The magnificent figure with the calm face now so fierce in expression, that they had been used to respect, filled them with awe; they retreated before Karl, dropping the gold and silver vessels, the rolls of tapestries, the knives and firearms that they had despoiled from the King’s stores.
Karl advanced among them, throwing away his musket; he drew his sword and drove the Turks backwards before him; many jumped out of the window, two crawled under the brocade valences of the King’s bed.
Karl, perceiving this, ran his sword through one; the other crawled out, and bending low before the King besought his mercy.
Karl turned to Grothusen, now close behind him.
“Tell him,” he said, “that I will give him his life if he tells Ismail Pasha what he has seen.”
Grothusen translated this; the shivering Turk eagerly promised, and was suffered to jump out of the window after his companions.
The invaders had now taken refuge in the cellars; from these Karl and his now heartened followers soon dislodged them; some were killed, others contrived their escape through doors or windows.
Karl ordered the dead to be flung out after the living, and in a short space of time the house was free of the enemy.
The Swedes now proceeded to barricade doors and windows, and to fetch such arms as were available.
A large store of muskets and powder had not been discovered by the Turks, and these proved ample for the arming of the garrison.