CHAP. IH.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

221

than the old wall, a new one built during thoseshort days, with admirable dexterity and steadiness,faced with oak beams, all hung with bales of woollenor cotton, as continued to be much used by those ofAcre during the whole siege at the several breacheswhen out burst—but an actor in the scene shallspeak for himself, who survived his wounds towrite, long years after, what he then saw and par-ticipated : 2 “ I had been allowed to join the Hos-pitallers; and, all horse, we had their MarshalClaremont, at our head. At the onset, in such adesperate precipitous spot, and against most ableswordsmen, many of us were slain ; but that wasover in a twinkling, and what I can scarce myselfbelieve, now that I am an old monk writing aloneby this feeble lamp, is, that headlong down thatbreach, and over the bodies in the ditch at fullgallop, I followed Claremont, who, like a wolf aftera flock of sheep, flew, pursuing what remained ofthe Mamelukes across the entire plain, and to thevery foot of the hills, cutting to shivers everycreature on his way . 8 My hand trembles, and myheart bounds, and my pale, withered cheeks glowat thinking of the exaltation of that moment. But

1 Yillani.—Bib. Crois., ii. 621.

2 Michaud: Hist., v. 133.—Relation MS.—MS. Accon.

3 Michaud: Hist. v. 134.