as guide, the other by
Haga. And so the forest swallowed them up, and Aescendune knew them
no more.

The fire burnt on, but none were there to heed it; tower and
rampart came crashing down into the red ruins, but a few affrighted
birds were the only living witnesses of the doom of the proud
building, which Hugo had erected as the badge of the slavery of his
English vassals.

Crash! crash! and the answer came from the priory; down fell the
castle towers, down fell the priory bell turrets. Norman count and
Norman monk were alike homeless.

The morning sun rose brightly upon the devastation, the birds
resumed their matin songs, for it was a lovely morning in June; but
as yet no human footfall broke the oppressive silence.

It was the early hour of summer sunrise, and the distant sound of a
convent bell varied the monotony of the scene, as it called the
faithful to prayer. A sudden sound, as of many riders riding
briskly, and a band of lances--the avant garde of a mighty
army--drew rein at the verge of the yawning and smoking furnace
which had been the castle. There they paused abruptly, and one who
seemed almost overwhelmed by surprise and disappointment, gazed as
if stupefied upon the wreck of his fortunes.

It was Etienne of Aescendune cum Malville.

As we have seen, the conflagration was yet at its heights when
Wilfred of Aescendune and his hundred men left the scene, and took
their road to the east, along the reddened waters of the river.

It was not without the deepest sorrow, that the English heir thus
abandoned his inheritance, but necessity left no choice; it was
plain that the force arrayed against him rendered resistance
hopeless, and it was far better to go where his sword was likely to
be of use in the struggle for freedom than to hide in the woods, as
he said, "like a brock, until the dogs hunt it out."

And he had hope, too, that when it was discovered that he and his
bravest men had fled eastward, pursuit would be attracted in that
direction, and the poor fugitives in the woods left unmolested, at
least for the present.

As they rode rapidly and silently along, they saw in the distance,
with what bitter feelings may be imagined, the Norman castle of
Warwick, where at that moment the Conqueror himself was reposing,
and where the Norman heir was perhaps counting the hours, until
daylight should arouse him to go and seize upon his inheritance.
Onward they rode, conducted with the greatest skill and