Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Looting

Mercy's gates will be shut completely, Hard-hearted rough soldiers will wave bloody hands, Raging like hell. "Henry V" The guards at Castle Thornwald, terrified by the surprise attack, managed to hold off the invaders for some time.But the siege crowd swarming in from the city of Liege made them outnumbered and their morale plummeted. Even if there were no mutinies among the defenders, there were disloyal ones.Some shouted surrender, others jumped from the walls into the moat in an attempt to escape from the castle.Many of those who were not drowned threw away their badges and badges and mingled with the chaotic attacking crowd in an attempt to save their lives.Only a few people loyal to the bishop gathered around him and continued to defend the main building in which he took refuge.Others, fearing the enemy would not spare them, were holding on to the isolated bastions and towers of the vast castle with dying courage.But the besiegers had already taken the courtyard and the ground floor of the main building, and were busy chasing down the retreating enemy and searching for trophies.At this time, there is a person who seems to be pursuing the death that others are avoiding, trying to break out a way to rush to the scene of chaos and terror, because the horror imagined in his mind is far better than what he sees and feels. fear.Anyone who saw Quentin on that night of terror.Those who do not know his motives will regard him as a mad madman, but those who can appreciate his motives will regard him as no less than a legendary hero in romantic poetry.

On his way back to Thornwald the young man met several people who were fleeing towards the woods.Naturally they wanted to avoid him, for he was going in the opposite direction to theirs.As he drew nearer he heard and vaguely saw persons leaping from the garden wall into the moat, and others leaping from the battlements as if driven by pursuers.But his courage remained undiminished.As for the boat, he had no time to look for it, even if it had been possible at that moment; and the side gate of the garden was already crowded with fleeing people; moat. Quentin avoided this location and came to the small gate of the castle, where there was a drawbridge that had not been lowered.From here he jumped off the moat.With great difficulty, he got rid of the desperate clutches of several poor people who were about to drown, swam to the front of the suspension bridge, grabbed a hanging iron chain, and with all his strength, he broke out of the water and strangled the suspension bridge. platform.While he was struggling to climb up on hands and knees, a German pikeman ran towards him with a long blood-stained knife in his hand, which he raised to chop off his head, and sent him home.

What's up, buddy!Quentin said in a dignified tone, are you helping a partner like this?Give me a hand. The spearman silently offered him his hand, rather hesitantly, and helped him up the platform.The Scot didn't let him think about it, and continued to say in an imperative tone: If you want to get rich, go to the tower to the west. The treasures of the teacher are hidden in the tower to the west! Immediately, these two sentences spread everywhere: Go to the tower to the west and all the treasures are hidden in the tower to the west!The stragglers who heard the shout ran towards that direction like a pack of mad wolves, while Quentin resolutely walked in the opposite direction regardless of life and death.

He forged his way into the garden with the air of a conqueror (rather than a conquered), and hurried through it more smoothly than he had expected.For the call to the tower to the west drew away one group of attackers, while another was summoned by shouts and trumpets to help thwart the desperate attempts of the defenders of the main building to break out of the castle with the bishop.So Quentin hurried through the garden with a feeling of uneasiness.He entrusted himself to the divine powers that had protected him from countless dangers to life, and felt emboldened by his ordeal of failure.Before he had time to reach the destination, three people held spears horizontally and called out to Liege!Liege!rushed towards him.

He first put on a defensive look, and did not take the initiative to attack, and then replied: France!France!Liege friends! Long live France!shouted the citizen of Liege, and walked over.This same sentence also made him avoid Yuan, like a magic weapon, and run around in the garden, calling Sanglier when he saw him!The attack of four or five dramark bandits who rushed towards him. In short, Quentin has felt hopeful that King Louis, the secret instigator of the Liege rebellion, and William.As the dignified envoy of Delamach's secret supporters, he survived this night of terror. When he arrived at the tower, he was horrified to find that several corpses had blocked the small side door where Marson and Ms. Hamelin had met him not long ago.

Hastily dragging two bodies aside, he was about to step over a third and enter the door, when the figure he thought dead seized his cloak, and begged him to stop and help him to his feet.Quentin intended to use violent means to break free from this untimely obstruction, but the man lying on the ground continued to cry: I am smothered to death by my own armor!I am Pavillon, the guild president of Liege!If you're on our side I can make you rich, if you're on the other side I can protect you.But please don't let me suffocate here like a pig! Quentin kept a cool head in this chaotic fight.It occurred to him at once that this important man might be able to protect their retreat, and he helped him to his feet, and asked him if he was wounded.

