"If I should take it,"
said he, "I am still no nearer to my desire, nor will it avail me
in getting back my bowmen. It may cost a score of men, and what
profit shall I have from it? Had I bombards, I might place them
on yonder hill, but having none it is of little use to me."
"It may be," said Nigel, "that they have scant food or water, and
so must come forth to fight us."
"I have made inquiry of the peasants," Knolles answered, "and they
are of one mind that there is a well within the castle, and good
store of food. Nay, gentlemen, there is no way before us save to
take it by arms, and no spot where we can attempt it save through
the great gate. Soon we will have so many fagots that we can cast
them down into the ditch, and so win our way across. I have
ordered them to cut a pine-tree on the hill and shear the branches
so that we may beat down the gate with it. But what is now amiss,
and why do they run forward to the castle?"
A buzz had risen from the soldiers in the camp, and they all
crowded in one direction, rushing toward the castle wall. The
knights and squires rode after them, and when in view of the main
gate, the cause of the disturbance lay before them. On the tower
above the portal three men were standing in the garb of English
archers, ropes round their necks and their hands bound behind
them. Their comrades surged below them with cries of recognition
and of pity.
Pages:
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375