eemed to
argue that he was acting in his right, and might not be interfered with.
Anthony could not hear what they said, they spoke so low, but he guessed
the sense, and knew that it was himself of whom they discoursed, and
listened with a fearful wonder to see which would prevail. The end soon
came, for the tall man, who had brought him there, broke out into a
great storm of passion; and Anthony heard him say, "He hath yielded
himself to his own will; and he is mine here; so let us make an end."
Then the stranger seemed to consider; and then with a quiet courage, and
in a soft and silvery voice like that of a child, said, "I would that
you would have yielded to my prayer; but as you will not, I have no
choice." And he took his hand from under the cloak that wrapped him, and
held something out; then there came a great roaring out of the pit, and
a zigzag flame flickered in the dark. Then in a moment the tall man and
the shadow were gone; Anthony could not see whither they went, and he
would have thanked the stranger; but the other put his finger to his lip
as though to order silence, and pointed to the way he had come, saying,
"Make haste and go back; for they will return anon with others; you know
not how dear it hath cost me." Anthony could see the stranger's face in
the gloom, and he was surprised to see it so youthful; but he saw also
that tears stood in the eyes of the stranger, and that something dark
like blood trickled down his brow; yet he looked very lovingly at him.
So Anthony made haste to go back, and found the door ajar; but as he
reached it, he heard a horrible din behind him, of cries and screams;
and it was with a sense of gratitude, that he could not put into words,
but which filled all his heart, that he found himself back in the
cloister again. And then the vision all fled away, and with a shock
coming to himself, he found that he was lying in his own room; and then
he knew that a battle had been fought out over his soul, and that the
evil had not prevailed.

He was cold and aching in every limb; the room was silent and dark, with
the heavy smell of the burnt drugs all about it. Anthony crept to the
door, and opened it; locked it again, and made his way in the dark very
feebly to his bed-chamber; he had just the strength to get into his bed,
and then all his life seemed to ebb from him, and he lay, and thought
that he was dying. Presently from without there came the crying of
cocks, and a bell beat t