Not hurt, at least I thought I wasn't hurt, the citizen replied, just out of breath. Then sit on this rock and breathe a sigh of relief, said Quentin, and I will be right back. Which side are you on?The citizen still stopped him and asked. I am from the French side of France.replied Quentin, considering how to get rid of him. What!Are you that young shooter I met?said the honorable chairman of the guild, if it were my fate to meet a friend on this dreadful night, I assure you that I would not leave you.I will follow you wherever you go.If I can get a few good boys from our guild to gather around, I might be able to help you back.But they all spilled out like peas.Ah, what a dreadful night it was!

At this moment he followed closely behind Quentin and labored.Realizing the importance of securing the protection of such an influential figure, Quentin slowed down to help him, though he secretly cursed the burden. At the top of the stairs is a vestibule.Some of the chests and boxes inside appeared to have been searched, as the floor was littered with items emptied from the boxes.A dying oil lamp in the chimney cast a faint light on a dead or unconscious man lying across the hearth. Quentin, like a hound unhooked from a hunter's lasso, jumped away from Bavion, almost knocking him to the ground.He went through the second room to the third, the bedroom where Lady Croyet might have lived.There was not a single living person to be seen in either room.He called Miss Isabel's name, first softly, then loudly, and then desperately, but there was no answer.He rubbed his hands, tore his hair, and beat his chest and feet in pain.At last he saw a crack in the wall in a dark corner of the bedroom, through which came a feeble light.This indicates that there is also a dark room behind the tapestry.Quentin hurried to investigate.He found that there was indeed a secret door there, but he couldn't open it despite pushing hard in his haste.Regardless of the possible damage to his body, he tried his best to hit the door with all his weight.Even a much stronger fortress than this might not be impossible to break through with the ferocity of this desperate effort between hope and despair.

As a result of his desperate rush, he broke into a small prayer room.The woman who had been kneeling before the holy image in agony and prayer, at last fainted on the floor, as the approaching commotion brought new horrors to her.He hastily helped her up.Ah, so happy!This is the girl Countess Isabel whom he wants to save.He took her in his arms, woke her up, begged her to pick up her spirits because a man who had the heart and the strength to stand against thousands of horses for her was protecting her. Dar Wilt!She finally said soberly, is it really you?Then there is hope.I thought all my friends, living and dead, had left me to be at the mercy of fate.Don't abandon me again!

Never never never!Darwilt said, no matter what happens, what dangers I encounter, I will share my fate with you until I see you happy.Otherwise, may God deprive me of all happiness. How pathetic, really, said a gruff, asthmatic voice at the back, I think it's a love affair.From the bottom of my heart I pitied the frail girl as if she were my own daughter, Trudjan. You should not only pity us, Quentin turned to him and said, Lord Pavillon, you should try to protect us.You can believe that this lady was specially entrusted to my care by your ally King Louis of France.If you do not help me protect her from violence, your city of Liege will lose the favor of King Louis.First you must keep her out of William.Delamach's hand.

