insurgents had been drawn away from murder
to plunder, and all over the castle might be heard their cries
and whoops of delight as they dragged forth the rich tapestries,
the silver flagons, and the carved furniture. down in the
courtyard half-clad wretches, their bare limbs all mottled with
blood-stains, strutted about with plumed helmets upon their
heads, or with the lady rochefort's silken gowns girt round their
loins and trailing on the ground behind them. casks of choice
wine had been rolled out from the cellars, and starving peasants
squatted, goblet in hand, draining off vintages which de
rochefort had set aside for noble and royal guests. others, with
slabs of bacon and joints of dried meat upon the ends of their
pikes, held them up to the blaze or tore at them ravenously with
their teeth. yet all order had not been lost amongst them, for
some hundreds 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 alleyne could hear the crackling and roaring
of the flames, while the air was heavy with heat and full of the
pungent whiff of burning wood.
chapter xxxi.
how five men held the keep of villefranche
under the guidance of the french squire the party passed down two
narrow corridors. the first was empty, but at the head of the
second stood a peasant sentry, who started off at the sight of
them, yelling loudly to his comrades. "stop him, or we are
undone!" cried du guesclin, and had started to run, when
aylward's great war-bow twanged like a harp-string, and the man
fell forward upon his face, with twitching limbs and clutching
fingers. within five paces of where he lay a narrow and little-
used door led out into the bailey. from beyond it came such a
babel of hooting and screaming, horrible oaths and yet more
horrible laughter, that the stoutest heart might have shrunk from
casting down the frail barrier which faced them.
"make straight for the keep!" said du guesclin, in a sharp, stern
whisper. "the two archers 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 bailey ere the frantic, howling
peasants made a movement to stop them. the few who threw
themselves in their way were overpowered or brushed aside, while
the pursuers were beaten back by the ready weapons of the three
cavaliers. unscathed they fought their way to the door of the
keep, and faced round upon the swarming mob, while the squire
thrust the great key into the lock.
"my god!" he cried, "it is the wrong key."
"the wrong key!"
"dolt, fool that i am! this is the key of the castle gate; the
other opens the keep. i must back for it!" he turned, with some
wild intention of retracing his steps, but at the instant a great
jagged rock, hurled by a brawny peasant, struck him full upon the
ear, and he dropped senseless to the ground.
"this is key enough for me!" quoth hordle john, picking up the
huge stone, and hurling it against the door with all the strength
of his enormous body. the lock shivered, the wood smashed, the
stone flew into five pieces, but the iron clamps still held the
door in its position. bending down, he thrust his great fingers
under it, and with a heave raised the whole mass of wood and iron
from its hinges. for a moment it tottered and swayed, and then,
falling outward, buried him in its ruin, while his comrades
rushed into the dark archway which led to safety.
"up the steps, tiphaine!" cried du guesclin. "now round,
friends, and beat them back!" the mob of peasants had surged in
upon their heels, but the two trustiest blades in europe gleamed
upon that narrow stair, and four of their number dropped upon the
threshold. the others gave back, and gathered in a half circle
round the open door, gnashing their teeth and shaking their
clenched hands at the defenders. the body of the french squire
had been dragged out by them and hacked to pieces, three or four
others had pulled john from under the door, when he suddenly
bounded to his feet, and clutching one in either hand dashed
them together with such force that they fell senseless across
each other upon the ground. with a kick and a blow he freed
himself from two others who clung to him, and in a moment he was
within the portal with his comrades.
yet their position was a desperate one. the peasants from far
and near had been assembled for this deed of vengeance, and not
less than six thousand were within or around the
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