Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/325

Rh siegers, they were enough to slightly outnumber the surviving garrison.

Thus, just as the commanders of the castle were rejoicing that safety was secured, they had suddenly found themselves in the greatest peril that had threatened them during the whole siege.

While the Count and Luke and their men stood thus at bay, hoping to retain the advantage they had secured, until a stronger force of besiegers could come to their assistance, and while the garrison faced them, ready to make another attempt to drive them out of the keep, both parties keeping close behind their shields to avoid the occasional arrows that came from the bowmen of one side or the other, suddenly there was heard from the upper landing the voice of Friar Bacon in a sepulchral tone, saying: "Put out the lights, put out the lights, that I may invoke the powers of darkness!"

Edgar understood at once, and repeated the order. At once the spearmen with their long-handled weapons struck down the few torches that remained, and then there was darkness. Again the Friar's solemn voice was heard, chanting some strange verses in the Latin tongue. There was silence in the hall, for the garrison had received from Edgar some hint of the Friar's device, and the besiegers had heard much of the powerful