It was difficult, said Bavion, because the spearmen were devils who hunted and plundered maidens.But I will do my best.Let's go into that room and let me think about what to do.The stairs are very narrow, you can hold the spear to guard the door.I'll look out the window and try to gather some brave young men from the Liège Tanners' Guild together.You know, they're as faithful as the swords they wear.However, you must first untie these iron buckles for me since the Battle of Saint-Tron (Original Note: This refers to a war fought by the rebels of Liege against the Duke of Burgundy (then Count Chaheloi). The result The citizens of Liege were defeated and massacred.) I have not worn this armor since.If the Dutch scales are accurate, I am indeed three stone heavier than I was then. After unfastening the iron buckle, the honest man heaved a sigh of relief.Presumably he thought more of his loyalty to the cause of Liege than of his combat prowess when he put on his armor.It was later known that the leader seemed to be rushed away involuntarily by the flow of people besieging the city.After being carried over the city wall by this flow of people, he drifted around with the tide of the offensive and defensive sides, and lost the ability to speak.At last, as the sea throws driftwood ashore along the first ditch it encounters, this stream of people at last threw our lord Bavilon at the entrance to the chamber of the ladies of Croyère.His own armor was already heavy, and the pressure was added to by the fact that two people had been killed and fell on him at the entrance; he might have stayed there a long time had it not been for Dawilt who came to his rescue in time. up. Herman.Bavion's passionate personality certainly made him a reckless and radical political fanatic, but more gratifyingly, it also made him a good-natured and kind-hearted person in his private life.Except at times when vanity clouded him, he was always kind and merciful to others.He asked Quentin to take special care of this poor and beautiful girl.After saying these unnecessary words, he called out from the window: Liege, Liege, brave members of the Tanners Guild! Upon hearing the call, one or two of his immediate followers gathered, and with the special whistle of the call (every trade has its own code), many more soon followed. came called upon, and formed a guard under the window where their chief shouted. The fighting seems to be calming down.The resistance is all over.The leaders of the warring factions are taking steps to prevent looting and call a council of war by ringing a bell.The big clock announced to the citizens of Liege that the rebels had successfully captured Thornwaldburg, and the city bells rang in unison in response.The distant and loud bell seemed to be shouting long live victory!It would not be surprising if Monsieur Pavillon rushed down from his fortress at this moment.But for the care of the two persons under his protection, or for the better assurance of his own safety, he limited himself to sending orderly after orderly to his adjutant, Peter King.Gesler immediately came to discuss important matters with him. Seeing that Peterkin finally arrived as ordered, he felt a big sigh of relief, because no matter in military, political or commercial critical occasions, this man was the most trusted confidant of Pavilion.He is short and stocky, with a square face and thick black eyebrows, which shows that he likes to argue, and his stubbornness already looks like a staff officer.He was wearing a yellow leather jacket, with a wide belt around his waist, a machete, and a spear in his hand. Peter King, my dear adjutant, said the commander, what a great day, well, it should be said that it was a great night.I think you are satisfied this time, right? I am pleased to see you satisfied, of course, said the brave adjutant, but if you call it a victory, I did not expect you to celebrate it in this garret.They are calling you for a meeting. Want me to go to a meeting?The chairman of the guild said. Yes.It is possible for you to defend the right of us Lièges to be in greater danger than ever before.the adjutant replied. Come on, Peterkin, tell him the chief, you're always full of whiners, you fellow. Grumbling?I don't, Peterkin said, I'm satisfied with what other people are satisfied with.But I only wish we hadn't driven out the log king and brought in a stork king, as the vicar of St. Lambert's used to read to us in Aesop's fables. A monarch who rules in a gentle manner, and a stork king refers to a tyrant.). Peterkin, I really don't know what you mean.said the chairman of the guild. I will tell you then, Master Pavilion.This boar or bear purposely made Thornwald his den.A neighbor in Liege like him was probably as bad as the old bishop, if not worse.He has snatched all the fruits of victory, but he is hesitating, should he proclaim himself a prince or a bishop?Besides, it was a crime for them to mistreat the old man like that. Peterkin, I must not allow this."I don't like the diadem the bishop wears, but I don't dislike the crowned head," said Pavillon, preparing for immediate action.Peterkin, we outnumber them ten to one.We need to stop this. Yes, ten to one on balance, but one to one in the castle.Besides, Nicole from the butchery business.Bullock and the suburban homeless are also with William.Delamach stands together, partly because of the wine to drink (because the fellow has ordered all the casks to be opened), and partly out of envy of us artisans with rights. Peter, said Pavillon, let us go back to the city at once.I don't want to stay in Thornwald any longer. My lord, the bridges of the castle are suspended, said Geisler, and the gates are locked and guarded by those German pikemen.If we try to get out, the guys who fight the war by profession will beat us who fight the war by the side. Why are they guarding the city gate?Pavilion said anxiously, what are they going to do with the honest man as a prisoner? I don't know why, Peter said, because there is a legend that the two ladies from Croyle took advantage of the siege and escaped.This made the bearded man very angry first, and now he was drunk to death. The mayor looked at Quentin anxiously, as if he didn't know how to make a decision.Dawilt had been listening carefully to their conversation, feeling very alarmed.But he also saw that it was their security to keep his composure and to embolden Baavion himself.Feeling compelled to express his opinion on the subject, he ventured into their conversation.Monsieur Pavillon, said he, I am ashamed of you to see you hesitate and be helpless in such a situation.Go to William.Delamach, ask him to let you leave the castle freely with your lieutenants, your squires, and your daughter.He has no reason