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pproach　to　Matilda：　and　lord　Fitzwater　had　just　time　to　assemble　his　retainers；　collect　a　hasty　supply　of　provision；　raise　the　draw…bridge；　and　drop　the　portcullis；　when　the　castle　was　surrounded　by　the　enemy。　The　little　fat　friar；　who　during　the　confusion　was　asleep　in　the　buttery；　found　himself；　on　awaking；　inclosed　in　the　besieged　castle；　and　dolefully　bewailed　his　evil　chance。




CHAPTER　X


A　noble　girl；　i'　faith。　　Heart！　　I　think　I　fight　with　a　familiar；　or　the　ghost　of　a　fencer。　　Call　you　this　an　amorous　visage？　Here's　blood　that　would　have　served　me　these　seven　years；　in　broken　heads　and　cut　fingers；　and　now　it　runs　out　all　together。MIDDLETON。　　Roaring　Girl。


Prince　John　sat　down　impatiently　before　Arlingford　castle　in　the　hope　of　starving　out　the　besieged；　but　finding　the　duration　of　their　supplies　extend　itself　in　an　equal　ratio　with　the　prolongation　of　his　hope；　he　made　vigorous　preparations　for　carrying　the　place　by　storm。　He　constructed　an　immense　machine　on　wheels；　which；　being　advanced　to　the　edge　of　the　moat；　would　lower　a　temporary　bridge；　of　which　one　end　would　rest　on　the　bank；　and　the　other　on　the　battlements；　and　which；　being　well　furnished　with　stepping　boards；　would　enable　his　men　to　ascend　the　inclined　plane　with　speed　and　facility。　Matilda　received　intimation　of　this　design　by　the　usual　friendly　channel　of　a　blunt　arrow；　which　must　either　have　been　sent　from　some　secret　friend　in　the　prince's　camp；　or　from　some　vigorous　archer　beyond　it：　the　latter　will　not　appear　improbable；　when　we　consider　that　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John　could　shoot　two　English　miles　and　an　inch　point…blank；

Come　scrive　Turpino；　che　non　erra。


The　machine　was　completed；　and　the　ensuing　morning　fixed　for　the　assault。　Six　men；　relieved　at　intervals；　kept　watch　over　it　during　the　night。　Prince　John　retired　to　sleep；　congratulating　himself　in　the　expectation　that　another　day　would　place　the　fair　culprit　at　his　princely　mercy。　His　anticipations　mingled　with　the　visions　of　his　slumber；　and　he　dreamed　of　wounds　and　drums；　and　sacking　and　firing　the　castle；　and　bearing　off　in　his　arms　the　beautiful　prize　through　the　midst　of　fire　and　smoke。　In　the　height　of　this　imaginary　turmoil；　he　awoke；　and　conceived　for　a　few　moments　that　certain　sounds　which　rang　in　his　ears；　were　the　continuation　of　those　of　his　dream；　in　that　sort　of　half…consciousness　between　sleeping　and　waking；　when　reality　and　phantasy　meet　and　mingle　in　dim　and　confused　resemblance。　　He　was；　however；　very　soon　fully　awake　to　the　fact　of　his　guards　calling　on　him　to　arm；　which　he　did　in　haste；　and　beheld　the　machine　in　flames；　and　a　furious　conflict　raging　around　it。　He　hurried　to　the　spot；　and　found　that　his　camp　had　been　suddenly　assailed　from　one　side　by　a　party　of　foresters；　and　that　the　baron's　people　had　made　a　sortie　on　the　other；　and　that　they　had　killed　the　guards；　and　set　fire　to　the　machine；　before　the　rest　of　the　camp　could　come　to　the　assistance　of　their　fellows。

The　night　was　in　itself　intensely　dark；　and　the　fire…light　shed　around　it　a　vivid　and　unnatural　radiance。　　On　one　side；　the　crimson　light　quivered　by　its　own　agitation　on　the　waveless　moat；　and　on　the　bastions　and　buttresses　of　the　castle；　and　their　shadows　lay　in　massy　blackness　on　the　illuminated　walls：　on　the　other；　it　shone　upon　the　woods；　streaming　far　within　among　the　open　trunks；　or　resting　on　the　closer　foliage。　The　circumference　of　darkness　bounded　the　scene　on　all　sides：　and　in　the　centre　raged　the　war；　shields；　helmets；　and　bucklers　gleaming　and　glittering　as　they　rang　and　clashed　against　each　other；　plumes　confusedly　tossing　in　the　crimson　light；　and　the　messy　light　and　shade　that　fell　on　the　faces　of　the　combatants；　giving　additional　energy　to　their　ferocious　expression。

John；　drawing　nearer　to　the　scene　of　action；　observed　two　young　warriors　fighting　side　by　side；　one　of　whom　wore　the　habit　of　a　forester；　the　other　that　of　a　retainer　of　Arlingford。　　He　looked　intently　on　them　both：　　their　position　towards　the　fire　favoured　the　scrutiny；　and　the　hawk's　eye　of　love　very　speedily　discovered　that　the　latter　was　the　fair　Matilda。　　The　forester　he　did　not　know：　but　he　had　sufficient　tact　to　discern　that　his　success　would　be　very　much　facilitated　by　separating　her　from　this　companion；　above　all　others。　He　therefore　formed　a　party　of　men　into　a　wedge；　only　taking　especial　care　not　to　be　the　point　of　it　himself；　and　drove　it　between　them　with　so　much　precision；　that　they　were　in　a　moment　far　asunder。

