His armour was all bright and glistering, and
his sword a devouring flame. He flapped his wings thrice ere he
departed, and said unto me, 'Arise, Ulphilas, and work, for thine hour
is come!'"
"And what the better am I," said the irreverent priest, "for this
saintly revelation? I must work too, or "------
"Hold," said the hermit, laying his hand on the other's shoulder with
great solemnity; "speak not unadvisedly with thy lips; there be created
intelligences within hearing that thou little knowest of."
"Thou didst promise; but verily the substance hath slidden from my
grasp: whilst I, fond fool, embraced a shadow. Cajoled by thine
assurance, that my blood should be with the proud current that inherits
these domains, I forebore, and let thee work. But thou hast been a
traitor to my cause I do verily suspect, nay, accuse thee of this fraud.
Thy machinations and thy counsel were the cause. By thine accursed arts
Robert de Lacy hath left his patrimony to a stranger!"
"True, I counselled him thus. What then?"
"I and mine are barred from the inheritance!"
"Shall the word of the Hermit of the Rock fall to the ground? Have I not
promised that thy blood shall be with those that inherit these domains?"
"Promises are slender food for an hungry stomach," cried the unbeliever.
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