llation was pushed to the harbour's edge, and St. Elmo was
completely isolated. Yet this prudent precaution was more than
outweighed by the heavy loss that accompanied its execution: for
Dragut was struck down while directing the engineers, and the surgeons
pronounced the wound mortal. With the cool courage of his nation,
Mustafa cast a cloak over the prostrate form, and stood in Dragut's
place.

Five days later came the final assault. On the eve of June 23rd, after
the cannonade had raged all the forenoon, and a hand-to-hand fight had
lasted till the evening, when two thousand of the enemy and five
hundred of the scanty garrison had fallen, the Knights and their
soldiers prepared for the end. They knew the Grand Master could not
save them, that nothing could avert the inevitable dawn. They took the
Sacrament from each other's hands, and "committing their souls to God
made ready to devote their bodies in the cause of His Blessed Son." It
was a forlorn and sickly remnant of the proudest chivalry the world
has ever known, that met the conquering Turks that June morning: worn
and haggard faces, pale with long vigils and open wounds; tottering
frames that scarce could stand; some even for very weakness seated in
chairs, with drawn swords, within the breach. But weary and sick,
upright or seated, all bore themselves with unflinching courage; in
every set face was read the resolve to die hard.

The ghastly struggle was soon over: the weight of the Turkish column
bore down everything in its furious rush. Knights and soldiers alike
rolled upon the ground, every inch of which they had disputed to the
last drop of their blood. Not a man escaped.

Dragut heard of the fall of St. Elmo as he lay in his tent dying, and
said his Moslem _Nunc Dimittis_ with a thankful heart. He had been
struck at the soldier's post of duty; he died with the shout of
victory ringing in his ears, as every general would wish to die. His
figure stands apart from all the men of his age:--an admiral, the
equal of Barbarossa, the superior of Doria; a general fit to marshal
troops against any of the great leaders of the armies of Charles V.;
he was content with the eager rush of his life, and asked not for
sovereignty or honours. Humane to his prisoners, a gay comrade, an
inspiriting commander, a seaman every inch, Dragut is the most vivid
and original personage among the Corsairs.

St. Elmo had fallen: but St. Angelo and St. Michael stood untouched.
Thre