“I felt sure of it, madam,” said Gertrude.
Accompanied by her daughters and Archdeacon Rutter, the countess then descended to the parade, where she was enthusiastically received by the officers and men, and shouts resounded from the walls.
By this time the rain had ceased and the morning had become bright and cheerful. After remaining in the court for a few minutes, she proceeded to the chapel to offer up thanks for her preservation.
Meanwhile three or four engineers on the batteries of the besiegers had been shot, and apparently not a man could be found to work the guns. Thus the enemy ceased firing altogether, and the garrison became completely tranquillised.
But towards evening it seemed certain—from preparations that were then being made—that the mortar would again be tried on the morrow.
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XXI
Of the Experiments made by the Besiegers with the Great Mortar
NEXT morning, as Major Farrington, in company with Standish, reconnoitred the enemy from the ramparts, he perceived they were again very busily employed in the sconce in which the great mortar was placed. As far as the observers could make out, some two hundred men were collected near the new fort, and it was evident this large force had been brought there to resist any attack.
“I do not like that mortar,” remarked Major Farrington, “and I am persuaded it will give us more trouble than all the rest of their guns put together.”
“It may not prove so formidable as you anticipate,” said Standish. “However, I own it has an ugly look, and should be glad if its large mouth could be stopped, but that does not seem practicable. Nailing it is useless as we have found.”
“Depend upon it, they are going to give it a thorough trial to-day,” said Major Farrington; “and unless I am mistaken some of their commanders are in the sconce to witness the experiment. I will take care they shall not have a very pleasant time of it.”
“If Rigby is there I hope a shot may hit him,” rejoined Standish. “But for him we should not have been plagued by this pestilent mortar.”
Major Farrington then gave orders to the engineers in all the towers facing the fort in question to concentrate their fire upon it. This was done and carried on so persistently, that at length not a man could be seen above the ramparts.
However, the besiegers were not to be deterred from their design. Suddenly, a thundering sound announced that the mortar had been discharged, and a ponderous stone—the course of which could be traced through the air—passed over the walls, and fell in the court, luckily without doing any damage, though causing great consternation.
No further experiment was made that day, because the engineers in the fort were afraid to work, owing to the incessant fire kept up from the ramparts; but enough had been done to prove the tremendous power of the mortar, and all those who gazed at the stone thought what destruction would have been caused had it fallen on the top of a tower or on the roof of the mansion.
Next day, on examining the magazine, Major Farrington made the unpleasant discovery that the powder was beginning to run short.
The constant firing from the ramparts and towers that had taken place during the last week had well-nigh exhausted the stock, and although a considerable supply had been obtained from the trenches of the enemy during the sallies, very little was left.
For the first time, the countess became uneasy when she received this alarming intelligence, and she gave peremptory orders that no more powder should be wasted. Not a needless shot must be fired.
Standish and the officers did not share her ladyship’s uneasiness, because they felt certain the trenches would yield a fresh supply, and the men were not altogether pleased by the restraint put upon them. However, they did not dare to disobey orders, and for the present the firing almost wholly ceased.
As if to test their patience, the enemy were more active than usual on that day, and again brought all their ordnance to bear upon the walls.