'the
entrance must first be defended, or, ere the flames are kindled, the
slaves will be here! Whatever is movable--couches, tables,
corpses--let us hurl them all against the door!'

As he spoke he rushed towards the black-curtained recess, to set the
example to his companions by seizing the corpse of the woman; but he
had not passed more than half the length of the apartment, when the
hunchback, who had followed him unheeded, sprang upon him from behind,
and, with a shrill cry, fastening his fingers on his throat, hurled him
torn and senseless to the floor. 'Who touches the body that is mine?'
shrieked the deformed wretch, rising from his victim, and threatening
with his blood-stained hands Vetranio and Marcus, as they stood
bewildered, and uncertain for the moment whether first to avenge their
comrade or to barricade the door--'The son shall rescue the mother! I
go to bury her! Atonement! Atonement!'

He leaped upon the table as he spoke, tore asunder with resistless
strength the cords which fastened the corpse to the throne, seized it
in his arms, and the next instant gained the door. Uttering fierce,
inarticulate cries, partly of anguish and partly of defiance, he threw
it open, and stepped forward to descend, when he was met at the head of
the stairs by the band of assassins hurrying up, with drawn swords and
blazing torches, to their work of pillage and death. He stood before
them--his deformed limbs set as firmly on the ground as if he were
preparing to descend the stairs at one leap--with the corpse raised
high on his breast; its unearthly features were turned towards them,
its bare arms were still stretched forth as they had been extended over
the banqueting-table, its grey hair streamed back and mingled with his
own: under the fitful illumination of the torches, which played red and
wild over him and his fearful burden, the dead and the living looked
joined to each other in one monstrous form.

Huddled together, motionless, on the stairs, their shouts of vengeance
and fury frozen on their lips, the assassins stood for one moment,
staring mechanically, with fixed, spell-bound eyes, upon the hideous
bulwark opposing their advance on the victims whom they had expected so
easily to surprise. The next instant a superstitious panic seized
them; as the hunchback suddenly moved towards them to descend, the
corpse seemed to their terror-stricken eyes to be on the eve of
bursting its way through their ranks