"D'you see, there?
Below the village ?" "'Tis a gibbet," the man answered, with a foolish laugh; they had watched all night.

"God keep us from it." "A gibbet ?" "Ay!" "But what is it for?
What is it doing there ?" "It is there to hang those they have taken, very like," the man answered, stupidly practical.

And then other men came up, and stared at it and growled in their beards.

Presently there were eight or ten on the roof of the gateway looking towards the land and discussing the thing; and by- and-by a man was descried approaching along the causeway with a white flag in his hand.
At that Carlat bade one fetch the minister.

"He understands things," he muttered, "and I misdoubt this.