Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/144

120 among them from the other side, representing myself as a minstrel or a troubadour from the Holy Land. Never fear that I cannot play my part, and even if I be suspected, I shall have a way to save myself from any danger. Surely there can be no harm come to an unoffending old minstrel. Do you not remember the story of our good King Alfred in the Danish camp? I can sing and make music enough to keep up the deception, and you may be sure I shall return by midnight at the latest. Wait; if you can let me have the clothing—the older and more travel-stained the better,—I will soon convince you that it will take sharp eyes to detect the Friar in the minstrel-garb."

Edgar went to Lady Mortimer, and she produced from the stores of clothing she usually kept on hand to give to the villagers, a collection of odd garments from which the Friar had little trouble in selecting a disguise that suited him. With these he retired to his own apartment, and returned in half an hour completely changed in appearance. He had cut his long beard into two points at the sides of his chin, he had twisted the ends of his mustache into points, and had assumed a gayety of manner so entirely different from his usually quiet bearing that Hugh and Edgar were amazed, and could not restrain their