ooden joists and planks of the flooring were

already on fire. dry and worm-eaten, a spark upon them became a

smoulder, and a smoulder a blaze. a choking smoke filled the

air, and the five could scarce grope their way to the staircase

which led up to the very summit of the square tower.

strange was the scene which met their eyes from this eminence.

beneath them on every side stretched the long sweep of peaceful

country, rolling plain, and tangled wood, all softened and

mellowed in the silver moonshine. no light, nor movement, nor

any sign of human aid could be seen, but far away the hoarse

clangor of a heavy bell rose and fell upon the wintry air. be-

neath and around them blazed the huge fire, roaring find

crackling on every side of the bailey, and even as they looked

the two corner turrets fell in with a deafening crash, and the

whole castle was but a shapeless mass, spouting flames and smoke

from every window and embrasure. the great black tower upon

which they stood rose like a last island of refuge amid this sea

of fire but the ominous crackling and roaring below showed that

it would not be long ere it was engulfed also in the common ruin.

at their very feet was the square courtyard, crowded with the

howling and dancing peasants, their fierce faces upturned, their

clenched hands waving, all drunk with bloodshed and with

vengeance. a yell of execration and a scream of hideous laughter

burst from the vast throng, as they saw the faces of the last

survivors of their enemies peering down at them from the height

of the keep. they still piled the brushwood round the base of

the tower, and gambolled hand in hand around the blaze, screaming

out the doggerel lines which had long been the watchword of the

jacquerie:

cessez, cessez, gens d'armes et pletons, de piller et manger le

bonhomme qui de longtemps jacques bonhomme se homme.

their thin, shrill voices rose high above the roar of the flames

and the crash of the masonry, like the yelping of a pack of

wolves who see their quarry before them and know that they have

well-nigh run him down.

"by my hilt!" said aylward to john, "it is in my mind that we

shall not see spain this journey. it is a great joy to me that i

have placed my feather-bed and other things of price with that

worthy woman at lyndhurst, who will now have the use of them. i

have thirteen arrows yet, and if one of them fly unfleshed, then,

by the twang of string! i shall deserve my doom. first at him

who flaunts with my lady's silken frock. clap in the clout, by

god! though a hand's-breadth lower than i had meant. now for the

rogue with the head upon his pike. ha! to the inch, john. when

my eye is true, i am better at rovers than at long-butts or

hoyles. a good shoot for you also, john! the villain hath

fallen forward into the fire. but i pray you, john, to loose

gently, and not to pluck with the drawing-hand, for it is a trick

that hath marred many a fine bowman."

whilst the two archers were keeping up a brisk fire upon the mob

beneath them, du guesclin and his lady were consulting with sir

nigel upon their desperate situation.

" 'tis a strange end for one who has seen so many stricken

fields," said the french chieftain. "for me one death is as

another, but it is the thought of my sweet lady which goes to my

heart."

"nay, bertrand, i fear it as little as you," said she. "had i my

dearest wish, it would be that we should go together."

"well answered, fair lady!" cried sir nigel. "and very sure i am

that my own sweet wife would have said the same. if the end be

now come, i have had great good fortune in having lived in times

when so much glory was to be won, and in knowing so many valiant

gentlemen and knights. but why do you pluck my sleeve, alleyne?"

"if it please you, my fair lord, there are in this corner two

great tubes of iron, with many heavy balls, which may perchance

be those bombards and shot of which i have heard."

"by saint ives! it is true," cried sir bertrand, striding across

to the recess where the ungainly, funnel-shaped, thick-ribbed

engines were standing. "bombards they are, and of good size. we

may shoot down upon them."

"shoot with them, quotha?" cried aylward in high disdain, for

pressing danger is the great leveller of classes. "how is a man

to take aim with these fool's toys, and how can he hope to do

scath with them?"

"i will show you," answered sir nigel; "for here is the great box

of powder, and if you will raise it for me, john, i will show you

how it may be used. come hither, where the folk are thickest

round the fire. now, aylward, crane thy neck and see what would

have been deemed an old wife's tale when we first turned our

faces to the wars. throw back the lid, john, and drop the box

into the fire!"

a deafening roar, a fluff of bluish light, and t