"Tom of Tottington," said Kenulph, "what is this? What is it thou hast done?"
"Nothing;" said the serviens, "but only this: the sub-prior woke from his sleep as I drew the keys from under his pillow, and was going to cry out and alarm the house, and so I brained him. He was ever hard master unto me."
"Well!" quoth Kenulph, "'tis better that the sub-prior perish in his sins and unconfessed, than that we fail in our enterprise, and leave our friends in the Camp to be taken unawares. So, Tom of Tottington, hurry thee down to the prison and bring up Elfric."
The churl from Tottington grew quite pale, and said, "I dare not do it! I am no cloister-monk or mass-priest, and have no Latin whereby to lay spirits! I cannot adventure into the bowels of the earth to face the restless ghost of the blind prince.... I cannot go alone!"
"Well!" quoth Kenulph, who first crossed himself, "I will go with thee; so bear the keys, and I will carry the light, and say the prayer _Ab hoste maligno libera nos, Domine_, as we go."
The sword-bearer was still sleeping happily when the monk and the lay-brother came into the dark vault with the bright shining cresset; but as the light fell upon his eyelids he awoke, and saw Father Kenulph standing over him; and then he started up and said, "I have been dreaming a true dream; for when did Father Kenulph do aught but good to honest man and true Saxon! Ah! Tom of Tottington, art thou here too? Then shall I not be buried alive or starved to death!"
"Elfric," said Kenulph, "thou art safe and free, so rise and follow us. But tell me, good Elfric, what supply didst bring to Turbutsey?"
"We loaded with corn and with wine a score of upland pack-horses, and many more than a score of strong asses," said the sword-bearer.
"'Tis well," quoth Kenulph, licking his lips and rubbing his hands, "'tis better than well! So follow me, and when thou comest to the upper regions make no noise, for the Lord Abbat Thurstan is deposed from his authority and is sick unto death; the abbey is in the hands of the prior and his crew; and we and a few more honest members of the house are flying from it to get the stores at Turbutsey, and to give warning to the Lord of Brunn, that the false monks of Ely have sold and betrayed him."