mercy. But let us not dishonour this good cause, and
weaken our hands by indulging in such gloomy anticipations. The night
showeth little token of a change, and when I was last abroad, the river
passed on, shallow and murmuring, over the ford."

The guests were fully occupied to a late hour in discussing the plan of
attack, the occupation of the town, together with subsequent
arrangements; after which, with mutual anticipations of success, the
company departed.

Paslew, on retiring to his chamber, though much fatigued, found himself
unable to sleep. The dark chaos of events brooded heavily upon his
brain. Feverish and excited, the dread to-morrow seemed already pressing
on the past, mingling its deep and unseen flood with the full tide of
existence. The whirl and eddy, created by the conflict, lashed his
thoughts almost to madness. He grew appalled. The billows blackened as
they rose. He seemed sinking, overwhelmed in the struggle, and the
spirit quivered as they passed. He arose, darting an anxious glance
through the low casement. The moon was riding on the top of a huge
mountain of clouds towards the north-west. As he gazed they came rapidly
athwart the heavens, like the wings of some terrible demon visibly
unfolding. On a sudden the door of his chamber flew open. He started
forward to meet the intruder, but there was no footstep--no sound save
the hurrying gusts that foreran the approaching tempest. Soon like a
mighty deluge it burst on at once in its full vigour, as though it would
overwhelm creation once more in immediate ruin. The roll of the river
answered swiftly to the tempest's voice, now swollen to a huge and
foaming torrent, rising rapidly over its level banks, and threatening
devastation on every side. Paslew quaked. Gloomy forebodings crept upon
him. He beheld in this strange visitation another and a manifest
interposition of Heaven, fighting against the cause he had unhappily
espoused. Rest was out of the question, his whole thoughts being
occupied in the contrivance of measures for his own immediate safety.

In the morning consternation had seized the whole camp. They beheld the
muddy and turbulent waters before them, again frustrating their hopes,
levelling their proud schemes, and fighting visibly and irresistibly
against them, in front of their adversaries. So intimidated were the
troops, and so convinced that their cause was now hopeless, that not all
the persuasions and threatenings of their leade