A March on London: Being a Story of Wat Tyler's Insurrection

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER VIII

  A COMBAT IN THE TOWER

  "I see that you are safe against fire, sir," Edgar said, when the stoneslab had descended and they had closed the door behind it; "but werethe walls of the house to fall in you might be buried here, as I hearmany drunken wretches were yesterday in the cellars of the Savoy."

  "I have means of escape," the merchant said, going to the other side ofthe apartment, where there was a massive iron door, which they had notbefore noticed. "Here," he said, "is a passage leading under thestreet; at the end it ascends, and is closed at the top by a massivepanel in the hall of the house opposite. When I took this house acompatriot lived there, and it was with his consent that I made thepassage, which might be useful in case of need, to him as well as tome. He returned to Flanders three years since, and the house has beenoccupied by an English trader, who knows naught of the passage, sothat, at will, I can sally out by that way."

  "And how is your dame, sir?" Albert asked. "I trust that she is nonethe worse for her transport here."

  "I trust not, young sir; she swooned as I brought her down, but I atonce poured some cordial between her lips, and when she opened hereyes, just before you came down, I assured her that we were all safe,and that there was no cause for the least fear; thereupon she closedher eyes again, and is, methinks, asleep. When she wakes I shall giveher the medicine that my daughter brought. I trust that she willerelong recover. Her attack was doubtless brought on by the news thatwe received yesterday of the murder of so many of our countrymen. Wehad already talked of taking refuge here, but deemed not that there wasany pressing need of haste, for the front door is a very strong one,and could have resisted any attacks long enough to give us ample timeto retire here."

  "How do you manage to breathe here, sir, now that the stone slab isdown and the door closed? I see not how you obtain air."

  "For that I made provision at the time it was built. Here are twoshafts, six inches square; this one runs up into the chimney of thekitchen and draws up the air from here; the other goes up to a gratingin the outer wall of the house in the yard behind. It looks as if madefor giving ventilation under the floors or to the cellar, and throughthis the air comes down to take the place of that drawn upwards by theheat of the chimney."

  "And now, Mynheer Van Voorden," for such they had learned was theFleming's name, "as there is a way of escape, we shall be glad to useit."

  "I pray you do not think of doing so at present," the Fleming said. "Weknow not yet whether the evil-doers have cleared off, and methinks itis not likely that they will have gone yet. First they will search highand low for us, then they will demolish the furniture, and take allthey deem worth carrying; then, doubtless, they will quench theirthirst in the cellar above, and lastly they will fire the house,thinking that although they cannot find us, they will burn us with it.They will wait some time outside to see if we appear at one of thewindows, and not until the roof has fallen in will they be sure that wehave perished. Moreover, you cannot well appear in the streets for thepresent in that attire, for you might well be recognized and denounced.First of all, let me persuade you to take such poor refreshments as Ican offer you."

  "Thanks, sir; of that we shall be glad, for 'tis now past noon, and wehave had but a loaf we bought at a baker's as we entered the city."

  The Fleming gave orders to the servant, and they speedily had asnow-white cloth of the finest damask on the table, and placed on it aservice of silver dishes.

  "'Tis well that I had my plate brought down here yesterday," themerchant said, smiling, "though it hardly consorts well with the farethat I have to offer you. To-morrow, should you pay us a visit, youwill find us better prepared, for, as you see, we have a fireplace atthe bottom of the flue opening into the kitchen chimney. This was done,not only that we might have warmth, and be able, if need be, to cookhere, but to increase the draught upwards, and so bring down more airfrom the other flue."

  The lads, however, found that there was no need for apology, for therewere upon the dishes two chickens, a raised pasty large enough for adozen people, and a variety of sweets and conserves. The wine, too, wassuperb. They made a hearty meal. When they had finished, the Flemingsaid: "Now we will go upstairs; there is a peephole in the carving ofthe panel, and we can see how matters stand."

