All was silence after that for half-an-hour. Amphillis had just dropped asleep, when she was roused again by a low sound, of what nature she knew not at first. Then she was suddenly conscious that the porter's watch-dog, Colle, was keeping up a low, uneasy growl beneath the window, and that somebody was trying to hush him. Amphillis lay and listened, wondering whether it were some further nonsense of Agatha's manufacture. Then came the sound of angry words and hurrying feet, and a woman's shrill scream. "What ado is there?" asked the Countess. "Draw back the curtain, Phyllis, and see." Amphillis sprang up, ran lightly with bare feet across the chamber, and drew back the curtain. The full harvest moon was shining into the inner court, and she discerned eight black shadows, all mixed together in what was evidently a struggle of some kind, the only one distinguishable being that of Colle, who was as busy and excited as any of the group. At length she saw one of the shadows get free from the others, and speed rapidly to the wall, pursued by the dog, which, however, could not prevent his escape over the wall. The other shadows had a further short scuffle, at the end of which two seemed to be driven into the outer yard by the five, and Amphillis lost sight of them. She told her mistress what she saw. "Some drunken brawl amongst the retainers, most like," said the Countess. "Come back to thy bed, maid; 'tis no concern of thine." Amphillis obeyed, and silence fell upon the house. The next thing of which she was conscious was Perrote's entrance in the morning. "What caused yon bruit in the night?" asked the Countess, as Amphillis was dressing her hair. "Dame," said Perrote, "it was an attack upon the house." "An attack?" The Countess turned suddenly round, drawing her hair out of her tirewoman's hands. "After what fashion? thieves? robbers? foes? Come, tell me all about it." "I scantly know, Dame, how far I may lightly tell," said Perrote, uneasily. "It were better to await Sir Godfrey's return, ere much be said thereanentis." The Countess fixed her keen black eyes on her old attendant. "The which means," said she, "that the matter has too much ado with me that I should be suffered to know the inwards thereof. Perrote, was it that man essayed once more to free me? Thou mayest well tell me, for I know it. The angels whispered it to me as I lay in my bed." "My dear Lady, it was thus. Pray you, be not troubled: if so were, should you be any better off than now?" "Mary, Mother!" With that wail of pain the Countess turned back to her toilet. "Who was it? and how? Tell me what thou wist." Perrote considered a moment, and then answered the questions. "Your Grace hath mind of the two pedlars that came hither a few days gone?" "One of whom sold yon violet twist, the illest stuff that ever threaded needle? He had need be 'shamed of himself. Ay: well?"