Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/104

80 Edgar became restless and uneasy when he saw that the Count's soldiers had apparently established themselves in safe quarters so near the main gate of the castle, and during his usual talk with Hugh and the Friar—for Friar Bacon's advice had been found so helpful that he was now invited to join in their evening counsels—the former reassured the young commander, declaring that there was no reason to be alarmed, or even to take extra precautions so long as the besiegers could be kept outside the walls.

"Only a very strong garrison," said Hugh, "can afford to make sorties for the purpose of resisting every advance in the siege. They always cost lives, and lives cannot be spared. The chances are," he went on coolly enough, "that the Count will be able to demolish the gateway, and if the siege is a long one, he may get possession of some of the towers. All we can do is to make every advance as slow and as costly to him as we can. He is already made impatient by our resistance, and at the same time is becoming more cautious. When he first attacked us, he seemed to think he could take the castle by storm; but now he is proceeding by rule, making sure each step as he advances."

"But must we keep quiet, and let him come nearer and nearer, until he can bring battering-