But as to any castle in the town, he saw none; and when he asked
a burgher thereof, the carle laughed in his face, and said
to him that the whole Burg, houses and all, was a castle,
and that it would turn out to be none of the easiest to win.
And forsooth Ralph himself was much of that mind.
Now he was just within the south gate when he held this talk,
and there were many folk thereby already, and more flocking thereto;
so he stood there to see what should betide; and anon he heard
great blowing of horns and trumpets all along the wall, and,
as he deemed, other horns answered from without; and so it was;
for soon the withoutward horns grew louder, and the folk fell back
on either side of the way, and next the gates were thrown wide open
(which before had been shut save for a wicket) and thereafter came
the first of a company of men-at-arms, foot-men, with bills some,
and some with bows, and all-armed knights and sergeants a-horseback.
So streamed in these weaponed men till Ralph saw that it was a great
host that was entering the Burg; and his heart rose within him,
so warrior-like they were of men and array, though no big men
of their bodies; and many of them bore signs of battle about them,
both in the battering of their armour and the rending of their raiment,
and the clouts tied about the wounds on their bodies.
After a while among the warriors came herds of neat and flocks of
sheep and strings of horses, of the spoil which the host had lifted;
and then wains filled, some with weapons and war gear, and some
with bales of goods and household stuff.
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