and w ve it in he air d s bow how the flames up the walls are there none left to rally round us with a hundred men we might hold our own oh for my company cried sir k but where he is murdered my fair lord the saints receive him may he rest in peace but here come some at last who may give us counsel for amid these passages it is ill to stir without a guide as he spoke a french squire and the knight down the steps the latter bleeding from a cut across his forehead all is lost he cried the castle is taken and on fire the is slain and there is naught left for us on the contrary sir there is much left to us for there is a very honorable before us and a fair lady for whom to give our lives there are many ways in which a man might die but none better than this tou can tell us said du to the french squire how came these men into the castle and what can we count upon by saint if we come not quickly to some counsel we shall be burned like young in a nest the squire a dark slender spoke firmly and quickly as one who was trained to swift action there is a passage under the earth into the castle said he and through it some of the made their way casting open the gates for the others they have had help from within the walls and the men at arms were heavy with wine they must have been slain in their beds for these devils crept from room to room with soft step and ready knife sir the was struck down with an axe as he rushed before us from his sleeping chamber save only ourselves i do not think there are any left alive what then would you counsel that we make for the keep it is unused save in time m of war and the key hangs from my poor lord and master a belt there are two keys there it is the larger once there we might hold the narrow stair and at least as the walls are of a greater thickness it would be longer ere they could bum them could we but carry the lady across the all might be well with us nay the lady hath seen something of the work of war said coming forth as white as grave and as unmoved as ever i would not be a to yon my dear and gallant friends rest assured of this that if all else fail i have always a here � drawing a small silver from her bosom � which sets me beyond the fear of these vile and blood stained wretches cried du i have always loved you and now by our lady of i love you more than ever did i not know that your hand will be as ready as your words i would myself turn my last blow upon you ere you should fall into their hands lead on a new golden shall shine in the of if we come through with it the attention of the had been drawn away from murder to plunder and all over the castle might be heard their cries and of delight as they dragged forth the rich the silver and the carved furniture down in the half clad wretches their bare limbs all with blood about with upon their heads or with the lady s silken gowns round their and trailing on the ground behind them of choice wine had been rolled out from the and starving in hand off which de set aside for noble and royal guests others with of bacon and joints of dried meat upon the ends of their held them up to the blaze or tore at them with their teeth yet all order had not been lost among them for some of the better armed stood together in a silent group leaning upon their rude weapons and looking up at the fire which had spread so rapidly as to involve one whole side of the castle already could hear the and roaring of the flames while the air was heavy with heat and full of the of burning wood r how men held the keep of the guidance of the french squire the party passed down two narrow the first was empty but at the head of the second stood a peasant who started off at the sight of them yelling loudly to his comrades stop him or we are undone cried du and had started to run when ay ward s great war bow like a harp string and the man fell forward upon his face with limbs and clutching fingers within ve paces of where he lay a narrow and little used door led out into the from beyond it came such a of and screaming horrible oaths and yet more horrible laughter that the heart might have shrunk from casting down the frail barrier which faced them make straight for the keep said du in a sharp stern whisper the two in front the lady in the centre a squire on either side while we three knights shall bide behind and beat back those who press upon us so now open the door and god have us in his holy keeping for a few moments it seemed that their object would be attained without danger so swift and so silent had been their movements they were half way across the ere the frantic howling made a movement to stop them the few who threw themselves in their way were or brushed aside while the were beaten back by the ready weapons of the three they fought their way to the door of the keep and faced round upon the mob while the squire thrust the great key 