e circus
between the two sets of gates, the detail will never be told in full.

At the first alarm the great cave-tigers were set loose, and these raged
impartially against keeper and foe. Of those that went in through the
tunnel, not one in ten returned, and there were few of these but what
carried a bloody wound. Some, with the ruling passion still strong in
them, bore back plunder; one trailed along with him the head of the
captain of the gate; and amongst them they dragged out two of the
warders who were wounded, and whom revenge had urged them to take as
prisoners.

Over these two last a hubbub now arose, that seemed likely to boil over
into blows. Every voice shouted out for them what he thought the most
repulsive fate. Some were for burning, some for skinning, some for
impaling, some for other things: my flesh crept as I heard their
ravenous yells. Those that had been to the trouble of making them
captive were still breathless from the fight, and were readily thrust
aside; and it seemed to me that the poor wretches would be hustled into
death before any definite fate was agreed upon, which all would pass as
sufficiently terrific. Never had I seen such a disorderly tumult, never
such a leaderless mob. But, as always has happened, and always will, the
stronger men by dint of louder voices and more vigorous shoulders got
their plans agreed to at last, and the others perforce had to give way.

A band of them set off running, and presently returned at snails' pace,
dragging with them (with many squeals from ungreased wheels) one of
those huge war engines with which besiegers are wont to throw great
stones and other missiles into the cities they sit down against. They
ran it up just beyond bowshot of the walls, and clamped it firmly down
with stakes and ropes to the earth. Then setting their lean arms to the
windlasses, they drew back the great tree which formed the spring till
its tethering place reached the ground, and in the cradle at its head
they placed one of the prisoners, bound helplessly, so that he could not
throw himself over the side.

Then the rude, savage, skin-clad mob stood back, and one who had
appointed himself engineer knocked back the catch that held the great
spring in place.

With a whir and a twang the elastic wood flung upwards, and the bound
man was shot away from its tip with the speed of a lightning flash.
He sang through the air, spinning over and over with inconceivable
rapidity, and