. Edmund did--fit
death it was, too, for a beggarly English saint. I ask thee for the
last time."

No reply. Etienne bade the men stand aside, and then, taking his
stand at the other end of the room, which may have been twenty feet
long, took accurate aim and shot an arrow through the muscle of the
right arm.

"Wilt thou speak?"

Beads of sweat stood upon the brow; but the lips found strength yet
to answer--once more the bolt flew, and the left arm was pierced in
turn.

"Wilt thou answer my questions now?

"The rebels and fools, thy countrymen, have been amusing themselves
by shooting at us all day; methinks the tables are turned now."

He shot again and wounded his victim in the shoulder. The whole
frame trembled; the lips moved, as if in prayer.

"Let me shoot this time," said Pierre, "if he will not answer."

"Take the bow then; hit the other shoulder."

Pierre took very accurate aim, and shot right through the heart.
One convulsive throb, and the body hang by the cords dead, and past
the reach of suffering.

"Thou fool!" said Etienne, forgetting his customary courtesy to his
equals, "thou hast spoilt all--we may never learn the truth now."

"He was too brave a lad to be tortured," said Pierre, upon whom the
patient courage of the sufferer had made a very deep impression,
"so I gave him the coup de grace."

"My lord, had we not better depart? These English may return at any
moment; tomorrow we may come with all the force at our command."

"We will sup first at all events. That soup smells good; it will
put a little warmth into our bodies, and it is worth a little risk
to have the chance of drying our clothes at this fire."

So they left the body of poor Eadwin where it had fallen, and being
now spent with hunger, they poured the soup into basins and ate it
greedily.

Suddenly the door was burst open, the room was filled with their
foes--uplifted weapons, deadly blows, cries, curses in English and
French--in short, such a melee ensued that it passes all our power
to describe it. The fire was kicked over the place--blood hissed as
it ran over the floor and met the hot embers--the torches were
speedily ex