CHAPTER X: A PLACE OF REFUGE

The French, excited to the utmost by the exhortations of their
commanders, and by their desire to wipe out the disgrace of the easy
capture of Vannes by the English, advanced with ardour to the assault,
and officers and men vied with each other in the valour which they
displayed. In vain did the garrison shower arrows and cross-bow bolts
among them, and pour down burning oil and quicklime upon them as they
thronged at the foot of the wall. In vain were the ladders, time after
time, hurled back loaded with men upon the mass below. The efforts of
the men-at-arms to scale the defences were seconded by their archers and
crossbow-men, who shot such a storm of bolts that great numbers of the
defenders were killed. The assault was made at a score of different
points, and the garrison was too weak to defend all with success. Sir
John Powis and his party repulsed over and over again the efforts of the
assailants against that part of the wall entrusted to them, but at other
points the French gained a footing, and swarming up rushed along the
walls, slaying all whom they encountered.

"All is lost," Sir John exclaimed; "let us fall back to the castle and
die fighting there."

Descending from the wall the party made their way through the streets.
The French were already in the town; every house was closed and barred,
and from the upper windows the burghers hurled down stones and bricks
upon the fugitives, while parties of the French soldiers fell upon them
fiercely. Many threw down their arms and cried for quarter, but were
instantly slain.

For a while the streets were a scene of wild confusion; here and there
little knots of Englishmen stood together and defended themselves until
the last, others ran through the streets chased by their exulting foes,
some tried in vain to gain shelter in the houses. Sir John Powis's band
was soon broken and scattered, and their leader slain by a heavy stone
from a housetop. Walter fought his way blindly forward towards the
castle although he well knew that no refuge would be found there. Ralph
Smith kept close beside him, levelling many of his assailants with the
tremendous blows of a huge mace. Somehow, Walter hardly knew how, they
made their way through their assailants and dashed in at the castle
gate. A crowd of their assailants were close upon their heels. Walter
glanced round; dashing across the courtyard he ran through some passages
into an inner