He is a crafty man,
Eustace."
"He is not a brave one," the knight said scornfully. "I challenged him to
meet me outside in a fair field, and the craven did not answer me, and Sir
Clugnet had to make speech for him and decline the offer."
"You will need all your vigilance, Eustace. I trust that every man within
the walls is faithful to us; but if there be a traitor, be sure that Sir
Hugh will endeavour to plot with him, nay, he may already have done so."
"They would have no chance of making communication with him were there a
dozen of them, wife. Long Tom and his comrades will take good care that
none come near enough for speech."
The day passed away in perfect quiet. From time to time word came down
from the look-out that the scattered soldiers were returning laden with a
great quantity of young trees, wattles, and doors. Dame Margaret kept
watch in her room, and allowed no messengers to enter her husband's
apartments.
"If there be need, I will wake him," she said; "but he knows well enough
what the French have gone for, and there is naught to do until they
advance to the attack."
Guy slept but a short time, and as he frequently started up under the
impression that the horn was sounding an alarm, in the afternoon he got up
and went down into the courtyard. For some time he wandered about in the
quarters occupied by the tenants. These had now settled down; the children
were playing about as unconcernedly as if they had been on their fathers'
farms; women were washing clothes or preparing the evening meal over
little charcoal fires.
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