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