a hairy face and wild, savage expression, call out,
requesting to speak with him. Edmond was going to explain to him for
what purpose he had come there, when the hairy figure without replying
took up his gun and was in the act of firing at him, a cracked voice
from behind a projection of the rock, cried out: "For God's sake stop,
brother Mazel!" at the same moment two naked brown arms fell on the
breast of the armed man and dashed the gun on the ground. "He is no
spy, he cannot be such!" exclaimed the half-naked man, "it is the young
Lord of Beauvais."

As Edmond looked round he saw Eustace, the charcoal-burner whom he knew
very well, standing before him.

"How came you to this secret place?" said the invalid, who was taken
care of here.

Edmond now saw several strange faces which gathered round to examine
him with looks of curiosity. The young man experienced a singular
sensation on beholding these ragged, wretched looking figures, and on
finding himself compelled to tell them wherefore he was come, and that
he intended to live among them as a brother, and to fight for their
abused rights. Eustace clapped his hands in the greatest amazement, and
cried out: "I should have sooner expected the day of judgment! you
cannot conceive bow haughty and indignant this noble gentleman was,
when I once attempted to speak and jest with his little lady sister!
Yes, Abraham, that is a sign from God, to strengthen us in our good
cause. If such a gentleman to whom nothing is wanting, to whom God has
plentifully given whatever human wealth can procure, brought up and
learned in their religion, if he should come over to us, and be willing
to undergo the severity of the weather, storms, hunger, nakedness, and
for the sake of God, perhaps, a disgraceful death: what are we then to
do, whom they have plundered, ill used, whose children they have
slaughtered, whose priests they have murdered; indeed these are signs
which precede judgment?" In the same moment he began to scream out a
psalm; but Mazel said: "Cease now, good brother, for we do not at all
know yet, if brother Roland will accept him, he must first be brought
before him; we have lately been several times too much deceived and the
thing may be only a snare this time also, but Roland and Cavalier know
directly what they are about, no one can deceive these."

Edmond looked at him with the utmost contempt and exclaimed: "Conduct
me to the wood, to Lord Roland!"--

"Brother Roland