do not recall the date, and took up her residence in the royalcastle by the west gate. She sent to Bishop Henry in his palace tocome to her, but they say he sent back word that he would come, butmust a little delay, by what excuse I never heard. He delayed toolong, but by what followed he made good use of such days of graceas he had, for by the time the empress lost patience and moved upher forces against him he was safely shut up in his new castle ofWolvesey, in the south-east corner of the city, backed into thewall. And the queen, or so they said in the town, was moving herFlemings up in haste to his aid. Whether or no, he had a greatgarrison within there, and well supplied. I ask pardon of God andof you, Father,” said Brother Humilis gently, “that Itook such pains to follow these warlike reports, but my trainingwas in arms, and a man cannot altogether forget.”

“God forbid,” said Radulfus, “that a manshould feel he need forget anything that was done in good faith andloyal service. In arms or in the cloister, we have all a score topay to this country and this people. Closed eyes are of little useto either. Go on! Who struck the first blow?”

For they had been allies only a matter of weeks earlier!

“The empress. She moved to surround Wolvesey as soon asshe knew he had shut himself in. Everything they had they usedagainst the castle, even such engines as they were able to raise.And they pulled down any buildings, shops, houses, all that lay tooclose, to clear the ground. But the bishop had a strong garrison,and his walls are new. He began to build, as I hear, only ten yearsor so ago. It was his men who first used firebrands. Much of thecity within the wall has burned, churches, a nunnery,shops—it might not have been so terrible if the season hadnot been high summer, and so dry.”

“And Hyde Mead?”

“There’s no knowing from which side came the arrowsthat set us alight. The fighting had spilled outside the city wallsby then, and there was looting, as always,” said BrotherHumilis. “We fought the fire as long as we could, but therewas none besides to help us, and it was too fierce, we could notbring it under. Our prior ordered that we withdraw into thecountryside, and so we did. Somewhat short of our number,” hesaid. “There were deaths.”