"Then," said the knight, "you must be content, my friend, to give a share of your room to an archer, by way of sentinel."
"I cannot object," said Augustine, "provided my unfortunate vicinity does not endanger the health of the poor soldier."
"He will be as ready to do his duty," said the abbot, "without the door of the apartment as within it; and if the youth should sleep soundly, which the presence of a guard in his chamber might prevent, he is the more likely to answer your purpose on the morrow."
"Let it be so," said Sir Aymer; "so you are sure that you do not minister any facility of escape."'
"The apartment," said the monk, "hath no other entrance than that which is guarded by the archer; but, to content you, I shall secure the door in your presence."
"So be it, then," said the Knight of Valence; "this done, I myself will lie down without doffing my mail-shirt, and snatch a sleep till the ruddy dawn calls me again to duty, when you, Augustine, will hold yourself ready to attend me to our Castle of Douglas."
The bells of the convent summoned the inhabitants and inmates of Saint Bride to morning prayers at the first peep of day. When this duty was over, the knight demanded his prisoner. The abbot marshalled him to the door of Augustine's chamber. The sentinel who was stationed there, armed with a brown-bill, or species of partisan, reported that he had heard no motion in the apartment during the whole night. The abbot tapped at the door, but received no answer. He knocked again louder, but the silence was unbroken from within.
"What means this?" said the reverend ruler of the convent of Saint
Bride; "my young patient has certainly fallen into a syncope or swoon!"
"I wish, Father Abbot," said the knight, "that he may not have made his escape instead, an accident which both you and I may be required to answer, since, according to our strict duty, we ought to have kept sight of him, and detained him in close custody until daybreak."
"I trust your worship," said the abbot, "only anticipates a misfortune which I cannot think possible."