Page:Zawis and Kunigunde (1895).djvu/281

 “Pay no heed to me,” loudly exclaimed Zawis to his followers; but his cry seemed not to have reached their hearing. Again and again he loudly exhorted his men to do their duty; and arrows on both sides fell around.

Hereupon Nicolas placed Zawis in the immediate front of the most advanced ballista. Here a stone from the walls crashed through the engine, striking splinters into the face of the exposed prisoner. “Not by our hands shall he die,” exclaimed his men. “We will forfeit our own lives first.” A parley succeeded and the garrison accepted terms, more favorable than they expected, as an encouragement to the others to surrender.

A similar exposure of the unflinching captive opposite the walls of Landskron and Landsberg produced a repetition of the same scene, with like results.

Having thus far succeeded, Nicolas next advanced against Hluboka. Here he published a proclamation offering terms to all except Witek, Wok, Drda, Boppo, and Solomon.

Within the fortress, accordingly, the menaced persons at once took refuge. With them entered a few others long associated with the household. To this proclamation Witek hurled a defiance in the form of a huge stone cast from the weightiest ballista on his wall.

Here had now assembled the last of the house of Fürstenberg, Witek, Wok, Lady Ludmila, together with Boppo, Solomon, Prokop, Agaphia Brszava, Sambor, Milada, and the strongest garrison the place could accommodate.