Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/447

 perceiving the troops, who peremptorily demanded admittance, they declared their readiness to defend themselves to the last extremity, and rather than surrender, to bury themselves in the ruins of the place. The grenadiers, exasperated at this refusal, fired a volley of musquetry, which levelled with the dust several of their opponents. These, grown more obstinate by the height of the danger, so far from being inactive returned the firing by a smart discharge of blunderbusses, carabines and pistols, which were probably kept in the castle for the purpose of defence. The govenor now ordered the detachment to fall back from the corridor on the main body, and drafting a number of volunteers, made the necessary preparations for taking the den by storm. Already the forlorn hope was proceeding to the assault, when—shocking to relate!—the dark cavern blew up with its desperate tenants, strewing the ground with mangled limbs and carcasses, and smoking ruins. When day-light came the most awful scene of devastation presented itself to our view, but what grieved me most and will no doubt grieve you all—was, the unhappy end of the amiable