"Get up, my child," said she, "and let us dress."
The firing redoubled, and flashed like lightning upon the panes.
"Attention!" shouted Materne.
One could also hear the neighing of a horse outside, and the tramping of a great crowd in the alley, the yard, and before the farm: the house seemed shaken to its foundations.
Suddenly, the firing came from the windows of the large room on the ground-floor. The two women dressed in haste. Just at that moment, a heavy foot creaked on the stairs; the door opened, and Hullin appeared with a lantern, showing signs of great agitation.
"Make haste!" cried he; "we have not an instant to lose."
"What has happened then?" asked Catherine.
The fusillade came nearer.
"Eh!" exclaimed Jean-Claude, throwing up his arms, "have I time now to explain to you?"
The old dame understood that the only thing to be done was to obey. She put on her hood and descended the staircase with Louise. By the flickering light of the shots, Catherine saw Materne, bare-necked, and his son Kasper, firing from the entrance of the alley upon the abatis, and ten others behind handing them muskets, so that they had only to aim and fire. All these men, in a throng, loading, shouldering, and firing, had a terrible aspect. Three or four dead bodies lying against the old wall added to the horror of the scene. The smoke was at the point of reaching the dwelling.