Summary
It is late October. Robin feels some doubt that he will ever be able to straighten his back enough to walk normally, but Brother Luke reassures him that no matter what happens, Robin has a good mind and the spirit to make the best of it. At this point, Robin is much stronger but still uses crutches. He often plays games with the boys in the courtyard. He also befriends the gruff old guard at the castle gate, named Alan-at-Gate, and finds that he has a soft side.
John-go-in-the-Wynd has taught Robin how to create his own harp. Now that Robin is more acclimated to the castle, John is taking the opportunity to visit his mother in the town of Lindsay. It is not easy to fasten the wooden keys of the harp, but John encourages Robin to try while he is away.
One night, it is very misty, and Alan-at-Gate warns Robin that it is “treacherous”: this is a good opportunity for the Welsh to try to take over the castle. At supper that night, there are few people present with Sir Peter because every man is on guard. Suddenly, there is a commotion outside; Adam the Yeoman runs in and informs Sir Peter that they have been attacked by the Welsh. Sir Peter orders all the men to arm themselves and the women and children to retire in the keep.
The fog stays for days and the Welsh are not able to make it past the outer wall of the castle. The English are unsure of how many men are in the Welsh army. The women stay inside, working on embroidery and weaving, and Robin plays with the children. Robin also works on his harp.
The food supply starts to dwindle and the water begins to fail. Robin hears Adam and Denis speaking about this and volunteers to go get help. Robin plans to disguise himself as a “poor shepherd”; Adam initially objects, thinking he is too young and weak on his crutches. Robin insists he can do it. The next morning, he sets out on his mission.
Robin is accompanied by Brother Luke past the sentry and to the sally port in the north wall. Then Luke leaves Robin to head down the deep ravine to the edge of the river. There, Robin must cross through the icy water. Although at first challenged by the water, Robin becomes invigorated and makes it across. He passes through a field and comes across a scowling Welshman who demands to know who he is. Robin introduces himself as “Robin Crookshank.” The Welshman invites Robin to his camp to warm up, but Robin runs off.
Robin continues to make his way through the woods and eventually reaches the cottage of John’s mother. John is surprised to see Robin and carries him to rest in a straw pallet, which is a nice break for the tired boy. Robin informs John of the Welsh attack on the castle, and John sets out straight away. John’s mother feeds Robin and he sleeps for many hours. When Robin wakes up, John is already back and has sent for a force of foot soldiers from Sir Hugh Fitzhugh’s castle. Sir Hugh was on bad terms with Sir Peter, but they are “of one family” and he is easily persuaded to help.
John and Robin head back to Lindsay, with John carrying Robin on his back. They plan to arrive in the town by nightfall. John knows of a secret path to take through the forest so they do not draw attention to themselves. As they approach Lindsay, they must get past the wall and sentry. John plays a “mournful and slow” song on his harp and gets the attention of the shoemaker, who helps them cross over the wall.
Analysis
Here we see Robin acclimating to life in the castle as he gets to know the people there and is given new responsibilities under the instruction of Sir Peter. Although Robin’s disability bars him from certain duties, he is still able to participate in many of the typical page activities and even excels at the sports he plays with the other boys. We also see him evolving into a true craftsman, creating his own harp with the help of John.
At the same time, Robin still worries about his legs and wonders if he will ever truly regain his full health. When he expresses his concern to Brother Luke, the friar imparts one of the central messages of the story: while Robin’s future is not certain, he has a good mind and spirit, which are far more valuable than his physical ability. Robin has learned to work around his handicap and has grown to be a crafty, dutiful boy.
The action also picks up in this section of The Door in the Wall as Sir Peter’s castle responds to a siege by the Welsh. It is an incident that has been foreshadowed in the previous pages, such as when Robin looked out from the castle and remarked that he could not imagine there being an attack on the land—at that point, Adam pointed out that a heavy mist could make all the difference in whether the castle would prevail over an enemy.
The author gives us a glimpse of how historically a castle would deal with an onslaught in a very organized and calm manner. Rather than succumbing to chaos, Sir Peter serves as a strong, courageous leader who rallies everyone to perform their duties. Even as there is the looming threat of famine, the people of Lindsay make the best of the situation; for instance, the women use their time kept up in the fortress to work on embroidery projects. In this way, we see the role of the true nobleperson or knight, such as Sir Peter: to maintain order even in times of conflict, and to protect the King—whom they interpret as a representative of God—at all costs.
It is here that Robin’s character is truly put to the test. Although he is unable to help the men and is tasked with watching over the children in the castle, he volunteers himself in a moment of crisis to get help from John-go-in-the-Wynd, even though it is not entirely sure that Robin will be able to make such an arduous journey, especially on crutches. Yet Robin is victorious, able to think quickly on his feet to fool the Welshman, disguising himself as a poor shepherd boy. Even with hours of no sleeping or eating, his sheer excitement at the task at hand brings him the energy to make it all the way to the cottage of John’s mother.
On Page 92, Robin faces his fear of the river's icy water and plunges in, motivated by his duty and responsibility to help the castle. It is by confronting his fear head-on and doing something that is uncomfortable for him that he is able to gain a new sense of strength and confidence in his own abilities.
