or the ladder,
which, breaking, precipitated about a dozen of them to the ground,
where they fell one upon the other, making a great clatter with their
heavy coats of mail. For a moment they thought that all was lost; but
the wind made so loud a howling as it swept in fierce gusts through the
mountain gorges--and the Orontes, swollen by the rain, rushed so
noisily along--that the guards heard nothing. The ladder was easily
repaired, and the knights ascended two at a time, and reached the
platform in safety, When sixty of them had thus ascended, the torch of
the coming patrol was seen to gleam at the angle of the wall. Hiding
themselves behind a buttress, they awaited his coming in breathless
silence. As soon as he arrived at arm's length, he was suddenly seized,
and, before he could open his lips to raise an alarm, the silence of
death closed them up for ever. They next descended rapidly the spiral
staircase of the tower, and, opening the portal, admitted the whole of
their companions. Raymond of Toulouse, who, cognizant of the whole
plan, had been left behind with the main body of the army, heard at
this instant the signal horn, which announced that an entry had been
effected, and, leading on his legions, the town was attacked from
within and without.

Imagination cannot conceive a scene more dreadful than that presented
by the devoted city of Antioch on that night of horror. The crusaders
fought with a blind fury, which fanaticism and suffering alike incited.
Men, women, and children were indiscriminately slaughtered till the
streets ran in gore. Darkness increased the destruction, for when
morning dawned the crusaders found themselves with their swords at the
breasts of their fellow-soldiers, whom they had mistaken for foes. The
Turkish commander fled, first to the citadel, and that becoming
insecure, to the mountains, whither he was pursued and slain, his grey
head brought back to Antioch as a trophy. At daylight the massacre
ceased, and the crusaders gave themselves up to plunder. They found
gold, and jewels, and silks, and velvets in abundance, but, of
provisions, which were of more importance to them, they found but
little of any kind. Corn was excessively scarce, and they discovered to
their sorrow that in this respect the besieged had been but little
better off than the besiegers.

Before they had time to instal themselves in their new position, and
take the necessary measures for procuring a supply, the ci