saint george for england-第33章

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　the　wall；　when　the　arrows　began　to　rain　among　them　with　deadly　effect；　scarce　one　but　struck　its　mark　…　the　face　of　an　enemy。　Even　the　closed　vizors　of　the　knights　and　chief　men…at…arms　did　not　avail　to　protect　their　wearers；　the　shafts　pierced　between　the　bars　or　penetrated　the　slits　left　open　for　sight；　and　many　fell　slain　by　the　first　volley。　But　their　numbers　were　far　too　great　to　allow　the　columns　being　checked　by　the　fire　of　so　small　a　number　of　archers；　the　front　ranks；　indeed；　pressed　forward　more　eagerly　than　before；　being　anxious　to　reach　the　foot　of　the　wall；　where　they　would　be　in　comparative　shelter　from　the　arrows。

The　archers　disturbed　themselves　in　no　way　at　the　reaching　of　the　wall　by　the　heads　of　the　columns；　but　continued　to　shoot　fast　and　true　into　the　mass　behind　them；　and　as　these　were；　for　the　most　part；　less　completely　armed　than　their　leaders；　numbers　fell　under　the　fire　of　the　sixty　English　bowmen。　It　was　the　turn　of　the　men…at…arms　now。　　Immediately　the　assailants　poured　into　the　dry　moat　and　sought　to　raise　their　ladders　the　men…at…arms　hurled　down　the　masses　of　stones　piled　in　readiness；　while　some　poured　buckets　of　boiling　water　over　them。　　In　spite　of　the　loss　they　were　suffering　the　French　raised　their　ladders；　and；　covering　their　heads　with　their　shields；　the　leaders　strove　to　gain　the　walls。　　As　they　did　so；　some　of　the　archers　took　post　in　the　flanking　towers；　and　as　with　uplifted　arms　the　assailants　climbed　the　ladders；　the　archers　smote　them　above　the　joints　of　their　armour　beneath　the　arm…pits；　while　the　men…at…arms　with　pike　and　battle…axe　hewed　down　those　who　reached　the　top　of　the　ladders。　　Walter　and　Ralph　hastened　from　point　to　point　encouraging　the　men　and　joining　in　the　defence　where　the　pressure　was　hottest；　and　at　last；　after　two　hours　of　vain　effort　and　suffering　great　loss；　the　assailants　drew　off　and　the　garrison　had　breathing　time。

〃Well　done；　my　men！〃　Walter　said；　cheeringly；　〃they　have　had　a　lesson　which　they　will　remember；　and　if　so　be　that　they　have　brought　with　them　no　machines　we　may　hold　out　against　them　for　any　time。〃

It　was　soon　manifest；　however；　that　along　with　the　scaling…ladders　the　enemy　had　brought　one　of　their　war…machines。　Men　were　seen　dragging　massive　beams　of　timber　towards　the　walls；　and　one　of　the　wagons　was　drawn　forward　and　upset　on　its　side　at　a　distance　of　sixty　yards　from　the　wall；　not；　however；　without　those　who　drew　it　suffering　much　from　the　arrows　of　the　bowmen。　Behind　the　shelter　thus　formed　the　French　began　to　put　together　the　machine；　whose　beams　soon　raised　themselves　high　above　the　wagon。

In　the　meantime　groups　of　men　dragged　great　stones　laid　upon　a　sort　of　hand　sledge　to　the　machine；　and　late　in　the　afternoon　it　began　to　cast　its　missiles　against　the　wall。　　Against　these　Walter　could　do　little。　He　had　no　sacks；　which；　filled　with　earth；　he　might　have　lowered　to　cover　the　part　of　the　walls　assailed；　and　beyond　annoying　those　working　the　machines　by　flights　of　arrows　shot　high　in　the　air；　so　as　to　descend　point　downwards　among　them；　he　could　do　nothing。

The　wall　crumbled　rapidly　beneath　the　blows　of　the　great　stones；　and　Walter　saw　that　by　the　following　morning　a　breach　would　be　effected。　When　night　fell　he　called　his　men　together　and　asked　if　any　would　volunteer　to　carry　news　through　the　enemy　to　the　prince。　The　enterprise　seemed　well…nigh　hopeless；　for　the　French；　as　if　foreseeing　that　such　an　attempt　might　be　made；　had　encamped　in　a　complete　circle　round　the　castle；　as　was　manifest　by　the　position　of　their　fires。　Several　men　stepped　forward；　and　Walter　chose　three　light　and　active　men　…　archers　…　to　attempt　the　enterprise。　These　stripped　off　their　steel　caps　and　breastpieces；　so　that　they　might　move　more　quickly；　and　when　the　French　fires　burned　low　and　all　was　quiet　save　the　creak　of　the　machine　and　the　dull　heavy　blows　of　the　stones　against　the　wall；　the　three　men　were　lowered　by　ropes　at　different　points；　and　started　on　their　enterprise。　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　garrison　heard　shouts　and　cries；　and　knew　that　a　vigilant　watch　had　been　set　by　the　French；　and　that　one；　if　not　all；　of　their　friends　had　fallen　into　their　hands。　All　night　long　the　machine　continued　to　play。

