rrible, ardent, implacable. A flood of
assailants, following the quarryman's steps, rushed into the house
with irresistible fury; others, unable to force their way through this
dreadful crowd, where the more impetuous squeezed, stifled, and crushed
these who were less so, went round in another direction, broke through
some lattice work, and thus placed the people of the factory, as it
were, between two fires. Some resisted courageously; others, seeing
Ciboule, followed by some of her horrible companions, and by several
of the most ill-looking ruffians, hastily enter that part of the
Common-Dwelling house in which the women had taken refuge, hurried in
pursuit of this band; but some of the hag's companions, having faced
about, and vigorously defended the entrance of the staircase against the
workmen, Ciboule, with three or four like herself, and about the same
number of no less ignoble men, rushed through the rooms, with the
intention of robbing or destroying all that came in their way. A door,
which at first resisted their efforts, was soon broken through;
Ciboule rushed into the apartment with a stick in her hand, her hair
dishevelled, furious, and, as it were, maddened with the noise and
tumult. A beautiful young girl (it was Angela), who appeared anxious
to defend the entrance to a second chamber, threw herself on her knees,
pale and supplicating, and raising her clasped hands, exclaimed: "Do not
hurt my mother!"

"I'll serve you out first, and your mother afterwards," replied the
horrible woman, throwing herself on the poor girl, and endeavoring to
tear her face with her nails, whilst the rest of the ruffianly
band broke the glass and the clock with their sticks, and possessed
themselves of some articles of wearing apparel.

Angela, struggling with Ciboule, uttered loud cries of distress, and
still attempted to guard the room in which her mother had taken refuge;
whilst the latter, leaning from the window, called Agricola to their
assistance. The smith was now engaged with the huge blaster. In a close
struggle, their hammers had become useless, and with bloodshot eyes
and clinched teeth, chest to chest, and limbs twined together like two
serpents, they made the most violent efforts to overthrow each other.
Agricola, bent forward, held under his right arm the left leg of the
quarryman, which he had seized in parrying a violent kick; but such was
the Herculean strength of the leader of the Wolves, that he remained
f