erns the knapsack. The old man said he had some papers in it--the
letter of a general--his money--his cross."

"Good--what next?"

"As it was difficult for me to keep the pelisse away from the hole, it
slipped through my fingers. In trying to get hold of it again, I put my
hand too much forward. One of the lasses saw it, and screamed out,
pointing to the window."

"Dolt!" exclaimed the Prophet, becoming pale with rage, "you have ruined
all."

"Stop a bit! there is nothing broken yet. When I heard the scream, I
jumped down from my stool, and got back into the cellar; as the dog was
no longer about, I left the door ajar, so that I could hear them open the
window, and see, by the light, that the old man was looking out with the
lamp; but he could find no ladder, and the window was too high for any
man of common size to reach it!"

"He will have thought, like the first time, that it was the wind. You are
less awkward than I imagined."

"The wolf has become a fox, as you said. Knowing where the knapsack was
to be found with the money and the papers, and not being able to do more
for the moment, I came away--and here I am."

"Go upstairs and fetch me the longest pike."

"Yes, master."

"And the red blanket."

"Yes, master."

"Go!"

Goliath began to mount the ladder; half-way up he stopped. "Master," said
he, "may I not bring down a bit of meat for Death?--you will see that
she'll bear me malice; she puts it all down to my account; she never
forgets, and on the first occasion--"

"The pike and the cloth!" repeated the Prophet, in an imperious tone. And
whilst Goliath, swearing to himself, proceeded to execute his
instructions, Morok opened the great door of the shed, looked out into
the yard, and listened.

"Here's the pike and the cloth," said the giant, as he descended the
ladder with the articles. "Now what must I do next?"

"Return to the cellar, mount once more by the window, and when the old
man leaves the room--"

"Who will make him leave the room?"

"Never mind! he will leave it."

"What next?"

"You say the lamp is near the window?"

"Quite near--on the table next to the knapsack."

"Well, then, as soon as the old man leaves the room, push open the
window, throw down the lamp, and if you accomplish cleverly what remains
to do--the ten florins are yours--you remember it all?"

"Yes, yes."

"The girls will be so frightened by the noise and darkness, that they
will remain dumb with terror