"Heaven smiled on us!" replied Stephen. "The very evening of the day
on which Ker left us there was a carousal in the English camp. We
heard the sound of the song and of riot, and of many an insult cast
upon our besieged selves. But about an hour after sunset the noise
sunk by degrees-a no insufficient hint that the revelers, overcome by
excess, had fallen asleep. At this very time, owing to the heat of the
day, so great a vapor had been exhaled from the lake beneath that the
whole of the northern side of the fortress cliff was covered with a
mist so exceedingly thick we could not discern each other at a foot's
distance. 'Now is the moment!' said our gallant leader; 'the enemy are
stupefied with wine, the rock is clothed in a veil!-it is the shield of
God that is held before us! under its shelter let us pass from their
hands!"
"He called us together, and making the proper dispositions, commanded
the children and women, on their lives, to keep silence. He then led
us to the top of the northern cliff; it overhung an obscure cave which
he knew opened at its extremity. By the assistance of a rope, held
above by several men, our resolute chief (twisting it round one arm to
steady him, and with the other catching by the projecting stones of the
precipice) made his way down the rock, and was the first who descended.
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