Hubert felt a sense of blessed relief, under which he fell asleep again, and did not awake until aroused by a cry of terror.  He started up.  Almeric and all the men were on their feet, like frenzied beings, gazing into the darkness which enveloped the end of the hall.  Then they rushed with a wild cry at the door, which they unbarred with eager hands, and issued into the darkness.  He heard a heavy fall, as if one, perhaps two, had missed the steps and gone headlong into the courtyard.

Terror is contagious, but Hubert saw nothing as yet to fear.

“Come back, ye cowards!  Shame on ye!” he cried, but cried in vain—­he was alone in the haunted hall.

The fact was that Hubert felt as if he personally had made his peace with the mysterious haunters of the castle, and had nothing to fear.  So he did not stir, but was even able to sleep again until aroused by the aged janitor, just as the blessed light of dawn was pouring through the oriel window.

“I warned you, my lord,” he said.

“You did.  The fault, and the punishment, too, is ours.  But where are my men?”

“Here is one,” said the janitor, leading Hubert to the cell over the gateway which he occupied himself, where on a couch lay poor Almeric with a broken arm; broken in falling down the steps.

“And where are the rest?” said Hubert after expressing his sympathy to the wounded squire.

“In the forest; they were raving like madmen in the courtyard, and I opened the gates and let them out to cool their brains.  They will doubtless be here anon.”

“What didst thou see, Almeric, that frightened thee out of thy reason?”

“Ask me not!  I may tell thee anon, but let us leave this evil place,” said Almeric.

“We must wait for our men—­I will go out and blow my horn without the barbican.”

He blew a mighty blast, and after awhile first one and then another responded to the appeal, looking thoroughly ashamed of themselves; till four were in presence.  But the fifth never arrived; doubtless he had met some mishap in the forest.

“The wolves have got him,” said the old man.  “There is an old she wolf with a litter of cubs not far off, and I heard a mighty howling there-a-way after the gates were opened.  If he staggered in her way in the darkness she would be sure to tear him to pieces.”

They sought for him in vain, but could not risk having to pass another night in the place.  Almeric was able to sit his horse with difficulty, Hubert taking the reins and riding at his side and supporting him from time to time with his arm.  The sprightly lad was quite changed.

“I know not what it was,” he said, “but it was something in that darkness, an awful face, a giant form, a deathly thing of horror, and we lost our presence of mind and sought absence of body.  That is all I can say.  It was something borne upon our wills and we could not resist.  I shall never want to try such experiments again.”