“And I,” said Iollann.
“Good comrades!” Naoise cried, and his eyes sparkled with delight and gratitude.
“We are five,” he said, “trained to arms from the moment we could walk. No person of our quality will be against us, for no gentleman of Ireland would take part in such an attack. There will be only the common soldiery: hardy men, but as skilful at our trade as ploughmen. They cannot break in, for the Red Branch was designed not to be broken into. These bronze doors——”
“The windows!” said Ainnle.
“God pity the man that gets in through a window!” said Naoise. “Moreover, they are too high. A man’s legs would be splintered if he jumped from them.”
“Fire!” said Ardan.
“Conachúr will not burn his own fortress.”
“There is a man at the window now,” said Deirdre.
Naoise’s hand was on the table. He picked up a heavy chessman of gold and ivory and with an underhand flick he sent it buzzing up and through the glass.
A roar of pain came from without and then a scream. “My eye! my eye!” a voice wailed.