Next came a small troop of men-at-arms, followed by some more carts, in which the wounded, including the rescued soldier, lay on heaps of hay and straw; while the rear was composed of the rest of the men-at-arms and mounted archers.
In this order they issued under the great gateway, passed over the drawbridge, and crossed the wide belt of open ground. When the head of the column reached the edge of the gloomy forest a tucket sounded and the soldiers came to a halt.
Seeing Sir John and his squires gazing intently at the abandoned stronghold the men did likewise. They saw the grim and gaunt pile standing clearly out against the dark background of the forest, and from the black flag-staff fluttered the blue banner of the company, with its well-known device of the golden crescent.
Even as they watched, the figure of a man made its appearance on the battlements; the banner was slowly lowered, and the man disappeared.
A few moments later the same man, mounted on a swift steed, emerged from the gateway and thundered across the turf. Reining in his horse before Sir John, the rider handed the banner to the guidon-bearer, saluted, and fell in with his comrades; but still the Constable kept his eyes steadfastly on the fortress.
What could it mean?
Slowly the moments sped. To the perplexity of the soldiers, the castle had an irresistible fascination for their leaders, and, following their example, they, too, looked in silent wonderment at the gaunt masses of masonry.
Suddenly, with a flash, a roar, and a cloud of smoke and dust, the castle appeared to split asunder; huge masses of stone flew skyward, then with an appalling crash the walls subsided, and in place of the massive outlines of the fortress there was nothing to be seen save a pile of blackened stones, over which floated a heavy pall of dense vapour.
The remainder of the powder had been fired, and the sylvan stronghold of the Count of Tancarville was no more!
"'Tis well done," was Sir John's only comment, then, on receiving the word of command, the company resumed its march, and plunged into the sombre shadows of the forest.