It needed but his brief "Loose her!" to make her torturers undo the clumsy fastening they had begun, and "Elspeth Reinheit!" for her to fling her arms around his saddle-peak.
"Take me away! Save me! Save me! Captain!"
Nigel unclasped her arms and bade her once more sit down upon the low bench. "Fear no more, maiden!" he added with such decision in his voice as poured fresh courage into her. Then he faced sternly up at the Pastor and asked him—
"What have you against this maiden?"
But the Pastor, full to overflowing with spiritual drunkenness, shouted—
"The Lord hath delivered into our hands her paramour also! Behold him that sinned with the damsel. Now shall the lying devil come out of her and she shall confess!"
"What say you?" was Nigel's response, hurled at the minister in a voice that spoke of his indignation.
"That you, Captain of the host of the Evil One, did'st lie with the damsel at Magdeburg! Deny it not!"
Before the Pastor knew what he did, Nigel had leaned over in his stirrups and, seizing him by the raiment, tumbled him to the ground and struck him two shrewd blows with the flat of his sword, which completed his confusion.
The men of the assembly sprang up, and with one accord were making for the bold intruder, but the immediate appearance of Hildebrand and his men caused every one to stand stark still.