It may be that he truly does not intend to attack till morning,
but it is more likely that he used the words in order to throw us off our
guard."
"We will keep close ward, Sir Eustace. All the men-at-arms have their
cross-bows, and though I say not that they can shoot like these English
archers, they can shoot straight enough to do good work should those
fellows attempt in force to cross the small moat and attack the gate. But
if they come, methinks it will be but to try if we are wakeful; 'tis no
light thing to attack even an outwork like this, with this loop from the
moat surrounding it, without previous examination of the ground and
reconnoitring of the castle."
"They would not attempt to attack the fortress itself," Sir Eustace said;
"but if they could seize this outwork by surprise it would mightily aid
them in their attack on the fortress; at any rate I will send down five
archers, and if any of the enemy crawl up to see how wide the water is
here, and how the attempt had best be made, I warrant that they will not
return if the archers can but get a sight of them. Post half your men on
the wall, and let the others sleep; change them every two hours--we want
no sleepy heads in the morning."
By this time the confused sound of a large number of men marching could be
made out, and a quarter of an hour later three or four cottages, some five
hundred yards away, were fired, and an angry murmur broke from the men as
the flames shot up.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61