Aid and Comfort to the Enemy 



closes in and as sentinel, I face a wall of silent, 

 solid black. Somewhere behind it in their ambush 

 the enemy are lurking; and though I cannot 

 guess their movements, I know that they are ral- 

 lying to attack. With a clutching of the heart, 

 I hear at last the footing of their cavalry. It 

 deepens ominously as it gathers speed. There 

 is a rending of the apple boughs and soon the 

 whole orchard is swaying to the charge. Dim 

 shapes rush forth that gather size as they plunge 

 from the shadows until they loom like legendary 

 beasts. Gone is my elation, gone my valiance. I 

 am no Viking to contend with monstrous hosts. 

 I would make offer of an armistice and before I 

 am battered to consent of half my stores. It is 

 only my pride that keeps weight in my heels. 

 However, just as the column dashes forward I 

 find myself sustained upon both wings. On the 

 left it brings up against my mother's outstretched 

 lance and wheeling suddenly to the right, it is 

 confronted by my landlord whose weapon is his 

 voice. Back it reels, repulsed, into the dark. 



But though beleaguering, we are beleaguered. 

 There is no chance of pressing forward to a mil- 

 [229] 



