its inhabitants should join with the King of France for the invasion of
England; and in his rage at the discovery, he had given over the town to
plunder, and would even have had the inhabitants massacred in cold
blood, had not Geoffrey of Harcourt restrained his fury by wise and
merciful counsel. But the order for universal pillage was not recalled,
and the soldiers were freebooting to their hearts' content all over the
ill-fated city.

Raymond had seen sights and had heard sounds as he had pressed through
those streets that day in search of his brother that had wrung his soul
with indignation and wonder. Where was the vaunted chivalry of its
greatest champion, if such scenes could be enacted almost under his very
eyes? Were they not true, those lessons Father Paul had slowly and
quietly instilled into his mind, that not chivalry, but a true and
living Christianity, could alone withhold the natural man from deeds of
cruelty and rapacity when the hot blood was stirred by the fierce
exultation of battle and victory, and the lust of conquest had gained
the mastery over his spirit?

The hot July sun was beating down upon the great square where were
situated those buildings of which the King and the Prince and their
immediate followers had taken temporary possession. The brothers stood
together beneath the shadow of a lofty wall. Cries and shouts from the
surrounding streets told tales of the work being done there; but that
work had carried off almost all the soldiers, and the twins were
virtually alone in the place, save for the tall and slight youth who
stood a few paces off, and was plainly acting in the capacity of
Raymond's servant.

"I thought I should find thee here, Gaston," said his brother, with fond