  Opening the door, they pushed up the massive stone. As they ascendedthe stairs they smelt smoke, which grew thicker at each step.

  "We need go no further, sirs; the house is clearly on fire, and smokehas made its way through the peephole that I spoke of."

  They waited for another half hour, and then they heard a heavy crash onthe other side of the stone barrier.

  "The roof has doubtless fallen in or one of the walls," Van Voordensaid. "There is, be sure, a mob gathered to watch the flames, but inanother half hour it will have gone elsewhere; still, I should adviseyou to wait until nightfall."

  They saw that this would be prudent, for their attire would certainlyrender them obnoxious to the rioters. They were, however, impatient tobe off and see what was being done. The Fleming's wife was stillsleeping soundly, and her husband said that he was convinced that thecrisis was passed, and that she would now recover. The Fleming askedthem many questions about themselves, and where they could be found.They told them where they were at present lodging, but said theythought that as soon as the present troubles were over they shouldreturn to their home in the country.

  "I myself shall be returning to Flanders, sirs. I have talked of itmany times these last five years, and after this outburst it will belong before any of my people will be able to feel that they are safe inLondon. Had it not been that the populace are as much masters in Brugesas they are here, I should have gone long ago.

  "There is, indeed, no change for the better there, but I shall settlein Brussels or Louvain, where I can live in peace and quiet."

  At the end of half an hour Edgar said: "I think that they must havecleared off by this time. When we sally out, do you, Albert, go oneway, and I will go another. There is naught in our dress to distinguishus from other citizens, and methinks that most of those who would haveknown us again are lying under the ruins above."

  They had, on first arriving below, washed the blood from their faces,and bathed their wounds, which were by no means of a serious character.The Fleming agreed with them that, if they separated, there would be nogreat danger of their being recognized. After taking farewell of thegirl, who had all this time been sitting silently by her mother'sbedside, they passed through the iron door, preceded by the Flemingcarrying a lamp. After passing through the passage they went up a longflight of narrow steps until their course was arrested by a woodenpanel. The Fleming applied first his eye and then his ear to a tinypeephole.

  "Everything is quiet," he said; then touched a spring, pushed the panelopen a short distance, and looked out.

  "All is clear; you have but to open the door and go out."

  He pushed the panel farther back, pressed the lads' hands as they wentout, and then closed the entrance behind them. There was but a singlebolt to undraw; then they opened the door and stepped into the street,Edgar waiting for half a minute to let Albert get well away before hewent out.

  The front wall of the opposite house, having fallen inward, quicklysmothered the fire, and although a light smoke, mingled with tongues offlame, rose from the ruin, the place had ceased to have any attractionfor the mob, who had wandered away to look for more exciting amusementelsewhere.

  Scenes of this kind were being enacted throughout the city. Already therestriction against plundering was disregarded, and although the menfrom the counties still abstained from robbery, the released prisonersfrom the jail and the denizens of the slums of the city had no suchscruples, and the houses of the Flemings were everywhere sacked andplundered. The two friends met again at Aldgate. When they reachedTower Hill, it was, they found, occupied by a dense throng of people,who beleaguered the Tower and refused to allow any provisions to betaken in, or any person to issue out.
/>   "What had best be done, Edgar? So menacing is the appearance of therabble that methinks this attire would be as much out of place amongthem as would our own."

  "I agree with you there, Albert, and yet I know not what we are to do.What we need is either a craftsman's dress or that of a countryman, butI see not how the one or the other is to be obtained. Assuredly nothingis to be bought, save perhaps bread, for the rioters have ordered thatall bakers' shops are to stand open."

  He stood for a minute thinking. "I tell you what we might do," he wenton. "Let us go back into Aldgate, and then down on to the wharf. Thereare many country boats there, and we might buy what we need from thesailors."

  "That is a good idea indeed, Edgar."

  In a quarter of an hour they were on the wharf. Many of the craft therehad no one on board, the men having gone either to join the rioters orto look on at what had been done. The skipper of a large fishing-boatwas sitting on the wharf looking moodily down into his vessel.

