her splendid beauty and
withchery, would rise before him, so that he knew how a relaxation of
the lengthened weary effort would make his whole self break its
bonds and go out to her. Dreams of felicity and liberty, and not
with Eustacie, would even come over him, and he would awaken to
disappointment before he came to a sense of relief and thankfulness
that he was still his own. The dislike, distaste, and dread that came
so easily in his time of pain and weakness were less easy to maintain
in his full health and forced inactivity. Occupation of mind and hope
seemed the only chance of enabling either of the two to weather this
most dreary desert period; and Berenger, setting his thoughts resolutely
to consider what would be the best means of rousing Philip, decided
at length that any endeavour to escape, however arduous and desperate,
would be better than his present apathetic languor, even if it led to
nothing. After the first examination of their prison, Berenger had had
no thought of escape; he was then still weak and unenterprising. He had
for many months lived in hopes of interference from home; and, besides,
the likelihood that so English a party as his own would be quickly
pursued and recaptured, where they did not know their road and had
no passports, had deterred him lest should fall into still straiter
imprisonment. But he had since gained, in the course of his rides, and
by observation from the top of the tower, a much fuller knowledge of the
country. He knew the way to the grange du Temple, and to the chief towns
in the neighbourhood. Philip and Humfrey had both lost something of
their intensely national look and speech, and, moreover, was having
broken out again, there was hope of falling in with Huguenot partisans
even nearer that at La Rochelle. But whether successful or not, some
enterprise was absolutely needed to save Philip from his despondent
apathy; and Berenger, who in these eighteen months had grown into the
strength and vigour of manhood, felt as if he had force and power for
almost any effort save this hopeless waiting.

He held council with Humfrey, who suggested that it might be well to
examine the vaults below the keep. He had a few days before, while
going after some of the firewood stored below the ground-floor chamber,
observed a door, locked, but with such rusty iron hinges that they might
possibly yield to vigorous efforts with a stone; and who could tell
where the underground passages m