They entered the long picture gallery, faintly lighted from its large windows to the court, but chiefly from the oriel which formed the northern end of it, where they now sat down, the earl being, for the second time that night, weary.  Behind them was a long dim line of portraits, broken only by the great chimney-piece supported by human figures, all of carved stone, and before them, nearly as dim, was the moon-massed landscape—­a lovely view of the woodland, pasture, and red tilth to the northward of the castle.

They sat silent for a while, and the younger said: 

’I fear you are fatigued, my lord.  It is late for you to be out of bed; nature is mortal.’

’Thou sayest well; nature is mortal, my son.  But therein lies the comfort—­it cannot last.  It were hard to say whether of the two houses stands the more in need of the hand of the maker.’

’Were it not for villanous saltpetre, my lord, the castle would hold out well enough.’

’And were it not for villanous gout, which is a traitor within it, I see not why this other should not hold out as long.  Be sure, Herbert, I shall not render the keep for the taking of the outworks.’

‘I fear,’ said his son, wishing to change the subject, ’this part where we now are is the most liable to hurt from artillery.’

’Yes, but the ground in front is not such as they would readiest plant it upon,’ said the earl.  ’Do not let us forecast evil, only prepare for it.’

’We shall do our best, my lord—­with your lordship’s good counsel to guide us.’

’You shall lack nothing, Herbert, that either counsel or purse of mine may reach unto.’

’I thank your lordship, for much depends upon both.  And so I fear will his majesty find—­if it conies to the worst.’

A brief pause followed.

‘Thinkest thou not, Herbert,’ said the earl, slowly and thoughtfully, ’it ill suits that a subject should have and to spare, and his liege go begging?’

‘My father is pleased to say so.’

’I am but evil pleased to say so.  Bethink thee, son—­what man can be pleased to part with his money?  And while my king is poor, I must be rich for him.  Thou wilt not accuse me, Herbert, after I am gone to the rest, that I wasted thy substance, lad?’

’So long as you still keep wherewithal to give, I shall be content, my lord.’

’Well, time will show.  I but tell thee what runneth in my mind, for thou and I, Herbert, have bosomed no secrets.  I will to bed.  We must go the round again to-morrow—­with the sun to hold as a candle.’

The next day the same party made a similar circuit three times—­in the morning, at noon, and in the evening—­that the full light might uncover what the shadows had hid, and that the shadows might show what a perpendicular light could not reveal.  There is all the difference as to discovery whether a thing is lying under the shadow of another, or casting one of its own.