〃Lady　Matilda；〃　said　John；　〃yield　yourself　my　prisoner。〃

〃If　you　would　wear　me；　prince；〃　said　Matilda；　〃you　must　win　me：〃　and　without　giving　him　time　to　deliberate　on　the　courtesy　of　fighting　with　the　lady　of　his　love；　she　raised　her　sword　in　the　air；　and　lowered　it　on　his　head　with　an　impetus　that　would　have　gone　nigh　to　fathom　even　that　extraordinary　depth　of　brain　which　always　by　divine　grace　furnishes　the　interior　of　a　head…royal；　if　he　had　not　very　dexterously　parried　the　blow。　　Prince　John　wished　to　disarm　and　take　captive；　not　in　any　way　to　wound　or　injure；　least　of　all　to　kill；　his　fair　opponent。　Matilda　was　only　intent　to　get　rid　of　her　antagonist　at　any　rate：　the　edge　of　her　weapon　painted　his　complexion　with　streaks　of　very　unloverlike　crimson；　and　she　would　probably　have　marred　John's　hand　for　ever　signing　Magna　Charta；　but　that　he　was　backed　by　the　advantage　of　numbers；　and　that　her　sword　broke　short　on　the　boss　of　his　buckler。　John　was　following　up　his　advantage　to　make　a　captive　of　the　lady；　when　he　was　suddenly　felled　to　the　earth　by　an　unseen　antagonist。　Some　of　his　men　picked　him　carefully　up；　and　conveyed　him　to　his　tent；　stunned　and　stupified。

When　he　recovered；　he　found　Harpiton　diligently　assisting　in　his　recovery；　more　in　the　fear　of　losing　his　place　than　in　that　of　losing　his　master：　the　prince's　first　inquiry　was　for　the　prisoner　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　taking　at　the　moment　when　his　habeas　corpus　was　so　unseasonably　suspended。　He　was　told　that　his　people　had　been　on　the　point　of　securing　the　said　prisoner；　when　the　devil　suddenly　appeared　among　them　in　the　likeness　of　a　tall　friar；　having　his　grey　frock　cinctured　with　a　sword…belt；　and　his　crown；　which　whether　it　were　shaven　or　no　they　could　not　see；　surmounted　with　a　helmet；　and　flourishing　an　eight…foot　staff；　with　which　he　laid　about　him　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　knocking　down　the　prince　and　his　men　as　if　they　had　been　so　many　nine…pins：　in　fine；　he　had　rescued　the　prisoner；　and　made　a　clear　passage　through　friend　and　foe；　and　in　conjunction　with　a　chosen　party　of　archers；　had　covered　the　retreat　of　the　baron's　men　and　the　foresters；　who　had　all　gone　off　in　a　body　towards　Sherwood　forest。

Harpiton　suggested　that　it　would　be　desirable　to　sack　the　castle；　and　volunteered　to　lead　the　van　on　the　occasion；　as　the　defenders　were　withdrawn；　and　the　exploit　seemed　to　promise　much　profit　and　little　danger：　John　considered　that　the　castle　would　in　itself　be　a　great　acquisition　to　him；　as　a　stronghold　in　furtherance　of　his　design　on　his　brother's　throne；　and　was　determining　to　take　possession　with　the　first　light　of　morning；　when　he　had　the　mortification　to　see　the　castle　burst　into　flames　in　several　places　at　once。　　A　piteous　cry　was　heard　from　within；　and　while　the　prince　was　proclaiming　a　reward　to　any　one　who　would　enter　into　the　burning　pile；　and　elucidate　the　mystery　of　the　doleful　voice；　forth　waddled　the　little　fat　friar　in　an　agony　of　fear；　out　of　the　fire　into　the　frying…pan；　for　he　was　instantly　taken　into　custody　and　carried　before　Prince　John；　wringing　his　hands　and　tearing　his　hair。

〃Are　you　the　friar；〃　said　Prince　John；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃that　laid　me　prostrate　in　battle；　mowed　down　my　men　like　grass；　rescued　my　captive；　and　covered　the　retreat　of　my　enemies？　And；　not　content　with　this；　have　you　now　set　fire　to　the　castle　in　which　I　intended　to　take　up　my　royal　quarters？〃

The　little　friar　quaked　like　a　jelly：　　he　fell　on　his　knees；　and　attempted　to　speak；　but　in　his　eagerness　to　vindicate　himself　from　this　accumulation　of　alarming　charges；　he　knew　not　where　to　begin；　his　ideas　rolled　round　upon　each　other　like　the　radii　of　a　wheel；　the　words　he　desired　to　utter；　instead　of　issuing；　as　it　were；　in　a　right　line　from　his　lips；　seemed　to　conglobate　themselves　into　a　sphere　turning　on　its　own　axis　in　his　throat：　after　several　ineffectual　efforts；　his　utterance　totally　failed　him；　and　he　remained　gasping；　with　his　mouth　open；　his　lips　quivering；　his　hands　clasped　together；　and　the　whites　of　his　eyes　turned　up　towards　the　prince　with　an　expression　most　ruefully　imploring。

〃Are　you　that　friar？〃　repeated　the　prince。

Several　of　the　by…standers　declared　that　he　was　not　that　friar。　　The　little　friar；　encouraged　by　this　patronage；　found　his　voice；　and　pleaded　for　mercy。　The　prince　questioned　him　closely　concerning　the　burning　of　the　castle。　The　little　friar　declared；　that　he　had　been　in　too　great　fear　during　the　siege　to　know　much　of　what　was　going　forward；　except　that　he　had　been　conscious　during　the　last　few　days　of　a　lamentable　deficiency　of　provisions；　and　had　been　present　that　very　morning　at　the　broaching　of　the　last　butt　of　sack。　Harpiton　groaned　in　sympathy。　　The　little　friar　added