Judith now prepared to develop the next move, the object of which was to
undermine the authority of the monks, and make them vulnerable by
isolation. Derisive hints were dropped respecting the failure of the new
religion to help its votaries in the hour of peril; the victory of the
Voizins was attributed to the superiority of their Gods rather than to
deficiency in courage on the part of their foes: this theory, which was
not unpalatable to those who had been half-hearted in defence of their
homes, was also utilized by the more sober spirits as an argument
wherewith to restrain the more ardent from attempting to renew the
struggle under similar conditions. The observances of the religion of
Thor and Odin, or rather of that debased form of it which prevailed
among this singular people, were celebrated under their more alluring
aspects: frequent feasts and dances captivated the laughter-loving
islanders, who had been tried somewhat severely by the severity of the
_régime_ which Austin had endeavoured to impose since he had seen danger
in his damaging encounter with Judith. After a time it was proclaimed
that none would be permitted to join in the revelries who were enemies
to the Gods who presided at them. This stroke was successful: the
majority openly embraced the creed of their conquerors, and showed the
usual spirit of perverts in exceeding the latter in their zeal to sweep
away all traces of the religion which they had abandoned. The minority
who held true to their faith drew together, a grim and resolute band,
prepared for a bold defence and, if Christ so willed it, for martyrdom.

It was not Judith's purpose, now that the disruption of the islanders
was effected, to leave time for the Christians to mature plans for
resistance. Garthmund, at her instigation, delivered simultaneous
attacks on Lihou and the Vale; he himself superintending the latter
operation in order that he might see that the sorceress's instructions,
that all in the nunnery were to be made prisoners uninjured, and brought