An　hour　before　daylight；　when　he　deemed　that　the　enemy's　vigilance　would　be　relaxed；　Walter　caused　himself　with　Ralph　and　twelve　of　his　men…at…arms　to　be　lowered　by　ropes　from　the　wall。　Each　rope　had　a　loop　at　the　bottom　in　which　one　foot　was　placed；　and　knots　were　tied　in　order　to　give　a　better　grasp　for　the　hands。　They　were　lowered　at　a　short　distance　from　the　spot　at　which　the　machine　was　at　work；　all　were　armed　with　axes；　and　they　made　their　way　unperceived　until　within　a　few　yards　of　the　wagon。　Then　there　was　a　cry　of　alarm；　and　in　a　moment　they　rushed　forward　among　the　enemy。　The　men　working　the　machine　were　instantly　cut　down；　and　Walter　and　his　party　fell　upon　the　machine；　cutting　the　ropes　and　smashing　the　wheels　and　pulleys　and　hewing　away　at　the　timber　itself。　In　a　minute　or　two；　however；　they　were　attacked　by　the　enemy；　the　officer　in　command　having　bade　a　hundred　men　lie　down　to　sleep　close　behind　the　machine　in　case　the　garrison　should　attempt　a　sortie。　Walter　called　upon　Ralph　and　four　of　the　men…　at…arms　to　stand　beside　him　while　the　others　continued　their　work　of　destruction。　The　French　came　up　in　a　tumultuous　body；　but；　standing　so　far　apart　that　they　could　wield　their　axes；　the　English　dealt　such　destruction　among　their　first　assailants　that　these　for　a　time　recoiled。　As　fresh　numbers　came　up；　encouraged　by　their　leader　they　renewed　the　attack；　and　in　spite　of　the　most　tremendous　efforts　Walter　and　his　party　were　driven　back。　　By　this　time；　however；　so　much　damage　had　been　done　to　the　machine　that　it　would　be　some　hours　before　it　could　be　repaired；　even　if　spare　ropes　and　other　appliances　had　been　brought　with　it　from　Amiens；　so　that；　reinforced　by　the　working　party；　Walter　was　again　able　to　hold　his　ground　and　after　repulsing　a　fresh　onslaught　of　the　enemy　he　gave　the　word　for　his　men　to　retire　at　full　speed。

The　French　were　so　surprised　by　the　sudden　disappearance　of　their　foes　that　it　was　a　moment　or　two　before　they　started　in　pursuit；　and　Walter　and　his　men　had　gained　some　thirty　yards　before　the　pursuit　really　commenced。

The　night　was　a　dark　one；　and　they　considerably　increased　this　advantage　before　they　reach　the　foot　of　the　wall；　where　the　ropes　were　hanging。

〃Has　each　of　you　found　his　rope？〃　Walter　asked。

As　soon　as　an　affirmative　answer　was　given　he　placed　his　foot　in　the　loop　and　shouted　to　the　men　above　to　draw　up；　and　before　the　enraged　enemy　could　reach　the　spot　the　whole　party　were　already　some　yards　above　their　heads。　The　archers　opened　fire　upon　the　French；　doing；　in　spite　of　the　darkness；　considerable　execution；　for　the　men　had　snatched　up　their　arms　at　the　sudden　alarm；　and　had　joined　the　fray　in　such　haste　that　many　of　them　had　not　had　time　to　put　on　their　steel　caps。　There　was　noise　and　bustle　in　the　enemy's　camp；　for　the　whole　force　were　now　under　arms；　and　in　their　anger　at　the　sudden　blow　which　had　been　struck　them　some　bodies　of　men　even　moved　forward　towards　the　walls　as　if　they　intended　to　renew　the　assault　of　the　previous　day；　but　the　showers　of　arrows　with　which　they　were　greeted　cooled　their　ardour　and　they　presently　retired　out　of　reach　of　bowshot。　There　was　a　respite　now　for　the　besiegers。　No　longer　every　few　minutes　did　a　heavy　stone　strike　the　walls。

The　morning's　light　enabled　the　defenders　of　the　castle　to　see　the　extent　of　the　damage　which　the　battering　machine　had　effected。　None　too　soon　had　they　put　a　stop　to　its　work；　for　had　it　continued　its　operations　another　hour　or　two　would　have　effected　a　breach。

Already　large　portions　of　the　wall　facing　it　had　fallen；　and　other　portions　were　so　seriously　damaged　that　a　few　more　blows　would　have　levelled　them。



〃At　any　rate；〃　Walter　said　to　Ralph；　〃we　have　gained　a　respite；　but　even　now　I　fear　that　if　the　Black　Prince　comes　not　until　tomorrow　he　will　arrive　too　late。〃

The　French；　apparently　as　well　aware　as　the　garrison　of　the　necessity　for　haste；　laboured　at　the　repair　of　the　machine。　　Bodies　of　men　started　to　cut　down　trees　to　supply　the　place　of　the　beams　which　had　been　rendered　useless。　Scarcely　had　the　assault　ceased　when　horsemen　were　despatched　in　various　directions　to　seek　for　fresh　ropes；　and　by　dint　of　the　greatest　exertions　the　machine　was　placed　in　position　to　renew　its　attack　shortly　after　noon。

By　two　o'clock　several　large　portions　of　the　damaged　wall　had　fallen；　and　the　debris　formed　a　slope　by　which　an　assaulting　column　could　rush　to　the　bridge。　As　soon　as　this　was　manifest　the　French　force　formed　for　the　assault　and　rushed　forward　in　solid　column。

Walter　had　made　the　best　preparation　possible　for　the　defence。　In　the　courtyard　behind　the　breach　his　men　had　since　morning　been　driving　a　circle　of　piles；　connected　by　planks　fastened　to　them。　These　were　some　five　feet　high；　and　along　the　top　and　in　the　face　next　to　the　breach　sharp…pointed　spikes　and　nails　had　been　driven；　rendering　it　difficult　in　the　extreme　for　anyone　to　climb　over。　As　the　column　of　the　assailants　approached　Walter　placed　his　archers　on　the　walls　on　either　side　of　the　breach；　while　he　himself；　with　his　men…at…arms；　took　his　station　in　the　gap　and　faced　the　coming　host。　The　breach　was　some　ten　yards　wide；　but　it　was　only　for　about　half　this　width　that　the　mound　of　broken　stones　rendered　it　possible　for　their　enemies　to　assault；　consequently　there　was　but　a　space　of　some　fifteen　feet　in　width　to　be　defended。　Regardless　of　the　flights　of　arrows；　the　French；　headed　by　their　knights　and　squires；　advanced　to　the　assault；　and　clambering　up　the　rough　stones　attacked　the　defenders。

Walter；　with　Ralph　and　three　of　his　best　men…at…arms；　stood　in　the　front　line　and　received　the　first　shock　of　the　assault。　The　roughness　and　steepness　of　the　mound　prevented　the　French　from　attacking　in　regular　order；　and　the　very　eagerness　of　the　knights　and　squires　who　came　first　in　contact　with　their　enemies　was　a　hindrance　to　them。　When　the　columns　were　seen　gathering　for　the　assault　Walter　had　scattered　several　barrels　full　of　oil　and　tar　which　he　found　in　the　cellars　over　the　mound　in　front　of　the　breach；　rendering　it　greasy　and　slippery；　and　causing　the　assailants　to　slip　and　stagger　and　many　to　fall　as　they　pressed　forward　to　the　assault。　Before　the　fight　commenced　he　had　encouraged　his　soldiers　by　recalling　to　them　how　a　mere　handful　of　men　had　at　Cressy　withstood　for　hours　the　desperate　efforts　of　the　whole　of　the　French　army　to　break　through　their　line；　and　all　were　prepared　to　fight　to　the　death。

The　struggle　was　a　desperate　one。　Served　by　their　higher　position；　and　by　the　difficulties　which　the　French　encountered　from　the　slipperiness　of　the　ground　and　their　own　fierce　ardour　to　attack；　Walter　and　his　little　band　for　a　long　time　resisted　every　effort。　He　with　his　sword　and　Ralph　with　his　heavy　mace　did　great　execution；　and　they　were　nobly　seconded　by　their　men…at…arms。　As　fast　as　one　fell　another　took　his　place。　The　breach　in　front　of　them　was　cumbered　with　dead　and　red　with　blood。　Still　the　French　poured　upwards　in　a　wave；　and　the　sheer　weight　of　their　numbers　and　the