``Wellsaid，stoutyeoman，’’answeredtheBlackKnight；``andifIbethoughtworthytohaveachargeinthesematters，andcanfindamongthesebravemenasmanyasarewillingtofollowatrueEnglishknight，forsoImaysurelycallmyself，I
amready，withsuchskillasmyexperiencehastaughtme，toleadthemtotheattackofthesewalls。’’
Thepartsbeingthusdistributedtotheleaders，theycommencedthefirstassault，ofwhichthereaderhasalreadyheardtheissue。
Whenthebarbicanwascarried，theSableKnightsentnoticeofthehappyeventtoLocksley，requestinghimatthesametime，tokeepsuchastrictobservationonthecastleasmightpreventthedefendersfromcombiningtheirforceforasuddensally，andrecoveringtheoutworkwhichtheyhadlost。Thistheknightwaschieflydesirousofavoiding，consciousthatthemenwhomheled，beinghastyanduntrainedvolunteers，imperfectlyarmedandunaccustomedtodiscipline，must，uponanysuddenattack，fightatgreatdisadvantagewiththeveteransoldiersoftheNormanknights，whowerewellprovidedwitharmsbothdefensiveandoffensive；
andwho，tomatchthezealandhighspiritofthebesiegers，hadalltheconfidencewhicharisesfromperfectdisciplineandthehabitualuseofweapons。
Theknightemployedtheintervalincausingtobeconstructedasortoffloatingbridge，orlongraft，bymeansofwhichhehopedtocrossthemoatindespiteoftheresistanceoftheenemy。Thiswasaworkofsometime，whichtheleadersthelessregretted，asitgaveUlricaleisuretoexecuteherplanofdiversionintheirfavour，whateverthatmightbe。
Whentheraftwascompleted，theBlackKnightaddressedthebesiegers：——``Itavailsnotwaitingherelonger，myfriends；thesunisdescendingtothewest——andIhavethatuponmyhandswhichwillnotpermitmetotarrywithyouanotherday。
Besides，itwillbeamarvelifthehorsemencomenotuponusfromYork，unlesswespeedilyaccomplishourpurpose。Wherefore，oneofyegotoLocksley，andbidhimcommenceadischargeofarrowsontheoppositesideofthecastle，andmoveforwardasifabouttoassaultit；andyou，trueEnglishhearts，standbyme，andbereadytothrusttheraftendlongoverthemoatwhenevertheposternonoursideisthrownopen。Followmeboldlyacross，andaidmetoburstyonsallyportinthemainwallofthecastle。Asmanyofyouaslikenotthisservice，orarebutillarmedtomeetit，doyoumanthetopoftheoutwork，drawyourbow-stringstoyourears，andmindyouquellwithyourshotwhatevershallappeartomantherampart——
NobleCedric，wiltthoutakethedirectionofthosewhichremain?’’
``Notso，bythesoulofHereward！’’saidtheSaxon；``leadIcannot；butmayposteritycursemeinmygrave，ifIfollownotwiththeforemostwhereverthoushaltpointtheway——Thequarrelismine，andwellitbecomesmetobeinthevanofthebattle。’’
``Yet，bethinkthee，nobleSaxon，’’saidtheknight，``thouhastneitherhauberk，norcorslet，noraughtbutthatlighthelmet，target，andsword。’’
``Thebetter！’’answeredCedric；``Ishallbethelightertoclimbthesewalls。And，——forgivetheboast，SirKnight，——thoushaltthisdayseethenakedbreastofaSaxonasboldlypresentedtothebattleaseveryebeheldthesteelcorsletofaNorman。’’
``InthenameofGod，then，’’saidtheknight，``flingopenthedoor，andlaunchthefloatingbridge。’’
