The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 374: what you’re looking at

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Thereupon the Taborite chieftain was determined to strike a desperate blow at once in order to capture the castle, and thus put an end to a state of things which was shocking to humanity. It was, then, upon the very day on which Angela Wildon bade farewell to Sir Ernest de Colmar—-it was in the morning of this self-same day, we re- peat, that a general movement was visi- ble throughout the ‘l'aborite encamp- ment stretched around the old castle of Altendorf. And soon the ramparts of the fatal stronghold were crowded with the cannibal defenders; and the war- cry rang with a wilder note, and the look of defiance was darted down with a more blood-shot ferociousnuess than on any previous occasion. ‘The besieged appeared to have a presentiment that the final struggle was now at hand, and that the coming conflict must either 1e- sult in their own destruction or in the utter defeat and flight of the army of Mount ‘Tabor. On the other hand, Zitzka and his host were resolute in bringing to an issue a struggle already too long pro- tracted ; and it was accordingly under such varied auspices and with such op- posing presentiments as these, that the . Sanguinary conflict began. > CHAPTER XCII. THE BATTLE. THE sun was bright and the heaven “was stainlessly blue as the sky of a southern clime, when the warriors of Mount Tabor advanced in dense colurnns to attack the Castle of Altendorf on every point. Nor less was the golden ' / the ramparts and towers of the mighty stronghold as with a coating of steel. - The T'aborites marched forward in an array which seemed to be irresistible ; but the besieged, goaded to desperation and almost maddened with hunger, fought as if inspired with the fury of fiends and animated with the strength of giants. On one side was John Zitz- ka leading the main body of his troops to the attack; on the other were the Baron of Altendorf and Lord Rodolph encouraging the garrison to the most resolute resistance. ‘The assailants crossed the moat on rafts in some places; in others they dragged down numerous trees, felled in the adjacent forest, and with which they formed bridges to the foot of the castle wall; many daring ‘l’aborites plunged boldly into the water and swam across to some point where they distinguished a stand- ing-place; and thus within two hours after sunrise the assault became general. The scaling-ladders were raised once more against those lofty walls; and the same furious ardor of attack which we have described in a preceding chapter was now renewed, but only to experi- ence the same indomitable vigor of de- fence. With spikes and spears did the soldiers on the ramparts form an im- penetrable line ; and then hand to hand and foot to foot raged the conflict for a while, till at length, about mid-day, the tremendous fury of the assault was broken and the 'laborite warriors were driven like flocks of sheep over the ramparts. , But not once did John Zitzka lose his self-possession ; not for an instant did he manifest bewilderment or irresolu- tion. He saw his brave ‘T'aborites beat- en back on every side—the stream of their power dashing itself fruitlessly against the walls of Altendorf—the tor- rent of their mighty numbers broken into myriads of ineffectual waves in- stead of overwhelming everything with one tremendous billow: all this he saw, and yet he despaired not! For he knew that the temporary success ob- tained by the besieged had cost them dear, very dear; and he was moreover aware that their desperate condition would prompt, or rather compel them, to hazard everything upon the die that was now cast. Nor did he calculate thus in vain; for when his own troops were driven back from the walls, forced flood which poured from the castern, to abandon point after point, and con- horizon, reflected in the sheen of spears, | strained to retreat in the best manner and helms, and corselets, which covered | they could, the soldiers of the garrison A eee ae ¥ ee ee pus — = hy RP Pm A ’ comicbooks.com = <—> e- _-—~— - Ss dee — | SS" —<— —. a aR dl ll ae itentise oelUlckeetlCO ee SllCUleeee CU eee CU SUC