“Yes, when I whistled to you, he had just entered the supper-room.  I thought he would have been longer.”

“That man’s not built to remain long at supper,” said the giant, contemptuously.  “Some moments after the panes had been broken, the old man opened the window, and called his dog, saying:  ’Jump out!’—­I went and hid myself at the further end of the cellar, or that infernal dog would have scented me through the door.”

“The dog is now shut up in the stable with the old man’s horse.”  “Go on!”

“When I heard them close shutter and window, I came out of my cellar, replaced my stool, and again mounted upon it.  Unfastening the shutter, I opened it without noise, but the two broken panes were stopped up with the skirts of a pelisse.  I heard talking, but I could see nothing; so I moved the pelisse a little, and then I could see the two lasses in bed opposite to me, and the old man sitting down with his back to where I stood.”

“But the knapsack—­the knapsack?—­That is the most important.”

“The knapsack was near the window, on a table, by the side of a lamp; I could have reached it by stretching out my arm.”

“What did you hear said?”

“As you told me to think only of the knapsack, I can only remember what concerns the knapsack.  The old man said he had some papers in it—­the letter of a general—­his money—­his cross.”

“Good—­what next?”

“As it was difficult for me to keep the pelisse away from the hole, it slipped through my fingers.  In trying to get hold of it again, I put my hand too much forward.  One of the lasses saw it, and screamed out, pointing to the window.”

“Dolt!” exclaimed the Prophet, becoming pale with rage, “you have ruined all.”

“Stop a bit! there is nothing broken yet.  When I heard the scream, I jumped down from my stool, and got back into the cellar; as the dog was no longer about, I left the door ajar, so that I could hear them open the window, and see, by the light, that the old man was looking out with the lamp; but he could find no ladder, and the window was too high for any man of common size to reach it!”

“He will have thought, like the first time, that it was the wind.  You are less awkward than I imagined.”

“The wolf has become a fox, as you said.  Knowing where the knapsack was to be found with the money and the papers, and not being able to do more for the moment, I came away—­and here I am.”

“Go upstairs and fetch me the longest pike.”

“Yes, master.”

“And the red blanket.”

“Yes, master.”

“Go!”

Goliath began to mount the ladder; half-way up he stopped.  “Master,” said he, “may I not bring down a bit of meat for Death?—­you will see that she’ll bear me malice; she puts it all down to my account; she never forgets, and on the first occasion—­”

“The pike and the cloth!” repeated the Prophet, in an imperious tone.  And whilst Goliath, swearing to himself, proceeded to execute his instructions, Morok opened the great door of the shed, looked out into the yard, and listened.