The struggle was over so quickly that the attendants had no time to interfere; nor when it was finished did they feel any great eagerness to engage so formidable a champion. Still they advanced, and Martianus, who felt himself unable to maintain any longer in the face of what had happened his attitude of inaction, advanced with them. By this time Carna, who had been almost stunned by the rapid succession of startling incidents, had recovered her self-possession. She lifted herself from the ground, and stepped between Cedric and the three antagonists who stood confronting him. “Martianus,” she cried, “what are you doing here? What mixes you up with these horrible doings—you, my father’s friend, you, a Christian man?” The Briton stood silent, cursing in his heart the hideous enterprise which had not even the poor merit of success. He was spared the necessity of speaking by an exclamation from one of the ministrants. “See!” cried the man, “there is a party coming. It is not likely that they are friends—let us be off.” And indeed the moonlight clearly showed a number of persons who were rapidly advancing up one of the great avenues. Martianus did not hesitate. “You are right,” he said to the man, “we must go. The priest’s body must be left. It is useless to cumber ourselves with the dead; we shall have as much as we can do to escape ourselves, but take the sacred things. They at least must not fall into the hands of the enemy. And you,” he went on, addressing himself to the two attendants, “take up your master and carry him off. We have something of a start, and it is possible that they may not pursue us.” His directions were at once obeyed. The priest’s body was stripped of its robes and ornaments. Ambiorix, who still lay unconscious on the ground, was carried by the united efforts of the soldiers and ministrants, and the whole party had started in the direction of Amesbury before the new-comers, who proved to be the priest Flavius, with a party of his people, reached the Temple. CHAPTER XVII. THE BRITISH VILLAGE.