th is now downwards, unless
you would like to go up and see the drunken beasts of murderers
snoring off their debauch upon the floor as they fell; oh, that it
were lawful for a Christian man to cut their throats as they lie; many
innocent lives would be saved thereby, which those brutes will live to
destroy."

"Thou art, then, a Christian?"

The gleeman crossed himself piously.

"Why not?" said he.

"I heard you sing like a scald tonight."

"It was my part, and I acted it passing well, did I not? Sweyn would
own as much; but, pardon me, I am forgetting that my daring put you in
danger."

"How did you know that?"

"I heard every word; and perhaps I might even have risked more than
this to save you."

Meanwhile they had descended nearly a hundred steps, and the
atmosphere became singularly cold and charnel-like, when they entered
a large vault, which, by the light of their torches, appeared of great
extent. Its walls were covered with uncouth representations, and
inscriptions in Latin.

"What place is this?"

"It had some connection, I believe, with the old idolatry, and that is
all I know. This passage will guide us to daylight and liberty."

Following a short and narrow passage, they emerged upon a ruined
vault, whose roof had fallen in. Climbing out with some difficulty,
and disturbing in the process hundreds of bat-mice and not a few rats,
they found themselves in the midst of some old ruins at the foot of
the acclivity whereon the fortress was built, and below them the brook
ran rapidly to join the river.

"Thanks be to God for our preservation in that den of unclean lions!"
said the gleeman; "but had they known who was amongst them, he would
have had scant chance of escape."

"May I not know?"

"Not yet. Come, we must waste no more time."

They walked swiftly down the brook. No sentinels were posted in this
direction, nor was any lookout kept.

"The danger is yet to come," said the gleeman, in a low tone.

Shortly they reached the river, and then they found a boat hidden in
the rushes, which grew tall and strong. They embarked, and Alfgar
steered, by the other's direction, straight down the stream, while he
rowed for full an hour with remarkable strength and dexterity, so that
they drew near the coast, and the cold air from the sea blew in
Alfgar's face.

Here the gleeman ceased rowing, and spoke to him in a low tone.

"Do you see those dark figures ahead?"

"I do."

"Well, they are th