ath gone too!'

As he spoke a splintering crash from inside the Cathedral announced some
fresh outrage on the part of the zealots. Our guide hastened on with
renewed speed, until he came to a low oaken door heavily arched, which
he unlocked with much rasping of wards and creaking of hinges. Through
this we sidled as best we might, and hurried after the old man down a
stone-flagged corridor, which led through a wicket into the Cathedral
close by the high altar.

The great building was full of the rioters, who were rushing hither and
thither, destroying and breaking everything which they could lay their
hands on. A good number of these were genuine zealots, the followers of
the preacher whom we had listened to outside. Others, however, were on
the face of them mere rogues and thieves, such as gather round every
army upon the march. While the former were tearing down images from the
walls, or hurling the books of common prayer through the stained-glass
windows, the others were rooting up the massive brass candlesticks,
and carrying away everything which promised to be of value. One ragged
fellow was in the pulpit, tearing off the crimson velvet and hurling it
down among the crowd. Another had upset the reading-desk, and was busily
engaged in wrenching off the brazen fastenings. In the centre of
the side aisle a small group had a rope round the neck of Mark the
Evangelist, and were dragging lustily upon it, until, even as we
entered, the statue, after tottering for a few moments, came crashing
down upon the marble floor. The shouts which greeted every fresh
outrage, with the splintering of woodwork, the smashing of windows, and
the clatter of falling masonry, made up a most deafening uproar, which
was increased by the droning of the organ, until some of the rioters
silenced it by slitting up the bellows.

What more immediately concerned ourselves was the scene which was being
enacted just in front of us at the high altar. A barrel of beer had been
placed upon it, and a dozen ruffians gathered round it, one of whom with
many ribald jests had climbed up, and was engaged in knocking in the
top of the cask with a hatchet. As we entered he had just succeeded in
broaching it, and the brown mead was foaming over, while the mob with
roars of laughter were passing up their dippers and pannikins. The
German soldier rapped out a rough jagged oath at this spectacle, and
shouldering his way through the roisterers he sprang upon the al