Hugh and Joe Sedley, with a shout of rage and horror, dashed from
their places, sword in hand, and leaping headlong down the stairs,
cutting and hewing with their heavy swords, swept all opposition
back, and stood at the foot, over the body of Rupert.
The three Dutchmen and Van Duyk followed their example, and formed
a group round the foot of the stairs. Then there was a wild storm
of falling blows, the clash of sword and axe, furious shouts, loud
death cries, a very turmoil of strife; when there was a cry at the
door of "The watch!" and then a loud command:
"Cut the knaves down! Slay every man! Dort! Dort!"
There was a rush now to escape. Down the passages fled the late
assailants, pursued by the burgher guard, who, jealous of the
honour of their town, injured by this foul attack upon a leading
citizen, cut down all they came upon; while many who made their
escape through the windows by which they had entered, were cut down
or captured by the guard outside. The defenders of the stairs made
no attempt at pursuit.
The instant the burgher guard entered the hall, Hugh and Joe threw
down their bloodstained swords, and knelt beside Rupert.
"Ough!" sighed the latter, in a long breath.
"Thank God! He is not dead."
"Dead!" Rupert gasped, "not a bit of it; only almost trodden to
death. One of my stout friends has been standing on me all the
time, though I roared for mercy so that you might have heard me a
mile off, had it not been for the din.
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