Barnabas had a huge twenty-pound iron club in his hand; grinding his teeth, and with eyes darting fire, he seemed capable of meeting single-handed the whole troop. He was followed by the widow, with two loaded pistols in her hand, and old Simon, who entreated them not to use violence or exasperate the enemy. "Conduct yourselves bravely!" replied the widow dryly; "let us not die in vain." "Come with me--we shall send them all to hell!" cried Barnabas, swinging his club in his herculean arm as if it had been a reed. "Let us not be too hasty," interrupted Jozsef; we will stand here in the tower, from whence we can shoot every one that approaches, and if they break in, we can meet them on the stairs." "For Heaven's sake!" cried Simon, "what are you going to do? If you kill one of them they will massacre us all. Speak to them peaceably--promise them wine--take them to the cellar--give them money--try to pacify them! Nephew Tamas, you will speak to them?" continued the old man, turning to Tamas, who still paced up and down, without the slightest visible emotion. "Pacification and resistance are equally vain," he replied coldly; "we are inevitably lost!" "We have no time for delay," said Jozsef impatiently; "take the arms from the wall, Barnabas, give one to each servant--let them stand at the back windows of the house, we two are enough here. Sister, stand between the windows, that the stones may not hit you; and when you load, do not strike the balls too far in, that our aim may be the more secure!" "No! no!--I cannot let you fire," exclaimed the old man, endeavoring to drag Jozsef from the window. "You must not fire yet--only remain quiet." "Go to the hurricane, old man! would you have us use holy water against a shower of stones?" At that instant several large stones were dashed through the windows, breaking the furniture against which they fell. "Only wait," said Simon, "until I speak with them. I am sure I shall pacify them. I can speak their language and I know them all--just let me go to them." "A vain idea! If you sue for mercy they will certainly kill you, but if you show courage, you may bring them to their senses. You had better stay and take a gun." But the old man was already out of hearing, and hurrying downstairs, he went out of a back door into the court, which the Wallachians had not yet taken possession of. They were endeavoring to break down one of the stone pillars of the iron gate with their axes and hammers, and had already succeeded in making an aperture, through which one of the gang now climbed. Old Simon recognized him. "Lupey, my son, what do you want here?" said the old man. "Have we ever offended you? Do you forget all that I have done for you?--how I cured your wife when she was so ill, and got you off from the military; and how, when your ox died, I gave you two fine bullocks to replace it? Do you not know me, my son Lupey?"