  "Are you the captain of that craft?" Edgar asked him.

  "I used to think so," he said; "but just at present no one obeysorders, as every Jack thinks that he is as good as his master. I oughtto have gone out with the morning's tide, but my men would not have itso, and just at present they are the masters, not I. A murrain on suchdoings, say I. I was with them when it was but a talk of rights andprivileges, but when it comes to burning houses and slaying peaceablemen, I, for one, will have naught to do with it."

  "Captain," Edgar said, "I see that you are an honest man, and maybe youwill aid us. We find that there is peril in going about attired as weare, for we aided a short time since in saving a Flemish family frommassacre by these fellows, and we need disguises. We want twocountrymen's suits--it matters not whether they be new or old. We areready to pay for them, but every shop is closed, and we have come downto the wharves to find someone who will sell."

  "There is no difficulty about that," the skipper said, rising from hisseat. "My own clothes would scarce fit you, but two of my crew aresomewhat of your size. Step on board, and I will overhaul theirlockers, and doubt not that I shall find something to serve yourpurpose. They will not mind if they find that there is money sufficientto buy them new ones. Indeed, there is no need for that, for if youleave behind you the clothes you wear they will sell at Colchester forenough to buy them two or three suits such as those you take."

  There was in those days no distinctive dress worn by sailors. Thecaptain went down into the little cabin forward and opened two lockers.

  "There," he said, "suit yourselves out of these. They are their best,for they thought that aught would do for mixing up with the mob in thecity."

  So saying he went on deck again. The citizen's clothes were soonstripped off, and the lads dressed in those they took from the lockers,and in a few minutes they rejoined the skipper, looking like two youngcountrymen.

  "That will do well," he said, with a laugh. "Hob and Bill would scarceknow their clothes again if they saw them on you. No, no," he added, asAlbert put his hand into his pouch, "there is no need for money, lads;they will be mightily content with the clothes you have left. Well,yes; I don't care if I do take a stoup of liquor. There is a tavernover there where they keep as good ale as you can find anywhere abouthere."

  After drinking a pint of beer with the honest skipper, they again wentoff to the Tower, and mingled in the crowd. It was easy to see that itwas composed of two different sections--the one quiet and orderly, themen looking grave and somewhat anxious, as if feeling that it was aperilous enterprise upon which they were embarked, although still bentupon carrying it out; the other noisy and savage--the men from thejails, the scum of Canterbury and Rochester, and the mob of the city.Between these classes there was no sympathy, the one was bent only uponachieving their deliverance from serfdom, the other was solelyinfluenced by a desire for plunder, and a thirst for the blood of thoseobnoxious to them. Presently there was a loud shout from the crowd asthe drawbridge was lowered.

  "Perhaps they are going to make a sally, Albert. If so, we had bestmake off to our lodgings, throw off these garments, and appear in ourown."

  "'Tis the king!" Albert exclaimed; "and see, there is De Vere, the Earlof Kent, and other nobles riding behind him."

  "Yes; and there is your father. The king and those with him are withoutarmour or arms; if they had seen as much as we have seen the last twodays, they would scarce trust themselves in such a garb."

  A great shout arose as the boy king rode across the drawbridge. Thelads noticed that the shout proceeded from the men who had hithertobeen silent, and that the noisy portion of the crowd now held theirpeace. The king held up his hand for silence.

  "My friends," he said, in a loud, clear voice, "there is no room herefor conference. Follow me to Mile End Fields, and I will then hear whatyou wish to say to me, and will do what I can to give you satisfaction."

  A great shout arose, and as the king rode off, most of the countrypeople followed him. A great mob, however, still remained. Theseconsisted principally of Wat the Tyler's following, who had ever beenin the front in the doings that had taken place, together with thereleased malefactors and the town rabble. A few minutes after the kingand his followers had left, there was a movement forward, and a momentlater, with loud shouts, they began to pour across the drawbridge.

