CHAPTER II

THE HOUSE OF AQUILA


Presently there came the sound of a creaking axle, which grew louder and
louder as the waggon drew nearer, till it approached a shriek. The
sleeper moved uneasily, but recognising the noise even in his dreams,
did not wake. The horrible sounds stopped; there was the sound of
voices, as if two persons, one without and one within the wall, were
hailing each other; a gate swung open, and the waggon came past under
the very window of the bedroom. Even habit could not enable Felix to
entirely withstand so piercing a noise when almost in his ears. He sat
up a minute, and glanced at the square of light on the wall to guess the
time by its position.

In another minute or two the squeaking of the axle ceased, as the waggon
reached the storehouses, and he immediately returned to the pillow.
Without, and just beneath the window, there ran a road or way, which in
part divided the enclosure into two portions; the dwelling-house and its
offices being on one side, the granaries and storehouses on the other.
But a few yards to the left of his room, a strong gate in the enclosing
wall gave entrance to this roadway. It was called the Maple Gate,
because a small maple tree grew near outside. The wall, which surrounded
the whole place at a distance of eight or ten yards from the buildings,
was of brick, and about nine feet high, with a ditch without.

It was partly embattled, and partly loopholed, and a banquette of earth
rammed hard ran all round inside, so that the defenders might discharge
darts or arrows through the embrasures, and step down out of sight to