y. And the Swedes, too, awed by the holy
sounds, stood like statues, facing the singers; the sword rested in its
sheath, the bullet in the arquebuse, and the shell in the mortar. In
years that were gone, the Swedes themselves used to sing like that as
they marched to battle, and now they stood and joined in spirit in the
service that Dr. Bartholomew Sperling was holding with the defenders of
the threatened breach. But when the prayer was ended, the furies of
war raised their blood-red banners again, in mournful contrast to the
scene that had just taken place, and the dreadful game that is played
with human lives for the stakes began once more.

The whole night through did the firing continue. Early on February 4,
1643, at about six in the morning, the Swedes exploded two mines, one
of which laid open the barbican, while the other hurled pieces of
woodwork far over the roofs of the houses, shattering the gallery
within the barbican, and destroying those who were defending it. In
the confusion that arose, the Swedes, a reserve of whom had been held
in readiness, immediately seized the barbican, mounted from it to the
gate-tower, which was now commanded by their artillery, and placed
sharp-shooters in it, who at once opened a galling fire with double
arquebuses, hand-grenades, and stones on the occupants of the nearest
posts held by the defenders. By way of covering themselves from this
fire, the besieged at once constructed a new battery on the upper
cistern in the Peter Street. From this they were soon able to open
fire upon the new Swedish breastwork on the tower at the Peter Gate,
the result being the enemy's speedy and enforced retirement into one of
the lower and less exposed rooms of the gate-tower. Yet the Swedes had
this time undoubtedly gained an important advantage, and the position
of the city was becoming every hour more critical. But, in spite of
all, neither courage nor resolution had as yet begun to fail.

[1] See note on page 87.

CHAPTER X.

WAR OFTEN OPPOSES THE TEACHINGS OF CHRISTIANITY.

Conrad was detained for three days in the Swedish camp. It was on an
overcast, rainy evening that he at length received permission to
return. He hastened to reach the Muenzbach, which flows into the town
in two streams between the Erbis and Donat Gates. In the year 1297, an
enemy had made treacherous use of this river to enter and plunder the
town; and the points of its entrance and exit had