St. George and St. Michael by George MacDonald
page 67 of 626 (10%)
page 67 of 626 (10%)
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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. After this came a review of the outer fortifications--if, indeed, they were worthy of the name--enclosing the gardens, the old tilting yard, now used as a bowling-green, the home-farmyard, and other such outlying portions under the stewardship of sir Ralph Blackstone and the governorship of Charles Somerset, the earl's youngest son. It was here that the most was wanted; and the next few days were chiefly spent in surveying these works, and drawing plans for their extension, strengthening, and connection--especially about the stables, armourer's shop, and smithy, where the building of new defences was almost immediately set on foot. A thorough examination of the machinery of the various portcullises and drawbridges followed; next an overhauling of the bolts, chains, and other defences of the gates. Then came an inspection of the ordnance, from cannons down to drakes, through a gradation of names as uncouth to our ears, and as unknown to the artillery descended from them, as many of the Christian names of the puritans are to their descendants of the present day. At length, to conclude the inspection, lord Herbert and the master of the armoury held consultation with the head armourer, and the mighty accumulation of weapons of all sorts was passed under the most rigid scrutiny; many of them were sent to the forge, and others carried to the ground-floor of the keep. Presently, things began to look busy in a quiet way about the place. Men were at work blasting the rocks in a quarry not far off, whence |
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