98 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [BOOK IV.

trated like sharp darts into every one; and drawingpower from their very weakness, none remainedin the hospital except those already in the finalagony. In arms the wounded human beingshurried to the ramparts, where who could, fought;and who could not fight, there assisted the combat-ants. On that day was shot an arrow from theTurkish line to ours with a'scroll containing nothingbut Thursday; which carried to the grand master,he recognised as from one of his spies signifyingthe foe had determined to give one or two otherstorms, and then depart . 1 Fact is, the next assaultgeneral ensued at dawn on Tuesday, perhapsfiercer than any preceding, and it lasted longer intwo relays until night, that is twelve hours withoutan instant interval; and so thick the smoke thatthey could scarcely distinguish each other. Womenand children absolutely showed most astonishingand little short of peerless ability. By the good-ness of God, Mustapha neither by threats nor pro-mises could engage his army to a new assault.So there were different snatches of comparativequiet, and the grand master wrote to Toledo com-plaining of the delay of succours; that all hisknights could do was to die in that defence, andthat there was too much languor in a matter of] Bosio: par. iii. 648.