an inn. Soon they found one, a
large place that had a sign on which three shepherds were painted,
and turned to enter its gateway. But, when they saw them, out of that
gateway rushed a mob of frantic people waving swords and cudgels, and
saying that they would have no strangers there to bring the Death among
them.

"Let us go on," said Hugh, "for here it seems we are not welcome."

So they went and tried three other inns in turn. At two of them they
met with a like greeting, but the doors of the third were closed and
the place was deserted. Then, for a crowd began to gather round them,
wearily enough they turned up another street at hazard. Thus they wended
their way back toward the great central rock, thinking that there they
might find some more hospitable tavern.

Following this new street, they reached a less crowded suburb of the
town, where large dwellings stood in their own gardens. One of these,
they saw by the flare of some of those fires which burned all about the
city in this time of pestilence, seemed to be a small castle. At least
it had a moat round it and a drawbridge, which was down. Seeing that
lamps burned in its windows, Hugh, who was worn out with their long
journeyings, took a sudden resolution.

"Doubtless some knight dwells in this fine house," he said to his
companions. "Let us go up and declare our names and degree and by virtue
of them claim the hospitality which is our right."

"Be it so," grumbled Dick. "We cannot be worse treated there than
we were at the inns, unless the owner adds arrows to the swords and
cudgels."

They rode across the drawbridge to the gateway of the little castle,
which was open, and finding no one there, through a small courtyard to
the door, which also was open.

David dismounted and knocked on it, but none answered.

"An empty house belongs to no one," said Dick; "at any rate in these
times. Let us enter."

They did so, and saw that the place was sumptuously appointed. Though
ancient, it was not large, having, as they afterward discovered, been a
fortification on an outer wall now demolished, which had been turned
to the purposes of a dwelling. Leaving the hall out of which opened the
refectory, they mounted a stone stair to the upper chambers, and entered
one of them.

Here they saw a strange and piteous sight. On a bed, about which candles
still burned, lay a young woman who had been very beautiful, arrayed in
a bride's robe.

"Dead of the plague," s