"Oh, dear, nothing of course," jeered several voices. "We are old friends of her Majesty, so let us pass."
"You are pretty friends to bring war here!"
There was no reply but an ominous laugh. A man seized the ax-headed spear and tried to wrest it from the officer and as he would not let go, he bit his hand. The officer tore the weapon away, shortened it so as to use it as an ax and split the cannibal's skull with one chop. But the violence of the blow broke the staff in two, made for ornament rather than use as it was.
The officer remained armed with two weapons in one, the ax and the spear. While he used both effectively, the sentinel opened the ante-chamber door and called for help. Half-a-dozen guardsmen ran out.
"To the rescue of Lord Charny, gentlemen," shouted the sentry.
Swords flashed in the light of a lamp in the lobby, and the assailants were given some work to do on either side of Charny. Cries of pain were heard and the blood spirted, while the ruffians rolled down the marble steps which they streaked with gore.
The ante-room door opened and the sentry called out:
"By order of the King, gentlemen, return."
The guards profited by the momentary confusion of these foes to execute the retreat, with Charny the last to enter the haven. The door was hardly closed behind him and the two large bolts shot into the sockets before a hundred blows sounded on it. But they piled up the furniture against it so that it would hold out for ten minutes.
During that time reinforcements might arrive.