Page 363 - A Knight of the White Cross

off their assailants, fell upon the ranks of the janissaries with a force and
fury there was no withstanding, and the chosen troops of the sultan for the

first time broke and fled.

Excited almost to madness by the sight of their beloved master stretched
bleeding on the ground, the knights dashed down the breach in eager
pursuit. This action was decisive of the fate of the struggle. The panic

among the janissaries at once spread, and the main body of troops, who had
hitherto valiantly striven to regain the advantage snatched from them, now

lost heart and fled in confusion. But their escape was barred by the great
body of reinforcements pressing forward across the heap of rubbish that
formed the breach over the deep ditch. Maddened by fear, the fugitives

strove to cut a way through their friends. The whole of the defenders of the
breach now fell upon the rear of the struggling mass, hewing them down

almost without resistance, while the cannon from the walls and towers kept
up an unceasing fire until the last survivors of what had become a
massacre, succeeded in gaining their works beyond the ditch, and fled to

their camp. From every gateway and postern the knights now poured out,
and, gathering together, advanced to the attack of St. Stephen's Hill. They

met with but a faint resistance. The greater portion of the disorganised
troops had made no pause at their camp, but had continued their headlong
flight to the harbour, where their ships were moored, Paleologus himself,

heartbroken and despairing at his failure, sharing their flight. The camp,
with all its rich booty and the great banner of the pasha, fell into the hands

of the victors, who, satisfied with their success, and exhausted by their
efforts, made no attempt to follow the flying foe, or to hinder their
embarkation; for even now the Turks, enormously outnumbering them as

they did, might be driven by despair to a resistance so desperate as once
again to turn the tide of victory.