The howling continued for a long while, filling the air of that sombre night with a new kind of dolefulness and horror. Finally the small door concealed in the middle of the gate creaked and a guard armed with a halberd appeared in the courtyard.
"Death upon that dog," he said, "I'll teach you to howl during the night."
And he aimed the sharp end of the halberd so as to hit the animal with it, but at that moment he observed something lying near the little open door of the bastion.
"Lord Jesus! what is that?…"
He bent his head so as to look in the face of the prostrate man, and began to shout:
"Help! Help! Help!"
Then he rushed to the gate and pulled with all his strength at the bell-rope.