other moment of dread suspense, like that with which
the gazer watches the dark thundercloud before the lightning's flash. A
moment of dread silence--during which some orders, given loudly below,
forced themselves upon him:

"Fire the castle, every portion of it; fire the stables, the barns, the
outbuildings; we will leave a pile of blackened ruins for Edgar when he
comes; the halls where the princely Edwy has feasted shall never be his,
or entertain him as guest."

Meanwhile, the dark forces, unseen by the destroyers, were still
surrounding the castle, deploying on all sides to surround it as in a
net; for they saw the intention of their victims, and meant to cut off
all chance of escape.

But the position of the brothers seemed as perilous as ever--for how
could Edgar's troops rescue them if the place were once on fire? Alfred
gazed with pallid face upon Oswy, but met only a resigned helpless
glance in return.

Yet, even at this moment of awful suspense, a voice seemed to whisper in
his ear, "Stand still, and see the salvation of God."

"Oswy," he exclaimed, "we shall not die--I feel sure that God will
save us!"

"It must be soon then," replied Oswy; "soon, my lord, for they have
already set the place on fire, just beneath us; can you not smell the
smoke?"

Just at that moment came the war cry of the Mercians, and the charge we
have already described.

It was during the following few minutes, while Ragnar and all his men
were vainly striving to extinguish the conflagration they had raised--
for the dry timber of which the hall was chiefly built had taken fire
like matchwood--it was while the friends without were preparing to
attack, that a sudden change came over the patient.

"Alfred, my brother!"

Alfred looked round in surprise; consciousness had returned, and the
face was calm and possessed as his own.

"Elfric, my dear Elfric!"

"What does all this mean? How came I here? What makes this smoke?"

"We are in danger, great danger; prisoners in our own house, which they
have set on fire."

"I remember now--is not this our dear father's room?"

"Yes; we are prisoners in it, they have barred the door upon us."

"But they cannot bar us in: there is another door, Alfred; one my father
once pointed out to me, but told me to keep its existence a secret, as
it always had been kept. Who are without?"

"The Mercians, Edgar's army, come to deliver us; if we can reach them,
we are safe."

"I thought the