Theportal，whichledfromtheinner-wallofthebarbicantothemoat，andwhichcorrespondedwithasallyportinthemainwallofthecastle，wasnowsuddenlyopened；thetemporarybridgewasthenthrustforward，andsoonflashedinthewaters，extendingitslengthbetweenthecastleandoutwork，andformingaslipperyandprecariouspassagefortwomenabreasttocrossthemoat。Wellawareoftheimportanceoftakingthefoebysurprise，theBlackKnight，closelyfollowedbyCedric，threwhimselfuponthebridge，andreachedtheoppositeside。Herehebegantothunderwithhisaxeuponthegateofthecastle，protectedinpartfromtheshotandstonescastbythedefendersbytheruinsoftheformerdrawbridge，whichtheTemplarhaddemolishedinhisretreatfromthebarbican，leavingthecounterpoisestillattachedtotheupperpartoftheportal。Thefollowersoftheknighthadnosuchshelter；twowereinstantlyshotwithcross-bowbolts，andtwomorefellintothemoat；theothersretreatedbackintothebarbican。
ThesituationofCedricandoftheBlackKnightwasnowtrulydangerous，andwouldhavebeenstillmoreso，butfortheconstancyofthearchersinthebarbican，whoceasednottoshowertheirarrowsuponthebattlements，distractingtheattentionofthosebywhomtheyweremanned，andthusaffordingarespitetotheirtwochiefsfromthestormofmissileswhichmustotherwisehaveoverwhelmedthem。Buttheirsituationwaseminentlyperilous，andwasbecomingmoresowitheverymoment。
``Shameonyeall！’’criedDeBracytothesoldiersaroundhim；``doyecallyourselvescross-bowmen，andletthesetwodogskeeptheirstationunderthewallsofthecastle?——Heaveoverthecopingstonesfromthebattlements，anbettermaynotbe——Getpick-axeandlevers，anddownwiththathugepinnacle！’’pointingtoaheavypieceofstonecarved-workthatprojectedfromtheparapet。
AtthismomentthebesiegerscaughtsightoftheredflagupontheangleofthetowerwhichUlricahaddescribedtoCedric。ThestoutyeomanLocksleywasthefirstwhowasawareofit，ashewashastingtotheoutwork，impatienttoseetheprogressoftheassault。
``SaintGeorge！’’hecried，``MerrySaintGeorgeforEngland！——Tothecharge，boldyeomen！——whyleaveyethegoodknightandnobleCedrictostormthepassalone?——makein，madpriest，showthoucanstfightforthyrosary，——makein，braveyeomen！——
thecastleisours，wehavefriendswithin——Seeyonderflag，itistheappointedsignal——Torquilstoneisours！——Thinkofhonour，thinkofspoil——Oneeffort，andtheplaceisours！’’
Withthathebenthisgoodbow，andsentashaftrightthroughthebreastofoneofthemen-at-arms，who，underDeBracy’sdirection，waslooseningafragmentfromoneofthebattlementstoprecipitateontheheadsofCedricandtheBlackKnight。A
secondsoldiercaughtfromthehandsofthedyingmantheironcrow，withwhichheheavedatandhadloosenedthestonepinnacle，when，receivinganarrowthroughhishead-piece，hedroppedfromthebattlementsintothemoatadeadman。Themen-at-armsweredaunted，fornoarmourseemedproofagainsttheshotofthistremendousarcher。
``Doyougiveground，baseknaves！’’saidDeBracy；``_MountjoyeSaintDennis！_——Givemethelever！’’
And，snatchingitup，heagainassailedtheloosenedpinnacle，whichwasofweightenough，ifthrowndown，notonlytohavedestroyedtheremnantofthedrawbridge，whichshelteredthetwoforemostassailants，butalsotohavesunktherudefloatofplanksoverwhichtheyhadcrossed。Allsawthedanger，andtheboldest，eventhestoutFriarhimself，avoidedsettingfootontheraft。
ThricedidLocksleybendhisshaftagainstDeBracy，andthricedidhisarrowboundbackfromtheknight’sarmourofproof。
``CurseonthySpanishsteel-coat！’’saidLocksley，``hadEnglishsmithforgedit，thesearrowshadgonethrough，anasifithadbeensilkorsendal。’’
Hethenbegantocallout，``Comrades！
friends！nobleCedric！bearback，andlettheruinfall。’’
Hiswarningvoicewasunheard，forthedinwhichtheknighthimselfoccasionedbyhisstrokesupontheposternwouldhavedrownedtwentywar-trumpets。
