“Go to; an’ the beasts be cared for, thine own muzzle may take its chance of a swill.  Willy, see to the horses.  Now for business.  Master has been waiting for you these three hours:  make what excuse you may.  Heigh-ho! my old skull will leak out my brains soon with these upsittings.”

Taking a small lamp from a recess, he commanded the strangers to follow.  A wide staircase led to the gallery, from whence a number of low doors communicated with the chambers or dormitories.  Entering a passage from an obscure corner, they ascended a winding stair.  The huge and terrific spars of the intruders struck with a shrill clank on the narrow steps, mingled with the grumblings of Master Geoffery Hardpiece; a continual muttering was heard from the latter, by way of running accompaniment to the directions which, ever and anon, he found it needful to set forth.

“There—­an ass, a very ass!—­keep thy face from the wall, I tell thee, and lift up thy great leathern hoofs.”

Then came another series of murmurings, mingled with confused and rambling sentences.

“This stair is like old Giles’s horn, it’s long a-winding.  Now,—­thy spurs, is it?  Aroynt thee, knave, thou art like to frighten the children with their clattering.  They are up, and ready for their trip.  Alice will stitch a pillow to your pummels, and they’ll ride bravely, the pretty dears.  Stop there, I tell ye; I’ll just say that you wait his pleasure, and return.”

Old Hardpiece tapped gently at a small door; it was opened hastily; and a few moments only elapsed ere Master Geoffery’s cunning face was cautiously extended out of the narrow opening.  He beckoned to his companions, and at once ushered them into a low chamber.  A lamp, half extinguished, stood on the floor; the walls were nearly bare, and streaked in various colours by the moisture filtering from the roof; a curiously-carved oak-table, and two or three stone benches comprised the furniture of the apartment; a few rusty swords, with two large pistols nearly falling from their holsters, hung from the wall.  In one corner, reposing in decayed dignity, were seen some halberds, with several unmatched pairs of mildewed boots; near to the window, or rather loop-hole, heaped up in dust and disorder, lay a score or two of rusty helmets, their grim appurtenances mostly broken and disjointed.

Pacing to and fro in this audience-chamber appeared a figure of about the middle size, attired in a loose open garment.  His head was nearly bald; a few thin locks only hung from the lower part of his poll; and yet his age was not so far advanced as the scanty covering of his forehead might seem to intimate.  He paused not as they entered; but during the greater part of the succeeding interview persevered in the same restless and abrupt gait, as though repose were anguish, and it was only by a continued change of position that he could soothe the rising perturbation of his spirit.