The moonbeams now were streaming in upon the stone floor where the six Carlist prisoners were lying. They were sound asleep, and their deep breathing was the only sound that might be heard. Two of them were in the bed, the other four were on the floor. But these men were used to roughing it, and on the flinty pavement they slept as soundly as on a bed of down.
Suddenly, in the neighborhood of the chimney, there was a slight noise.
No one in the room heard it, for they were all sleeping too soundly.
The noise ceased for a time; then it was renewed. It was a rustling, sliding sound, as of some living thing moving there.
After this the noise ceased.
There was another long pause.
Then came a whisper—
"Assebi!"
No one heard. The sleepers were all far away in the land of dreams.
The whisper was repeated: