CHAPTER XXXI. HOW FIVE MEN HELD THE KEEP OF VILLEFRANCHE

em,quotha?”criedAylwardinhighdisdain,forpressingdangeristhegreatlevellerofclasses.“Howisamantotakeaimwiththesefool'stoys,andhowcanhehopetodoscathwiththem?” “Iwillshowyou,”answeredSirNigel“forhereisthegreatboxofpowder,andifyouwillraiseitforme,John,Iwillshowyouhowitmaybeused.Comehither,wherethefolkarethickestroundthefire.Now,Aylward,cranethyneckandseewhatwouldhavebeendeemedanoldwife'stalewhenwefirstturnedourfacestothewars.Throwbackthelid,John,anddroptheboxintothefire!” Adeafeningroar,afluffofbluishlight,andthegreatsquaretowerrockedandtrembledfromitsveryfoundations,swayingthiswayandthatlikeareedinthewind.Amazedanddizzy,thedefenders,clutchingatthecrackingparapetsforsupport,sawgreatstones,burningbeamsofwood,andmangledbodieshurtlingpastthemthroughtheair.Whentheystaggeredtotheirfeetoncemore,thewholekeephadsettleddownupononeside,sothattheycouldscarcekeeptheirfootingupontheslopingplatform.Gazingovertheedge,theylookeddownuponthehorribledestructionwhichhadbeencausedbytheexplosion.Forfortyyardsroundtheportalthegroundwasblackwithwrithing,screamingfigures,whostruggledupandhurledthemselvesdownagain,tossingthiswayandthat,sightless,scorched,withfireburstingfromtheirtatteredclothing.Beyondthiscircleofdeaththeircomrades,bewilderedandamazed,coweredawayfromthisblacktowerandfromtheseinvinciblemen,whoweremosttobedreadedwhenhopewasfurthestfromtheirhearts. “Asally,DuGuesclin,asally!”criedSirNigel.“BySaintPaul!theyareintwominds,andaboldrushmayturnthem.”Hedrewhisswordashespokeanddarteddownthewindingstairs,closelyfollowedbyhisfourcomrades.Erehewasatthefirstfloor,however,hethrewuphisarmsandstopped.“MonDieu!”hesaid,“wearelostmen!” “Whatthen?”criedthosebehindhim. “Thewallhathfallenin,thestairisblocked,andthefirestillragesbelow.BySaintPaul!friends,wehavefoughtaveryhonorablefight,andmaysayinallhumblenessthatwehavedoneourdevoir,butIthinkthatwemaynowgobacktotheLadyTiphaineandsayourorisons,forwehaveplayedourpartsinthisworld,anditistimethatwemadereadyforanother.” Thenarrowpasswasblockedbyhugestoneslitteredinwildconfusionovereachother,withthebluechokingsmokereekingupthroughthecrevices.Theexplosionhadblowninthewallandcutofftheonlypathbywhichtheycoulddescend.Pentin,ahundredfeetfromearth,withafurnaceragingunderthemandaraveningmultitudeallroundwhothirstedfortheirblood,itseemedindeedasthoughnomenhadevercomethroughsuchperilwiththeirlives.Slowlytheymadetheirwaybacktothesummit,butastheycameoutuponittheLadyTiphainedartedforwardandcaughtherhusbandbythewrist. “Bertrand,”saidshe,“hushandlisten!Ihaveheardthevoicesofmenallsingingtogetherinastrangetongue.” Breathlesstheystoodandsilent,butnosoundcameuptothem,savetheroaroftheflamesandtheclamoroftheirenemies. “Itcannotbe,lady,”saidDuGuesclin.“Thisnighthathoverwroughtyou,andyoursensesplayyoufalse.Whatmenarethereinthiscountrywhowouldsinginastrangetongue?” “Hola!”yelledAylward,leapingsuddenlyintotheairwithwavinghandsandjoyousface.“IthoughtIhearditerewewentdown,andnowIhearitagain.Wearesaved,comrades!Bythesetenfinger-bones,wearesaved!ItisthemarchingsongoftheWhiteCompany.Hush!” Withupraisedforefingerandslantinghead,hestoodlistening.Suddenlytherecameswellingupadeep-voiced,rollickingchorusfromsomewhereoutofthedarkness.NeverdidchoiceordaintydittyofProvenceorLanguedocsoundmoresweetlyintheearsthandidtherough-tonguedSaxontothesixwhostrainedtheirearsfromtheblazingkeep: We'lldrinkalltogether Tothegraygoosefeather Andthelandwhe