  "What madness is this?" Edgar exclaimed. "There are twelve hundred menthere, and yet no bow is bent. It must be treachery!"

  "It may be that, Edgar; but more like, orders have been issued thatnone should shoot at the rioters or do them any harm, for were thereany killed here it might cost the king his life."

  "That may be it," Edgar muttered; "but come on, there is no saying whatmay happen."

  They were now near the drawbridge, for when a part of the gathering hadleft to follow the king, they had taken advantage of it to pressforward towards the gates, and in a few minutes were inside the Tower.All was in confusion. The men-at-arms and archers remained immovable onthe walls, while a crowd of well-nigh twenty thousand men poured intothe Tower with shouts of "Death to the archbishop! Death to thetreasurer!" Knowing their way better than others, Edgar and Albert ranat full speed towards the royal apartments. Finding themselves in adeserted passage they threw off their upper garments.

  "Throw them in here," Edgar said, opening a door; "they may be usefulto us yet."

  Finding the king's chamber empty, they ran into the princess'sapartment. The princess was sitting pale and trembling, surrounded by agroup of ladies, among whom was Dame Agatha. A few gentlemen weregathered round. Just as the lads entered, Sir Robert Hales, thetreasurer, ran in.

  "Madam," he said, "I beseech you order these gentlemen to sheathe theirswords. Resistance is impossible. There are thousands upon thousands ofthese knaves, and were a sword drawn it would cost your life and thatof all within the Tower. They have no ill-will against you, as theyshowed when you passed through them at Blackheath. I implore you, orderall to remain quiet whatever happens, and it were best that all saveyour personal attendants dispersed to their apartments. Even thesemblance of resistance might excite these people to madness, and serveas an excuse for the most atrocious deeds."

  "Disperse, I pray you, knights and ladies," the princess said. "Iorder--nay, I implore you, lose not a moment."

  "Come," Dame Agatha said, firmly, taking hold of Aline's hand; "and doyou follow, my son, with Edgar."

  They hurried along the passages, one of which was that by which thelads had entered.

  "Go on with them," Edgar said to his friend; "I will follow in amoment. This is the room where we left our disguises."

  Running in he gathered the clothes, made them into a rough bundle, andthen followed. He overtook his friends as they were mounting astaircase which led to a room in one of the turrets. As they reachedthe chamber, and the door closed behind them, Dame Agatha burst intotears.

  "I have been in such anxiety about you both!" she exclaimed.

  "We have fared well, mother," Albert said; "but do you
lose no momentof time. We have disguises here. I pray you put on the commonestgarment that you have, you and Aline. If you can pass as servants ofthe palace, we can conduct you safely out of the crowd."

  Edgar ran up a narrow flight of stone stairs, at the top of which was atrap-door. He forced back the bolts and lifted it.

  "Bring up the clothes, Albert," he called down. "We will put them onwhile the ladies are changing, and we can watch from this platform whatis doing without."

  They soon slipped on the countrymen's clothes over their own, and thenlooked out at the scene below. Every space between the buildings wascrowded by the mob shouting and yelling. The garrison still stoodimmovable on the outer walls.

  "You must be right, Albert. Even if there be some traitors among themthere must also be some true men, and never would they stand thusimpassive had not the strictest orders been laid upon them before theking's departure."

  In a minute or two they saw a number of men pour out, hauling along theArchbishop of Canterbury, Sir Robert Hales, the king's confessor, andfour other gentlemen. Then with exulting shouts they dragged theirprisoners to Tower Hill, and then forced them to kneel.

  "They cannot be going to murder them!" Albert exclaimed with horror.

  "That is surely their intent," Edgar said, sternly. "Would that we werethere with but a hundred men-at-arms. Assuredly there would be a stoutfight before they had their way."

  "I cannot look on!" Albert exclaimed, hurrying to the other side of theplatform as a man armed with a heavy sword faced the prisoners.

