night.

Midnight sounded; it was the moment he awaited with impatience, for it
was then that something would happen, if anything was to happen. As the
last stroke died away he thought he heard footsteps underground, and saw
a light appear behind the iron gate leading to the mortuary vault. His
whole attention was fixed on that spot.

A monk emerged from the passage, his hood brought low over his eyes, and
carrying a torch in his hand. He wore the dress of a Chartreux. A second
one followed, then a third. Sir John counted twelve. They separated
before the altar. There were twelve stalls in the choir; six to the
right of Sir John, six to his left. The twelve monks silently took their
places in the twelve stalls. Each one placed his torch in a hole made
for that purpose in the oaken desk, and waited.

A thirteenth monk appeared and took his stand before the altar.

None of the monks affected the fantastic behavior of ghosts or shades;
they all belonged undoubtedly to the earth, and were living men.

Sir John, a pistol in each hand, stood leaning against the pedestal
in the middle of the choir, and watched with the utmost coolness this
manoeuvre which tended to surround him. The monks were standing, like
him, erect and silent.

The monk at the altar broke the silence.

"Brothers," he asked, "why are the Avengers assembled?"

"To judge a blasphemer!" replied the monks.

"What crime has this blasphemer committed?" continued the interlocutor.

"He has tried to discover the secrets of the Companions of Jehu."

"What penalty has he incurred?"

"Death."

The monk at the altar waited, apparently, to give time for the sentence
which had just been pronounced to reach the heart of him whom it
concerned. Then turning to the Englishman, who continued as calm as if
he were at a comedy, he said: "Sir John Tanlay, you are a foreigner and
an Englishman--a double reason why you should leave the Companions of
Jehu to fight their own battles with the government, whose downfall they
have sworn. You failed in wisdom, you yielded to idle curiosity; instead
of keeping away, you have entered the lion's den, and the lion will rend
you."

Then after an instant's silence, during which he seemed to await the
Englishman's reply, he resumed, seeing that he remained silent: "Sir
John Tanlay, you are condemned to death. Prepare to die!"

"Ah! I see that I have fallen into the hands of a band of thieves. If
so, I can buy myself off with