ThefaithfulGurthindeedsprungforwardontheplankedbridge，towarnCedricofhisimpendingfate，ortoshareitwithhim。Buthiswarningwouldhavecometoolate；themassivepinnaclealreadytottered，andDeBracy，whostillheavedathistask，wouldhaveaccomplishedit，hadnotthevoiceoftheTemplarsoundedcloseinhisears：——
``Allislost，DeBracy，thecastleburns。’’
``Thouartmadtosayso！’’repliedtheknight。
``Itisallinalightflameonthewesternside。
Ihavestriveninvaintoextinguishit。’’
Withthesterncoolnesswhichformedthebasisofhischaracter，BriandeBois-Guilbertcommunicatedthishideousintelligence，whichwasnotsocalmlyreceivedbyhisastonishedcomrade。
``SaintsofParadise！’’saidDeBracy；``whatistobedone?IvowtoSaintNicholasofLimogesacandlestickofpuregold——’’
``Sparethyvow，’’saidtheTemplar，``andmarkme。Leadthymendown，asiftoasally；throwthepostern-gateopen——Therearebuttwomenwhooccupythefloat，flingthemintothemoat，andpushacrossforthebarbican。Iwillchargefromthemaingate，andattackthebarbicanontheoutside；andifwecanregainthatpost，beassuredweshalldefendourselvesuntilwearerelieved，oratleasttilltheygrantusfairquarter。’’
``Itiswellthoughtupon，’’saidDeBracy；``I
willplaymypart——Templar，thouwiltnotfailme?’’
``Handandglove，Iwillnot！’’saidBois-Guilbert。
``Buthastethee，inthenameofGod！’’
DeBracyhastilydrewhismentogether，andrusheddowntothepostern-gate，whichhecausedinstantlytobethrownopen。ButscarcewasthisdoneeretheportentousstrengthoftheBlackKnightforcedhiswayinwardindespiteofDeBracyandhisfollowers。Twooftheforemostinstantlyfell，andtherestgavewaynotwithstandingalltheirleader’seffortstostopthem。
``Dogs！’’saidDeBracy，``willyelet_two_menwinouronlypassforsafety?’’
``Heisthedevil！’’saidaveteranman-at-arms，bearingbackfromtheblowsoftheirsableantagonist。
``Andifhebethedevil，’’repliedDeBracy，``wouldyouflyfromhimintothemouthofhell?——
thecastleburnsbehindus，villains！——letdespairgiveyoucourage，orletmeforward！Iwillcopewiththischampionmyself’’
AndwellandchivalrousdidDeBracythatdaymaintainthefamehehadacquiredinthecivilwarsofthatdreadfulperiod。Thevaultedpassagetowhichtheposterngaveentrance，andinwhichthesetworedoubtedchampionswerenowfightinghandtohand，rungwiththefuriousblowswhichtheydealteachother，DeBracywithhissword，theBlackKnightwithhisponderousaxe。AtlengththeNormanreceivedablow，which，thoughitsforcewaspartlyparriedbyhisshield，forotherwisenevermorewouldDeBracyhaveagainmovedlimb，descendedyetwithsuchviolenceonhiscrest，thathemeasuredhislengthonthepavedfloor。
``Yieldthee，DeBracy，’’saidtheBlackChampion，stoopingoverhim，andholdingagainstthebarsofhishelmetthefatalponiardwithwhichtheknightsdispatchedtheirenemies，andwhichwascalledthedaggerofmercy，——``yieldthee，MauricedeBracy，rescueornorescue，orthouartbutadeadman。’’
``Iwillnotyield，’’repliedDeBracyfaintly，``toanunknownconqueror。Tellmethyname，orworkthypleasureonme——itshallneverbesaidthatMauricedeBracywasprisonertoanamelesschurl。’’
TheBlackKnightwhisperedsomethingintotheearofthevanquished。
``Iyieldmetobetrueprisoner，rescueornorescue，’’answeredtheNorman，exchanginghistoneofsternanddeterminedobstinacyforoneofdeepthoughsullensubmission。
``Gotothebarbican，’’saidthevictor，inatoneofauthority，``andtherewaitmyfurtherorders。’’
``Yetfirst，letmesay，’’saidDeBracy，``whatitimportstheetoknow。WilfredofIvanhoeiswoundedandaprisoner，andwillperishintheburningcastlewithoutpresenthelp。’’