  Edgar did not move, but stood gazing with scowling brow and clenchedhand. Presently he turned.

  "There is naught more to see, Albert. All are murdered! God assoiltheir souls."

  At this moment Dame Agatha called out from below that they were ready,and they ran down at once into the chamber. Dame Agatha and herdaughter were both dressed in rough garments with hoods pulled overtheir faces, and might well have passed unnoticed as being the wife anddaughter of some small trader, or superior domestics of the palace.Just as they were about to start they heard an uproar on the stairsbelow. The door had been already fastened.

  "Best to open it," Edgar said; "they would but break it in."

  Seven rough fellows, whose flushed faces showed that they had alreadybeen drinking, rushed into the room.

  "Who have we here?" one shouted roughly. "Two wenches and two countrylads. But what are all these fine clothes lying about; they must benobles in disguise. We must take them down to Tyler and hear what hehas to say to them. But, first of all, let us have a kiss or two. Iwill begin with this young woman," and he rudely caught hold of Aline.

  Edgar's sword flashed out, and with the hilt he struck the ruffian soterrible a blow on the top of his head that he fell dead. An instantlater he ran another through the body, shouting to the ladies: "Quick!to the platform above! Albert, guard the stairs after they pass. I willhold this door. None of these fellows must go out alive."

  Taken by surprise for a moment, the men made a rush at him. The nearestwas cut down with a sweeping blow that caught him on the neck, andalmost severed the head from his body. Albert had drawn his sword assoon as he saw Edgar strike the first blow, and ran one of the menthrough the body, then engaged another, who made at him fiercely, whileDame Agatha and Aline sped up the steps. There were now but three foesleft. While one engaged with Albert and pressed him hotly, the othertwo attacked Edgar, who was standing with his back to the door; butthey were no match for the young swordsman, who parried their blowswithout difficulty, and brought them one after the other to the groundjust as Albert rid himself of his opponent.

  "Bring the ladies down, Albert, quickly. We must be out of this beforeanyone else comes."

  Albert ran up. The two ladies were on their knees. "Quick, mother!There is not a moment to be lost. It is all over, and you have to godown as speedily as possible."

  Dame Agatha passed through the scene of carnage without a shudder, forshe had more than once accompanied Sir Ralph abroad, and had witnessedseveral battles and sieges, but Aline clung to Albert's arm, shudderingand sobbing. Edgar stood at the door until they had passed out. Heclosed it behind him, locked it on the outside, and threw the keythrough a loophole on the stair. They met with no one until theyreached the lower part of the Tower, which the rioters were nowleaving, satisfied with the vengeance that they had taken upon thearchbishop and treasurer, whom they regarded as the authors of theobnoxious poll-tax. The party were unquestioned as they issued out intothe yard and mingled with the mob. Here they gathered that theprincess, having been roughly kissed by some of those who first enteredher apartment, had swooned with terror, and that her attendants hadbeen permitted to carry her down and place her in a boat, and that shehad been taken across the river.

  The rioters poured out across the drawbridge with almost as much hasteas they had pressed over to enter the Tower, anxious to be away beforethe king's return, when he might turn against them the whole of thegarrison. Many had intoxicated themselves by the wine in the royalcellars, and beyond a few rough jests nothing was said to the ladies,who were supposed to be some of the royal servants now being escortedto their country homes by their friends. As soon as possible Edgar andAlbert edged their way out of the crowd and soon reached the door oftheir lodging. As soon as the garden gate closed behind them Alinefainted. Edgar, who was walking beside her, caught her as she fell, andcarried her into the house, where he left her for a while in the careof her mother.

  The latter said before she closed the door: "Edgar, I charge you to goback to the Tower and speak to my lord as he enters with the king. Hewill be well-nigh distraught should he find that we are missing, and goup to our chamber to look for us. Albert, do you remain here with us."

  A quarter of an hour later she came down to her son.

  "Aline has recovered her senses," she said, "but will have to lie quietfor a time. Now tell me what has happened. Have any of the Court beenkilled?"