to keep you a prisoner. Me and my lieutenant mean myself and Peter?Okay but who is my squire? I am.I will be your servant for the time being.replied the fearless Scot. you!Pavillon said in embarrassment, aren't you the special envoy of King Louis of France? good.But my secret letter is addressed to the governors of Liege, and I will only hand it over in Liege.If I were in William.Wouldn't I be forced to deal with Deramak who admitted my identity in front of him?Yes, there is also the possibility of being detained by him.So you must secretly send me out of the castle as your squire. Do my retinue.But you also talked about my daughter.I think my daughter is safe at home in Liege and I sincerely hope that her father is also at home at this moment as she is. This lady, said Darwilt, may call you father during your stay here. For the rest of my life I shall call you father, said the countess, kneeling at the citizen's feet, and putting her arms around his knees, if only you would help me through this hopeless situation, I would be like a daughter to a father every day. Respect you, love you, pray for you, don't be so cruel!Come to think of it, it is possible for your own daughter to kneel before a stranger, begging him to protect her life and dignity. Just think of this, and give me the protection you want her to have! In truth, said Peter, the good townsman who was moved by the girl's pathetic entreaties, I thought the pretty girl was a little like my lovely Trudejean.I felt that way from the beginning.And this bubbly young man with good ideas was a bit like Trudjean's fiancé.Peter, I bet this is true love and it would be a sin not to help it. It is both a disgrace and a sin.Peter said, wiping his tears with the sleeve of his leather jacket.In all fairness, although the Flemish man was somewhat self-righteous, he was kind-hearted. Let her be my daughter, said Pavillon, she must be well veiled.Since she is the daughter of the guild chairman, if there are not enough loyal tanners to protect her, they will have no face to bullshit.But be careful, I have to answer their questions. If they ask me, what is my daughter doing here during the siege, how can I answer it? Excuse me, why do half the women of Liege follow us into the castle?Peter said, what else can be said except that this is exactly the place in the world they shouldn't be in?Our Miss Trudjean goes a little further than the others, that's all. That's a great answer.Quentin said, Your Excellency Pavillon, you muster up your courage and follow this gentleman's good idea.It will be one of the most valuable merits since Charlemagne, and you won't get yourself into trouble.Dear lady, cover your face tightly with this veil (the room is littered with women's clothing).With faith, you can be free and safe within minutes.Monsieur, he said to Pavilion, you lead the way. Wait a minute, said Pavilion, I'm still worried!This Dramak is a madman, a veritable boar.What if this girl is Mademoiselle Croyer?If he found out, what would happen if he was furious? If I were this unfortunate maiden, said Isabelle, looking and wanting to kneel before him, would you abandon me in this hour of despair?Ah, if only I were your daughter, the daughter of one of the poorest townspeople! Miss, we are neither poor nor very poor, we can get by.said the citizen. Please forgive me, noble sir.said the unfortunate girl again. Not noble, not a gentleman, said the guild chairman, just an ordinary Liege citizen who can pay bills in cash.But that's a bit off topic.Well, just say you are the Countess, and I will still protect you. Even if she is a countess, it is your duty to protect her, said Peter, because you have promised. You are right, Peter, you are right, said the chairman of the guild again, it is the way of us Lowland Dutch people: once a word is spoken, it is hard to follow.Now let's get down to business. We have to ask this William.Delamach said hello before leaving.Somehow, just thinking about him makes me uneasy.I hope this is a courtesy that can be avoided, I really don't have the heart to go through the motions. Now that you have a team, wouldn't it be better to rush to the gate and force the guards to open it?Quentin said. Pavillon and his staff voiced their disapproval of such an attack on their allies and suggested that it would be imprudent.Quentin knew it was impossible to put such a friend at such a risk.Knowing that the boars of Ardennes were holding a feast to celebrate the victory, they decided to enter the castle hall and demanded the right to leave the city for the guild chairman of Liege and his party. It seemed that this request was very reasonable, and it was difficult to refuse.But the good mayor looked at his companions and sighed, and said to faithful Peter: "Look what good comes from being too bold and being too soft-hearted!"Oh, Peterkin, you know how much I have suffered from kindness and courage!I don't know how much I'll have to pay for my goodness before God lets us leave this wretched Thornwaldburg! As they walked through the courtyard still filled with the dying wounded and the dead, Quentin helped Isabel through the horror of the slaughterhouse, comforted her softly, cheered her up, and reminded her that her safety depended entirely on her. Firm and calm. Not on me, she said, but on you, on your firmness and composure alone.Ah, if I survive this dreadful night and escape, I shall never forget my rescuer!I want to beg you to give me another favor, please, for the honor and dignity of your parents, please promise me! How can I refuse your request?Quentin said softly. Better stab me in the chest with a dagger, she said, than let me be a prisoner in the hands of these beasts. Quentin's only answer was to shake the countess's hand.It seemed that she would have answered this gesture of caressing had it not been for the horror of the scene.With Pavilion and his lieutenants leading the charge, followed by a guard of honor composed of more than a dozen tanners and guild chairmen, Isabel walked into the murderous hall with her young bodyguards in her arms. As they approached the hall, the applause and wild laughter from inside seemed to indicate that the demons were drinking to their heart's content in celebration of their victory over the humans, and that it was not the mortals who were rewarded for their adventures. Cheers to success.At this time, it is a stubbornness that can only be inspired by despair that prompts Miss Isabel to take courage, while it is a more high-spirited fearless spirit when the situation is at the end of the world that prompts Darwilt to take courage.As for Pavillon and his adjutants, they were like bears tied to a pole and had to face danger, so they had to bite the bullet and face their fate.