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.I thought you were211above such things. I am! I mean I didn t I know it s not true.I knowyou d never never Never what?Oh God.How can I say it? Never defile yourself withthe concupiscence of Onan.He bursts out laughing. Do what? he chokes. Christ,but you ve got a way with words, Isidore, I ll say that for you.Wait.What s that? A cheer.A roar.Something shappened.Something s happened, and I can t even see! Ican t see a thing from this window, because the church is inthe way! Isidore! Isidore! Come back here! My lord, I can t just sit around waiting! What if there sa breach? What if there is? Do you think you ll be able to help,with no clothes on?Oh. In God s name, get dressed. He pushes himself up,using his good arm, and swings his feet to the floor. I llcome with you. No! (You can t!) You re still sick! If I let you go alone, Isidore, Pagan will skin me alive,he says, smiling crookedly. And if I stay here any longer,there won t be anything left of me to skin.The mosquitoeswill have finished me off. My lord Besides, I need you to protect me. (This time it s moreof a sneer than a smile.) Now that I can t protect myself.The lamp.We should take the lamp.Where s mysurplice? Ah, there it is.Poof! It smells so awful I wish212there was enough water to wash it in.Lord Jordan groans,and mutters something under his breath. Help me with these boots, Isidore.Boots? Oh yes.You need two hands for boots.His legsare thin and pale and hairy, and covered in ancient.teethmarks? What what happened to your ? Dogs.Just dogs.Hurry up, will you?Dogs? It looks as if they ve been savaged by a pack ofwolves.He staggers when he tries to stand, staggers andblinks and gropes for the wall. Get out of my way, he says. But If I need your help, I ll ask for it.Now get out ofmy way.Very well, then, I won t lend you an arm.He wobbles to the door, and drags it open: the logs on the kitchen fire arestill burning, but Centule is nowhere to be seen. Servant gone, he gasps. Wonder why? His kneesseem to give a little, every time he puts his foot down.Thefront door is standing slightly ajar; beyond it, shadowyfigures scamper about, squeaking like rats.Smokeeverywhere.Torches in the distance. Stay close, he says,and nudges my shoulder.I don t like this.I don t like this at all.Show us thymercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. Bertrand! (Lord Jordan, raising his good hand.) Bertrand? Over here!Bertrand? Who s Bertrand? A man with a torch stopsin his tracks.His hair is so white that it seems to glow in thedimness; his face is black with soot. My lord? he says,grinning. You re on your feet, then!213 What s happened? We did it, my lord! We burned the bastards out! You what? The Viscount, my lord! By God, there s a man.Led thewhole thing himself. Led what himself? The raid, my lord! Those fools withdrew for the night.Can you believe it? From Castellar? Yes! Left a holding garrison! Lord Raymond takesone look: They re not getting Castellar, he says.Sneaks outthe Aude Gate catches the garrison by surprise wipesout every one of them.Burns the whole suburb! Not astick left! But he got back safely? Oh yes, my lord.No trouble. Suddenly the manwhoops; he s caught sight of a friend. Isoard! he cries. Whata fight, eh? What a fight! They start to punch each other,laughing merrily. That ll teach them! That ll teach them tomess with us!How very strange. Well I ll be damned, Lord Jordan remarks.He soundssurprised. Who would have thought? Thought what, my lord? I don t understand.Is it avictory? No-o-o.No, I wouldn t call it a victory. He s peeringacross the moonlit square, towards the southern ramparts. But it s not a bad move. Have we retaken Castellar? No, Isidore.We ve simply made sure that there snothing left to take.214Oh. Let s see if we can find the Viscount. He stumblesforward, hissing as another joyful, sooty soldier brushespast him, jarring his injured hand
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