Some, who had got farthest into
the courtyard, were taken in the rear by Angus and Hamish; and as the
Highlanders laid about them with clubbed rifles, the superstitious
Easterners wavered. Imagining themselves assailed by giant women with
the strength of devils, they fell back dismayed, and for some wild
seconds the twins were masters of the quadrangle. They broke heads with
crushing blows, and smashed ribs with trampling feet, yelling their
fearsome yells which seemed the cries of death and war. But it was the
triumph of a moment only, and then the Arabs--save those who would fight
no more--rallied round their leader, a tall, stout man with a majestic
presence. Once he had got his men in hand--thirteen or fourteen he had
left--the open courtyard was too hot a place even for the Highland men.
They retreated, shoulder to shoulder, towards the barricade, and soon
were firing viciously from behind its shelter. If they lived through
this night, never again, it would seem, could they be satisfied with the
daily round of preparing an old lady's bath, and pressing upon her
dishes which she did not want. And yet--their mistress was an
exceptional old lady.
Now, all the towers were vacant, except the one defended by Nevill, and
it had been agreed from the first that he was to stick to his post
until time for the last stand. The reason of this was that the door of
his tower was screened by the barricade, and the two rear walls of the
bordj (meeting in a triangle at this corner) must be defended while the
barricade was held.
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