"He did," said the Palmer--"I can well aver it, since he concealed no thought from me. But he prayed me carefully to hide his suspicions from you, 'otherwise,' said he, 'the young wolf-cub will never thrust himself into the trap for the deliverance of the old he-wolf. Were he once in my prison-house,' your uncle continued to speak of you, 'he should rot and die ere I sent one penny of ransom to set at liberty the lover of my betrothed bride.'" "Could this be my uncle's sincere purpose?" said Damian, all aghast. "Could he plan so much treachery towards me as to leave me in the captivity into which I threw myself for his redemption?-- Tush! it cannot be." "Flatter not yourself with such a vain opinion," said the Palmer-- "if you go to Syria, you go to eternal captivity, while your uncle returns to possession of wealth little diminished--and of Eveline Berenger." "Ha!" ejaculated Damian; and looking down for an instant, demanded of the Palmer, in a subdued voice, what he would have him do in such an extremity. "The case is plain, according to my poor judgment," replied the Palmer. "No one is bound to faith with those who mean to observe none with him. Anticipate this treachery of your uncle, and let his now short and infirm existence moulder out in the pestiferous cell to which he would condemn your youthful strength. The royal grant has assigned you lands enough for your honourable support; and wherefore not unite with them those of the Garde Doloureuse?-- Eveline Berenger, if I do not greatly mistake, will scarcely say nay. Ay, more--I vouch it on my soul that she will say yes, for I have sure information of her mind; and for her precontract, a word from Henry to his Holiness, now that they are in the heyday of their reconciliation, will obliterate the name Hugh from the parchment, and insert Damian in its stead." "Now, by my faith," said Damian, arising and placing his foot upon the stool, that the warder might more easily strike off the last ring by which he was encumbered,--"I have heard of such things as this--I have heard of beings who, with seeming gravity of word and aspect--with subtle counsels, artfully applied to the frailties of human nature--have haunted the cells of despairing men, and made them many a fair promise, if they would but exchange for their by-ways the paths of salvation. Such are the fiend's dearest agents, and in such a guise hath the fiend himself been known to appear. In the name of God, old man, if human thou art, begone!--I like not thy words or thy presence--I spit at thy counsels. And mark me," he added, with a menacing gesture, "Look to thine own safety --I shall presently be at liberty!" "Boy," replied the Palmer, folding his arms contemptuously in his cloak, "I scorn thy menaces--I leave thee not till we know each other better!"