The Emperor threw his visor up—his face was flushed—in his soul indignation contended with astonishment.
"No, Captain, the wound cannot be serious; and besides, how canst thou get to thy ships?"
Justiniani looked over the bulwark of the vessel. The alley from the gate ran on between houses abutting the towers. A ball from one of Mahommed's largest guns had passed through the right-hand building, leaving a ragged fissure. Thither the Captain now pointed.
"God opened that breach to let the Turks in. I will go out by it."
He stayed no longer, but went down the steps, and in haste little short of a run disappeared through the fissure so like a breach.
The desertion was in view of his Genoese, of whom a few followed him, but not all. Many who had been serving the guns took swords and pikes, and gathering about the Emperor, cried out:
"Give orders, Your Majesty. We will bide with you."
He returned them a look full of gratitude.
"I thank you, gentlemen. Let us go down, and join our shields across the street. To my guard I commit defence of the galley."
Unfastening the purple half-cloak at his back, and taking off his helmet, he called to his sword-bearer: "Here, take thou these, and give me my sword.... Now, gallant gentlemen—now, my brave countrymen—we will put ourselves in the keeping of Heaven. Come!"