castle been ascertained? They had, a veteran answered,
from a prisoner, who had appeared so willing to give information, that
his captors imagined there were very many malcontents within the walls.
Of stalwart fighting men there were scarcely more than three hundred;
others there were, of whose number was the prisoner, who fought because
their companions' swords would else have been at their throats, but that
they would be glad enough to be made prisoners, to escape the horrors of
the siege.

"I am sorry for it," was the earl's sole rejoinder, "there will be less
glory in the conquest."

"And this Sir Nigel Bruce, whoe'er he be, hath to combat against
fearful odds," remarked Lancaster; "and these Scotch-men, by my troth,
seem touched by the hoof of the arch-deceiver--treachery from the earl
to the peasant. Hast noticed how this scion of the Bruce bears
himself?--right gallantly, 'tis said."

"As a very devil, my lord," impetuously answered a knight; "in the walls
or out of them, there's no standing before him. He sweeps down his foes,
line after line, as cards blown before the wind; he is at the head of
every charge, the last of each retreat. But yesternight there were those
who marked him covering the retreat of his men absolutely alone; his
sword struck down two at every sweep, till his passage was cleared; he
darted on--the drawbridge trembled in its grooves--for he had given the
command to raise it, despite his own danger--his charger, mad as
himself, sprang forward, and like a lightning flash, both disappeared
within the portcullis as the bridge uprose."

"Gallantly done!" exclaimed Lancaster, who had listened to this recital
almost breathlessly. "By St. George, a foe worthy to meet and struggle
with! But who is he--what is he?"

"Knowest thou not?" said Hereford, surprised; "the brother, youngest
brother I have heard, of this same daring Earl of Carrick who has so
troubled our sovereign."

"Nigel, the brother of Robert! What, the scribe, the poet, the dreamer
of Edward's court? a poor youth, with naught but his beauty to recommend
him. By all good angels, this metamorphosis soundeth strangely! art sure
'tis the same, the very same?"

"I have heard so," was Hereford's quiet reply, and continuing his more
important queries with the veterans around, while Lancaster, his gayer
spirit roused by this account of Nigel, demanded every minute particular
concerning him, that he might seek him hand to hand.

"Stee