his would not be
delivered until the new wall behind the breach had been demolished.

Consequently, the rush of the Turks found the defenders altogether
unprepared. Swarming across the mass of debris in the ditch, they
ascended the breach without opposition, and their scaling ladders were
placed against the new wall before the knights could hurry up to its
defence. Even before the alarm was given in the town, the Turkish
standard was waving on the parapet, and the Moslems were crowding on
to the wall in vast numbers. The suddenness of the attack, the complete
surprise, the sound of battle at various points around the walls, caused
for a time confusion and dismay among the knights charged with the
defence of the wall facing the breach. Roused by the uproar, the
inhabitants of the town rushed up to their roofs to ascertain what
was happening, and their cries of wild terror and alarm at seeing the
Turkish banner on the walls added to the confusion. D'Aubusson sprang
up from the couch, on which he had thrown himself in full armour, at the
first sound of the alarm, and, sending off messages to all the auberges
to summon every man to the defence, ran down into the town, followed by
a small party of knights.

Rushing through the streets, now filled with half dressed people wild
with terror, he reached the foot of the wall, whose summit was crowded
with the enemy, and saw in an instant that all was lost unless they
could be driven thence without delay. The effect of his presence was
instantaneous. The knights, hitherto confused and dismayed, rallied at
once, and prepared for the desperate undertaking. The bank on the inside
was almost perpendicular, and those charged with its defence had used
two or three ladders for ascending to the rampart. These were at once
seized and planted against the wall.

The position of the contending parties was now reversed; the Christians
were the assailants, the Turks the defenders. D'Aubusson himself was
the first to ascend. Covering his head with his shield, he mounted the
rampart; but ere he could gain a footing on the top he was severely
wounded and hurled backwards. Again he made the attempt, but was again
wounded and thrown down. Once more he mounted, and this time made good
his footing. A moment later, Gervaise, who had accompanied him from the
palace, stood beside him. Animated with the same spirit as his leader,
he threw himself recklessly against the Turks, using a short, heavy
mace,