ill be many mouths less to feed among our
fellow-citizens!"

All the consuls seemed equally alarmed, the object of the council was
forgotten, and they hastily withdrew. Nigri detained the archdeacon,
and taking him on one side, said,--

"One moment, I beg you, my lord Galdini. The words spoken here might,
if known, discourage the people. I trust that I may count upon your
discretion."

"Your recommendation is needless," replied Sala; "not a word shall pass
my lips. Let us hasten, with God's aid, to repel the assault." He
pressed Nigri's hand, and the consul hurriedly buckling on his armor,
they repaired to the ramparts.

_CHAPTER XX_.

_THE ASSAULT_.

Milan was in mortal fear. The colossal form of the monstrous machine
approached still nearer to the doomed city. The streets were filled
with an anxious crowd of women, children, and men-at-arms, all pressing
with hurried steps to the scene of danger. From every door rushed the
alarmed citizens, buckling their armor as they ran. Wagons filled with
caldrons of pitch and boiling oil, creeked as they labored slowly
forward, and the shouts of the leaders, the orders of the consuls, and
the continued challenge of the sentinels, completed the wild and
confused tumult. And still the tower moved slowly on.

The garrison, to repel the attack, brought forward two large machines,
which threw stone balls and heavy missiles, and four smaller ones,
called catapults, which were to rain stones and arrows upon the
besiegers. From the summit of the walls the enemy could be
distinguished moving from their camp, in four bodies, and impatiently
awaiting the orders to rush forward to the support of the Saxon banner.
The city walls were lined with crossbow-men and archers, ready to fire
into the loopholes of the town as soon as it should be within range. In
the open space between the houses and the ramparts, the noblemen and
civic guard were drawn up, ready for the moment when the drawbridges
should be lowered and the fight become general. Everything was
conducted in an orderly manner, each man knew his duty. The women and
children had disappeared; on their knees, in the churches, they were
seeking the aid of Heaven in the strife which was so soon to begin.

All the machines were ready to commence their work of destroying the
town. The two largest were loaded with stones, so large that it
required the united strength of