noise was like that of
a cat's battle, and the priests marched to and fro while it
continued, smiling to left and right and exhorting the poor devils to
an increase of fervour. One of them spied Tristram and whispered to
his brother; and the pair seemed about to address him, when three
jailers entered with large trays, bearing the prisoners' breakfasts.
The litany ceased and the singers glanced at these trays with greedy
eyes.

It proved to be the best meal that Tristram had swallowed since his
misfortunes began, there being a pint of soup to each man in addition
to the usual brown bread. After devouring it, Tristram sat with his
back to the wall, wondering if the three ruffians would renew their
attack; but they appeared to have forgotten their resentment, and
even his presence. Some of his fellow-miserables fell to chatting;
others to plaiting ropes out of the straw on which they lay; while
some occupied themselves in keeping a look out for the rats that
swarmed everywhere and stole out in the dim light to gnaw the pieces
of bread which the prisoners saved and hid away for future use.

About four in the afternoon the great door was flung open again and
the chief jailer appeared, with four turnkeys and the soldiers of the
prison guard, all armed to the teeth with pistols, swords and
bayonets. Their object, it turned out, was to examine the four walls
and the floor very minutely, to see if the prisoners were making any
holes or planning any attempt to escape. They spent a full half an
hour in routing out the prisoners and searching high and low with
their lanterns, using great roughness and the most abominable talk.
Tristram watched their movements for some time, but at length curled
himself up in his corner, which had already been explored. He was
closing his eyes, and putting a finger in each ear to shut out the
riot, when a smart blow descended across his thighs.

One of the soldiers was belabouring him with the flat of a sword, as
a hint to stand up.

Tristram did so, and now observed that a dozen of the men with whom
he had marched during the two previous days were collected in a
little group by the door. He was taken by the arms and hustled
forward to join them. As he came close and could see their faces in
the dingy twilight, he saw also that, though big, strapping fellows,
the most of them were weeping, and shivering like conies in a trap.

He was still wondering at the cause of their agitation whe