  Albert told her of the murder of the archbishop, the treasurer, andtheir five companions.

  "'Tis terrible!" she said, "and I can well understand that Edgar was somaddened at the sight that when one of those half-drunken wretchesinsulted Aline he could contain himself no longer. But it was a rashact thus to engage seven men."

  "Well, mother, if he had not smitten that man down I should have runhim through. My sword was half out when he did so. You would not havehad me stand by quietly and see you and Aline insulted by thosewretches. But, indeed, the odds were not so great, seeing that theywere but rabble of the town, and already half-drunk. Besides the manthat he smote down, Edgar killed four of them, while I had but two toencounter, which was a fair division considering his strength and skillcompared with mine. No half measures would have been of any use afterthat first blow was struck. It is certain that we should all have beenkilled had one of them escaped to give the alarm."

  "I am far from blaming you, Albert. My own blood boiled at theindignity, and had I carried a dagger I believe that I should havestabbed that fellow myself, though I had been slain a momentafterwards."

  Looking out from the gate Edgar saw that the mob had now melted away.Throwing off his disguise, he proceeded to the Tower. Half an hourlater the king rode up at a furious pace, followed by all who hadridden out with him save the king's half-brothers, the Earl of Kent andSir John Holland, who, knowing their own unpopularity, and alarmed fortheir safety, put spurs to their horses and rode away. The king threwhimself from his horse at the entrance, at which Edgar was standing.

  "Is the news that has reached me true," he asked him, "that theprincess, my mother, has been grossly insulted by this foul rabble, andthat the archbishop, treasurer, and others have been murdered?"

  "It is quite true, your Majesty; the princess has been carried acrossthe river in a swoon; the bodies of the gentlemen murdered still lie onthe hill."

  With an exclamation of grief and indignation the king ascended thesteps.

  "What of my dame and daughter, Edgar?" th
e knight asked, as the kingturned away.

  "They are both safe, and at their former lodging, Sir Ralph. DameAgatha sent me here to acquaint you where they were to be found; sheknew that you would be very anxious as to their safety."

  "I thank her for the thought," the knight said, turning his horse'shead to go there. "Where have you and Albert been for the last twodays?"

  "We have slept at the lodgings, Sir Ralph, and during the day havetraversed the city in sober clothes watching what has been done."

  "Then you have seen scenes which must have made you almost ashamed ofbeing an Englishman," Sir Ralph said, angrily. "This has been adisgraceful business. It was bad enough to destroy John of Gaunt'spalace; for, although I love not Lancaster greatly, it was an ornamentto London and full of costly treasures. For this, however, there wassome sort of excuse, but not so for the burning of the Temple, stillless for the destruction of the great house of the Knights of St. John,and also the manor-house of the prior of the order. I hear to-day thatgreat numbers of Flemings have been slain, their houses pillaged, andin some cases burnt. Now comes the crowning disgrace. That the Tower ofLondon, garrisoned by 1,200 men, and which ought to have defied forweeks the whole rabbledom of England, should have opened its gateswithout a blow being struck, and the garrison remained inert on thewalls while the king's mother was being grossly insulted, and the twohighest dignitaries of the state with others massacred is enough, by myfaith, to make one forswear arms, put on a hermit's dress and take tothe woods. Here we are!"

  The knight's two retainers ran up to take his horse as he entered thegateway; and, vaulting off, he hurried into the house.

  "Why, Agatha, you are strangely pale! What has happened? I have not hadtime yet to question Edgar, and, indeed, have been talking so fastmyself that he has had no chance of explaining how you and Alinemanaged to get here. You came by water, I suppose, and so escaped thatcrowd of knaves round the Tower?"

  "No, Sir Ralph, we escaped under the protection of your son and thisbrave youth. Had it not been for them we should surely have sufferedindignity and perhaps death."

  "What! were they in the Tower? How got they there, wife?"

