The besieged were on their guard.

Now, Numa Pompilius, you have a fine field before you for the race of
glory. Advance! put your ladders to the walls, hurl your beams against
the foe, sling your stones against the roof, begin the struggle, and
inspire the combatants with martial fury! Let shouts and yells and
curses supply the place of thundering artillery! The enemy is aroused
and expectant!

"Forward, ye heroes! The hour of the red dawn of our day of triumph is
at hand. Victory to the valiant!"

The excited mob heard not a word of this classical appeal, its ears were
too full of its own howlings, as it pressed into the courtyard.

Then from that window square, which had remained uncovered by the
shutter, a shot resounded, at whose sharp report the hideous hubbub
suddenly grew dumb, and during the lull a strong manly voice addressed
the rioters:

"That was only a blank shot. If you do not instantly leave the courtyard
we will fire among you with bullets."

"Let us depart hence, my noble patriots, let us depart!" stammered the
Leather-bell. "It is Squire Szephalmi who commands it. It is not well to
play games with him. He has a lot of six-barrelled firearms inside with
three bullets in each barrel. A mischief may befall some of us else. We
have wives and children at home. Let us go home, my dear fellow
patriots. Early to-morrow morning we will send a deputation."

The greater part of the mob shared this good opinion, and began to show
their respect for firearms by clearing out of the courtyard.

But Numa Pompilius, full of the fury of despair, barred the way against
his retreating host.

"Miserable, cowardly deserters! What! a single blank shot is sufficient
to turn you back! Holus-bolus, 'sicut examen apum,' ye decamp at the
word of a single foe! Fie, fie upon you, ye dregs, ye sweepings of
humanity!"

The bellicose commander spat in his disgust at the fugitives again and
again, and overwhelmed them with all sorts of choice epithets. Finally
he snatched up an axe, and declared that if nobody else stirred he would
go and batter down the door of the castle single-handed.

But the Leather-bell threw his arms round the body of the enthusiastic
hero lest he should hazard his life in so perilous an enterprise. Nay,
he would not even let him enter the courtyard, but went so far as to
seize the axe he held in his hand regardless of the kicks and cuffs he
received during the struggle.

Dame Zudar laughed scor