Page:Zakhar Berkut(1944).djvu/133

 their posts in the attic had seen the Mongols advancing from both sides and a few well-aimed shots fell from the windows upon them but that did not check the Mongols because the eaves of the house shielded them from most of the danger of shots from above.

Maxim paled when he heard the screams of the captured nearby and learned from a guard sent down from the roof what they meant. “We are lost!” he thought. “To defend ourselves now is impossible. Now we must fight not for our lives, but to the death.”

Tuhar Wolf rejoiced noisily when he saw how well his plan had worked.

“How do you like that, peasants?” he roared. “We’ll see how long your arrogance will last now. See, my soldiers are right under your walls.”

“Set the walls on fire and they’ll soon be smoked out of that nest. Once out in the open we’ll play cat and mouse with them!”

Maxim realized that matters had come to a crucial pass. He called together all his friends for it was no use under the circumstances to try to hold their various posts since the Mongols were already building a fire under the walls of the house.

“Brothers,” said he. “It seems that we shall have to die. There is little hope for a rescue now and as you already know but one fate awaits those who fall into the hands of the Mongols. They will not show mercy to anyone who falls into their hands as they did not spare our wounded comrades. If we are to die, then let’s die like men with weapons in our hands!”

“What do you think, should we stay here and defend ourselves to the last at least partially protected by shielding walls or would you rather we made one last concerted effort to break up the ranks of the Mongols?”

“Yes, yes, let’s charge the Mongols!” answered all his