But the levelled spears at his side flew up, a flame caught his crest, making a plume of fire, and with a curse he cast his axe among the throng, and the man who stood in front of it got his death.

Glasdale turned about as he threw; he leaped upon the burning drawbridge, where the last of his men were huddled in flight, and lo! beneath his feet it crashed; down he plunged through smoke and flame, and the stream below surged up as bridge and flying men went under in one ruin.
The Maid gave a cry that rang above the roar of fire and water.
"Saints! will no man save him ?" she shrieked, looking all around her on the faces of the French.
A mad thought leaped up in my mind.
"Unharness me!" I cried; and one who stood by me undid the clasps of my light jaseran.

I saw a head unhelmeted, I saw a hand that clutched at a floating beam.

I thought of the Maid's desire, and of the ransom of so great a squire as Glasdale, and then I threw my hands up to dive, and leaped head foremost into the water.
Deep down I plunged, and swam far under water, to avoid a stroke from floating timber, and then I rose and glanced up-stream.

All the air was fiercely lit with the blaze of the burning barge; a hand and arm would rise, and fall ere I could seize it.