``Afetterlockandshackleboltazure，’’saidIvanhoe；
``Iknownotwhomaybearthedevice，butwellIweenitmightnowbemineown。Canstthounotseethemotto?’’
``Scarcethedeviceitselfatthisdistance，’’repliedRebecca；``butwhenthesunglancesfairuponhisshield，itshowsasItellyou。’’
``Seemtherenootherleaders?’’exclaimedtheanxiousenquirer。
``NoneofmarkanddistinctionthatIcanbeholdfromthisstation，’’saidRebecca；``but，doubtless，theothersideofthecastleisalsoassailed。Theyappearevennowpreparingtoadvance——GodofZion，protectus！——Whatadreadfulsight！——Thosewhoadvancefirstbearhugeshieldsanddefencesmadeofplank；theothersfollow，bendingtheirbowsastheycomeon——Theyraisetheirbows！——
GodofMoses，forgivethecreaturesthouhastmade！’’
Herdescriptionwasheresuddenlyinterruptedbythesignalforassault，whichwasgivenbytheblastofashrillbugle，andatonceansweredbyaflourishoftheNormantrumpetsfromthebattlements，which，mingledwiththedeepandhollowclangofthenakers，aspeciesofkettle-drum，retortedinnotesofdefiancethechallengeoftheenemy。
Theshoutsofbothpartiesaugmentedthefearfuldin，theassailantscrying，``SaintGeorgeformerryEngland！’’andtheNormansansweringthemwithloudcriesof``_EnavantDeBracy！——
Beau-seant！Beau-seant！——Front-de-Buflarescousse！’’accordingtothewar-criesoftheirdifferentcommanders。
Itwasnot，however，byclamourthatthecontestwastobedecided，andthedesperateeffortsoftheassailantsweremetbyanequallyvigorousdefenceonthepartofthebesieged。Thearchers，trainedbytheirwoodlandpastimestothemosteffectiveuseofthelong-bow，shot，tousetheappropriatephraseofthetime，so``whollytogether，’’thatnopointatwhichadefendercouldshowtheleastpartofhisperson，escapedtheircloth-yardshafts。Bythisheavydischarge，whichcontinuedasthickandsharpashail，while，notwithstanding，everyarrowhaditsindividualaim，andflewbyscorestogetheragainsteachembrasureandopeningintheparapets，aswellasateverywindowwhereadefendereitheroccasionallyhadpost，ormightbesuspectedtobestationed，——bythissustaineddischarge，twoorthreeofthegarrisonwereslain，andseveralotherswounded。
But，confidentintheirarmourofproof，andinthecoverwhichtheirsituationafforded，thefollowersofFront-de-Buf，andhisallies，showedanobstinacyindefenceproportionedtothefuryoftheattackandrepliedwiththedischargeoftheirlargecross-bows，aswellaswiththeirlong-bows，slings，andothermissileweapons，tothecloseandcontinuedshowerofarrows；and，astheassailantswerenecessarilybutindifferentlyprotected，didconsiderablymoredamagethantheyreceivedattheirhand。
Thewhizzingofshaftsandofmissiles，onbothsides，wasonlyinterruptedbytheshoutswhicharosewheneithersideinflictedorsustainedsomenotableloss。
``AndImustlieherelikeabedriddenmonk，’’
exclaimedIvanhoe，``whilethegamethatgivesmefreedomordeathisplayedoutbythehandofothers！——Lookfromthewindowonceagain，kindmaiden，butbewarethatyouarenotmarkedbythearchersbeneath——Lookoutoncemore，andtellmeiftheyyetadvancetothestorm。’’
Withpatientcourage，strengthenedbytheintervalwhichshehademployedinmentaldevotion，Rebeccaagaintookpostatthelattice，shelteringherself，however，soasnottobevisiblefrombeneath。
``Whatdostthousee，Rebecca?’’againdemandedthewoundedknight。
``Nothingbutthecloudofarrowsflyingsothickastodazzlemineeyes，andtohidethebowmenwhoshootthem。’’
``Thatcannotendure，’’saidIvanhoe；``iftheypressnotrightontocarrythecastlebypureforceofarms，thearcherymayavailbutlittleagainststonewallsandbulwarks。LookfortheKnightoftheFetterlock，fairRebecca，andseehowhebearshimself；forastheleaderis，sowillhisfollowersbe。’’
``Iseehimnot，’’saidRebecca。
``Foulcraven！’’exclaimedIvanhoe；``doesheblenchfromthehelmwhenthewindblowshighest?’’
