"Now, lads, we ought not to miss them by this
light."
Eleven men fell, out of the next twelve who attempted to carry their
burdens down. Guy went back to Sir Eustace with the news of the manner in
which the attack was being carried on, and of the effect of the archers'
defence.
"I have just heard the same from the other side; there is one attack on
each side and two behind; Jean Bouvard has posted himself there. I am
going round myself now; I do not think there will be any attack made in
front. I have sent the archers here to the rear, where they will be more
useful; the fellows in the outwork across there have enough to do to
shelter themselves."
This Guy could well understand, for although the guns could not be
depressed sufficiently to fire down into the _tete du pont_, the mangonels
were hurling stones into it, and the men-at-arms shooting cross-bow
quarrels whenever a man showed himself. The rear of the outwork was open
and afforded no shelter to those who had taken possession of it, and
already the greater portion had retired to the other side of the small
moat surrounding it, where they lay sheltered by the outwork itself. It
was not long before the assailants at the other points, finding that the
plan they had formed was defeated by the skill of the archers, poured down
in a mass between the two lines of mantlets, each man carrying his burden
before him, thus sheltering him to a great extent.
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