"That is all."
"Then know, thou slave of degradation and all that is most abominable, that I, as would any man, reject thy base proposal, with words too poor and weak to express, in any good measure, my contempt for the proposer."
At this moment the inner door fell from its hinges with a crash; and then the adjoining room was filled with oaths and the ring of fearful blows.
"Come then, make haste!" cried Catesby to his followers, "yon Herculean savage hath burst through the inner door. Next will he break down this; unless those knaves do stop him."
Then the whole pack of varlets rushed upon me from all points but my back, where the table did prevent them from surrounding me.
"Ha! thou caitiff! ha! thou slave!" cried I, as I struck down the two foremost of the assassins.
"What! do ye hesitate, and shrink from a single sword? Strike him down, ye varlets, or at your peril stay a hand until we have him!" and the chiefest of mine attackers drew forth his sword and, stepping o'er the body of one of his fallen band, he did engage with me so hotly as to cause me to use all of my defence in guarding me from his fierce cuts and thrusts.
In then there rushed the others; but so many were there that they did interfere with each other; thus enabling me to still guard off their blows with my good armoured left arm.
Michael had now overcome his three antagonists, and thundered with his mighty shoulders against the remaining door. I knew that this would be more difficult to break down; for, besides being more heavy, as Catesby had said, it opened towards Michael, and this did add greatly unto its powers of resistance. I dared not turn mine eyes towards the door, lest on mine head a stunning blow should fall.
My left arm now had lost its wonted strength, with guarding of the many blows that fell so hard and thick upon it.