As the portcullis struck the ground with a thunderous crash and rebounded, and he turned from the winch to the stairhead, a last warning, cut short in the utterance, reached him, and he saw through the gloom that his companion was already in the grip of a figure which had succeeded in passing out of the staircase.

Claude did not hesitate.

With a roar of rage he ran like a bull at the enemy, struck him full under the arm with his pike, and drove him doubled up into the stairhead, with such force that the Genevese had much ado to free himself.
The man was struck helpless--dead for aught that appeared at the moment.
But the pike coming in contact with the edge of his corselet had not penetrated, and Claude recovered it quickly, and levelled it in waiting for the next comer.

At the same time he adjured his comrade to secure the fallen man's weapon.

The guard seized it, and the two waited, with suspended breath, for the sally which they were sure must come.
But the stairs were narrow, the fallen body blocked the outlet, and possibly the assailants had expected no resistance.