  "I have had no time to ask questions yet, husband, having beenattending Aline, who fainted after bearing up bravely until we gothere. She has but a few minutes since come out of her swoon, and I havestayed with her."

  "Tell me what has happened, Albert," the knight said.

  "We slept here last night, sir; and upon sallying out found the riotersassembled round the Tower. We were clad in traders' dresses MasterGaiton had given us; and seeing that there was no chance of enteringthe Tower, while it would not have been safe to have mingled with themob in such an attire, we knew not what to do until Edgar suggestedthat we might, if we went down to the wharf, obtain disguises from oneof the vessels lying there. We were fortunate, and exchanged ourcitizen clothes for those of two sailor-men. Then we came back andmingled in the crowd. We saw the drawbridge lowered, and the king rideoff with his company, followed by the more orderly portion of therioters. In a few minutes, headed by Wat the Tyler, those who remainedpoured across the drawbridge and were masters of the place, not a blowbeing struck in its defence.

  "We made our way, by back passages known to us, to the princess'sapartments, where she, with several knights and ladies, among them mymother and sister, were waiting to see what might come. Sir RobertHales rushed in and prayed that no resistance be offered, as this wouldinflame the passions of the mob, and cost the lives of all within theTower. So the princess gave orders for all to leave her save her maids,and to scatter to their own apartments, and remain quiet there. As soonas we reached my mother's room we besought her to put on that sombredress, and prayed her similarly to attire Aline, so that they mightpass with us unnoticed through the crowd. While they were doing this wewent up to the platform above, and there witnessed the murder of thearchbishop, treasurer, and priest--at least, Edgar did so, for I couldnot bring myself to witness so horrible a sight.

  "In a short time my mother called that she and Aline were ready. Wewere about to leave the room and hurry away, when suddenly seven roughknaves, inflamed by wine, rushed in. The leader of them said that theysaw we were people of quality, and that he would take us down beforeWat the Tyler, who would know how to deal with us; but before doing sohe and his crew would give the ladies some kisses, and thereupon heseized Aline roughly. I was in the act of drawing my sword, when Edgardealt him so terrible a blow with the hilt of his that the man felldead. Then there was a general fight. Edgar shouted to my mother andAline to run up the steps to the platform above, and to me to hold thestairs, while he placed his back to the door.

  "The combat lasted but a short time, for the fellows possessed no kindof skill. In addition to the man that Edgar had first killed he slewfour others, while I killed the other two. Then mother and Aline camedown from the platform, descended the stairs, and mingled with the mob;they were pouring out exulting in the mischief they had done, butplainly anxious as to the consequences to themselves. We had nodifficulty in coming hither. By the remarks we heard, it is clear thatthey took the ladies for two of the princess's tirewomen, and we theirfriends who were going to escort them to their homes."

  "Of a truth 'tis a brave tale, Albert!" the knight exclaimed, bringinghis hand down on the lad's shoulder with hearty approbation. "By myfaith, no knights in the realm could have managed the matter moreshrewdly and bravely. Well done, Albert; I am indeed proud of my son.As for you, Edgar, you have added a fresh obligation to those I alreadyowe you. 'Tis a feat, indeed, for one of your age to slay five mensingle-handed, even though they were inflamed by liquor. Now, wife,what about Aline?"

  "She is here to answer for herself," the girl said, as she entered theroom. "I am better, but still feel strangely weak. I could not liestill when I knew that you were in the house. I take great shame tomyself, father. I thought I could be brave, in case of peril, as yourdaughter should be, but instead of that I swooned like a villagemaiden."

  "You are not to be blamed. So long as there was danger you kept up,and, in truth, it was danger that might well drive the blood from theface of the bravest woman; for the sight of that chamber, after thefight was over, must, in itself, have filled a maid of your age withhorror. Why, the princess herself swooned on vastly less occasion. No,no, girl, I am well pleased with you; as for your mother, she had seensuch sights before, but it was a rough beginning for you, and I thinkthat you acted bravely and well."