``Heblenchesnot！heblenchesnot！’’saidRebecca，``Iseehimnow；heleadsabodyofmencloseundertheouterbarrierofthebarbican。*——
*EveryGothiccastleandcityhad，beyondtheouter-walls，*afortificationcomposedofpalisades，calledthebarriers，which*wereoftenthesceneofsevereskirmishes，asthesemustnecessarily*becarriedbeforethewallsthemselvescouldbeapproached。
*Manyofthosevaliantfeatsofarmswhichadornthechivalrous*pagesofFroissarttookplaceatthebarriersofbesieged*places。
Theypulldownthepilesandpalisades；theyhewdownthebarrierswithaxes——Hishighblackplumefloatsabroadoverthethrong，likearavenoverthefieldoftheslain——Theyhavemadeabreachinthebarriers——theyrushin——theyarethrustback！——
Front-de-Bufheadsthedefenders；Iseehisgiganticformabovethepress。Theythrongagaintothebreach，andthepassisdisputedhandtohand，andmantoman。GodofJacob！itisthemeetingoftwofiercetides——theconflictoftwooceansmovedbyadversewinds！’’
Sheturnedherheadfromthelattice，asifunablelongertoendureasightsoterrible。
``Lookforthagain，Rebecca，’’saidIvanhoe，mistakingthecauseofherretiring；``thearcherymustinsomedegreehaveceased，sincetheyarenowfightinghandtohand——Lookagain，thereisnowlessdanger。’’
Rebeccaagainlookedforth，andalmostimmediatelyexclaimed，``Holyprophetsofthelaw！
Front-de-BufandtheBlackKnightfighthandtohandonthebreach，amidtheroaroftheirfollowers，whowatchtheprogressofthestrife——Heavenstrikewiththecauseoftheoppressedandofthecaptive！’’Shethenutteredaloudshriek，andexclaimed，``Heisdown！——heisdown！’’
``Whoisdown?’’criedIvanhoe；``forourdearLady’ssake，tellmewhichhasfallen?’’
``TheBlackKnight，’’answeredRebecca，faintly；
theninstantlyagainshoutedwithjoyfuleagerness——
``Butno——butno！——thenameoftheLordofHostsbeblessed！——heisonfootagain，andfightsasifthereweretwentymen’sstrengthinhissinglearm——Hisswordisbroken——hesnatchesanaxefromayeoman——hepressesFront-de-Bufwithblowonblow——Thegiantstoopsandtotterslikeanoakunderthesteelofthewoodman——hefalls——hefalls！’’
``Front-de-Buf?’’exclaimedIvanhoe。
``Front-de-Buf！’’answeredtheJewess；``hismenrushtotherescue，headedbythehaughtyTemplar——theirunitedforcecompelsthechampiontopause——TheydragFront-de-Bufwithinthewalls。’’
``Theassailantshavewonthebarriers，havetheynot?’’saidIvanhoe。
``Theyhave——theyhave！’’exclaimedRebecca——
``andtheypressthebesiegedhardupontheouterwall；someplantladders，someswarmlikebees，andendeavourtoascendupontheshouldersofeachother——downgostones，beams，andtrunksoftreesupontheirheads，andasfastastheybearthewoundedtotherear，freshmensupplytheirplacesintheassault——GreatGod！hastthougivenmenthineownimage，thatitshouldbethuscruellydefacedbythehandsoftheirbrethren！’’
``Thinknotofthat，’’saidIvanhoe；``thisisnotimeforsuchthoughts——Whoyield?——whopushtheirway?’’
``Theladdersarethrowndown，’’repliedRebecca，shuddering；``thesoldiersliegrovellingunderthemlikecrushedreptiles——Thebesiegedhavethebetter。’’
``SaintGeorgestrikeforus！’’exclaimedtheknight；``dothefalseyeomengiveway?’’
``No！’’exclaimedRebecca，``theybearthemselvesrightyeomanly——theBlackKnightapproachestheposternwithhishugeaxe——thethunderingblowswhichhedeals，youmayhearthemaboveallthedinandshoutsofthebattle——Stonesandbeamsarehaileddownontheboldchampion——
heregardsthemnomorethaniftheywerethistle-downorfeathers！’’
``BySaintJohnofAcre，’’saidIvanhoe，raisinghimselfjoyfullyonhiscouch，``methoughttherewasbutonemaninEnglandthatmightdosuchadeed！’’
``Theposterngateshakes，’’continuedRebecca；
``itcrashes——itissplinteredbyhisblows——theyrushin——theoutworkiswon——Oh，God！——theyhurlthedefendersfromthebattlements——theythrowthemintothemoat——Omen，ifyebeindeedmen，sparethemthatcanresistnolonger！’’
``Thebridge——thebridgewhichcommunicateswiththecastle——havetheywonthatpass?’’exclaimedIvanhoe。
``No，’’repliedRebecca，``TheTemplarhasdestroyedtheplankonwhichtheycrossed——fewofthedefendersescapedwithhimintothecastle——
theshrieksandcrieswhichyouheartellthefateoftheothers——Alas！——Iseeitisstillmoredifficulttolookuponvictorythanuponbattle。’’
``Whatdotheynow，maiden?’’saidIvanhoe；
``lookforthyetagain——thisisnotimetofaintatbloodshed。’’
``Itisoverforthetime，’’answeredRebecca；``ourfriendsstrengthenthemselveswithintheoutworkwhichtheyhavemastered，anditaffordsthemsogoodashelterfromthefoemen’sshot，thatthegarrisononlybestowafewboltsonitfromintervaltointerval，asifrathertodisquietthaneffectuallytoinjurethem。’’